garden — Page 120

Morning Glories, Cooler Weather, MiPad

September 29, 2017 at 9:45 am by Claudia

It’s a good twenty degrees cooler this morning! I didn’t get up until 7:30 and it was only 45 degrees. I think it will reach 70 today and it’s sunny, so that makes it a perfect day.

There are about twenty morning glory buds ready to pop, but unlike during the heat wave, they weren’t open when I got up. They’re opening slowly this morning.

I just took this picture. Candy-striped beauty.

Yesterday, I was fascinated by the big, fat bumblebees diving into the center of the morning glories.

It’s almost as if he’s lit by a spotlight.

They’re determined. If they can’t fly directly into the center of the flower, they climb up the fragile petal.

I raked some leaves yesterday and mowed part of the property. Don wants me to leave the back forty for him to do on Sunday. That’s fine with me. I think doing something outdoors is refreshing for him after being in a rehearsal room for 6 days in a row.

The additional MiPad floor arrived yesterday. I assembled it in about 15 minutes and then carted it upstairs to the studio/office.

It’s the lower floor – it has a huge front door. Not sure what I’m going to do with that yet, but it needs a big old handle, that’s for sure! The door section is hinged, so that you can pull it away from the house to gain access. Yes, it looks like a coffee cup is suspended in mid-air over there to the right, but it’s really on an acrylic table.

I’m full of ideas and not so full of ideas. I’m loathe to disturb the pristine white and airy feeling of the house, but time will tell. Splashes of color everywhere, yes, but do I cover the floors? Do I put up any wallpaper? I need a bedroom, bathroom and kitchen as well as the living room. How do I fit it all in? Do I – I can’t believe I’m saying this, I’ve gone mad – buy another floor? These are the things that are whirling around my brain this morning.

For those of you who have been asking, Don has one more week of rehearsals in NYC. The last rehearsal is on October 7th and they fly to New Orleans on October 8th. Then they’ll tech the show and preview before opening on October 20th. I’ve yet to make plane reservations – I’m working on that today – but I’m thinking I’ll fly down on the 19th and stay for a week. New Orleans! It will be such fun!

Happy Friday.

Blooming and Reading

September 27, 2017 at 9:00 am by Claudia

In the early evening, I sometimes stand just inside the kitchen door and look at the buds on the morning glory, trying to figure out how many are far enough along to bloom the next morning. Last night, I think I came up with twelve.

There are fifteen flowers this morning.

It’s a foggy morning, so this is the best I can do. All that loveliness!

And the other planting, in the chicken wire fence garden, has a bloom.

And a lot of buds.

Then there’s the other batch of morning glories, the petite version, that have been blooming all summer and continue to do so.

And the ever wonderful zinnias, late summer/early fall beauties.

As all of these flowers happen to be planted in the memorial garden and chicken wire fence garden – right outside the kitchen window – I am blessed with their beauty throughout the day.

I’ve been so scattered lately, what with working in Hartford and driving home on my days off, going into NYC here and there to coach, along with Don being away and coming home on his days off. It’s been hard to concentrate on any one thing, including the latest Louise Penny, which I’ve been reading in bits and pieces.

This morning, I said, “Enough!”

This is one of my very favorite authors, as you well know. She deserves more of my time. So I’ve been reading since 6:30 am. I finally took a break to write this post, only because I don’t want to be getting close to the ending only to have to stop to take care of business.

She’s a stunningly talented writer, which is an understatement. More on that later. I’m going to close now and get back to the book and the rest of my coffee.

Don is going to finally get to see the Broadway version of Anastasia tonight. Yay!

Happy Wednesday.

Heading Back

September 6, 2017 at 9:06 am by Claudia

There are splashes of yellow all over the property. Goldenrod, a staple of late summer, is blooming. How can I not smile when I see this cheery yellow?

However, today is a dark and rainy day here. We had storms last night. Not necessarily the best weather in which to travel back to Hartford, but there you go. We’re going to go out for breakfast before I head back to CT.

It’s been so lovely being home that I feel like I have to force myself to get in the car and turn it toward points east. I don’t want to leave. Don and I are feeling the sadness that impending separation brings. I figured it out yesterday: by the end of the year we will have spent 9 months apart. Nine months. That, my friends, is a hazard of our profession. But it’s easier to handle when you’re young and eager and ready to go anywhere to work. It’s much tougher at this point in our lives.

Anyway.

Stella is a dream. She cooks evenly. I know it will sound silly, but the baked potatoes we had (twice) were the most evenly baked we’d ever had. The texture was smooth as silk and they were delicious. As were the biscuits. As were all the entrees Don cooked on the stovetop. Oh my goodness. What a difference gas makes! And what a difference Stella makes.

This morning I walked over to her and hugged her. I love her. I love her in our home. I never get tired of looking at her. I never will. I have absolutely no regrets. Investing in Stella was the best thing we’ve done in a long time.

Another sign of impending autumn – Sedum Autumn Joy.

Hurricane Irma is a juggernaut and we are worried about her impact on so many island dwellers and the state of Florida, where so many are in her path, including my sister and her family. Please stay safe. I know many of my readers live in Florida and I urge you to evacuate if you are told to.

Happy Wednesday.

Morning Glories, Cooler Weather, MiPad

Blooming and Reading

Heading Back

Lambs Like to Party

A Note

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