A Weekend For Remembering

THIS three-day weekend has been full of weeding, working, laughing, hoping for sunshine and counting blessings. Oh, and eating strawberries.
Here's a picture and a word or two to keep my hand in this "blogging thingy."
Today we went to the cemetery to say hello to Mom and Dad and my Uncle Frank and Aunt Mildred. Small flags on the veterans' graves. We walked around the old country cemetery to see the hard work others had done cutting the grass and raking up fallen limbs. On every tombstone in the cemetery there were flowers on the graves.
I know some of the people buried there probably don't even have relatives who remember them any longer, but the local church must have some really good people helping out.
Our section of the cemetery was overflowing with flowers. You could really tell my parents and grandparents were well loved!
Today was a good day for gathering flowers - remembering my mother's favorites. This calla lily we got from her garden and brought home to flourish in ours - femminismo
p.s. Check out the pistil, especially at the bottom, and the fluted, rippling petal edge!

Tumbling Strawberries

I SHOULD have been more ambitious, started earlier in the evening, not put off my blogging ... but none of those things happened. We've been busy here. Lots of deadlines to meet at work, art receptions, volunteer meetings and a bridal shower here on Sunday last.
I've been thinking about my blog and wishing everything came together more easily, but here is a photo taken after the art reception. This pitcher, with strawberries and violets, was a centerpiece surrounded by cookies. Then I got to take them home to munch on. I tried one of the violets, but it didn't have much flavor.
I've planted flowers in the front during breaks from the rain. Wettest May on record - or something like that - here in Oregon.
I hope you are all well out there in Bloggerland. I will soon have a photo of all my completed coin packets and tiny books with poems. So many great poems, so many vivid images to save - femminismo

I Miss You xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox

I MISS the days I first began this blog and savored the wonder of seeing my photos and words come together. I miss the times I couldn't order food without taking a picture of it once it arrived at my table to share with "you."
The places I went, the people I saw, the books I read - I shared them all with "you."
No, this isn't good-bye. It's just a wish I had more time - more time - more time!
Here at the keyboard I scatter a few words magically on the screen before me and say hello one more. Hopefully I will see something tomorrow to show you.
Maybe the limping raccoon that lives in our neighborhood will visit and I can get his picture, although he isn't very friendly. (thank goodness!)
Maybe I will have a great dream and need to tell you about it. (A couple of nights ago I dreamed my cousin sang a hymn in harmony with herself. Her voice could sing three or four notes at one time. It sounded beautiful.)
Do you hear in your dreams? Do you smell things? Do you dream in color? I do all of these, but I've never tasted anything in them.
Sometimes when I am driving I see wonderful things and I think of "you" and want to remember to tell "you." I love you - femminismo

Of Hummingbirds and Flowers ... and Water.

THIS WEEKEND was one with wonderful weather and work in the garden. Lots and lots and lots of work. Everywhere I looked there was a vacant space in the garden (which the Mister likes and I don't care for) and I envisioned planting some flowers - finally! - that would bloom throughout the summer. Perennials are wonderful, but in our garden there is not too much for July and August. So voila! A trunk full of fresh pickings from New Leaf Greenhouse. Enough to add some color but not pack the place so there would be room for walking into the garden to weed. Ouch! My back!
I chose a ligularia for a shady spot in the garden. When I saw this gigantic plant with its lacy-edged leaves, I thought it could be a powerhouse punch under one of the shade trees. Dahlias will give some color to the edge of the flower beds in the back yard, without overwhelming anything else. and some geraniums, larkspur and campanula - the last two to grow tall and stand out in the front yard flowerbed.
The orange poppies are flowering around the red rhododendron, splashed with two yellow tulips - just like last year. I didn't want to post almost the same exact photo as last year so I played around with the photo editor colors and got this weird shot. Strange garden, huh? I felt a little cruel taking the orange from the poppies and turning the yellow tulips reddish, but, eh! What's a little fun between garden and gardener?
On another note there was a hummingbird trapped in the sunroom. We opened all the doors and windows and I was hoping the draft would lure him/her out. We finally left it alone and went about our business and pretty soon he/she was gone. It was difficult to listen to its little head hitting the glass ceiling!
There was more that happened this weekend. The usual busy round of chores and obligations, but that never seems to end.
A couple more pics of flowers and then I am out of here. Sorry my page isn't getting refreshed as often as it should. I am losing some valuable writing time, putting down my memories - femminismo

Coin Packets With Books

HERE YOU GO! Grab a cold one and view the packets and books - femminismo

It's Beer Weather! I'll Drink To That!

WELL, maybe not exactly "beer weather," but it's getting closer and a bit warmer out. I think maybe today was just a "beer day." This is a beverage my sister exposed me to and it is so refreshing I could become quite the lush swilling it down. Those Belgians would think of combining raspberries with beer. I have seen a peach version and another fruit I can't remember at the moment, but this remains my favorite.
Still working on my coin packet books and will have a video to show you before too long. The little "movie maker" on the Flip video camera is working away. A watched pot never boils so I'll go read the newspaper for a while until it's finished ....... well, turns out it's in the wrong format anyway for uploading to Blogger. I'll be working on this - femminismo

Don't You Just Hate It?

WHEN people don't keep their word, don't you just hate it?
But maybe they get busy with the real world and don't mean to forget or put off what they promised to do online.
Here is "Weight of Flowers" by Julie Fillo, which I got in the mail on Friday. So happy to see it on my wall and I love walking by it and admiring all the lovely flowers that will never droop and die. The bird is a special favorite too.
Yes, this woman looks a little sad, and I'm sure Julie has a story behind all of this. Someday I hope she feels inspired to paint smiling women, but myself, I like the introspective ones too.
I have been busy - and part of that time was spent with my granddaughters, one of whom was shopping for a prom dress. Just the right dress. That takes time. While she shopped I got to spend a little time holding Alex, the new grandbaby. I think a good name for him is Smiley Sweetface.
I had good luck today with Dreamweaver. I don't know that it is especially difficult to get it to do things. It's just "putting" them live - online - that has been a problem. I think I have them "checked out" and I don't really know how to upload them. Today, however, they magically did it almost all by themselves. I posted a video which actually operates! So this is a good start off to the week. Things seem to balance out, however, so I'm really not looking to tempt fate. Tomorrow there will turn out to be a horrible proofreading error or something similar. (Just you wait.) Steve and Clowncar (faithful commenteurs';) have taken the short cut - ha,ha, shortcut! - and learned html, etc. But they are boys with Math Brains.
I am slowly reaching my goal on the coin packet books. Here is one book and its packet resting in lilacs. I wish I could perch there and inhale the lovely smell, but alas, I must go to bed. And I keep thinking of Christy and her foil/paper that I want to make. Christy is a Math Brain person too, I will bet, since she is so totally a Web Geek Girl and a lovely artist. I have got to find some more time somewhere!!! - femminismo (feel free to follow these links for so much fun, you will not want to waste time sleeping tonight)