Ye gads Mergutroid

4:43 p.m. Heavens to Murgatroid!!!!!! They did it again…. HELP! So I am a Pond Attendant?????

Net Worth

6:45 a.m. this last day of May, I saved the morning. The second hatch of goslings found their way to our Koi Pond. My Sweetie was in the shower so it was my call. I raced to the porch to get the broom and the Net he got us after the last encounter. Ok, no broom…rats now what…Not willing to wait for fear the wee ones would have expended too much effort to stay afloat and drown in their attempts, I proceeded. Tenuous at best knowing full well the wrath of those beating adult wings I was able to single handily scoop the four little ones to safety. Quite happy that I was not beaten to death in the process I might add. Full of my self I sat back down for the daily am routine of hand therapy and coffee. Sometimes it is the simple things that make one feel GREAT! Gee, MOB and Mother Goose…tee hee!

The berries…

So far we have done rather well in our garden venture…considering we have no free lackey labor here any more! I am constantly amazed how much we are getting accomplished. Guess ya might say it is a pride thing that it is being done and not one of those 'lookie at us we are special'. We planted these strawberries because they were sent free in another order. I was not sure how well they would do and frankly I am very pleased… Now to net them so the birds will not enjoy before us! Then finish netting the blueberries…

Second Order of Business

10:24 a.m. and the temperature is already 82degrees! To dissemble the cold frame and make it ready for the Sun Flowers Done 8:24 Planted most of the sunflowers by 9:25 Fence it in so the Geese do not eat the seedlings Plant the sweet potatoes Done 8: 39 Plant the Hydrangea anomala petiolaris Done 8:43 Rig a Net over the blueberry bushes Net in garden need help 8:51 Break to finish off the Daube de Boeuf [This classic French dish is really nothing more than an old-fashioned stew, simplified because the beef isn't browned before braising] as well as get sammy fixings ready for sweeties return from Lowe’s and the Office. Yesterday I tried a new recipe; Grilled Tenderloin with Roasted Corn Sauce and Baby Red Potatoes, must have been better than usual cause I have heard about it several times. Tonight I shall try to dazzle my sweetie with Grilled Lamb Chops with Fresh Nectarine Sauce, and fresh grilled asparagus from the garden. Fourth transition with the sunflower seedlings. Third with all the seedlings nestled in... The Cold Frame Changes First Second

First Order of Business!!!

The Flag!!!! 

A fortnight

= 14 days a fortnight until THE WEDDING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

being PLUCKY?

Oh what a realm of terms…so what is the perfect eyebrow? Weird I think or thought. Yesterday I learned from this wonderful woman that has been doing my facials [ha ha total of three to date] that some cultures have different ideas about how the Perfect eyebrow should look. After Barbara explained this to me the HIJAB, I thought Ummmm makes sense to me. Getting ready for the Wedding has opened new vistas for me. As well as meeting these new and wonderfully intelligent, talented, artistic women Barbara, April, Jean and more, what fun I am having! My right eyebrow was in sad need of tuning, whilst the left was in almost perfect harmony! Barbara proceeded as if she were tuning a Stratovarius! But then PLUCKY is a word and a term used when one plays the violin, or COULD play it. Barbara plays this instrument. The Moon waxes It also wanes… Yon rising Moon that looks for us again—How oft hereafter will she wax and wane; How oft hereafter rising look for us Through this same Garden—and for one in vain! Omar Khayyám, Rubáiyát #100 Then there is the wonderful Mr. Kesuke Miyagi waxes on and waxes off! Least us not forget Witch Hazel??? Which brings us back to Bows and Violins! I just found out a bow consists of a stick with a ribbon of horsehair strung between the tip and frog (or nut, or heel) at opposite ends. AH HA! FROG! Tee hee, latest addition to the Koi Pond!

Memorial Day and Rick Monday

Greatest Play in Major League Baseball… it was thirty years ago Pretty neat! We plan to garden, cookout and generally lay back and enjoy. The flag will be hoisted as usual…stars numbering 48. A flag that has meaning on both sides of our family. One was Max Gaylord’s, Mary Jane’s grandfather married to Aunt Jane …the other was in my family. We as well have my ‘Uncle’ Earls, who was a Seabee during the Korean Conflict. In our small burg in [2004] the town fixed up the old harness shop circa late 1800’s and it is now a Veteran Memorial; quite tastefully done and designed in part by my friend Linda. [Linda J. C. Turner] Residents were given the opportunity to purchase bricks with the names of family member[s] deceased and alive that have served our county.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

HAPPY BIRTHDAY to our lovely youngest daughter, wishing you a most auspicious day! 

Introducing Father Goose

What can I say I have always liked Cary Grant He always made my knees sway. Ha Ha! Today Mother and Father Goose took their brood to the ‘dreen’ above the silt pond. All are well. Later I shall investigate the nest to see IF there might be more to come… 

Wun'erful, Wun'erful!

One and ah two and ah three and ah FOUR!!!! Second Mom Goose with SO FAR 4 goslings under wing…  

YO, K, TOG, PSSO and all that Yarn

…And even the dreaded P2SSO I have not really picked up a set of needles since I completed The Wedding Shawl this past March. Last week at Guild, I began mapping out what I needed to knit that would work into the MOVIE theme genre for the Knitting camp. I settled on the movie National Velvet, I have the hat and the crop, the yarn is HUNTER Green chenille and I am commencing a vest. Maybe Stephanie will lend me her riding boots! I am going to attempt to knit this vest then after the camp give it to Steph, since she is really into horses. My Mentor, much more adept at knitting than I just completed a most amazing circular shawl…the color/theme???? The Color Purple!!! In mid July Lucy and I will fly off the Wisconsin for Camp/Retreat Knitting camp. A mixture of intermediate and expert knitters and Plenty of Show and Tell, mini-workshops and group discussions highlight this session. Location is Marshfield, Wisconsin and Meg Swansen’s Knitting Camp. Of course we will be tantalized with yummy yarns, books and accessories to buy. Not only are we to do a Theme thing, but also we can take a project that we need help on. I am taking a knitted coat that is almost finished that was promised to our youngest daughter when I first took up knitting almost two years ago. I am slightly apprehensive of my tension differences from that project ant the length of time that has passed. I figure with all those people whom will know far more than I that the help I seek will be there. I know a completed project is a good thing, for me as well as our daughter.

A new resident

I have heard him/her sing and today she/he sat upon the FAKE lily pad warming in the sunlight. One day we will have real Lily pads...but for now what the hay?

A Family Affair

We are down to three goslings…the other Mom Goose is still maintaining her nest by the Utility pole. In the evenings she however walks to the creek with her mate while all the time spying the garden area that continues to be cordoned off. She looks at me… and I KNOW what she is thinking!  

A Sturgeon Sky

While enjoying one day without rain, this morning the sky reminds me of the scales on a Sturgeon. Today, [Sunday] there is/was a slight chance of rain and temperatures in the high 60’s. We hope to get the garden totally ready for my plants that are getting so cramped in the cold frame. The other magnificent thing about all the rain is that the Koi pond suffers no longer from tilts, bulges and or leaks. My sweetie is off to Lowe’s to get a saw blade so he can cut bricks that will enhance the upper part of the Koi pond. The rain also enhanced the setting of the plants around that area as well as the plentiful sheep manure J.J. gave us for our veggie garden. He raises sheep and cattle. My sweetie asked that I take a picture of the sheep doo doo so he could show it to J.J. Funny how Poo can make one happy? J.J. is the most awesome man of @ 80 that makes his own Pure Maple Syrup and always has a lovely smile on his face, especially when he comes here bearing yet another bottle of his syrup for my sweetie. The garden is ready to plant in, Monday evening for the corn and the beans. I however hope to get the tomatoes, pepper plants, celery, and eggplant in out of the cold frame. As for now every bone & muscle in my body aches, even my toe knuckles… Tote That Shrub, Lift That Kale!

…the thrill of it all

“For the Wedding of Ruth and Matthew” WOW time is drawing nigh! We got a very lovely invitation for the “Rehearsal Dinner” yesterday from Mary and Mike. A reality check and wonderful tears as the excitement mounts, the small things as well as large that still need to be attended to. Ain’t Love Grand? Just seeing those names together made me smile [again] with pride that we have such a lovely daughter and that she is marrying a very wonderful man. Yes, very moist eyes!

Trapped

Keeping Critters Out Of Gardens and away from the house. One of the traps held an opossum this a.m. Sure better that one of the cats, as was the case yesterday morning. Raccoons are some of the smartest mammals found in North America. They are endearing creatures and appear very innocent. They can grow quite bold however if given an invitation around your home. So now we know cats, and opossums like PB Sammy’s. [And my sweetie] This is what we are attempting to capture. Raccoons! We use “Have-a-Heart” traps. While capturing no raccoons to date it is not as frustrating as the time we had a skunk in our "have-a-heart" trap! That sure was a tenuous moment. The use of a broom to distance ones self and the grateful fact that the skunk was a baby and had yet been taught what his/her PERFUME could do saved the day for everyone.

Ribbons of wide yellow sunlight lace the land.

It brings to mind the 2001:Space Odyssey and Richard Strauss, Thus Spake Zarathustra As I gaze out the Nook there are water droplets suspended from one of the bushes near the top edge of the bank. Dangling from a low growing conifer. Basking in the sunlight and there are shadows of birds in flight. It is like the bush is alive with a chain of miniature Christmas lights indiscriminately placed to tantalize the eye. It is already 50 degrees and not yet 8 am. The sunlight continues to reflect its playfulness as it shimmers on the waters of the creek and bounces waves of replicating shadows on the small over hanging rocks. Slowly the miniature lights disappear as the water cycle completes its destined rhythms. Time to begin being stewards of the earth.

Thatcher Finn

Latest picture of Mike and Amy's third son! Good looking baby. Again Congratulations!!!!!!

Another Day of Rain

Gloomy, chilly, wet as I sit looking out from the Nook I see a wild turkey [no not in the bottle :)] stride through the ever growing grass along the creek bank. It is so bad here I can hear the grass growing. My feet are looking more like our ducks, webbed et al. I continue to do my hand therapy and sip the morning cup of coffee. Yesterday there was about a 3-hour window of sun, what Joy that was. I was able to weed eat and at least make the garden/koi area look attended to. It was invigorating actually; each blade of grass can be something that totally torks you and you can cut it down to size. Now how kewl is that? Sure saves on the stress level HA HA. A total Win-win as I see it. Today a haircut before the wedding! My Hair Dresser is getting married the 29th of May then off to their Honeymoon, so the advanced time was needed. As I see it the time will at least be enough so I will not have white lines where the hair had been, aka the Red Necked look HA HA! Then off to gather more trellis for the area close to the Koi Pond. Next Thursday our youngest daughters Birthday, cards [already purchased] will need our personal embellishment, that’s the fun part. Gifts sent and tended to until the proper day. Cards are so much fun to get as well as receive, sometimes I just read them in the store and have the best laugh ever. Next Wednesday another facial and soon to be scheduled a much-needed massage. Maybe if I am fortunate two massage before the wedding then JUST before the wedding another pedicure that is more tasteful with the wedding theme and a manicure. Goodness it has been years since I have pampered myself with such consistency. Hwasunna, also the Mother of two sons that are our eldest sons good friends since high school as well as she has been my masseuse for @ 7 years and she is totally awesome. Our daughters will attest to that. Yippee Skippy I have two appointments with Hwasunna, the last one only days before the EVENT! Life is good ey? Starting next week I will be in training. Yup, will try to stay awake until midnight! Figure the only way I can do this is to religiously take a nap each afternoon. So hold those calls please. You think I am kidding? Heck at my age [95] I am lucky to be awake at 10:15p.m. 

Lots of GREEN going on today

A friend of ours has had a Koi pond for several years. He sent me this picture of a tadpole he bought 2 year’s ago. Frankly I think it is amazing. Pete calls his frog Jeremiah, I renamed it PJ…THANKS PETE!!!

…peek quickly

This is today NO RAIN! Almost 60 degrees with Real Clouds that are PUFFY and my toes are colored A CELL ry green! How wonderful the sun makes me feel.