For the first time in 23 years I cooked a meal with natural gas.
The big hole in my yard is covered up, and hopefully will be seeded later today.
The chickens scared the gas man that was installing the meter - it was quite funny - he thought this sign was just decoration -
Wait.
What?
I'm still in town?
Yep!
I didn't go anywhere yet.
Didn't want to head to Missouri while I was in so much pain.
Cysts on both ovaries - evidence of one burst on the left side.
I think I might know what childbirth feels like now - but I've nothing to show for it!
The weather here is ridiculous.
It's very difficult to sit here and blog.
The weeds await!
So much to accomplish before the snow flies - we are busy scraping, painting, planning, figuring and scheming.
Here's the red door so far - don't you love how I put the address on there with upholstery nails?
Still scraping and painting to be done in this area -
Another super cute decorating idea - it would look better if I would have actually washed the window - maybe put some bittersweet up there too....
We really are busy as bees - especially Glenco - he's working his wings off.
Seriously.
Thank you for all the honey orders!
It's all gone for now - perhaps this week I'll find time to get in the hives and get some more.
Some may think me crazy, but I really do love this time of year -
Not just for it's blazing beauty,
but I like the winding down part.
the reason I get few raspberries : -)
The 'this is the last time I'll weed the garden this year' part.
The 'put the extra quilts on the bed' part.
I like the way the light dances around the yard so differently than summer, bringing everything to life in it's autumn glow.
I like that soon we'll be sequestered indoors and it'll be time for knitting, books and dreaming of next years gardens and shenanigans.
I'll be pulling out with the Squirrel on Monday for tomfoolery with Janie Fox.
Excited is an understatement!
After that, I'll head off to Missouri.
Today the BoyChild comes here after school and we will have Fun Fall Frolic Day tomorrow - bike riding, picnics, maybe a hike near the lake. I had fully planned on calling him off of school tomorrow - cause that would make it seem extra special - and here there is no school tomorrow anyhow!
I'm going to make him take a million photos - the boy has mad skills and gets photos like this with his phone...
"Oh that? I think I had my eyes closed when I took it."
Mmmhmmm....and I don't even feel good Aaron.
My blog posts may be sporadic for a few weeks as I finish up outside projects, suck the marrow out of my time with the BoyChild, and travel the countryside.
But you might just want to check everyday anyhow - cause if'n you've been a reader long enough, you know I make no rhyme or reason.
When I think I'm not going to blog much - I blog nearly every day.
When I plan to blog everyday - I'm lucky to get a post up in a week.
I awoke this morning after a restless night's sleep remembering the dream I had.
I dreamt that my 'first boyfriend' from 1977 was selling Krispy Kreme donuts for $29.99 a dozen and I bought some.
Well, cause it was my first boyfriend selling them.
When I got them, they were freeze dried and needed to be re-hydrated before you could eat them.
I wasn't too happy about it then.
I planned on getting a few good early morning garden shots for y'all, but the time I was properly caffeinated, the sun was a bit too hot on the flowers already.
I like to call they way I garden 'Square Inch Gardening'. I strive to have every flipping square inch of the beds filled. No need for mulch, very little weeding!
I've barely lifted a finger in the garden this year, and it's not too shabby if I say so m'self.
I am glad I can only be on it once every five years.
It's stressful.
This morning when I let the chickens out it reminded me of a scene from this movie:
It's especially creepy since I have been told I look like Tippi Hedren when my hair is up.
I'm not sure what was up with the banties this morning, but they busted out of the chicken coop like bats outta hell.
Two of them ended up on the garage roof, and then - just their luck, they flew into the wrong neighborhood.
I haven't told you about the wrong neighborhood here have I?
Oh - it's the wrong side of the coop - that's for sure.
You wouldn't want to go there alone - or at night.
Out of the six straight run chicks I got this year - four are roosters.
Three of them being Black Giants.
They will strike fear in the heart of the faint.
If it not for the caffeine this morning, I do fear that the banties would have been victim's of a rural crime.
They are lucky I was there to intervene.
It's getting bad around these parts.
Chicken sponsors are still desperately needed to rehabilitate this birds.
You think I jest.
My all time favorite banty hen, Phyllis, has been missing a few days.
I started fearing she may have tempted fate and gone to the wrong side of the coop.
Since Janie Fox is on her way to the Coop - I thought I oughta dead head the daylilies, and when I went to get my bucket - lo and behold - look what I found -
I do declare, she is the broodiest bird in the history of birds.
She's one determined little bugger.
She was sitting on 10 of her little eggs that I know are unfertilized.
Going against what little instincts of 'right' I have, I replaced her 10 eggs with three big ole eggs that have a really good chance of being fertilized.
I can't stand to think of her sitting in that shed alone for naught.
I know I'll regret this, but for now, I feel happy, knowing her dream of being a mom will come to fruition some time in August.
In lieu of the temps dipping into the single digits this week, and the impending snow...
I thought I'd share a few photos to remind us that it's a temporary situation.
But everything is temporary, isn't it?
Your beloved children - grow up to be men and women.
In a world of perpetual summer - would the first season's strawberry be as sweet?
In a world of perpetual summer, would there be 'spring chickens'?
So I say - let the January winds blow-let the snow fly and drift -
let my bones rest, and my mind scheme -
Have another cup of coffee, bake another loaf of bread -
Do I have Spring Fever?
Not a smidge of temperature here my friends.
I'm bundled and hunkered.
Haven't even looked at a seed catalog yet.
I'm going to drink up winter, and try to enjoy each day of the bone cold weather, warming myself with the company of friends, the accomplishment of indoor projects completed, and the entertainment of BBC miniseries and new books.
Cause it's temporary.
And if I rush this winter away, I'm in fact rushing my very life away.
I absolutely cannot believe that it has been a week already since The Garden Walk.
Summer is so fleeting.
I've been decompressing this week.
Wandering around, not sure what to do with myself, and yet not wanting to do anything.
It's been a busy week, and actually Wednesday and Friday were the only days I didn't have bushels of things to do.
I've come to the conclusion that I just have to have a project.
'Taint happy otherwise.
Let me just say that your comments have had me rolling.
I must have read them all three or four times!
And let me just say again - those other gardens were really wonderful. I do believe that the homeowners did do all the work themselves. They were a marvel.
Exactly one week ago to this minute - I was not yet dressed, and roaming aimlessly around the yard looking for weeds I'd missed.
I'd hoped so hard that I would have looked nice for the walk, but it's not in my cards to be one of those non-sweaty, perfumed, put together people.
I'm beginning to accept that.
It was so humid, there was no point in fixing my hair.
At precisely 9am, a car pulled up and these smiling faces emerged.
Kelly, Jade and Brenda.
I just couldn't have asked for a better start to the Garden Walk than this trio.
Jade reminded me SO much of me at that age. I'm not kidding, I looked just like that.
She seemed like the kind of little girl I would just love to have around here. She wanted to hold the ducks, and loved the chickens. I just wanted to put an apron on her and roll pie dough.
Kelly brought me a tray of the most beautiful cookies I've ever laid my eyes on. She made these ya'll. Kelly, promise you'll come and show me how! And look at how she decorated the tray!
She also brought me bacon.
She's my new BFF.
The cookies were too cute to eat, but eat them I did, and in fact, I had to take a quick pic while there was some left. It was the only nutrition I had that day, so Kelly, I thank you!
I absolutely had a ball talking to everyone.
These two ladies were a hoot.
I could have yakked with them until dusk.
Debra, Jennifer and ? -I'm so sorry, I didn't remember your name.
Debra is a blog reader, and she liked meeting the chickens.
Thanks for coming!
Here's Cathy Jo.
I couldn't get over how smooth her hair was on such a humid day.
It was so great meeting her.
We'd emailed a bit back and forth.
Here's Cathy Jo with the friend that she'd come with.
Two more ladies that I would love to know better.
I think their names are Carolyn and MaryAnne.
I gave away so many starts of a plant called Perilla.
I told them not come back and fuss at me when it over took their yards.
This is Debbie, she's the mother of a girl I used to work with at Pier One-Erika -
She's a blog reader and a true gardener.
So great meeting her.
Jan and Kara - I didn't get or I just don't remember the little boys name, but they were so much fun to talk to.
So much fun.
I still have theses two tied up in the basement....
No, no, no, no....there is no room left. I have Shannan and her family down there.
Ok, now - that is just creepy, so I'll stop.
This is Marilyn and Kim.
This is the Marilyn of Marilyn's Pies in Hobart.
I bowed to her when I found that out.
Oh my goodness was she cute and sweet.
Kim had a smile that lit up the whole garden.
I suppose now is a good time to tell you that my neighbors had a big fight right about this time.
They are quite a distance away - not like right next door - 300' or so down the road. Sound seems to travel out here. It was ugly, and embarrassing. The woman I was talking to at the moment looked at me - and I just said 'Oh I forgot to ask them not to fight today'
Sadness, really - breaks my heart to think of a home having so much turmoil.
Just when I thought it couldn't get no betta - here come 'da bus!
I was in a whirlwind of excitement. I watched it unload.
I don't know why I had the reaction I did, but I got so tickled and excited that I wanted to give everyone hugs.
I enjoyed them thoroughly.
A few of the bus gals emailed me and said my garden was their favorite.
It's probably because they didn't get hugs at the other garden.
I wanted on that bus.
I hopped on, signed some autographs (joke) and took a photo.
You can see how I completely captivate an audience.
I heard that the stars in Branson do this - get on the tour busses and sign autographs and meet the fans. It just seemed fittin'.
Let's talk about Smoking Lady now.
I must preface this story by saying - I'm sorry if you smoke and I offend you.
It's not my intent.
You must understand that cigarettes claimed the life of my mother, and so I just have this 'thing' about smoking. That and I seem to be allergic to it - as I get an incredibly sore throat, and if I'm exposed for more than a half an hour or so, I get an upper respiratory infection.
Plus, I just can't stand the smell - just can't stand it.
Smelling a cigarette in the garden is kinda like having someone poop in the punchbowl, or laying in a hammock and find a scorpion - it's just not pleasant.
Being the non-confrontational person that I am, I just stewed in my juices for a while.
OK friends, the tour is almost over - I'm not going to post pictures of the garden again, since you've seen it so much here - did I get a photo of the vintage aprons on the clothesline? Nope. Did I get a picture of the 'outpost' set up with quilt and blanket, vintage binoculars and bird books? Nope again. Did I get a picture of the table set? Well, shuck the corn, no I didn't.
Apologies.
I did however get a picture of the Ant Farm Glenco made.
It's the cutest thing ever - and it's sitting on a big ant hill on the nature trail.
Here's a photo of the nature trail. I'll take you on a guided tour very soon. I've been picking blackberries lately - it's so serene out there.
Glenco made a sign - we are calling it Milkweed Way - during the walk I noticed he'd put another sign up there too - I don't like that - but I didn't say anything - yet. I'm coming to realize that sometimes it's just smarter to keep your mouth shut.
Like when he started weedwacking during the walk.
There were only a couple people here, and he'd just repaired the weed wacker, so I guess he wanted to try it out.
My first thought was 'Who gave you crack?' - and then, I just thought - let it go Jayme, let it go. It only lasted a couple of minutes. Not worth the fuss.
This was my little bee display that I'd set up. It had my 'Adventures In Beekeeping' with some photos, my bee suit and tools. That darn bee suit scared me silly a few times when I'd catch it out of the corner of my eye early in the morning. It's a bit Grim Reaperish.
If there ever was a truer portrait of what I look like on a daily basis - I've not seen it.
I put my Billy Bob teeth in for Terry Smutniak's benefit, and I was laughing so hard, I couldn't keep them in right.
All in all, I had a fabulous time. People were very complimentary about the garden, some saying it was their favorite. A 'real' garden is what I heard alot.
Even though I don't garden for other's benefit - it's just an extension of my soul - it was nice to hear the compliments.
I put out a frame with photos and the house story.
I wanted to encourage people to never give up on their dreams.
My good friend Laurie stopped by right before the walk was over.
I call her LuLu.
It blessed me. She said she wanted to see it all 'staged'. She really gets me.
Did you think I'd forget about Fake Accent Lady?
Perish the thought!
I'm running this gal in the ground.
She actually took a blanket and laid down in someone's garden on the Walk and was asked to leave. She fussed at someone for talking on a cellphone during the Walk.
She didn't do that here - but only did this:
Like I said - I do believe it was a fake accent and that her head was cold on one side.
Bless her heart though- she's given me some blog fodder, and I constantly go around now saying "I can just feel it"
