On the Downhill slide, and gaining momentum

16 years ago

Odds 'n ends time pertaining to wrapping up February. We got Ground Hog Day behind us, Honest Abe's B'day and Valentine's day. George Birthington's Washday is next, although it has been surgicated to a non-descript generic holiday honoring all presidents, some of whom I'd like to forget.

The sun shines brilliantly today, though it's still well below freezing. It has been a very kind winter in that respect, we are aloud to bathe our pineal glands in solar rays occasionally to keep us sane. There aren 't many birds at the feeders today, and that is typical of a sunny day after days of snow. My husband is out with the tractor and trailer hauling back wood a gentleman is harvesting from downed trees on our property, thanks to several winter storms.

My husband had been to the vets this a.m. to pick up refills of an antibiotic for our geriatric dog, who has had several episodes of severe inner ear infections, leading to a condition sometimes called Old Dog Syndrome. It presents like a stroke and I suspect more than one dog has been euthanised because that's an obvious diagnosis. Having been a nurse, I picked up on some neurological landmarks,and had hope...... and our vet is an excellent diagnostician and he also came to the conclusion what was wrong with his legs was in his ears. Anyhows, I have digressed......my dh says there is a notice on the bulletin board about raisin and grape toxicity to dogs. That's a new one on me. It's not an urban legend. Ingestion of either can kill a dog if in sufficient quantities. I mention it, because when our dog was younger, it's what we used as a treat for tricks. I'm surprised he lived to be geriatric. Just a head's up for dog owners.

It's been an very eventful week, and included the death of my last remaining uncle, who was the youngest of ten children. My peers, my cousins on both sides have officially stepped into the role of patriarchs/matriarchs of our families. My father's siblings spanned the years from 1905 to 2008. One set of children, just one generation on this earth........ one hundred and three years. Amazing. It closed an era and I find it very bittersweet and tears stay just under the surface this week with a leaky faucet in my eyes.

My plants are arriving from points all over the States (and some I suspect are even outsourced), and the brief winter holiday is now a memory. I had no work projects, unlike is my usual habit. I rested. I quilted. I don't feel guilty as the walls in our old foyer are still awaiting mudding and a skim coat, lol.

I am so ready for spring. Your turn.

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Comments (10)

instar8
16 years ago
I'd heard about grapes being bad for dogs, but just recently learned that onions and garlic seriously impair blood clotting...every dog i've ever had would pick the onions out of whatever, but they all ate a lotta garlic!

Got over my February hump, i survived the Make-A-Wish trip to Florida...all in all, it went waaaay better than i would have imagined, the two handicapped kids had a pretty good time and didn't get sick, though the 18-year-old autistic girl went major manic on us the last few days...challenging to say the least. The other 5 siblings (all foster or adopted) in the family did great, too, i was really proud of how helpful they were, even without being asked. Wish they were more like that at home!

I managed to avoid all "attractions", and even got to go to Tampa on my day off to visit an old friend...saw the sunset at St Pete, drinking Margaritas and watching the dolphins jump...went gator hunting at some state parks(didn't see any) and shopping (came home with a case each of ornges and grapefruit and three flats of strawberries), hung out with my 'neice and nephew', bought baby stuff for my soon-to-be 'great-niece'.

Liz and Robert came and rescued me Friday night, we went out for Chinese. Sorry, no pics, but they're more adorable than ever(in fact, we were all just freakin gorgeous) ....doing well, and still in love...sigh...

Got home Sunday, got a new dog Monday, another big hump for me...a year old Lab/Fox terrier mix named Quinn, he'd had a kinda rough life of late, but he's settling in really well. I didn't want to take him so soon, but the folks were threatening to take him to the pound...kinda wish i'd let them, i'm coulda picked him up there for $150, up to date on vet care, instead, by next Monday, i'll have laid out over $400 in vet bills for vaccs, parasite checks, heartworm/flea/tick meds and neutering...yeeesh.

After Monday, the biggest thing on my calendar is "Start Peppers" on March 1st...;~) My 11 hens are giving me 6 to 9 eggs a day, so my next weekend off is Chicken Noodle Soup Day at Thistledew Dun...carbs be damned! Winter's last hurrah, i'm just hoping for a nice thaw in early March to get my big ol' coldframe put together...dying to finally have some fresh green stuff.
jazmynsmom
16 years ago
For the second time in two weeks I was asked by a Russian person to come to a social event and to bring lasagna. Last week Steve and I were the only "full American" couple at a party full of Russians... there were four other born-Americans among the 30-some guests, but they had married into the group. Anyway, we hit it off with one of the couples there and they asked us to join them at their curling club for a potluck today.

Today's group was mostly Russian, but there were a few Germans, one of whom spoke nearly no English, and a handful of born-Americans. Conversation morphed from tongue to tongue within the group and paused to leave time for the translations... I loved it. I felt like I was in grad school all over again, and we had a ball trying new things. Specifically, someone had hired a private dance instructor to give the group of about 20 of us Rumba lessons (after we ate) and then we went out on the ice and learned to curl. I felt like I had a random activity generator guiding our day, but we had a blast! At least until I pulled an a$$ muscle (seriously) while attempting to glide across the ice and hurl a forty-pound granite thingie.

Even though I was limping something fierce by the time we got home, we took both of the dogs for a long walk/romp. We're about to get snowed in yet again and I refuse to allow that to happen with a house full of restless dogs.

Usually by about this time each year, Steve and I are lamenting the fact that we haven't had "enough winter" and we schedule a winter getaway at a Northwoods cabin to get our snow on. Not so this year, and I'm downright cranky about it. We've shattered the all time snow record and are about to get seriously iced... and then about another flippin' foot of snow on top of it. It's to the point now that the snowblower can no longer blow snow on top of the 5'+ berm on the edge of our driveway... I honestly don't know how we're going to clean up tomorrow's mess...

At least my butt wound will absolve me from shoveling duty.
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lilod
16 years ago
We had what we call "false spring" for the past week and it will last another two or three days: High barometric pressure, azure sky and plenty sun. At first the soil was much toosoggy after all the rain and snow, so I had to just straighten out and clean up, it was a pleasure to be outside at all. Last couple of days the soil dried and warmed to perfect consistency, so I could start pulling some weeds and setting up some beds/containers for real spring. I ended up with 1/2 trashcan full of grassy weeds, some soil attached, some worms in the soil, took it to the chickens; they were delighted.
Got the knees of my pants dirty, got my fingernails dirty, felt as though I was coming out of hibernation.
Dogs, cats, goats and of course the chickens were all enjoying this break - by Tuesday we shall have rain again,
much needed, but please, not always all at once!
Jill asked me if it was time to plant tomatoes (she is a transplant from Southern California), I laughed and said she could, but then she just would have to do it over again, our usual time is Memorial Day!
endorphinjunkie
16 years ago
It rained all morning, a nice middlin' heavy rain. But it's a spring rain, not a winter rain. It was the kind of rain that makes sleeping and/or dozing a real pleasure. I did just that moving lazily somewhere betwixt full awareness and deep sleep, mostly in that zone of restful awareness, that zone which is so hard to achieve. Lay quietly dozing in and out being lullabyed by the sound of falling rain and naturally running water, from the roof and the run off making it's way through the yard. Must of been at least and inch or more.

It's afternoon and the front has passed through bringing bright blue clear skies and sparkling sunshine, which is reflecting off all the standing water and moisture soaked trees.
It's 63 degrees and I have the sun room doors and windows open enjoying a warm southern breeze. The breeze brings a lovely mixture of moisture and earth.

It won't last long, now that the front has passed and the wind will begin to swing around to the north, bringing colder temperatures for tonight and tomorrow.

But for a moment now and for a goodly more, I hope, I am simply going to be and enjoy the breeze, the sunshine and the warmth.

At this moment there is no yesterday, there is no tomorrow, there is just "now."

Is that way they call "living in the moment?

Elia
Josh
16 years ago
72 degrees here and tornado watch until 9 p.m. but there's just a mild breeze for now. Would welcome more rain.

I've been making out plant and seed orders yet I"m thinking I must cut back. Every time I water the outside containers now I have to take a break before all are done. Plus I'll soon have the 50 tropicals now inside which will spend the summer outside. I'm already dreading the daily watering in the summer heat...even at dawn it's warm and muggy. And yet there are such temptations...so I have lists which I add to and then scratch through then add again.....I'm later than usual getting my orders in. Half hoping they'll be out of half I'm ordering...lol josh
jazmynsmom
16 years ago
The trees have been coated in ice. Snow is falling on two inches of ice/slush, which Steve is out shoveling now, lest it freeze hard before we get the foot of snow we're expecting tonight. We're expecting more snow Monday, Tuesday, and Friday. I dread the thaw and am hoping it will be gradual lest we flood.

There are travel advisories, but we Northerners don't flood our stores to clear the shelves of toilet paper and French toast fixin's anyway. ;o) We're set to last a couple weeks if we need to. Sigh... I think I'm going to make a cup of cocoa and order too many veggie seeds.

Are you guys sure spring is coming? I'll take your word for it, but I haven't seen hide nor hair yet...

Izzy looks at the 80' long snow berm on the side of our driveway and wonders where we'll put the new snow when it falls:
{{gwi:142399}}

A tree in my backyard... notice the dill remnants beneath it, proving that summer lived here once?
{{gwi:142400}}
wandaredhead
16 years ago
Spent most of Friday trimming back the lirope in the front yard and cutting back the roses.

Holes are dug for 8 new roses, 4 star jasmine, 4 climatis, and 3 Carolina jasmine.

Going to work more on the front yard turning into a 'cottage garden' this year.

But, today, I gotta do something with those orchids that followed me home yesterday.
andie_rathbone
16 years ago
We had horrible storms come through here in two waves on Saturday - the first one very early in the morning & the second on in the evening. Luckily, the predicted hail & tornadoes didn't occur, and we got 4" of needed rain, putting us almost where we should be for rainfall for the year.

Despite having gotten a flu shot this fall, I got the flu anyway, but maybe the shot kept it from being too horrible as I seem to be getting over it after only going down for the count for two days.

Our temperatures are now on the upswing with out highs now in the sixties instead of in the forties or fifties. The daffodils are all starting to bloom & by saucer magnolia will be in full bloom in a couple of days. Spring is on the way!
wandaredhead
16 years ago
andie,
Hope you get well quickly.
Maybe since you got it over with now you'll be well throughout spring and summer.

Was doing my walk-through yesterday and noticed the mayhaw trees are in bloom.

Japanese maples started bursting open last week.
sheila
16 years ago
We had a postively balmy day yesterday - got up to a big 45, although in the sun it felt much warmer. I got horticulturerily (is that a word!) inspired and got out into the garden and did some digging. I put in four small cedars that didn't get put in last fall ~ they're going to be a cedar hedge and they are fast, fast, growers.

After that I got my neighbor to help me set an old iron trellis arch over the path to the house. Since the ground is still soft from the rains it went in easily, something it wouldn't do last August when I moved. Clematis or grape vine, I'm not sure which, is the plan for this.

The same neighbor gave me a little leafless tree/shrub that has bright, bright yellow bark. She believes it's either a dogwood or a willow. It was given to her by someone who grows both for basket weaving. I guess I'll have to wait until it leafs out to know which one it is. At the moment it doesn't look like it will ever have a leaf. Meanwhile, it's very pretty.

Woke up this morning to a hard frost, a timely reminder that it's still winter, but the sun's coming out now and I think another nice day lies ahead.

On the Downhill slide, and gaining momentum

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instar8

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