Summer Woes

Here is a recipe for frustration:

1. Make sure your car is plenty dirty, including front and back door mats, inside doors, upholstery, storage area and windows. There should be a) tiny pieces of paper b) somewhat larger mystery pieces of paper c) items to go to St. Vincent’s d) used ink cartridges to go to the Cartridge Depot e) lots of tiny rocks f) mud g) hair h) golf clubs & bag i) golf umbrella j) golf ball retriever k) “green” grocery bags l) golf visors m) empty drink bottles…
2. Wait for a day that is not hot, not humid, not raining, and with minimal bugs.
3. Wait for a day when there are only six other things scheduled, so you have “time” to clean out your car’s interior.
4. Find your handy-dandy portable 33-yr-old vacuum cleaner (it’s in a box, wrapped in plastic to keep the ants out, in the small shed).
5. Take all the parts out of the box.
6. Assemble them.
7. Check to make sure there is a clean bag inside (whew! there is).
8. Go find the car keys.
9. Move the car next to the sidewalk for easy (easier) access.
10. Remove as much of the stuff listed in #1 as possible.
11. Take out the floor mats and smack them around a bit to dislodge some of the dirt & rocks.
12. Go back to the small shed to get the extension cord.
13. Go into the large shed to look for the extension cord.
14. Go back to the small shed to look for the extension cord.
15. Go into the utility room to look for the extension cord.
16. Put the car back together.
17. Put the vacuum cleaner back together.
18. Put it in the box, plastic wrap the box, and return it to the small shed.
19. Leave a telephone message for the person who drives the other car, and undoubtedly has my extension cord in his car.
20. Go to the computer and write this blog entry. Then smile :) Life is good :)

Summer Smiles

Looking out the west window from the kitchen this morning (working at the sink, as usual) I saw this cute little mini-sunflower that apparently shot up overnight. It's one of the wildflowers I planted a year ago that did not show up last year and so I had given up hope that any of them ever would germinate, let alone bloom. I'm sure I'm not the only one who buys those large bags of wildflower seeds that are supposed to turn 100 sq. ft. into a mass of flowers. This one little flower made my day, and a closer look revealed several buds that will be opening soon.

My Mother's Day hibiscus finally found a permanent home, and it is very happy to have root-room to grow. I'm expecting great things because I've been told that these plants get huge and bloom all summer. Since this is a "tropical hisbiscus", I doubt it will make it through the winter, but then sometimes I wonder if I myself will make it through the winter, and I always do!

I liked the contrast here between the dark green, fern-y things at the bottom of the picture and the pale green and pink of the shrub behind them. Last fall I chopped all of this vegetation nearly to the ground because it was leggy, past its prime, and ugly. It's possible that I threatened them with certain death if they didn't perform this year, because look how they responded! :-)

I took another picture of the same bush, because I am so impressed with the delicate pastel leaves and blossoms. The rains followed by a week of warm weather seemed to bring out the best in this year's growth.

These are several small evergreen bushes that keep insisting on working their way out into the pathway along the front of the house. Last fall I realized that moving them would be a major chore, probably involving more energy and more tools than I could manage, so I pruned them way back. Now look what I've done! They are back with a vengeance. (Aren't those little green fingers cute?)

Every now and then a catalog purchase pays off. This is the result of just a half-dozen tiny starts. They got stuck in the ground with not much hope that they would survive, and now they're spreading like crazy... and blooming!

The north side of the house doesn't get much sun, winter or summer, so shade-loving plants, grasses and ground covers have an area where they can survive beautifully (as you can see). We intend to fill the area with a variety of hostas and maybe some bleeding heart plants. There is already a significant amount of moss growing there on its own initiative, so I get a good laugh out of seeing instructions on "how to grow moss"!

Blimey! They're Bloomin'!

These old fashioned climbing roses bloom all summer long at the southeast corner of the house. I did have to spray them for mildew a few days ago, because of all the rain we've been having, but they'll survive.

One of the plants that Marty and Laura brought me for Mother's Day was this hibiscus, and this is its first blossom. As soon as the ground is a little less soggy, I'll plant it and wait for a multitude of blooms, which will appear on this blog later on :)

I promised a picture of the first peony bloom, and here it is, bowing down before the onslaught of day after day of rain. Now that it's drying up a bit, there are many more blooms, and larger ones. I'll get a picture of them tomorrow to share here.

This is my sturdy mock orange that I ordered through the mail several years ago. Naturally, it didn't look anything like the picture in the catalog, being only about 6" tall and severely straggly... but look what it's become! I am disappointed that it has no scent, but the profusion of blossoms makes up for that.

Now competing for space, these clematis vines have so many huge flowers that they're struggling to be seen. Come late fall, I'll split the root ball and put half of this profusion somewhere else for next year's glory.

This poor, overgrown sage plant is literally flat on the sidewalk, completely overcome by the continuing deluge of rain, but it struggles valiantly on and will be standing up straight again after a couple more warm days. (Reminds me of those awful down days that occasionally lay me flat, but I always come back!)

Joys and Sorrows

There is something wonderful about getting older; it probably starts about the time you find yourself rapidly approaching the age of 50. You will see people in their 50s "doing" genealogies and scrapbooks and putting their photos in order, perhaps even getting them all on the web. Why? I think it's because around that age we begin to become more conscious of our mortality (whoa!); we have become grandparents (egads!); our own parents seem suddenly ancient (oops!); our own retirement is closer (yea!). We start thinking about hobbies or about traveling abroad or taking a cruise. So, it's a mixed bag; part of it is joyful and some if it is sad; but in either case, it is a sort of wrapping-up of our lives. It's definitely time to start our own "Bucket List". (If you've not seen that movie, see it! It's about making a list of what you want to do before you "kick the bucket", and Morgan Freeman starring with Jack Nicholson makes for a hilarious, unforgettable movie.)

One of the joys of getting older is recognizing that we actually have a smidgen of the wisdom we've been seeking. We catch ourselves sharing that wisdom with our kids more often (who don't "get" it yet, but will!). Another joy is learning how to slow down, sometimes as a result of that wisdom, sometimes just because our bodies insist on it, and behave badly if we overdo. Another great joy (and also a reward) comes when you find yourself in good health with energy to spare, find yourself trying out the new things that come along with progress, find yourself seeking other outlets for your imagination, find yourself interested in learning new things.

One of the greatest sorrows of getting older is discovering that our parents are reaching the end of their lives, are not well, and need more care... but this is something we have come to expect. However, when we learn that some of our friends, neighbors, relatives and peers are struggling with disease and experiencing a tortuous journey through extended treatments, we struggle along with them. Talk about coming face to face with one's own mortality! Does one ever learn how to accept pain without despair? Death without fear? Loss without emptiness and the agony of depression? When those we love are trying to make it though a worrisome and anxious time, how do we help? How can we keep from feeling terribly guilty about being so glad it's not us?!

I guess this is when we dig deep down into that (however shallow) well of wisdom and call up our better selves, our kinder and gentler natures, and express our caring about and sharing of their pain. Surely we've learned something along the way that taught us to be accepting of whatever the future offers. On the other hand, maybe not. All I know is, feeling helpless is pretty awful, whether it's in relation to others or to ourselves.

"Oats, Peas, Beans and Barley Grow..."

Don't know much about oats or barley (besides the fact that I eat oatmeal for breakfast and put barley in my homemade soups), but I do know a little about peas and beans. Today I bought a packet of bush bean seeds to plant a 16' row and discovered there were only six (count them... 6!) seeds, and the instructions said to plant them 4" apart. Well, hm-m-m, they are a lot farther apart than that, so if one doesn't germinate, I'll just plant something else there. Last year, the few bean plants I had continued to produce well into October. Maybe just for fun I'll toss out some flower seed and see what happens.

On a hunch, I bought some pea seeds, too. Even remembering that the best pea crop I ever got was planted in February(!), I decided to try planting in May just to see what I might get. Even erected a trellis thing-y to support them. Next year (yup, already planning next year's garden) I'll plant some sugar snap peas, because those are the ones I really like. Thinking about asparagus starts, too, because the only way I like asparagus is right out of the garden, fresh and crisp and raw... to get that, you have to plant it yourself!

Gardens and Flowers

Here are some pictures of recent changes around the house, including the beautiful hanging plant (a Mothers' Day gift), the clematis that finally decided to bloom (and we'll have about a hundred more blooms before it's done), and the bush out front of the house that was nearly decimated by the early Spring and late frost of a couple years ago. I'm happy to see it blooming again!

Busy days with the nicer weather finally here. I've been getting the garden planted; all done but the green beans. I have to go to town and get some bush bean seeds today because I had accidentally gotten pole bean seeds. In the past, I've grown both, and though the pole beans are easier to pick, it's hard to find the best way to support them, and the beans themselves seem to be tougher. So, I'll be picking beans on my knees in the dirt again this summer, probably hoping the plants will die because they produce skabillions of beans before they're done.

Lotsa Pics

This is my "Miki Azalea", because she gave it to me years ago. It's a full-sized bush azalea, not a dwarf like the one below. Note the totally different blossoms... each uniquely beautiful.

This is another picture of one of the dwarf azaleas that borders our back patio. It's now in full bloom, and you can compare it to the picture in the previous post, where it is just beginning to flower. Such a change!

An example of how Mother Nature will have her way. You can use dandelion weed killer all you want, and mow your yard every few days, but those darling little yellow flowers will grow where they can and re-seed, too!
We had so much rain, and the grass just kept growing. When it dried out a bit and Mike and the big tractor -mower were available at the same time, they quite literally followed the old adage: "Make hay while the sun shines." Too bad we don't have a hay baler ;-)
I call this one "A Magnificent Profusion of Color".
Lilies of the valley, so tiny and delicate and shy, not to mention short-lived, but well worth it when they bloom. It's quite a sight to see their whitest white supported by their green, broad, elongated, flat leaves.
One of Nature's treasures, hidden away for eight years and finally showing itself. I disturbed the area when I removed the old electric pathway lights and some thick growth. In a few days, there it was!
A cloud of dogwood... glorious.
Almost ready! Lots of compost, bags of topsoil, hours and hours of working with shovels and rakes, and I think another couple goings-over will have the beds ready for planting. Once I get it properly positioned, the wood planks will provide a dry path between the beds... and also edge the beds to keep the soil from getting washed away during "gully-washers". The area in the forefront of the picture is where the old compost pile was, and will be where I plant the 4 tomato plants and 5 pepper plants I bought the other day. That ground is SO rich.