Rubbermaid Container Garden

This is my "recipe" for a Container Garden using Rubbermaid containers. It is a cheap and effective way to garden, and is very easy to get together.

First, decide what plants you would like to grow and the amount of space you will need. Consider the region you are in, the space available, and monetary investment. Google is good for gathering information, as well as your local Extension Office for answering any questions you may have. Once you've decided, purchase the necessary Rubbermaid containers. Luckily, there are plenty of color and size choices out there. Do remember to try and avoid see-through containers though, as algae can grow there.

Second, prepare your containers. Drill 3/4" holes in the bottom and around the bottom sides of the container. You can use the lid, placed up-side-down, as a good drainage catcher, but make sure you have something to lift the container up off the lid so that air can get underneath, and so that the excess water will actually drain. I used deck banisters cut in half. I used a few pieces per container, placed them on top of the up-side-down lid, and then placed the containers on top of that. I was also mindful of where the drilled holes were in relation to the banisters and tried to make sure that none of the holes were blocked.

Third, start filling. I used marble chips in the bottom of the container to fill up some space, and also to allow for more draining. They are relatively inexpensive, and cheaper than the potting soil, so I filled them up about 1/3 of the way. Next, I used Miracle Gro Potting Mix. I filled up the container the majority of the way to the top (roughly 3-4 inches from the top) with the potting soil. If you are growing tomatoes, you should also mix in some peat moss. This will aid in the acidity of the soil, and will also make it light and fluffy.
 

Fourth, start planting. At this point, you are ready to plant. Make sure you provide each plant with enough space to grow, and support where needed. Tomato cages are a wonderful thing, as well as trellises. What kind of support you will will depend on what you are planting. To plant, I create a small valley with my fist... wide enough to allow the plant to go down, and deep enough to go to the base of the plant. You will want to make sure that the top of the soil in the plant pot is below the level of the soil. Crush roots very gently, place into the hole, and then cover with soil. Make sure none of the leaves are touching the soil - this promotes disease. And if they are, feel free to pinch them off.

After I finished planting, I added a layer of mulch on top of the soil. This helps retain water and also protects the soil... and it also looks good. :)

And there you have a container garden.
Remember to water well and watch them closely.
Oh, and talk to your plants - it makes them happy!

Royal Wedding

Today, we watched the Royal Wedding, and as a result I've wanted nothing more than to be surrounded by fancy and pretty things all day long.  It was amazing!  Fabulous!  Opulent!

And I really enjoyed it!  I know there are people out there who were over it before it started, and could care less about it.  They didn't understand the crowds of people standing at the palace, the followers, the general havoc and happiness of the scene... but they sound a little bitter, if you ask me.  How can you look at this occasion, and not feel happiness??

You can feel the love radiating in the streets, and across the oceans!  I personally delighted in the fact that I could watch coverage on a plethora of channel choices.  The whole day, the buzz has been about the wedding, the dress, the hats... any and every little detail.  I really liked her wedding dress!  I was surprised by the lace, but I think that she looked gorgeous.  It was neat watching her arrive in the car, after traveling through the streets of people there to celebrate.  I was also surprised by the fact that there was only one "Maid" and one "Man", aside from the little girls and boys.  But it worked.  The whole thing worked actually.  I don't think there was anything about this wedding that wasn't amazing.  And it was a joy to be able to watch it and have that moment with my Mom!  That made it extra special!

It just makes me happy!
And to the happy couple: Congrats!  Thanks for letting the world share your day!

And now, pretty flower pictures...

Moth

Bee to the blossom,

moth to the flame;

Each to his passion;

what's in a name?

- Helen Hunt Jackson

severe weather

I'm just ::slightly:: distracted by Glenn Burns and the Severe Weather Team on Channel 2.  Tonight, I came to the conclusion that Spring has got to be the most exciting time at any sort of weather center (relatively speaking and depending on your location).  For us, the threats of tornadoes and thunderstorms rule the day.  And tonight, it looks like it's going to be a doozy.  They're talking fatalities in other states, hail, BTI indexes, tornadoes, lightning, and PDS.

What's a PDS you ask?
It's a "Potentially Dangerous Situation" and they are so serious that they are very rarely issued - which makes me wonder about the whole "potentially" part.  Maybe it should be a DDS... a "definitely dangerous situation".  Anywho, I believe the whole of North Georgia is under this PDS as well as the various sundries of watches and warnings.

I don't think sleep is going to come easy tonight.  If it does, I have a feeling it is going to be on the sofa, in front of the tv, awkwardly contorting around the already-sleeping-husband who is himself awkwardly contorted half on the sofa, and half off.  Whatev.

Prayers for everyone who is in the path of the storm!

Random picture for the post, but a picture nonetheless.  :)

Day 103

Sunsets.  ::heart::

Sometimes...

... bumps happen.  They come out of nowhere, and gently jolt your world.  So much in fact that what you were doing or looking at, doesn't seem to resemble anything that you had started with.  It messes things up, shakes it up a bit, and then leaves them like that - barely even trying to put things back the way they found it.



And you can either erase the image and try again, or embrace it...

See the bump as an event that "happened" and not one that will define a "happening".

It's just a bump in the road... not the end of it.

This is supposed to be a picture of a plantation house.  Well, it is a picture... it's just blurry and cross-hatched and such.  If you stand back far enough, squint your eyes, and use a little bit of imagination, you may just be able to see it!  :)

Easter Blessings

Today is Easter!

Gary and I went to the sunrise service at Kennesaw Mountain, and it was truly beautiful!  The message was simple, the music was nostalgic (and some of my favorites), and the weather was amazing!  I love watching sunrises (!), but watching one come over a dewy valley, in front of a sleepy mountain, was an amazing sight!  I love the way the shadows are elongated, and contrast with the green grass.  I love the brightness of the sun, against the blue sky, with the curves and undulations of the valley and trees all around.  One of my favorite pictures definitely! 

Easter has such an intense presence this year!  With all of the sadness and pain around, Easter is a strong reminder of faith and reassurance.  We sang the song "Because He Lives" today at the service, and the words resonated so strongly.  It is such a pretty song, and it reminds me of sitting around the piano at Thanksgiving with my family, singing old-time gospel hymns.  Anyways, this song reminds you to have faith and not worry.  Because of Him, life is worth living, without fear.

"Because He lives, I can face tomorrow.

Because He lives, all fear is gone.

Because I know He holds the future,

And life is worth the living, just because He lives."

Another blessing is my mom.  She is doing so much better!  She is in her own room, eating, laughing, and healing!  I've really enjoyed all of the time we've spent together lately, and it's been special being able to be there for her.  She told me today that she was so proud of the woman I have become.  It brought tears to my eyes, but she was also crying so what could I do?  She said that she could see traces of her mom, and my other grandma in me, and that I was going to make an amazing mother one day - that all of the little things that I do, and all of the ways that I "play" with Gary, my sister, and her are special.  Thinking about it though, I feel like so many of the things she mentioned, I learned from her.  I need to make sure I tell her that.  But it made me so happy that she told me that!  It gets me choked up now even. 
----- 

 
After that, we went to check on the garden.  Everything is looking amazing!  They are thriving, and I think that the whole container-garden-thing is really going to be good for us!  The tomatoes are growing so big, and fast!  I need to get a few more cages, and get them set before it gets too out of control.  The squash are preparing to take over... the leaves are getting huge, and they are spreading like wildfire.  I'm glad that I put a trellis between them and the cherry tomatoes.  The romaine lettuce is looking healthy and happy, and the herbs are thriving!  All is all, I'm super happy with everything!  Oh, and there's even some blooms coming in!  On one of the cherry tomato plants, and in the middle of the squash plants.  I'm surprised that they are already starting to bloom, but oh-so-happy!  That means there will be little baby tomatoes and squashes soon!  :)   



 

  

Squash and Cherry Tomatoes



 

Big Boy (back), SunGold (left), Cherokee Purple (right)



Mr. Stripey (back) and Romaine Lettuce

Ill-placed trash

Correct me if I'm wrong, but this is not exactly something you want to find in a hospital.

And yet, there it was... chilling in a hallway leading to the chapel, as a matter of fact.

At first, we all did a double-take, and then we started chuckling.

It was a good laugh.  :)

And even if they are fake skeletons, you would think they would recognize the insensitivity of the scene, and at least put them in the closet... 

Labyrinth

Being that it is Earth Day today, I found the need to spend some time outside.  And although we didn't have a lot of time or opportunity, we managed to find the "Healing Garden" and bask in it's serenity.  The garden has a labyrinth lined with tiny pink flowers.  I have always enjoyed labyrinths and find the mystics of them entrancing and quite spiritual.  The labyrinth is all about taking a journey and reflecting while on that journey.  It allows you a chance to slow down, take everything one step at a time, and find tranquility.  And it is suggested that you walk the path a few times so that you can really focus.   

You really can feel the peace here.

It is such a good thing to have in the midst of craziness.

Time

1, 2, 3, 4...

and countdown from 60

    over and over again.

Deep breath in, deep breath out.

Tick tock, beep beep.

Saline drip.

Waiting room,

shared stories,

tissue  as "crying paper".

Prayers, warm wishes, thoughts.

Quiet and comfort.

Get better soon.

When you sit in a closed-off space for any particular length of time, actual time has no meaning.  Hours fly, or crawl, by depending on the excitement in the room.  Combine that with the computer screen that is counting back from 60 minutes every hour, and the number of machines beeping, clicking, and tocking, and time is lost.  We spent our day in the surreal world of lost time. 

And so we wait.

Prayers, happy thoughts, and "well wishes" much appreciated for my madre!

Herb Happiness

So far, the thyme is my favorite herb.  The tiny leaves are absolutely adorable, and it is growing sooo fast and taking over the little chair planter rather quickly.... just as I was hoping it would.  :) 

All of the herbs are doing really well actually!  The cilantro shot up about 3 inches over the last week and a half, and so did the basil.  So much so that I am wondering about staking them so that they don't tumbler over... they're a bit top-heavy.  The mint is expanding, although it is still really tight and bunched in, and the chives are doing their own thing: making new little baby chives, sprouting, and going in lots of different angles. 

I am really, really enjoying watching them grow!  I think this week has been really good for them in terms of warm weather, sun, and daily watering.  All of the plants seem to be benefiting quite nicely, and even the corkscrew rush is thriving!

All in all, I'm loving it!  :)  I pinched a little piece off of the cilantro, basil, and mint and just smelled them for a bit.  One of my favorite memories was picking the mint by the pool up in Arrowhead, and smelling the leaves.  The mint had definitely taken over the little area, but every summer when we would visit, that would be one of my most favorite things to do...  I think that's why I put the mint in such a big pot.  I'm expecting it to grow huge and totally take over the confines of the container, and smell amazing.  It's not the traditional mint though, I dare say it may even be a spearmint variety, but I still love it.  And find it adorable.  I was fluffing it today, and I actually found one shooter that was a good 3 inches longer than any of the other vines.  I take that as a good sign.  The basil is the most poignant, smell wise.  You can basically just walk up to the table, and you can smell it.  It smells amazing!!  And so fresh.  It makes me want to make pesto - which I've never attempted before.  And the cilantro.  Mmmm!  It's so blunt.  So fresh.  It would be great in a homemade salsa!

Anywho, the herbs are making me happy!
I'm enjoying my little garden so much, and it's just the beginning!
:)

Fluffing

We are always looking for ways to decorate the kitchen bulletin board... just a little something to break things up and keep it interesting.  So far, it has been a lot of fun watching the board evolve!  Right now, we are taking advantage of the holidays and seasons.  And as a result, Debbie and I made paper flowers today!  Debbie Doodle brought us a vintage flower-making kit that uses scalloped tissue paper, green wire stems, and that's it!  You fold the bunch of paper, slide it onto the stem, and then ::fluff::.  Debbie remembered that it was sitting on the shelf, and we both took some time to play with it this afternoon.  Loved it!  It was so easy, and so cute!  The flowers turned out great, and they will be amazing decorations!

As you know, April showers bring May flowers, and you can definitely expect our work to be blooming with flowers!

And it was funny because as a piece of tissue would accidentally rip, it became the "he loves me, he loves me not" ritual of pulling petals off of the flower.  And every time a piece would rip, we would say those words.  Luckily though, we both have husbands that love us, and we don't have to mess with silly kids' word games.  Not "for real" at least... 

Doggie Goggles

Today, we were driving home, and as we were stopping at a red light, I noticed a man riding a motorcycle, with a dog in his lap.  Yup, that's right... a dog riding a motorcycle...  It was one of the cutest things I've ever seen because the dog looked oh-so-content there, and was ::even:: wearing goggles!  It was amazing!

I can only imagine how long this pair have been riding together...  for the dog to just sit there, happily perched upon the bike, wind in it's hair, smile on it's face, and his Master over him.  He must be in heaven.  And the sir, you can feel the love he has for this dog, and that is special.  It was so sweet really, just to watch them.  :)

I immediately got my camera out and started snapping pictures, and was lucky enough to capture the doggie looking my way. 

I like the fact that the dog is wearing goggles.

... and that the goggles fit his face.

I like the fancy gloves that the guy is wearing, and that you can see his dry elbows because he's only wearing a white t-shirt.

I like that his shirt is tucked into his leather, engraved belt, and that he has a pink handkerchief hanging out of his jean pocket.

I like his leather helmet, that is mostly covering the red chili bandanna adorning his head. 

All of the touches of leather, fur, color, and lack-there-of seem to challenge the notion of a "traditional" biker.  When I think "biker", an image of a black-clad, burly man comes to mind.  Now I know that not all "bikers" wear all-black, but this fellow seems to challenge any sort of conformity...  in fact, there is not one single black thing on his person, from what I can tell.  It's humorous, and refreshing, and with the addition of the dog in his lap, it's endearing.  :)

Taking a break...

I spent some time at the park today.  I found a swing right on the river, kicked off my shoes, and zoned out.  There were people walking and running about, picnics happening, and kayaks and canoes floating down the river.  It was so peaceful, yet so buzzing!  It was great to be outside, enjoying the weather.

And then I came home and slept... until 8.  lol.
It's been an emotionally involved day.
I hope I can sleep tonight.

This weekend went by way too fast!
But I'm ready to get back to work.
It's good to be busy!

Adieu until then!  :)

"Going On a Walkabout"

The new logo, officially in use!

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A man sitting here at Starbucks, who supposedly walked here from his house, just called the airport (through an airplane miles rewards program) and confirmed his flight later this evening (around 11:30pm) to Los Angeles, and then the connecting to Honolulu.  He also confirmed that it was a one-way.  He pulled out a wad of cash, flashing more than a few 100s... 

From what I have overheard since we've been here, he has sold all of the cars he owns, has paid the home-owners dues for a year, and is waiting on someone to come and pick him up and take him to the airport.  He is going to give his laptop to his sister to give to his niece, who has been using his iPad.  His sister has his backpack, checkbook, and is meeting him to take him to the airport. 

He mentioned that he was going there for a few weeks, and that he would then figure out what to do from there.

Pardon me for eavesdropping, but if you need to have a private conversation, take it to the bathroom.  Otherwise, I will gladly listen, watch you fidget as I glance at you over the top of my laptop, and wish you well on your journey.  Hopefully you will find peace and a plan of action, and may whatever caused you to flee in the manner, nought bother you any further.  You seem rather at peace, and despite the 3 phone calls you made in a matter of minutes, and your incessant foot tapping and minute sigh, I wouldn't guess you were on your way to Hawaii, and on were on the verge of a seemingly major life-change.

Oh, and by the way, you speak (I'm guessing) Arabic, and the guy on the other end of the (4th) while interested in your plans, still has not decided to come with you.  He appreciates your use of the word "walkabout" to describe your hiatus, and is gladly listening to you describe your plans to visit some friends, and maybe see your grandfather.  By the way, if he comes back, he will come live with you.
He adds with a chuckle.  And has also mentioned Morroco as another step on his journey... (which made me assume that the foreign language was Arabic)

He is giving the deed of the house to his mom.
Has a lady friend who will sell it.
The Jaguar will be sold at auction.

And you can have the money for it.

He gave away the new tv, the bedroom sets.

He's given everything away... there are no ties left.

And nothing else to leave behind.

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Bring On The Rain

Today, all day long, the buzz has been about this major storm heading our way.  I'm thinking "wahtev... I can handle it... especially if I don't focus on it" and I haven't been.  It's kind of funny though, because there were a few times today where I got to sit and chat with a stranger about the impending doom.  Impending dooms are, rather surprisingly, a very interesting subject to talk about, and most people will, willingly.  Strange, huh?  I think it's the doom-day-ists in all of us that wants to connect with another person.  Or something like that.

But yes, today was loooong.  It seems like another day completely in fact that I was sitting at Caribou, people watching and web surfing.  But it has been good.  We decided to go out to dinner with Madre tonight, we were even going to be adventurous and try something new on the other side of town, all the way over in Acworth.  Oh, and did I mention that there was a huge storm (cue the "impending doom") coming our way, and what better time to travel, than right in the middle of it??  Well, we did.  We set out, met the rain, arrived in Acworth, couldn't find any parking, noticed the wait outside, turned around, headed towards Town Center, decided to try Carrabbas, saw the wait outside, turned around, and after naming off about 10 other choices, we landed at Smokey Bones.  A good choice by the way.  And we get inside, after braving the cold rain without an umbrella, get some food, and the. tornado. sirens. start. going. off.  Mild panic, just for a second, but no one else was ::really:: bothered, so we tried to ignore the storm, and sure enough, the sirens stopped, and the storm went back to just being thunder-y and lightning-y.  Much more manageable after the threat of a tornado (impending dooooooom).  And after dinner, we braved some more rain, made it to Madre's, and then made it home.  And now, it's still raining, the thunder and lightning appears much more sporadic, and the "interactive map" on my weather station doesn't appear to be showing the much worse storm that is supposed to be here in the middle of the night.

I'm beginning to think that we were getting all worked up for nothing...
Well, it wouldn't be the first time, now would it?

And since it is sooo rainy, I thought it only fitting to include a song to highlight not only the emotional state of the day, but also the weather's emotional state of the day.  After all, we're feeling pretty brave today, and I think we can all safely say "bring it".  (The rain's picking up again...)

For everyone out there, I pray that the storms are gentle...
Tomorrow is supposed to be pretty!

Noir

She crept onto the back porch.  She felt like it had been days since her last visit, and as the stark moonlight came down upon her, her eyes flitted back and forth, unsure of her solitude.  The air was thick, the early dew settling in and weighing down upon her... making her catch her breath and shiver in her skin.  As she walked to the railing and gazed into the darkness, she could feel the eyes upon her.  She looked down, at what she did not know, the darkness revealing nothing.  There was a breeze, soft and gentle at first, but then harsh and cold that made her skin crawl.  The goosebumps ebbing and flowing, and finally curling into the small of her back, like a gentle touch on her skin.  She jolted around, breathing harder, staring back at the house.  No one was there.  Everything was quiet... too quiet.

She didn't feel comfortable there.  She needed to get back inside.

As she stepped towards the door, she could feel the soft particles of pollen giving gently underneath her bare feet.  The light cracking gave the feeling of stepping on tiny bugs, and again, she cringed into the night. 

Just then, she heard a branch crack and split.  The sound seemed incredibly loud against the black night.  She whirled around, again facing the dark forest.  Was there something out there?  It felt like even the trees were watching her.  She couldn't even remember why she had come outside in the first place.

Walking slowly backwards this time, she held her hands out behind her until she finally felt the cool touch of the cedar siding.  She skimmed the wall until she found the door opening, slid inside, closed the door softly, and locked the door.

It was quiet in here too, but at least it was warmer.

She crept back upstairs, crawled into the bed, and tried to go back to sleep.

The images of the night kept coming to her... the darkness, the breeze on her back, and the crush beneath her feet.

She prayed sleep would find her.

Spring Sunset

Through the trees.
Over the hill.
Breaking through the flowers.
Behind the house.
Around the bend.
Along the path.

... however it is, the spring sunset is beautiful!

Curiosity

I guess it's pretty much the same for all mammals... curiosity will get the best of us.  It's like leaving an open box in the middle of an empty room and asking a person not to go look at it.  Even if you were left in the room by yourself, and no one was watching, odds are, you would walk up to that box and look inside of it. 

Well, for cats, curiosity is like their nemesis, and as the saying goes, "curiosity got the cat".  Goodness forbid there be a glass of anything lying around - the glass is now the portal of something, that to a cat, has to be unbelievably interesting and impossible to resist.  Today, it was glass of water.  Tomorrow, an empty cardboard box, and the next day, the shoelace poking out from under the closet door.  To the cat, it is the fresh liquid that must be knocked over and savored, the box that will disguise and provide the perfect jumping-out point to scare others, and the silly rope that daringly taunts from under the door.

We all like to know what's going on around us, and will explore our surroundings in order to have that sense of knowledge.  We are like cats in that sense, except we can't possibly be that much fun to watch...  lol.  Watching them play has got to be one of the most simple pleasures that a person can have, and I delight in being able to watch them often!



Cornbread sticking his head into the cup and trying to reach the water...



Down the Rabbit Hole

I took this picture today at work, and the first (and only) thing that popped into my mind was the whole "down the rabbit hole" phenomenon.  Tried as I might, I could not come up with one other thing to talk about that would be relatively interesting and somewhat relevant to the picture.  (Truth be told... I'm a bit distracted by the weather and the impending storm.  But the tv is now off, the kitties are sleeping, and our day is coming to an end.  It's nice and relaxing actually.)  And although my sole knowledge of "down the rabbit hole" comes from the various musings of the on-screen adaptations of 'Alice in Wonderland' and other random connections made between real life and the story, I set out tonight to get some sort of literary synopsis that would put words to an image of what had popped into my head.  I think it's best to know where these sorts of things come from...

My google search led me first to urbandictionary.com.  I find it hard to be disappointed by a site that takes those "street smarts" and put them in a place that I can easily access and therefore interpret.  In the sense of "down the rabbit hole", it is [first] a reference to Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland.  It can refer to a "period of chaos or confusion" and can also pertain to "taking a hallucinogenic" which some could argue Carroll's novel to be about.

Another site I ran across was a blog titled "Going Down the Rabbit Hole".  I enjoyed perusing this blog because it talked about metaphysics, rituals, choice, spirituality, etc... and is one of those blogs that will get you to "think".  One particular post that I enjoyed was "Something about Rituals" and it discussed the positivity of shaking up one's rituals on a daily basis as a means to change yourself.  And I quote: "It’s amazing what’ll open up in your world. You’ll jar your brain away and your attention will shift. Embrace the world you are walking through and shake it up daily. Watch what happens."

Merriam-Webster also notes the origins of the phrase from Carroll, and is similar to urbandictionary.com in saying that a "rabbit hole" is a "bizarre or difficult state or situation".

All in all though, when I look at this picture, I see a dark tunnel with a light at the end, and around it.  It's not particularly troubling or chaotic, but rather peaceful.  Maybe it's because of the light around it, or maybe it's because the tunnel is straight and not crooked, or maybe it's because it is going straight out in front of me, instead of falling to a darkness below me.  But however I look at it, there is still the sense of it being a rabbit hole.  It alludes to the book, and makes me think of ticking clocks, mad-hatter tea parties, and Johnny Depp.  I think I need to read the story, or stories for that matter, and then maybe I would feel slightly more inclined to judge.  Slightly.

Meet Gus

Gus is my asparagus plant.

He is very young, and very fragile, and will need to live inside for the next year, and then we may actually see little asparagusses when we get to plant him with the other plants.  The woman at the market told us that he requires a bit of commitment, to which I responded that we are commitment-phobes.  Heh.  Not even a chuckle from her.  lol.  (I would choose a needy plant... )  But I do like a challenge, and all I have to do is keep him happy!  It should be easy enough.  I'm going to keep it in the kitchen window, water it on the regular, and watch for drafts.  I'm not really sure what to expect with this one, and at first, I regretted getting him, but now I'm excited!  It'll be nice to have him on the windowsill all year.  I will undoubtedly talk to him, and he will be able to watch outside, and he will be out of the elements, so all-in-all, I think he's going to be very happy there.

I'm looking forward to watching it grow... a whole year's worth will surely keep me occupied!

We got the container gardens going this weekend!  :)

I am really pleased with the way they turned out, and happy that they are "put together".

Next weekend, when everything is officially in the go, I will put up lots of pictures and a sort of step-by-step for those wanting some suggestions.  I did a bit of research, and this is what I came up with, so hopefully it will help!  We are going to be growing 5 different varieties of tomatoes (Mr. Stripey, Big Boy, Cherokee Purple, SunGold, and Cherry Red), squash, romaine lettuce, and herbs.  The herb garden is set up on the chat set table, and I already love it!!  We have a few good, different pots so it's fun to look at, and the different textures and smells in the herbs are just plain fun.

We are growing:
thyme - tiny, fancy leaves - in the wood chair planter
cilantro - one of my favorite herbs - white floral ceramic planter
basil - smells great, and Gary likes - small red planter
mint - childhood-memory-inducing - big pot in the middle
chives - very useable... we love chives - brown toned planter

I also have a small pot of petunias (we got way too many of these so I was divying them up everywhere - they're in the blue pot here), and have potted my Corkscrew Rush (in the black ceramic planter), both also with the herbs.  They both add a nice variation and some more texture to the table.  I can't wait till every pot is over-flowing in herbal goodness...!

Who am I kidding, I'm excited about everything in the garden!  Yay!
And that was my weekend.  It was a lot of work, and it was very dirty...  lol.  It's amazing the places dirt can get into, and my nails haven't had that much dirt under them in a very very long time. 
Playing in the dirt will do that though. 
And then, you get a shower. 

Say "no" to sandals?

I'm going to keep this short and sweet tonight.

A piece of advice:

If you know you are going to be running around all day,

don't wear thin pieces of leather with straps as your shoe...

You're feet will hurt.

And you will vow to wear tennis shoes for the next 3 weeks.

However, tennis shoes aren't always right for springtime.

Exposed toes, and cute sandals are the name of this game!

That being said, the achiness is worth it... at least for now.

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Today was amazing! 

Falling Houses

I got this nifty little sign a few years back on a weekend trip to St. Augustine, FL.  There's a great little store down there full of fairies, witch paraphernalia, spells, incense, and other goodies catering to the darker side in all of us.  If you're in to that sort of thing.  And I'll admit, every now and then I am, or rather, there's a part of me that always is.  And every now and then, I let it surface.  Yes, that sounds more like it.

This particular signage is a charming reference to the Wizard of Oz.  It cautions the viewer, namely the person who bought it - me, to beware of "falling houses", and it clicked after I bought it, that that would lend itself to me admitting to be particularly "witchy".  Now, I am not a witch in terms of modern day terminology.  I'm not even a witch in terms of historical terminology.  I'm just not a witch... not that there's anything wrong with it.  When I was younger, say middle school or so, I remember going to sleepovers and egging everyone on to play "Light-as-a-feather,-stiff-as-a-board", engaging in seances, and seeing if a Ouija board would actually work.  It's something that I've always been interested in, but looking back, I think it was more interest in the theatrics without really knowing what was going on.  I was a kid though, and I don't think I understood the implications of what I was putting out there into the world.  These days, I am very mindful of messing with the universe... and I think my Religious Studies has made me that way.  I have issues with people that participate in religious rituals without knowing what they're doing.  Yes, there is a point of following directions in order to perform a ritual, but to that religion/ spirituality/ belief, it means something serious.  And for a person to participate, I think there should be an understanding that you are participating in something that is bigger than you.  I'll admit, I went into that store in St. Augustine because I was enticed by the theatrics of the materials... but to some people, this stuff actually means something serious.  I could look at the spell books, and the oils, and things, but I would not buy them because I am not going to put that into my hands if I don't know what to do with it.  I understand now that some things are "bigger than me" and that I'm not going to mess with it.  You never know what can come back onto you...

It's like telling a lie.  It's something that we've all done.  I remember one time I had woken up late for work, and I was supposed to be across town with all of my supplies for an off-site even that I was hosting.  I had to go to the store (which was about 30 minutes away), get everything and then head to the off-site.  Well, not only was I late, but I realized when I got to the store, that I had forgotten the key to get in...  it was awful.  Talk about a bad way to start your day.  Luckily, the owner lived close-by and was able to come to my rescue.  When I called the site to tell them that I was going to be late however, I included some story about car trouble and that being the reason that I was running behind.  Well low and behold, later that day, my car over-heated and I was stuck on the side of the road.  Eventually, everything was fixed and I was on my way and back to normal.  When I was telling my mom about it later, she made a point that has stuck with me... don't put anything out there in the world, without expecting it to come back to you (or something like that).  I think that there is a direct correlation between me using "car troubles" as my excuse and me having car troubles later that day.  I believe it.  And now, I am very aware of those sort of excuses and I have become much more truthful.  I don't like telling lies for the fact that those stories could become reality... and that could be a bad thing.  I think for the most part though, it is a very personal thing.  I know that there will be people who disagree, and that's great!  But for me, I think I've become a better person because I am aware of what I am putting out there.

And I also think it has a lot to do with interpretation.  Like I was mentioning earlier, I bought the sign because I appreciated the "Wizard of Oz" reference.  I didn't understand that I was inadvertently taking claim of my withcy-ness.  But with the addition of Gregory Maguire into my literary world, my perspective has changed, and so has the meaning of "witch".  In the book "Wicked", Maguire provides another viewpoint of the classic "The Wizard of Oz".  Elphaba, the wicked witch of the west, is merely a misunderstood person.  Yes, she is green, but she handles it.  The story even makes Glenda (the good witch) appear arrogant and snooty.  The whole book revels in undermining the preconceived notions, and spinning a new perspective on the lives of the "witches".  Suddenly, the sign saying "[Caution] Falling Houses" seems ordinary, and something that could be applied to anyone.  You don't have to be a "bad witch" to be scared about being caught underneath a house that has fallen... you basically just have to be a person.  It's ::almost:: saying that it could happen to anyone.

And for that, I am grateful. 
I am not a witch, I'm just a person.
And I can appreciate the classic story (The Wizard of Oz) even more with the addition of a twist (Wicked).

It makes the story/ sign/ fear of falling houses even better in my eyes!

-----

I was relatively lax when it came to photo taking today.  I only took two pictures, and when I got home, I really didn't like either of them...  I hate it when that happens.  So, I used a photo that I took a couple days ago.  I'm going to the market to the morning, and it should be a pretty busy day, so I'm hoping to have some better opportunities for pictures tomorrow.  :)

The Flys are Planeing!

Oh goodness... what happens at the end of a long week, when you get three friends together, and we all try to catch up, whilst talking really fast, driving to dinner, and laughing at anything...?

Words mix up, and "the planes are flying" becomes "the flys are planeing"!

I had a great time tonight with my friends!  It's been a great week overall, and tonight was the icing on the cake!  I'm looking forward to more weeks like this, and I'm pretty sure this impromptu Girl's Night needs to happen on a monthly basis, at the very least!  That way we can plan the wedding, talk about boys, have a good meal, explore parts of the city never explored before, and talk about the planes, and how they fly... and land.  And then we can exchange random gifts, and watch the fish swim, and talk about planting things... and blogging.  :)

Seriously, such a good night!
I'm looking forward to the next!
Adieu! 

Bright light for a bright day. 

Factory.  Shack.  Puddle.

Driving home.

Abandonment issues.  This building has it.



Repetition is key!



Whirlybirds

The parking lot/ loading area behind work is a big, flat slab of asphalt that, over the years, has developed deep cracks and crevices... and today, all of the cracks were filled with the whirleybird/ helicopter leaf/ seedling things that fall from trees.  We are not quite sure how they ended up in the cracks, all with their seeds facing down, and feathery-leaflike-wings sticking straight up, but it sure made for an interesting picture.

It really is neat the way that they are all face down in the crack.  It's so weird.  I guess the wind was blowing them all around, and then they all got caught on the crevices and eventually got stuck.  All crammed in there.  It's cute, really.  And special.  And we needed this "special" today.

 

I like to imagine they were playing a game of "not it" and that every single whirleybird had to cram itself in the crack before [some oddity in time], or else they would be "it".  Considering the amount of these things that we saw in this small area, I feel bad for the one that didn't quite make it in time.  I picture it out in the middle of the asphalt, all alone... All of the other whirlybirds are snickering and pointing and laughing, and it just sits there and sighs. 
But then, another little whirlybird comes floating down from the sky dancing and twirling in the wind, and falling gracefully, and it lands right next to the alone one, right in the middle of the asphalt, and the alone one suddenly isn't alone anymore.  And then they sit there together.  And they think of another game to play.  Something where the group with the smallest number of players wins.

Or maybe they just go up to the crevice and cannonball into the middle of all of the other whirlybirds and they all spend the rest of the afternoon laughing together and telling funny jokes. 

Yea, that'd work.  :)

(I can't even ::pretend:: to have a story ending badly... I too much of a sucker for happy endings I suppose.)

The Band Perry

When I came home today, I could hear music being played below us.  And as I listened closer, I recognized the song.  I believe I was first introduced to it a few years ago from one of my sister's mixes, and then I saw the music video a few months ago.  "If I Die Young" by The Band Perry is a rather poignant Country song about death and the "sharp knife of a short life".  And while I enjoy the song, and find the lyrics strangely haunting, I cannot imagine listening to it over and over again.  It makes me wonder if they are okay.  It's such a sad song to listen to. 

You never know what people are going through, and often, music can speak better than words.  I know there have been many times that I've listened to a particular song over, or made whole playlists dedicated to a feeling.  I enjoy music and appreciate it's ability to identify a situation and say exactly what I'm thinking, and put it all to a melody.  I've spent my life collecting songs with this ability, and as I reflect on them, I can see and appreciate the need to fixate on one song.

But this one is sad, and sharp, and while beautiful yes, it is haunting.

It makes me think about death.

And as I laid there listening, I thought about the circumstances that brought this song to fruition.  Mortality is a heavy subject, and mortality of a young person, is even harder.  The hardest part, when I think of a young person dying, is that they haven't had a chance to live their life.  Life is hard, but it's worth living, and when someone doesn't have the chance to live, it's a very sad thing.

And this song takes that and puts it out in the open.  It makes you wonder why it was written, what was going on it their lives that this song needed to happen, and then what is going on in my neighbor's life that she needs to listen to it over and over...  Like I said, it makes me wonder if everything is okay in their world. 

If I Die Young by The Band Perry

If I die young, bury me in satin

Lay me down on a, bed of roses

Sink me in the river, at dawn

Send me away with the words of a love song

Uh oh, uh oh

Lord make me a rainbow, I'll shine down on my mother

She'll know I'm safe with you when she stands under my colors, oh and

Life ain't always what you think it ought to be, no

Ain't even grey, but she buries her baby

The sharp knife of a short life, well

I've had, just enough time

If I die young, bury me in satin

Lay me down on a, bed of roses

Sink me in the river, at dawn

Send me away with the words of a love song

The sharp knife of a short life, well

I've had, just enough time

And I'll be wearing white, when I come into your kingdom

I'm as green as the ring on my little, cold finger, I've

Never known the lovin' of a man

But it sure felt nice when he was holding my hand, there's a

Boy here in town who says he'll love me forever,

Who would have thought forever could be severed by

The sharp knife of a short life, well,

I've had, just enough time

So put on your best boys and I'll wear my pearls

What I never did is done

A penny for my thoughts, oh no, I'll sell them for a dollar

They're worth so much more after I'm a goner

And maybe then you'll hear the words I been singin'

Funny when you're dead how people start listenin'

If I die young, bury me in satin

Lay me down on a, bed of roses

Sink me in the river, at dawn

Send me away with the words of a love song

Uh oh (uh, oh)

The ballad of a dove (uh, oh)

Go with peace and love

Gather up your tears, keep 'em in your pocket

Save them for a time when you're really gonna need them, oh

The sharp knife of a short life, well

I've had, just enough time

So put on your best boys and I'll wear my pearls