Life lessons

Our garden is very slow getting started this year. I'm pretty sure the weeks of rain that made us put off planting it didn't help. Now we have sunny warm weather and the seeds are in the ground.

This picture was taken right along the side of our garden. This does not bode well for future plant development. Deer tracks before the plants even break the surface usually means they know its coming and are just waiting for the munchies to show up.

A few things to look for in the woods....

This is what we call multi floral roses. These were brought to the U. S. by farmers many years ago to be used for a natural fence around their farms. Most of them didn't find out until much later that they spread like wildfire and you can not stop them. They are taking over a lot of farm land.

This, on the other hand, is something we like to look for in the woods. I know they may look like the other but they aren't. These are wild blackberry vines. I LOVE wild blackberries. They are so sweet compared to tame berries. These particular vines are behind our garden. We very seldom get many berries off of them because every time superhubby goes out to look at them there are snakes under the vines. Superhubby works pretty hard through the week and it's up to me to get the berries before rain or deer get them. I don't get them because I DON'T DO SNAKES. EVER. AT ALL.

Those of you who have "known" me for awhile may remember this....

This is what happens when birds build a nest on your porch. This is also one of the times I didn't get a choice when it came to NEVER BEING AROUND SNAKES. About 3 seconds after I snapped this picture the snake jumped off of the hoe and took off into my husbands car. We (and I say that in jest because I just stood back and cringed) spent the next hour or two trying to get it out. The snake was going to be thrown into the woods so it could run away but since it escaped we (again with the WE) ended up having to cut it in half to get it out of the car..... Which is why, if I have any choice, I DO. NOT. HAVE. ANYTHING.TO.DO.WITH. SNAKES.

My friend Lewis

This morning while I was out picking dead blooms off of my flowers I met a new friend. His name is Lewis.

He didn't actually tell me his name, he's more the strong silent type, but I guessed it first try and he never said I was wrong. He just watched me from his post top.

I've learned that Lewis isn't much for conversation. It's cold here this morning and Lewis just wanted to lay in the sun getting warmed up while I worked on the flowers. He didn't even reply to my offer to get him some good lotion to soften up his skin. I think Lewis looks a little wrinkled. I'm pretty sure laying in the sun isn't the best thing for his skin.

Well Lewis, it's been nice meeting you. I hope you stick around and don't get eaten by the big snakes that are usually hanging around just out of sight. Very small things seem to disappear about this time of the year. Good luck Lewis and I'll see you tomorrow morning.

Question of the day

Every February this comes up in my flower bed. I don't remember ever planting it and I really have no idea what it is.

It comes up faithfully as soon as we get a day over 50 degrees. Frost never seems to bother it. Now it is a clump of ugly brown. It always dies out by the end of May. It will soon disappear and hide out until next February when it will peek its pretty little head up out of the ground again. Rest up little flower.....I will need you again next year to remind me that spring is, once again, on its way.

This week is going to be crazy. I have many dentist visits scheduled and am going to be enduring a lot of nasty dental stuff. The next weekend is DD's graduation party and her graduation. Then the next weekend I will be laying on the beach. That, my friends, is what keeps me happy.

Spring has sprung!

A few pictures to make up for the fact I really have nothing to say.
This picture was taken at the Huntington museum of Art. Every year a local tv station does "Best of the class" where Valedictorians from all the area high schools get together and tape some stuff that is shown on the tv station during commercials all spring.



Finally the rain eased up enough for Superhubby to mow the lawn. The flowers are blooming and the garden needs planting, but it isn't quite dry enough for gardening.

I love the green of everything this time of year. When it gets hot and dry outside my yard looks bad. We have clay instead of good dirt so the grass has a hard time hanging around when it gets dry.

If you look close you can see the perpetually shedding dog in the door. He has nose prints on the glass all of the time. I usually put a screen in about this time of year but he will tear it out if someone pulls in the driveway or another dog dares to come pee in his yard.

I haven't swept the carpet for about 5 days so today I swept the dining room, family room and living room. I emptied the canister on the vacuum 3 times, each time it was full of dog hair. I do love this dog but can't wait until my son finds a new place to stay.....that allows dogs.

FRIDAY

I just got home from work. I love coming home from work on Fridays. Today will be extra special because I haven't seen superhubby this week! He will be home tonight at some point.
When I got home the answering machine was beeping. I always take the dogs out and fix myself a pepsi before I push that button, just in case I need to call someone back. The message on my answering machine wasn't for me, or for anyone in this house. Someone dialed the wrong number and left a message. I think, though I couldn't tell for sure, that the message was for the callers mother I couldn't tell because the caller had been crying and as the message went on she went into a complete sobbing meltdown. I heard something about needing to borrow a vehicle and something about a wedding and then the sobbing started. I couldn't understand much after that but I did hear "I'm sorry," "I love you," and what I think was "I need you." The caller was obviously in some distress and needed someone. It wasn't a local number so I'm not calling back. I'm afraid calling back to tell them they dialed the wrong number might push her over the edge. I'm not sure which would be worse, the embarrassment of knowing you poured out your heart to a total stranger or wondering why the person you reached out to didn't call you back. I am making up stories in my head. Could it be a young woman who left home and now needs her mother to help her? Did she get mixed up in drugs and that is what the "I'm sorry" was for? Is she married to a man who treats her bad and she needs her mother to help her?
I could go on and on, but I need to quit. There isn't anything I can do to help....I hope someone does.

Cramps

My mood is better than the last post. I am still a little upset with the old ladies, but I'm trying to be understanding. Superhubby has been slowly working through the little old ladies lists and he should be caught up sometime in 2011. No, I'm not bitter, why do you ask?

Tuesday he left for work at 6AM and got home at 10 PM because he had to stop at one old bats ladies house. Yesterday he got home from work before 5 and I was excited. He sat down on the couch and I ran to shower because surely he would want to take me out to eat and shopping. I got out of the shower, got ready and could not wake him up. He finally woke up about 7:30 and had to go mow a little old ladies yard before dark. It would be so easy to get mad at him but he is really in a bad spot. He wants to help them and they do play on his sympathy. They call and whine about being old and too poor to pay anyone else to do stuff (every one of them live in LARGE houses and drive Cadillacs...every single one of them.) They all also have many rental properties they rent out. These people are not poor, but they can sucker superhubby in. They all love superhubby and tell me how much they rely on him and how he treats them better than their own children/grandchildren do. He does have one little old couple who treat hubby like he should be treated. They call and ASK if he can do something and if he charges them 50.00 to do a job they always pay him extra because they know his work is worth much more. I love this couple and they actually do treat us both like family.
I started this post to tell you all that I am in a better mood and over the whole old lady thing, but obviously I'm not. I think that it's because it is raining and is supposed to rain for the next 5 days...flooding rains at times. I also have cramps. I think cramps excuse us from about anything. "I'm sorry officer, I didn't mean to run over the old lady but I have cramps." Forgiven!
Now I must go build an ark, and gather up two of every animal. Well every animal other than snakes, I hate snakes. Rats too....and bears because they scare me. Alligators can swim can't they, so they don't need an ark. Maybe I will just go clean off our pontoon boat and eat some chocolate.
Have a great weekend everyone!

Blowing off some steam

Days like this I wish I was back here, soaking in the pool and listening to the waves.


Superhubby has been helping his sister and her husband today on a problem they are having with their house. The rest of his little old ladies are not happy that he put off their problems this weekend to do this. I am not happy that they are calling here and almost acting like I am to blame for them not getting their stuff done. I am a litle grumpy today and most of it stems from them calling and complaining. I warned superhubby he needs to call them and tell them he can't get it all done at once, or I will and not in nice terms. ( had to stop typing and answer the phone...little old witch lady at 10:20 at night wanting to try to catch superhubby because she thinks I won't tell him she called. I tell him, he just doesn't always call them back when they want to be called.)
Reason number 2 I am in a bad mood....the dog on the left. This dog has a sudden competition with a neighborhood dog.


I let Roscoe outside and he pees on every blade of grass in the yard and as soon as I bring him in the neighbors little dog comes flying up the road to pee on every place Roscoe pees. The entire time the other dog is outside Roscoe howls and cries. This evening he started something completely out of character for him...he pees on things in the house. This dog has been trained since he was a small puppy and will NOT pee in the house if it kills him. This new pee thing is driving me and DD nuts. I am pretty sure the neighbors dog is a male, if it was a female I would think it was in heat and that is causing the problems. I need to get a good look at that dogs plumbing before I lose my temper with the one in the house.
Tomorrow is Monday and maybe this week will be better....but probably not. Every little old lady Mike knows has a list of things they need done and none are willing to wait. So, how was your week?