odds and ends

Just a few more other pictures before we get to the good stuff...

Rock candy experiment: started out great, but.... we were storing the containers on top of the dryer. And I had to dry some clothes in the dryer. So to keep the crystals from getting shaken off the sticks over the course of an hour, I moved the containers to a more permanent, stable surface. Which shook all the crystals off the sticks immediately! Oh well, better luck next time.

This is Oscar's plant, Rock. He bought it himself, with some birthday money (I continued a grand tradition and helped him out with purchasing the pot). He named it himself, too, with some guidance. His first choice was Edie.

Our first official box was packed for moving! We have a lot of other boxes full of stuff, but none of them are actually packed. This is the only such box to exist so far. Our house is still very tidy!

A sun-baby. I have pictures of Oscar and John in that patch of sun, I'll have to see if I can find the same outfit for Edie too. It's a very attractive sun-patch!

My winter aconite bloomed! Such a cheery fleck of yellow. That spot could use about 40 more of these, because they are currently so separated that from the kitchen window it just looks like bits of trash in the garden. Bright and cheery, though.

CHEEKS.

 Spot the cat, my favorite game!

Garden tour

So we're moving to Clemson, SC. Our house was shown to buyers at the beginning of March - the first people to see it made us an offer, and that sale is proceeding (bumpily). In case the deal had problems, we also listed our house for backup offers, and I sifted through all the photos to give our realtor some of the gardens in bloom. She didn't end up using any of these in the listing, but it is a nice collection. It's funny to see that I managed to take pictures without any people in them. I also know some things I want more pictures of before we move!

Oscar's new blanket!

I finished a few weeks ago but things have been busy - I haven't even blocked it yet. But everyone agrees it is the coziest blanket ever. I highly recommend the pattern, which is all stockinette stitch and requires no sewing.

Oscar picked out the colors himself, about a year ago! The clerk in the yarn store was confused that I would be making a blanket for Oscar when I so clearly needed to be making a baby blanket... but she didn't know about Auntie Liz!

I told him to look regal for these pictures, see what you think.

poem of the week

YOU’LL DRINK YOUR ORANGE JUICE AND LIKE IT, COMRADE

Soviet Union agrees to absorb quantities of citrus fruits to relieve Cyprus surplus. – Newspaper item

There’s a Cyprus citrus surplus,

Citrus surplus Cypriotic.

No Sicilian citrus surplus

But a Cyprus citrus surplus,

Not a Cyprus citron surplus

But a Cyprus citrus surplus,

Not a Cyprus citrus circus

But a Cyprus citrus surplus.

It’s a special citrus surplus,

Cyprus citrus super surplus.

“Just a surface citrus surfeit,”

Says a cryptic Coptic skeptic.

But the bishop in his surplice

Certifies the surfeit citrus –

In his surplus Sunday surplice,

Certifies the citrus surfeit,

Who’ll assimilate the surplus,

Siphon off the Cyprus citrus?

Sipping at the citrus cistern

Who’ll suppress the Cyprus surplus?

Says the Soviet to Cyprus,

“Send us all your surplus citrus;

This is just a simple sample

Of Socialist assistance.

Should you show a similar surplus

In the simmering summer solstice,

Send a summons to the Soviet

For surplus citrus solace.”

Now on Cyprus they’re all reading

Victory, by Joseph Comrade.

-         Ogden Nash

Snow and haircuts and candy!

It's snowing today so I tried making candy again, it turned out really well! No saws were required to slice the candy roll. It still isn't perfect but no one will complain about me perfecting a candy recipe.

When Elizabeth was here Oscar asked to get his hair cut, no hair just like Dad. And I immediately complied, and she took some pictures with settings I didn't even know my camera had. Some of them turned out pretty cool! And Oscar liked his haircut very much. Until he went to school and all the kids and teachers freaked out about it, so that he came home and said he wanted his hair back because  no hair was a distraction.

And a little later I was possessed and cut John's hair too. And then I went and got my hair cut. We're all ready for something, now.

Yesterday we went on a new hike, along Bobcat Ridge. It was warm and beautiful, and we were very lucky to arrive just when someone was leaving, so we got a parking spot. John rode in the backpack for about half the walk, and then ran the other half with Oscar. Edie sang us the song of her people, whenever she felt inspired. I realized I have gotten used to these trails through exposed prairie, and now I know some things to look at while we're walking. When I first moved here I found these trails  so arbitrarily placed. And you're in the sun almost the whole time! 

poem of the week

MAX SCHLING, MAX SCHLING, LEND ME YOUR GREEN THUMB – A TRAVELOGUE OF FLOWERY CATALOGUES

Bobolink!

Bobolink!

Spink!

Spank!

Spink!

Bobbink!

Atkink!

Sprink!

Burpee.

-Ogden Nash