 |
| Starfish Flower |
On Monday, when I was watering the front garden, I notice that there was a flower bud that was about to open on the Starfish cacti (Stapelia) plant. This morning, the flower, which is supposed to smell like carrion (fortunately, I can't smell it!) and attracts lots of flies had opened, fully. The flower was buzzing with flies, but, the majority of them flew away when I approached to take a picture. One or two flies, however, remained in the center of the flower.
 |
| Pomegranates |
I haven't decorated for Fall or Halloween, yet, but, it looks like my pomegranate tree is ready for Christmas! I always think the ripening pomegranates look like glass ornaments on a Christmas tree.
 |
| Pomegranate |
Won't be long before I pick them.
It's been another good day, today. Sunny, comfortable temperatures (a high of 85F), with good enough air quality that I was able to open a couple of windows.
Today, I called the Social Security office to ask if they received the copies of the documents that were faxed to them. They confirmed that the documents have been received and entered into the system. I was very glad to hear that. I verified that they didn't need me to do anything more for them to process my application and mentioned that the retirement office wants some further information from me once I receive proof of coverage; I was told that I should hear from them in a few days. I will have to be content with that. I thanked them for their help and then, sent an email to my former colleague who is now working at the retirement office, to give him the update. He thanked me for the update and told me not to stress about it. I appreciate his reassurance. No doubt I'll find something else to stress about, instead! LOL!
Cousin P called in the morning for a chat. Later, the dentist's office called and I rescheduled this week's follow-up appointment to next week. In the evening, friend R called and we chatted for a bit. In between, I practiced the piano, took the above photos and a couple of other photos for the October mini photo challenge, put away the washed dishes, washed a few more dishes (after dinner), made a salad and half a tuna sandwich for brunch, finally cooked that chicken stirfry I had been talking about for a couple of weeks for dinner, and watched the news and the vice presidential debate.
Daughter sent me today's sketch:
 |
| Day 7: Fancy |
According to my daughter, there is a song called "Fancy" that is sung by a K-Pop group and she drew one of the members of the K-Pop group in the dance pose she takes whenever the word "fancy" is sung.
I am reminded of a little girl, crying because her weekly homework included drawing pictures to illustrate that week's new vocabulary words and she couldn't come up with drawings for certain words, especially concept words. On Mondays, she had to write each new vocabulary word three times and that was fine. On Tuesdays, she had to write the meanings and that was fine, too. On Wednesdays, she had to write a sentence, using each word and that wasn't a problem, either. But, on Thursdays, she had to draw a picture and oh, how we both dreaded Thursdays! She didn't enjoy drawing, back then. We reminisced about it, today, during our video chat.
Today, I am grateful for:
- The social security office received my faxed documents
- My former colleague's reassurances
- Pomegranates ripening on my tree
- Being able to reschedule my dental appointment
- Video chatting with my daughter
Today's joyful activity was playing the piano.
I think I would dread the Thursday homework as well, even now!
ReplyDeleteGlad to hear you've made a start on the October photo challenge - is Dancer posing nicely for you?
Has the confirmation that your documents have been received set your mind at rest?
Dancer is trying to negotiate his modelling fees before he poses! :D
DeleteYes, the confirmation that my documents have been received, together with the reassurance from my former colleague that it will be OK, have set my mind at rest. :) I still have more paperwork to complete (the actual application for medical insurance), but, I can't do it until I receive the medicare card from the social security office.
Wow,this pomegranate tree looks so pretty with all these fruit, sure they are going to be yummy!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Natalia. Home grown is always best!
DeleteThank you for showing the pomegranite tree pic, as I have never seen them on the trees. I like your daughter's sketch too. Blessings, xoxo, Susie
ReplyDeleteYou are welcome, Susie. :)
DeleteI don't think I've seen a starfish flower before. It really does look like a starfish.
ReplyDeleteIt does, doesn't it? I believe I posted a picture of a starfish flower, last year, too, but, I don't expect you to remember that. :)
DeleteI'm glad you're able to chat with daughter and share wonderful memories. I love that first flower. It looks very unusual. Hope your day goes well!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Sharon. It is an unusual flower, isn't it? Hope you are having a good day, too. :)
DeleteThe flower is quite beautiful even if it does smell bad. So glad the temps and the smoke have let up a bit!
ReplyDeleteIt is a very attractive flower, isn't it? Fortunately, I can't smell it that much! Yes, the air quality is better and we'll only be in the 80s, today.
DeleteThat's a good crop of pomegranates, and yes, they do look very decorative. X
ReplyDeleteI love to see fruit hanging on the tree. This is probably the most pomegranates I've ever had on my tree. Some of them are quite small; must remember to fertilize the tree, next year.
DeleteAs soon as I saw the photo of the cactus flower, I thought it was a fabric flower or a beaded flower! I love the pomegranates, they look fairly ripe already but I guess they have to be darker in colour.
ReplyDeleteLast night we watched TV for an hour and a half and we were shouting at the TV. I'll say no more! We always think we can do a better job, don't we? I do like everything in order.
We ran out of peanuts this morning, big panic! I was going to the store anyway so I was able to buy more for a grateful squirrel and some blue jays. Later the dog next door appeared wandering round the backyard. When I opened the patio door he beat the speed record round the flowerbed and up the deck steps!
The starfish flower is quite striking, isn't it? The pomegranates should ripen a little more.
DeleteLOL. It certainly wasn't the sort of debating I was taught at school!
Oh, no! You can't run out of peanuts! Glad you were able to get some more at the store! Your dog next door is like the garden cats when I unlock the sliding glass door in the morning! They are pawing at the door almost before I finish unlocking it! Oh, and I thought of you and your mice, today - there was a dead mouse in my garden, by one of the flower beds. I suspect I have the garden cats to thank!
It's fortunate that someone you used to work with is now in the retirement department and is able to reassure you as you go through this sign up period.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad that you were able to confirm with SS the receipt of your documents.
I like your daughter's Fancy drawing. And what a charming story of her vocabulary/spelling lessons and how the lessons included the visual representations of the words. I think that was a creative assignment from her teacher and who knows? maybe that's one of the reasons why she's become such a gifted artist.
I am very fortunate that my former colleague is in a position to reassure me. :) He's been a good friend, throughout.
DeleteThe drawing of the vocabulary words was part of the curriculum followed by the school district and was part of their efforts to foster learning by tapping into different skills. Except, my daughter hated drawing, back then. She hadn't been exposed to anime and the manga style of drawing, back then. Once she did, however, it appealed to her. She ended up minoring in Japanese at UCLA because she was determined to be able to read manga in the original Japanese. :D