Me, Myself and Memories

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  Noreen 3:44 am on May 19, 2013 Permalink  

  The Increasing Number of Real Beauties 

  

  Fairfax Tulips making their home in St. James

  When you least expect it in the early spring, color pops out. This particular color has a colorful past. In the year of 2011 there was the anticipation that red tulips would be the choice of many for Valentine’s Day. The day after, Kevin and Kersten were out and about and were surprised that so many tulips had not found a home. I am not sure how room was found in the pickup for Kevin, Kersten, Bell, Sophie and a dozen pots of the red beauties. After several days of gracing the print shop with beauty, the tulips began attracting – or even perhaps hatching out – fruit flies. Plan B was executed and the tulips found their way from Fairfax to St. James.

  I knew enough that tulips needed to die back the stems on their own to feed the bulbs, but good grief it took forever. By this time it was the end of May and tulips need to then be stored in cool temps until the ultimate time of planting, which is right before the cold frosts become winter. Dennis’ garage refrigerator had several shelves devoted to the tulips bulbs. In the late fall, the bulbs were tucked into the flower bed and we began the wait and see. That was in 2011.
  In the blooming spring of 2012 there was a showing of about eight blooms compared to the ninety bulbs we put out in two different beds. This year we had a total of twenty four of the the beauties. This project gives credence to the old adage “nothing ventured – nothing gained.”

   
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  Noreen 1:18 am on May 18, 2013 Permalink  

  We had the Most Wonderful Rain 

  

  Our Koi in their pond

  We had the most wonderful rain during the night and early this morning. If this doesn’t tempt the perennials out of the ground nothing will. Even with less flowers than last year the backyard is just a pleasant place to spend a bit of time. If one sits close to the Koi pond with little of anything important on the mind, I can guarantee you will soon be checking your eyelids for cracks. It’s hard to remember how long we have had the pond or some of the Koi. One of Dennis’ grandsons was not yet in school and A.J. just turned twenty one. The area began as my one and only flower bed and a bit late I realized that in total shade my choices of plants were few. On a whim Dennis and three little grandsons began the dig. We keep it simple and the Koi seem to thrive. As the pond is in shade there is no problem with algae but the adjacent Maple tree makes up for it.

  The heavy rain today pushed all of the buds of the forming leaves out and down. Later on there will be the seed pods and of course the windblown leaves love to take a dip as well. The huge yellow Koi is one of the original and when it is time to net him for the winter, he is a heavy one measuring almost 24 inches. Dennis has a horse tank in the garage for them to transfer to in the late fall. Once the temps fall to 40 – 45 degrees, they go dormant and enjoy the oxygen aeration pump from the bottom of the tank. It was a whim that has brought about many enjoyable hours, much like those that have aquariums within their homes. Is it any wonder why we have enjoyed the same cabin, season after season?

   
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  Noreen 10:54 pm on May 16, 2013 Permalink  

  Keeping Busy With Needlework 

  

  Keeping busy with needlework

  I am amazed how long it is taking me these days to do what I so took for granted a month ago. I was so concerned on getting winter grime off of windows and airing out quilts and blankets – I forgot the really nitty-gritty items. If there is a next time, you can rest assured I will have various needles threaded, each with a different-color thread. At this stage of the game, I am sticking with white thread and every other item white.

  I was given an assortment of buttons a time back and I decided to use them in a current wall hanging I am working on. Little buttons make great snow flakes. Yes, it may take me longer but it does burn energy and time. When the energy is gone it’s off to the patio for a cup of coffee and a break from this strenuous task.

   
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  Noreen 5:10 am on May 16, 2013 Permalink  

  One Cannot Deny that Spring is Finally Here 

  

  The pathway to our backyard

  One cannot deny spring is finally here with the smell of the yards being mowed for the first time. Dennis hit the rider lawn mower this forenoon and kept at it as there is a bit over an acre that we keep tidy. I, on the other hand, was spending time in the four season porch that we have added onto our detached garage. We do use it twelve months out of the year. Nothing says escaping cabin fever more than having a bit of quiet time in the porch. Prior to my surgery, I worked hard to get the porch ready for viewing the yards and gardens by getting the windows washed. As I whiled away a few hours in the porch I had a panoramic view to the north, east and west. When I grew weary of being inside I relocated to the patio. The photo I have included shows the porch and patio when it has come into its own.

  These first weeks of spring is all about watching and waiting to see how many perennials have made it through the winter and how many annuals will have to be tucked in here and there for good color. Dennis and I always kid each other that we lease the same cabin for the entire season, year after year. It really is a sweet place to heal and enjoy the sites.

   
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  Noreen 12:53 am on May 16, 2013 Permalink  

  The smell of the lawn being mowed is just the best ever evidence that the spring of 2013 is on.

   
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  Noreen 4:41 am on May 14, 2013 Permalink  

  What a great morning to be outside. The clouds and the cool temps beckoned me to check out the potting shed and yup the garden art was all there waiting and wondering if they would be let out of the shed this spring. This is the first year in many that Megan and Nicholas did not help. Usually when they come on their spring break the weather is doable — not so this year. One light piece at a time (whatever the right arm could do) found a place within the gardens. I had several pieces I knew I couldn’t handle with one arm and sure enough Dennis happened to stick his head into the potting shed to see how I was doing. I didn’t over do it but it least it looks like Grammie still lives here. A light noon lunch and I knew that would be enough for the first day of outside activity. By the sounds of it the temps are going to be in the 90s tomorrow. The potted flowers are still in the garage porch from the threat of frost several nights ago. High winds are coming with the 90-plus temps tomorrow and the plants will appreciate not being whipped to death. We are going to take this spring slow and steady.

   
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  Noreen 9:44 pm on May 11, 2013 Permalink  

  Nothing feels better than getting far enough away from the surgical date and getting into the recovery days to the point that I can dress myself. I do remind myself of grand daughter Megan when she was about two and decided she could dress herself. Just like Megan my attire for the day may not match but the important thing is – I did it myself and I couldn’t wait to get the sling back on the arm that was feeling like it weighed a ton. Thank heavens for tops that have zippers. Here I am showered and dressed and ready for a day. When I went out to walk the yards to check on perennials that may have popped out of the soil it didn’t take long my fingers and my nose made me realize how cold it feels. Forty eight degrees is quite mild but the wind is horrific and it’s coming from the north. Dennis assured me that the pots that are nested on the north side of the garage porch will be put inside as Sunday night the temps are really predicted to plummet. Spring is yet again taking a step backwards.

   
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  Noreen 3:37 am on May 9, 2013 Permalink  

  It’s a gloomy cool day but considering what has gone on at Stauffer Ave – it couldn’t be more perfect. We have a wonderful three tier flower planter that is cemented into the southwest corner of the patio and it meets and greets everyone when the plants come into their own. We tried Geraniums for several years but the heat, wind and the fact that they need to be dead headed for continuous blooms was unsatisfactory. We stumbled upon the little wax begonias. They take the weather and will bloom until the frost. The 13 pots have been potted and will be sheltered on the north side of the garage porch as they settle into the Miracle Grow during some cool temperature days and nippy nights. A photo will be posted when they are placed into their show case.

   
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  Noreen 3:05 am on May 7, 2013 Permalink
  Tags: Dennis ( 40 ), Doctor Jesse ( 3 ), shoulder ( 5 )   

  This is what I am talking about – full sunshine with no wind. Just got a phone call from the clinic and tomorrow I will have all the staples removed by my favorite — Dr. Jesse. Everything is progressing just as he predicted and after tomorrow we will find out what the next step is in the shoulder recovery. I must say that keeping the sling on is not a challenge for me. It just gives me that feeling of security and the arm feels like it weighs a ton without the support. I do have a little job to finish up before I get too far away from the surgery date. Oh yes, I had nerves and butterflies on that morning and the only other person more nervous was Dennis. As the IV people were doing their probing a nurse came in and all I could see of her as she was cloaked in scrubs and a hair cover and her face mask were her eyes. I knew those eyes and they were twinkling. It was a gal I had worked with for twenty five years as she was the clerk for one of the townships that our office serviced. From that point on I was ready, willing and able to face the surgery. How fantastic that of all the procedures scheduled for that morning, she was the surgical nurse assigned to me! Rolling down the long corridors from the intake room to the operating room we chatted and caught up with our interests: family and quilting. Today it was my pleasure writing her a “thank you” note for all she had done to start this shoulder procedure down the road to success.

   
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  Noreen 2:45 am on May 3, 2013 Permalink
  Tags: cousin Janet, Kersten ( 6 )   

  After a huge snowfall yesterday to ring in the first of May, there is little evidence left 24 hours later. The mailman brought a package today and just like a little kid on Christmas morning there was an urgency. The return address was from my cousin Janet at Foley, Minnesota. What will pull you up short is having only one arm with which to open one of the “if it fits – it ships” boxes. With two arms they present a challenge. Dennis and his ever-ready pocketknife made it possible to gain entrance into the treasure hunt. From the inside tumbled out the most amazing set of embroidered dish towels. Now, you would think that surely I needed to set out to send a thank you note, and yet with the towels was a thank you note addressed to “Noreen and Kersten.” A time passed Kersten had shared some sewing supplies with me and I shared some of them forward to Janet. There is truth when finding abundance in paying it forward. Now I need to share this unexpected gift with Kersten to complete the circle.