Monday Monday

Monday morning.  Don't feel like spraying for ants and weeding, nor going to the antique booth.  So what to do?  Well, I still have to do all those things and more, but I sit on the porch reading Tesla's theories about the ether and magnetic forces.  More about that later.  But, I must have ADH because the squirrels and baby birds and ducks, goslings and ducklings are just too cute.  

Then, I spy a large water turtle in the upper left corner of the picture next to the porch corner (feel free to fiddle with the picture as I just don't know how to on my iPhone or computer.) The neighbors don't garden much and are putting in a new bed next to their porch.  Mrs. Turtle has other ideas.  She is working hard to dig out her nest to lay a clutch of eggs.  I can't concentrate and I am getting whiplash from trying to read and watch her, afraid I'll miss the big moment (I did.)

She moved down the slope slower than I've ever seen a turtle move.  Hard work I guess.  I surmise she had been covering them up.  She got down to the lake finally and plopped in the water.

Tesla said the past and future are only metaphors; that there is only the present.  Yet, these eggs are going to hatch in the future (small chance since I'm betting the neighbor will dig them up) and this post will be in the past.  Go figure.

And, all the creatures are craning their necks and talking or hanging off the fence, waiting for their morning rations. So off to start this metaphoric day.

What?

Anyone have a guess about what this is?  

It is old, made of pottery and has some numbers on the bottom.  Looks like an old Druid to me.

About 8-9 inches tall, my guess is that it is an old chess piece.

Tweet

Whole lot of cheeping going on.  Baby sparrows under the eave on the back porch are sure calling both parents to bring something good to eat.  Very sweet.

Joni Mitchell - The Circle Game

I thought this song apropos for this post.  With all that has been going on, I just had to let you see the newest member of our family.  Little Cady just turned three months old and won't even be one before our newest addition makes its debut.

She's a cutie if I do say so myself.  Though she's tiny, those little arms and legs are rarely still.

Just Thinking

This is my standard picture when I am become ruminative (hopefully like Rodin, not a cow.)  Taken at the rear of the Rodin Museum in Paris, six or so springs ago - a wonderful trip with a few friends and my sister.

It is hard to post when much is going on (though I've read all my favorite blogs in the meantime.)

 Best of times, worst of times things.

My daughter's sudden blindness took its toll - living from hour to hour; worrying far too much, which is just me.  She is seeing again, though still has problems, but hopes to be back with perfect vision in a few weeks. Truly a blessing.

I looked at a blog today and saw that the author died in April.  Such a shock.  Another has been injured and yet another lost her beloved husband recently.

Such is life I guess.  I did find out yesterday that my son and his wife will have a new baby to love by Christmas.  Hope big Sis, Penny Lane, won't conk it with her toys.  Enjoyed loving on Penny this weekend.  

Oh well, enough of this.  Finally have a sunny day after so much rain and cool weather.  Off to tend the garden.

Favorite Things

Well, after much gnashing of teeth, I have finished the goldfish pond at the city house.  I'm going out for some koi today to put in it.  It was filled with a million billion mosquito larvae and I had to move quickly and this time I didn't swallow the swill nor larvae.  The pump is hooked up to the fountain, so that should keep the pesky mosquitoes out till the fish arrive.

I have had this old fish bowl with observant children for quite some time though no fish.  Too many animals to take care of, but I lugged it to the city house and got the little black boogley-eyed goldfish.  Sadly, it didn't last long.  I'm going for a betta today.  I'd like to get two, just because, but I won't.  I've bought and sold several of these goldfish bowls and wish I had them back. One was a black cat looking down and another a Cheshire cat.  Another was terra cotta with two children that had a fountain hookup on it.  I love this kind of thing.  I think I payed the most for this one.  A whopping $35.00.  The younger generation just don't appreciate old things these days, a win for me, but wait, I'm still trying to get rid of stuff, so never mind.

A Patch Of Blue

Life throws curves from time to time.  And, out of the blue.

We've turned the corner and my middle daughter's sight is returning.  From white and lined, to total darkness in the blink of an eye.  Well, two weeks actually and it seems like much longer.  Poor girl was scared, frustrated and literally could not do much of anything.  Even eating was hard until she figured out that a sandwich or something like it was easier than using utensils.  

After hospitalizations and many doctor visits, IV steroids, MRI's and the like, color is returning and she can now read in one eye and see shadows in the other.  Her neurologist said he has only seen one other patient in his career, that lost sight in both eyes at once with her condition.  Very rare, but it always seems to be unless you're the one with it.

She has struggled so, but has made it to the other side; a real trooper.  Neurologist will follow up with her every six months and if no other symptoms after 5 years, he will say it is not MS.

We are over the moon.  This has been a trial for all of us.  Blue skies shining down on us.

Thanks to all of you.

Sight

Over a period of four days, my middle daughter has gone blind, in both eyes.  I've never even heard of such a thing.  Sat all day Saturday with her in the ER.  The GP sent her to an ophthalmologist and he says it is Optic Neuritis.  I researched it all afternoon into the night.

It has gotten worse daily.  She said last night, all she can do is sit and hold her new baby girl.  She can't even get the kids uniforms ready for school, or anything else.  She is devastated - bereft.  I'm not sharing any of my research with her, but taking notes.  I'm trying to not catastrophize it, but it's impossible for mothers not to.  Or this mother anyway.

We are going for a contrast MRI today to see what is causing it.  I just hope they can figure out what  is happening. If any of you have known of this or experienced it, please help.

Turtle Love

Spring break last week and my little grandson, Ollie, went to the Oklahoma Aquarium in Tulsa.  Seems like this sea turtle and Oliver bonded.  What a happy turtle or hungry perhaps?

Naughty Nonna

I usually keep these silver bowls filled with candy treats for the grandkids.  I really shouldn't as I end up eating it too.

I can't wait to see their faces when they see these little dried anchovies from Myanmar.  What in the world would they do with them?  Snacks?  Fish sauce? Paste?  Actually the last two would be good, but I'm not popping one in my mouth.

PS ~ the weenies can smell them and love to snack on them.  I wouldn't have bet on it.

Progress

Oh, my aching back.  After siphoning this putrid swill down my throat, you'll remember, I drained the goldfish pond at the city house.

To this.  I was shocked how much the gopher dug from the ground and deposited in my pond.

Ta daa.  I filled up three blue storage containers with the slimy, stinky muck and mud.  I thought I was going to have a heart attack.  Can't wait to get it cleaned out and another siphon then the filter and fish.  Yay!  I wasn't shouting yay while doing all the work though.

Garden Love

I found these two flats of ground covers.  From chartreuse to sage greens and purples; I don't even know how many different kinds of plants there are.  The instructions say you can lay down the whole sheets or cut them up into 5 inch squares to put down. They are growing on a layer of coir, or coconut husks. I wish I had room on the walls (brick) as I can see them as a vertical garden.

Supposedly, you can fill in areas or even put out in the lawn as they can be mowed over.  I am such a sucker for new things and am trying to figure out where to put them.  I just love these.

Sometimes You're The Windshield

Sometimes you're the bug.

Be still my beating heart.  It's spring!  My favorite time of year.  I've been holding back at the nurseries.  Only planting perennials and bulbs and nothing that will freeze.  

I've shown you the photo of the goldfish pond where gophers dumped their tunnel detritus.  Their tunnels are all under the rocks so I can't lay traps properly.  I can't even move some of the rocks.  Now, big rats have taken over the tunnels.  I caught one, but cookies, peanut butter, gummy bears and cheese don't tempt them. And yes, those rat traps hurt. The bird feeders have all been moved to the edge of the lake.

So, I went to the hardware store and bought clear tubing, so I could see when the water was coming near my guzzle. Who knew siphoning came so fast?  And, you have to suck hard. Yes, you guessed it.  The bacterial, amoebic fecal filled filthy swill went down my throat several times.  I wish I had a picture of me holding the tubing down in the water and over the 8 foot drop trying to drain it.  I got air in it several times and I had to start all over.

To my horror, those little menaces dumped a load of dirt that nearly fills half the goldfish pond.  It would fill a wheelbarrow, which I don't have at the city house.  Aye yay yay.  And those cute little rats watched me the whole time.  This time, I'm the bug.

King Cake - A Little Late

I was told this little old pottery face is what was used in a King Cake.  The beholder of the slice with the face embedded, was bestowed luck or something.  Maybe they didn't have to give up anything for lent and hopefully, didn't crack a tooth.

Shamrocks

Okay, so they aren't green, but I did buy some green ones too.  These purple shamrocks are huge and I am going to plant them today.  What better day to plant them than on a warm, sunny St. Patrick's Day?

It is a big holiday in the US too.  They dye rivers green and have parades and celebrations.  I read that one of the things they do is drowning the shamrock, which is putting one in the bottom of a glass and filling it with beer or whiskey.  

The grandkids have gone to the farm for the weekend with their Poppa T. and took green clothing with them so they wouldn't get pinched.

I've heard Ireland is one of the most beautiful places on earth.  I named my first child, Erin.

Erin go bragh.

Wildfire

My rant - never mind.  But, the ranchers that burn off rangeland for their cattle, really piss me off.  So much wildlife and plant life dies in these fires.  Plus, they always get out of control.

We got a call that our mountain was on fire and nearing the cabin.  Of course, we were both in the city, so dealing with the forestry service and local volunteer fire departments by phone is frustrating to say the least.  

They rarely get into trouble for burning, but I have seen the aftermath, and many lizards, turtles and ground nesting birds' nests are killed and destroyed.  Now, multiply that by the wildlife that is killed when they start cutting hay.  Sometimes, depending on the rain, they do it several times during the summer.  

I quit eating red meat for five years in protest.  Guess I need to start drinking/using nut milks.  Eventually, maybe their practices will change, but I'm not holding my breath.

Freckles

Freckles.  Caused from exposure to UV-B radiation.  If you are a fellow freckled person, I doubt you were enamored of them when you were a child.

I was fair-skinned, had dark brown hair and light blue eyes.  I even won a contest for the most freckles at a fishing contest when young (mortified.) I usually had zinc oxide on my nose as it always got burned.  I'm waiting for it to fall off.  People wanted a tan when I was growing up - no one used sunscreen.  I burned after about 15 minutes.

Every freckle is a friend I'd hear - no they were not.  I tried a freckle cream; it did not work.  Not only were they on my face, my legs and arms are covered with them - even today.

Now, they are calling them liver spots.  Ick.  But, I have found a way to get rid of the most heinous ones.  Freeze Off, the same liquid nitrogen aerosol the dermatologists use, takes them off.  They now like to take them off with a laser (quite a bit more expensive), which will cause you to walk around with scabs all over the back of your hands, but I am not a happy camper with liver spots on my hands. Period.

Addendum ~ I just read a Harper's Baazar magazine yesterday and it seems that the models walking the catwalk are painting freckles on their faces.  Will wonders never cease?

To Mail Or Not

I found these old envelopes and postcards from the seventies.  Thought I would put them in my booth, but I'd probably never see them again if I do that. 

I try not to bring up politics, so if you love the Republican party - even with him at the helm - 

just click off this post.  I think I mentioned my own husband and my daughter-in-law voted for him.  She was talking (this weekend) about how the mainstream media lied all the time.  I held my tongue, though I wanted to say, yeah, Fox News and the National Enquirer.

Anyway, I thought about sending one of these to the White House, signed by the ghost of Richard Nixon no less, to tell that man, he better get out while he can still hold his head up, though I know he wouldn't get it.

I don't even know if the Watergate Hotel still stands.  What would likeminded people write to that man?

Nests and Eggs

Don't know why I am thinking about nests and eggs this morning.  Must be those darn goose babies from last year. They are out on my porch, quite large now and crapping on the sidewalk and patio and honking.  The minute the drapes go open, they swim over and climb the steps.  They actually peck on the windows and look through them. I put a little fencing across the back yard next to the lake, but there are a few spaces they can still get in.  Worse, I saw them picking at my tiger lily shoots coming up.  They also like the seeds from the bird feeders that are dropped.  It's always something.  

By the way, during the move, I dropped and broke this sculpture of my hand.

This is a study of mockingbirds I did.  If you remember, I used to climb the tallest trees to look into nests and see the babies and eggs.

I do miss my chickens, especially the ones that were like pets.  But, I really miss the eggs.

I know I've told you this before so humor me.  Indians learned to make baskets from watching the birds' build their nests.  I love that.  Here is one I made.

Little hummingbird nest.  They'll return the first of April, so have your feeders ready.

The mallard eggs in my bush last spring.  As you can see I am thinking about spring.  On the back porch yesterday, I watched a starling going into the birdhouse the sparrows use.  The sparrows have been making trips for stuff to build their nest and the starling was going in and removing it all and flying away with it.  Mother Nature doesn't like that.  Me and my weenies are getting ready to go chase the geese away.  Better put my pants on first.  This ain't the farm.

Have a wonderful weekend.

The Winter That Wasn't

Though it might not be over yet, I think the end of winter is nigh.  Yay!  Spring is my favorite season. Only a few daffodils are open, but I'll take them.  Today I am planting more seeds in peat pots, though I haven't had good results with that.  They either have a damping off or aren't warm enough or something.  Going to try again anyway.  I found these teeny tomato seeds about the size of pearls that I had a few years ago. They are a bite bursting with flavor.  I hope some of them grow.  

I bought two raised beds for the city house.  They are waist high and I put them on either side of the house to see which one gets more sun.  Vegetables need at least 6 hours of sun per day.  There isn't anywhere else here for vegetables, so I'm giving it a shot.

This weekend I bought the weenies a pup stroller and we used it this morning.  They were too nervous to enjoy it, but hopefully will as we do it more often.  At least it got me out for a walk.  I've spent the winter being a slug and I hope to change that.  

Hope this week finds you out in the garden with lots of sunshine.

Born A Brat

Nature or nurture - that is the question.  Methinks it is both, but I tend to lean a little more towards nature, though of course, nurture is critical too.  Cognitive dissonance. "Children aren't born bad," my husband says.  But, is there truth in the old term, the bad seed?

I don't know the answers,  but look at that little oppositional brat to the right.  The personality already forming - a non-conformist or perhaps, a free-spirit?  Always fighting against something; swimming upstream, walked different paths and did not follow or lead, because I did not care what others did.  Rebel without a cause?

I wish I had not been like that.  Wish I were not an introvert.  I was a wild child.  Roamed the countryside and neighborhoods, quiet and observant.  My business, as an adult, was Wild Child Designs.  There is hope for those children.  They can succeed in life, but woe to the parents that must deal with them.

It's A New Day

The old saw, nothing new under the sun, isn't true.  

Gone are the days of holding on to a tree and giving birth.  Today, they paint a painting with your placenta.  They then freeze dry it and grind it up and put it into capsules.  The bottle looks like something you'd purchase at the drug store.  Supposedly, it helps with nursing, postpartum depression and, whatever...

It is a different world we live in - a new day and age.

Greasy Grimy Gopher Guts

I think I'm going to have to get a frog gig to catch a gopher.  Notice the pile of dirt at the bottom of picture.  It has slung dirt that now fills about a third of my goldfish pond.  

Some of these rocks where it resides are too heavy to move.  I can't get the little devil out.  He is happy to keep digging.  I've tried the sonic beeper to run him off.  Didn't work.  I bought some traps - can't figure out how to use them.  The old trap I used at the farm worked wonderful.  Caught them every time.  I'd resort to poison, but I'm afraid the weenies would get into it. As per the advice from an old-timer, I tried a stick of Juicy Fruit gum, both chewed and unchewed - didn't work.

But, I am desperate.  This little sucker has burrowed down eight feet to the lower yard and has a giant hill built around my Nandina bush that has so many stalks from the ground up, I can't get anywhere close to it.  And, this bush is many years old and I don't want to lose it.

Today, as a last resort, I am going to use one of those gasser things that you light and stick in the hole.  Never tried one, so don't know how that is going to work.  I just hope he comes out of that hole choking and I am going to choke him some more.  They are cute so I feel kind of bad, but I am going to have to drain this pond and shovel out all the dirt, so he's not that cute.  

  Don't know what else to do.  

Starlings

The north winds are howling today.  I finally got the leaf and limb cleanup crew to come today and I doubt they'll come due to this blow.  It is literally howling.  Wouldn't you know.

The starlings have arrived and are fighting over the suet cakes.  Must be their favorite meal. Though their vocalizations are not as pretty as a songbird's call, I don't mind theirs'.

I took these pictures last year at the farm.  They were everywhere.  It is something to see how they lift off at the same time; a rare treat to see their murmurations.

Spring is coming, though I can't tell today.  The bulbs are finally peeking up through the earth.  I had to water, since the ground was so dry.  The ground needs rain, but I didn't say that.

New Book

Took the grandkids to Barnes and Noble yesterday.  They love to go there not only for the books, but also the toys.  I do love to spoil them.  I bought several foreign magazines and a new book, drum roll, not this one.  I bought A MAN CALLED OVE on a fellow blogger's recommendation.  Thank you Terra.

I worry I am getting dementia.  Oftentimes, I can't remember the title nor the author of the books I am reading.  Perhaps I need to start reading during the day instead of in bed at night.  Maybe I chose the wrong books for me - forgettable.  The pile of books I couldn't finish, as opposed to the ones I did, is larger.  Last time at the bookstore, I grabbed a pile of Alice Hoffman's books. I used to like her writing and there is always a little magic.  Her latest, okay.  I'm on one of hers that was popular.  It's okay.

So, I'm reading two at once.  ATLAS OBSCURA is entertaining.  Lots of unknown places one has never been to.  Who knew?

A House

I know I shouldn't covet things, but I love this house.

I've fallen in love with modern houses. I've always loved those Palm Springs mid-century modern ones, but there aren't that many around.  Nowadays, they are building new modern ones.

My pictures are terrible, but when you walk in the front door, you see right through to the back of the house.  This stone counter is so long.  Sink and cooktop, plus seating and under the counter dishwasher drawers, freezer drawers and refrigerated drawers. I didn't download these in the right order so humor me.

Halfway down the house is a gorgeous outdoor seating area.  I don't know how I missed the potted trees to the side.  That wall of water is turned off for the winter, but spectacular when on.  All these doors slide open.

I love floating staircases. And as you can see, the walls are covered in the most fabulous stone.

It is polished just on the one side.  I love it.  It's everywhere.

This is looking back toward the front door with three more rooms off to the right.  The doorbell is funny.  When you push it, you can hear large dogs barking. Very clever.

One of the great things about this house is all of the built in cabinets.  Hidden refrigerator and freezer.  Upstairs, which I haven't shown, has all white built in cabinets.  I die.

Another angle.

This is out the back doors.  A pool was going in, but the pool men never got to it, so it was cancelled. Loss for the pool company.

But wait, here comes another of my favorites.  I die for this dining room table.  It is huge and I love the style.  Very modern base and look.  Notice the chandelier?  It is BIG.  I just love it.

I just had to include this old movie poster, which is the largest one I have ever seen.

So here is that fabulous chandelier.  It is a show stopper.

This is a smaller version (still large) in the master bedroom closet.  Sigh.  And, I haven't shown you the master bedroom and the upstairs rooms which are beautiful.

I told my friend when she bought this house, that when I die, I want to go to her house and not to worry if she hears me knocking around.  Well, I'll have to find another place to go.

After three years, she has decided to sell it.