garden — Page 36

Flowers, Robins, and What are you Reading?

July 24, 2021 at 9:50 am by Claudia

Today is sunny and beautiful. I am feeling extremely lazy (in the best sense of that word) and am determined to move through the day slowly and deliberately. We did a heck of a lot of mowing yesterday and we’re tired! Some of that mowing was rather hurried as we took pains to finish the area by the nest as quickly as possible so mama robin wouldn’t get stressed. The only section we haven’t dealt with is the Secret Garden and that’s because it’s still too wet back there.

Those baby robins are getting bigger. Now, when they are about to be fed, I can see not only their beaks but part of their bodies as they they thrust upwards in search of food. We are so lucky to be able to watch it all from the kitchen and bathroom. It’s like having our very own television screen permanently set on the Robin’s Nest Channel.

As far as the Opening Ceremonies go, I’m afraid we didn’t even last beyond the US team marching in. It was already nearly 11:30 pm and we were tired! I’m sure it was spectacular but I’m fine with missing it. I can always search for highlights of the ceremony online.

Is it time for another edition of What are you Reading? I think it is.

I’ll start. I’m reading A Dying Fall by Elly Griffiths and The Life and Works of Monet, both of which are excellent.

Now it’s your turn!

Stay safe.

Happy Saturday.

The Scamp

July 17, 2021 at 9:37 am by Claudia

We mowed the front lawn and the back forty yesterday. Even though it was relatively early in the morning, it was so hot and humid that we were drenched by the time we finished. But we knew we had to get it done before the weekend, which is going to involve a lot of rain and thunderstorms.

I always love looking at the lawn after it’s just been mowed. Everything that wasn’t an early bloomer is blooming in the garden now. The brown-eyed susans just started opening. July in the garden is the best. By August, things will start winding down, but let’s not go there yet.

Anyway, we worked very hard and we were pooped for the rest of the day. I also yanked some weeds while I was at it.

This morning as I was sitting in the den, I heard a little noise on the porch. Couldn’t see anything. But I got up to investigate and sure enough, our little groundhog had been exploring. And by little, I do mean little, this one is on the petite side. He apparently felt rather scampish this morning because he was soon heading toward the edge of the big flower bed, where he munched on some weeds. When he got up on his hind legs and started to investigate a coneflower, I opened the door and told him to move on. At one point this morning, I heard Don say “What is he doing?” Apparently our unnamed groundhog had climbed up on the bench on the funky patio, where I have two pots of lavender and a brush that I use to clean out the birdbath. Don told me the groundhog actually put the brush in his paws and held it up! Boy, I wish I’d been able to get a photo of that!

We actually don’t see him very often and we’ve remarked on that. So this morning’s frolics were unexpected and amusing.

Because of all that activity, I had to go outside a couple of times, so I gave in and yanked some more weeds. In this unbearably humid weather, early morning is the best time to do that kind of thing and I often forget to.

Still haven’t begun a new painting. See: exhausted from mowing.

Hey, I have a favor to ask of you. We’ve noticed that when we google Don’s name, that box that appears on to the right of all the search results sometimes shows something from Rotten Tomatoes, which is a film site. And it says, “Don Sparks was…” We’ve written them several times about that and I finally got a response from a guy who said that their data provider always uses the passive tense. And that, despite Rotten Tomatoes challenging that, they won’t change. I investigated the passages on Meryl Streep and Harrison Ford, and sure enough, they are also in the passive tense. The problem on Don’s is that the third word is ‘was’ which most people would assume means that he is no longer with us.

So, we are wondering if clicking on Don’s IMDB site a few times would, in Google’s “mind,” make that a more active result for Don and eventually eliminate the Rotten Tomatoes reference. I hope this makes sense. Anyway, if you’re willing, you could search “Don Sparks” or “Don Sparks, actor” and when the IMDB site comes up, click on it. I’m going to do that several times today.

We just don’t want anyone to think he’s left us.

Sigh.

Thanks in advance.

Today, some painting, finally, and a lot of rain.

Stay safe.

Happy Saturday.

Mid-Week Minutia

July 7, 2021 at 9:15 am by Claudia

I’m using my vintage Vernor’s crate to hold my painting supplies. It’s portable, should I need to move to another part of the cottage. Plus, I really love this crate, having grown up in Michigan where Vernor’s Ginger Ale (the best, in my opinion) was manufactured. When I lived in downtown Detroit, I used to drive by the main plant on my way home.

We seem to be in a humid/thunderstorm weather pattern here, with more on the docket today. I keep a close watch on our mama robin and the nest, though in reality, there’s nothing I can do. So far, I’ve learned that the female robin builds the nest, lays the eggs (of course) and keeps them warm. Ahem. Where’s dad? I have to give it to the Carolina wrens: he build the nest, she approved it, did the egg laying, and they both fed the babies. I know that papa robin will step in once the babies are born but so far…he’s an absentee father.

I have a book arriving today that I’ve long wanted to read. It’s by David Sibley, an authority on birds. Title: What it’s Like to be a Bird: From Flying to Nesting, Eating to Singing–What Birds are Doing and Why. I can’t wait to start reading it.

One of Don’s birthday presents from me was the new biography of famed director, Mike Nichols. (Sort of a present for me, too, as I can’t wait to read it.) He is devouring it. It’s written by Mark Harris, who I follow on Twitter. He is married to Tony Kushner, who wrote the prize winning play, Angels in America. There’s a lot of talent in that family.

It’s a gorgeous, albeit humid, morning. The light is beautiful, everything is blooming, mama is sitting on her eggs right outside our kitchen window.

And the mullein, or verbascum, that grows wild here is all over the back forty. I think we have more plants than we’ve ever had before. It sometimes grows to over 6 feet tall and has an almost ‘forest primeval’ look to it. These are the flowers. There are splashes of yellow everywhere. Mullein is often used as an herb.

I’m starting a new Roseville painting today.

And that’s it for today!

Stay safe.

Happy Wednesday.

Flowers, Robins, and What are you Reading?

The Scamp

Mid-Week Minutia

Lambs Like to Party

A Note

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