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Carnivorous Plant Bog and Vegetable Beds

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I’ve finished my carnivorous plant bog, putting it out near the boathouse for full sun. I’d originally placed it closer to the house, then I worried that leaves from the camphor tree might change the pH. Now I hope the occasional sprinkling with lake water will not harm it. Starting with a wide planter from Wayfair, (2 @ $145), I taped over the 2 drainage holes from the outside with Gorilla tape, then filled the holes from the inside with hot glue. For more waterproofing, I put tape over the holes on the inside. Looking back, I probably should have tested it for watertightness, but I was anxious to plant. I drilled 4 1/4” holes about 2” below the rim so extra water will drain rather than flowing over the top. I want it to be wet but not waterlogged. * Mary and I filled it, with Bella and Remi’s help, with a mixture of equal parts sphagnum peat and perlite, then watered it well. I’d placed a 2” cylinder-shaped pile of small river rocks up one edge so I can get water to the soil without ...
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Thanksgiving and Beyond

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The chronology: Spaulding, Molly and Teddy flew in the Friday before Thanksgiving for a week at the timeshare her dad owns. Along with Steph and her family, they joined us for dinner: chicken noodle soup and pasta e fagiliol with sourdough  bread. The next 2 days, they had tickets to Disney. That worked out because we were booked for LAWD on Saturday. I made the cranberry tiramisu on Sunday. We pressed our electric camping cooler into serviced to have room in the refrigerator. Mary, Ryan, Bella, and Remi arrived on the red eye Monday morning. Everyone came for waffles mid morning. Swimming in our cold pool, chasing poor Gracie with the laser, cousin bonding. We took hotdogs to the timeshare to grill for dinner.  Tuesday, Steph got us all tickets to Universal. She even borrowed the Senior VP of Entertainment’s gold pass so Grant and I had free valet parking. It also got 6 people into the Express Pass lane on each ride. Exceptionally valuable for the Velociraptor roller coaster....
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Happy Birthday to Me

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76 and amazed how well I feel. Still fraying around the edges, but my core is holding. So where am I, where am I going? Not waxing philosophically.  Too much to do, both short term (pumpkin pies to bake today plus I want to work in the yard, and I’d really like to paint, but that’s not possible with grandchildren around, which I wouldn’t trade for a second) and long term (although we are slowing down, I still want to spend a month or more in Europe, especially France and Italy. And Spain. And England, plus we really should drive around our Southwest.) As ever, I am shedding stuff but not as far along as I’d like. More and more, things mean less and less to me. For example, Windermere Garden Club is fundraising by collecting broken gold and silver jewelry to be traded in for cash. I am going to donate single earrings whose mate is irretrievably lost. I’d hoped to have them made into something. Now I know what it is: a donation. The pictures and other nostalgia still loom, and the sc...
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Catching Up

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Each year, an anonymous donor gives Bloom and Grow Garden Society* entry tickets and a table for 10 to the Habitat for Humanity’s Rock the House fundraising auction. Any members who want to go put their name in a basket for 2 seats. This year I finally got lucky. Maybe. I assumed this was an uptown affair. Nope, under a big tent in a field. *So Winter Garden to be a society, not a club. One other factor in the plot is that each table competes in a table decoration contest. Our group decided on a bee theme, since the club promotes pollinator power. To make a long story probably too long, Ellen designed a huge centerpiece, making an old fashioned bee skep from a basket turned upside down atop an orange crate with lanterns and lights around it. Little bees were scattered on the table, and ribbon was strategically swooped throughout. Gold chargers topped by black and white checkered plates added glamour. We had painted sunflowers on chair-back covers, and best of all, dressed up like bees....
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Out, In, Near Misses, Ties III

 Welcome, 2025 Another year to pare down our belongings, either by not buying something or by moving things along. In another post, I’ll list our 1/week cleaning of drawers, shelves, or box. In: 01/03: 2 copper mule mugs. (Also 1 mini vase & 2 tea candle holders used as vases for hospice flowers, a Windermere Garden Club project.) All from Central Hope Thrift Shop. $6.66  01/06: Watercolor brush: #2 round, kolinsky sable, from Amazon. $29.82 01/07: SD card reader for trail camera, from Amazon. $10.64 01/08: Watercolor brushes: flat, mop, rigger, & filbert, from Amazon. $46.51 02/23: 3 shelves to display my paintings, from Wayfair. $44.72 03/ 03/25: 2 tshirts for HGB from RSMAS grad student sale. $42.80 + $14.88 UPS shipping 03/29: Grab bars for the shower and next to toilets, anti-slip mat for rug, plus shower mat returned, from Amazon and installed by Patten and Ryan. $99.88 05/24: Hose for pool, to replace old one Bath mat Stihl 3” chainsaw Pole for Stihl chainsaw...
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Wasting Away

 Yes, I’m in good shape, for my age, as the doctors always have to add. However, 10 pounds less makes my pants fit better. Back on the eat less, exercise more plan. January 6th: 170.0#  I’ve begun my arm exercises again and am trying a NYT’s stretching program for lower backs. Mine is fine, and I plan to keep it that way. January 13th: 172.0# Sigh, definitely not the right direction. At least I’ve started walking daily and added my shoulder exercises back to my routines. February 3rd: 172.5# Double sigh, but no surprise. I have reestablished my morning exercises, varying from shoulders to stretching to some more core. We moved the stationary bike to the lanai. I ride every few days. February 24th: 172# Up and down, wavering around 172. We have walked every day this past week, except Wednesday, when it rained all day. March 10th: 177# Ouch. I knew our low-impact birding trip definitely would impact my weight. Too much enjoying eating casado (beans, rice, protein, plantains, a...
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Art and Culture and Food

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I had opted to stay in Williamstown because I wanted us to see Ground/work 2025, a site-specific set of 6 large sculptures, each made by a different artist using a craft from her or his culture. Woodworking, fabric dying, sculpture, basket weaving, mosaic tile, and ceramics. Marvelous, but I hadn’t considered that not all places are flat like Florida. As we trudged uphill, Grant struggled to catch his breath. However, with a rest at a picnic table, he was able to get to the top of the exhibit layout. Downhill is our friend. On to the New Haven, CT airport to turn in the truck and be picked up by Deb and Rob. Note on the truck which we should have inspected better before driving away: there were no dents on the outside, Grant had checked. However, once I began driving, I realized my boot heel stuck to the flood when I wanted to move from gas to brakes. As soon as I found a pull off, we stopped. No floor mat, and perhaps glue or sticky tape where one h...
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