time to get moving

My holiday weekend can be summed up in one photo:


Not a whole lot of activity, one might say. It was nice, real nice, but after three days of lounging (interspersed with occasional jaunts to the park to wear the pup out) last night I decided it was high time to get myself back into gear.

And so I give you:


This. I like to call it, "A Glimpse of Dorian Gray, Post Destruction of Said Painting." Things aren't too pretty in Chez Emily at 0545.

But, it worked out well. Beulah and I went for a long walk (with coffee in hand) around the neighborhood. I went for a post-walk run, ate breakfast, packed lunch, chased the dog around the house and headed to work, a little muscle soreness paying me back for being lazy for over a week.


So, no more lounging around the house. No more pizza. No more beer. No more not paying attention to the money I spend on crap.

Time to get moving, accomplish some more of this year's goals, keep the momentum up. Even a 0545 wakeup is cool, as long as it gets me closer to where I want to be.

I'll be buying more coffee later today.

summer nights

I have to say, of all the seasons, summer is my favorite. As much as I love the change of seasons and the excitement that comes with it, it is summer that suits me best. The days are slower, the sun is out, the windows are open and there are a million opportunities to go outdoors and play. I love that I don't have to bundle up before heading outdoors, wear real shoes or worry about the weather. I love the hum of insects in the flowers and even the humidity we get just about everywhere in the South.

Most of all, though, I love summer evenings. It is so nice to leave work while the sun is still in the sky and have hours of soft light left in the day. There is something so relaxing about getting home and opening the windows, lighting the candles and cutting up an avocado for dinner. This summer I seem to be spending a lot of time on the patio, reading books and enjoying the warm air. Beulah moseys in and out the open door between the living room and garden, her little toenails clicking on the floor. I leave the lights in the living room off until I come in so as to not attract too many bugs. You can hear the traffic from the road nearby a bit and people going in and out of the doors of nearby condos, but those sounds are muffled by birds who seem to stay up awfully late and squirrels running up and down tree trunks, talking to each other in the branches. Once it is finally dark outside and I'm done for the evening, sleep is so much more peaceful because of the time spent relaxing without the television going or the stress I the long cold walks Beulah and I take in the winter.

If I had my way summer would never end.

out in the storm

A few days ago, as the sky darkened and the breezes kicked up I put a leash on Beulah and we headed out into the weather. I love walking around when rain threatens and more sensible people head indoors. Familiar sights look strange and new and you appreciate everyday beauty through a new set of eyes.


As we entered the nearby park the friendly stream I have started letting Beulah play in reflected the surrounding trees and weeds.


The dry grass rustled in the wind, anticipating the rain. Although we had quite of precipitation in the late spring, it has been so hot and humid that the landscape is already beginning to dry out. What was emerald green just a few weeks ago is now brown and brittle. This grass here reminded me of childhood drives past wheat fields in Rottingen.


Train cars idled, providing a color contrast with their surroundings and contributing to the quiet, empty feeling of the evening.


Newly grown Queen Anne's Lace looked so delicate as thunder began to growl and lightening flashed in the distance. Odd how the most tenacious weeds would produce such fragile-seeming blooms.


One would think Beulah would have been frightened or skittish, but that was not the case. After some initial starts when the thunder thudded around us she was happy as a clam to be able to run free in the wind for a moment or two.

We headed home just as the lightening started getting too close for comfort. For the rest of the evening I think both the pup and I felt a little bit of that wild storm-fast-approaching excitement as we watched the rest through a window. Despite all the anticipation, in the end there was very little rain. Just a sprinkling really, not even enough to wet the road completely. The first dry thunder storm of the summer.

travels through other worlds

Lately there's been a lot of good book reading going on. Perhaps this is due to the summer lull, where the sun is up past 8:00 p.m. and the porch is more inviting than the couch. That, and I think I've actually seen every episode of "Law and Order," soo...

As I've been working through my huge (and always growing) stack of books to read, there have been a few duds, but most have been well-written, interesting, entertaining and thought-provoking. Here's a little summary of some recent nights well-spent in the garden:

• Travels with Charlie in Search of America, John Steinbeck ~ This book was recommended by an older gentleman at the dog park because I have a poodle, and well... John Steinbeck had a poodle. It was fascinating to read Steinbeck's observations and opinions on the state of the nation as he traveled across it gypsy-style.
• Greenmantle, Charles de Lint ~ What can I say, I love this author. He makes the ordinary world magical and weaves tales that make you feel you are experiencing yourself.
• Eva Moves the Furniture, Margot Livesey ~ Lately, ghosts have been on my mind and this novel treats them in an unusual and interesting way. It is nice to be pleasantly surprised by a book you weren't too sure you wanted to read.
• A Good Dog: The Story of Orson, Who Changed My Life, Jon Katz ~ I cried, yes I did. I loved reading about how this man's dog was the catalyst for a major lifestyle change.
  

tinkering around

Lately I've been spending a bit of time tinkering around my little garden of pots. It's so exciting to see all the little plant hopefuls begin to flourish and grow.

There have been some failures, like the original pot of petunias. Note to self, don't even think about using a pot with no drainage. It never works. Never. I've replaced the first batch with these lovelies:


My tomatoes, you ask? They are humming right along. As the summer gears up I am seeing little fruits pop up almost every week. Now, I have no idea when any of them will actually be ready to harvest (I like that term, harvest. Just saying it makes me feel like a "real gardener.") I'm keeping a close eye on them, though and the moment they are ready ~ they will be chopped up with some olive oil and basil before those tomatoes know what happened!


With basil from my herb garden, of course. The basil, rosemary, parsley and mint (not pictured here) are thriving in their multi-colored pots. The cilantro was another fail. The first plant grew, no problem, but when I cut it to use some I must have cut it wrong. Cilantro plant, the elder, was exchanged for a younger model. Which I shall be more careful with the next time I need some in a recipe.


My first experiment with actually growing something from seed is turning out well! I'm pleased to introduce you to my fair nasturniums-in-training. This is the only patch of dirt inside my little patio space and has been enhanced with some potting soil as topsoil. I did exactly what the package said to do; soaked the seeds for 24 hours, planted them into the soil so they had enough darkness... and here they are! Hopefully they will continue to grow and will produce pretty (and edible) flowers.


I find myself sitting outside of an evening, Beulah chewing on a bone at my feet, enjoying the growth around me and dreaming up idea for the rest of the season. What comes next? Any ideas?


The plan is to continue to grow something or another outside my door throughout the year. As the seasons pass I want to swap out the plants that die for seasonal ones. Mums in the fall, maybe evergreens in the winter, bulbs for the spring. An ever-changing garden to watch and enjoy.

time to go to work

Oh Kong Toy, how I love thee! First discovered after listening to my new puppy cry and cry every time I left the house (almost a year ago no), the Kong toy saved my booty - or at last my sanity. You stuff that thing with peanut butter, smooshed up sweet potato or treats, make sure she's interested and beat feet out the door before she realizes I'm gone!! Beulah has actually learned the "time to go to work" routine now. I fill the Kong, she watches and when I'm done runs to the couch and jumps up on it, I offer the treat, she looks at me forlornly and then digs on in, I sneak out the door. Another potentially-neighbor-enraging incident averted.

one year old

Beulah, the day that I picked her up. She's grown so much!