Tuesday, September 28, 2004

Here's the picture I tried to post. I finally succeeded today 3-29-05.
Bill Sketching Posted by Hello
Bill sketching Posted by Hello
So, I'm determined to keep to some kind of schedule in order to accomplish more of the things I want to do. One of the things I want to do is write in this blog more regularly. But I spent half an hour trying to figure out the "Hello" program which says it will enable me to post pictures to the blog. Now I've got this entry in my blog which says "Bill Sketching" - the caption I entered for the photo I'm trying to publish. When I click on it I get the welcome screen for "Hello." So this is an okay way for them to promote the program but it doesn't do much for my effort to publish pictures. I guess I should stick to my original goal - writing.

Maggy's getting ready to move to New York. Among the many things she wants before she moves is a new pillow case for her body pillow - the one she calls "Man pillow." They're kind of hard to find and the color selection leaves a lot to be desired. So I bought some fabric and made a really nice pillow case. I made one for her new apartment where her room is decorated around the fish picture I gave her - blue and lavender and red. The pillow case is a nice tiny blue and lavender plaid. And I'm embroidering little red flowers on it. I also made one for her room here which is black and white and orange. The orange fabric has a faint pattern of little leaves. So I outline randomd leaves with black stitching. I think it's nice 'cause the sticthing will remind her that my hands actually touched the fabric and made it special for her.

My hands are actually pretty sore from pruning the wild roses near the vegetable garden. We want to cut some of the pine trees on the west side of the garden to let in more afternoon light. There's a lot of Rosa multiflora there - growing 20 or 30 feet up the trees in some places. Much of the growth at the bottom is just dead branches that have long since been shaded out. Clearing it out will make it easier to get near the trees we want to cut. But my technique is more meditative that constructive. With my hand pruners I start near the ground and cut each branch into 3 or 4 inch pieces and let them fall on the ground. Generally speaking, I don't have to handle the thorny branches that way. But somehow I still get stabbed now and then. Anyway, I've cleared about 100 square feet and exposed half a dozen trees.

Friday, September 17, 2004

Sunny days

We've had several days of sun this month. When did I ever think that would be noteworthy? So, I've been planting all the things I bought by mail order in the spring and at the plant sale last month.

I cleared part of the woodland east of the path and planted a golden chain tree, Harry Lauder's walking stick, 3 Russian Olives, a quince, Clethra and probably more I can't remember at the moment. A number of herbaceous perennials including Huechera, Campanulas and Primulas. Transplanted some Christmas Ferns from the woods.

Finally weeded most of the garden near the pool. I took out lots of the self sown Echinacea and moved some of it to the edge of the meadow. I took out most of the bearded Iris and moved them to the sunny spot on the hill near the driveway. All this made room for the Asclepias and Delphinium I bought at the plant sale.

I realize all this couldn't possibly mean much to anyone reading this. I'm just writing to keep in practice. I'll get new pictures up soon on my website.

Last night Belinda and I were talking about things to do including a final season mowing of the trails. She mentioned building a bridge across the brook on the east trail and was talking about how much she likes the bridge at the edge of the lawn. It's so inviting. I looked toward the bridge and a Great Blue Heron was walking across it. What a sight! Of course, I didn't have the camera handy and the heron wouldn't wait. Still I have a pretty good mental image. I'll ask Bill to paint it --or maybe to carve it.

I'm reading Bel Canto for the book club and Robinson Crusoe and The Republic and even the Bible for my head. And enjoying Dan Brown's Deception Point at bedtime.

So today it's raining. Maybe I'll plod onward with the installation of the new lighting project. I bought fluorescent lights to install over the eight foot living room window in hopes of warding off the seasonal depression. My major accomplishment so far has been to learn to spell fluorescent (I think) and to map most of the electrical circuits in the west part of the house so I can figure out how to wire the new lights.