POTTED MEMORIES

                                                             Fall day at the lake

The date palm has been in this pot for over 5 years. We named him Walter Rose.  Before the transplant, WR was just a sprout growing next to his 20+ feet family. SIL rescued him in 1994, after the sale of the family farm.  He kept it in a bucket on his side yard, kept it watered and always wondered why it never would grow. Not one to throw away any plant struggling to stay alive, my SIL never gave up on Walter. Before the sale of his home, he transplanted him into this pot. Seems that was what it needed!  He gave it to me after the sale of his home.
 The first date palms planted on the Farm was in 1919. There were about 8 palms lined in front of the orchard, in front of the family home. Spending a lot my childhood on the farm, date season was the favorite time of the year. First date picking/eating was September. As long as there were dates on the tree and the birds were kept at bay, we were all in date heaven!  When the trees were to tall to climb, we would line the ground with old irrigation tarps, shake the trees until all the ripe ones would fall. We always saved just enough for Grandmother to make date desserts.  Now I pay $9.99 per lb. at our local health food store...missing the old days.....

Feeling Groovy!

Loving the clouds we've had recently as they helped keep direct sun off the Actinic keratoses (sun related skin damage, a sort of pre cancer) as well as a basal cell cancer I had treated with liquid nitrogen. The daily care is to avoid sunlight exposure! These conditions are not uncommon for Arizona natives, and unfortunately I added to the daily sun assult with active unbathing in my earlier years. It's hard not to get sun exposure here! I walk, garden and stay on my patio swing for hours. What's a girl supposed to do? I'm going to have to be more diligent with my use of SPF 50 UVB/UVA sunscreen. Better late than never. They say these things take decades to show up from sun damage, so I'm paying the price for my earlier activities. Seems the chickens always come home to roost!



It has been such a wonderful spring! The wonderful weather has kept me motivated to stay on track with my walking and hiking routine and the loose clothing keeps me on my diet! Thirteen pounds lost so far, enough to elevate my mood. I AM GOING TO STAY ON THIS DIET!

Look what I found! Tomatoes! Hoping they will ripen before the heat hits. I planted four plants in the garden, looking for the best spot. So, far, that's proven to be my northern exposure block fence area. This area has produced the most beans and tomatoes.

My first "mess of beans" and just enough for me! They were delicious--I added them to my Nutri System mashed potatoes. What a treat!

A great sunset to end another great day!

Spring Update

On the road coming back home from Tucson I saw this beautiful sunset. I don't take very many sunset photos as I am usually in my east-facing back yard paradise. This was a pleasure to see most of the way home.

Lolly follows me everywhere and loves smelling all the flowers in the garden. She now weights 4lbs 6 oz. Her first birthday was December 28, 2011.

Shasta daisies bloomed this week and I'm waiting for all my wildflowers to bloom!

My climbing nasturtium is loving our beautiful weather, which has been running in the high 70s.

Another great grandchild on the way! My first grandson is going to be a father! I found this cute vase at Goodwill, and added the flowers for the mother-to-be.

I pruned the grape vine (it's either a Thompson or a red flame) and made the grape wreath from the trimmings. I'm hoping this second season produce some grapes.

Here's a few things in my garden that I love:

My turtle planter that I found in Indiana about 10 years ago. Turr Tull hasn't ventured out yet to join him again. The winter has been very mild. Yesterday it was 81 degrees, warm enough for Turr Tull to wake up and join the world again!

My adorable turtle watering can.

More smiles-Hubby will be finished with his second round of Chemo in March. Only three months on this time--now the plan is to stay in remission for another year! And, another smile as I stepped on the scales today--7 pounds gone!!! Yeah!

One thing I don't like is my laptop! I barely touch anything and photos disappear, color changes, then it takes off to other websites. I need to get a wireless keyboard to go along with the wireless mouse. I should have just bought a PC. Maybe I'd post more if it wasn't such a frustration!

Mooning Glory

Full moon 9-23-10. Photo taken at 6:44 pm. Love it!

Still having Birthday parties for the month on September. For the first time ever we are scheduling two September birthday parties in October. Seems like going to work is a priority for some people! Great grandson will be here from NC to celebrate his 1st birthday! October will be as busy as September. I will have to make time for my fall planting between celebrations, visiting, and my second trip to NC! And to top that off, it's been so dang hot here that anything planted this early would surely die!

Not sure how my daughter works full time and still manages all the beautiful parties! Another one is planned for this weekend for her Hub's 60th bash!

One of my daughter's recent parties...

Staying busy is the best way to cope when our Disneyland life is imploding. More on that later. In the meantime, good news! Sister said she read that women over age 65 need not diet unless they are grossly obese, as it is hard on the body and the benefits of dieting are countered with hazards. Can't get any better than that--I'm 66!!

Dark Clouds in Pugdeduck's World

Dark clouds are hanging over my world right now. My hubby has been diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma, a cancer of plasma cells. We are in a stage of denial right now, and hope to stay there. Treatment includes chemo and blood transfusions. Transfusions have started, and chemo will start next week. We are taking one day at a time with this. Hubby has good days and bad days, and as unfortunate as this news is, at least we finally have a diagnosis that appears accurate instead of all the previous dismissals, misdiagnosis and simplistic, superficial treatments, and we can focus on getting him the right care.



And other bit of sad news; my daughter's family dog Blue, who was deathly afraid of thunder and lightening, became terrified during a recent storm, and trying to get into the house, actually jumped from the outside through a screened window. They were not at home at the time. My grandson, home on leave from basic training, was taking care of the pets during their absence. When he investigated, he found Blue badly injured from the jump and fall and in terrible pain. Pain pills were ordered, and the dog continued to deteriorate. When my grandson took him into the vet's, he determined the pain pills had caused the dog's kidneys to shut down and that death was imminent, so he was put to sleep. My daughter and family are now on the way home from their holiday vacation, and it will be a sad time for them after losing their long-time pet.



2009 has been a year of wonderful highs--the birth of my first great grandchild--and now some very sad lows for us. I do hope 2010 will be better.

Sunset

Heaven - it is God's throne. The earth - it is his footstool.

Matthew 5:34-35

Oh My!

“If I can put one touch of rosy sunset into the life of any man or woman, I shall feel that I have worked with God.”

- G. K. Chesterton

Sunset Season

Sometimes I think this is the best time of the year for gorgeous sunsets, even more than during the Monsoon season in summer. This one occurred last evening as I had dinner at my daughter's. It doesn't get any better than this!

I haven't had a Christmas tree for over 26 years now, but each year after Christmas I've always purchased lots of decorations and stored them in the garage, filling over four floor-to-ceiling closets! I guess I figured maybe the next year I would get a tree.

Then, a few years ago I decided to simplify my life and declutter. I started in the garage and gave away all my best pieces to my daughters and I donated the rest. My sister did the same, and boy did the kids luck out! She had a ton of really nice stuff. They can decorate their homes each year with a different theme! When my sis visits, she always comments about how nice the decorations are, and says things like, "That's a great piece. It looks like something I would buy if I still decorated." The funny thing is, it was something she did buy, gave away, and forgot about! When that happens you know you had too much stuff.

I always help my daughter's decorate their homes and trees, so I do get my decorating fix! I'm not sure if I will buy more this year. Probably not, but I never know if the urge will hit when I see all the after Christmas sales.

Sunset

looking out my front door this evening......

SUNSET

See the decending sun,

Scatt'ring his beams about him as he sinks,

And gilding heaven above, and seas beneath,

With paint no mortal pencil can express.

Hopkins

Evening Stroll

I just noticed the Coots have come back. A few were hanging out around the spray fountains. Soon, the sidewalks will be covered with Coot droppings. This is a yearly nuisance, and all the elaborate planning by the HOA did no good in getting rid of them.

My garden is in transition right now and it is pretty boring, so I'll take you on my evening walk around the lake. I live right across from the boat dock on the other side of the lake. I wanted to get a photo of the sunset, but I didn't judge the time right and just missed it.

This is our only hope found in these troubling times.

II CHRONICLES 7-14

Wednesday Wanderings

Each evening my two daughters , granddaughter and I walk around our two community lakes. It is still pretty hot and I only walk one 1-1/2 mile lake now. As soon as it cools off, I will finish the second lake with the kids. Yes, I am blessed with having my children and all my grandchildren living within 3 blocks of my home.




About half way home the sun is almost setting . The mountain in the back ground will be destroyed for the shopping center. Not sure how much will be gone.....doesn't make much sense.




I pass by this pygmy date palm on my nightly walk and I will soon be on the hunt for some fresh picked dates. The dates on the pygmy tree are not edible. I will gain 8 lbs. during the two weeks I binge day and night on the dates! I always buy enough to freeze for Thanksgiving and Christmas. But, come Thanksgiving, not one left! It doesn't take them very long to thaw out and anyway, they taste just as good cold. I admit I have a problem but I really don't have a desire to fix it. It only happens twice a year--fig and date season- well maybe more-soon after the date binges comes the pumpkin pie season. That last 2 months..... I just finished the "one a day" watermelon season. They have been expensive this year, costing $5 to $6 each. It is a good thing I never took up drinking--I may have been a raging alcoholic!

Over the years a lot of my binge seasons have disappeared--glazed donuts--ice cream--premium chocolate pinwheel cookies that are available only from March through October. They melt on the shelves. I'm not sure why my addiction to sweets has finally left me. Maybe I replaced it with gardening? Or just maybe Ecclesiastes 3-6, 'to everything there is a season'. It is just time to let some things go.

This neighborhood Ocotillo has kept its leaves throughout out the summer. This is one the best specimen in the neighborhood! Over the years I have planted two--they only lasted a couple years. This Ocotillo is 10-15 years old. I pass by it each day--it almost seems like mine!

Nature's Rhythm

I can't believe how many sunrises I have missed in my in my life! I never liked waking up early, and I've always set the alarm for the last possible minute when I had a choice. This is what I've been missing!

I started getting up early after my sister told me, not long ago, that if we were lucky and statistics were in our favor, that we had only about 250 full moons left in our lifetime. I took it to heart and started watching all sunrises, sunsets, and full moons. I also try to stop and smell most all the roses!

This was taken from my back patio at 6 AM this morning. This was after 0.08 inches of rain.
"NO SPRING, NOR SUMMER BEAUTY HATH SUCH GRACE,

AS I HAVE SEEN IN ONE AUTUMNAL FACE."

-- JOHN DONNE

New Swing on the Way

We had a rain/wind storm a few nights ago, and it left a lot of destruction around the area.

This is what's left of my beloved swing. It is a goner, the top frame is bent and the cover torn. I found it the next morning at the side of my house along with a few upturned cactus in containers. The grape ivy vine shown in the first photo covered most all the wall. We cut it back to 18 inches and covered the exposed roots. Hopefully it will recover. The good news is I will be getting a new swing for my 32nd anniversary!

I can't even imagine the destruction Gustav has created. It certainly makes my damage seem minor.

Today, not a cloud in sight! All is peaceful on the lake at dawn.

This is progress here, shaving down of a couple mountains to make way for a shopping center.

Another shopping center one mile away is planned, and a much larger mountain is to be demolished! There are miles and miles of flat land nearby, but that would take less work and would make too much sense to build there. Plus, the other one will be built directly across the street from a grammar school. It's just odd how they decide these things. I really hate seeing hills and mountains demolished for a few stores.

It will be nice though to be able to walk to a grocery store.............

Sweet the Pleasure

A picture is a poem without words.

Backyard Beauty

O she is all perfection,

All that the blooming earth can send forth fair

All the the gaudy heavens could drop down glorious.

~ Lee