I love almost everything about summer. And yet, I do not enjoy flies... especially the ones buzzing around my living space. Most days I have two very active fly catchers after them, so they don't last too long. Today the flies seem particularly bad and I know that I am certainly to blame. I am a leave-the-patio-door-open-all-weekend kind of gal. Why? Well, partly because I am in and out all weekend, and because you simply cannot have too much fresh air, but mostly because I like to give the dogs access to the house and yard when I'm home (particularly for long stretches on the weekend). I certainly could shut them in one location or the other, but since one of them is always following me from place to place and the other is outside as much as possible, it is just less complicated to leave the door open. Enter the flies.
It is probably even worse this time because I also missed trash day this week. So not only did I leave the door open for them, I tempted them with week old trash. Bad move Reenie. And then today I wore out my fly catchers with a hot bike ride... so they aren't budging to eat the flies like they usually do. So it feels particuarly fly ridden in here today. And here I sit, searching the internet for homemade fly traps, thinking I should still take out the garbage and put away the bike, and finish a bunch of other stuff before bed... which should be in about 20 minutes. Ah well.
And there you have it, a trivial post about the one thing I do not love about summer, the house flies. (Please share if you have some secret on fly control-- other than closing the door- I can't possibly entertain that obvious of a solution).
Monday, June 27, 2011
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
Happiness is...
- daily Mass
- an evening spent with a good friend and a cute baby
- my farm dream
- gardens covered in mulch
- a good rain
- working almost "normal people" hours
- my fam
- out of control climbing rose outside my door- gorgeous!!
- connecting
- contemplating
- shorts weather
- kittens (at my parents house, not mine)
- a nice breeze
- a good cup of coffee
- an overly affectionate pup
- homies that I like coming home to
- strawberries in the fridge
- making jam
- sleeping (note to self: do more of this)
- balmy evenings
- an evening spent with a good friend and a cute baby
- my farm dream
- gardens covered in mulch
- a good rain
- working almost "normal people" hours
- my fam
- out of control climbing rose outside my door- gorgeous!!
- connecting
- contemplating
- shorts weather
- kittens (at my parents house, not mine)
- a nice breeze
- a good cup of coffee
- an overly affectionate pup
- homies that I like coming home to
- strawberries in the fridge
- making jam
- sleeping (note to self: do more of this)
- balmy evenings
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Friday, June 10, 2011
Baby steps...
Last year I surgery this time of the year and was out of commission for that critical part of spring/summer where you reign in the jungles and get things done. So I just let everything go.... so this year, it is quite clear I have my work cut out for me!! And I should mention how INCREDIBLY thankful I am to not be having surgery right now! I'm thankful for the time (ish) and energy to do a lot of work in my gardens. Whew. God is good! Back to the gardens...
First I tilled and planted the vegetable garden. So far I've got: lettuce, sugar snap peas, beans, cilantro, rosemary, basil, cucumbers, tomatoes (lots), peppers (lots), onions... and probably something else I'm forgetting. Still need to add mulch to this whole area and get some more compost in and do some grading.
And then I planted some snapdragons and weeded the front flower bed and the side of the garage bed. And then weeded and fixed up the lilac hedge (too many weeds and sunflowers in there and a lilac bush that needed to move).
Next was the berry corner, I had my handymen (Emmet and Joe P) rip ot the falling apart garden edging boards and put in new ones. Much better. Then I ripped out everything except the raspberry bushes and the rhubarb, rototilled, and replanted what I wanted. I know it was a little late in the season to do it, so my strawberries will probably suffer, but there were soooo many weeds and so much to do, it was easier to dig it up and start fresh. It looks great now and all I need to do now is add mulch! The berry corner includes: 4 raspberry bushes, strawberries, rhubarb, and some flowers. Some day I want my own little mini u-pick farm... but for now I'll settle for the berry corner. Note to self: put out netting so the birds don't get all the berries!
Then there's that middle jungle... good heavens. A few years ago I planted these cool looking sunflower flowers, that, while pretty, literally TAKE OVER everything in sight. Last year it was simply the middle of the yard jungle. (Note Maggie sitting in her castle just to see over the jungle... or maybe she's just up there exercising her superiority complex)
The few things still alive after years of neglect weren't doing well and it was time! I started the project and then my awesome homie Jenny needed a project and spent a day ripping it all out (except the peony bush and the unidentifiable bush). Now I'm slowly moving, splitting other plants, and adding plants to make this area. Still need to do some new edging and add more plants, but it is progress and already looks SOOO much better already. (Stay tuned for done photos of that in a week or two...)
I got a load of mulch delivered on Tuesday and have begun the arduous task of hauling it to all the garden areas to spread it. So far I managed to mulch the lilac hedge and the side of the garage garden. Such an improvement. And a great comfort to know having the mulch will cut down on the watering and the weeding. Clearly a win win (if only I can find the time to haul it).
So that's what is happening at the homestead lately... lots of playing in the dirt, appreciating the June color explosion, filling vase upon vase in the house with flowers, and hauling mulch. Happy gardening!
Thursday, June 09, 2011
Priorities...
The last year or so, this topic continues to come up in my mind and heart... and the other day this post came up in my blog reader and honestly the title says it all "Scheduling our priorities." It is the perfect reminder to me of something I really strive to do in my own life... I fail at it a lot (clearly) but really want to do better at scheduling my priorities.
Uh oh, personal sharing moment: (This will be more interesting if you pretend you don't know my family). When I was growing up, there were a lot of times I felt just like "one of the crowd" to my mom. My dad was good about spending individual and quality time with each of us, taking one at a time to the weekly hardware store runs, taking turns with who he too with him to work on the house Fridays and Saturdays (for about a decade), and for me, taking me to work with him to answer phones and lick stamps (which turned into a fabulous job that I still miss). What I'm trying to say is that my dad purposely took time to schedule in his kids, his priorities. Or maybe not so much on the scheduling, but he looked for opportunities for quality time.
My mom, on the other hand, spent most of her time with us. She stayed home with us, and even homeschooled all 11 of us (and is only now wrapping up her 30 year career as a homeschool mom). And yet, I never felt like a priority. That isn't to say I wasn't a priority (did I mention the feeding, clothing, raising, and homeschooling 11 children?), it just didn't feel like it. And I think part of this has to do with that whole theme of scheduling your priorities.
My mom is incredible at making room for a person in need-- no matter what the need or who the person. I can't count the number of people that would show up for a cup of tea, or need a hand, or an ear, or a shoulder, a babysitter, a dogsitter, a meal, and my mom would immediately drop whatever else was going on and serve and love that person, right then. And I have to say, I admire that quality and attempt to live it in my own life. And yet it comes with a downside, there is ALWAYS another need. Another person wanting your time. Another distraction. Another thing to get involved with. And we can easily forget to prioritize and just default into constantly reacting to other people's demands, requests, needs. (Yes, you moms out there live this to an incredible degree!)
And since I'm rambling senselessly, I'll go ahead and mention personalities and how that plays into things. I am a "J" on the Myers Briggs scale, 10 to 0. My mom is a "P." J's like things scheduled, planned, confirmed, definite. We are more comfortable having a decision made, even if it is the wrong decision. P's on the other hand, prefer to keep their options open as long as possible- forever if they could. They are more comfortable before a decision is made and resist making committments and decisions in general. Maybe it's partly my J self that felt like I never made it onto my mom's P schedule. Let's be honest, there wasn't much of a schedule most of the time (is it any wonder I'm an extreme J?)...
And then I look long and hard at my own life: How often do I wait to hear from people instead of making a phone call? How often do I schedule in the people I love most? Why is it months between visits with a good friend who lives only a few minutes away?
I don't have the answer. I do try to schedule in time with friends, family, munchkins, dogs, home projects... and clearly I am far from that ever elusive balance... but I also know I can do some concrete things to schedule my priorities and just simply reexamine them. Am I living the life I want to? Or am I defaulting into something else because my priorities aren't clear (and still can't say no)? Am I actually scheduling my priorities?
Uh oh, personal sharing moment: (This will be more interesting if you pretend you don't know my family). When I was growing up, there were a lot of times I felt just like "one of the crowd" to my mom. My dad was good about spending individual and quality time with each of us, taking one at a time to the weekly hardware store runs, taking turns with who he too with him to work on the house Fridays and Saturdays (for about a decade), and for me, taking me to work with him to answer phones and lick stamps (which turned into a fabulous job that I still miss). What I'm trying to say is that my dad purposely took time to schedule in his kids, his priorities. Or maybe not so much on the scheduling, but he looked for opportunities for quality time.
My mom, on the other hand, spent most of her time with us. She stayed home with us, and even homeschooled all 11 of us (and is only now wrapping up her 30 year career as a homeschool mom). And yet, I never felt like a priority. That isn't to say I wasn't a priority (did I mention the feeding, clothing, raising, and homeschooling 11 children?), it just didn't feel like it. And I think part of this has to do with that whole theme of scheduling your priorities.
My mom is incredible at making room for a person in need-- no matter what the need or who the person. I can't count the number of people that would show up for a cup of tea, or need a hand, or an ear, or a shoulder, a babysitter, a dogsitter, a meal, and my mom would immediately drop whatever else was going on and serve and love that person, right then. And I have to say, I admire that quality and attempt to live it in my own life. And yet it comes with a downside, there is ALWAYS another need. Another person wanting your time. Another distraction. Another thing to get involved with. And we can easily forget to prioritize and just default into constantly reacting to other people's demands, requests, needs. (Yes, you moms out there live this to an incredible degree!)
And since I'm rambling senselessly, I'll go ahead and mention personalities and how that plays into things. I am a "J" on the Myers Briggs scale, 10 to 0. My mom is a "P." J's like things scheduled, planned, confirmed, definite. We are more comfortable having a decision made, even if it is the wrong decision. P's on the other hand, prefer to keep their options open as long as possible- forever if they could. They are more comfortable before a decision is made and resist making committments and decisions in general. Maybe it's partly my J self that felt like I never made it onto my mom's P schedule. Let's be honest, there wasn't much of a schedule most of the time (is it any wonder I'm an extreme J?)...
And then I look long and hard at my own life: How often do I wait to hear from people instead of making a phone call? How often do I schedule in the people I love most? Why is it months between visits with a good friend who lives only a few minutes away?
I don't have the answer. I do try to schedule in time with friends, family, munchkins, dogs, home projects... and clearly I am far from that ever elusive balance... but I also know I can do some concrete things to schedule my priorities and just simply reexamine them. Am I living the life I want to? Or am I defaulting into something else because my priorities aren't clear (and still can't say no)? Am I actually scheduling my priorities?
Tuesday, June 07, 2011
MLIA: Pulled over for walking with a nun
Yesterday I got to spend the morning with one of my best friends from middle school and high school. She entered the Sisters of Mary Mother of the Eucharist on my eighteenth birthday and we’ve written a couple times a year since, although I think the last time I saw her for more than a minute or two was 8-10 years ago for a five minute walk. It just isn’t the same. She was home for a visit this week and managed to sqeeze in a morning for me!! Hooray!!
She came to the house, we drank coffee and started on our 10-year catch up session. Midway through we decided to go for a walk and we headed out past town 10 minutes to farm country- my favorite place to walk. She was driving so we missed a turn off that I usually make to walk a specific 4 mile loop, so we just parked along the road and started, figuring we’d just do a different loop—probably about the same distance. Well we walked, turned right onto Grass Rd, still assuming we’d reach another internal country road and could complete the loop… nope. Austin Road, which is a paved two lane highway. Not as peaceful as the dirt roads, but still fine. And we assumed we could still complete the loop. We walked, talked, walked, and I started wondering where the road that cuts through is. We kept walking and walking (and talking, of course—did I mention catching up on ten years?!) Anyway, at some point, as I’m beginning to worry about how far we’ve walked without finding a road and starting the loop back toward the car, a cop car drives by. A few minutes later, I see him coming back toward us.
I turn to Sister and said “I think we’re going to get pulled over, I assume he’s after you.” We laughed and then just about died when he slowed down and pulled over for us. “Can I help you ladies? Are you okay?”
We explained we’d been making a loop and overestimated how far it was. He said he’d looked for a stalled car and didn’t see anything and asked if he could give us a lift since this highway didn’t accommodate the best walking (and it was getting pretty hot!) Since we were still a LONG way from the car, and Sister had to be at the airport in an hour, we took him up on it.
And that is how I found myself, climbing into the dirty, crowded back of a cop car, with my friend, a nun, in full Dominican habit. Awesome. The cop was great and made conversation with us as he drive us the rest of the way to our car… which, as it turns out, was still a long way (like 4 miles or so) from where he picked us up. We made it back to the house in time for me to feed Sister lunch and send her to her next appointment, still laughing about getting pulled over by a cop… for walking with a nun.
And my only regret? I didn’t have my camera with me!! What was I thinking???
My Life is Awesome!
She came to the house, we drank coffee and started on our 10-year catch up session. Midway through we decided to go for a walk and we headed out past town 10 minutes to farm country- my favorite place to walk. She was driving so we missed a turn off that I usually make to walk a specific 4 mile loop, so we just parked along the road and started, figuring we’d just do a different loop—probably about the same distance. Well we walked, turned right onto Grass Rd, still assuming we’d reach another internal country road and could complete the loop… nope. Austin Road, which is a paved two lane highway. Not as peaceful as the dirt roads, but still fine. And we assumed we could still complete the loop. We walked, talked, walked, and I started wondering where the road that cuts through is. We kept walking and walking (and talking, of course—did I mention catching up on ten years?!) Anyway, at some point, as I’m beginning to worry about how far we’ve walked without finding a road and starting the loop back toward the car, a cop car drives by. A few minutes later, I see him coming back toward us.
I turn to Sister and said “I think we’re going to get pulled over, I assume he’s after you.” We laughed and then just about died when he slowed down and pulled over for us. “Can I help you ladies? Are you okay?”
We explained we’d been making a loop and overestimated how far it was. He said he’d looked for a stalled car and didn’t see anything and asked if he could give us a lift since this highway didn’t accommodate the best walking (and it was getting pretty hot!) Since we were still a LONG way from the car, and Sister had to be at the airport in an hour, we took him up on it.
And that is how I found myself, climbing into the dirty, crowded back of a cop car, with my friend, a nun, in full Dominican habit. Awesome. The cop was great and made conversation with us as he drive us the rest of the way to our car… which, as it turns out, was still a long way (like 4 miles or so) from where he picked us up. We made it back to the house in time for me to feed Sister lunch and send her to her next appointment, still laughing about getting pulled over by a cop… for walking with a nun.
And my only regret? I didn’t have my camera with me!! What was I thinking???
My Life is Awesome!
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