An interesting visitor

During hot summer evenings we leave our doors open to capture any zephyr passing through. We do not have screens on our doors so it's not unusual for critters to fly in. That's where this adventure begins. Let me set the stage.

We were enjoying a relaxing evening watching a movie. The house was dark; the best atmosphere for movie watching. A moth fluttered across TV screen. I thought he must like action movies. Eventually he left our viewing corridor and moved on to somewhere else in the house (or Tucker dog ate it).

Suddenly a whirl of black flew through the room! I covered my head and yelled, “A BAT”. It flew circles around the room as I continued to yell like a little girl. My husband calmly said, “It's only a bat. It won't hurt you.”

I finally regained my composure and turned on my reading light. One more tour of the room and the bat left. I quickly jumped up and closed all the doors. Whew....

A life of its own

When I stopped working in 2001 I started gardening. We had very little usable space in direct sunlight because our property is covered by HUMONGOUS deciduous trees. So I started planting pots for our deck.

one corner of our deck

Fast forward 15 years and my little gardening project has morphed into an obsession. In early spring I begin scanning garden supply stores. My copy of Sunset's Western Garden Book is dogeared and stuffed full of plant tags guiding me on what's worked and what hasn't. The book is my constant companion. Plant colors, growing habits and textures are taken into consideration.

Finally, I begin the process of purchasing. Often I'd go grocery shopping and when my husband comes out to carry the sacks in, he'd finds a flat of flowers nestled among them. It takes me a month to purchase and plant all the pots. 

What happens when I end up with a few homeless plants? I buy a new pot!

 

thunbergia 'Arizona Glow'

Currently, I plant and tend 36 pots stuffed with all varieties of annuals and perennials. I love tending them in the quiet, still morning before our little berg awakens. The stillness allows me to watch the bees and hummingbirds flit from flower-to-flower. I average an hour daily deadheading and watering my treasures but it is a labor of love.

What a shocker

I joined an ATC (artist trading card) group 2 years ago. We meet once a month to exchange ATCs we've made representing a specific theme.

For the past 15 years my paper crafting has been in the 12" X 12", 4¼” X 5½” and 5" X 7" formats. Sooooo I thought working in the ATC format of  2½” X 3½” would challenge my creativity. Oh boy, have I been challenged!

I immediately learned that going from big to small is incredibly difficult. All my supplies are geared too LARGE. My stamps are LARGE. My ephemera is LARGE. My first thought was....oh yeah, I get to buy new stamps!  My second thought was....what the hell am I doing!

theme - washi tape

Our themes range from objective to esoteric mind benders like "wind". Huh? Each month as our meeting draws close my stress level increases. I have no ideas! What am I going to do? Finally I reach the OK, I won't go this month point. Out of frustration I sort of pout. But the theme keeps running through my mind. I should be able to do this.

Finally, 24 hours before the meeting I'm struck with an idea! I escape to my studio and begin working like a fiend. Paper, ink, stamps, scissors, more paper, dies, washi tape, more paper. I look like the Tasmanian devil.

But this month was different. I designed and made my 10 ATC cards 5 days before the meeting! Hmmm, what's going on! I'm hoping this trend continues but don't count of it.
 
 

May I watch TV?

I'm pretty sure that's the first question Tucker dog asks me every morning; with the exception of rainy mornings. He is obsessed with watching our resident squirrels. His first task is to make a bee line for the french doors. By the time I get there his left cheek is pressed to the glass and he's snorting dog goobers on the glass.

As I open the door he bolts out and comes to an abrupt stop. He assesses his territory before taking another step. His head slowly swivels from side to side looking for movement.  In a nanosecond he has assessed if its friend or foe.  

Quite often a squirrel is munching bird seed the gold finches have tossed under the feeder. Suddenly Tucker dog becomes an alien. He crouches down and begins to shake. Suddenly he bolts from the deck like an Olympic sprinter. 

Of course he's no match for the squirrel who does a victory lap around the oak tree and returns to eating.

Whew!

I'm glad that's over. Having to spend a portion of 3 consecutive days hooked to an IV is exhausting. Although I have to (grudgingly) admit it was easier than previous infusions. 

Not only was I able to receive the infusion at home but gone was the IV pole and nurse coming to the house to start each bag. They set me up with an elastomeric pump also known as a balloon pump. It was a pretty cool device.

Unfortunately I still received "toxic wasted dump mouth" when the line was flushed with saline and during the time I received the methylprednisone.

Now I just have to wait for the magic cocktail to work. Keep your fingers crossed!