This is probably my least favorite dahlia. It looks sort of like a daisy, but the blooms don’t last too long. It is prolific when it comes to blooms and it’s leaves and stems are a sort of purple color. Still, I like the bigger, brighter and showier dahlias best.
Saturday morning, I was sitting here
talking to AJ and looking out the window. Suddenly there was a huge number of
different birds in my garden, including hummingbirds. That’s when my guilt rose
to the surface. I hadn’t cleaned or filled any of the feeders for a few weeks.
And, okay, there’s lots of stuff blooming right now, but more birds would come
if I were to get off my bottom and provide. My son even told me that they’d
just have to do what they’d always done before there were feeders and that’s
live off the land. This is the same son that puts out hummer feeders and a
water bowl for the crow…Croweeee…even names it.
So, I stopped what I’d been doing when
AJ called and gathered up all the feeders and brought them inside. I took them
apart and washed inside and out and left them in the drainer to dry. I made
sugar water and it’s cooling. I have some seed left, but am going to have to go
to the grocery store, so I’ll pop next door and get some black sunflower seeds
for the other feeders. By this evening there will be lots of bird food out in
the garden again.
AJ called to see if there was anything
I needed done this weekend…such a good son. And, of course, I have a HUGE honey-do
list, but he’s my son, not my honey, so I’m not giving him that list. He said
he’d be over tomorrow to reclaim the ladder he brought over when we were
cleaning out the garage attic. I told him if he could turn my hanging baskets,
that would be terrific, but there’s really nothing else he needs to do here.
Truth be told, I could probably put
him and his brother to work every single weekend for a few months doing stuff
that John never got to or didn’t want to do. That would not, however, be fair
because both men have jobs and their own families to take care of and look after.
If this damn pandemic ever ends, I could splurge and spend a bit of cash hiring
someone to come and work on my honey-do list. Right now, I don’t want to hire
someone I don’t know or even call the young man who worked for me last year and
the year before. Don’t really want any strangers coming into my home.
I just finished a HUGE project, but I’m
not ready to talk about it. You’ll probably read about it this coming Tuesday.
Meanwhile, I believe I’ll make dill pickles this coming week. One of the women
I tutored last year made pickles on Saturday with her son and grandson. Another
friend posted a garlic peeling tutorial for me on Facebook, but I no longer
peel them by hand. I have some arthritis issues and while I love the way my
hands smell after peeling 20 bunches, my hands would be miserable. Costco
provides a nice-sized bag. What I don’t put into the dill pickles, I’ll chop
and freeze in ice cube trays (note to self…need to get more trays) for soups
and other dishes in the winter. I always freeze some whole as well and drop those
in with potatoes I intend to mash. Of course, I won’t be making many mashed
potatoes in the coming months, but I’m sure I’ll find a use for that garlic…I
do so love garlic.
AJ’s wife is not turning 50 on
Tuesday. It’s such a shame that AJ, Haley and I cannot plan a huge surprise
party for her unbirthday. Maybe next August we can do that and pretend she’s
not turning 50 again. I’ve watched what Angie has done for Haley’s events and
it would be such fun to go all out with all the 50th birthday stuff
we could find. I did have a very special present made for her, but I cannot
tell you what it is in case she just happens to read this. I’ll take a photo
and post about that later. That is if I can get out there Tuesday evening for a
minute or so to deliver the present.
Me, myself and I will be 75 this year…the
diamond birthday or maybe that’s just anniversary. Oh well, diamonds are always
good no matter the occasion. Unfortunately, John won’t be here to supply me with
the diamonds I so justly deserve so I’ll just have to appreciate the ones he already
provided…and I do, seriously. Last year five good friends helped me through
that first birthday without John. Perhaps if I’m allowed to have people in, I
could cook something I’d really like to eat
and invite them to celebrate at my house. That sounds like a great idea to me
today. We’ll see how it turns out in a few months.
I was going to do some additional work
out in the garden today, but AJ’s phone call interrupted what I was doing and
then I went on to other chores. It’s kind of like that joke about looking for
your keys, deciding the junk drawer needs to be tamed, then doing about six
other things before returning to looking for your keys. The sun is now out and
I don’t work well in the sun…I’d never make it on a horticulture or landscape
team. I can just hear the boss now when I say it’s too rainy, too cold, too
sunny or whatever. I probably wouldn’t last a day…hell even an hour.
So, I guess I’ll post this for
tomorrow and get in the shower. I’ll go to the grocery store later today
instead of early tomorrow and get myself something good for dinner. I’d better
add birdseed to my list or I’ll end up coming home without it. Heck, I may even
buy myself a new birdfeeder…I deserve it.
Hope y’all are having a great weekend.