Easy Like A Sunday Morning

I awoke at 8:00am to grey skies and gentle rain.  That sentence hold two miracles, one that I slept in till 8:00, unheard of for this early riser and two, that it is raining gently.

Last night we were able to sleep with open windows and the ceiling fan whirling.  It was so sweet a sleep I can almost remember my dreams.

Seven more sleeps and we leave for the ocean.  First stop, Cape Cod with my friend Susan.  We only see each other a few times a year but instantly fall into constant chatter and/or comfortable silence. We'll be staying in the new house she and her husband have built in Falmouth.  GG and I are hoping for a lobster or two, afternoon naps and cooking in that sunny kitchen I've only seen in pictures. 

Next week Fire Island, NY with our friend Larry.  Here we know what to expect.  Miles of boardwalk, no cars, great music, lunches as honored as dinners.  Reading our way through piles of books (me) studying for the MCATS (GG), beach time with the lab who will chase seagulls and dash in and out of the ocean and many iced coffees.

Until then I'm going to enjoy every minute of today.  I'm nursing a summer cold, so I might have to be lazy and lay about reading, and indulge in a bit of a nap today too. Pregaming for vacation?

But if I had any energy and any peaches I'd do this today.  Instead I'll just enjoy the picture and the process. You will too.

Love the one you're with.

The List Of Lovely

I must be off quickly....spending too much morning time at the computer and not in the shower.  Oh when will they make a waterproof computer..

But for the very few gardeners or just lovers of flowers who might not read Wild Acre, I give you Belinda's List.

A grower of all that is fine and lovely and according to said list easy and indestructible.

Off to England with you then.  I'm off to shower.

You'll thank me.

Whatch Doing?

Have I kept you in the GG loop?  Didn't think so. ( Hmm, keep it brief to hold attention).

May: Graduated with Bachelor In Science

June:  Started Medical Assistant Certificate program

July: Added Phlebotomy study to week.

August: Finished course. Started internship at Urgent Care Clinic

September: Take MCATS  for second time.

What does this mean in relationship to dinner parties?  We can now offer an EKG with dessert.  Or can take your blood pressure over appetizers.  We are a full service hospital(ity) house. 

What does this mean for the Lab and myself?  GG's work schedule for these 2 weeks runs 3:00 to 9:00 PM.  She gets home around 10:00.  This means the Lab lies about in a puddle of despair, letting the cat march over her on her constant travels in and out, in and out. The Lab is only able to rouse herself for DINNER or a TREAT or maybe a little WALK.  Then flings herself back down on the floor with a big sign of sadness, maybe boredom?

And me?  I come home from from work to a fully stocked refrigerator ( Tuesday) a mowed and edged lawn (Wednesday) and God only knows what tomorrow.( but I can't wait to see).

 The View From My Kitchen Window

I make some dinner, do a little watering, read a post or two and another book. I have read 3 since Monday.
Neighbors drop by with garden tomatoes or to borrow the lawnmower.  The weather has cooled off a bit and I can sit outside and read. All this is lovely and business as usual. But, and this is a big but, it's more fun with GG around. 

Just sayin'.

Come Into My Garden...

If you can squeeze past the cat who has appointed herself door man, jump through the performing circus of squirrels on the front stoop, slap your way through the dawn mosquito patrol and beat down the bindweed, you might find a thing or two of beauty in the early morning garden.

Ignoring the ever present heat and humidity a brave iris has returned

.

The lime light hydrangeas glow against the dark leaves of the ornamental plum.

When people approach the house all eyes are drawn up to the mandevilla vine, totally missing the garden destruction that lies at their feet. Clever strategy this.

A volunteer petunia has set up house with the black jack sedum. We think it's just a summer romance but would not be adverse to committed relationship.

.

And most beautiful of them all, our first passion flower bloom. This shot taken on Sunday after the rain. Did I say rain?

So if you happen to drop by for a visit remember: in the garden eyes up and all around, in the house eyes down ( plaster ceiling in kitchen still not fixed).

Got it? Good.  Repeat, garden up, kitchen down.

xo jane

P.S. Sending our love and support to our friends in England.   We are saddened and horrified.

Cupcakes And Aliens

 I woke up too early for a Sunday.  But the kitten ( and calling a 18 year old cat a kitten is like calling me a jeune fille) had poked her little head into the bedroom and was squawking at the top of her lungs to GO OUT NOW.

So up I got. And once I'm up, I'm up.

While the espresso was dripping I was reading, posts not a book.  As I traveled here and there my mood visibly improved.  I sat up straighter, my mouth curved upwards and my eyes woke up in appreciation.

So for those of you who might have woken up a little bit on the wrong side of the bed I give you yesterday's wedding.

The tallest,thinnest bride with miles of straight blonde hair.  A love for yellow and orange, the groom and her family and friends. Much of the work was done by them.  The table numbers all told stories pertinent to their life together.  When we arrived at the venue, the bowls of citrus were on the table waiting for us to drop in a posy of roses and dahlias and berries and a gerbera daisy or two.

There were of course cupcakes.  I watched GG struggle with her conscience wanting to taste just one.  But after much circling of the dessert table she walked away.  Sugar craving vs. peace of mind.  Tough battle.

So what have we learned here today?  A good post can stir even the most reluctant heart.  Even a confirmed non camper can be enchanting by glamping.

And, this is the most important, always leave an extra cupcake or two for your florist. You did it for Santa, now do it for us.

Amen.

Blinded By The Light

Tonight we wandered through the underbelly of the National Museum of Natural History.  We were delivering flowers for the opening of a new exhibit "Against all Odds: Rescue At The Chilean Mine". The museum will be displaying the rescue capsule, video footage and mementos from the miners.

Our passage was not nearly as harrowing.  However, 6 trips in 2 different freight elevators, maneuvering carts filled with towering arrangements through miles of tourists and lifting these heavy vessels onto buffet tables, was fraught with enough danger and suspense for my taste.

There was the ever present elephant standing guard in the rotunda and, for some reason, a strange, blinding yellow light above us. People were being herded out of the museum and servers were whirling in.  Gwen, tres chic in a black sheath and silvery stilettos, had organized every plate, table cloth, bottle of wine, bite of delicious food and of course the flowers. The guests numbered 630 and this was no easy task.  There were invitations, menus and programs to be printed and VIP's ego's to assuage. Our instructions were clear and simple: BIG and beautiful, with a few stems of green cymbidium orchids.

After last minute fiddling with the flowers, adding a leaf here and a stem of Hawaiian ginger there I turned my camera into the light and shot a few pictures.

This done we walked back through the paleozoic era and disappeared once again into the bowels of the museum accompanied by much clanging of the freight elevators gates.

 

Your bleary eyed reporter will now go tumble into bed.

The Gardeners Lament

I had in mind a lament.  The sun is too strong, the heat is unceasing, the tomatoes won't set fruit, the cucumber is yellowed and frail.  You know the words and the tune. Unless you live in the UK, or on the west coast you probably sing the same song...

But then I started to make dinner.  I'm daring to boil water tonight because the overgrown basil plants are crying out to be made into pesto.  And, into the pesto sauce will go a few cloves of garlic from GG's spring planting.

 

Oh, and we'll make a salad out of the sun golds.  Apparently cherry tomatoes still grow for us which is amazing what with the Mojave moving in and all.

 

I suppose I should also mention the one cucumber waiting to be sliced and we picked our first black beauty zucchini today. We have 2 sugar baby watermelons fattening up on the fence, and two more on the vine. To top it all off, it looks like we might get a decent fall raspberry and fig crop. (remember the fig???)

So as always I say to you: Glass half full or what!?!