Too Much to Do

I had a dream last night that I wrote a personal memoir. It was very similar to the scrapbook/slambook that I already worked on for sometime, but more professionally bound and printed. It was similar to the "Kurt Cobain Writing" book published about 8 years ago with all of Kurt Cobain's doodles and drawings. It reminded me that I really want to get moving on the novel I started and promptly lost interest in a few months ago. I just have too much to do.

This month is supremely busy. I start pioneer school next week. Work has been so busy. With 3 doctors, us technicians have been working nonstop to keep things running semi-smoothly.

I am buying some watercolors so I can paint this series of art deco pictures of Miami buildings I photographed last month. It's been a while since I've painted anything. Watercolors definitely scream South Beach to me.

I am scrambling to finish my time this week so I can enjoy almost a week and a half of working in my yard. The weather is super hot this year. My plants have suffered a great bit this week without any measurable rain. We've had lots of thunder that has threatened, but I'd love a real gully washer, please. I've moved many irises and aloe plants to the back. I'm getting rid of all the fern that I wrongly placed in beds. I should have listened to grandma when she said that they'd overtake my beds to create a sea of green for snakes to hide in. Yes, grandma, that's exactly what happened. What a big mistake. Hopefully by the end of August, that will be rectified.

Roses and Orange Blossoms Make Pollen Sort of Worth It, Kinda......

So spring carries on. The allergies are in full effect. My nose feels like falling off every single morning. Hand me the Benadryl, stat. The more I rake in my yard, the more the leaves fall. I feel like I am engaging in what Judith Bissey calls "an exercise of futility." I could spend hours and hours complaining about all the allergy related things about spring. But that would take away from all the wonderful things that are too numerous.

The first thing that I love about this season is the intensity that everything bloomed. That probably explains why there is such an abundance of pollen. The color of the azaleas pops like an Andy Warhol painting, something I haven't seen in a long time. As I drove in service this afternoon, I saw the most beautiful patch of wisteria on a fence. It was the most lovely shade of purple.

The smells of spring are the best. I've discovered that my small puny tea rose bush has a talent that I never noticed before. I've never thought much about this unkempt bush of thorns. The thorns are rough, and it is tucked in a corner in my yard. It has produced buds and small roses for the last two years. They usually died before I could every enjoy or pick them. This year the bush produce 2 or 3 roses at a single time. I picked one the smell it and the odor almost floored me in a good way. The rose smelled like a sweet glass of cabernet savignon. This sad, bent over flower with leaves that folded in seemed less like a loser to me. I've already picked 4 flowers this week. I am going out to the edge of the yard everyday just to see if there are any more of my wine roses:)

Spring is here again

So we've wrapped up what has been considered one of the coldest winters in central Florida. Brrrrrrrr. Yes, it's nothing compared to what all my friends up north dealt with, but we've experienced one cold snap that didn't last for 3 weeks. The sleet and snow flurries were quite a treat. I really loved making the sleet man that lasted for almost two days on my patio.

I am so ready to dig my hands into the soil and really garden this year. Marigolds will go around the mailbox in the front. The front yard was a tad too sunny for the impatiens and they all melted away in the heat and cold last year. R.I.P., dear impatiens. You succumbed to my wrath of bad gardenership.

I am sad to say that I think my Ipod has bid adieu. I dropped it one too many times in the yard and it will not stay charged. I will have to work in the yard to the sound of the many song birds in my natural aviary.

I spotted two large nests in the tree on the west side of my yard. Perhaps it's the owls. Ah, the pair of owls are allowed to stay around, as long as they pay a blind eye to stray kittens in the woods as food.

Work has been strangely so busy. It is nice to have an extra set of hands. I have to remind myself constantly that my work at the vet's office is my avocation, not my vocation. I have to constantly remind myself to do my work and not be too involved in all the drama. It can be so hard to have the right attitude.

I have also decided to start taking Omega 3 Fatty acids and vitamins on a regular basis. Vitamins are a hard thing for me to keep up with. I cannot stand the taste of them. I always get a giggle from people when I tell them I must eat chewable. I am such a wimp about pills.

New Kitten, Wasps, New Plantings, Bad Blogger.

I didn't realize how true the new magazine on technology was until I couldn't log onto my Facebook for a whole day. I was completely lost. I had not realized how dependent I was on my news feeds and my CafeWorld. I have to say I am a little pathetic. I was mostly upset that most of my virtual food spoiled because I couldn't log on to serve it. Dommage. The time away from the online world helped me to read more and work in my garden. The important stuff.

I have seen a total of 3 snakes in the past week. Blackfoot brought the tiniest ring-neck snake dangling from his mouth much like a cigarette. I took a picture of it just to prove how small he was. Only 5 inches at the most. Wednesday, while taking out the trash, a red rat snake lay on my trashcan. It gave me quite a scare. Today Jason and I saw a rattle snake crossing the road by our old house in service. It must be the time of year for snakes to pop out of the wood work.

I planted so many new things. Irises line the beds of my courtyard next to my spare bedroom and office. I just laid some mulch in the beds today. I unfortunately could not save the violets that Peggy gave me. Not enough water, I'm afraid. I will have to beg her for some more. It was good to get good and dirty during this nice weather.

The new kitten I've been fostering has been real fun. He's quirky. His tail is all bent up like someone has snapped it like a twig. He has a double dewclaw on one front paw, and it missing an entire toe on each of his front paws. I say he's a little retarded, although, that isn't entirely nice. He's so sweet and I'm going to hate to see him go. If I can't find him an ideal home, I guess Jason and I will have to make room for one more in our cat family.>^..^<

I've always been a fan of the book Why Paint Cats. I got a wild hair yesterday and bought some non-toxic face paint to paint my kitties. I practice on Winston, our office cat. He didn't appreciate my artistic sensibilities. I want to paint a skunk stripe on Harlem and do bumblebee stripes in yellow on Bronxie. I am sure that would please them just as much. Unfortunately, I learned that the painted felines in the book are the crafty works of a photo shop and that they really aren't painted. Oh well, I'm still going to paint my cats. At least I'll try to paint Harlem. We would mind it less. I think it's no more cruel to paint a cat than to groom a dog. That's my humble opinion.

I wish I could do something to annoy the wasps in my yard without them coming after me. I've have 3 stings in 3 weeks. Not cool.

Spring Feeling A Lot Like Summer

The temperature is going to be in the mid-80's all week, accompanied by rains. I am not complaining about the rain. Everything is so dry around me. It is turning into one huge dust bowl. I just would like to complain a bit about the heat. We in Florida have to deal with months with temperatures well into the high 90's. Can we have a break and have a mild spring for once?

I celebrated the beginnings of spring by planting an herb garden. I went ahead and bought the plants instead of seeds. I had a catastrophe last year with the cats and my plants. I planted them in the huge pot in my back yard. Basil, cilantro, Thai basil, and stevia. I will pick up others if I don't kill what I already have. I am not sure what I am suppose to do with the stevia. I know it's a natural sweetener, but exactly how to use it, I don't know.

A Few Irises I'm Proud of.....

They aren't blooming in leaps and bounds, but it is winter. They make such great closeups.

I'm So Proud of Myself.

I know, I know, pride before a crash, but really I've done a lot of work in my yard. I wish the same thing could be said about my master bath. I would love to dunk Martin's head in the toilet right now, if it were attached to the plumbing. It greatly incenses me more that he is leaving for (gasp) Puerto Rico and I don't think my bathroom will get finished until he comes back. That will explain why I would like to dunk his head in the toilet.

But, enough about him. I mulched the new bed and I had an iris bloom. Sure, it was only a single solitary iris, but she was beautiful. Must upload the pictures. I extended another bed and put Jason's grill on it's own slab that I laid. I even bought him a cover for the grill. I can finally park on my car port. What an odd thought.

Today is going to be stormy. It is sad that i need to be out is service but the weather is going to be bad. I hope I can at least make it out for the morning.

I am burning lavender and vanilla incense. It so reminds me of happy memories. Isn't it crazy how certain smells can make you think of patches of time. Sometimes, you wish that certain sense wouldn't work. This is a good smell in my book. Happy times.

Work is steady, for the most part. Everyone in this area is crying over the economy. Jason's hours were cut. It was to be expected before he changes divisions. I am sure he'll be happy when that happens.

Our pioneer meeting with the elders is this weekend. Those are always well needed. I always enjoy the encouragement and then the dinner afterward. So nice.

Earthworms of Great Strength

I worked very hard in the backyard today, making room for the new flowerbed that I am developing that includes the 2 laurel oak trees right outside my sliding glass door. I dug up all the rocks and places them ever so gently in a kidney-shaped fashion. What to do next? I really should post some pictures. I always complain that I can't see results, but everyone raves that I have done so much. I can't see it. It is the perfectionist in me.

Under all the rocks that I used, there were tons of earthworms. Gillions of them, and that's not even a real word. Good old fashion earthworms. It made me think if an earthworm farm would be profitable. Maybe I could make some extra dough by selling bait to fishermen. What a sweet idea. I have too many of them.

This will be our bookstudy's last goody-night. Yes, every first of the month we have snacks after the bookstudy. It usually is a big hit and everyone enjoys. I am doing an ultimate fake-out by slicing up the left over pies I have and serve them on a tray with whipped cream. I must get rid of all those pies. This is a genius way to do it.

I am reading A Thousand Splendid Suns, and honestly, I can't put it down. It is a great book. It makes me really appreciate all the freedoms we have as women in this country. Just the thought of being confined to wearing a birqua is so constricting. And that is just a minor part of the culture. You have to read it.

I also saw a great movie. Picture Bride is the story of a young Japanese girl sent to Hawaii to be a picture bride. It's sort like a mail-order bride. The husband-to-be sent her a picture that was 2o years old. When she finally saw him, she was quite upset and spends the better part of the movie trying to go back to Japan. She can't quite save up the money to do so, and ends up staying with her husband. Such a sweet movie.

Lovin' the colder weather

It's just really nice to go outside your door and not sweat for a change. It's in the 40's in Florida in October. It really feels like fall. I love fall for the smells. The crisp air, leaves, cinnamon. You know, fall stuff.

I am very sad for a friend of mine, who will remain nameless. I won't go into details at present, but I am thinking and praying for her family at this time. Depression is such a terrible thing. It goes far deeper than just being sad. It is almost unexplainable to me.

We've got a couple of exciting weekends. The Coldplay show is in less than two weeks. We are also planning to go to Animal Kingdom and the Epcot Food and Wine festival. I am dragging Jason to that kicking and screaming. I want my escargot.

Work has been very busy. My boss desperately needs a vacation. I think, if all of us could inspire him to go, we'd send him off on a cruise ship with his wife for at least 10 days. He needs to unwind. I know I need to unwind, but he REALLY REALLY NEEDS A VACATION.

The gardening thing is going really well. I have started on the backyard. It is a daunting task, but I have actually accomplished quite a bit. There is still so much I want to do. I want to get a bird bath, a hammock, a deck box, a fire pit, tiki lamps. The planting is going well. I have actually replanted some oyster plants from the front yard to the back. I've even planted a pineapple. Let's see if I harvest any pineapples. I even bought fertilizer yesterday. The good 'ol 6-6-6, or what I refer to as the mark of the wild beast fertilizer. I guess, according to J, this is the last possible point that I could fertilize. I need to get to it.

I've Got Georgia and the Economy on My Mind......

Yes, a little allusion to the great Ray Charles. Leaving for Savannah in the morning. I haven't seen my bro in months, and I find out he doesn't even have the weekend off to spend with us. I guess we'll take him out to dinner when he gets off work. Our trip is shortened to Sunday. At least I won't miss another service day.

I was a little concerned that I couldn't get a hold of my brother. It turns out he got a new phone. Ironically, I broke the front screen of my phone. It is more ghetto than ever now. Thanks, Sprint.

I've been a ton crabby this week. I shouldn't be, seeing I have 4 days off. I should be jumping for joy. J and I both have talks tonight, both which we worked extremely hard on. I feel really comfy with what I put together.

I am very proud of Jason. He had become such a great public speaker. He always has been, but he really has improved. The nervousness isn't as great. He seems so relaxed. I am so happy for him.


I have all kinds of plans for my yard. I am going to kill the armadillos that are tearing up my mondo grass. Their days are numbered.

I officially have a feral cat colony. Have to, again, post the pics. It is now on my list of things to do.

About the economy. It is in the dumps, but what can you do? It really is a blessing to listen to the council to keep you life simple. I think it is so important to look at the big picture. Keeping you life simple with save it in the end. That is my feeling.

Manage your matchsticks well.

I've done a lot of gardening in the past few weeks. I think I have my front yard where I want it for the time being. I just have to work on the bed under my big live oak. I have to dig up the pretty ground cover that John just calls weeds and finish planting the mondo grass. There is too much mondo grass. I am so glad for the rain. I planted purple queen or purple heart on the left side of my house. Finally, some color.

I am trying to get everything situated before my inlaws come for the next weekend. Sigh.....I am preparing myself for that event. In the meantime, I want my front yard to look half decent. Just don't look at the back yard. It's a hot mess. I do want to transplant all the impatiens so people can enjoy them. They? are all along the back fence covered in vine. Who can enjoy them out there?

I was up until 11 last night. A real rebel I am. I was feeding the ferel cats in my neighborhood. I know I shouldn't do it, but they are so cute. 2 siamese kittens. I couldn't resist. I'll post the pics soon. Both of the cats and my yard. It is something I am really proud of, especially since I have not paid a dime for a single plant. If I had to pay, I wouldn't be doing any of this. I couldn't afford it.

I am going to a baby shower and a funeral on Saturday.

More lives than a bag of dead kittens.....

I've spent the day outside in my yard. The garden is coming together nicely. I am so glad I have preexisting plants in my yard. I went to Lowe's and I gasped at how much plants cost. I think Kristine gave me about 100 dollars worth of irises. I have about 300 dollars worth of mondo grass, and 50 or 60 dollars in ivy. Not to mention the crape myrtle or the lilies. Good night. I should be thankful.

I spent my "garden money" on mulch. I've mulched all my beds and I am half way done with the big bed around my tree in the front. I am really sick of the construction worker by my house. I don't prejudge people, but they are just creepy. I hate it when they stare while they eat lunch. So wish they would just go away.

My grandma is coming over on Saturday for dinner. I guess that is why I'm in such a hurry to make the yard pretty. Grandma is a garden buff.

I hate printers. My printer won't work unless all the cartridges have ink. I just replaced the black ink this afternoon and my yellow cartridge went out. Now I can't print my Coldplay tickets. Dommage.

I have some issues that I am dealing with. A few people have offended me. I am trying not to take it out on the world and everyone around me. I am not doing such a good job with that. I have a bad attitude towards a few people (they will remain nameless) That attitude needs to go away. It really makes me a miserable person. I need to not take myself so seriously. I just get tired when people have the need to talk about me behind my back and nit pick. It really drives me crazy. I know I need to get over it. I guess that is why I spent the day by myself today. Dommage, again

Compost away......

I'm starting a compost. I can't believe we throw away such valuable fertilizer everyday. I've found some really helpful websites. If you go to Mount Vernon, you see that George Washington also composted. Most farmers at that time did. Keeping it real, or organic, as you would say. Just say no to fertilizers......