Friday, July 25, 2014

My two-sided self ...

1.  I love nature, flowers, bugs, birds and all stuff like that, but I am not a gardener and never will be.  I just don’t have an interest in making things grow.  It seems like a real shame, because we have a large yard that would definitely benefit from some tender loving care…just not from me.  Whatever grows in our yard is a remnant from the former owner or transplanted there by some other being.  I am actually looking forward to the day when I have a small patch that requires nothing more than a quick mow, if that.  Then I might not be so overwhelmed and I will plant a pot or two.  Meanwhile, I will admire other’s efforts.


2.  Greg and I decided not to put the air conditioners in this year.  Initially, I was a little bit leery about that because if there’s one thing I truly hate in this world, it’s a hot, humid day.  But I keep thinking about the bottom line of our electric bill and also that we are polluting less than we would be if we were artificially cooled and I think that maybe I can stand it.  Fortunately for me, the summer has been relatively comfortable here with only a couple days in the 90s and mostly cooler nights.  And it doesn’t hurt that we have a whole-house fan.  That makes a tremendous difference at night.  If it gets too hot, I just sit in a dark room and wait.  After all, Mark Twain was pretty much right when he said, “If you don't like the weather in New England, just wait a few minutes.”


3.  My niece just posted this on Facebook:  “One day, when I'm extremely wealthy, I'm going to hire someone to read articles of my choosing and sum them up for me. I hate when I find an article I really want to read, but it's too long and I'm too lazy.....”   Well, I know that she’s not too lazy.  She’s a full time mother and going to college at the same time.   But I understand where she’s coming from, I think.  For a brief fifteen minutes one day, I thought about subscribing to The New Yorker.  I think I would really enjoy reading it from cover to cover.  But I know in my heart that I never would and they would just stack up.  There are just too many things vying for our attention these days.  Like blogging, for instance.
  It’s a world of sensory overload.


4.  I sat with some friends last night, one of whom recently lost her elderly Jack Russell Terrier Boomer.  Boomer was a fine, handsome, little dog.  I’m sorry to know I won’t see him again.  We talked about how difficult it is to lose pets who have been members of our families for a long time and the lengths we’ll take to keep them with us…maybe long after we really should let them go.  I’ve found that many people, after losing a beloved pet, often say that they will never go through that again.  It’s just too hard.  But I’m not one of those.  I think that you have to be aware when you take an animal in that you will most likely outlive them.  That’s just the way it is.  While it brings tears to my eyes to think about the pets I’ve let go over the years (Hobo, Henry, Clousseau, Gorky, Dinah, Kitty, Burgess, Tigger and Asta), I wouldn’t give up one minute of the time we had together.  And, I don’t care what my allergy doctor says; I hope to never be without a furry friend no matter how much it hurts in the end, because the joy that they bring while they are with us is worth it.


5.  The daylily pics I’ve posted here today are of a plant that is in our yard.  I didn’t plant it but it seems to be thriving through benign neglect and I’m happy about that.



Linking up today to Tanya’s Willy Nilly Friday 5

 on Around Roanoke…A Daily Photo Blog.

18 comments:

MadSnapper said...

your flowers are really beautiful and when we don't take care of our plants we say we let God take care of them and they live really well like yours.. we also have God's grass, which means we did not plant it and we don't do anything but mow it... if we have drought it turns brown, rain and it is green..
i would love to have someone listen to the blah blah and read the yakky yak on politics.. i just can't stand to read or listen but i do want to know what is going on. like the state of the union makes me crazy. just tell me what the state is in 100 words or less. short sentences. also some of the opinion articles i would like to know.. but not enough to read 3 or 4 columns.

Tanya Breese said...

first off, wow, those flowers are gorgeous!!
i can understand where your niece is coming from. i can't read long stories of information, especially online. i like to get the jest of it in a paragraph...funny though, i love to read books, just don't like reading online, or long newsy things.
i know, i couldn't imagine life without a dog. have always had at least one in my life...sad when we have to say goodbye and we grieve for a while but i couldn't go on without adding another to our family. they complete us! thanks for linking and have a great weekend!!

Lynn said...

you are a lucky camper to have the lily in your own yard you do it such justice in your photos-they really are so gorgeous, flower and photos :-). The Pet issue, I feel so torn I do and I don't, we do and we don't, still we have 5, it seems when one gets old or sick another just shows up unbidden and we welcome them in..it is true what you say.

TexWisGirl said...

i am not a gardener or flower-grower, either. and i've managed to kill several bushes that had been planted by previous residents here.

Kerri Farley said...

Beautiful Lily!

Debbie said...

awww barb, not everyone like to garden and it sure is a lot of work during a very hot season. each year, i do less and less as i enjoy it less and less!!

i could not live without a/c, never not ever!!!

Debbie said...

ohhhh and your daylily images are beautiful!!!

Elizabeth Edwards said...

gorgeous day lilies. so pretty!! as a kid we never had AC - only fans. so it is very strange to have it now. very spoiled. so when i don't have the AC ... i think i am dying. or at least i think i am. ha. ha!! ( :

kat from ky. said...

We had the fan when we were young. It really does help. Our summer has been so strange too! We have two window a/c's. We are on the budget plan for gas and electric. I have only had it on for 5-7 days total. I cannot handle the humidity. It makes me throw up! So, I am hoping the cooler temps hold on! I still miss Zippy, Clancy, and Gray Slick! (fan of Jefferson Airplane/Starship! Loved your lily!

Buttons Thoughts said...

I LOVE the photos of the Lily you did not plant I do understand that. I hear they are the hardiest most neglected survivor. :)
About your question...I have no idea why the sisal baler twine comes from Brazil seems silly to me too:)Hug B

Roan said...

The lilies are beautiful! I'm so sorry for Boomer's family. I lost my sweet Willie, a black lab mix, last year. I kept him longer than I should have, but I finally realized I wasn't being fair to him. We waited about 2 months and realized we missed having a pup, so Hubs brought Fergus home.

Rose said...

I am not sure I could make it without AC...specially a normal year here in the midwest. This year I possibly could have.

I used to say I would probably never be without a cat in the house, and I may not. One. But then, we are getting up to an age where a young pet might outlive us and I would hate to leave one for my daughters to take care of.

But I will agree with you on the joys they have brought...There's at least three of them that I would give anything I own to hold and pet and talk to again...two dogs and a cat if you must know.

Leave It To Davis said...

Hubby and I always say when our three dogs are gone, we will never have another pet....it will be too hard on us to lose these three...but then Hubby adds, "Unless it's a lap dog." I have a feeling, he'll give in and we will have one more...probably won't be more time than that....he is 65 now.

Brian King said...

These are beautiful photos! Very nice!

Cheryl @ TFD said...

Your photos are very pretty. I love the color of the lily. I have to admit that I couldn't live without my a/c. We didn't have a/c until I was a teenager and didn't know any better, but after getting I am spoiled now! I still miss the dogs I've had and now we have several kitties to love. I can't imagine a home without a pet!
Have a nice weekend!

Unknown said...

After a long absence it's nice to enjoy your photos. Still impresses me the style of your photos.

Unknown said...

Beautiful lily photos - love the virbrant pinks. I can't imagine being with a/c now - my sinuses are so much better since I got central a/c. But the bill is another story :( Good for you to be able to!

Gail Dixon said...

The day lilies are beautiful! One cannot survive in the Deep South without artificially cooled air. Organizations often take up donations for window units for the elderly and less fortunate. You are very fortunate to live in a climate where it's not required.