The Frenetic Pace of Life

Hi Dear Folk,

Wow!  A day off and a wonderful respite from the frenetic pace of life.  Basically my major time has been taken up by two things work and gardening, therefore the absence, along with all the other minutiau of life.

Mr. B. has met up with a friend at Starbucks they will enjoy that time together, I am just chilling with a cup of tea catching up with all of you and thinking where to start on this post.  I think he's taken Rob's Miata, he'll have fun driving that.

We have had such wonderfully cool evenings and nights for this time of year and quite low humidity, so I'v been reveling in that.  We had both Cardinals and Robins nest in our little garden this year, the robins in their usual spot right by the back door in the honeysuckle and the cardinals at the top of the lilac bush, so not so visible, but it seems that the cardinals are sticking around and I see them every day numerous times going about their business, such a joy with their red flash of colour and their cheeky chirps.

Mamma Robin on her eggs.

My trumpet vine decided to flower after many years of not flowering, I did read somewhere that they need to be established for about five years.  So here I am waiting expectantly, I had given Mr. B. strict instructions not to clip of any extended tendrils, but I did not tell The Boy, yes you can guess, The Boy decided to do a little trim of the trumpet vine, mum to say the least was not amused.  Why do they get these crazy ideas in their head when the most they ever do in the garden is push the lawn mower around under instructions from Dad "the lawn needs mowing please get it done" yes I know, a poor quaking tendril had extended itself over the path, but need he have proceeded around the whole vine.  A view buds managed to hide themselves lower down, among the day lilies, and are now blooming and I may get an odd bloom here and there, but not what it would have been.  Roses did appear one night for his mother, a peace offering.  One of the tendrils that escaped I counted 23 potential flower trumpets, isn't that amazing.

Found quaking in their boots and hiding, amongst the day lilies and sage.

The peace appeasement present.  A lovely bouquet of lilac colored roses.  The above vase was Mr. B's mum's and special because she died when he was four.  The shape is just lovely for so many bouquets of flowers. and must have been much used because it has a few nicks at the top, but are not seen when filled with flowers. Below is a Swedish red glass rose bowl, which I picked up at a thrift many a year ago, I just love it, I think it's from the sixties and quite collectable now.  I always try and make a bouquet of flowers last as long as I can.

Trumpet vines are terribly invasive and you really do have to keep them under control.  They extend underground suckers and will show up all over.  One I have dug up and planted near the fence by my Simla patio.  My neighbor cut down one of the fir trees so now I have no shade or that much privacy on my patio, Mr. B. did put up a trellis along the top of the fence, but it needs more and a trumpet vine would do the trick I think.  Every day I look at it and its little head is lifting up more and more, so I think it will establish itself there.  They are a glory of colour when in bloom, mine is an orangey-yellow.

On the crafting front just a few odd things have been picked up in the evening.  Making Suffolk Puffs and working on my Crazy Quilt squares.  I was moving along quite well making Suffolk Puffs when I lost half a piece to my template, it just fell down where I was sitting, I was tired and thought I'll pick it up another day.  Do you think I could find it, no.  I searched and searched, Mr.B. looked.  Three weeks later , I look down and there is is, translucent yellow , against the yellow tile, it was camouflaged, yet I had looked, maybe it was the light, a different time of day.  It was so frustrating I was ready to buy another one.

My library never ceases to astound me, I come up with obscure Victorian writers and sure enough, they have one, two or even more of their books and originals too.  So I've been reading Constance Fenimore Woolson, the niece of James Fenimore Cooper, and I'm moving onto Isaac Zangwell, I've also been reading Elizabeth Jenkins, a mid century writer.  Some better reads than others but all pictures of the period.  For instance I never knew of the St Claire Flats in Michigan, they are in Miss Grief and other stories by CFW.  In fact I almost prefer her short stories, less convolution of long over blown plots.

My camera is backed up with all sorts of images from the past weekends, so where to start, but maybe working backwards rather than forwards would be good.

A cool glass of iced tea with mint, presented by Mr. B. after a long hot day in the garden, so good.  Reading Elizabeth Jenkins The Tortoise and The Hare, a most peculiar title and even after reading a review about why the use of that title, I still do not think that is suits.  I would love to have a conversation with the author as to her choice of this title.

Tea and Toast for breakfast on the Oak Tree Patio.  Using my Royal Winton cup and plate, along with my Brown Betty Teapot found up in Ithaca at a thrift, the genuine article, and as a bonus my crochet flower tea cozy fits even better on this pot than the one I had it on.

Reading Miss Grief.

While in Trader Joe's which I frequent about every other week, it's a lunch time run while at work, I saw these Strawberries and Cream Hydrangea's thought about it and went back and bought myself one, only $6.99 so not bad.  I hope it does well in the pot, newly acquired from Ollie's, and man handled home.  It sits by my Japanese Maple between the pond and the arch, were there is no lawn and the soil is bare and impossible to grow anything here because of all the tree roots, so I thought a pot would look nice, I might add a few more.  Actually you can't really see the size of this pot from the photo, but it is very large.  Made in Vietnam.

Just a tad past her best in this photo, but so pretty and the name strawberries and cream is most suitable.

I bought this Popcorn tree on a whim, and when you rub the leaves it does smell like buttered popcorn.  You see that fence post to the right, well that is where I have planted the trumpet vine and hopefully it will cover over all the trellis and give quite a show, oh dear will it take another five years to flower, probably.

Christy