Slow Down Rosie

Ok.. here I am today all wound up and still not taking time out to rest.  The whole thing with my daughter has consumed my time and my energy over the past days.

I find myself at times being resentful because I do so much for so many people.  That happens when I get very tired.  Then I get angry at myself for not being more giving.  That happens less these days than it used to in years past. I do love progress!

Daughter is having surgery tomorrow for a "blowout" fracture in her right orbital socket.  Hopefully it will be same day surgery, incision through conjunctival tissue and quick recovery.  I will be staying there tomorrow to take care of her kiddos.

This morning I made spaghetti sauce for one of the local homeless shelters.  Since youngest daughter's conversion to Islam, she has become quite good about volunteering to feed these people and offers me the opportunity to help out.  So I do.  Although it is a difficult for me to say, being so anti-religion for so long, I can see that her religious choices have helped her mature into a gracious caring young woman.

The rain has affected the veggie gardens.  The tomatoes are slow coming on, but seem to be growing well now.  I picked the first cucumber today and there are more on the vines.  Have seen an increase in honeybees which may be why the cucumbers are setting on nice fruit this year.  Hubs planted some "San Merino" tomatoes, a sweet Italian variety similar to Romas, have yet to pick one, but two are nearly ripe.  Plan to make a freezer sauce from these off of a recipe where you bake them in the oven w/garlic and herbs.  Planted more sweet corn and green beans today.  The first plantings produced but not enough to freeze. Am enjoying  using lots of fresh basil and other herbs. 

Loving the new pool and getting in as often as possible.  Still doing Five Tibetan Rites sporadically, working out and lifting some weights. 

Knitting on sweater continues.  Just cast on second sleeve.  Body is complete.  This is my first sweater and I am finding it takes quite a chunk of time to complete, but the joy is often in the work.. eh?

Ok.. now I am slowing down and breathing.. in and out.. in and out..

I seem to keep myself wound up tightly so I can keep up with all these things that I want to do and enjoy doing.  Yesterday I was tired a grumpy, but it passed.  My mother was much the same.  My granddaughter asked me yesterday if I only felt good when I was doing something.  So, I am thinking I might benefit from slowing down.  So I did for the time it took me to type this blog, and now something is buzzing at me.. the oven.. the washer, the dryer??   Guess I'll go check it out..

xposted to LJ

Wordless Wednesday

Gardens are Growing

I have just been so slothful when it comes to blogging but I've been really busy and it just seems to take a back seat sometimes.

Still working steadily on the socks.. almost finished with the first pair!

Here's what I've been working on outside:

First the garden path.. the whole thing had to be lifted and new sand put down underneath.. and we did one of the brick patios too!

Right now the iris are blooming and they are certainly beautiful:)

I've been picking salad greens for a couple of weeks and they are delicious..

And the girls are loving the new hanging chair too!

The Fall Garden

For the first time this year we planted a fall garden. Though we've had a lot of rain during the summer it has now slacked off and the spinach and lettuce look a little weak, and a mole decided to tunnel through the raised bed they're in. The cabbage has been attacked by something and we have dusted it with diatomaceous earth and hope that gets rid of the pests. The green beans, however, are flourishing, though growing much more slowly due to cooler temps and shorter days. They've got lots of little beans on there and I am hoping for a late frost this year so I will

be able to harvest some!

Finished at Last - Heart of the Garden

I am really pleased to have finished this piece as I started it months ago and then laid it aside. Then a couple of days ago BAM, it hit me and I knew just what I had to do to turn change it up a bit and finish it off.

Inspired by my love of gardens, hummingbirds, dragonflies and roses it is encrusted with gemstones of all kinds and shapes along with copper, sterling silver and swarovski crystals. I love it!!

I'm glad I saved it, and grateful that it's finished and listed in my shop : http://rosegardenfae.etsy.com.