Still Planting

After three unbearably hot days in which I hid in the house with a small air conditioner in the back bedroom, fans going at high speed to rush some of the cool air into the living room, I sat and slept off and on in my recliner. It was so hard to breathe so I took the easy way out, I dozed off. When awake I read a book. Make that two books.

Today it was beautiful out and tonight the breeze is blowing through the window in the living room and feels delicious on my arms. The patio door is also open to get the cross breeze, but for how long depends on our visiting skunk. He got us good the other night and I've been spraying the house and porch down with the hose, trying to dilute the perfume a bit.

I seem to be the one who deals with the skunks. Hubby won't go near the back door for fear one will be sniffing around and plug him. I can't help it, I get so tickled when he gets upset with me. He swears that it will get through the screen. Now the raccoons, maybe. But the skunk will just leave his calling card and walk smugly away. I can't believe it, the cat just attacked the door and hubby with his trusty flashlight quickly got up and shut the door. There goes my cross breeze.

Today while sitting at the table on the patio, I was considering planting two new flats of bright pink and fushia bordered petunias, when I looked up and saw a young deer, right at the opening of the woods to our yard. He stood and watched me for minutes while I sat quietly and enjoyed every second. Deer are my favorite animals and they come often to visit us with their babies. We feed them through the rough winter months and they are like family. Such gentle creatures.

The weather forecast is for rain tomorrow and the next day and the next. Great for planting in between storms. We have a nice overhang to our house and I can place all the potted plants under it and they will be safe from drowning. At least it will be cool and I'm looking forward to that. It also keeps down the bees and I definitely can appreciate that blessing.

I bought a Crock Pot yesterday and am cooking my first meal in it tonight. I'm doing the six hour menu at a higher temperature and hope my roast of pork and veggies come out okay. I will have to stay up mighty late in order to shut it off when done. I think I had brain fog when I started it but I will learn to time things better the next time. I just thought it would be great to cook and still have a cool kitchen during the hot summer. Silly girl, I'm kind of old to be trying new things so late in the evening. I made my first mistake when I took it out of the box tonight to look at it. I'll learn.

Yum, something is beginning to smell mighty good. It's almost 11 P.M. and it still has two hours to go. Oh what have I done? I think I'd better take a quick nap and wake up in time to put it in the fridge once it has turned off and cooled. I usually wake up at 4:45 A.M. so I think I am safe. It will most likely still be hot so I won't worry. The next time I will know better and plan my time more wisely. Famous last words.

Wasn't this post about planting?

Let's Hope I Actually Post This One

It seems as if my domain has been taken over by an unusually large squirrel population. Not uncommon since I live in the woods, but I now think they outnumber the trees and that's saying somthing.

I wrote in my journal both yesterday and the day before but seemed to get into trouble trying to post them. They just disappeared!?! I became so frustrated because two posts in two days is a bit much. I'm hesitant about writing today but will give it a good try.

We had some excitement in our little hole in the woods. Two nights ago in the middle of the night, an awful sound woke my husband. He was sleeping in the living room recliner and was out like a light. He said it sounded as if a bullet had hid the door and the cat was acting up something fierce. He was not anxious to go see what it was about so shined his flashlight on the door. There was a huge white skunk there trying to claw up the screen. The cat was letting it know he was on her territory and poor hubby was a bit shaken up. Darn, I missed out on all the excitement. I told him it wasn't trying to get in but he insisted it was. Now I'm thinking it might have been rabid because that is definitely unusual behavior for a skunk. Excuse me, I mean HUGE skunk. Eventually it ran off, the cat calmed down and hubby went back to sleep. It's a good thing he keeps that trusty flashlight beside the chair. I would have loved to have seen it all.

We went to Home Depot to get a few things hubby needed and the place was full of birds. I was enchanted and a bit tickled to see them pecking open bags of bird seed. Nothing like a serve yourself and eat restaurant. No waiting in lines, nor paying the bill and tip. You did have to be careful of those flying overhead though. They eat and empty in that order. They were chirping and flying around and some were singing their little hearts out. I was enthralled of course. Inside there were birds in every department but most were in the gardening area. The employees take it in stride but do warn shoppers to be careful they don't leave with droppings. I think we should wear broad brimmed hats in there just to be safe.

We also went to Walmart to buy more plants. Hubby loved the tall purple salvia and I told him he would have to dig up the yard to plant them since they are perennials and we want to place them in front of a stone wall to set it off. I will sit and watch since I did all the planters and I can coach him on how far apart to set them. He feels as long as they are in the ground they are okay. He hasn't learned about symmetry.

The little chipmunks are playing catch up and I see a squirrel sneaking under the patio chair looking for goodies. They know I don't put the peanuts out there any longer because they made the worst messes with the shells. You'd think they would carry them off the patio and ditch them but no, they are smash and grab critters.

I have been up all night and am getting tired. I don't dare go to bed now or I won't sleep again tonight. I seem to have my days and nights mixed up for some reason. Most likely because working outside in the fresh air made me tired and when I came inside to sit a bit, I fell asleep and slept for hours at a time. It's no wonder I'm all discombobulated.

I wish I could remember what I wrote about the past two days because there seems to be a lack of something to this post. Perhaps because I feel like a zombie and nothing is quite clicking in my brain.

Oh, big news! I planted my Morning Glories Sunday evening after soaking the seeds overnight. The very next morning I was out checking on them to see if something magically popped up overnight. No way so I kept checking them and on the 4th day, there they were, three little shoots with two leaves each. Yesterday there were 12 and I can't wait to see what today holds in store. I know, exciting and heady stuff isn't it? Oh well, simple things amuse and delight me.

My kitchen table is a mess and I have company coming today so I must put on my cape and speed clean the kitchen. Hubby said he would vacuum since I trip over the hose so much so that will be a big help. The table top will be carried off to different parts of the house and quickly wiped down. Then I can go through all the boxes and bags at my leisure. LOL, those who know me know I speak the truth. I have been going through mail, shredding and filing. It just doesn't end but I do.

I hope we are in for a good day even without sun. It will be a cool day and I can accomplish more after company leaves. Yes, and I know I will promptly fall asleep as soon as the back of my legs hit my recliner.

I had no intention of writing today because of all the planting I did yesterday. The back and legs scream out "NO!", but this lovely saying above convinced me otherwise.

The sun is out and it is beautiful. I have been lazily watching a little chipmunk as he goes willy-nilly from one rock to another. I am all out of peanuts but he continues to look for those I usually hide for him and his brothers. I bought marshmallows instead to satisfy a need in me. My body must need sugar, at least that's how I see it. Marshmallows aren't something that comes to mind when shopping. I think last summer is the last time I bought them, to make s'mores of course. Now I must make a trip after my work is done to pick up peanuts.

I was so tired last night and didn't know which hurt to attend to so I did the smart thing and went to bed early. I think I was out as soon as my head hit the pillow. Now I must go outside and finish up the planters. They look so nice and perky this morning whereas they were pretty sad looking last night with all the dirt and water on them. Try as I might, I couldn't keep the water from settling on the blooms and they dragged under the weight. But I knew that the morning sun would perk them up and it didn't fail me.

So now, before it gets too late, I must take an allergy pill and go fight the battle again. But this is one battle I am winning and all the gorgeous colors give joy to my soul. I am not a woman who craves much, but I must have my flowers in the warmer months to sooth me each morning when I awake and wobble sleepily to the patio door to gaze upon the day. I can't wait for the hummingbirds and butterflies to spy this bounty and my camera will be ever ready on the kitchen table, right next to the patio door.

And now I must end today's journal and get myself going. Once the heat becomes intense, I am useless. I wish a great day to one and all, a day filled with flowers. They truly are a delight to the eye and bring joy and inspiration to my days.

Making Precious Memories

Holding the Setting Sun

'Every day you must arise and say to your heart, I have suffered enough and now I must live because the light of the sun must not be wasted, it must not be lost without an eye to appreciate it.' - Simone Schwartzbart