As soon as I gave myself permission for 'snippet summer' my home computer died an ugly death.
It was like it knew.
July continues to be muggy and full and wonderful and buggy.
Late last night my goddaughter and her dear mother arrived and already the house is a different place. My goddaughter is 2.5 now and every time I see her she is a different child in a different stage. She is very articulate now but can still be surprised by a nectarine pit.
It's fun seeing the world through her eyes again. I wonder what her first memory will be.
first day of busy weekend
Feel free to laugh hollowly if you live down south and are used to [or suffer from] extreme heat frequently but Friday was really something weather-wise. In there city it was 102 with a heat index of 117 and I just about melted.
Not realizing how hot it was going to get, after work I did a mini garden tour on foot with some friends in the neighborhood. It was fun showing off my garden with the half completed herb garden but even more fun was walking through the neighborhood, looking at other yards and seeing other people's gardens.
The first was an entrancing jungle of plants all around a fabulous 3 sided screened room. The clematis, the kind with the more delicate small flowers, twining with the roses were wonderful. And there maybe some clematis cuttings in my future.
The second had some of the most fabulous hostas, with leaves the size of hubcaps, giving the space a lush tropical feel.
It was amazing to see all the different ways people 'see' their yards and gardens. And even more wonderful to enjoy them without having to work on them.
Both gardens had wisteria, which I love. That makes 3 times this year I have seen a wisteria in the neighborhood doing well so I am going to try one, I have confidence now that it can work.
I hope there is a shady, fragrant spot in your life if you need it.
Not realizing how hot it was going to get, after work I did a mini garden tour on foot with some friends in the neighborhood. It was fun showing off my garden with the half completed herb garden but even more fun was walking through the neighborhood, looking at other yards and seeing other people's gardens.
The first was an entrancing jungle of plants all around a fabulous 3 sided screened room. The clematis, the kind with the more delicate small flowers, twining with the roses were wonderful. And there maybe some clematis cuttings in my future.
The second had some of the most fabulous hostas, with leaves the size of hubcaps, giving the space a lush tropical feel.
It was amazing to see all the different ways people 'see' their yards and gardens. And even more wonderful to enjoy them without having to work on them.
Both gardens had wisteria, which I love. That makes 3 times this year I have seen a wisteria in the neighborhood doing well so I am going to try one, I have confidence now that it can work.
I hope there is a shady, fragrant spot in your life if you need it.
snipping summer
Recently I have been thinking a lot about writing and my blog. When I am far away from a computer, I frequently think of stuff I want to write about here or new scenes for my novel. But usually I don't even jot the idea down.
Perhaps I am falling into a belief that writing needs to be dense and long? So in order to squeeze writing back into this very busy summer I am declaring this 'snippet summer'. The idea being quick short bursts of posts, just to keep the juices flowing. I may even time myself to 5 minutes or less. This works well during nanowrimo so why not now?
Speaking of snipping the roses need to be dead-headed, so it's back outside. If it's a holiday for you then happy fourth!
Perhaps I am falling into a belief that writing needs to be dense and long? So in order to squeeze writing back into this very busy summer I am declaring this 'snippet summer'. The idea being quick short bursts of posts, just to keep the juices flowing. I may even time myself to 5 minutes or less. This works well during nanowrimo so why not now?
Speaking of snipping the roses need to be dead-headed, so it's back outside. If it's a holiday for you then happy fourth!
soggy summer solstice 2011
It's almost typical to have soggy cold summer solstices around here and this year did not buck that trend. It's been a very rainy 12 hours and my cherries on my tree are still hard green marbles. No early spring this year.
But still the season is now officially summer no matter what the weather does and the long hours of daylight have been wonderful. I took a long weekend from work so I am enjoying a holiday, the humidity is a bit more tolerable now that we have a breeze and there was a dry period this morning when I really enjoyed sitting on my new arbor bench that my wife built in my new geometric herb garden.
So now it's onto the joys of summer. Throwing a big party for my wife next month, visiting with my in-laws, seeing my favorite niece and god-daughter, enjoying my CSA, women's basketball and biking. It's hard to believe July is just around the corner. I hope that I can really be mindful and enjoy it. And I hope you do too.
But still the season is now officially summer no matter what the weather does and the long hours of daylight have been wonderful. I took a long weekend from work so I am enjoying a holiday, the humidity is a bit more tolerable now that we have a breeze and there was a dry period this morning when I really enjoyed sitting on my new arbor bench that my wife built in my new geometric herb garden.
So now it's onto the joys of summer. Throwing a big party for my wife next month, visiting with my in-laws, seeing my favorite niece and god-daughter, enjoying my CSA, women's basketball and biking. It's hard to believe July is just around the corner. I hope that I can really be mindful and enjoy it. And I hope you do too.
A calamity of carnations
That's a group word I just made up but it really suits my carnations-dianthus-pinks this year.
For the first year ever I have carnations growing nay thriving. I love them and I have never been able to get them to grow before, I have struck out with all varieties.
This year with my wife's encouragement, 'they have always grown for me...' I picked out a lovely carnation, yellow with pink streaks [according to the picture] and a simple white dianthus.
The carnations budded profusely, then one opened. It was pink with minute white ruffling. I am not very fond of the color pink but I consoled myself with the idea of their scent. I picked a flourishing blossom.
No scent whatsoever. I had never realized that scentless varieties existed, for me there isn't much point, I love the scent so...
The white dianthus are doing well also, and the first few flowers opened last week. I'll leave it to your imagination my reaction when I sniffed a dainty specimen. No scent again.
It seems even when they grow I strike out. So I sniffed my new perennial lavender and tried to console myself. Summer tomorrow. It's hard to believe June is 3/4 over already.
For the first year ever I have carnations growing nay thriving. I love them and I have never been able to get them to grow before, I have struck out with all varieties.
This year with my wife's encouragement, 'they have always grown for me...' I picked out a lovely carnation, yellow with pink streaks [according to the picture] and a simple white dianthus.
The carnations budded profusely, then one opened. It was pink with minute white ruffling. I am not very fond of the color pink but I consoled myself with the idea of their scent. I picked a flourishing blossom.
No scent whatsoever. I had never realized that scentless varieties existed, for me there isn't much point, I love the scent so...
The white dianthus are doing well also, and the first few flowers opened last week. I'll leave it to your imagination my reaction when I sniffed a dainty specimen. No scent again.
It seems even when they grow I strike out. So I sniffed my new perennial lavender and tried to console myself. Summer tomorrow. It's hard to believe June is 3/4 over already.
don't scare the shoes
If you have been reading this blog for awhile you know all about my hate-hate relationship with shoes and shoe shopping. For the past 18 months I have had good luck with my asics tennies, I know just what to buy for exercise. But shoes, especially summer shoes, I can't cope.
What you don't know is that perhaps my luck has turned. May be for good?!
Last January a friend mentioned that she had found great shoes on sale at a local chain, so I went shopping at the upscale expensive shop and they did have racks and racks of sale shoes, many in brands that I had never heard of or had deemed too expensive for me.
I remembered that not every shoe/brand fits every person when I tried on numerous dansko shoes all of which hurt me immediately. It was like Keenes all over again. But I did find 2 pairs of clogs on sale and I took a chance. One pair were an incredible win, although I just about passed out over the $80 sale price. These shoes may have changed my relationship with shoes.
They are so comfortable. The heels aren't like heels at all. I feel like I am walking barefoot [but warmer] and the removable cork foot bed = heaven. But still I wasn't convinced. I firmly believed in my bad shoe luck. So I hesitated to mention it.
Then in March while shopping for shoes for the ball, I found another pair of Naots on sale. Amazing. Totally different style and equally wonderful. And now after trying on several styles of summer shoes I am convinced. I can admit it publicly.
It seems that I have found 'my brand' of shoes. True an expensive brand but considering the shoes I have had to break up with over the years, if these last several years the price per wear will work for me. And I may get used to the price tag. Eventually. [probably not]
If these have a down side it is that shoe stores around here carry a limited selection of this brand so I need to do online shopping to find just what I want. Fortunately I don't expect shoe shopping to be easy or quick. I'm just relieved if the end purchase lives up to my expectations.
I don't want to scare the shoe luck away but so far so good.
What you don't know is that perhaps my luck has turned. May be for good?!
Last January a friend mentioned that she had found great shoes on sale at a local chain, so I went shopping at the upscale expensive shop and they did have racks and racks of sale shoes, many in brands that I had never heard of or had deemed too expensive for me.
I remembered that not every shoe/brand fits every person when I tried on numerous dansko shoes all of which hurt me immediately. It was like Keenes all over again. But I did find 2 pairs of clogs on sale and I took a chance. One pair were an incredible win, although I just about passed out over the $80 sale price. These shoes may have changed my relationship with shoes.
They are so comfortable. The heels aren't like heels at all. I feel like I am walking barefoot [but warmer] and the removable cork foot bed = heaven. But still I wasn't convinced. I firmly believed in my bad shoe luck. So I hesitated to mention it.
Then in March while shopping for shoes for the ball, I found another pair of Naots on sale. Amazing. Totally different style and equally wonderful. And now after trying on several styles of summer shoes I am convinced. I can admit it publicly.
It seems that I have found 'my brand' of shoes. True an expensive brand but considering the shoes I have had to break up with over the years, if these last several years the price per wear will work for me. And I may get used to the price tag. Eventually. [probably not]
If these have a down side it is that shoe stores around here carry a limited selection of this brand so I need to do online shopping to find just what I want. Fortunately I don't expect shoe shopping to be easy or quick. I'm just relieved if the end purchase lives up to my expectations.
I don't want to scare the shoe luck away but so far so good.
why I don't watch TV
I don't watch TV. I don't think it's bad to watch TV, I just stopped doing it years ago [how many, I cannot remember] without really thinking about it. I am pretty sure the fact that shows I liked kept getting abruptly canceled was a big part of it [SciFi and BBC channels I look at you] not to mention that I stare at another type of electronic screen for work and I my eyes got tired of screen staring.
So I don't happen to watch TV but most people forget this or don't know it and I am always being told about wonderful intriguing shows. Even my best friends who do remember I don't watch TV tell me about great shows that Netflix carries. Which I would like to watch some day...
It occurred to me this morning that I am fortunate in many ways but I don't have time to do all the many things I love to do sometimes. I have been designing and installing a new garden in the south yard and it's been great but time consuming. I haven't been running or writing or knitting or blogging. [have you noticed?]
I have really missed blogging. I couldn't when I was in CA and then when I returned there was so much to catch up on garden-wise, wife-wise. In fact right now my new garden beds are calling, they are only half mulched.
No matter, here I am giving my blog [and you all] many hugs and kisses and wishes for a wonderful June. I'll keep on looking forward to those clever shows in order to have the time to do this.
So I don't happen to watch TV but most people forget this or don't know it and I am always being told about wonderful intriguing shows. Even my best friends who do remember I don't watch TV tell me about great shows that Netflix carries. Which I would like to watch some day...
It occurred to me this morning that I am fortunate in many ways but I don't have time to do all the many things I love to do sometimes. I have been designing and installing a new garden in the south yard and it's been great but time consuming. I haven't been running or writing or knitting or blogging. [have you noticed?]
I have really missed blogging. I couldn't when I was in CA and then when I returned there was so much to catch up on garden-wise, wife-wise. In fact right now my new garden beds are calling, they are only half mulched.
No matter, here I am giving my blog [and you all] many hugs and kisses and wishes for a wonderful June. I'll keep on looking forward to those clever shows in order to have the time to do this.
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