Traveling With Stuff

I bought this enamel paint on wood in the 1980's.  It has a companion piece of a man (on a horse) facing left.  I may have even had them on a wall somewhere, at some time.  It's hard to imagine in 2011. German or perhaps Austrian.  I find them whenever I clean out the cupboard under the bookcase.  This time they were stuck together.  And, this time, I removed them from the cupboard.  If I "did" Yard Sale, I would sell them.  I can't see myself giving them to Goodwill.  I can't even imagine anyone wanting them.  They are still well made, pretty in a stylized way and very colorful.  Perhaps I bought them at a Christmas Fair?

I also have two ten inch Hummel dolls (boy and girl) I paid way too much for (1978) and won't give up for any reason.  They can be dressed and undressed; can be positioned to sit or stand.  They both have socks, undies and shoes.  They boy has an umbrella and a suitcase.  The Little Traveler.  I have the Hummel ceramic next to the doll.  I have never seen them anywhere else.  I bought them in a hotel lobby in Munich. The colors on the dolls is exactly the same as in the figurines.  Only warmer and sweeter because it is matt and not glazed.  I had prints that went with the dolls and figurines but somehow they were lost.

I took this quickly, as the doll sits on the bookcase shelf.  His vest snaps closed.  He has on brown overalls. I have owned and loved these two dolls for 33 years now.  Where will they live after I am gone?  The two of them look perfect against the faux painted French yellow walls of the bookcase.  That may be the test of what I keep and what I let go.  Does it look good with the French yellow walls.

I have been waking early each day, more tired than when I went to bed the night before.  I feel dragged down by responsibilities.  Today: groceries and registering (paying the tax) for my car with the Town office.  As to what responsibilities I feel are dragging me "down":  the zucchini in the fridge are nearing their 4 day storage limit.  Five medium zucchini.  Their lives are in my hands.

G has already had the "Why have the garden if you are forever growing things just to toss them in the compost?"  The radishes and peas got away from me.  The cucumbers are coming along slowly so I have been able to eat the one or two each day.  I was doing okay with eating one zucchini a day, usually in my morning eggs, but I can't face another egg right now.  I have gotten three tomatoes out of the garden so far. Little ones that actually could have stayed on the plant a few more days. My beans are showing flowers. My two cabbages are full and heavy looking.  The kale looks good.  My Brussels sprout plants are stronger and larger than they have ever been.  Still no sprouts along the stems.  I have allowed ONE pumpkin to remain in the garden.  All the others are in the compost. Red onions are growing.  I have a handful of beets growing.  Some carrots.  I pulled all the radishes and composted them. They bolted in the 100 degrees last week.

I have a great many Mortgage Lifters on the plants (needed to tie them up yesterday) and Riley and I counted about 148 Sun Gold cherry tomatoes on the plants out by the front porch.  This is the tomato Riley will eat. My Early Girls are starting to change color. All of my herbs have flowered.  The herb bed is busy with bees. I have dill and no cucumbers. I have nasturtium flowers which I could add to my salads. I have mint but haven't made a Mojito.  I picked a large handful of Calandula blossoms for my salve.  G fertilized the roses and they are gamely sending out new roses, ever hopeful the Japanese beetles will be gone soon.  Underground. To eat the grass roots in their grub stage.  When I will poison them.

G and I pull huge baskets of weeds each time we go into the garden.  So many weeds.  And the raspberry canes are like a horror movie.  I think the five blueberry bushes are the perfect amount.  I have three which are almost finished right now and two that are coming on later this month (one may not ripen until September).  I just wish I could be eating the berries in pancakes.  Instead, I eat them by the handful while picking.

G had two packages of Trader Joe's Pot Stickers (dumplings) for dinner last night and half the chocolate Grooms cake.  I had fried squash and three chicken strips leftover from Monday's lunch.  Then I had the last strawberry sugar free jello.  I didn't drink enough water yesterday and woke up feeling "heavy".

I don't know when the 12 by 12 deadline is, but I'd best get started on Orange.