Fathers

I have been blessed to have fathers in my life. My own father is a strong, reliable force, guiding me through good times and bad. I was so fortunate to have my Grandfathers alive, and with me well into my adult years. (I was 38 when I lost my last Grandparent.) These men taught me much about life, and living and being with family.

I married a patient, kind, and generous man and father to my daughter. He teaches me every day how to be a better parent.

I am honored to have had the opportunity to live and laugh and play with these men who have shaped who I am today, who have protected me and cared for me, who have taught me and guided me away from the pitfalls of life. Without the presence, strength and bond with these men, I would not be the woman I am today.

I am deeply grateful to all the men who do the hard work of earning the title "Father" every day.

Happy Father's Day, to my wonderful Dad, and to my sweet husband! Thank you both for being so special.

Early Morning

It took me many years, roughly 35 to accept that I am a morning person. I am incapable of sleeping late, which, as nature would have it, leads to having to go to bed early. If I don't go to bed early, the compromise is simply that I don't get enough sleep, but I believe that this holds true in part because of age. When I was in my late 20's and early 30's I was able to compensate for late hours by sleeping til about 9am. 9 is really, really late. These days I've been up 3.5 to 4 hours by 9 am. You can get a lot of things accomplished in those 4 hours and I have to say, it's really nice to be productive in those hours before "normal" people are up and at their day.

It's actually really noisy early in the morning. The birds and wild life are all up and chattering away at one another, talking to themselves and their friends, scolding their young and looking for food. It's a charged time, full of life. The sun rising is incredible too. To have a hot cup of coffee in hand, feel the chill morning air and watch the colors light up the sky is a grounding, brilliant way to start the day. It's my time to charge up the batteries and prepare to serve my family and care for my daughter.

With recharging and brilliant sunrises in mind, I am packing up the "Rogue" (my vehicle) and heading up to the cottage. We'll be gone a week, and Mr. O is in charge of the homestead. I have entrusted him with strawberry watch, garden tending (please water the beds just enough) and general holding down the couch duties. It's a bummer that his pesky career has to go and get in the way off all this summer vacation stuff....oh, well, it's up to us girls to keep those endless summer days alive. (Or I'll fall asleep while Sophia throws rocks into the lake)

To All My Friends

You've Got a Friend - Carol King

When you're down and troubled
And you need some loving care
And nothing, nothing is going right
Close your eyes and think of me
And soon I will be there
To brighten up even your darkest night

You just call out my name
And you know wherever I am
I'll come running to see you again
Winter, spring, summer or fall
All you have to do is call
And I'll be there
You've got a friend

If the sky above you
Grows dark and full of clouds
And that old north wind begins to blow
Keep your head together
And call my name out loud
Soon you'll hear me knocking at your door

You just call out my name
And you know wherever I am
I'll come running to see you
Winter, spring, summer or fall
All you have to do is call
And I'll be there

Ain't it good to know that you've got a friend
When people can be so cold
They'll hurt you, and desert you
And take your soul if you let them
Oh, but don't you let them

You just call out my name
And you know wherever I am
I'll come running to see you again
Winter, spring, summer or fall
All you have to do is call
And I'll be there
You've got a friend

Being an only child makes me a little different from folks with siblings. I didn't have that built in playmate, guide, or competitor... The people who served as surrogate "brothers and sisters" have been my friends. Throughout my life, my friends have been there for me, carried me, and lifted me up. My friends have challenged me to be more than I thought I could be on my own. My friends have dried my tears, poked fun at my overly serious nature and made me laugh at myself.

I am very fortunate to have developed a tight network of friends who have been with me for over 27 years. We've grown up together and lived through life's bitterest and sweetest moments. Though life takes us down different paths, or may move us far away from one another, I know that each one of the people I call "friend" would be there for me when it really counts. Today, I would like to honor all of my dear friends who have blessed my life, boosted my spirit and enriched who I am. I am profoundly grateful for each and every one of you, and am honored to call you friend.

Ants

Every year the ants come. We seem to have a large amount of them around our property. All different types. Big black ants that have a huge colony in the front yard. No matter what we sprinkle or spray on their hill, they just keep on surviving and thriving in the lawn. I don't mind it so much in the front; we don't hang out on our front lawn, and we don't have those types of ants in the house.

Anyway, we have what I believe are called "thief ants". They are tiny, sort of a golden brown color, and they are beyond annoying. So far, I think I've eradicated the colony that was directly against the house (yes, I used ant poison. I will not tolerate a full out infestation of ants in the house, and that's what I'm battling.) but when you poison the colony, whatever queens and workers and few males that can, will flee, and just set up house some place else. I think they moved along and found new ways into our kitchen. They're so tiny, you don't even see them right away.

The first point of entry that I seem to notice every year is along the window sill, directly above my kitchen sink. They walk in a line and climb through this teeny, weeny crack in the moulding. So, I got out the cinnamon and sprinkled a generous line across that area, and watched as they turned away from it, and right into my waiting paper towel to be smeared into oblivion. The cinnamon seemed to do the trick for all the strays that had been seeking water and food around the windows and sink. I also put out Tat bait stations under the sink and in areas along the backs of the counter top, behind the refrigerator, etc....When I went into my cupboard, where I keep all the oils, peanut butter, vinegar, etc...there was a mass attack of ants. I want to say a small swarm, and I just flipped OUT. I had to spend at least 20 minutes chasing them down to kill them all, thoroughly cleaning and wiping down everything in there, and then liberally dousing the parameter with cinnamon. I have a bait station in there, and I've seen a few ants enter the station, so, hopefully, we'll be able to eradicate them entirely.

I'm checking that cupboard compulsively every hour or so, and I'll still catch one or two, though they seem confused and lost. I wish I could take a live and let live attitude with ants, but I just can't. They are extremely unwelcome, and only a hairs breath better than having cockroaches in my opinion.

I've heard of and read about Borax mixtures, and I may give that a try next. If there is anyone out there who knows of sure fire ways to naturally make thief ants (any ants) take a hike and relocate to a place far, far away, please feel free to contact me.

Bicycle, Bicycle...

Bicycle Race - Queen

Bicycle bicycle bicycle
I want to ride my bicycle bicycle bicycle

I want to ride my bicycle
I want to ride my bike
I want to ride my bicycle
I want to ride it where I like

You say black I say white
You say bark I say bite
You say shark I say hey man
Jaws was never my scene
And I don't like Star Wars
You say Rolls I say Royce
You say God give me a choice
You say Lord I say Christ
I don't believe in Peter Pan
Frankenstein or Superman
All I wanna do is

Bicycle bicycle bicycle
I want to ride my bicycle bicycle bicycle
I want to ride my bicycle
I want to ride my bike
I want to ride my bicycle
I want to ride my

Bicycle races are coming your way
So forget all your duties oh yeah
Fat bottomed girls they'll be riding today
So look out for those beauties oh yeah
On your marks get set go
Bicycle race bicycle race bicycle race

Bicycle bicycle bicycle
I want to ride my bicycle bicycle
Bicycle bicycle bicycle
Bicycle race

You say coke I say caine
You say John I say Wayne
Hot dog I say cool it man
I don't wanna be the President of America
You say smile I say cheese
Cartier I say please
Income tax I say Jesus
I don't wanna be a candidate for
Vietnam or Watergate
Cause all I wanna do is

Bicycle bicycle bicycle
I want to ride my bicycle bicycle bicycle
I want to ride my bicycle
I want to ride my bike
I want to ride my bicycle
I want to ride it where I like

Since the fender bender accident, I've been car-less, and have found that I can ride my bike all over town, and not only that, I LOVE my bike. Every year, I seem to forget how great my bike is over the winter, and then I get on it and marvel at how awesome it is. (It's a Specialized, women's style bike....26 inch wheels. Beyond that, I'm not sure what my bike is other than a sweet ride.)

Something that has made my riding experience even better is my new basket. I found the perfect basket, and now I'm ready for running small errands that require me to fetch things. I really love it. The basket pops off the frame and is a shopping basket with handle to take into the grocery store, hardware store, drugstore, rummage sales...I went rummaging today and was able to put my treasures in the basket and scoot along my way. I started to think of all the days I'd spent driving around rummages: start the car, turn off the car, start the car, turn off the car. Not to mention, I am very lucky to have a really great bike. It's super smooth and light. I feel like all I have to do is sit on it and it just floats me to where I want to go.

If a person is interested in "tricking out" their bike with storage, I'd highly recommend investigating the Wald line of products and baskets. Really well made in my opinion. This is the basket that I've got on my ride, and it's wonderful. Wald Bike Basket If I didn't have the tag along tandem attachment, I'd be going for some rear mounted baskets, or maybe panniers. Considering that I only have the one option, removable basket is the way to go. I have shocks on my front fork, so, I needed a basket that could mount to my comfort grip handle bars, steer clear of my break and gear cables, and I wanted something that would pop off for farmers markets and grocery shopping runs. This is a real winner.

I want to ride my bicycle, I want to ride it where I like....

Babies

Babies seem to be the same all over the world, regardless of species. Babies, or maybe we should say toddlers seem to be precocious, full of boundless curiosity, energy beyond imagination, and a little bit of a defiant streak.

Over this past Memorial Day weekend, I finished planting out my gardens. I had made the decision to plant my gourd plants and any extra melon or squash plants around the base of my giant maple tree in the back yard. I figured with all the extra room the vines will need, I can try it out Native American style and wrap the vines up and around  the tree. It's a huge old tree, and in it live a family of squirrels. We've lived here for over 5 years, and the generations of squirrels just keep on coming. I thought about the squirrel family and how they would take the plants, but figured that they'd leave them alone. They're spiky, and prickly and big leaved. I didn't figure they'd care about the plants at all. I started planting ground cover around the base of the tree about three years ago, and it's filling in, and the squirrels could care less about it.

We also have quite a network of rabbits in and around our yard. (I think the rabbits like our spot best because we serve up organic dandelion greens, and clover.)

So, this morning I woke extra early, about 5am, and snuck downstairs to get myself my morning dose of coffee, and snatch my computer back from the spot Sophia had been sitting with it playing computer games. I came into the kitchen and thought "check outside and see if they left your cantaloupe plant alone". See, yesterday, I pulled the blinds up in the kitchen, only to find two little, teen aged, or toddler-ish squirrels, digging like mad at the soft hole I'd made and filled with organic soil, to plant my nice little melon plant into. My little melon plant was caught on the back foot of this asshole squirrel, who seemed to be digging just for the sheer pleasure of feeling the soft dirt in his toes. It was insane. I knocked on the window, and he looked up, and then ran about 6 inches back up the tree and looked some more at me. I finally went outside to inspect the damage with sleep still in my eyes. They'd ripped out all my little plants. I was kicking myself for not winding chicken wire around them, as I had with my swan necked gourds, after I'd found a similar situation the day before that. This morning I went flying out there again, when I pulled the blinds to find one of them actually IN my new square foot bed, digging the newly sprouting nasturtiums. When I went out there, everyone, rabbits and squirrels stayed in place and looked up at me as if I were their mother coming to scold them for their reckless behavior. I could almost see one rabbit say to another, out of the corner of his mouth, "see, I told you to quit it". I rushed the squirrels and hissed through my teeth "get outta here you bastards!!!! Stay out of my gardens, and leave my plants and flowers alone!!!" and they in turn scrambled up the tree, but only half way, pausing to stare at me as if I'd lost my mind. As if to mutter "stupid human. Stupid grown up human!".

I came back inside to deal with the coffee and spy on them some more. Meanwhile the rabbits go back to their munching and loping about the yard, interspersed with mad dashing chase games. I turned just in time to see a very young teen aged (at best, maybe pre-adolescent) rabbit start off to chase an older one. The older rabbit was behind my square foot bed, and the youngest one in front of it, and he bounded toward the larger, older rabbit and was thrown backward into the lawn by the chicken wire fence I have around the garden! Score one for the fence! It works. (I guess I have to put one more up. Ugly things!) When I went to look back for the squirrels, I spy one racing at a break neck pace toward a young rabbit who just sat there, still as could be, until the squirrel was about two inches from his face, and he pulled his head back in disgust and slowly turned and scampered away.

Now I'm sitting here watching the squirrel and rabbit actually  play with each other and it's hysterical!!! The squirrel lunges at the rabbits who leap straight into the air, and then the squirrel taunts some more and they chase a little...too cute! Funnier still is watching the adult rabbit sit outside the lettuce and peas patch, munching on violets and clover, staring lustfully at the better produce that is just out of reach, completely oblivious to the babies and their games, just behind her.

Babies!! They're all the same. Making messes, never cleaning up after themselves, beating on each other, racing and rozzing around like they don't have a care in the world. Now if I can keep these babies away from MY babies (my baby plants) we'll get along just fine. I might have to have a talk with their mothers!!

It seems that the longer we live here, on this city plot, (what are they? 1/4 acre at best?) and the more I plant and the less I poison the earth, the more wild life we get. I'm deathly allergic to bees, wasps, yellow jackets, hornets, and the like, and I have a hive of big, fat bumble bees under my steps. Have for years. They occasionally float in and out of the spot underneath the Japanese ground cover, sometimes while I'm sitting on the stoop people spraying for insects, we didn't have as many bees. Less bees, means less food, or possibly no food. We've seen a coyote keeping the rabbit population down, a family of raccoons have rambled through, the resident fox, I've seen many more birds, humming birds, orioles, cardinals, little finch....

So, while it's frustrating to have these babies to contend with, and other wildlife interfering with my garden plans, I'd rather have it this way, fighting fruitlessly against nature, as fair and square as I can. Either way it goes, Mother Nature will always win, but it's fun to struggle just a little.