Tag: compound

It’s magic

When I was putting away some magnetic words and drawing others for today’s poem, a few fell to the floor. I didn’t worry about picking them up immediately. It’s not like they were going anywhere, right?

I forgot Penny the Foster Goat is in-house this week.

I caught her two rooms later and asked her to drop it. I got this.

I wonder what words she’ll crap later.

Maybe that’s what readers say about me, too.

So you want to join Craft Night at The Compound

I’ve heard this wish before, and not just from Marika. But shouldn’t you know what you’re getting into? Oh, sure, you’ve heard it’s paint and glitter and hot glue and Starbucks. There can be knitting, BeDazzling, and Barbie fashion. There’s laughter, conversation, and sometimes cake. But not always.

For example, tonight. Snacks?

Crickets? SIGN YOU UP!

I wasn’t quick enough to document Tom trying the Salt N’ Vinegar. But Lindsey was willing to offer up new versions of Lindsay Face ™ for Sour Cream & Onion:

Fear:

Resolution:

I can’t believe I ate the whole thing:

Chaser!

And Ricker was worried about blindfolds?

State of The Compound Greenery

I believe that inhaling paint fumes and shedding tears for a couple of hours each day over Sally Field has befogged my brain. The trellis next to my porch is climbed by both Confederate and Carolina jasmine. The Carolina–yellow–blooms a couple of times annually and has done well in spite of recent years’ winter and summer droughts and our few hard freezes. However, the Confederate jasmine hasn’t bloomed for two or more years, and I was beginning to think the Carolina vines had overtaken it as surely as Sherman overtook Georgia.

Today as I was wandering around the yard–in my nightgown, of course, a sure way to draw traffic down our street because heaven forfend I not make a fool of myself–I wouldn’t have even noticed the trellis had it not been for that heavenly scent. The South has risen again.


Vines heavy with Confederate jasmine.


A closer look. Wish you could smell it.

Also thanks to the aroma, I noticed my mother’s amaryllis tucked into the corner of that bed. I don’t believe it’s bloomed since the year she died, but it looks like nature has helped it bounce back. I’m not catching it at its prettiest, but I’ll watch it in case better photo ops come my way.

Nora Walker’s got nothing on me.

Random


It’s been a while since the table looked like this on Craft Night. Lindsey was Bedazzling a Shake Weight for use as an honorary “reward” for a group in Rhonda’s office. (Apparently one becomes temporary owner of the Shake Weight of Shame after a screw-up.)

Here it is in an unfinished but still glam state:

Meanwhile, I’m working on a new series of paintings that will hang at Té House of Tea during the month of May. More on that as it develops. =) In between bouts of painting and cooking and gym going and other things, I’m weeping copious amounts of tears over “Brothers and Sisters” on Netflix. I love family drama with a good ensemble cast. I’m in Season 2 now.

Just some stuff

Do you have days when you hate the Internet and days when you love it? Today’s a love-it kind of day for me. I’m never sure why, except that ANY day I don’t read comments on online articles is always better.

My thoughtful neighbors Jeff and Jason knew I was sad when our unusual winter freezes damaged and killed a lot of my flowers, so they brought a flat of Sweet Williams over for me to plant.

We’ve lived in this house since 1995, and our botanicals over the years have included gifts (and often, sweat equity) from many friends. Not only am I thankful for their generosity, but their persistent faith that I might manage not to kill everything, my history to the contrary, is touching. A shout-out to the believers, including Steve R, Lynne and Craig, James, Steve V, Amy, Tim, Kathy S, Sarena, Debby, my mother, Princess Patti, Lindsey and Rhonda, and the guy next door, who donated tons of his plants to us when he moved to another city. Those include a little tree that’s in a pot in the back yard. I have no idea what this tree is, but often when I take my eyes off Guinness, she climbs into the pot to nibble on the leaves. I’ve never been able to catch her in time to shoot a photo of this. Pixie likes those leaves, too. I’ve tasted them but can’t understand the appeal. To me, they taste like ordinary leaves.

It’ll be a little harder for Guinness now because I’ve put a fairy in that pot next to the tree. It’s solar-powered, but since I just did it today, I haven’t yet seen what kind of glow it casts at night. It was a donation to the cause from Lisa K.

ETA: You can see the fairy at night here.

The other night, Tom, Tim, Lynne, Lindsey, and Rhonda took me out for a birthday dinner at one of my favorite restaurants, The Ambassador. What I didn’t know was that Lisa K had gotten in touch with Tim and surprised me by joining us. Sneaky Aries!


There’s actually a photo where Tim and I look happier, but Lynne’s eyes are open in this one, so I chose it.

Figured it was the least I could do for the person who made my DELICIOUS birthday cake. From scratch, so she could make it sour cream chocolate with sour cream chocolate frosting. She knows me so well.

Lisa gave me another little garden item, too. This one’s in the pot with the resurrected impatiens and daisies.

To prove no good deed goes unpunished, Lisa forgot the rest of her dinner entree that she had boxed up for lunch on Sunday. But we enjoyed it! Thanks, Lisa. And thanks Tom, Tim, Lynne, and The Brides for this part of my fun birthday. More to come!


(For ‘Nathan–’cause it’s not a party until there’s a Chinese take-out box.)