Tuesday, June 05, 2007
LITTLE LESSONS.....
I’ve been busy in the yard yesterday and today. I bought some new hose, hose wand, weed killer, liquid and powder Seven. Every year I’ve watched beautiful clumps of hollyhocks come up only to be eaten by something. Just before blooming the leaves look like Swiss cheese and the promising buds are brown and dry. Whatever it is that eats them must suck all the moisture out. I have waged war on the pesky things and hope to have blooms this year.
Hollyhocks are one of those old fashioned flowers that used to be around every farm house. I loved them when I was a kid and I still love them. They’re just one of those sweet things that are old fashioned and tough enough to survive with the modern hybrids. The colors are so varied and as beautiful as any orchid except the orchids that Rocky gave to me.
I’ve had quite the time saving birds this Spring. Along with the ones I’ve taken right out of the jaws of my cats, today I went to the garage for some garden supplies and a young blue jay flew through the open door. My three outside kitties were laying on top of the van taking a nap when the jay started flying wildly to get out and squawking his head off. Of course, they came to immediate attention and began sizing the situation up.
There was high drama with me trying to get the bird out, the cats trying to get the bird and the bird flitting and flying crazily up in the rafters. He squawked loudly with each fly-over and for the life of me I couldn’t understand why he wouldn’t fly out the large double door. He kept flying on top of the raised door and never noticed the big open space below it. His eyes were only looking up. Now while that is quite complimentary in a “spiritual” kind of way, it wasn’t getting him anywhere.
The cats grew tired of the game and opted to get off the van and wander out to a cooler spot. I thought if left alone, the bird might get his breath and make the final exit. I left to take more boxes to be burned and came back to find the bird still there. I then devised a plan of backing the car out to show him a bigger space of an open door but my hopes weren’t realized. I left with another bunch of boxes to burn and when I came back…..the little bird had left the building, as they say. Finally!! Some days it’s a lot of work to save a little critter.
My mother used to walk among her flowers each morning to see what was budding or blooming and she would relate their progress to me later in the day when I would see her. She enjoyed her plants, both wild or some she had planted. It was common to see a small vase on her table with a bloom or two in it. She fed the birds and even when she had to be in the nursing home, she watched them and enjoyed the flowers on her daily stroll.
Life is funny. We just don’t get the big picture until it’s time. When we slow down and look around, God is everywhere…..and as my mother used to say….always in the garden.
Until tomorrow, I am,
Essentially Esther
Hollyhocks are one of those old fashioned flowers that used to be around every farm house. I loved them when I was a kid and I still love them. They’re just one of those sweet things that are old fashioned and tough enough to survive with the modern hybrids. The colors are so varied and as beautiful as any orchid except the orchids that Rocky gave to me.
I’ve had quite the time saving birds this Spring. Along with the ones I’ve taken right out of the jaws of my cats, today I went to the garage for some garden supplies and a young blue jay flew through the open door. My three outside kitties were laying on top of the van taking a nap when the jay started flying wildly to get out and squawking his head off. Of course, they came to immediate attention and began sizing the situation up.
There was high drama with me trying to get the bird out, the cats trying to get the bird and the bird flitting and flying crazily up in the rafters. He squawked loudly with each fly-over and for the life of me I couldn’t understand why he wouldn’t fly out the large double door. He kept flying on top of the raised door and never noticed the big open space below it. His eyes were only looking up. Now while that is quite complimentary in a “spiritual” kind of way, it wasn’t getting him anywhere.
The cats grew tired of the game and opted to get off the van and wander out to a cooler spot. I thought if left alone, the bird might get his breath and make the final exit. I left to take more boxes to be burned and came back to find the bird still there. I then devised a plan of backing the car out to show him a bigger space of an open door but my hopes weren’t realized. I left with another bunch of boxes to burn and when I came back…..the little bird had left the building, as they say. Finally!! Some days it’s a lot of work to save a little critter.
My mother used to walk among her flowers each morning to see what was budding or blooming and she would relate their progress to me later in the day when I would see her. She enjoyed her plants, both wild or some she had planted. It was common to see a small vase on her table with a bloom or two in it. She fed the birds and even when she had to be in the nursing home, she watched them and enjoyed the flowers on her daily stroll.
Life is funny. We just don’t get the big picture until it’s time. When we slow down and look around, God is everywhere…..and as my mother used to say….always in the garden.
Until tomorrow, I am,
Essentially Esther
