garden — Page 36

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 And A Guitar

June 26, 2021 at 9:25 am by Claudia

The coneflowers are emerging – most of them still green, but here and there, the petals are turning purple. Since they self-seed, I have more and more every year. This year, especially, I see the increase. Since – to me – they are one of those quintessential cottage garden flowers, I’m fine with that.’

And my new clematis, which I planted in the bed under the living room window has produced a lovely flower.

Well, I never got around to painting yesterday because the technician from our security company never showed up. We had a window from 12 – 4 so I decided not to paint because I didn’t want to be disrupted by his arrival. But, in the end, he was delayed and after waiting until 4:30, we called to ask them about the delay, so I could have painted, darn it! Obviously, the technician had run over in his appointments, but then they wanted us to have yet another window from 5 – 8 and Don said no. So it will be next Friday instead. This, by the way, is for some sort of upgrade they want to do (in the middle of a pandemic no less) not for anything we requested. So I get a bit peeved when our time is wasted.

Anyway. I’m going to paint today.

I did a lot of weeding yesterday, lots of laundry, made some phone calls that I’d been putting off, paid some bills – so I accomplished a lot. Painting today will be my reward.

One of Don’s birthday presents was a very modestly priced bass guitar. (He asked for one.)

I have to say I think it’s so cool that a 70 year old guy got a bass guitar for his birthday. Don just gets cooler every year.

We are now at 8 guitars, two ukuleles, a mandolin, two desks, two additional work surfaces, a dollhouse, a dollhouse kit, two file cabinets, a china cabinet, a big old chair from the 40s, a plant stand, an old bench, a cart full of paints, and a French cabinet – all in the office/studio. It’s somewhat artfully arranged, but let’s face it, it’s packed.

Stay safe.

Happy Saturday.

Storms, Routers & Flowers

June 23, 2021 at 8:10 am by Claudia

The sun is finally shining this morning after big storms on Monday and rain all day yesterday. Monday night’s thunderstorms seemed to go on forever with lightning lighting up the sky constantly. It was stunning, a light show flashing all over the sky.

It’s much cooler this morning and the humidity has left.

Now I have to figure out why one of the ‘nodes’ to my router isn’t working. The node is the extension we use in the kitchen to get better coverage. I’m not in the mood for that, but I’m the one who follows through with most of the tech stuff around here and Don is recycling this morning. So right after I hit ‘publish’ I’ll give them a call.

I’m also running a few birthday errands today, as the big day is tomorrow. I have the presents, I just need some wrapping paper and candles and a card. I think I may venture into Target for the first time in over a year!

Back to the storm. Like clockwork, the minute the hydrangeas are in full bloom, rain pummels them down. The same thing usually happens with peonies. I hope they can lift themselves up again, but I find I’m at the point where my reaction is, “Whatever.” I can’t control everything around here, not by a long shot, so I’m slowly learning to let go. Slowly. I do like to be in control, or at least, think I’m in control.

I’m reading Maigret and the Informer by Georges Simenon. I love the Maigret books and they’re fairly quick reads, only about 150 pages or so. I needed something to read while I was waiting for the next Elly Griffiths to arrive and, happily, I discovered it in my TBR pile. I think I purchased it at Oblong Books on that first day we went out after being fully vaccinated.

Stay safe.

Happy Wednesday.

Mid-Week Minutia

Flowers And A Guitar

Storms, Routers & Flowers

Lambs Like to Party

A Note

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