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| The Stumpery |
I haven't done any monthly garden posts since May, I believe, partly because the garden is never at its best in the summer and partly because I had other things on my mind. But, today, I took a picture of the stumpery just to show how it is evolving. M brought me a couple of additional stumps from trees he's had to trim down and I've added them to the pile. The succulents are growing well around the stumps and, in my eyes, at least, the stumps are becoming incorporated into the landscape.
It was warm and sunny over the weekend, with the daytime highs in the low to mid 80s and going down to the low 50s in the night.
I spent a fairly relaxed weekend, taking things easy.
Saturday was the anniversary of my mother's birthday and I missed her. Daughter had arranged to spend the afternoon with her friend V, so I drove her to V's place, came home, walked for a little bit (my hip was hurting, so I stopped after 15 minutes), watched some videos and the news, and relaxed. Then, it was time to go to pick up daughter. Her friend V had bought some pastries from the Cuban bakery/cafe we had gone to, earlier, to have as snacks and she had told daughter to take some of the leftovers home. So, daughter brought home a meat pie for me, which I enjoyed.
Neighbor S called later in the evening to ask if she could borrow my recycling bin as she had several cardboard boxes to be broken down and recycled. I said, "Yes", of course and when she came over to take the bin over to her house, she brought us a container of pulled pork, several slices of cooked tri-tip beef, and a piece of cake from her younger daughter's birthday! I had just been telling my daughter that I was wanting something sweet, when S brought over the cake! It had a type of fondant icing on the outside which was too sweet for us, but, we enjoyed the cake itself and the frosting between the layers.
On Sunday, I walked for 20 minutes without any hip pain. Later, I put away a load of laundry, changed my daughter's bed sheets, watched some online videos, and did a few things around the house. We had leftovers for brunch and I made some macaroni and cheese for dinner.
This weekend, I was grateful for:
- Sunny and warm days
- Daughter had a fun afternoon with her friend
- Memories of my mother
- Neighbor S blessing us with some delicious food
- Being able to help her by lending her my recycling bin
- Daughter had a fun afternoon with her friend
- Memories of my mother
- Neighbor S blessing us with some delicious food
- Being able to help her by lending her my recycling bin
Joyful activities included visiting for a bit with neighbor S, walks in the sunshine, and spending time with daughter.
Monday was another sunny and warm (high of 82F) day. I did a short walk, did a load of laundry, and made several phone calls and scheduled appointments to have the gas furnace checked, to take Dancer in for his monthly arthritis injection, for a blood test for me, and filled out some medical information forms to be sent to the oral surgeon prior to my appointment with him on Wednesday.
My friend R had another package delivered to my house and she called and came over to pick it up on Monday afternoon, around 4:00 p.m. We sat and chatted until daughter finished her work for the day. Then, we drove friend R back to her apartment, stopping at the post office on the way so daughter could mail a package and stopping at the library on our way back home to return our library books.
Afterwards, daughter took the trash cans to the curb for pick up on Tuesday morning and I watered the back garden. I also spoke with my cousin V and exchanged emails with a friend.
On Monday, I was grateful for:
- Another sunny and warm day
- Being able to help friend R by accepting her packages for her
- Water for the garden
- Being able to help friend R by accepting her packages for her
- Water for the garden
- Working appliances
- Daughter's help with filling out various forms online
- Daughter's help with filling out various forms online
Monday's joyful activities included walking in the garden, visiting with friend R, and chatting with cousin V.
How was your weekend? What are your plans for the week?
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| Fungi |
On my parents birthday, my sister's and I try to do something fun to remember them. A favorite for my father is to have ice cream since he loved that. Sometimes, we get together to do it and other times we share pictures with each other.
ReplyDeleteI like your Stumpery. The succulents are just the right thing to grow among the wood.
I really like your traditions for remembering your parents, June, especially the ice cream part for your father. :) The temples in my area are taking turns to hold a religious ceremony this month and I sent a donation to the temple which held their event on my mother's birthday, in her name.
DeleteThank you, June; the stumpery is coming along nicely, isn't it? I'm pleased with it. :)
Your Stumpery is developing beautifully. How lovely to have unexpected cake!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Angela. I'm very happy with the stumpery. :)
DeleteYes! I told my mother that we are having cake on her birthday! There's a story that goes with it - when my daughter was little, she told me not to have a cake on her grandmother's birthday because, a birthday cake means she's getting older and people die when they get old. According to her 4 year old's logic, not having a cake meant not getting older and grandmother would stay forever young and live forever. She agreed that a pie would be okay to mark the occasion and for the next several years, my mother received a birthday pie. Except on the year she turned 85; I didn't have time to make a pie or even to buy a pie. I bought a pizza (which my mother loved) on my way home and picked up a cake from the bakery. My daughter was 12 by then and knew that birthdays come and people get older no matter what. So, we had a birthday cake and my mother joined in with singing the Happy Birthday song and blew out the candle. That was the very last birthday she celebrated. She died less than 4 months later. I am glad that she had a birthday cake on her last birthday, but, every now and then, I wonder if we should have gone with a pie!
That's the first time I've read on a blog that the garden is never at its best in the summer! Is that excessive heat? how you designed it?
ReplyDeleteThe summer heat is brutal and we usually have water restrictions as well, as that is our dry season. I try to grow plants with low water requirements. The front garden is planted mostly with succulents and even they get scorched in the summer. I prioritize watering the edible plants - my vegetables and fruit trees; everything else is low priority.
DeleteSpring, with its milder temperatures is when the garden is at its best, especially if we've had plenty of rain in the winter. :)
I am grateful for supportive friends, my cat, good food, quiet sleep and being alive...I plan to find a specialist surgeon!
ReplyDeleteI really like your list of gratitudes, e. I am sure you will be able to find an excellent specialist surgeon. :)
DeleteI also always think of my parents, and my sister, on their birthdays. It's lovely that you have fond memories of your mother. The stumpery is coming along nicely! I've been doing some garden tidying. First frost here predicted for tonight. It is late this year, but I'm not complaining!
ReplyDeleteYes, our memories of loved ones keep them close to us, don't they?
DeleteThank you; I'm very pleased with the stumpery. :)
I'm glad the first frost is late, this year. It gives you a little more time to tidy your garden before winter comes, doesn't it?
Ooh, your garden looks pretty. Sounds like a nice deal with the neighbor.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Stephenie. I think I got the better end of the deal with my neighbor, don't you? She is such a kind and generous neighbor.
DeleteI'm sorry about your hip hurting.
ReplyDeleteIt doesn't matter how many years they have been gone, I don't think we ever get over the loss of a mother. Hopefully you have some good memories to help ease the ache of missing her.
Thank you, Sharon. Yes, I do have many good memories of my mother to comfort me, but, I do miss her.
DeleteAs for the hip pain, it comes and goes. It's due to arthritis, I believe. On the days when it doesn't hurt, I walk; on the days when it does hurt, I rest. :)