Tides & Transitions...and DOGS
June 5th, 2007 (02:30 pm)
current mood: ...aloof...
current song: Loreena McKennitt "Dark Night of the Soul"
current mood: ...aloof...
current song: Loreena McKennitt "Dark Night of the Soul"
So things are upturning around here some. It's been very, very busy.
I spent two out of the last three weekends at my mom's house (well, four days of each), to watch her three dogs while they were away on vacation. Seems I've "disappointed" her this last time by not actually sleeping over (this was the first ever, that I hadn't, for a few family reasons, out of the past three years I'd been helping). She didn't even call to wish her grandkids a happy birth day because she's presumably still angry with me. Her (favorite) dogs body is in discord at the moment (mostly because of neglect and lack of general health care maintenance), so she's taking that out on me for not staying there, forgetting I have a family to run (or not caring, which is also likely in her case). So this is my current drama. I'm just turning the other way from it for now to let her steam off. Seems I was always the one to pick up the pieces, and the only one not throwing names or harsh words. *sigh*
On to better news, this week is the kids' birth days (as you heard a moment ago).
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opheliaspins has graduated and come home from college now, Congratulations!!!! =)So I've been spending time with her lately. Last night we watched a french film called "Queen Margo" for a relaxing evening. It's a pretty good movie with a near-Shakespearean tragic ending. American movies are so predictable and humdrum...well, at least for the last decade and a half, or so. So anyway, it's nice having her back around again!
In other news, after much consideration, we decided to get a puppy for the kids birthday (it was actually from the Grandparents, but we had to decide if it was OK). We ended up getting a 13 week Yellow Lab puppy. He is strangely calm for a labrador puppy, but certainly happy enough. Chews EVERYTHING though!!! He's a good dog though. We named him "Brúni"...Old Norse for "bright, shining; brown" which is exactly what he is. He's simply adorable. See the images below. The cats have accustomed themselves to him very well. Bennie, my little feline provocateur took minutes to be himself again (I really do wonder just how much Bengal may be in him...LOL...he's absolutely fearless!) and has been teasing and following Brúni for days. Crazy cat doesn't realized how big Brúni will be!! Our other kitty, who acts as the dainty princess she is has only just started coming out of hiding in the past two days...but she's coming around. So strange to have a dog again (helped raise eight with my parents).
For those of you who I've discussed my more personal perplexity a few weeks ago with (and I think it was only two of you), they have finally begun to cease as of last week. I'm noticing I feel different about some things--or otherwise seeing things differently somewhat, but nothing considerably life changing.
Besides that is my garden. This is the first year we decided to go a little further than planting veggie seeds and picking weeds. There is a Nursery or way called Sugarbush nursery, and another called Edge of the Woods nursery, both specializing in native plants and growing organically...both up my alley. So we got a few babies from there including at-risk species. Some of the babies we got are Goldenseal, Black cohosh, Gentian, A. Ginseng, Wild bleeding heart, Blue indigo, (false) Solomon's seal, red Columbine, Blue cohosh, Toad lily (not native), Yucca, Nasturtium, Cinnamon basil, Rosemary (I also grew from a seed this year, yay!!), and so on. The prices were good on them. Oh, we also got a Highbush blueberry bush. This was for the front yard (see some of the garden below). Some of the plants listed are not in the front garden, partially because they prefer a shaded area (which makes our backyard a better place), but also wooded lands and such (also a good place for in the back yard). We decided upon some endangered/at-risk species in hopes of helping out. My in-rehab orchid is finally starting to turn around and is quite happy to share a water dish with my sun dew and venus flytraps (picture also below). It's in desperate need of transplanting, the last few storms did a number, but it's new growth is staying strong!
In the veggie garden we planted chards, potatoes/sweet potatoes, yam, garlic, onions, the blueberry bush, rutabaga's, carrots, a really good variety of greens for salads (mustard and so forth), green beans, spinach, brussel sprouts, tomatoes, and more. I also have a watermelon going, strawberries in a long pot and an apple tree from an apple we ate last year. The mulberry tree is ripening...we'll soon have berries galore (with plenty for the birds and bees, too). I like making pancake syrup, jams and so forth with them.
Besides that is my garden. This is the first year we decided to go a little further than planting veggie seeds and picking weeds. There is a Nursery or way called Sugarbush nursery, and another called Edge of the Woods nursery, both specializing in native plants and growing organically...both up my alley. So we got a few babies from there including at-risk species. Some of the babies we got are Goldenseal, Black cohosh, Gentian, A. Ginseng, Wild bleeding heart, Blue indigo, (false) Solomon's seal, red Columbine, Blue cohosh, Toad lily (not native), Yucca, Nasturtium, Cinnamon basil, Rosemary (I also grew from a seed this year, yay!!), and so on. The prices were good on them. Oh, we also got a Highbush blueberry bush. This was for the front yard (see some of the garden below). Some of the plants listed are not in the front garden, partially because they prefer a shaded area (which makes our backyard a better place), but also wooded lands and such (also a good place for in the back yard). We decided upon some endangered/at-risk species in hopes of helping out. My in-rehab orchid is finally starting to turn around and is quite happy to share a water dish with my sun dew and venus flytraps (picture also below). It's in desperate need of transplanting, the last few storms did a number, but it's new growth is staying strong!
In the veggie garden we planted chards, potatoes/sweet potatoes, yam, garlic, onions, the blueberry bush, rutabaga's, carrots, a really good variety of greens for salads (mustard and so forth), green beans, spinach, brussel sprouts, tomatoes, and more. I also have a watermelon going, strawberries in a long pot and an apple tree from an apple we ate last year. The mulberry tree is ripening...we'll soon have berries galore (with plenty for the birds and bees, too). I like making pancake syrup, jams and so forth with them.
Summer is in the air!!
Small portion of the garden. I really liked the way these green-ish stones came out with the spout, too. Gives the feel of trickling water, and is aesthetically pleasing. Can't complain. Surrounded is Chamomile, leftover daffodil leaves from the bloom, a rose bush and my red columbines.
This was actually taken about two weeks after the first one, so the rose bush is in bloom, as is my Foxglove (or fairie gloves, hehe). The Chinese lanterns on the right have just finished their bloom, as have the Columbines and Chamomile (somewhat). The Peony's in the back are going to bloom soon. The small, almost unnoticeable flowers are snapdragons.
This is one of two tables of plants on my porch. Here is my Lobelia, Rosemary, A. Ginseng, Solomon's Seal, Dracaena spikes, rehabilitated Orchid, Venus flytraps and Sun dew (which is currently blooming small lavender flowers, very pretty). The two plants on the very bottom of the picture are my 2nd columbine plant (just finished it's bloom) and the toothed leaf is my black cohosh, which stands nearly 3 feet tall. My porch is so full of greens right now,ltlviking is probably going bananas....LOL....
I have loads more, but if ya'll wanna see them, then I guess you're just going to have to come over.....
Oh! For the gal looking for woodruff...I do not have any seeds of that in my collection. HOWEVER I have found a growing plant of it being sold at our local nursery for all but $7, so if you want one, let me know as soon as you can before they are gone...I'll pick it up and keep it until we meet in the future.
This was actually taken about two weeks after the first one, so the rose bush is in bloom, as is my Foxglove (or fairie gloves, hehe). The Chinese lanterns on the right have just finished their bloom, as have the Columbines and Chamomile (somewhat). The Peony's in the back are going to bloom soon. The small, almost unnoticeable flowers are snapdragons.
This is one of two tables of plants on my porch. Here is my Lobelia, Rosemary, A. Ginseng, Solomon's Seal, Dracaena spikes, rehabilitated Orchid, Venus flytraps and Sun dew (which is currently blooming small lavender flowers, very pretty). The two plants on the very bottom of the picture are my 2nd columbine plant (just finished it's bloom) and the toothed leaf is my black cohosh, which stands nearly 3 feet tall. My porch is so full of greens right now,
ltlviking is probably going bananas....LOL....I have loads more, but if ya'll wanna see them, then I guess you're just going to have to come over.....
Oh! For the gal looking for woodruff...I do not have any seeds of that in my collection. HOWEVER I have found a growing plant of it being sold at our local nursery for all but $7, so if you want one, let me know as soon as you can before they are gone...I'll pick it up and keep it until we meet in the future.
Hope everyone else is doing well...I really hope to hear from some of you. =)
OH, and here's a quiz from an LJ friend. Frankly, I have no idea what they are talking about...Really....
You are... 11% unique
(blame, for example, your interest in wooded lands)
and 13% herdlike
(partly because you, like everyone else, enjoy traveling).
When it comes to friends you are normal. In terms of the way you relate to people, you are keen to please.
Your writing style (based on a recent public entry) is intellectual.
Your overall weirdness is: 48
(The average level of weirdness is: 27.You are weirder than 88% of other LJers.)
Find out what your weirdness level is!
Thanks chicka! I'm home! ;)