Thursday

2010.06.30 List-making update - a confession

I make lists (see yesterday's post).
That's not the confession.

I was planning to mark a garden chore off my list this morning
by digging out the totally overgrown pond iris.
But the large water-soaked root mass was much too heavy
for me to do by myself and I couldn't even split it into smaller pieces.
I will need physical help with this one.

So, I decided to tackle the next garden project.
Which I did.

Here's the confession:
I wanted to ADD this next (already completed) chore to my list.
(JUST SO I COULD MARK IT OFF)

Well, I didn't add it.
But, I thought about it.

Ever done this?  Ever thought about it?

2011.06.30 What is summer?


Ahhh  . . . summer.
The best things about summer?
Here's a bunch . . .













Wednesday

2011.06.29 My autobiography could be called . . .

LISTS ARE MY LIFE.





I have tried keeping lists (and calendars)
in day planners,
on computers,
on my phone-which-is-just-a-phone.

Nothing seems to work for me
as well as a plain notebook - well, two actually.






One is a standard size notebook.
It gets the longer-term ideas, financial planning thoughts,
book quotes, and the occasional book synopsis.
It also has my list of blog post ideas
and a few posts which arrive full-blown and just need to be written out
(like this one).

The second one is a smaller one which is carried in my purse.
It functions mostly as a to-do list, things to look up,
names and addresses and websites to remember,
ideas or thoughts to be added to the larger notebook.
There is no order to what is listed
or where
and so it is a jumble,
but things are usually marked off quickly.

Recently, I needed some organization to everything
which had accumulated in the small notebook.

I pulled out some large orange post-it notes and started dividing into categories:
more important,
fun to do but not really important,
minor maintenance,
and
things I can do in the evening while relaxing.

After just a few days, most of the items on the orange post-its are done.

Of course,
the items in the little notebook still keep growing . . . and growing . . . and growing . . .

Sunday

2011.06.26 My earrings are organized

Yes, I know this is kinda hokey,
but I figured out a simple, inexpensive way for me
to keep my earrings accessible, visible, and untangled.

I used some Command hangers (#17006) and some combs from Conair.
Yes . . . combs.

The Command hooks are removable (the not-so-pretty white tabs)
and this fits inside the medicine cabinet perfectly.

Thanks to Theresa and Katie (Mama May I) for the suggestions
which got me to thinking about the best solution for my personal earring organization.

Thursday

2011.06.23 A job done imperfectly . . .

One of the minor maintenance things on my current to-do list
was to transplant the bulbs from three pots of hyacinths
which were purchased and enjoyed indoors this past spring.

They "might" bloom in the garden next year,
so instead of tossing them out,
I wanted to spend a few minutes planting them.
Well worth 15 minutes if they bloom next spring and
we all can enjoy their beauty and scent again.

After planting them, I noticed some weeds
where the gravel drive meets the front walk (also gravel).
I pulled them.
Some came out with roots, some without.
Other weeds which were not at the entrance to the front walk,
I ignored totally.

Did I weed perfectly?
No.
But the entrance looks better,
and a job done imperfectly . . .

is still a job done.

Many times, good enough . . . is good enough.

Wednesday

2011.06.22 Painting one wall in the library / playroom . . .



. . . and the color will probably be the peach/rose color
in the background of the "V" bird coaster.

I bought a couple of samples yesterday, will paint test areas today,
and get opinions from everyone who lives here or stops in.

Why only one wall?

Because
1.  the paint on the other three walls is still in good shape,
2.  those other three walls contain lots and lots of shelves
and I would have to paint (trim) inside each!,
3.  we all still like the pale green color,
4.  I don't want to try to match the pale green,
5.  the wall to be painted has sun fading from posters and such,
6.  it also has lots of nail holes and dings,
and
7.  I'm taking the easy way keeping it simple!

Friday

2011.06.17 Pennisetum Grass in natural light

Today's prompt at Shutter Sisters is natural light.
This photo of pennisetum grass was taken in late evening on a breezy day
with a long exposure to capture the remaining light  . . .

Thursday

Wednesday

2011.06.15 Garden plants - peony

Bread feeds the body, indeed, but flowers feed also the soul.  ~ The Koran



One of the most beautiful of the perennials, 
peonies bloom in late spring in the Midwest. 
The total flowering period is only week or two
for most varieties.  The peony plant is
generally 2-3 feet high, bushy, non-invasive, with glossy green leaves during the entire growing season.  It’s pretty even when not in bloom. 

The peonies in the photos are herbaceous peonies, meaning they die back to ground level in winter.  A tree peony has different growing requirements and habit and is not herbaceous.



They are only a bit fussy about planting conditions:
·         they need sun for at least half-a-day and more is better
·         the root system can’t be planted deeper than 2 inches or the plant will likely not bloom
·         plant in good soil which is neither too dry nor too wet and is well-draining
·         they need several feet of space between root systems




Peonies are long-lived; 50 years is not an uncommon age for a herbaceous peony.

Peonies are often depicted in Japanese and Chinese art and the herbaceous peony has been the state flower of Indiana since 1957.

These flowers create beautiful flower arrangements.  Since the bloom period is fleeting, I always cut them freely so I can enjoy them inside as well as outside.




I’ve only found two drawbacks or disappointments with peonies:
·         since there is nectar on the outside of the flower buds, you need to check for ants and other tag-alongs when bringing the cut flowers inside
·         if your area has a particularly rainy time, the peony flowers may appear and disappear without time to fully appreciate their beauty.  This happened in my garden this year; very disappointing to miss these gorgeous blooms





Peonies are best transplanted in the fall.  The root systems are easily divided, so if you’ve seen a peony you would like to have, the most difficult part is remembering exactly which peony had the blooms you liked.
Get 3-5 “eyes” on the roots if you can.
Most gardeners are pleased to share; just ask.







 

Friday

2011-06-10 Tips and ideas - morning routine - and a question


One simple thing I do when I get ready
is set out all the things I will use after my shower.

I am NOT a morning person,
so having everything on the counter,
including jewelry,
simply means I won't forget anything,
such as lipstick, my only make-up.

I use Cover Girl's Outlast HERE -
I've used Plum Satin #880 for a long time.
For me, it truly lasts all day
(unless I eat barbecued ribs :)



Just a couple of ways I simplify my life . . . and hopefully, yours.

And, now for the question - actually two of them . . .

Last December, I had my ears pierced
and since then, I've accumulated 14 pairs of earrings.
Several have been gifts (many thanks!), but I've also bought quite a few.

Currently, the earrings are jumbled together in this small box . . .

My questions:
1.  How do you organize your pierced earrings???
2.  Do I give away my clip earrings?
Some of my clips I really like and don't have anything similar (yet) in pierced.

Let me know your advice!
Thanks.

Tuesday

2011.06.07 FYI Audio Pronounciation

Read this:
Ever wondered how to say a word?
Or heard someone say a word differently than you thought it was pronounced?
This just happened to me with the word "opacity".
Go to the Merriam-Webster dictionary and click on the audio-icon next to the word of your choosing.
And, then you'll know.