Monthly Archives: June 2011

Best Left Alone

June 29, 2011
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Shasta Daisies, Lavender, Delphinium, Day Lilies, Astilbi, Bellflower, Yarrow, Pulmonaria… are all on show in my gardens.

As I’ve mentioned earlier in my “Hard Work Pays Off” blog entry I would share more photos of my gardens as the perennials change throughout the seasons. This photo is one of the several perennials I’ve taken pictures of this week.  I just didn’t find any of my other photos good enough to make the cut for entry.  This one photo deserves to stand alone in this post.

Sempervivum, Hens-and-chicks, Houseleeks
The rosettes transform into thick stems and create clusters of starry flowers at the top. This biennial is a great groundcover and does very well in most conditions (even with little soil).

Got Hope…

June 24, 2011
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Before you start “reading between the lines”, this post has nothing to do with the following: politics, the economy, Bob Hope, and relationships.

I came across this building in the area of Warner, NH.  The words “GOT HOPE” caught my eye first and everything around it made for a good picture.  Jay Maisel, one of the most influential photographers, has mentioned over and over again, ”Never put lettering in your photos unless you want it read.”  Lettering and words are the first thing you are drawn to in a photo.  Ahhh…  so true!

 

If you insist on “reading between the lines”, think of “Got Hope” as your “Bucket List”.  It’s  the feeling of expectation and desire that drives you toward your dreams, goals, and making a difference in life.

Everyday consists of your hope list (not hope chest).  Hope in the sense of implementing the possibility of accomplishing something beyond your comfort level.  Doing good things for yourself while in the best interest of others.  Here are a few examples: “paying it forward‘, good Karma, making yourself vulnerable in order to becoming a better person…  Whatever it is, I’m not focusing on the “worldly” troubles.  The biggest difference that can be made in the “hope” factor is within the reader.

 

Father’s Day

June 18, 2011
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Happy Father’s Day to all of those who have raised or are raising their children.  This Sunday is your day.

I remember the day my father took me fishing for the first time.  The experience of hooking the squirming worm on the line… Spending long hours in a rowboat staring at the white/red bobber at the end of my fishing line… Waiting to test my reflexes while half asleep… Learning to reel the line in without hooking the bottom of the pond…

I had more surprises with capturing muck, sticks, and aged litter at the bottom of the pond, than an actual fish.  After many casts and friendly reminders on how to keep my line from dragging the bottom of the pond, I finally caught my first fish.  My dad was there… congratulating me on my “real” catch while encouraging me to stay with it (Keeping me focused on reeling my catch in).  As the fish got closer to the boat and visible under the water, my father reach over and grabbed the fishing line and guided the fish out of the water to avoid it from hitting the side of the boat.  Once the fish was brought on board, my father held the line and fish while bringing it closer for me to observe.  I starred, studied, and touched my first catch.  How big was it?  It was big enough to feed an eight year old girl. :)  I thought it was big enough to eat, but as my father carefully unhooked the fish and released it back in the water, I realized there are bigger fish to catch.  This was one of many moments shared between my father and me.

A shared accomplishment after learning from one of my best teachers…  Thanks Dad

Early morning fisherman on Powder Mill Pond. Greenfield,NH.

Hard Work Pays Off

June 13, 2011
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Gardening time!  I love it!  Fresh air, sounds of the birds, staying fit, being creative, and getting my hands dirty.  Not only do I do gardening for work, but also for enjoyment.  My yard has a few established gardens after eight years of maintaining, dividing and transplanting, and plant swapping with other gardeners.

With a request for botanical photos, I decided to use what I’ve work so hard at doing right in my own backyard and use what I have as my subjects.  Here are a few for you to view.  As the seasons change, so do the flowers.  I will post more photos as the perennials change.

Summer Time!

June 10, 2011
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I’ll grab my dogs and take them swimming during these hot summer days and continue right through until the first frost.

 

My youngest dog, Scooter (ten months old), is encountering summer for the first time along with the opportunity to swim.  I introduced him to swimming a couple weeks ago by carrying him into the water.  I carried him like a forklift with his body pressed up against mine.   I walked and praised him saying “It’s OK… Good boy, Scooter”.  My goal was to slowly step into the water and walk until the water met him at a level where he could start to doggie paddle. But, as the water seeped up and in between his claws, his whole body tensed up and started to squirm… This technique didn’t work.


Second attempt was to introduce Scooter to swimming with my crazy water catching, diving dog, Sydney.  I take the two dogs to a local pond where there is a lot of people, dogs, boats, kids, and traffic.  This isn’t considered an ideal time to learn to swim with all these distraction, but the dogs are hot and they need some exercise.  OK… so I unleash one dog, Sydney.  She runs to the edge of the pond looking at me and patiently waiting for the OK to go swimming.  I say, “Ready… Set… Go!”  On “Go!” Sydney leaps in the air and does a belly flop into the pond.  She swims at a great distance barking and biting the splashes. I warn people and kids around me, “She is OK, it’s her way of playing in the water.  She is NOT drowning.”  Once I spread the word, people will laugh, smile, and watch her swim with enjoyment.  Scooter has now stepped into the edge of the water but isn’t interested in following Sydney’s technique of swimming.  Scooter finds pleasure observing Sydney from a great distance while making few splashes with his paws as he walks back and forth at the edge of the water.  No swimming, but a pleasant introduction.  Dogs, people, and boats… they are all in the water (except for Scooter).

I found a new swimming spot for my dogs this week!  No leashes, no people.  This is the first time I am able to take all three dogs without a worry.  As we approach this swimming area, Sydney jumps in and does her routine of catching splashes with her mouth and barking.  Now, Shadow, the eldest dog, he is a fetcher.  You throw a ball, stick, or something that floats he will get it.  No matter how far you try to throw it, he will bring it back to you.   Now that I have two of the three dogs cooling off and enjoying their playtime, Scooter is now watching both from the sideline.  As time passes, he is drawn towards Shadow and how he swims to and from fetching the stick.  Within a few minutes Scooter is barking at Shadow as Shadow approaches shore with the stick.  Scooter is letting Shadow know he wants to do what he’s doing.  Within a few more throws of the stick in the water, Scooter makes his first attempt to swim.  After many laughs, smiles, and encouraging words, Scooter masters swimming and fetching.  What great pleasure it is to see them enjoy this weather and each other.  Bring on more swimming weather!!