Blueberries

Are you smarter than a robin? or can you just hack into a Facebook account?

I ask this to everyone, because apparently I'm not. I love watching the birds. I have two birdbaths in my perennial gardens in the front and really enjoy seeing how much they enjoy fresh water and knowing that I'll always have it available. A good bath, a little drink...lovely, except the crows who enjoy leaving chicken bones, not so pretty and they don't look good with the poppies.

Since I planted my new berry garden in the back, I put netting over the raspberries so that the birds wouldn't bother them. Well I had extra netting and thought I'd put it over my blueberries, which I baby every single plant and berry. The crop this year is great. I'd see how many green ones I have on the limbs and anxiously wait the turning of green, pink, blue to purple....time to pick and make something delicious! The darling little girls next door do come over when I'm home and we pick a few berries and they love it as much as I do. But what is happening??? Where are all the berries going? Let me tell you. The monsters that I have been treating with fresh water have not been detoured by the netting to get to my berries because they are posting themselves on stakes that I keep to make the plants straight - okay now I have pulled those out of the ground. So then I see them, mind you 4-6 birds at a time, on the ground and hopping like frogs to get under the plant and snap a berry whatever color it is and pull it off! One big gulp and gone!

These guys were my friends, but I don't share my precious berries with anyone other than family. The birds have taken so many of the berries that I will now go to the farmers market and purchase some to freeze. What a pity.

Bad Funk

I'm in a funk.

Help me out ladies. During the past week or so, I've had some conversations, views on Facebook, outings with family members (outside of our Power of 4) that have not been very nice. They aren't good for me and don't make me feel good inside. I'm not sure how much is intentional, but it sure seems like it is once you look at all the facts, players and situations.

The only way I know how to get rid of this heaviness is cut off the source.

I like my life very lighthearted and giving without any drama or mean spirited involvement and lately it feels like that has been altered.

I guess my immediate solution is go out and work in the garden.

Great Movie

Okay everyone....I just finished an amazing movie called A Woman in Berlin. It is sub titled so you have to have time to read as well as watch. I love watching foreign films and don't mind that they are sub-titled. This one was very easy to enjoy the movie and read. No so many sentences at one time and slowly done.

Very nice. Please take the time and let me know how you like it.

My garden

You all know how much I love my gardens....my flowers in the front are beautiful and I love that I can bring them into the house and enjoy them. The sterling silver roses are smelling up the kitchen right now.

Well....let me now talk about my veggie garden! This last spring I expanded the garden and brought in new dirt. What an amazing difference this has made. I baby every item in there. I have one fig, lots and lots of zucchini and the plant itself if so beautiful and the biggest thing ever. The blossoms are gorgeous. We will be having lots of green beans and Tyler look out because I already have peppers from the "Salsa" section and we will be making that this fall.

Let me talk about my new berry section....this morning Charley is going to work on my house and so I went out about 7am and picked raspberries and blueberries and now I have fresh muffins cooling! I love getting product out of the much loved and cared for veggie garden.

Yesterday I talked to Dad about expanding the veggie garden even more next year...I guess this is when you can say "the fruit didn't fall far from the tree"...does it apply to me with Dad?


All in all, I'm starting my day with a big smile full of berry seeds!

Lunch

Today I'm meeting with dad, Denny and Uncle Paul for lunch.

I am looking forward to it and to listen to stories that I know once the conversation gets going, it won't be able to stop. Dad and Uncle Paul can reminisce as much as they want without any "outsiders" opinions and nonsense talk....(you all know who I mean and they will be absent).

I remember Uncle Paul as being very funny and joking around a lot. A bit like Grandpa Nugent. I hope that my memory is accurate and I'm not just assuming this due to the fact that he looks so much like Grandpa Nugent.

So in a couple of hours, the three of us will trek up to Everett in the fog and me with welcome treats for Aunt Mary Helen of 9 Day Sweets and banana/blueberry muffins.