Grateful

A friend once told me that she would write down one thing each and every day for which she was grateful. (Isn’t that an awkward sentence? I didn’t want to write “…that she was grateful for” because it’s incorrect, but it sure sounds better.)


I decided that I would list some of the more unusual things down. Trust me, I am VERY grateful for my family, my home, food on the table, my lifestyle, health, etc. But by writing about my oddities, you may learn a little more about me, and I just might learn more about myself!

I’m grateful for the smell of cow manure. It’s true. It brings back childhood memories of spending the summer on the dairy farm with my aunt & uncle.

I’m grateful for my Kitchen Aid stand mixer. Since I am constantly cooking or baking, it is used nearly daily. It tears up those tough batters for cheesecake.

I’m grateful for having two vehicles at my disposal…the van for when I have lots to haul (kid-wise or cargo) and the faithful little Honda Civic with her wonderful gas mileage.

I’m grateful that I have the Internet. I’d be MORE grateful if I had something other than dial-up, though! Good thing I’m patient.

I'm very very grateful for my gardens, even though they aren't perfectly weed-free. They bring me much pleasure.

I’m grateful that I live in the country where privacy is not an issue. Many times I’ll be outside in my pajamas (T-shirt and flannel pants), working in the gardens or mowing the lawn, confident that no one will see me.

I’m grateful for eggs. They are SO versatile and convenient when I don’t know what else to make for dinner or I when I am short of time.

I’m grateful for the rocking chair in the sunroom. My mom made it years and years ago, and sometimes I like to just sit out there and rock and read. Soon I will have another grandson to rock to sleep in that chair, just like I rocked my two children.

I’m grateful for hummingbirds. The kids love to watch them almost as much as I do. They are fascinating, happy creatures, so full of life and mystery.

I’m grateful for fuzzy blankets. I love those big fleecy things that are snuggly and warm.

I’m grateful that my husband gives me my freedom, and is not horribly picky about a clean house.

I’m grateful for my garage refrigerator. I LOVE being able to cook a lot, and keep it safely cooled until it’s needed. The Coca-Cola Classic comes out perfectly chilled…enough to give me goosebumps!

I’m grateful for birdhouses, even the cheap cheesy ones, because they provide entertainment as the birds fly in and out. I love to watch the eggs hatch and the fledglings fly away.

I am grateful for remote controls for the television. I remember when we actually had to get up off of the couch and turn the dial CLICK CLICK CLICK to tune in the four or five channels that we were lucky enough to get. Oh, how spoiled I am now!

I’m grateful for magnets. I have magnets holding notes, pictures, recipes, appointment cards, and more stuck on the ‘fridge and the door leading to the sunroom.

I’m grateful for my purse calendar. Without it, I’d be totally lost. The calendar is the best $1 investment that I’ve ever made.

I’m grateful for my retainers. After going to the trouble of braces, I want to keep my teeth on the straight and narrow, and I couldn’t do it without retainers.

I’m grateful for all of the catalogs that I get in the mail. It’s fun to browse through them, circling things that I would like to own and writing down family members’ names beside items I think they’d like. I rarely purchase, but it’s fun to dream. (There are some playhouses and a jungle gym in PoshTots that I dream about for the kids.)

I’m grateful that the road in front of the house isn’t busy. I can walk a mile each way and rarely ever meet a vehicle, so I can go right down the middle and avoid the poison ivy growing in the ditches.

I’m grateful for my riding mower. Need I say more?

I’m grateful for vinegar. In the past eight months or so I can’t get enough of it. Vinegar with onions and cucumbers, coleslaw, squeaky bean salad…mmmmm.

I’m grateful for crock-pots. I have three, and use two of them frequently.

I am very grateful for sunglasses. Since I have cataracts, the bright sun kills me.

I am grateful for DEET. The mosquitoes are vicious out here!

I am grateful that all of my family members are readers. That way we can share books and not have to spend a fortune. I call it readcycling. (Get it?)

I’m grateful for my history, the bad as well as the good. If I hadn’t of experienced what I did, I wouldn’t be the person that I am today and would not have the family that I have.

I am grateful for my friends that remind me to spend time with them. Sometimes I spend too much time with family and forget about just laughing with friends.

I am grateful for fingernail polish remover. Polish never stays on long. I guess it’s because I use my hands so much!

I am grateful for the smiles I see on the faces of the babies and toddlers that are out and about. When I am standing in a long line at a grocery store, fretting about getting home to start dinner or whether or not I have enough money in the bank, I tend to forget the sweet things. Then I look up and see a child in the cart in front of me, smiling this carefree smile for no particular reason, and I am reminded that life is good. Don’t sweat the small stuff.

I’m grateful for hearing Jaden’s footsteps as he runs to the back door to greet me when I come to visit. It lifts my heart, knowing that he is so excited to see me. I realize this is only a short-term phase, but still, it’s great.

I’m grateful that Ady still likes to bond with me by doing the gingerbread house. This year we will do both a Halloween and a Christmas house. I’d like the tradition to continue, and be a memory for her long after I’m gone.

I am grateful that Bryan still likes to cuddle. I like to hold him at night before I put him to bed. He snuggles right into me, holding his blankie and stuffed lion in one hand with his thumb in his mouth and his long, curling eyelashes resting on his cheek. I hope he never outgrows it, although it will be hard to hold him when he’s 15!

Well, Id’ better stop, or I could keep on with this list forever. What makes YOU grateful? I’d love to hear about it.

shel

56 Years Together/It's a BOY!

Today my parents celebrated their 56th year of marriage. FIFTY-SIX....wow. They have lived together for over half of a century. It boggles the mind.

I took the folks to Rusty's in Decatur for a steak for lunch, then to the flooring store so that mom could browse through the millions of vinyl and carpet samples. It was a challenge...I'd like new carpeting throughout the entire upstairs, and the basement definitely needs new flooring due to the floods we have had. The "I wants" was definitely nagging at the back of my mind. But the day wasn't about me, it was about mom and dad. Therefore, I resisted the urge to purchase.

After a quick stop at Cubs, I drove the folks around in the country to admire the view. We ended up at Fairies Park, watching deer graze at the edge of a field. How beautiful.

The BEST news of the day was from my daughter. Alana's sonogram revealed that she is DEFINITELY having a baby boy!!! "Baby Gabie" (Gabriel will be his name) is exactly 21 weeks along today. I'm SO excited that we now know that we will have a little boy. I've been putting off major shopping because we were unsure of the sex, but now...LOOK OUT! Grandma is going shopping!!!!!!! The little prince already has lots of clothes from garage sales, friends, and relatives, so I will concentrate more on the nursery aspect. I can't wait. Alana & I are going to have SO much fun! The biggest honor will be that I will be in the delivery room with her. It will be tough to see my baby in so much pain, but wonderful to help the precious baby into the world.

After Alana's class tonight at Richland, she came over and we watched "My Mom's New Boyfriend" (I think that was the name) with Antonio Banderis and Meg Ryan. We played rummy, drank Coke and drooled over Antonio together. It was a nice day with an even nicer evening.

shel

Fertilize, Fertilize, Fertilize

Notice to my family members that may want to read my blog:
STOP! If you're not interested in fertilizing, don't waste your time. Call me instead and we'll have a chat about the latest craziness in my household.

Notice to garden fans:
This may bore you, but it's important!

The standard procedure for fertilizing lawns in central Illinois is to haul out the old broadcast spreader and purchase lawn fertilizer and weed killer four times a year. The first week or so of September (remember Labor Day) is one of the most important times for the fertilization. Grass, especially our Kentucky Blue Grass, is back in it's full glory of brilliant green since the weather has become cooler and the rains have started again. Keep in mind that you don't have to buy an expensive name-brand product; instead, compare labels. I happen to be running late this year, but I will definitely do my lawn soon.

Be sure to also fertilize around Thanksgiving. This will allow a good root system to develop for your lawn to help hold it over the winter.

If you have a score to settle with a bad neighbor, sneak over in the middle of the night with a bag of fertilizer and use a scoop to pour out fertilizer so that you spell something, like "My dog poops in your yard." It's almost like writing "wash me" on a dirty windshield. (I'm just kidding here, although I considered writting a bad word on a neighbor's lawn when we lived in Bloomington...but really, don't do it!)

When the time comes, we'll talk about the spring fertilizing.

shel
p.s. I try to not use a lot of chemicals, but I do take good care of my lawn. There's just something about walking barefoot on a velvety lawn that makes a person's heart happy. (Just ask my brother-in-law, Rick. Happy Birthday, Rick! Happy Lawns to you!)

It's raining, it's pouring.......

It rained again today. Bummer. Normally I wouldn't mind the moisture (my yard has been dry and cracked for quite some time) but I had high hopes of getting the hardy primrose and hydrangea planted, as well as getting the lawn fertilized. Brandon was also supposed to work on my car today (oh, how I love my little Honda Civic!) so that I could stop driving the gas hog van.

I had planned on having a Thanksgiving in September meal for lunch, but my electric oven has decided to play games with me. The poor thing just didn't want to cooperate and cook my bird. Instead, Pizza Hut got a big order, and the turkey, pumpkin pie, broccoli casserole, green bean casserole, baked apples & cranberries, mashed potatoes with sour cream & shredded cheddar, and fried biscuits were served for dinner. Luckily Erin and Jaden came over to help chow down. Most of the leftovers were sent home with them as husband Max isn't thrilled with leftovers (plus the only things he would eat would be the turkey, apples, and mashed potatoes.)

What turned out to be rainy gloomy day ended up being a foggy, damp night. My gardens appreciate the moisture but I'm ready for some sunshine!

shel

Fabulous Day

Oh, what a spectacular day! The weather started out a bit gloomy but it turned out to be a perfect autumn-like day.

My sister Shannon came over to spend her birthday with me. We had Christmas Cookie coffee (sweetened with sugar, vanilla flavored creamer, and topped with whipped cream...it gives me a cavity just thinking about it), turtle biscotti, and chocolate elcairs while we played two grown-up games of Scrabble. NOTE: Grown-up Scrabble is when you use more than two or three letter words for every single turn, which is opposite of my English-poor but extremely intelligent husband.

After a lunch of four cheese lasagna, garlic bread with cheese, a yummy spring greens salad, and corn, we took a half-mile walk down our country road. On the way back to the house we stopped at my friend Becky's house. Her gardens are so beautifully perfect that they should be featured in a magazine. Shannon and I enjoyed the tour that Becky gave us, then Shan had to hit the road. It was a wonderful day.

Miracles DO happen. My husband decided that we would go to the Boondocks restaurant at Weldon Springs, and then watch "The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants." DEFINITE chick-flick, and definitely not his type of movie. It was great!

Days like this happen only a few times a year, so I savor every second of them. Life is great!

shel

Bryan's Special Day

Recently my grandson Bryan turned 3 years old. His mommy & daddy threw a wonderful party for him in their new back yard. Bryan got many wonderful presents, but his two favorite were the child-size red wagon (he pulled it around the yard and cried when he had to give it up in order to open more presents) and his Lamborghini. All of the kids had a great time playing on the new swingset (thanks to Papa Max for putting it together, and Wal-Mart for marking it down to $25.00!)

Bryan is coming over to spend the night. I will have a surprise for him...the kids' room will be cleaned of clutter and rearranged! Erin & Jaden came over yesterday to help me pack up the crafts from the captain's bed drawers, and we took the bed to their house. Maybe this surprise is not as exciting as a wagon or battery-operated car, but still pretty cool. Guess that means I need to hang up and get busy organizing!

shel

Townwide Garage Sales

Oh, how I love when Clinton has townwide sales! Usually I am on the lookout for anything that will hold soil or water, but yesterday I was nose-to-the-grindsone in search of baby items. (Which was a very successful search.)

Today I will go back out to a few more, including one just a mile from me, on a garden hunt. Wish me luck!

shel

The Worx Weed Whacker

A few weeks ago my husband saw an infomercial for "The Worx" series of yard equipment. It was advertised as being very lightweight and easy to use since it is run by a large rechargable battery (no extension cords to trip over or heavy gasoline motors to start & lug around). He strongly suggested that I order it. At the time, I was skeptic and said I'd check into it.

The same informercial was on again a few days later, and I was able to catch most of it. I was sold. I called the toll-free number and was talked into also purchasing the two other tools that were battery-friendly, the hedge trimmer and the leaf blower (we already have two.) It cost an additional $100, making my total order over $200.00. I anxiously awaited for the garden equipment to arrive.

I was immediately disappointed upon opening the box. The tools were made of a very cheap plastic. I plugged in the battery and set the equipment aside, waiting to pass final judgement by tackling the weeds.

Unfortunately, the Worx did not stand up to the hype. It is definitely a "citified" weed whacker, intended to cut off tender grasses and other small, easily destroyed weeds. The big country weeds, with stems 1/4" in diameter or more, were only insulted by the string. I had to remove the battery and place it into the hedge trimmer to cut the ragweed and other countryside weeds.

The Worx also touts the fact that you don't have to bump the head of the stringholder on the ground in order to feed string. Supposedly, it feeds itself. I found that the string would go down to approximately 1 1/2" long and wouldn't feed itself, so I'd have to push a button and pull the string out by hand. This is definitely as pain, as I have poison ivy lurking everywhere in the yard, and am highly allergic to it. (Steroid shot in the butt, here I come!)

To summarize, pass on the Worx yard & garden equipment unless you live in town and want to simply trim the grass. I need a more stury, harder working model for my country home.

shel

E.R visit

Tonight (technically, it was last night, as it is now the wee hours of the morning) I got a call from Will saying that Alana had just had a seizure. I pulled on a pair of pants and headed into town. After assuring myself that she hadn't broken any bones, I took Alana to Decatur Memorial Hospital. To make a long story short, the ER group was excellent. They provided great support. Alana was checked into a room within 5 minutes of walking into the front door.

Thanks to the wonderful nurses, doctors, and staff that helped us.

shel

p.s. This means no Chicago trip tomorrow...I guess it wasn't meant to be!

Beth is Back!!

In the not-so-distant past, I worked at the University of Illinois Extension office in Macon County. My boss was the lovely, highly intelligent, amusing, and talented Beth. Beth, the Horticulture Educator, decided to leave the Extension in favor of her now-husband Chris, and move to the frigid north. I only lasted a year in the office without her.

A few months after Beth left, my daughter and I took the long drive up to Minnesota to spend a few days with Beth and Chris. Beth and I sent occasional cards, made and received random phone calls, and communicated telepathically. Okay, maybe not the last one, but you get the idea.

The point is that I miss Beth. Terribly, deeply, madly miss her.

Today I got a phone call from Beth’s other assistant, Sherry (probably the kindest, most considerate and caring person in the world, and a heck of a secretary.) Sherry said she had a surprise for me, and after I asked her what it was, she put Beth on the phone. Beth!!! My long-lost Beth!!!

Poor Beth, more like it. I’m afraid I wasn’t too cool about the conversation…my voice went up about six octaves in my excitement, and I couldn’t stop squealing. Beth and Chris have moved back into the area! I’m so excited that she is here! Unfortunately I’m booked solid for the rest of the week and most of next week, so the soonest I can get together with Beth is next Monday. We are meeting at Del Carmen’s Pizza. I need to rack my brain and think of something spectacular to give her as a welcome home gift.

I’m counting down the hours until I get to see my dear friend again.

Two More Tidbits

I spend a lot of time in my car. Usually I'm alone, so I have lots of time to think (and dream about my fantasy kitchen!) When I'm not alone, I have my 3 year old grandson with me, and, quite frankly, he's not much of a conversationalist. "TOP!" (for stop) "No" and "Dad" or "Mom" are his favorite words. Hard to carry on a conversation like that.

Anyway, as I was driving along this afternoon, I remembered two things that I should have listed in my 100 list.

101. I can name all 50 states, in alphabetical order, in less than 30 seconds.

102. I can recite the Preamble to the Constitution. In high school Mrs. Funderberg and I tried to diagram it all, but it was too tough for us. Yes, I'm not only boring, but I'm also a geek.

No more rambling on about senseless stuff, I promise.

shel

100 Things You Didn't Know About Me

Since Erin and Steve posted their list of 100, I thought perhaps I should, as well. Let’s start out slowly.

1. My favorite color is pink.
2. I absolutely hate touching doorknobs. When I’m with someone I hang back so that they open the doors.
3. Shopping carts & gas nozzles are full of germs, so as soon as I am done using them I pull out the hand sanitizer.
4. Vanilla is my favorite scent for room fresheners or candles.
5. The potholders must go in the drawer a specific way…loops all pointing the same direction, with the front of the potholder facing up.
6. My kitchen cupboards have been compared to shopping at IGA. I never want to run out of anything, so there’s always lots of "stuff" in there.
7. I just signed up for Netflix. I don't know if I like it or not yet.
8. "The Incredible Mr. Limpet" is one of my favorite movies. Don Knotts reminds me of my deceased brother.

9. "Always" is my favorite boo-hoo movie.

10. Sometimes I feel like I just need to have a good cry, so I watch "Always".

11. On Sunday afternoons I like to watch either "Sleepless in Seattle" or "You’ve Got Mail".
Yep, I’m a hopeless romantic. Don’t tell anyone.

12. Computers confuse me. I can type like the wind, but I can’t turn one off and on without breaking something.

13. I founded Central Illinois Water Gardeners when I lived in Bloomington.

14. I founded Water Garden & Koi Club of Central Illinois in Decatur. It folded shortly thereafter.

15. I co-founded DeWitt County Garden Club.

16. I belong to too many groups!

17. I love to write. Unfortunately, I have a strong tendency of being too "wordy". I write the same way that I talk!

18. I haven’t been very healthy this year.

19. In September, I will start baking Christmas cookies & candies for platters that I give to thank people that have helped me during the year (doctors, dentists, etc.)

20. SCRUBS is one of my favorite t.v. series. It’s silly and makes me feel good.

21. Doing laundry is one of the worst chores ever.

22. My biggest fear is of bears. I am terrified of bears. I dream of them.

23. My dreams are always in color, and are very vivid. I can usually remember them when I wake up.

24. Sometimes I walk with a limp.

25. I am actually very shy, especially around smart, beautiful, skinny women.
Yep, inferiority complex big time….I can admit it.

26. I am the youngest person in the group when I take my parents to the Y for their arthritis swim class.

27. My favorite job was as the Master Gardener Coordinator for the University of Illinois, Macon County Extension. If it weren’t for the fact that my old boss left and the new boss and I didn’t get along, I’d still be there.

28. During that job, I had a weekly television segment entitled "Mastering Gardening". I loved doing that show! Now I’m waiting for Hollywood to call.

29. I also had a short stint on WHOW, the local radio station, doing a question & answer period each week.

30. I can’t remember much of my childhood, except for the vacations. We always went to educational places….no Disney Land for the Ellegood kids!

31. I’m thankful for the educational vacations that we went on.

32. I’ve been to the Grand Canyon twice, and would like to go again.

33. One of my selfish goals before I die is to ride in a hot air balloon over Sedona, Arizona, while enjoying a champagne breakfast.

34. One of my unselfish goals is to help someone (I mean REALLY help someone) so that it changes their life for the better.

35. My kitchen is painted a deep purple.

36. Hubby and I sleep in separate bedrooms, and it works for us.

37. I have a clutter habit that I just can’t seem to break. I always think "Oh, so and so could use that!" and then forget where I put the items.

38. I like koi fish, Fenton glass, and antique furniture.

39. NO more decorating cakes!!! I started decorating when I was 11 years old, and now I have arthritis in my hands.

40. One of my favorite pastimes is doing floral arrangements.

41. I won first in state a few years ago for a floral arrangement as a student.

42. I’ve gone to school for six years to get my two-year degree in horticulture. I still haven’t completed it.

43. I’m a member of Beta Sigma Phi and Phi Delta Kappa.

44. I can’t stand to get a bad grade.

45. I am not naturally intelligent, so I have to study very, very hard for my grades.

46. I think that sour candy sucks.

47. Almond Joy is my favorite candy bar.

48. When in high school, I worked at Baskin Robbins. Yep, I got chubby.

49. I was a cheerleader and later a pompon girl in school.

50. One year I was the majorette in the marching band. Other years I played my flute.

51. I’m five foot tall, no matter WHAT my family says.

52. I have two toolboxes of my own, full of all sorts of fancy tools except for a cordless screwdriver.

53. I work at a Christmas Tree Farm during the winter most years. It’s a great job.

54. Christmas is my favorite holiday. I get carried away.

55. I learned how to drive using a motor home and a MG stick shift.

56. When I drive long distances, I must eat or I’ll go to sleep.

57. I love to listen to books on tape or disc while I’m driving.

58. When I sleep, I move all over the bed. Usually I end up sideways at the foot of the bed.

59. Naps are the best when I have a fuzzy blanket, the t.v. playing in the background, and the sound of a lawnmower in the distance.

60. I want to learn how to do everything except run a nuclear power plant. I guess that’s why

61. I’ve had so many fun job experiences….I’m up for anything.

62. I tend to say "please" a lot when I order food through a drive-through window.

63. When I want to talk sexy, I have a heck of a good telephone voice.

64. I’m usually pretty mellow, but when I do get angry, look out. It takes a lot to get me to that point.

65. Stephen King used to be my favorite author. When he started using the F word in every other sentence (or so it seemed) I stopped reading him.

66. Now I read books by Janet Evanovich and Jennifer Cruise. They are both excellent "feel good" writers that can make me laugh. The sex scenes are pretty hot!

67. I very rarely say curse words.

68. The one time I did use the "F" word was an extremely high-tension moment regarding a wedding cake that I was working on. The family has never let me forget that I said it.

69. One time, when my husband refused to move from in front of the t.v. when he was called for dinner, I made up his plate and put the rest of the food away. A while later I noticed the cat chewing on his pork chop. I picked it up, wiped it off, and put it back on his plate. Moral of the story? Dinner with the family is more important than Gun Smoke!
70. I used to pee when I laughed, lifted something heavy, coughed, or walked. Not any more thanks to Dr. Baron and the crew!

71. A snake has bitten me. I didn't bite back.

72. I don’t like to be naked, not even to shower.

73. When I have a hot flash or night sweats, the clothes come off in a heartbeat. No, I’m not going through menopause (I’ve had a blood test to confirm that). It is a side effect from Tamoxafin.

74. My father, two sisters, and 52 extended relatives have had breast cancer. That’s why I take Tamoxafin.

75. I worry about everything. It’s ridiculous, but I just can’t help it.

76. Cats, definitely cats, are the indoor pet of choice. Our two Siberian huskies are the dogs from Hell.

77. I’m at my happiest when I have the entire family here for dinners. It’s a blast when we play the lottery ticket game.

78. Liver & onions, Brussels sprouts, artichokes, pickled okra, kidney beans, and asparagus are some of my favorite things to eat.

79. Pickled beets, milk, fried catfish, and sushi are the things that I don’t eat.

80. My favorite restaurant in the world is the Original Oyster House in Gulf Shores, Alabama. Mmmmm, fried oysters!

81. My shoes must have a built-up arch since I had surgery on my left foot. That leaves out high heels.

82. I love to watch the birds from the sunroom window. Who needs television?

83. For breakfast, I usually have shredded wheat with a banana and ½ c. of milk. If I don’t have shredded wheat, I like to eat leftover beef stew, a hamburger, sauerkraut, or other meal-type things.

84. I love to cook breakfast for my family, but hate to cook it for myself.

85. Frozen chocolate covered bananas are one of my favorite desserts. It’s hard to find them now.

86. I can live without popcorn or chips. Just don’t take away my onions or chocolate.

87. Spring is my favorite time of year.

88. This is my second marriage.

89. I always wear my seat belt and use my turn signals. Always.

90. Some people call me boring. Sometimes I have to agree.

91. I go outside in my pajamas to work in the yard, mow, etc. In the middle of the country no one notices.

92. I use a lot of Wyler’s pink lemonade mix with bottled water.

93. At 45 years old I got braces….I wore them for one year and one month. I liked to wear rubber bands that matched the season (green, red & white for Christmas, pastels for Easter, etc.)

94. When I read a book and find an error, I circle it. It gives me great pleasure for some odd reason.

95. It makes me crazy when people (books) omit the capital "E" for Earth when they’re talking about the planet. The small "e" is for when you refer to soil.

96. I have absolutely no sense of direction. None. However, I do know my left hand from my right.

97. I’ve gotten lost in the K-Mart parking lot in Bloomington. Don’t give me any grief until you’ve driven there successfully.

98. My biggest fantasy is about a new kitchen. We’re talking cherry wood, green marble, and a walk-in pantry. There will also be a wall made of stone that holds a functioning fireplace where I’ll cook many meals. In front of the fireplace will be a sofa and two rocking chairs. Orlando Bloom will be naked, cooking my dinner.

99. I must take care of people. Taking care of the ones that I love is my mission in live.

100. I am a member of Spark People (sparkpeople.com). I love that group!
I hope you enjoyed reading my list of 100. I’d love to read yours!
shel

Hidden by a Hair Curtain

It’s official…I can no longer hide.

Last week I got my long, thick, flowing hair chopped off. I’m talking short (but still feminine, according to the hairdresser.) What made me decide to have it cut? The courage of my sister Shannon convinced me to do it.

Shannon has long been the person that I most admire. She is smart (able to do crossword puzzles without cheating), beautiful (many people think that she’s actually much younger than I am) and successful (a nurse for many, many years, but more like a doctor). Even more, Shannon is very much the extrovert. I tend to try to blend into the walls and not be noticed, unless I’m teaching a horticulture class. Shannon, on the other hand, is the shining star in the middle of the room. Everyone loves, admires, and respects her.

Shannon recently took a drastic step and had her hair dyed bleach blonde, and then had shocking pink color added to the front and all around the sides and back, in a bowl shape. It's AWESOME. Most people would look ridiculous, but on Shannon it’s a work of art. She can tell the world "I’m being creative, and if you don’t like it you can kiss my a**!" and stand proud.

I followed Shannon’s lead recently. In a moment of "I can do it"-ness, I asked my hairdresser Chris to hack it off, so that I looked like Reba from one of the earlier years. The pile of hair on the floor kept getting bigger and bigger. When I finally looked in the mirror, I saw a self-assured (if somewhat round-faced) woman staring back at me. My hair ROCKED.

Here I am, nearly a week later, trying to be confident. I found that I used my long hair as a shield against uncomfortable situations. I could tip my head forward, and my hair would fall down around the side of my face, shielding me from reality. My hair was my curtain. (Did you ever notice that your hair is never the same as when the hairdresser does it?)

I need to learn confidence and pride in myself, something that a lot of "chubby" women like myself tend to lack. It’s going to be a tough road, but by challenging myself and expanding my horizons, I can make it.

I think I’ll go paint my fingernails black or bright red as the next step in my confidence therapy. Good-bye, pale pink….hello, aplomb!

A Stroll....3

See what I mean about the fabulous sky? It sets off the lilies perfectly.

A Stroll....2

Since I'm having trouble downloading pictures (I'm on dial-up) I thought I'd do just a picture at a time.

Remember when I said the garden was glowing? Here’s proof. The photos aren’t doctored up because I have absolutely no clue on how to do anything like that. I just happened to catch the sun hitting the brilliant yellow daylilies at the right time. Cool, huh?

A Stroll Through the Gardens

A Stroll Through the Gardens
Today was one of the most beautiful days of the 21st century. The sun was brightly shining in the robin’s egg blue sky, causing the flowers to absolutely glow in the gardens. I’d like to think it was their “welcome back, we missed you!” glow, but I probably had nothing to do with it. (Thank you, God, for this beautiful day.)
After spending an extremely enjoyable day with Erin and Jaden (Alana stopped by for about an hour as well) I came home and grabbed my camera, a Kodak EasyShare CX7330, 3.1 mega pixel memory maker for my feeble mind. I wandered around the yard, photographing everything that called out for my attention. I was able to capture 49 images before my batteries gave out. Luckily Max has a Kodak EasyShare C530 that offers 5.0 mega pixels, so I was able to take another 51 pictures before I had to rest (still recuperating from surgery.)
I’m going to attempt to attach some of my favorite snapshots to this blog. Unfortunately, my computer skills are rather limited (we can’t all be good at everything, right????) so please bear with me.
Since my mind is a rusty trap, I find it beneficial to list all plant names on metal tags. In order to avoid the tragedy of weather-related paint disappearance, the exact information is placed on the back as well as the front. If there’s room, I add the date planted and some of the characteristics of the plant. Latin names are very important to know, so I try to include them, as well.
Not all plants are labeled as a lot of the daylilies that I have are experiments. My deceased friend, Sandy Ellis was a true genius at hybridizing daylilies, and she taught me how to do so. It’s kind of like eating M&M’s…..once you start you just can’t stop.

Here’s one of the front gardens (the Weeping Cherry Garden.) See the hypertufa containers? I love to make them in my spare time. The small reddish daylily is ‘Burgundy Babe’. Man, does this daylily produce! There were many, many blooms prior to today, and the various bud sizes indicate that I will have many, many blooms to come. I’ll cross this daylily with a larger, darker one that doesn’t perform as well, hoping to get a large dark lily that will knock my socks off.

FREEDOM!!!!!

At long last my husband has released my proverbial chains from the couch. Today he took me to Erin's house to drop off the movie, and then onto the oriental restaurant in town. I will admit that the trip wore me out, but oh, my, it was wonderful to see the world again!

In the afternoon my fabulous pink-haired sister Shannon and her middle daughter Robyn, along with Robyn's daughter Brianna, stopped by to visit. Shannon walked with me around the yard so that we could admire the blossoms, blooms and buds. It was like heaven, weeds and all (I did manage to bend over and pull out a few while she wasn't looking.)

Tomorrow I will wander the yard with my camera so that I can post some pictures. I can't wait.

Oh, how I enjoyed my freedom! I can truly sympathize with those less fortunate; i.e., the elderly in nursing homes, patients in long-care facilities, prisoners, and so forth. Once again, I am reminded how truly precious life is. My wish is that everyone else in this constantly-changing world can appreciate the beauty of nature, the wonder of life, and the costly privilege of FREEDOM.

Bonkers

Have you ever felt like you HAD to get out of your house, or you’d go totally bonkers? I’m close to that point. VERY close.

On Monday, July 7, I had a minor surgery. I slept off the effects of the anesthesia for the first few days, even to the point of falling asleep while eating a bowl of chicken noodle soup. Family members waited on me hand and foot. As the usual primary care giver, I initially sucked up the attention. It was nice (and rare) to be the recipient of so much thoughtfulness. Sometimes I wonder if I’m actually loved by my teenage daughter and chronically grumpy husband. My fears were put to rest post-surgery. After all, it takes a LOT of love to help someone go to the bathroom, pull up and down pajamas, and clean up bloody messes. Definitely not a Hallmark moment, but they probably DO have cards for it.

The wonderful Erin, Steve and Jaden, Brandon and Bryan, and sister Shannon (who took me to and from the hospital) made sure that I was well cared for. I’ll have to think of something really nice to do to repay their patience with me, and the kindness and gentleness of their care. Even my sorority sisters of Beta Sigma Phi brought over meals. Yep, I was spoiled!

Now I’m ready to get on with life. Hubby, however, is very careful about what I’m doing. This morning there was a water garden club meeting for Central Illinois Water Gardeners. He wouldn’t let me go! It’s true that I have a SLIGHT tendency to overdo things…okay, a STRONG tendency to overdo…but I’m going stir-crazy. I look out the picture window in the living room that overlooks the unfinished koi pond, the hundreds of purple and white coneflowers, the ever-growing Kentucky Bluegrass lawn, and weeds. Oh, how I desperately want to be outside! The countless varieties of daylilies are in bloom, teasing me with splashes of color when I sit at the table in the sunroom. Brilliant pink impatiens beg for Miracle Gro so that they can explode over the rock borders, softening the edges of the area.

Indigo buntings flock to the feeder in front, gorging themselves on safflower seeds as they brighten the scenery with their brilliant hue. Equally vivid are the American goldfinches, vying for space on the mesh stocking-like feeder that hangs from a shepherd’s hook just off the back deck. The nut feeders are empty, leaving the usual wide variety of woodpeckers, flickers, and nuthatches with no reason to hang around for my viewing pleasure. Hopefully I can sneak out tomorrow (it’s raining again so I can’t do it tonight) to fill them.

Okay, I’m done whining now. I’ll drown my gardening urges by ordering new and exciting plants through the gardening catalogs that litter the coffee table. Then I’ll re-watch the movie "Martian Child" that Erin & Steve brought over (excellent movie, by the way…if you haven’t seen it, you need to) and drink a cup of hot tea as a companion to my biscotti. My state of "bonkers" is now under control.

Perhaps tomorrow the rain will stop and I will be able to go outside, camera in hand, to permanently capture the beauty that I have helped to create. I will honor my family’s wishes to not overdo anything so that I suffer no setbacks.

Next week, however, I will be a gardening fool!

Critters in the Gardens

Our bi-level home, in dire need of remodeling, is located on a wee bit more than two acres in the middle of nowhere. Directly behind our little slice of heaven is 75 acres of virgin lumber, which connects to the region’s state recreation area (how that differs from a state park, I’ll never know.) Each side of the property is crowded with shag bark hickories, a few varieties of oak trees, yummy sassafras, and the world’s largest supply of poison ivy.

Critters of all make and models occupy the woods around our house. Once when I was spreading mulch in the Welcome Garden (all gardens have names…this one is by the driveway, near the road, and is decorated with a small pineapple statue. I read somewhere that the pineapple is a welcome symbol.) I felt as if I was being watched. There, at the edge of the woods, sat rather shaggy red fox. It looked at me with a nonchalant eye, then trotted across the driveway and to the woods on the other side. It was probably on its way to tell the rest of the woodland creatures about the goofy human with her butt up in the air.

Deer sightings are a daily occurrence. On the sunny Saturday day that I held my daughter’s high school graduation party, the kids were thrilled to see a doe walking up the driveway. She was headed toward the Hosta patch, and I could swear that she had drool halfway to the ground. You could read it in her eyes…this deer was hungry, and ‘Tattoo’ and ‘Strip Tease’ were on the menu! The kids laughed hysterically as I grabbed the gold paper party horn from the table and flew out the front door, blowing an obnoxious "BLAAAAAATTTT!" and scaring the poop out of Bambi’s mother.

Yesterday, while conducting a quick garden tour, I noticed that all of the buds were chewed off of the top of my ‘Pompon’ (a full, peachy beauty) daylily, as well as most of the other daylilies and the ‘Blushing Bride’ hydrangea. I have a feeling that the fat and happy doe was lurking in the undergrowth, glowing with the sweet taste of revenge. Touché, Mrs. Bambi….you win this round.
You’d think that with our two extra-large Siberian huskies (the female is so wide she can be used for a coffee table) the rabbits would avoid our yard, but NOOOOO. The bunnies have ascertained that when the dogs are in their kennel, they have run of the back yard, where the most delicious and expensive plants are kept. Sometimes I hear the dogs howling in their wolf-like voices and I imagine that the rabbits are parading in front of the kennel, thumbing their noses and wiggling their evil little cotton tails so that they can work up a big appetite. I’ve found a portion of latticework along the deck that has a rabbit-size hole chewed into it. They are probably quietly plotting to take over the world, one garden at a time, starting with mine. Remember when they do that you heard it here first…move over, Sylvia Brown!
Snakes are almost as plentiful as ants, or so it seems. This region is supposedly free of poison snakes, but we have found copperheads in the yard near the koi pond. The vast majority of the snakes are actually the good guys…garter snakes, bull snakes, and the occasional unidentified serpent. They keep the rodent population in check, so they are welcome here anytime. I just prefer that they would have a bicycle flag attached to their backs so that I’m not so surprised when I stumble upon one. My pants would stay dryer that way.

The bane of my existence is the dreaded Japanese Beetles. These coppery green voracious eaters devour anything that is slower than they are. This includes marigolds and rhubarb, which are supposed to be unappetizing to the cursed beetles. As a Master Gardener I have had extensive training on how to deal with the pests. (Hand pick the beetles and drop them into a jar of soapy water or use a product like Sevin to spray plants that are expensive or important to me, etc.) Instead I am tempted to use flame-throwers or nuclear weapons to eradicate the demons. In my deepest, darkest fantasies the Japanese Beetles morph until they will only eat poison ivy. Perhaps the entomologists of the world can work on that.

Coyotes, stray dogs and feral cats, bats, tons of birds, and moles also share our space. Rumor has it that there are wildcats and mountain lions as well, but I’ve never seen any of them. As long as they leave my gardens alone, and forget about eating the family pets, we can cohabitate in peace.
Housework and remodeling can wait for a rainy day. While the sun is shining, I’ll spend all of my time in the yard, working in the gardens and watching the critters that come to visit.

..and a good time was had by all...

Celebrations

Oh, how I love holidays. It doesn’t matter WHAT we’re celebrating, as long as I can bring the family together for food and fun. Sometimes my kids and ‘almost kids’ (we’re so close that I feel as if they are my kids) make fun of me because I tend to go slightly overboard. My goal is to host parties that the little ones will fondly remember long after I’m gone.

Today was no exception. The celebration of the freedom of our country is indeed the perfect time for families to gather together and make merry.

Max, the Working Man

My husband Max decided to accept an overtime bid by working day shift at the power plant. He came home at 3:30, attempted to replace the ceiling light in the living room, and sat with me for a short time while I stoked the flames of the fire pit. After briefly playing with the little ones, he withdrew to his bat cave bedroom for a three-hour nap in preparation for the midnight shift. Sadly, Max missed out on the majority of the revelry of the day. Luckily, he reaped the benefits of the fire pit, as I packed hamburgers (cooked over cherry and oak wood), kick-ass potato salad, Nacho cheese Doritos, and a piece of moist chocolate cake in his Herman Munster size lunchbox.

The REST of the Family Present

My elderly parents (check a future blog for some belly laughs regarding their lives) were the first to arrive at our country home, eager to see their grandchildren and great-grandchildren. They love being around the kids, enjoying the antics of the hyperactive and imaginative masses of energy (and fueled by sugar) while reminding us that THEY get to go home by themselves.

Erin and her husband Steve, as well as their children Jonas, Adylynn and Jaden were next. Erin is my niece, but she feels more like my daughter. We are all very close and see each other nearly every day. They probably get sick of me!

Brandon, my 26-year-old son, and his wife Jessica, as well as their little miracle baby Bryan, were also here. Jessie & Brandon were recently married in Las Vegas (yet another blog-to-be) on June 11, 2008. Laughs abound when Brandon is around. I have bribed Brandon & Jessie into naming their next three children Shelly Lea…but we all know that they will renounce the fact when the time comes!

Alana is my beautiful 18-year-old daughter. She and her boyfriend Will are currently residing in the bedroom in the corner. Nope, I’m not thrilled with the situation, but that’s the way it is until we can get the two of them moved into their new apartment. (It’s just weird knowing that a BOY is sleeping with my baby! Sometimes I feel like creeping into the bedroom into the middle of the night and beating him senseless with a big stick. Too bad I’m a pacifist.) She’s expecting a baby in January and I’m doing everything humanly possible to assure that they will name the baby Little Shelly. Of course they have a different opinion on what to name the baby…go figure. Again, there will be more blogs about this subject in the future.

Fun & Games

It’s like orchestrated chaos when we get everyone together. The four children, two of them almost three, one nearly five, and a six year old, enjoyed a wide variety of activities. Today’s adventures included playing in a ball pit that I found at a garage sale for $2.00 (side note – never trust the lady collecting money when she says "No, there’s no leaks in this ball pit!") and blowing bubbles with utensils from a 25 piece variety pack bubble set. Little Bryan, in a state of euphoria from being allowed to run with the big kids, drank the bubble solution from the pipe. I’m glad I don’t have to change his next dirty diaper! In the late afternoon we broke out the big container of popper streamers, which left the deck and back yard covered in multi-colored paper shreds. The big kids (a.k.a. Brandon, Erin, Jessie, Alana and Will) were delighted with the poppers. I must admit that I partook in the streamer craziness for a short time, and had a blast doing it.

The snappers turned out to be a big disappointment. I’m talking about the little wonton shaped papers that have a pinch of explosive powder. When you throw them on the driveway they’re supposed to give a loud and obnoxious but harmless SNAP! Only one in ten popped. It was rather funny watching the little ones throw them down as hard as they could, but I think I’ll pass on the poppers next year.

The glow sticks, unlike the poppers, were lots of fun. The kids took them into the windowless hallway to frantically wave their arms and see the glow of the pretty colors. Later that night, Erin, Steve, Jonas, Ady and Jaden took me into town so that we could watch fireworks. We all started out wearing a necklace of glow sticks, but it ended up that I had all of them. You could see me coming from a mile away! Luckily my glowing didn’t interfere with the magnificence of the fireworks display. The kids "ooohed" and "ahhhhed" (while Ady covered her ears) as they watched the shower of colors. The small-town display held big-town professionalism. Pink dandelion shapes happen to be my personal favorite. I admit to giving quite a few "ooohs" and "ahhhs" myself!

Recuperating

Laziness isn’t normally in my daily grind, but this morning I was the depiction of a sloth. I took many catnaps on the couch and stayed in my jammies until one-ish. I’m now taking a break from doing two loads of dishes, cleaning the refuse of the day, and vacuuming the plethora of paper pieces. It’s worth all of the before and after effort of having a party when I think about the smiling faces and hysterical giggles of the kids, both big and little, when they are having the time of their lives.