Daily Notes for Sunday May 10th. Happy Mother's Day.

More images of Peonies.
 

Well, I accidentally purchased a lovely bouquet of flowers on Friday's grocery shopping day.. Not realizing it was going to be Mother's Day..   And the internet provided the vase of Peonies.  Aren't they lovely? Serendipity.

My back seized up when I rolled out of bed this morning...I am walking standing and sitting with a bit of "ginger" as they say.  Gingerly.  I can hear my spine bones moving ...such an odd thing to have to notice. Your bones moving.

I discovered I have to wait until FALL to dig up and divide my own ancient peonies.  Research is a wonderful thing. And in the time in-between I will consider where the split segments will go...more will be near the front steps...where I see things more often than the back yard.  Perhaps they will all be out front.  I read they like limited amounts of sun??????

I am willing to ask for or hire help in the digging and dividing...  I am 80.8 months old.  I counted the number on my fingers.  Just today...before that I was UN-aware.

 I recall Gregor's phone calls when she was in her 80's...to come get something she could not reach, or lift. And also endlessly driving over to thread her sewing machine needles.   I was asked if I wanted her machine...after she passed...I said no...I liked the simple- ish one I had at home.  Gregor thanked me with some lunch...home cooked lunch.. then I would read the New York Times and she took a nice nap. I miss her. She died alone one afternoon standing by her sink in the kitchen... 

I wear her red sweater...the very heavily mended one. Keeps her close. She ran over to the library (where I was working) on 911 and I drove her back home and stayed until she stopped crying...memories of Pearl Harbor. She kept saying "was never supposed to happen again"

Son got me some ice cream for Mother's Day...I don't know what kind it is but will have some after Sunday Pizza.   Right now I am recording British Soccer... two games.  And then I'll return to my book- the plane just crashed and the woman has sewed up the large gash on the pilot's forehead..now she has to find shelter.  Or rather create shelter.  I've read the book a few times...the first time was the worst..but they survive.  So now it's easier.  But not by much.

Saturday, May 9th...I got the Flowers. Cloudy and Damp here in Maine...

 My sister in law mentioned dividing my very old peonies...since they don't do much these days but send up leaves.   Will involve a shovel...unless daughter digs them up for me...  dividing I can do.

With that on my mind I went looking for free images of peonies...and here is one.

My grandmother had a long bed of these flowers....and I spent lots of daylight time with my grandmother. so it's in my DNA I guess...to like plants and flowers. And remember my lovely grandmother. 

I'm more like her with each passing decade.  She colored her white hair...I don't.  She patched and mended everything recalling the time in life after she got off the boat in America when she had nothing.  I patch and mend my 25 cent pants and my Goodwill sweaters.  And will until there is only patches...

She was 16.  When she arrived in America.

Well, I have things to do and a nice start on something I have never done before...way out of my regular zone.  I had hoped to add Lactiva Threads to it...but they would hardly be noticed... so I'll go with something plain... and make a new Lactiva Thread Platform.

Enjoy the Beauty of this flower....drawn and painted by a very gifted artist.  Unknown. To Me..To you.

Daily Notes for Friday May 8th.... Sunshine outdoors but chilly inside the house.

 Today is Grocery Store and Library.  I am 90% sure I will purchase a bouquet of flowers...for myself.

I did a "bit too much" yesterday.  I was only going to pick up branches off the lawn..some were quite heavy and there were way more than in the front yard.....also the back lawn slopes down..so I was walking up and then down.  Way too much so I came in to rest halfway.. I wanted to get all the branches up before the guys did the first lawn mowing.

I also pulled these long straight stems out of the ground...  No idea what they are.  I'm sure more will come up this year. I found sharp pruners and removed tree branches that would be a problem for the guys cutting my grass.  The lawn in back is lush and green and much healthier than the one in front of the house.

My husband was the one who sharpened the pruners...now NO one will. I recall people dropping off pruners at the Greenhouse where we worked- to have them sharpened...nothing ever happened. Now I wish I had paid attention to how it's done.....

I have things on the grocery list to make a nice Italian meal for myself.  I'll wait a bit longer to try making Eggplant Parm.  But some nice pasta with meatballs sounds good.

That's it....some gardening exercise every other day---just 20 or 30 minutes... but only when it feels safe to do so......I'm not ready to walk to the end of the street and back as yet....that was my exercise program last year.

I got to watch my all time favorite episode of Bones... "Finder"....yesterday.  Delightful.

Daily notes for Thursday May 7th. Small amounts of sunshine but mostly cloudy...63 degrees

 Nice flowers. Anyone out there know their name???? I don't.

I got an email from somewhere saying "if your lawn greens up in the Spring" you do NOT need fertilizer. My lawn is exceptionally green. (way OVER fertilized)..  If some areas appear 'sluggish" feed them in the Fall.... not now.

I like this advice.  Also scoop finished compost from the bottom of the pile not the top.... I agree.

Been watching Season One of CSI: Vegas.   Good degree of CRINGE.  Clothing, Hair and Dialogue. 

British Soccer was very good... Arsenal. A favorite.  Huge thighs.  No clue who won.  Lots of yellow cards.

Oatmeal was very good- nice start to the day...first cup of English Tea. Also good.

I have not felt steady enough to go out back and pick up fallen branches...before the guys stop in to mow  the grass for the first time this year.  I don't want to be that old lady who has "fallen and I can't get up"..

My book, very close to the finish line is Linda Howard's Troublemaker.  I like this book very much.  At some point my Library will put in on the "Take Any Book Free" cart.... and I won't be able to read it anymore... the chance of me being around when it hits the free cart are slim to zero.  I might be the only person who checks it out......that should be a point in my favor?

I thought it was sunny enough to wear only a thermal shirt and a cotton work shirt. in the house.. I'm cold. I refuse to use up any of my almost $5 a gallon Heating Oil to get the heat up higher than 65.  I'll jog down to my room for my sweater.   I'll walk slowly befitting my AGE.

I am also WANTING  pan fried Pork Dumplings....An image of them arrived a few days ago in the feed...the image is right under these words....  they look so VERY DELICIOUS.  Nothing in MY freezer but I might check out the grocery store tomorrow.  My grocery is not known for a great Chinese Food Selection.  I also want ice cream.  I have to buy frozen yogurt......sigh.

It's pitiful to be me.  And my freezer is almost completely empty. Son tossed everything in there after reading "used by dates".  I said the dates were only a suggestion....