An Early Spring Day at the Farm

This is my first effort for Sky Watch Friday. Bear with me as I find my photography legs.




I took this photo at our farm in southeast Alabama one recent weekend. We saw the bluebirds checking out the house, so I grabbed the camera. I wasn't lucky enough to get them, but I tried.

TT#4: Thirteen Things about Dorothy Parker I've always enjoyed reading about Dorothy Parker. I use Wikipedia's words: "she was an American writer, poet, critic, and a fixture of 1920s literary society known for her acerbic wit and low opinion of romantic relationships. She became a member of the famous Algonquin Round Table, which was a celebrated group of New York City writers, critics, actors and wits. Gathering initially as part of a practical joke, members of "The Vicious Circle," as they dubbed themselves, gathered for lunch each day at the Algonquin Hotel from 1919 until roughly 1929. At these luncheons they engaged in wisecracks, wordplay and witticisms that, through the newspaper columns of Round Table members, were disseminated across the country". I remember that on my first trip to NYC, in the early eighties, I wanted to have drinks at the Algonquin Hotel. The staff there showed me the space where the group had gathered---and I could only imagine the fun and laughter that emanated those many years ago. In the quotes and writings below, I have not included the attributions, only contextual explanations. "She ran the whole gamut of the emotions from A to B." (once said about Katherine Hepburn's performance in a Broadway play). "How could they tell?" (on being told about President Calvin Coolidge's death) "All I need is room enough to lay a hat and a few friends". "If all the young ladies who attended the Yale promenade were laid end to end, no one would be the least surprised". "That woman speaks 18 languages and can’t say No in any of them." "This is not a novel to be tossed aside lightly. It should be thrown with great force". (written in a book review) "Men seldom make passes at girls who wear glasses". "You can't teach an old dogma new tricks". "And she had It. It, hell; she had Those." On Experience: Some men tear your heart in two, Some men flirt and flatter, Some men never look at you, And that clears up the matter. (her poem) Résumé: Razors pain you; Rivers are damp; Acids stain you; And drugs cause cramp. Guns aren't lawful; Nooses give; Gas smells awful; You might as well live. (her poem) "She must have done it sliding down a barrister". (On hearing an actress had broken her leg) And-----my personal favorite: "You can lead a horticulture but you can't make her think". (On being asked at a game show to use the word horticulture in a sentence) Get the Thursday Thirteen code here! The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others' comments. It’s easy, and fun! Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted! View More Thursday Thirteen Participants

After the April Showers

Since it rained so much over the weekend, I wondered how my plants, and flowers, and herbs fared. I've walked about a little in the gardens, both here and at the farm, to see the difference that God's water can make. The thyme has grown overnight. I love that fragrance. Baked chicken with thyme?




The oak leaf hydrangea--wow. It will be at peak in a couple of weeks. Do you see how large it is? It's next to the dog kennel. Nuff said.




The fig tree at the farm is putting out. Figs will be ready mid to late June. I can hardly wait. I love fresh figs and Gorgonzola.




The wisteria at the farm is lovely, but the lord of the manor (LOM) doesn't like it because it spreads.




The horsetail fern a friend shared with me will do well, I think, but the LOM may not like it either; it is invasive.




Rosemary loves the farm. This plant is about eight feet across and about three feet high. I have plenty to share.




As I wrote in my "100" I like to garden in April and October!

Rain, Lots of Rain

We needed it, and we got it. Lots and lots of good, slow, steady rain---about 3 inches here at the house and about the same at the farm. That means we didn't have to use the sprinkler; the seeds Tom planted may come up; and the flowers we planted last weekend got a good soaking.

We were guests at a small dinner party last night; other than that, we stayed close to home. Tom worked in the yard a little, and I worked around the house. Mother isn't doing well, so I checked on her often.

This afternoon, I attended the GED Graduation Ceremony, one of the most moving events we have at the College. We honored about 20 graduates today. These are people who have struggled to earn the basic educational credential. They have suffered many hardships, but they persevered. They bring a host of relatives and friends to celebrate with them, and it is a wonderful occasion. It helps remind me why I do what I do.

TT#3--Thirteen Things about Motorcycle Safety We ride a motorcycle, and we enjoy the sport. I’ve written about it before. Just like any other sport, preparation and training are key to success. Though I am the rider, not the driver, I have learned that many accidents are caused when four-wheeled vehicles do not see the bike. Yes, accidents are also caused by bikers who are reckless, unskilled, and perhaps filled with alcohol. They are foolish. Safety is our first concern. Here’s what we do to be safe. Motorcycle Safety Foundation course. Tom took that when he bought the first bike. It is a one-weekend course taught in every state, and he says it is excellent. Not only did it teach him maneuvering skills and increase his confidence, he said it also made him a better 4-wheel driver because he is more aware of other motorists. Only about 10% of those involved in accidents have taken a safety course. Loud mufflers. I know, some are too loud, but the fact is, bikers use their sound as an awareness tool to ensure that others know they are on the road. Mufflers really are a safety feature. Leather jackets. Again, not to be cool; well, that, too; but leather jackets are protective. In the unlikely event of an accident, even laying down the bike at zero speed, the leather protects against scrapes and burns. Also, leather is warm. Let’s say the air temp is 60 and the motorcycle speed is 60; I think that equates to a wind chill of about 32. Yes sir, the leather feels good. Chaps and gloves. Ditto #3. DOT approved helmets. Our state and our good sense require it. I would love the wind blowing through my hair, but it won’t happen. Group riding. We like to ride in groups of three or four bikes (all drivers of which are equally committed to safety). We contend that other motorists can see the group better---and its fun. Riding in lanes. You may have seen groups of riders in what appears to be formation---a biker riding the middle line, the next one in the middle, and the next one on the outside line, each staggered behind the other. Yes, it looks good, but that’s not the reason for it. The first reason is that in formation, the bikes take the whole lane; other motorists are not likely to get confused and try to illegally pass. Another reason is that it gives the riders in the group a little extra room. If the biker on the center line slows or stops unexpectedly, the one in the middle behind him has more room to compensate. Good practice. No alcohol. Period. Controlled speed. We don’t ride the bike to get somewhere; we ride it for enjoyment. We are most comfortable at 55 or 60. I don’t do 80! Retroreflective clothing. At night, we wear a retroreflective vest. If I am riding passenger, I wear the vest; if Tom is alone he wears it. The important thing is that other motorists see us. Plan. We always discuss our destination, route, and first pit stop in advance with other riders in the group. The lead bike has responsibility for the group. He uses the rear mirror to watch what goes on in the group and hand signals to identify road hazards. Passenger behavior. It is important for the passenger to be sensitive to the driver. Sudden shifts in weight can cause problems. Also, I always wait until Tom signals that he is prepared for me to get on or off. Avoid riding in bad weather. It is not fun or safe. On one ride, we had a perfectly lovely lunch outside in Aspen CO; 30 minutes later the snow forced us to find an alternate route. Not fun. If you are a careful biker, you know all this. If you are not a biker, perhaps this list will help you to understand bikers and to give them a little room and respect on the road. So the next time you see a group of bikers, smile, raise your hand in greeting, and think of your Thursday Thirteen friend.

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!


The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others' comments. It’s easy, and fun! Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!

View More Thursday Thirteen Participants

It's Real Simple

I am impressed everytime I read something from Real Simple--great information, uncomplicated, and easy to read.

This how-to for a stress free dinner party caught my eye---and the ideas are really good--like using brown craft paper for placemats, using odd stationery as place cards and the fork tines as card holders, and homemade wine tags. Wish I'd thought of that!

Also, how about dinner party seating strategies. Good stuff to know and think about.

And the table manners refresher course is good for even the old hands among us.

These articles are in their Life and Soul section. Have I said that I really like this magazine!

I think my girls might get a subscription for Mother's Day!

A Weekend at the Farm

After the busy Easter weekend, it was great to throttle back a little. We left for the farm on Friday afternoon. Tom spent a lot of time on the tractor--plowing and discing, and doing whatever you do on a tractor. He loves getting dirty. See photo below. I piddled---that means I had fun getting ready for dinner guests on Sat. night. The weather was absolutely perfect. Warm, but not too warm, low humidity, just a little breeze, and not too many bugs. So, it seemed like fun to dine outside again. In just a few weeks it will be too hot, and we'll have to go in the house and turn on the air conditioning. I love this time of year, and I want to enjoy every minute we can outside.

So we had two couples to join us. Anyway, my fun was preparing our outside "rooms" for the evening.

Here are the weekend photos.