flowers — Page 7

Hydrangeas

August 26, 2024 at 8:12 am by Claudia

The limelight hydrangeas are starting to turn pink, a sure sign of impending autumn.

I was outside on Sunday with my telephoto lens, trying to capture a photo of the goldfinch who was munching on coneflower seeds. This little one was tenacious! He/She would perch on the top of a stem, or on top of the flower itself, and yank those seeds out. But only on the older coneflowers that were fading, not on the others. I’m going to keep an eye out today to see if the goldfinch returns. He was here both Saturday and Sunday.

I was up early today because Don had to get on the road early, so I heard the Carolina wrens peeping as they woke up. It’s fairly quiet on our busy road when it’s just turning light, so there’s an intimacy to that sound, as if the bird and I are the only ones aware of it. And I think we were.

Another foggy morning today, foggier than yesterday morning.

As the election heats up, I may be encountering more negative comments, like the 3 I had over the weekend. If I feel they are inappropriate, I will delete them and block the commenter. Not because that person is disagreeing with me, but because the comment is ill intentioned, and in one case this weekend, full of falsehoods about what I said in Saturday’s post. There’s no reasoning with that.

Anyway, not to belabor this sort of thing – because we’ve seen it before – but I’m going to turn on comment moderation. That means that you won’t see your comment right away. It will come to me for moderation. Since I usually monitor the blog during the day, your comments should be approved quickly. I just wanted to give you a heads up so you won’t think there’s something wrong with the blog and/or your comment. Okay?

I’m close to the end of my first John Sandford book and I’ve really enjoyed it. Suddenly, I have seven books from the library here at the house; two of them Don is reading, and the other five are in a pile next to my chair. I love a good thriller/mystery/spy novel.

I hope you had a good weekend!

Stay safe.

Happy Monday.

Friday Thoughts

August 16, 2024 at 9:06 am by Claudia

Yours truly is tuckered out today. Since Sunday, we’ve been working outside for several hours every day – mowing, weeding. working on some areas of the back forty, cleaning gutters, weeding some more, clearing the trails in the woods, etc. Today, I’ve opted for some rest, though I do have clean the tub and floor in the bathroom. On one hand, we love that we are strong enough for some physical labor, on the other hand…we’re sort of tired.

Yesterday, we spent all morning on a self-tape audition that Don had to submit. It was rather complicated but it went fairly smoothly and Don was happy with it. The rest of it? You just have to let go because there’s no controlling the outcome. As I always say it’s a bit of a crap shoot. In fact, every potential job in theater, film, or television is definitely a crap shoot.

Control is an issue of mine as an adult child of an alcoholic. It’s also an issue for my sister. When you grow up living in an environment that can go out of control at any minute, having any sort of control is desperately needed. It’s why I don’t drink and never did drugs. It’s also why I need to feel in control of most situations, but of course, that isn’t always going to be the case. Don recognized this about me early on. I sometimes have to cede control and that is a good thing. Don – even though he’s also an adult child of an alcoholic – is more spontaneous. I’ll always opt for control, though. It makes me feel safer.

I can hear the mourning dove calling as I write this. That makes me smile.

Uh oh. The thought of mowing the back forty just popped in my head. You see? The urge to go outside and do something is back. But the bathtub! And the floor!

We’ll see what happens.

Stay safe.

Happy Friday.

Flowers, Dolls and Lots of Rain

August 9, 2024 at 8:20 am by Claudia

The second Rose of Sharon has started to bloom – the color of the flowers is slightly darker than those of its neighbor. Hang in there, bush – we’re going to be pummeled today with rain as a result of Tropical Storm Debby heading up into the Northeast. Lots and lots of rain and some winds – there’s even a tornado watch at the moment. Yikes!

Did I mention the other day that we needed rain? Apparently, Debby has responded to my request.

Don’s response to Debby? He’s going to make an apple pie. We haven’t had one in a while, so it’s time.

Yesterday morning was spent running to the post office for a box for an Etsy order. On my way there, the tire pressure sensor light went on, so I drove to the gas station and filled up my rear right tire, which was the culprit. Then I ran into the grocery store to grab a few things, came back home and packaged up the Etsy order. Then back to the post office to send it off.

I don’t have the space to have a variety of boxes on hand, nor do I want to amass a lot of boxes that I don’t need. So I end up seeing the two guys who work in our post office a lot. Kevin and Gene. They are such great guys; kind, helpful, and funny. Kevin is going to retire in a year and a half and we’re already sad.

The Olympics have been spectacular and such a godsend in the middle of this election season. We’re ready to get back to our normal schedule, but I know we’ll miss them. I have always watched the Olympics, ever since I was young. The stories behind the athletes are so inspiring. I know it’s not everyone’s cup of tea, but if you’re not watching, you’re really missing out. I am not an athlete – never have been – and I am incredibly inspired by them. Don and I sit here screaming our heads off as we cheer for the swimmers and runners.

Sophie was overdue for a photo. My first Blythe. She is so lovely. A couple of years ago, Rosa, her customizer, told me that she had been her very first customization. I was so impressed. Little did Sophie know when she arrived here that several more sisters would eventually share this space. Someday I’ll show you the freckles on her forehead. Adorable.