#3

my little nephew. is three.

the party was this weekend. he'd requested I make his cake, chocolate. with m&ms.

his presents were tractors, trucks & cars. as well as a toy blender.

he had a great time. (family & friends, b-day pics are on Flickr)

floods, floors, demolition & friends

this post is a bit of a catch-up.















our annual trek to a bluegrass festival was derailed a bit. by flooding. the big, brown Walnut jumped its banks and took over our usual campgrounds. yet, the festival found a way to proceed. and we were rather simply uprooted miles away to a lake camping. made for a quieter time, and yet maybe the best Winfield City Lake, ever. my t-shirt this year didn't, per usual, commemorate music. but instead, the floods. and stinky mud.















next, my last big house project. at least, the last one I can really manage on my own. (I think)
the front room. wallpapered in leafy imprints and muted mud colors. carpeted in dingy white. well, in the same spirit of inspiration in which I've removed previous ugly carpet from the house (anger, frustration and the need for a distraction) I pulled up the carpet. had to cut it into pieces in order to get it out of my house. the thing was damn heavy. and it threw my allergies into whack. but underneath, the same wood floor as the rest of the house. a bit darker, and a bit scratched up. but, all-in-all, beautiful compared to what it once was. I just might get started on the wallpaper now. I just might. (please hold any questions as to when I'm refinishing the floor)















the demolition part of this post comes from the house across my street. as old as my own. its new owners decided to take it down. the week of demo was dusty & loud. watching it come down, of course threw all those "permanence of life and material possessions" questions into my head. but now, it is a muddy empty lot. giving me a "better" view of Main street. or rather, giving Main street a better view of me. (and yes, d., as you are reading this and wondering if I took video of the demo. I did. Just in thought of you)






























I guess the "friends" part of this post is always around. living in a small town can get to feeling lonely at times. but then you have friends that visit. they buy you coffee or bourbon and remind you of why you liked where you once lived too. or they call you for dinner, b/c they've just decided to drive up from the city-to-the-South. or you realize that you are always busy on weekends because of them. birthday party at a bar on a Sunday afternoon. housewarming parties that start in the afternoon and go into the night. random get-togethers inspired by a bottle of wine. knowing you've got friends knitting downtown on Saturday afternoon. or drinking on a patio on a Friday night. I'm reminding myself of this luck I have. Because I know that in a few months, I'll be deep into Winter and full of the blahs.

pink flamingo

I doubt anyone will be surprised.

that I bought this mum, because of its name.

yoknapatawpha

happy birthday, william faulkner. I believe you'd be 111 yrs old.

thanks for being so brilliant. you and your "little postage stamp of soil" of which you wrote about.

even though I'm pretty sure I stopped thinking about being a writer, when I discovered the bar at which you set. It pained me really. As I read "As I Lay Dying". And sunk into the reality of what powerful skill truly is.

"The poet's voice need not merely be the record of man, it can be one of the props, the pillars to help him endure and prevail."

little dresses

i can't seem to stop. these dresses keep pulling me to my sewing table.

of course, if you saw my niece in one of these. you'd totally get it. just wait until I start making coordinating pants for cold weather. I might go crazy.

















but I'm always a sucker for being able to put fabrics together.

and I've realised this pattern will easily grow up with her. which gives me a reason to just keep buying fabric.

little adorable

this weekend, started some little dresses for my smiley-niece. they are on the big side, as so is she. but also for her to grow into. I've been buying fabrics for awhile. And may go out and buy more today.

it kept me occupied some hours. kept me home at night rather than out. which is what I needed.




















and oh yeah. booties. little felted booties. so cute, how could I not buy this pattern?

sorry for the dark photos. it is a dark morning. summer quickly fell right into a cold-ish, rainy fall. let's hope that while camping next week, the weather brightens up a bit.

big speech

"But I stand before you tonight because all across America something is stirring. What the nay-sayers don't understand is that this election has never been about me. It's been about you."

I didn't weep last night, as I thought I'd might. During Obama's big speech. But I sat transfixed. And once again, moved by Obama and the campaign that has swept me, my friends & family, and this country. Of Change. Of Hope.

Thank you Barack Obama. Thank you Joe Biden. I believe we-the-country, are on the road to salvation.

am also sort of relieved that I won't feel compelled to sit in front of the tv for another night. the junkie is going to enjoy some relief.

able to love again

"People around the world have always been more impressed by the power of our example than by the example of our power."

thanks Bill. for last night's speech. and for reminding me of the man & politician & democrat I know you can be. maybe I can now forgive you for your dirty disappointing politics of this Spring. and once again love you adoringly, as I had for so many years.

tho' I haven't been writing about it. I've been glued to CNN/MSNBC/CPSAN since Monday afternoon. these are the days created for politico junkies. and I am very definitely. one of them.

by the way, hey John Kerry. great speech. where was all that fire four years ago?





also, if I could have a t-shirt that just says "joe biden kicks ass" -- that'd be great. if not a tee, maybe a tattoo.

a.word.a.day of the summer

fugacious

PRONUNCIATION:

(fyoo-GAY-shuhs)

MEANING:

Lasting a very short time.

ETYMOLOGY:

From Latin fugere (to flee) which also gave us other words such as fugitive, centrifugal, refuge, and subterfuge.

"there"

garden tour

a hot weekend. but hot like Kansans know it should be, by August. so we don't even always bother to stand in the shade. since, it doesn't help a lot. though we do try to hold a bottle of icy water along with our bottle of beer.

a group of us had our first garden tour. organized by a man with a magical garden of his own. the group was meant to bike around town to visit our own gardens--though not all of us managed the bicycling part.




















Sunday afternoon, we all gathered and traveled from place to place. My yard being #3 spot. I offered Shandy. Or plain lemonade. Or plain beer. My veggie garden was the smallest on the tour.

In my friends' gardens I got to see many examples of good Kansas wildflowers, almond trees, cherry trees and figs. As well as many beautiful sunflowers. And healthy veggies. And rainwater/barrel collection. (I'm inspired)















We ended picking cucumbers for ourselves, and having a potluck at the final destination. Complete with "dirt cake". The afternoon was hot, but it was full of fun. And now we all have next year's to look forward to. Thanks James.

waiting is over

and tomatoes are everywhere. in the bags which mom drops off from the farm. and in my own backyard.
the daily salads of tomatoes & basil have begun. last night, I rolled it all up into a warm tortilla, with a slather of goat cheese and sprinkle of pepper.
















and, pink.

sad to say that I'm fighting off blister beetles in my tomato patch. they hungrily eat away all vegetation. they are bastard things, with long, grey torsos. which secrete a toxin, causing blisters to all humans who touch them. so in gloved hands I find them, drop them in a container. and then take them to the sidewalk. where I take satisfaction in squishing them underfoot.

great things list #14

finding new chocolate chip cookie recipes. or, just reading an article about the wonder of them. and how many ways they can be made. leave it to the New York Times, to make what is really just great when plain & simple, to look possibly decadent & fussily good too.

am not convinced yet to try these, with there two-kinds of flour (cake & bread? hmm, tempting) and long refrigeration period. will definitely substitute my own fancy chocolate. but, haven't ruled it out either. b/c sometimes the power of the cookie, draws you to the fridge. where you pull out the butter, set it on the counter, and know, that in mere hours, it will be time to blend with sugar til light & creamy.

(yes, I skipped great things #13. call me superstitious. go ahead, do it)

summer shows

I've got an abundance of purple coneflower. as do my neighbors on all sides.




















I'd extended my front porch flower bed this year, and added a curve of bachelor's buttons, poppies and red zinnias. am loving the colors. and all the rain we keep getting, along with only kind of hot days, has been great for flowers.















this is a red spider zinnia. they grow on thin stalks, and the bloom is only about the size of a quarter.

a bit different from the large zinnias, about to bloom like crazy, in my back yard.

oh, and look at this green tomato abundance. waiting in anticipation.

big sky, bigger trees

so much can happen when with three of your closest friends in a beautiful place with lots to eat & drink.
the montana trip, for friend Q's b-day, was a truly great one. when you spend time with people who just, know, you. and mix in nature wonderlands. good times.
















took a long drive up to magical Glacier Nat'l Park. where we could only drive in 16 miles due to weather/roads. but I saw enough. to know that it is magically wooded with waterfalls and more-than-bubbling brooks. mossy & rocky. with trees taller than buildings here at home. and sheltering mountains capped in snow. I believe a statement was made, that you wouldn't be surprised if you saw a unicorn. that's just how fantastic it is.
















the colors of green were amazing. and the sun was fighting to get through the trees.





























much more to the trip. which I'll post about in another blurb.

juneteenth

yesterday, according to my desk calendar, was Juneteenth. honoring a day when slaves in some parts of the South heard that they were free.

and also, according to a wise source, it appears I've been too distracted to keep this little blog updated. so here.

the tomatoes have reached my height. my fear is that this is due to not enough sunlight, and not because of my gardening mastery. nonetheless, they are also now blooming. tomatoes in July!


the basil needs harvesting. on the to-do list of next week.













the green beans are barely budding. but will be a-need-a-picking soon.













the bergamot has produced an interesting flower. and the bed of bergamot, lemon balm, thyme & lavendar, next to my back porch. is just about the best smelling place you might find.










finally, an interesting and rather precarious addition, to my back porch. for a time.













on the agenda. trip to the big sky north over the summer solstice. not that the big sky is bigger than this blue one I'm under now. but I'll be joining my dear friends. and when I return, will have some pics of mountain country to share.

catching up

two summery weekends have past.
wedding of friends, which was sunny, windy and warm. as any Kansas June wedding is. if not chilly, windy & wet. it was a country wedding. with plenty of food, friends and happy smiles. though also some mosquitoes. we had on springtime prints, freshly done nails & fancy hair with many bobby pins & hairspray.

the past weekend, simply warm. with lots of breezy daytime weather. got some weeding done. and marveled at my suddenly huge tomatoes, green beans & morning glories. there was also grilling of meat, ice cream over brownies, plenty of whiskey--good stuff on ice, cheap stuff in coke. and daytime naps in the air-conditioning.

and last night, a visit from my nephew & niece and their parents. with some DQ in hand. a lovely way to end a weekend.

upcoming, Montana.

and then will come the 4th. one may begin to wonder just how quickly the summer plans to fly by.

it's our time.

"And because of what you said – because you decided that change must come to Washington; because you believed that this year must be different than all the rest; because you chose to listen not to your doubts or your fears but to your greatest hopes and highest aspirations, tonight we mark the end of one historic journey with the beginning of another – a journey that will bring a new and better day to America. Tonight, I can stand before you and say that I will be the Democratic nominee for President of the United States."

great things #12

when former White House officials decide to tell the truth. about lies & corruption. and fake wars that cost Americans their lives and love, while making a fortune for those running the ship.

whether it be to truly honor the American people, or to avoid ending up in that special Hell reserved for those that defy truth, honor, respect and the American Democracy. (I like to think that it is a very hot room, with a jury of Founding Fathers. and possibly, Christ.). Satanic Majesties, indeed.

may flowers v.2

a birthday bouquet I had picked myself last week.
















and the poppies. which are now gone, blown out by our weekend storms.

my birthday weekend included bundles of flowers in my house. with what I'd picked outside, and the bunch of lady-like pink & white peonies brought in by mom.

the iris are spent. so are the peonies. and now the daisies are blooming.
signs that June is on its way.

that, and the possible 90degree temp today.

great things #11

money well spent, paying someone to mow the lawn.

may flowers

anyone that loves me, knows how I love May. and not just for birthday reasons.

today I turned a corner of my house, and found my red roses & orange poppies, blooming up against all that purple iris. the colors together made me whole-heartedly smile. and just how often, do I do that?

I picked a few to come in.

surprises

this weekend my friends here surprised me with a b-day party. I was so unsuspecting, that it took a good 5 minutes for me to believe the party was for me, and not just a joke. (that & I had to get over the fact that everyone was looking at me, which is always unnerving.) after a lovely evening on a deck on the edge of town, the party led to a bar, where there was loud show. which led to me losing my voice. and now sounding like I took up smoking again.

thanks friends. I haven't given much thought to this birthday. frankly, I'm not thrilled.

my chubby niece was in party attendance, wearing a sweet little sundress. which I'm now inspired to begin making en masse, for her summer-wear.

as a present to myself, I am planning to find someone I can pay, to mow my eagerly growing lawn.

a present to me, from my brother. an illustration named "peg-leg". this photo doesn't give its colors justice. but I love it. it lives now on my mantle.

mid-may

it bloomed. as have a variety of iris around my house. many of which were planted long before I was. I think these are the iris which mom believes have "bridal" in the name. they are big, beautiful and white. and would be lovely, if one were getting married. in mid-May.
















green beans. they are so big, they actually have to push the earth up, in order to get out into the sun.















am so excited for what is to come. where last year there was one, this year there are five.

stormy may

our afternoons are sunny & warm, which give way to nightly storms. plenty of rain & firepower. so far, my little area of Kansas hasn't been rocked to hard. I'm not a Kansan that enjoys storms. they keep me awake & slightly nervous. but, they are amazing. in a terrifying way.

with the sun, comes bursting plants.
Sunday, finally put many things in the ground. two cherry & one grape tomato plant. the basil (Siam Queen Thai, is center in this photo) which I'd started from seed. marigolds. chives are perennial from last year. the green bushy thing in the background, is some mighty happy returning oregano.

I also sowed:
more Genovese basil
nasturtiums (Empress of India & Fordhook Favorites)
zinnias (Red Spider, Exquisite & State Fair Mix)
green beans (Kentucky Wonder)
globe amaranth (Strawberry Fields)

fun.

this huge iris is about to bloom. the bud is at least two fingers. the stalk is practically up to my chin. it looks like it will be a glorious white flower. I had transplanted some iris from mom's farm, and this must be one.

summer kitchen

the old summer kitchen at my brother's farm, now fixed up with a stereo and christmas lights, has become a lovely outdoor shelter, for parties.
















last night, outside with a fire in the pit (a salvaged bathtub), we spent the evening with a convergence of visiting out-of-state friends. whiskey, beer & friendly ridicule.
















a storm towered to our south, and gave us an impressive light show all evening. with harpy winds. it moved just to the east of us, on its way north. (and, gave others some destructive winds & hail).

a stormy light show, I think, that can only be seen, here on the mid-western plains.

intertwines

this "utensils" is one of the images I found from the Library of Congress Flickr site. still so very cool. not just in the imagery, but because it is meant for people to comment on--and help the LOC learn where the photos were taken & and who the people are. it is basically, a form of living, breathing research. so I wrote all of this awhile ago. in checking it again, I realised they are adding & removing. and a whole new set of photos have arrived. including this one below, called "saying grace before the barbeque dinner". The colors of the women's dress. As well as the movement of the men removing their hats. The site is moving history book. I can't get enough.














in small towns, it is easy to encounter juxtapositions of what is "modern" and what is "old". On Saturday night, I spent the evening with a friend. She brought her sewing machine over. And we sewed, chatted and had cocktails. A variation of something, women have done together for ages. (I'm thinking the cocktails are the modern-touch)

I've always been drawn to the old & the vintage. My old house is full of old things. I'm drawn to arts that rely upon handiwork. History books fill my shelves. I think it is only because, these things have proven their existence, and their longevity. I believe in them.

of course, I love my "new" things. like my computer. the internet. my computerized sewing machine. I just don't trust them as much.