Two hours of sleep last night.
Yikes. It’s due, I’m sure, to a mixture of things: grief, which hit me rather heavily the other day; this election, which has made me angry and fearful; and the violence taking place all over the globe, which has left me feeling enraged, profoundly sad, and powerless. Even though I try to limit my exposure to the news, these last few weeks have been so full of senseless tragedies that I (we) cannot help but be affected.
Needless to say, I feel like a wet noodle today.
Oh, pretty daylilies, why do you last only one day? (Don was flabbergasted when he heard they were called daylilies because they bloom for one day. He couldn’t quite take that in.)
The hollyhocks are still hanging in there. They’ve been tied to the fence as the rain had done a number on them.
Coneflowers, white and purple, are everywhere in the gardens. Since I love them so much, this mid-July gardenscape tends to be my favorite.
The little bug was identified by two blog readers as a green crab spider. Those pincer-like legs are apparently very powerful and are capable of grabbing a butterfly or a bee. It seems impossible, given its size, but apparently it’s true. And that explains why it is just sitting on my coneflower for days at a time. It’s lying in wait.
There is always, always, something new to discover in the garden.
Friends, that’s about all I can come up with today. Time for more coffee.
Happy Sunday.
Good morning Claudia! The rain storm we had on Thursday really did a number on a lot of my flowers. But, they seem to be rebounding.
Stay cool.
Judy
I’ll try. Love to you, Judy!
It’s a lazy Sunday here at the lake. Trying to choose between several unfinished projects, rejecting them, for now, to bake some focaccia, instead. Wish I enjoyed gardening as you do. Your flowers always brighten my day.
Thank you, Shanna. Have a good day!
Your hollyhocks are so lovely. For some reason they always make me smile. It’s beautiful here today. I have been overwhelmed with sadness and feelings of anger too. I feel for the children growing up now. They are living with realities few of us adults knew as children. Yet I am heartened by their resiliency . I try to focus on the good in the world but sometimes it’s awfully hard. Sometimes all we can do is put one foot in front of the other and keep moving forward.
Exactly. Move forward and think good things.
I hope this Sunday helps you recharge a bit. I know how worries and fretfulness mess with one’s sleep…..they crop up at night and grab hold. Today, I’m recharging by renewing my friendship with two ex-co-workers with whom I lost touch for about 10 or more years, until one emailed me out of the blue. I’m hosting a lunch at my house.
Have a lovely time with your friends, Wendy.
Sorry to hear about your lack of sleep…heavy rain woke me up early. Rain that we need…everything is so dry here. But yet, we are not in a drought situation. It makes it so much easier to weed if the ground is moist. Today’s a good day to work a little, chill a little, and cut another sunflower to bring inside! Sounds like coffee will be your drink du jour! ;)
Only til noon. Then I have to stop drinking coffee! I’m cleaning – which I seem to do much more efficiently when I’m sleep deprived for some reason. Watering plants. It’s very, very hot here today.
Claudia I hope you have a peaceful day and get some rest. I’m feeling better after some friend time Friday, family time Saturday and prayer time today. I don’t want to see the news and the conventions coming up are going to be depressing. I’m hoping some miracles happen!
hugs,
Linda
I’m staying away from it all – although Don just told me that there was a terrible shooting in Baton Rouge. Will it never end?
I went back thru your comments after I left mine and stopped cold when you mentioned this about Baton Rouge. As I was trying to find headlines, which my husband and I have avoided all day long, he turned on the TV to watch what President Obama had to say about it ‘live’ from the White House. I became so rattled I accidentally wiped out what I was typing here. Thoughts bashing around wildly…what are we heading toward, I said to my husband. How bad could it get? If not now, later, when no young man or woman wants to risk their life with going to the police academy and becoming an officer of the law because it’s too dangerous to be a cop? It’s like a soldier in battle with every day wondering if this is the day they’ll die because the odds of getting shot at are high; a given. Our streets and communities; one huge war zone? Speaking of, WHAT then? Does the military become our police in the absence of police? Have I ever in my naive life even wondered about this sort of thing for the U.S.? What if you called 911 and nobody responded. It’s too much catastrophizing, of course; I know. Instead, important/vital to focus on calm; seek wisdom. I’m well aware there are two sides to every problem. If ever we’ve needed solutions, it’s now. Our leaders in government, global and at home, can’t be smart enough; we need he smartest of the smart. Peace can’t be overtaken with this horrible hate and violence.
The police and the community need to come together to find solutions, that much is sure. We can’t be living in a war zone – though I know some neighborhoods are very much like that already. It breaks my heart. I know that certain groups are profiled and it that isn’t right or fair. But I also know that the vast majority of our police are brave and honest and doing their best to protect us. There has to be a solution.
Another horror today. My walking around prayer, until further notice, “Father, help us. Father, help us. Amen.” We have the power, not the haters. Your flowers are so pretty. If I drove past your house, I would take a picture!
Sounds like a fine prayer to me, Tana. Peace, please. Peace.
Oh yes, more coffee – ALWAYS welcome. Though since retiring, I need to cut myself off mid-afternoon or so – or I’ll have sleep issues later. When I was working, I could drink as much as I wanted WHENEVER I wanted, and still drop off soundly. One of the few [and minor] negative things about being retired, I guess. ☕️
I’ve never been able to drink coffee after 12 noon. It keeps me awake if I do. Two mugs in the morning.
Nature is amazing!
Peace,
Monica
Thank you, Monica!
I hope you have a better day tomorrow. I need to be doing things, but the lure of free premium cable (they do these promotional weekends occasionally) is strong when I’d rather be lazy and bury my head in commercial-free movies, just trying to enjoy Sunday and dim the red lights going off in my head until 60 Minutes in a few hours when I know they’ll be back on high (I do feel I need to hear what Trump and his VP pick have to say tonight; I want to be aware).
I’m pretty sure I know what both Trump and Pence will say, Vicki. I have to stay away from it tonight or it will make me angry and I need to sleep tonight!
Yesterday I got to go to an antique shop, first time in over six months, just a spur of the moment stop. First thing I saw as I walked in was an exact duplicate of your finger-pointing hand sign with a chorus of We Can Work it Out by the Beatles!! I have always loved yours, so I had to buy it!! Then I googled the lyrics. The words of that song perfectly express what we all really need in this country and the world – peace and love! Seeing it in your cottage, I thought the sign just a really cool piece of decor, but it is SO much more to me now!! But, I wanted you to know I have one in my home now, too! I’ll think of you and Don now when I look at it!
Oh, how wonderful, Myra. I’m so glad you found it. Isn’t it neat? Enjoy, my friend.
I know how you’re feeling Claudia, as I’m feeling exactly the same way. I have stopped watching the news and current affairs programs as it is just too depressing to watch. Being out in the garden can be a great comfort don’t you think? Your hollyhock is lovely! Mine are sitting, waiting for spring to arrive so they can start to grow once more.
It is such a comfort, Jan! As soon as I finish this morning’s post, I’m headed out there.
It is like we cannot catch our breath before another tragedy occurs. On the evening news they were talking about Nice, Turkey, and Baton Rouge. They mentioned the young college student from UC-Berkley died, and it took us a bit to remember of which tragedy he was a victim. Are we becoming hardened to it all?
Then there are the protestors at the RNC, all of the police there, and people are allowed to carry guns. It seems like there just POSSIBLY could be some problems with that scenario. Can’t even imagine what the week ahead will bring.
I hope we’re not becoming hardened. I don’t want to get ‘used’ to this, but there is a self-protective mechanism that kicks in.
Why the hell would any state have open carry laws? Are we just rolling over and accepting that we’re back in the Wild West?
The beauty of those flowers wipes all the sadness. Tragedy occurs every second on earth. Technology makes easier to hear about them. Wee need a moment of quiet time. Unplug from news!
It does occur a lot, but it’s unrelenting lately. Thanks, Sydney!