Thursday, May 13, 2010

Snippets of Thursday

J. has been tinkering his second hand haying machinery for several days.  Today he cut down the first of the crop.  He and J.M. sagely wagged their heads and agreed that the up-coming fore-cast isn't the best for haying, but there comes that point when it has to be cut.  The sweet scent of drying grasses and clover is soft
on the warm air.

I have crippled about today--remembering the years when I could garden by the hour without more than a twinge or two to show for my efforts.
Oh, groan!
Yesterday I snipped blossoms off our first year strawberry plants.  In the afternoon I picked sod out of the smaller flower border, raked it smooth, moved the rosebushes farther apart--after viewing J.M.'s of the same variety which he set too close to their front walk.
I scattered seed of dianthus [I like the old name of gillyflowers] poked in some nasturtiums from an older saved packet.
I talked about picking the sod from the larger border.
J. went out this morning and hoed it, so the eventual task should be easier.  Maybe tomorrow [?]


Neighbors we met at church stopped late this afternoon with 2 qts of strawwberries from their garden and a loaf of fresh whole wheat bread.

The berries were so good that we made a quick run up to the junction Wal Mart for whipping cream.

I haven't gotten a good photo of the cardinals and their nest in the un-named spreading shrub just outside the dining room. Their pleasant voices drift in the opened windows. The cats watch them. I watch them.
Last night at midnight, I turned on both lights in the bathroom which also faces onto the cardinal's home. [Yes, I was picking at a tick!]
It took a few moments to register that the cardinals were complaining in very loud voices, as the bright light spilled out to their leafy abode.
I can imagine the conversation: "What are you doing with those lights on?  You'll wake the children and nobody will get any sleep. TURN OUT THE LIGHTS!!

Chastened, I did so.

A thank you to all who commiserated with me about the ticks.
Glad you enjoyed the write-up---striving to see the ironies of life is a sanity saver--sort of.
What a plague.
We have talked with a number of area people who agree that they are a serious nuisance. Apparently this isn't an area where tick-borne illness is common. I pray I won't be the exception.
I have annointed my "bites" with tee tree oil, slathered on tick repellant.
The cats have sniffed and told me I smell bad.
I'm headed off to shower, but I think I may as well get used to the odor of the preventative measures.

4 comments:

  1. Those Cardinals are such exotic-looking birds. I have a bit of a "thing" for them. . .

    It seems really early to be taking a hay-crop. In Britain (well England and Wales, dunno about "oop North") the earliest cut would normally be mid June, but it's always dependent on the weather - too dry and you have to wait for extra growth - too wet and you're probably waiting for it to STOP raining!!!

    I hope your gillyflowers grow well. I've always grown Nasturtiums, lots of them, in my gardens. My 4 o'clocks didn't germinate, sadly : (

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  2. Well, I guess you got plenty of info about ticks. To be forewarned is to be forearmed. I'm having a bad case of missing Bailey, so I can hardly wait until next month when I go and help at the animal rescue place and get my kitty-fix.

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  3. Hullo MM,

    You'll need to keep aclose eye on the cats too for ticks if they're outdoorsy types.... Happy grooming!

    Those strawberries looked fantastic too......

    It's dull and rainy here with a coldish wind off the sea tugging at your clothes, trying to find a way to sneak in and make you wince. I think I may stay in and read. I've been struggling for new inspiration to blog anything this week.

    I've been contacted by the 153 Sqdn Association and invited to join them after all the writing on their story They had a reunion last week with many of the remaining men in attendance. They sent me a photo which I've attached to the final post. I've also been contacted by the families of two of the men I wrote about. One man didn't know the story of his late Dad hanging out of the plane to put out the fire on the wing.......

    Blogging certainly seems to bring people together doesn't it.

    Have a good day.
    regards......Al.

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  4. Wow ...you have amazing neighbours ...that is how it should be ...sharing produce and talents.

    Those strawberries looked so yummy/ I'm off to DS for a week ...to cat sit ...will catch up when i get back xx

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