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"Life doesn't have to be perfect to be wonderful."
- Unknown

"That which does not kill you, makes you stronger."
- Handed down through the ages.

"Life's tough. It's even tougher when you're stupid."
- John Wayne



60 Days 'til . . . .

Today is the 25th. Of October. But it's the 25th, nonetheless. Know what that means? 60 short days until Christmas. AAAAAAAAAAAGHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! Then, KAPUT! Another year's come and gone, and I wasn't even ready for it to begin with! (How's that for a defeatist attitude?) As the cross-stitch sampler in the kitchen of my childhood read, "Someday we gotta get organized." And, I know they say that "some" of these days are "none" of these days, but still . . . that's what I strive for. Eternally, it seems.

Anyway!

The approaching deadline of bad weather did get me out into the yard yesterday for the bulk of the day. I planted ALL of the perennials I had to get into the ground save the 13 mums and 7 (or so) hostas that I need Tom to dig the holes for (they're in an area with what I expect to be SOLID ground). I hauled all the carnations and bulbs inside to plant. Even though the carnations were sold with the perennials, their tags indicate that they're annuals . . . so I just didn't want to risk it. A search of their website gave no further information, unfortunately. So, I'll see what luck I have with them here in southern-facing windows for the winter. And, I'm going to force the bulbs with the double intent of enjoying aromatic, beautiful blooms in the dead of winter PLUS being able to give them away as Christmas gifts.

I got a good bit of yard clean-up done, too. You know how some people wage war against dandelions? Well, my enemy is the dried, HUGE, ugly, MASSIVE stalks that summer's blooming Evening Primroses leave behind. Don't get me wrong, I really enjoy these plants in the summertime, but when they dry up and go to seed in the fall, they get U-G-L-Y. So, I pulled about 1/2 of them yesterday. It's satisfying work to see the yard getting cleaned up, but the stalks are 4 - 5' tall and grow in a wide-spread clump. (I.e., they're not easy to work with.) After I loaded them into the wheelbarrow (load after load, mind you), I trucked them up to the wood furnace and shoved 'em in. And, ahhh, what a satisfactory sizzling and popping they made! ('Course, the plants also dropped about a zillion - yep, I counted - minute seeds on their way to incineration, so there'll be plenty more plants to pull next fall.)

There had been the lightest of light mists coming down during the day yesterday, but it started raining in earnest by the time Tom got home. So, it felt good to lie in bed last night hearing the rain - knowing that I'd gotten the bulk of the fall planting done. And, in reality, the moisture will help soften the soil for the last holes we need to dig for the mums and hostas.
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I've started making jewelry (I know, in my spare time!), and this is my first attempt at earrings. The stone is lapis. I'm happy with 'em. Eventually, once I get the long-promised Chicken Mama Originals website up, these (earrings/jewelry) will be there for sale, too.
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Oh, and finally, I should address the fun new addition to this blog: our (for the under-25 crowd) avatars or . . . as I prefer . . . animated cartoon "selves"! They took a long time to make (especially the first one), but ohmygawd they were fun to do! My excuse for taking the time was that it was one of my 'recovering from being sick' days earlier this week. I think I got Tom spot-on (hee hee!), but I had a harder time with myself - especially my face. But, since I used an animation that keeps my face moving, you can't really tell. I'll have to work on improving that.

I have to say, though, that in doing this, I realized that this type of computer "toy" is DEFINITELY geared for the younger set! What were my two hints? Well, first, one of the "themes" you could choose from was '30+ Avatars' (cough, cough, splutter!). And, the second was that there were 5 body types
to choose from for women, and the one I chose was THE HEAVIEST! Hahahahahahahahaha!!! I wanted my cartoon to be as realistic as possible, but this was the heaviest I could make myself! Oh, lordy . . . . (And so then, equally as scary, keep in mind that the four sizes other than the one I chose were smaller, small, teensy, and near-skeleton!) Ah, yes . . . .

Okay, onto checking account balancing and finishing the indoor carnation & bulb plantings.

4 comments:

  1. Me! Me! Me, please! May I have a pot of your forced bulbs as a Christmas gift?

    Your lapis earrings are GAW-GEOUS! Keep at it. In your spare time. :)

    Mama Pea

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  2. Your avatars are cute--isn't that fun creating them?

    I like those earrings too--I'm looking for some with blue stones. Can't wait till you get your website going to see more of your creativity.

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  3. RuthieJ,

    The avatars could be dangerously addicting, is what they could be! :)

    Thanks for the compliment on the earrings! Sooo . . . you're looking for new ones? Give me some idea(s) for a new style. Silver? Gold? Dangly? Small? I have other blue stones that I can play with . . . . It would be fun to make some with a potential customer in mind!

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  4. Silver and dangly--as long as I get a choice! :-)

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