Odds and Ends

It's getting toward the end of the Gladiolas.. I have enjoyed them so much. I thought I would share these two pictures.. I only had this one gladiola that had multicolor like this.. I thought it was beautiful. Wish I had more of these - Also I shot this around 9:00 am but the light was too harsh even then..

Also we are arranging for the carpet for the Guest Quarters today. So probably in the next few weeks we will be completely done. We are both looking forward to it. Cap'n Steve is definitely ready to move on. He is talking furniture making and I am encouraging it so that should keep him occupied and not driving me crazy! He did rebuild our back steps earlier this spring. Our BC, Lass, is to the point that she has problems going up stairs. These back steps were starting to give her fits. I couldn't pick her up and carry her up/down like I did with the corgis as they became unable to negotiate them so Cap'n Steve redesigned them to be wider and smaller rise. We just put the outdoor carpet on them this week as Lass was really starting to slip. Mattie, my ham, is modeling them for us. Lass is definitely a camera shy BC.. I have come to the conclusion it is the infrared focusing that makes her uncomfortable...

I'm No Martha Stewart

Having a bit more company this weekend than last. 8 people.. Which is fine except that we don't have more than 6 plates/wine glasses and not to mention we can't sleep more than 4 very comfortabley, which is one reason for the guest quarters. But I guess my friends (more on MY friends vs Cap'n Steve's friends in another post) finally got tired of waiting on the guest quarters and decided this is the right time to visit. Which is too bad in a way because the quest quarters are just a couple of weeks away from being completed.. Hooray!..

So back to my Martha Stewart comment. I am no pro at cooking/nesting/entertaining and don't really spend a lot of time fretting over it... but luckily my friends all realize this and still like me.. I feel lucky..I used to go all manic when we have company - I mean really bad - drove Cap'n Steve up the wall.. I have learned to relax a lot and it makes for a much more enjoyable time for me...(and Cap'n Steve). I usually try to do the food a day in advance (even when my guests graciously bring goodies) and then I usually run the vacuum the morning of the day of arrival... with 5 animals and living on the river bank with lots of sand, it's always a losing battle - but at least it helps initially.

This time of year our gladiolas are blooming which is a treat - at least for us. But somewhere recently I heard them referred to as funeral flowers and now I can't get that phrase out of my head and as I look around at them all over the house I can't help but think about that phrase... ticks me off.. I shot these yesterday very quickly with the P&S (and it shows) but the colors or pretty true - very brilliant with a preponderance of white gladiolas this year I have these spread all throughout the cabin.. in fact I need to go tend to them and make sure they look fresh for company.. It will be a fun group - lots of laughs and lots of good discussion - I am looking forward to it..

Good thing I love the color green....

There is one thing about North Georgia - it is GREEN most of the year.

Now I am no master gardner - but we do have a few flowers around the place that I thoroughly enjoy. And they are starting to pop.. We have our day lillies that provide some nice oranges:



Our sick Hollyhock is giving it a good try..




It really should be producing something splendid like this:




And our first Gladiola is blooming - we should have a bumper crop this year. Finally after 5 years of these beautiful flowers, I have purchased appropriate vases. I am looking forward to using them instead of my old wine carafes and pitchers: Yes it does take me awhile to get around to some things...

A Breathe of Fresh Air

This really should be titled Coming Up For Air.. That's what it feels like. Arrived back at the cabin a month ago and have been working the contract big time, finally over the hump this week and should be back to my normal part time work for the foreseeable future.. knock on wood. The first month or so that I am back at the cabin is usually spent getting the weeds under control, mulching the flower beds and recovering from the pollen bombardment. Things settle down by mid May. I have on the agenda to work on the photography. Cap'n Steve should be finished with the garage apartment in the next month or so and I am looking at photographs to print and use as art work. Mainly ones of the area, specifically of the cabin, but some others as well. I have these two that I think will make nice framed prints. The Apple Blossom shown here was taken last week when our apple trees were in bloom. Post processed to give a softer look.

And this picture, to the right, I came across last night - post processed it again and fell in love all over. It looks better when you click on it and open it larger. This is from my dear friends Allen and Linda's lovely home in Athens. I photographed their place on a visit last fall. My favorite people in the world, Linda (and Allen), Debra and Rebecca all have such wonderful decorating taste. I love to go visit them as their homes are a haven. I, on the other hand, seemed to be decoratingly challenged. I see it like gambling for myself, you have to be able to afford to lose. And I just don't have the money to make decorating mistakes. I can buy software, photography accessories and overall geek stuff with confidence, but ask me to buy something for the house and I go into major panic attack and can't decide on anything. Too many choices...but I guess that's kind of what life is about.. the yin yang if you will. Oh well - we certainly don't live in a dump, but I could use a little - make that a lot of help to spruce the houses up...