Today's high temperature was: 71 degrees
Today's humidity was: 26%
Sunny, nice breeze.
PERFECT WEATHER
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A terrible night!!! I was so tired last night. After I published my blog post I headed for bed.
An hour later--still awake, I got up and took a Benedryl.
An hour later--still awake, I got up and read.
An hour later---still awake, I got up and made some warm cocoa.
At 4:00 a.m.--still awake, I got up, went potty, drank some water.
Of course, every time I moved from the bed, the Purry Furries had to get up too, to see what Momma was doing.
At 4:45--still awake I looked at the bedside table clock and just gave up.
8:00 a.m.--not awake, the alarm went off and I hit the snooze button. I hit the snooze button every nine minutes until 9:30--and then I got up.
My head must be adjusting to the new pills because, I no longer have a thick, full head when I get up. They aren't working as well as they did when I first started taking them, so...when I go back on the 25th, I will ask him to kick them up to 10mg.
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At 11:00 a.m., I went out to my shed and got my power cord, my electric hedge trimmers, my loppers, and my gloves and walked the few steps to Mary's hedge. Piece of cake--as it had been massacred two years ago, so all I had to do was trim off the top and the sides--probably an hour's work at most.
1:00 p.m.--job half done, I stagger home to get something to eat, rest my back in my chair and watch my soap.
Nothing is ever as easy as we think it is going to be, is it? When the "guys" cut back her hedge two years ago, and charged her seventy-five dollars, if they came to a really big "stalk", they just left it and trimmed off the new growth on the top and sides. So, when I went to trim off the branches, I kept running into the 2 inch limbs. My loppers can't cut anything that big, so I had to get my little tree saw and cut them back. Very hard work on my hands, arms and shoulder--trying to saw.
Mary worked right along with me though, she raked up all the trimmings and put them in yard waste bags. The only problem, Mary can talk. Mary does talk. On and on she rattles. I am using electric hedge trimmers, so every time she started a conversation, I had to stop, so I could hear her, and wait until she was done.
Back out at 2:00 and by 3:00, we were done. I put all my stuff away--winding up those long orange heavy-duty extension cords really hurt my arm and shoulder. I left her raking away with the comment, "Just stick the rake in my shed when you're done." and came back to my chair. She wanted to pay me, but I refused. She doesn't get much more then I do a month--no one around here does--and if I could help her for a chore she would otherwise have to pay for--and I am capable enough to do that chore, then I am going to do it.
Today, I reminded her to check the outside vent on her dryer. Two years ago, I was walking past the side of her house to get to the other street and noticed, so much lint coming out of her dryer vent. The vent was so full, it was packed in there and edging its way out in one long spiral of lint, about 3 inches in diameter. She got her guy neighbor to come and pull out her dryer and clean out the vent--inside/out, and he told her, "You were about two more drying cycles away from a huge fire!"
I offered to drain and flush her water heater and she told me that a guy came last week and did it for her and, "he only charged me one hundred dollars and he was here for an hour."
<Sigh>
Today, I reminded her to check the outside vent on her dryer. Two years ago, I was walking past the side of her house to get to the other street and noticed, so much lint coming out of her dryer vent. The vent was so full, it was packed in there and edging its way out in one long spiral of lint, about 3 inches in diameter. She got her guy neighbor to come and pull out her dryer and clean out the vent--inside/out, and he told her, "You were about two more drying cycles away from a huge fire!"
I offered to drain and flush her water heater and she told me that a guy came last week and did it for her and, "he only charged me one hundred dollars and he was here for an hour."
<Sigh>
Her bushes last week.
Her bushes now.
I wish I had her place. Double wide, three bedrooms, two baths, that nice back deck, corner lot. Of course, I have enough to take care of AND I live on a quieter street and have a view of the woods and wetlands out my computer room window--so--bloom where you're planted!
I noticed, while I was out there, that if she sits on that deck, she can see the back of my shed and---CRAP--I didn't have it power washed when I had the house done, so---there is mold on the back. So, tomorrow, I will go out--spray it with vinegar, bleach and soap solution, scrub it with my floor mop and try to get it looking better.
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I just realized. I have five neighbors that I communicate with most every week and out of those five--four are DITZES!!! And those four are, Dar, Pearl, Tami and Mary. Jackie seems to be the only sane one in the group!!!!!
Now--I feel bad when I read some of the stuff I write about Pearl. She is an absolute lovely lady, nice and sweet and we spend a lot of time together and giggle and laugh and rib each other. I probably should not write a thing about her, but.........she is a huge part of my day, and some of the things she says and does, are just hysterical to me. When I write on here about her...I am not putting her down. I am just relating on the things she said, the way we go back and forth, trying to understand each other. If it wasn't for Pearl--I might go days and days without speaking a word to another human. Thank goodness I have her, to stimulate my mind. Right?
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Yesterday, when Susan and Chuck were here--she and I walked around my perennial garden and Chuck dug up some roots to take back for her new garden, that she is designing and wanting to get some perennials in this month.
As I lay in bed last night, I happened to think of where those plants came from. The Momma Iris, as we call it, was planted by my mother in 1966. It was in memory of my grandma. The Lemon Lily, also was in our Mother's garden, but, it came from a root in our great grandmother's garden--the same place where Susan lives now. As did the Rudbeckia AND a peony tuber I have. The Peony plant was eighty years old when I took a piece--it was on The Farm and planted by our great great grandmother. I have had it for forty-five years. So, that plant is around 125 years old and still growing!!
I got the "cuttings" from my mother's garden, when I moved into my grandmother's house, in 1967. Mother had dg them up from the great grandmother;s gardens. I planted them in the huge gardens I used to have (and Pammie has turned back into lawn). Then when I moved in 1988, I took some roots with me. Then when I moved in 1990, I took some of those roots with me--always leaving a nice garden behind. Then when I moved to Saginaw in 1992, I took some of those roots and, on the corner lot there, I had an enormous garden that people use to stop their cars to look at. Then, when I moved here in 2003, I brought some of the roots from those traveling plants with me.
So--here we are--nearly fifty years later, and some of the roots and tubers from the plants are...going back home where they were first planted.
Talk about the Circle of Life!!!!!
My great great grandmother died forty years before I was born, so I don't remember her. Still---I have living plants that she first planted with her own hands, in the late 1800's. It just amazes me.
I remember------my Mother went to Holland, Michigan in spring of 1969--she loved it there. While she was there, she ordered 200 daffodil and tulip bulbs from Holland. The country of Holland. She planted them that fall. She died in March 1970 and I was furious when those damn spring bulbs came up and were so beautiful! My beautiful, young mother, had died for no apparent reason, and yet those stupid bulbs were alive and blooming!!! My son, Mark, who now lives on that farm, treasures the plants his grandma planted and takes very good care of her long sward of a lawn---forty-three years later.
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The Circle of Life. I know that none of my family thinks about these things, but I will tell Susan of my realization--but the fact of the matter is--we are some of the most fortunate people around here. Not only are we still able to live on the land that has been in our family for over 150 years, but--we also have the plants/trees/bushes/buildings--that they planted or built with their hands in 1855!!!!! We are a very lucky family indeed!!
All of that means more to me then any other family members and yet----because my step-mother basically stole my share of my Daddy's estate, it is not possible for me to live on any of that land.
Well--I better get off that subject or this lovely post will turn in a rant!!!
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As I lay in bed last night, I happened to think of where those plants came from. The Momma Iris, as we call it, was planted by my mother in 1966. It was in memory of my grandma. The Lemon Lily, also was in our Mother's garden, but, it came from a root in our great grandmother's garden--the same place where Susan lives now. As did the Rudbeckia AND a peony tuber I have. The Peony plant was eighty years old when I took a piece--it was on The Farm and planted by our great great grandmother. I have had it for forty-five years. So, that plant is around 125 years old and still growing!!
Lemon Lily. Not only is it lemon color, but it smells like lemons.
What we call, Momma Iris. Peach in color.
Rudbeckia-Brown-Eyed-Susan
or
as Pearl calls it--Rebecca.
I got the "cuttings" from my mother's garden, when I moved into my grandmother's house, in 1967. Mother had dg them up from the great grandmother;s gardens. I planted them in the huge gardens I used to have (and Pammie has turned back into lawn). Then when I moved in 1988, I took some roots with me. Then when I moved in 1990, I took some of those roots with me--always leaving a nice garden behind. Then when I moved to Saginaw in 1992, I took some of those roots and, on the corner lot there, I had an enormous garden that people use to stop their cars to look at. Then, when I moved here in 2003, I brought some of the roots from those traveling plants with me.
So--here we are--nearly fifty years later, and some of the roots and tubers from the plants are...going back home where they were first planted.
Talk about the Circle of Life!!!!!
My great great grandmother died forty years before I was born, so I don't remember her. Still---I have living plants that she first planted with her own hands, in the late 1800's. It just amazes me.
I remember------my Mother went to Holland, Michigan in spring of 1969--she loved it there. While she was there, she ordered 200 daffodil and tulip bulbs from Holland. The country of Holland. She planted them that fall. She died in March 1970 and I was furious when those damn spring bulbs came up and were so beautiful! My beautiful, young mother, had died for no apparent reason, and yet those stupid bulbs were alive and blooming!!! My son, Mark, who now lives on that farm, treasures the plants his grandma planted and takes very good care of her long sward of a lawn---forty-three years later.
========================================
The Circle of Life. I know that none of my family thinks about these things, but I will tell Susan of my realization--but the fact of the matter is--we are some of the most fortunate people around here. Not only are we still able to live on the land that has been in our family for over 150 years, but--we also have the plants/trees/bushes/buildings--that they planted or built with their hands in 1855!!!!! We are a very lucky family indeed!!
All of that means more to me then any other family members and yet----because my step-mother basically stole my share of my Daddy's estate, it is not possible for me to live on any of that land.
Well--I better get off that subject or this lovely post will turn in a rant!!!
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My Sweet Boy!!!
So sorry about you sleepless night. You know I empathize. What a mess we become when we get older.
ReplyDeleteThe origins of your flowers and how you've taken them with you on each move is fascinating. I have a few flowers that belonged to my mother. A little garden can bring such pleasure. My SIL planted a few zinnias at the edge of Dad's vegetable garden spot. Just a few zinnias and the butterflies, humming birds and bumble bees have a party all day long. So little effort and expense, and such a pleasure to look at through the window.
What a good neighbor and friend you are! Mary's yard looks so nice after all your hard work.
ReplyDeleteThe continuity in the garden plants is truly amazing and beautiful, as well....they are all my favorites, especially the peonies and iris. I'd never seen or had a lemon lily and they are beautiful, as well. Just perfect that some are going back to the farm.
Your description of the sleepless night was painful, and I am sure it must have been agonizing for you. I've had those in years past and remember that just giving up feeling when all my tricks for sleep were exhausted. Hope that is your last one for awhile.
I have a sleepless night every so often like you had. They drive me CRAZY! A sleeping pill works but only if you think about taking it early enough which you can't do at 4 AM if you have to get up at 9:00.
ReplyDeleteI have plants from both my mother and my husband's mother in my yard and I treasure their history. It's really nice that some of your plants are going full circle. I like to think things like that will please our ancestors.
That is amazing, about your plants. So cool!
ReplyDeleteSo nice of you, Judy to help your neighbor out. The bushes look beautiful now.
ReplyDeleteHow great that you all have living plants of your ancestors! That's amazing, and wonderful. :)
xoxo
I love the stories about your plants and your plants. I was lucky enough to do that with my grandmothers/great grandmothers' plants in my first 2 homes. Then when I had to move to the last place, I wasn't able to. It always made me sad, but good to see them blooming beautifully when I see them there. In this transient world, you are indeed blessed to be able to see your families' farms.
ReplyDelete