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The Ebb and Flow of What We Know as Life…………


2010
04.19

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It has been a while, and I have missed my weekly blogging.  But, life has once again played havoc with my daily routines, and sitting at the keyboard just wasn’t and isn’t yet in the cards…..

Just as I started in earnest to weed out, pack up and prepare my house for sale, Dad took ill and his trips back and forth to the hospital and rehab put anything extra on hold.   For all the right reasons.  He’s so very much worth any and all efforts that go into his care and well-being.

I will be back!  To give you an indication of where we are at the moment, I will share with you the note I sent out to the family this morning:

Monday morning hi, all!  I’m the designated news disseminator for today.
 
The bad news – for the second time this past weekend, Dad (DOD – our dear old Dad) is back in the hospital.  We went Friday AM and returned later that day after consultation with the staff at Milford Hospital.  Then at 11 PM +/- Saturday night Pa was taken back to the hospital from the nursing home for a myriad of reasons.   He will have a few procedures today – one for a decision re: the necessity of replacing the bag that was put in place in the last procedure, that Dad over Friday night removed! ( :( )  The second is to attempt to find out why Dad is having such a difficult time swallowing.
 
The good news – we may, finally, have a diagnosis as to the nature of many of Pa’s discomforts as of last night, that being pneumonia.  While not a great thing, it is more apt to be treatable, which, hopefully, will give him some renewed strength to be able to deal with the gall stone blockage issue that remains.  They have started medication for the pneumonia and we are already seeing some improvement.  Yahoo!
 
All that being said, it was a vast relief for Bill and I last night.  When I got there at dinnertime, I fed Dad (totally liquid diet) and he “ate” with relish.  So much so, that I put in a call for additional Italian ices and he ate 2 more!  A major accomplishment cause Dad has been eating close to nothing for some time now.  Zero interest in even mashed potatoes, which for our pasty white guy is one of his favs!
 
So there is some calm for the moment, which afforded Billy and I, and our close partners (thanks, Shirl and Fran!!!), a night of cautious optimism and a chance to smile instead of brood!
 
More to come after Dad’s two procedures today.  Our fingers are crossed that he doesn’t lose his bed at the nursing home which would, unfortunately, have us shopping for a rehab locale once again when he is discharged from the hospital.
 
Keep the prayers and positive thoughts coming his way – it sure would be nice to have him feeling more like his wonderful self again, doncha think?
 
Love u all, K

Thanks to all of you, my online friends, for hanging in there with me! 

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Nesting in the Spring Kitchen Garden … Wednesday What-Nots


2010
04.07

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The blog post for today has been postponed, due to a family medical emergency.  Please check back tomorrow!  Thanks much…..

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A Gardeners Journal … Wednesday What-Nots


2010
03.24

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Posted in On My Mind, The Kitchen Garden | No Comments »

Thought I’d change it up a bit today.   I am definitely in “Garden 2010 Configuration Mode”, and, as this is our first full springtime season in our lovely new house, we are planning and scheming as to what changes/additions we want to make to our small plot near the sea.  This morning we walked, anxious to be out on a pretty morn after yet another deluge of rain yesterday.  It was a good time to brainstorm and take a few pics.

morning walk

Other than redoing the front entranceway to the house (got some ideas/pics on our walk), we are also thinking about ways to privatize our little backyard a bit, make it more cozy …  nest-like, natch!

To add to the mix, it’s almost time to plant.  Time to dig out (no pun intended!) the gardening journal and do some planning.  Thought that I would tell you about my journal, as I am also planning to create a few blank gardening journals for my Etsy shop customers, and it’ll give you a sneak preview.  As usual, I’ve also got some resources to share.

My gardening journal has evolved over the years from rudimentary scribblings and sketches on a legal pad to a more refined (?), definitely better organized sourcebook for all things related to my garden.  As my experience, expertise (if you can call it that!), and enjoyment of the garden grew, so did my documentation of  it.  Each year, it’s like seeing an old friend again…

I use a looseleaf binder, which has been customized over time as the garden has grown and changed.  In it is a calendar, some graph paper, as well as a diagram of my existing vegetable garden, which consists of six cedar raised-bed boxes and multiple surrounding containers of various compositions.  There are pics of the plantings surrounding the house, source/resource pages, magazine images of ideas, and more.  Even a tide chart – to plan my forays to the beach to pick up stones and such.  An envelope contains seed packets, labelled with the year at the end of each season, stored away for reference, and replaced with one for the next growing season.

I use a blank calendar template from vertex42.com in a portrait orientation to record planting dates, reminders, even occasional notes re: the weather, and much more.  This website has an absolute wealth of Excel spreadsheets and templates on every subject from travel, to sports, personal finance, home inventory, and more. Very user-friendly, too.

In each of my raised planting boxes, I will supplement/amend the soil this spring with compost from last year, and rotate the plantings so as to make best use of the soil. I first learned about “crop rotation” in Eliot Coleman’s book, “The New Organic Grower“.  It’s a detailed chapter, but easy to follow and quite informative. The Yankee Gardener website gives some good basic info, too.  I equally enjoy and often use “The Organic Kitchen Garden“, as much for the great info and the fab photos. Gorgeous!

Another gardening book I recommend are “Carrots Love Tomatoes” and “Roses Love Garlic” – a book (originally two books, now combined into one) devoted to companion planting – plants that assist each other to grow well, plants that repel insects, and even plants that repel other plants. Very practical stuff, and fun to read. And I love “Trowel and Error” – tricks, tools, and shortcuts … over 700 of them!

My journal has a list of these, and other, reading references but also contact info for local garden centers and garden-related resources I’ve used over time or that have been recommended to me by friends and neighbors.

A few other garden journal tidbits to share, before I move on to the activities of the day…

In Walmart, I found a small (3 liter, only 10.5 inches tall) stainless steel step trash can that has a handled plastic liner. Great for under the sink to put the coffee grounds, veg/fruit trimmings, etc. for transport to the compost pile at a later moment. No odor, and just the right size. I use it constantly!

When I plant a new bush, flower or vegetable plant, I google the name of it and print out information on its features, care, growth habits, fertilizing and trimming needs, etc. The print-outs go in the journal alphabetically, and have been proven to be great reference tools for me.

More to come! I highly recommend some sort of journalling your gardening endeavors, whether organized or not. They are a great wintertime read, along with the seed catalogs, when the cold and drab just won’t quit. It’s also nice to see where you’ve “been” in the garden to better plan where you’re going!

I hope you’ve enjoyed this post and will let me know what you include in your garden journal – looking for ideas to use in planning my Etsy journals, soon to be found in my Etsy shop.     Thanks for sharing!

 

 

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Who Is This Man in Green?


2010
03.19

Posted in On My Mind, The Joys of Nesting | 2 Comments »

Taking a moment to share …

Sometimes when things in life take their toll on a person’s overall, generally positive outlook on life and well-natured being, it’s nice to have inner resources that bring you back, lift the spirit, rekindle the flame. 

One of my main resources is the man you see pictured below, my Dad, ninety years strong.  Just a few days ago he took yet another fall, bruised and a bit battered but no break in the hip this time (see me smile!), but a crack in an arm bone.  It was his strong independent spirit that caused the fall, wanting to do something for himself he probably shouldn’t have.  Just a few days later, however, he was back to the Dad I know and so love, dressed in his St. Patrick’s Day finery for a corned beef and cabbage luncheon in his senior apartment complex.  When my sister-in-law and I helped him down to the community room in his chariot (wheelchair!), his elderly friends greeted him with aplomb, having missed the spirited, singing, happy man we all love so well.

Thanks, Dad, for always being the great guy you are.  You are simply the best!

I hope you all have someone or something to always revive your sense of well-being. 

dad

Have a great weekend!

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Wednesday What-Nots…The Emerging Spring Kitchen Garden


2010
03.17

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Posted in Etsy, On My Mind, The Kitchen Garden | No Comments »

Almost didn’t make it today – our phone, TV, and internet service was down.  Repairman due at 4PM, no show.  Didn’t miss the phone (had my cell but get limited service), sure didn’t miss the TV (who has time??), but DID miss access to the internet.  No email, no surfing, and I’m committed to this Wednesday post.  And I do take my commitments seriously…

The service eventually came back on, but the delay sure put a dent in my day.  And the day was a beauty, despite the aggravation.  It FELT like Spring, finally.  My thoughts kept straying to the garden, so I took a long meander through the yard, making mental notes as I went.  And, back inside, putting pen to paper – plans, re-dos, sketches. It’s time, I decided, to drag out the garden journal and get started.  (more on that in a next post)

It appears that some of my fellow Etsians have already gotten a headstart on the garden planning for 2010.  I’m anxious to share some of my findings with you….

RaDonna of  The Bear Foot Shaman is a Holistic Health Specialist who loves to garden and offers a wonderful assortment of  heirloom, medicinal, vegetable, and flower seeds in her Etsy shop.  In addition to information about the product itself, there are recipes and other bits of folklore and usage about the plant.  It’s a great read!  The photo of the Cherokee Purple Heirloom Tomato initially grabbed my attention, but it was the words “wonderful taste” in the description that hooked me!  Can’t you just almost taste it now????

tomatoSeven Acre Woods is a farm nestled in the hills of Eastern Kentucky that features handmade items, heirloom seeds from their gardens, and spinning fiber from the farm’s alpacas.  From egg gourds to lotus plants, there are some unusual offerings here.  As I’ve always been interested in making a chili pepper wreath, the vibrant color of the red cayenne chili pepper photo in the shop’s listings immediately caught my eye.  Even if I don’t get to the wreath, I’m sure they will be great in next winter’s chili!  And I think I might just HAVE to try those egg gourds…

il_430xN.129253686[1]All of the seeds from Frog Pond Gardens are certified naturally grown on the grounds of an 18th century home in Lexington, MA, where they maintain the gardens using natural methods that includes their own compost, fish emulsion, and integrated pest management with no pesticides. The selection of seed varieties here is quite inviting;  each seed packet includes detailed directions about how to grow successful plants.  On my “gotta have” list if the Christmas Lima Bean - an heirloom bean from the 1840s that has wonderful dry seeds with maroon swirls, and can be picked green for fresh lima beans or let dry for shelling.  Having had success with Scarlet Runner Beans this past season, I think these will be a nice new addition to my repertoire.  They’ll be the talk of the neighborhood!beansAfter making your seed selections and getting them planted, it’s important to remember what you plant, and where.  Kerrie from Wooden Hive can certainly help with that!  It’s hard to fathom that an emergency room nurse with a three-year old daughter can find time to create, but Kerrie does it with style! Among other items in her shop, she fashions Vintage Silverware Garden Markers ….. custom with any wording you want, hand-hammered onto a vintage piece of silverplated flatware.  I think they would make a great gift for a gardening friend but I would also definitely have to have some for myself!  Very nicely done!  Check out her similarly-styled cheese markers, too.        markers

Totally different and not Etsy related (but cute just the same!) are plant markers from Pamela Barsky that have been popular on my website for sometime.  These garden stakes put a humorous spin on labelling your plants!

kmarkersMore on the gardening scene over the next few days – please stop by, add a comment, and share a few of your gardening faves. Till next time, get growing! 

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Wednesday What-Nots…Feature Focus: The Home Office


2010
03.11

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Posted in Etsy, On My Mind, Wednesday What-Nots | 1 Comment »

Since I stopped “working” (at an office job, that is!), I’ve become very keenly aware of how important it is to have a well thought-out home office/studio space if:   1) you’re going to spend your weekday, workday ( and then some…)  hours in it, and, 2) you want your work to be productive and efficient at the same time.  If the space is attractive and comfortable as well, your work is so much more pleasant.  I feel lucky to have such a space. 

While my space is small, and, to some observers, cluttered, it works for me, and has been highly personalized to suit the way I like to work.  I’ve got my music, great sunlight and a view of the Long Island Sound – what’s not to like???

craftsitemusic

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

desk

Thinking home office, I happened upon several products while cruising through some Etsy shops the other night.  They command a capital “P” for pizazz and a huge “E” for adding efficiency!  Here are my picks of the week:

Karen from BaffinBags designs and sews reversible organizers in a variety of great fabrics to organize a desktop or workspace, or any room in the home, for that matter.  I could see one of these organizers holding bills and correspondence, receipts, or craft items ready for quick use.  With a fine assortment of fabrics to choose from, there is a bin organizer basket to suit everyone’s taste or color scheme.  When you need a change, simply reverse the basket for a fresh look.  The fabric for the bin basket organizer shown below is called “Starling“. (naturally, for me, a bird motif!)

basket (2)

Dubbed a modern design solution from a shop called SimpleShapes is an innovative approach to a wall calendar, creatively constructed in vinyl.  This calendar wall design incorporates a white dry erase vinyl that you can write on,  and  is applied directly to the wall.  Use any dry erase marker to mark appointments, deadlines, etc.  You can even customize the color of the calendar to match your office color scheme.  The style shown below is  22 inches wide by 15 inches high;  a vinyl dry erase memo note pad is also available.  How very clever!

board

Guaranteed to bring a smile to your workday face is the Desktop Moodometer, a fun and creative product from reuseREDESIGN.  Fifteen glossy cardstock cards are housed in a mini-display case;  each card sports a funny quip to lighten the mood – for examples, “control alt delete IF ONLY LIFE WERE THAT SIMPLE” and “i’m un-stoppable EXCEPT FOR MAYBE LUNCH”.  Megan, the creative force behind the shop, also makes luggage tags, gift tags, wedding items and more – all unique, all fun.mood

 Don’t want to create your own to-do-lists, grocery lists and the like?  There’s a shop on Etsy that has done the work for you!  Carla, from CrownBindery, has constructed several varying sets of downloadable, printable sheets to organize the minutia of everyday life and office tasks.  The set dubbed “Home Management Principles” is a series of electronic files in a pdf format that you simply download, print out, and use as needed.  It includes such titles as Task Tracker, Expense Tracker, and Project List.  So easy, so functional … take a look at the other sets available, too.   Fab idea!

sheets

 Here are some additional resources to check out, now that you’ve got efficient, fun products to help you in your home office!

For the “how do I design a home office that works for me” angle, don’t miss:

  • the Flickr “Creative Workspaces” pool for a ton of ideas from photos of real workspaces
  • the ideabooks on the website houzz.com - and create your own home office ideabook from the photo ideas (roughly 30000 of them!)  on the site

When you’re ready to furnish the space, look into:

  • IKEA – functional, affordable solutions that can be configured to virtually any space and storage need.  (I have several IKEA pieces in my home office – one of my favorites is a work table which has adjustable legs – mine is set at counter height to make it comfortable to work at while crafting, packing items, etc.)
  • not quite as affordable, but fabulous to look at is Design Within Reach - great office solutions and more.

Definitely more utilitarian, but necessary, an article from Real Simple about record keeping.  And some interesting and fun stats about “The Office World” from Entrepreneur magazine.

I mean, work can’t be all fun and pretty stuff – I think that’s oxymoron-ish, but we might as well strive to make it as pleasant as we can – right?

As always, I hope you’ll take a minute to comment on my writing and let me know what YOU think, or offer suggestions, input, and other ideas to add to the conversation.  It helps the flow!            With wishes for a great Wednesday and weekend ahead!

 

 

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Signs of Spring!


2010
02.26

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Posted in On My Mind, The Joys of Nesting | 1 Comment »

geranium

Yes, the snow is coming down and the winds are howling, but I am undaunted.  There ARE signs of spring!

  • There were new birds at the feeder off the deck this morning – a pair of carolina wrens.
  • Earlier this week, a nuthatch made a visit to the suet feeder.
  • Three robins were sighted on a nearby lawn.  (wondering if they are regretting that journey to the East at this very moment???)
  •  The bay leaf plant, at home in the master bedroom for the winter, has sprouted some new growth and buds.

baybud

  • The Meyer Lemon, in like manner, delights with new buds and an alluring fragrance from its pretty blossoms.  Two baby lemons have begun to emerge.  Great plant!

 

lemonbudslemonbabylemonflowers

I do have to admit to a bit of jealousy, however, when I was looking at some blogs earlier today, and came across thepaperseed, which had also written about signs of spring – see what the emerging spring looks like in Portland, OR.  Hopefully, we’re not too far behind!

Enjoy your weekend, thinking Spring….

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