4/20/15

Teeth, Mail, Birds, Food, Hugs

That title consists of my to-do list for the day. I'm visiting with my dentist. I wouldn't mind so much if he hadn't offered me a crown last time I saw him. Not the kind you wear on your head...the kind that reduces the bottom line in your bank account. Aside from that, nothing looks any different, except that I whined a lot in the intervening period of time.

Then I need to mail a package, and I need to get some food for the birds. And then I need to get food for the people and the cats, especially the cats. And then I'm stopping off at Erik's house on the way home for a flash hug. Some people like to participate in flash mobs...me, I prefer the occasional flash hug.

It was a busy weekend. Not at all relaxing. Mike's tongue was hanging out as he left for work this morning. He needs to get some R&R by returning to his workplace. He spent the weekend spraying weeds and basically deforesting the jungle that is our field. When your field is seven acres, it takes a while.

Smitty and I finished planting the annuals. Smitty's job is to climb up high and watch for bobcats, coyotes, grizzly bears, dinosaurs, pythons, crocodiles and pretty much anything else that might wander into the field with the intent to do us harm. He has some secret ninja moves if any of the above actually happens.


My job was to plant actual dianthus in with the lobelia that purports to be dianthus. Thank you to whoever pointed that out to me. (Sorry, I've forgotten who it was now.) Yes, my "dianthus" from the other day was mislabeled. If I'd had my brain engaged, I would have known that. But I'm kind of gullible that way. (Hm. Looks like a pineapple, but it says banana. Banana Splits, everyone!)


The lilac is finally opening up. All the flowers are at the top of the plant. I wonder why.


See this tree? It's called a weeping fir. The neighbor at our old house had one, and I always wanted one. We really didn't have a place to plant one, and so it never happened. Fast forward to when we moved into this house, and the yard was only partly landscaped. Left behind, still in a pot, was a tiny little one of these. Essentially a short branch stuck in a big pot. We planted it where our loop driveway splits off, and it has grown into a big tree now.


It was such a tiny little thing when we moved in here...not even planted...and now it's growing way over my head. When I stand beneath it and look up, this is what I see.


See this cat? Wherever I am, he is. We are thick as thieves. 


My to-do list (and my dentist) are waiting for me. Gotta get going. 

13 comments:

Sher S. said...

what a great lookout you have, I'm sure he will notify you of any incoming danger. That tree is huge but nice looking. Love all your flowers, I need to plant some here at my new house as soon as I get the HOA to approve of what I want to plant. I love roses so I'd add a few of those, lily of the nile are nice, and gerber daisies. That should add some color to my yard. We'll see what they say. LOL! as if I care.

Mary said...

Love reading about you and the kitties. It is always good to have lookout kitties at work. jDo have a fun filled day.

Soapstone Quilts said...

Regarding thr lilac, you probably should Google, to double-check me, but I'm pretty sure that you only get blossoms on threnewer growth, so that may be why they're all up high. We had to do some serious pruning on ours last year. I live in the noetheast, so I've got a bit of a wait yet to see how many (if any) blossoms we get this year. WWe're getting all excited because the leaves are juuuust beginning to act like they might pop from their tightly budded stage. :)

Soapstone Quilts said...

Regarding thr lilac, you probably should Google, to double-check me, but I'm pretty sure that you only get blossoms on threnewer growth, so that may be why they're all up high. We had to do some serious pruning on ours last year. I live in the noetheast, so I've got a bit of a wait yet to see how many (if any) blossoms we get this year. WWe're getting all excited because the leaves are juuuust beginning to act like they might pop from their tightly budded stage. :)

Vroomans' Quilts said...

Lilacs require pruning for nice flowering as well as cut the feeder shoots - they take a lot out of the tree. My two shadows followed me around on my three strolls around the property yesterday.

quiltzyx said...

I'm glad that Smitty keeps a good eye out for the bad guys for you. I can just picture his ninja moves too.
That weeping fir is a cool looking tree!

Dasha said...

The weeping fig is a lovely tree. I always enjoy your prowls around your garden. Thanks for sharing.

Junebug613 said...

I hope you got everything done on your list for today. You have some neat greenery! I hope the crown was painless, since I know it wasn't cheap!

Betty said...

Your little twig grew up beautifully! I like those types of trees but they don't do well here in Alabama. Smitty is an excellent protector. My Greyson and Vincent keep our little corner of the world free of elephants and bears and who know what else!

Diane Wild said...

Barbara, you kill me. I just got caught up from the garage sale weekend and read Gracie's blog. Hope all went well with "Dr. Chop". My sister once had a dentist named Dr. Chop. I once had a gynecologist named Dr. Clapp. I kid you not. The operative word there is ONCE. Sew on.

Dana Gaffney said...

That tree is so pretty and I like the story of it. We have some palm trees that were just coconuts stuck in the ground when we moved in here. I think Smitty's ninja moves would be hunker down, bigger eyes, become one with the tree :)

Lyndsey said...

i love your weeping fir. My parents had one and my children called it the magician when they were young. Lucy thought it could grant wishes. Smitty makes a great lookout . Picasso likes to pop off to do his own thing and regularly check back to make sure we're OK but Scamp follows me everywhere

Brown Family said...

It is good to have a little buddy!