To add to the loss of the tree, the deer have been particularly voracious this year. They’ve eaten the buds on countless coneflowers, every bud on my favorite day lily, and several buds on the black-eyed susans. I tend to forget to spray them with the deer repellent recipe, thinking, for some reason, that I don’t need to do it yet. That’s on me. Anyway, I mixed a batch of it the other day and sprayed everything. We’re due for rain and thunderstorms tomorrow, so I’ll make a new batch on Sunday.
It’s very depressing, but I didn’t notice it until Tuesday – the same day we lost the tree – and I was so upset about the tree that it didn’t hit me quite as hard as it would normally.
Then the Supreme Court crap. This week has – may I say it? – SUCKED.
So I’ve played with the girls every day, dressing one per day in a new outfit, trying to remain sane. It really does help! I’m almost 70 years old and I’m rediscovering dolls – who’d have thought? If I’ve learned anything over the past 5 years or so, it’s that we find peace and respite where we can.
Plus, these girls are displayed directly in front of me here in the den, so I get to see them every day. Pure pleasure.
First up on Wednesday was Madeleine (same dress but with the addition of a bow) –
Heavens, she’s lovely!
And yesterday, Pippa got a new look:
We took her hair out of the barrette.
Both girls have a little cleft in their chins. Adorable.
I think I’m going to dress Miss Imogen today.
It’s going to be very hot today – in the 90s.
Stay safe.
Happy Friday.
That is a mantra to live by Claudia – find peace and respite where you can
Your sisters article on the reversal of Roe vs Wade was the
most intelligent, articulate and searing analysis of the real consequences of this decision . Brava to M for writing so well , from a unique position of knowledge, experience and love . I am sure you are proud of her
Siobhan
I read her post , it was excellent. I truly admire her for all she does to make this a better world. I think it shows how people appreciate her for her friends and support that she now has with a life change. I am sure she has her days but I have never read a post of her that she is complaining.
Yes the Republications are poor life but once the child is here that do nothing to help the mother that is struggling.
She’s had a very, very, very difficult time this year. You have no idea! But she’s strong and so many of us love her that she’s got lots of support.
Stay safe, Linda.
I am extremely proud of her, Siobhan!
Thank you.
Stay safe.
dear Claudia/Don — very sorry re crabapple tree — it is heartbreaking to lose any “old friend”, especially one that gave such joy. we have suffered thru that several times in our 50 years in this location — even planting replacements does not “soften” the loss. your ‘girls’ are lovely, no matter how they are dressed — hope you can continue to enjoy them/share w/all of us!! so many things I could say re national crap, none good — so much awful stuff, hard to read or hear. I think there will be turmoil in US for the rest of my days. sure hope you all can enjoy some good time just being together. take care of each other. stay safe/healthy
I worry about that too – is this now the norm?
Thanks, Linda.
Stay safe.
It’s been a brutal week for those of us who are concerned about Women’s rights, the environment, and the lack of separation of church and state. (I might have forgotten something….there’s been so much.) Mind boggling!
I spent a joyful hour just leisurely watering my flowers. I do agree that we must find peace and respite wherever we can. I just spent an hour leisurely watering my flowers and containers? It was heavenly, until I saw all the hosta flowers that the deer have eaten. Grrrr…time to spray as well.
Your girls look so cute…it’s always a joy to see them. Enjoy your day! ;)
Darned deer! I find watering rather zen-like. Anything that will help us find some peace these days is welcome.
Stay safe, Donnamae.
agree with finding peace and respite. may you all and the rest of the world find them, along with happiness, joy and other good and necessary things.
hope that spray encourages the deer to find food elsewhere … and that you can still see their sweetness.
your girls look sweet, too.
yesterday i spent many, many hours (at least seven) filling my car three times and donating stuff to helpful organizations (on opposite and far edges of town). then i got groceries for two other households in my family as well as my own. i slept well last night. and other than laundry, i am taking it easy today. :)
hope you all have a nice day, too.
kathy
…kathy, just one of Claudia’s readers weighing in: you SHOULD sleep well because you are an exceptionally ‘giving’ person who selflessly does a lot of nice things for other people; you deserve all good things coming your way in your new life as a retiree!
thanks very much, vicki. you are very kind. :)
and you are not only a reader of claudia’s blog … you are a friend i just haven’t met in person yet.
i need to give credit and thanks to my parents for raising my brother, sister and me to be compassionate, helpful people (as they are). and credit and thanks to God for His forgiveness when i’ve not been that way. also, most of what was donated yesterday was not my stuff (i am slowly working on that … paperwork first) … but i try. i want to do what i can to help make the world a better place!
thanks again.
how are you? the pup?
and the hot-water problem? hopefully it’s been fixed by now!
same good wishes for you, your family and everyone else here. stay safe.
kathy
ps, vicki …
a pertinent and favorite quote and also a good reminder to me …
“the takers may eat better, but givers sleep better.” :)
don’t know who originally said that, but your words brought it to my mind today. thank you.
happy, safe saturday!
kathy
I’ve never heard that expression!
It’s very satisfying to sort through things and donate them. I often donate to the Salvation Army in the neighboring town.
Good for you, Kathy.
Stay safe.
thanks, claudia! and good for you, too! :)
kathy
xo
I once blogged with somebody years ago whose family, when she was a child, was very much personally helped by the Salvation Army. She never forgot it and remembered them as saints, bailing out her family at some particularly difficult time. I don’t know if it was food, housing, clothing, furniture; can’t recall now. I don’t have one anywhere near me at this time but, yeah, if I did, I’d prefer to donate to them. I think it’s great you can, Claudia.
Me too!
xo
Dolls ARE adorable as always.
We awoke at 5am to a noisily-leaking water heater. Trying to avoid a plumber, my fix-it husband has been to three hardware stores by 8am, did his best to replace a valve; now waiting for the gas company to light the ‘pilot’ or whatever you call it, since it won’t come on; lovely to have all this happen on the cusp of Friday-getaway; four-day-for-some holiday weekend. We may be bathing in cold water til next week. Okay, so be it; it’s so dang hot outside every single frick’in day (hottest SoCalif June [and now July already] that I can remember in awhile), maybe the cold water showering will feel GOOD; lemonade from lemons; what else can ya do, right? At least I’d gotten dishes and laundry done before this happened!
It’s always something, isn’t it?
I hope it’s been resolved by now, Vicki.
Stay safe.
My genius husband perseveres with youtube videos posted by the fix-it guys; eventually figures things out. He got the new valve in place but the pilot wouldn’t fire. Waited all day for the gas company who never showed but, in the meantime, pilot came back on of its own choice; so far, so good. Could’ve been a really expensive ‘job’ if not for my hubs; but, believe me, he HATES plumbing tasks! My dad was a fix-it guy, but he wouldn’t touch anything when it came to plumbing.
xo
How infuriating about your tree. I hope the plants a new one there. It’s the least they can do. This week really did suck, especially for women.
You really do get attached to trees. They shelter and protect and are just so beautiful. We have an American Linden in the center of our front yard. It is humongous, so tall and beautifully shaped, When I’m outside passersby always comment on it. The lowest limbs on the street side form a perfect arch over the sidewalk and the whole tree gives off so much shade. In the summer when the leaves are out, our 2-storey house disappears behind it. I really appreciate the privacy it gives to us. Can you tell I love it so?
You have such cute clothes for your dolls. There’s some really talented makers out there.
Take care.
Kay
Your Linden sounds absolutely gorgeous, Kay!
Stay safe!
I” fought” deer, groundhogs, rabbits, etc. for years & years, and came to the conclusion that it simply wasn’t worth the aggravation on my part. I found it simpler to periodically divide clumps of day lilies, harvest coneflower & black-eyed susan seed, and plant these on the back edges of my property where the deer, groundhogs & rabbits have easy access. And quite surprisingly, it’s worked out well… the critters have their portion of flowers & plants to munch on the back edges, and my primary beds are rarely bothered. If a bed is bothered, I briefly mourn the season’s loss and remind myself that rarely is the loss permanent. I’m looking forward to late summer/early fall for more dividing & transplanting.
And yes, this week has sucked… for women, LGBTQ, the environment, the separation of church & state, Native American tribal sovereignty.
I have little to no enthusiasm for the upcoming Monday holiday.
Stay safe & well.
Unfortunately, that doesn’t work on our property. Groundhogs, deer, and rabbits freely move about. And we’re right on the path to the river across the street, so the deer cross back and forth from our property to the river. But I don’t sweat these losses too much anymore. I briefly mourn and then I move on. It helps that I have a LOT of coneflowers!
Stay safe, Amy!
Love your “little girls.” They are so dear.
And speaking of which, I deal with the same problem at home — in my case, I’ve seen them chomp the hostas. I love them. The eating and the pooping not so much!
Oh yes, they love hostas, as well!
Stay safe, Jeanie.
They have eaten most hosta buds, many daylily buds, for the first time (for us anyway) even coneflowers & black-eyed susan buds too…it literally looks like lots of empty lollipop stems all over next to some chewed leaves…all made worse no doubt by their exploding numbers, as cute as those babies are, and the serious lack of rain, I’m sure. They seem to be getting used to the cayenne spray; my friend recommended a different spray but I confess to being very leery of spray ingredients…I will research a lot, that’s for sure. Inexplicably a couple of flowering trees died over the last winter, have no idea why, and my beloved big ancient bleeding heart, which is usually the most reliable thing around, is just….gone. Have no idea what’s going on. But the deliberate taking down of a tree on your property——that is a whole different and rage-inducing loss. I feel for you and the tree. I know it’s not the same but they should plant two in its place. Shame on them.
Sending a hug and anniversary-ish congratulations xo
I use a spray that I mix from natural ingredients. It’s on the blog if you search under “deer repellent recipe.” It works for me, I just forgot to spray everything!
Stay safe, Naomi.