conscious conservatory

It has been a lovely weekend, yes it was quiet, some unplanned activities, but all in all it was quite nice.  I did not get to go for a ride but I did enjoy myself just the same.  I got to raid the garden for a few little treasures.  I took some wonderful photos, laughed at a few, cringed inwardly at others.  I even found a few moments to read, now that was really nice.  I think the best part was just hanging out with my little family. 

I am sorry to say that it was time, maybe a little past time, but now it is done.   The fig tree has been cut down almost to the ground.  While it pleases me to see that there are little baby shoots growing out of the limbs close to the ground, I am so very sorry to see all the old growth dead.  I am hoping that next year it will grow and be as fruitful as it had been in the past. 

The little tomato plants are showing me the cutest little fruit.  I think I will take pictures of them everyday. 

It is just like a mini jungle going on in a mash barrel.

thank you 

Baby baby you know it's true

I am so looking forward to this weekend.  I have my day planned for tomorrow, I am going to make sauce.  I have depleted all my reserves, I gave my Mom & Dad the last of it.   I have gotten almost everything that I need to get started on the new batch.

We made the decision not to have a large garden this year, well not as large as it was last year.  We planted, only one type of basil and oregano.  We do have three tomato plants.  I will go out in the morning for the herbs for sauce.

The tomatoes have cute almost little flowers.

This tomato plant is in the mash barrel.  The others are planted in the ground.  I will go tomorrow and take some pictures of them and the parsley.

The birds were very happy chirping in the "rosti-bush" so I decided to see if I could stick the camera in and take a picture of them.  The only thing I did get was pricked by the thorns on that thing.....

The Hosta-funkies are starting to bloom too.

The flowers are so very pretty.

Ain't nobody in this world for me but you....

in your eyes

While it is true that we did not go for a weekend away or even a short ride,  we shared a time just the same.  I like the us as it once was.

Herbs and veggies were planted, I just need to get regular oregano and Thai basil.  Parsley, I need to get more parsley....regular flat leaf.

The dreaded "cleaning of the stove" was sort of started, the hood fan got cleaned.  According to the manufacturer we can put baffles for the fan into the dishwasher, well we did that twice now, and it does not work.  Both times they had to be soaked in simple green, then scrubbed and then put into the dishwasher.  Maybe we don't have the right dishwasher mmmmmm.  Andrew decided that maybe they can be power washed, and yup, it worked.  After the baffles were dried, he tackled the rest of the hood and then the backguard,  All done now and it looks great.  Next, the top of the stove.....but not today.....

it's Sunday night, and well tomorrow is coming up real fast.

the resolution of all the fruitless searches
 

So I'll try to see into your eyes right now.....

I love Saturdays....they make me smile, I especially like them when we are on vacation, except when we are going home the next day.  I made the list of what needs to be done for tomorrow so that we can go for a ride in the morning, then home for a Father's Day dinner.

I would like to say that I am almost finished with my online coarse, I'm not.  It is with heavy eyes, from falling asleep, to say that I am not even 1/5 of the way done.  Next week I am going to finish cause I can't take it any longer, it is just boring, way too boring....  Decision made, no more boring classes.

It is with a heavy heart that I finally admit, the fig tree has probably given up the ghost.  We had such a harsh winter that it perished.  We have visited others that have fig trees, spoken with the Rutgers' gardeners, and it is not looking to good.  They have said to cut it down to nothing and be hopeful for next year.  It did not matter that it was not wrapped, because those that did wrap them, still lost them.  Andrew thought that because he did some trimming, it caused it to perish.  Nothing mattered they all seem to have died.  Lucy and Nick, the Italian couple from around the block, lost all 6 of theirs.  They have trimmed theirs all the way to the soil, and will hope for the best next year.  Lucy also said that her son has lost about $2,000.00 worth of ornamental shrubs along with all of his fig trees.  What I don't understand is that the two kinds of parsley and chives made it.  Go figure.

The Hosta-funkies along with all the other flowers made it.  The Cat-tails have multiplied exponentially, they have spread like wildfire.  I am also pleased to say that weeds are growing in leaps and bounds. My heart hurts for Andrew because he is completely devastated over this.  I thought that I should to pick up another for him, but I decided against it.  While I know that it would please him, I think that he would like to go together to pick it out.

I am going to get my happy ass together and go do what needs to be done by me today.

And stay right here, 'cause these are the good old days....

this is the concrete.....

it was always there lurking about but it was always out on the fringes, and we were insulated, kept away from the hurt that could be inflicted.  They succeeded in keeping it away, but I have failed, failed most miserably.  I am so very, very sorry for not being able to keep it at bay...



and these are my damaged petals....

the heart of the matter....

Friday was the beginning of a most beautiful weekend, my Mom and Dad came for a visit on Wednesday and stayed til Friday morning.  Glenette cut my Mom's hair, it is coming back in with gusto.  They had big plans for the weekend, so after her cut, they got themselves ready, said they would be back soonest, and off they went.  I gave Glenette a ride to the Michaels', and then ran about doing my things.

 

Andrew beat me home, that was so very nice to see him home before me.  He had his bike out and on the lift, redoing his front rim.  He asked me if I wanted to go for a ride when he finished, yeah baby, I ran into the house to feed the dogs.  While they were eating, I changed to more suitable clothing. finished up with the dogs, put them out, cleaned their bowls, grabbed my flow-thru and helmet, and out the door I went.   I did get ready fast, now that was a first.  When he took out my bike, my belly went into full tilt, I was nervous, giddy, beyond butterflies.  I was shaking with anticipation.  When  I asked where we going to go, not that it mattered.  Andrew said to the dealer for new grips and levers.  My grips are worn out, they are sticky, I hate sticky, I must wear gloves or else my hands turn black and sticky.  The levers on the other hand are not necessary, he just thinks that I should have new ones because they are naked ladies, this "discussion" has been going on for 5 years.  I bought them for Andrew when he first got the bike, and they have been on since.  His old chrome ones went onto my heritage because that bike came with just regular ones.  Andrew wanted me to lead to the dealer, I went about a block or two, said I wanted to follow, it was going to take a bit to get my sea legs back.  My first couple of turns were like I was driving a Mack truck, big wide turns.  I find that it is pretty awesome that even after all these many years I am still absolutely excited, thrilled and that I get butterflies from doing my most favorite things.  One of them being riding my bike, the other being with Andrew.  It is kind of crazy.

When we arrived at the dealer he went to parts, I went to clearance.  Andrew was ready and checked out long before I was even thinking about checking out.  He bought the grips and levers.  The levers were a nutty price, no no no, I don't need them, I am perfectly happy with what I have, I just need new grips, so I got new grips and 3 tops ($15.00 each on clearance), that is more like it.  We raced home.  Nothing like good clearance, the thought of non-sticky grips, a race down Route 1 with my best friend to make a girl happy.  After a nice long hot shower, I went to bed with the biggest smile on my face.

There was very little fanfare, no small parade, no parties, no guest speakers, not much a anything, just exactly what I needed and wanted, no more, no less to celebrate my birthday.  I got my first and second ride of the season, and a most wonderful Thai dinner.  

I really don't know when it happened or where it all went, but somehow I aged.  The years slipped by, all too quickly.  The funny thing is just yesterday I was 15, Chrissy and I were talking about how we would be at 30 and how far off it was, and now today, I am 52.  I remember my Grandmother when she turned 50.  I guess she thought the very same things, oh how I wish she was here to tell me.  Mor always told me exactly what was what, nothing waxed, nothing altered, just exactly what.  While she did refuse to dust my motorcycle when it was parked in the living room, she very expertly dusted and vacuumed around it,  she never refused me.  I relished and relived her stories of how things were for her, for them, for us, for me.  She was my greatest champion.  Mor has been gone an all to short but oh so long 10 years, and a million tears.  I would love to have one more day.  She told me that you can't change what was, only what is to be.  I have learned  forgiveness.  It has become my greatest feat. 

Saturday started out to be a most wonderful day, I got up around 6 am, Buddy had to go out, I stumbled downstairs with Chico in my arms, now that was a sight, me tripping, him growling, snarling, ready to take a chunk out of any body part he could sink his teeth into.  If ever I thought he was a grouchy dog before ain't got nothing on the miserable beast he is now.  I think that being blind, deaf and not being able to smell has added to his orneriness.  I turned the coffee pot on, and took Advil, I had such a headache.  I checked the news online, like I do everyday, they still have not found the plane.  Read the news, fiddled with a new playlist, the usual stuff.  Of course, I threw in a load of wash, cause what would a day be without doing wash?  Around 9:30 I had a nap because my headache would not go away.

When I got up at 11:30, I had a shower, got dressed, and went outside.  Andrew had the yards mowed, weedwacked, and edged.  He had my bike up on the lift to change the headlight.  He had already changed the grips.  The whole front of fairing had to come off, what a hassle, only to find that the high-beam was not burned out, but that the wiring harness was burned.  I read in some motorcycle magazine that you should ride during the day with your high-beams on because you become more visible.  Yeah well that may be true, but I guess they did not take into consideration the heat that is generated in a confined space may have an adverse effect. He fixed the harness, both headlamps work on regular beam and high beam.

I asked if my tire was as dire as they made it seem, he said no.  I need one yes, but I could have a bit of riding on it.  So that is what we did.  The front cowl went onto the hooks, and reattached easily, thank goodness, cause it could be a bitch, everything is back together.  I decided that it would behoove me not to ride with my brights on during the day.  We finished up outside, Andrew put the bikes away, while I fed the dogs.  We went for dinner and had a most wonderful time.

We planned on taking a ride on Sunday, and we did just that.  It is wonderful to be riding again.  It thrills my soul.

Have a care, don't ever put into play something that will profoundly hurt the person that loves you.   "There are people in your life who've come and gone.  They let you down and hurt your pride.  Better keep it all behind you; life goes on.  You keep carrying that anger, it'll eat you inside."

But I think it's about forgiveness...