How Ya Feelin? Hot Hot Hot! Let's Do Yard Work!!!

Whoowee, it is a hot summer!  Yesterday my indoor/outdoor thermometer registered 106 just outside the window.  Still, things must be done.  Mark is our yard man, but he is not a good sticker bush cutter.  It's my job to keep the evil thorn-covered bougainvillea plant under control.  It grows in long limbs in every direction, but never flowers.

This is what it looked like when I got it in a basket.

Mark's previous cuttings left all the limbs on the ground, its long thorns dried hard and begging to pierce through my flip flops and garden gloves.  As usual, the thorns won, but I got it under control and cleaned up with rake and hedge clipper!  The trash can is full of old and new clippings, the ground is clear of thorny foot-finders, and the corner of our yard looks less like a snake/raccoon/creepy crawly hideout.  Although I stepped carefully, I could feel the points of thorns almost piercing my skin through my shoes and had to use pliers to get the offenders out of my favorite flip flops.

I drilled a hole into the wooden eave of our house, just above the bougainvillea and near the window, to hang a squirrel-proof bird feeder.  It's so funny to watch squirrels leap from fence to the wire covered feeder, as their weight pulls the spring down and closes feeder openings.  My canary's cage is near that window and he loves all the birds that frequent the feeder.  Cardinals, blue jays, house wrens and tufted titmice are all greeted with a hello chirp.

A footnote on the bougainvillea: I learned that in order to have flowers, they need to be in well drained soil.  Ours is in a corner of our yard that gets regular rain run-off from our roof.  I also learned that they like to be root-bound, but ours has the whole yard to spread it's roots.  One day, I'll dig it up and put it in a pot where it belongs and can be happily root bound, drained, and flowering.

Cactus Flower

the potted cactus

My mother gave me a cutting from her cereus cactus.  I think she called it a Moon Flower.  I found out, it's called Hooker's Orchid Cactus, named for botanist W.J. Hooker by his good friend C. Darwin.  I have had this plant for about a year and these are the first blooms.  I noticed that I had already missed one bloom, but saw two Saturday night and was amazed at how fragrant they are.  The flowers are short lived; A bud begin opening after sunset, stays beautiful for one night, then wilts after sun rise.  On Sunday night there was one flower, more beautiful than the two the night before.  There are still two more buds that will either both bloom tonight (Monday) or maybe one Monday and one Tuesday.  Funny how such pretty flowers come from such an unattractive plant.  You can read about them here and here.

Saturday's flower

Sunday's bloom

Sunday's bloom

Photos taken with my iPhone 4

You Never Miss A Beat With A True Friend

I met Pam through my friend Belinda in 1990. Our mutual friend died suddenly in 1995 and with that, I lost touch with Pam.  We had chance meetings, but maybe we avoided each other because we reminded each other of how we missed Belinda.  Maybe it was her busy life with six children or my busy life with two children that at times seemed like six.  It doesn't matter now.  Pam and I will always be friends whether we see each other daily or yearly.  And when we do see each other, it's a wonderful homecoming.

I saw Pam holding a "Vote for McCain" sign on the corner near the voting precinct.  I had started a big vat of Pasta Putanesca that morning and brought bowls of tomatoey goodness to Pam and her fellow McCain supporters.  She and I picked up where we left off, enjoying each others' company and friendship.   Pam's oldest daughter barely 30, died a few weeks later in a car accident.  I was there for her and it felt like God placed me in her path when she needed me.  Life got busy and somehow we eased out of each other's lives again.

A year passed and on Friday morning I picked up the phone and left a message.  "What's up?  How are you?  I miss you..." and I got a return call that very evening.  Pam's daughter was getting married the next day and Pam was overwhelmed.  Kym and Ben decided to get married just 3 weeks ago and the wedding was Saturday.  Could I help?  And so I picked up where I left off, helping clean the church, decorate, etc.  for 80+ guests.

Pam's husband (also named Ben) is a minister and their church had to be decorated for a gothic, but very Christian, ceremony.  The reception was in the same room.  Black, burgandy, and gold were the colors.  I made runs to US Toys and Dollar Tree for plastic table covers, party supplies.  Do you know how difficult it is to make goth look not creepy?  We did it!  I bought cream colored candles, fresh apples, and clippings from our backyard boxwood hedge and made decorations for the food table, laden with dozens of covered dish meals.  

The couple met on an online Christian dating site.  Both like goth clothing and vampirey junk, not my favorite, but to each their own.  So for their champagne (ginger ale) toast, I made a special hard candy glass dip, which they loved.  It was a great day.

I love Pam and it was such a great day to enjoy her company and work with her.