Carnivals

I've just discovered the blog concept of Carnivals - a kind of rotating party of links to 'best of...' blog entries related to the carnival topic. History, Philoshopy, Science, Future, Education, Comedy and many, many more.

This morning from The Panda's Thumb, I found Tangled Bank #28. There I found 10,000 Birds and many other wild and wonderful links to diverse things from Evolution to Economics to Feminism to Psychology and more. One thought underlying Carnivals is that they save time looking for gems. While that is undoubtably true, they consume enormous amounts of time reading the gems.

Wildlife

The pavement must be warm. And it's been raining a bit. So there's a light fog rising from the road. A fawn, with its quick little steps, runs across in front of me to join it's sibling on the right side of the road while the doe lags behind and watches from the left side of the road. In the next mile I dodge a 'possum. I turn right onto my road and slow down for a buck in the ditch, and another a hundred yards beyond. I turn into my driveway, looking out for the deer that usually graze in my yard - not there tonight. But the cat and dog run out to the car before I can pull into my parking spot and turn of the engine.

I'm gonna go watch the photographer's awards. I understand Bush is attending.

Grown-up Women

Thanks to Jill at The Business of Life for steering me to Time Goes By. It's a pleasure to find well written pieces written by someone with whom I have something in common.

Yet another obstacle to gardening

Tang in Catnip

Tang has claimed this catnip plant and - well - several square feet around it. While he was lounging there, I managed to finish adding compost to the other beds. So, I'm pretty much ready to plant as soon as I can count on frost free weather. Peas, lettuce, spinach and onions are already growing. The plan this year is for more flowers, fewer vegetables. Maybe just tomatoes, peppers, beans, cucumbers and squash. And dahlias, glads, marigolds, calendula, zinnia, poppies, nasturtiums and probably more I can't think of at the moment.

Jack-in-the-pulpits are blooming in their own discreet way. Fritellarias are still in bloom and Japanese primroses will be out in a day or two. Violets and veronica everywhere in the lawn! And the hummingbirds are back.

I have finally figured out how to add links to the sidebar. And I started with Living in Dryden where Simon, bless his heart, spares me the need to read the Ithaca Journal by summarizing any local news I might want to be aware of. He also writes about local government and community events. Thanks, Simon.

Picasa again

skunk cabbage

Okay. Obviously I need practice with this. It took half an hour of kind of random clicking to get this picture here using Picasa. And maybe I can contact the nice person who left a comment a while ago about how to format text around a picture. And maybe if I figure out just how this worked, I can write instructions to help me do it again. I'm sure they think it's really simple. After all, there is that button labeled "Publish." But obviously Picasa's instructions are not working for me.

Anyway, this is the skunk cabbage in the beech woods that I was describing earlier.

Freeze

I know the weather report last night said "freeze." Not just "chance of frost" but FREEZE. Still, for some reason I didn't think of protecting the geraniums I had moved out to the deck after nurturing them all winter in the studio. They're looking pretty damned disappointed. They're not dead. But I'll have to cut them back pretty far. Oh, well. Maybe the cutting back will improve their shapes. I also have lots of cuttings from the last time I cut them back.

Belinda drove around the north trails with the chainsaw to scope out how many trees had fallen across the trails during the winter. When she got back she urged me to walk with her back up the the beech woods in the northeast 'cause it was so beautiful. She was right. The grey background of the beech trees, still leafless was gorgeous against the emerald green swath of skunk cabbage coming up along the brook.

Multitasking

As I fed cans into the machine that crushes them and spits out my refund receipt, I was patting myself on the back for being fairly orgainzed. I hang a shopping bag in the closet and put empty returnable cans and bottles in it. On shopping day, if it's full, I return them. So, I never have many to deal with. Tuesday, picking up the bottles and heading to the car, I'm glad I don't have much to carry and I walk right past the 3 winter coats I had laid on the banister to remind myself to take them to the drycleaner. So, while I may be fairly orgainzed, I'm kidding myself if I think I can do two things at once.

Like I can never remember to take my camera unless it's a specific photo trip. Yet I often find myself with a bit of time on my hands at a site that might make a good photo. Today I'm taking Bill to the library and we'll drive through the Plantations on the way home. I'll try to remember the camera.

Oh, dear

Oh, dear. A whole month and no writing. It was a tough month for some reason. A couple of days stand out. Belinda and Bill's birthdays. The Monday of my bookclub meeting when I did almost all my weekly housekeeping in one day. The Wednesday the new satellite dish was installed. The Thursday town board meeting filled with questions from the board member who hadn't read the report under discussion. The Saturday that Maggy was home and Belinda and I saw Death of a Salesman at the Cider Mill Theater.

But it's May now. I'm sorry I didn't celebrate May Day. I really can't count fixing the pasture fence as celebration. But I'm glad it's done. Maybe I'll celebrate tonight. Flexibility is a good thing.

This morning I was happy to read the big brass blog entry about Bush's reference to the "drawer of IOUs" that he says threaten the Social Security trust. I was listening to a rerun of the press conference on CSPAN when my outrage at hearing this dumb comment again made me turn it off. Check it out. Those IOUs Bush wants you to think are worthless are treasury bonds. When Bush says the surplus in the social security trust is used to "fund other government programs," he doesn't mean the government just spends the money. The money is borrowed to cover a part of the huge budget deficit. I don't understand why no one demands that he clarify that point - among many others.

On a lighter note, Based on a True Story... has a comical entry - Unitarian Jihad.

Deer and Rhododendron

I knew I'd regret it if I didn't try to discourage the deer from feeding under the bird feeder. Last week they ate over half of the flower buds on the big rhododendron under my living room window. I had a fence around it. But too low and too close to the plant. I should have sprayed repellant on it. Anyway, I won't have the spectacular show I was expecting from the rhododendron.

There's still quite a bit of snow on the ground. But I'm determined to get outside and start pruning apple trees and cutting brush.

Picasa

Another experiment with Picasa. Okay. I thought I might be wasting time trying this. But now I can get pictures in to the blog. That's cool. I wonder how/if I can format text around the picture.
Echinacea

Ben Nelson

Ben Nelson's right. In this week's NY Times article, "A Democrat Apart, he says "I think the party is challenged with getting ahead of the curve and defining itself, because its opposition has defined it." At a recent county Democratic Committee meeting, a newcomer asked what the committee does. There was a titter from the audience, not because the question was funny, but because people in the audience were nervous that they didn't have a answer. Irene Steiner, the chair, didn't hesitate with a good answer. The committee exists to identify and encourage candidates for public office.

Nelson goes on to say the party's been "defined as though Democrats want to ban the Bible, burn the flag, promote same-sex marriage, rewrite the Pledge of Allegiance, take away everybody's guns..." and that the new party leadership should "reverse that image." I admit I don't want to ban the Bible -- or any other book. And I don't want to burn the flag, tho' I find myself wondering why I think cars sporting flag decals are driven by people I should be careful around. I'd be happy if "God" was dropped from the Pledge of Allegiance, 'tho it's not a very high priority for me. And guns... Well, yeah, maybe...

This morning I was reading through some blogs I've bookmarked in the recent past. The Free Range Librarian linked to a Times article about Sideways. I'm glad to find something from people who don't think the movie was so great. They both refer to the alcoholic character. That didn't stand out for me when I saw it, but it certainly adds to the failure of the story. I've seen good movies made from bad stories. But Sideways failed in nearly every way. Bad directing, mostly bad acting... The only things I remember without negative thoughts are the sets and costumes.

The whole blog world is getting interesting. So much of it is about getting recognized, getting the most links, getting hits from Google. But getting links and getting hits doesn't seem to have much corelation to content (except other links) or quality of writing or design.

Months go by

I started this blog to learn how to do it and to encourage myself to write on a regular basis. Some success on both scores. I learned something about blogger and coped with the frustration of things I couldn't do easily. So, I started writing fairly regularly and switched to a word document rather than the blog.

But when I look around a the great things people are doing with blogs, I dream about using mine more -- or better. One of the greatest frustrations in browsing blogs is finding the ones that end abruptly or update rarely. Of course, I've already figured out that pretty much no one will find this blog unless I tell them about it. I'd like to make the blog interesting enough to be worth telling someone about it. I want to be able to use pictures, put favorite links in the sidebar and more.

Trouble is -- so much to do, so little time. I think I should be able to read, draw, paint, take photos, play the piano, garden etc,etc all more or less at once. And still eat, bath and keep a clear path through the house. Oh, and stay current with local and national politics and continue encouraging Maggy and help Bill with his house. Seems like other people do lots of these things -- and sometimes more. Why can't I? I'm not willing to give up any of these things. Does that doom me to doing all of them poorly? I know I get distracted easily, but I don't think my time management is all that bad.

So I've just finished reading Atonement which was fabulous. Dovetailed nicely with The Kite Runners. Main chracters in both recount having done something bad and spending the rest of their lives thinking about it. Both main characters are writers. Both use exquisite language and great ideas.

I've done a few sketches - some nice but nothing spectacular. Painted several color studies and the beginning of a landscape. Okay. I'm learning. Taken some good photos. Printed and framed 2 for the gift exchange at Roz's and they were quite a hit. Printed some greeting cards using one of Bill's paintings and some of my photos. Pretty nice.

Haven't played the piano in a while. I've been to quite a few political meetings and found some worthwhile stuff online. I'm keeping up okay with Maggy and Bill. I'm working on a pretty good garden plan. In fact, browsing for garden blogs is what made me wish my blog was better.

Okay. Time to review priorities and goals. And above all, time to go get groceries 'cause JW's coming for dinner.

Snow and improvised explosive devices

Reading the list of American Military Deaths in Iraq shows that the issue hasn't been weapons of mass destruction, so much as improvised explosive devices. Maybe now that we've had our fill of campaign and election coverage, we'll be hearing about people dying again. After reading the list and the NY Times report of a young man's suicide at Ground Zero, it's hard to think about anything else.

But the ground and trees are lightly covered with snow this morning. If I put aside the knowledge of how long winter is going to be, the view of the snow is really beautiful. It's a classic example of the need to live in the moment.

Last gasp gardening

Despite cold rain yesterday, I planted most of the things I just got from two mail order catalogs. For the blue and white garden: Allium ceruleum and Muscari in white and two shades of blue. For the woodland, Mazus reptans, Chrysogonum virginianum and daffodils. Also Crocus sativus -- who wouldn't want their own source of saffron? Some Hollyhocks and a replacement for the Wisteris that died last winter. Still waiting are an Oak leaf Hydrangea and dwarf Fothergilla. And I still need to dig the Gladiolus and Dahlias. Maybe I'll wait for Samhain. Belinda says we need something to do while we burn the brush.

Dogs

I was held hostage in my house last night for several hours by a distant neighbor's dogs. I've never been afraid of a dog before but this doberman and pit bull are BIG and they bark as if they really mean it. So despite King's willingness to take them on, I was afraid even to open the window to try to shout at them to go away. While King and the other dogs were barking and snarling and threatening each other nose to nose through the patio door, I was reminding myself that double pane glass is probably pretty hard to break.

I called the SPCA and left a message on the line provided for "emergency...vicious animals." I've left messages about these dogs and gotten call backs from them on four previous occasions. This time was no exception. I very nice woman called back and said, once again, there was nothing she could do about it. So the dogs continued circling my house coming onto the back porch to bark at the back door and returning to the patio door where they could see us and bark. About 20 minutes into this I managed to get the cat to come in the front window while the dogs were barking at the back door.

Turning out the lights and keeping the dog and cats in the living room made it possible to ignore the other dogs except for King's incessant whining and begging to go out. Turning on the kitchen lights to try to make dinner just started everything up again. I found it's possible to make toast and jam pretty quickly by the light of the refrigerator. King finally sat down starting alertly at the doors and growling occasionally. The cats sat on my lap while I ate the toast. At 11:00, three hours after calling the SPCA, with the dogs still circling the house I took the dog and cats upstairs to bed.

I don't see them this morning, but I haven't ventured outside yet. After all the excitement, King is sleeping late. We live on 140 acres of woodland. The only time I put King on a leash is when we're going near the road. But I will use a leash when I take him out this morning -- and take my cell phone.

North

My bedroom window faces north. It's the only window in the house that does. Hmmm... Maybe I should move my studio there. Anyway, I can see the vegetable garden through the trees from the bedroom. The vegetable garden is there 'cause this 50'x300' clearing is the only placein 70 acres, other than the power line right-of-way, that has more than 4 hours of sun. But this morning it's the only area coated with frost. Because it's surrounded by trees, the cold air settles there. I've always enjoyed the irony of frost warnings that include "higher elevations" and "low-lying areas." I wonder, if I cut the trees between the house and garden, would the cold air flow downhill toward the house enough to save the garden.

I brought all the plants from the deck in Sunday and Monday. I really don't even like house plants that much but now 3 window sills and the area under the lights in front of the mural are filled with plants. And the goldfish tub will come in soon.

Here's the picture I tried to post. I finally succeeded today 3-29-05.
Bill Sketching

Bill sketching 

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.

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.