Sunday Serenity - Two Thoughts...

Flowers are the sweetest things God

ever made and forgot to put a soul into.

- Henry Ward Beecher, Life Thoughts

Are we, finally, speaking of nature or culture when
we speak of a flower (nature), that has been bred (culture)
so that its blossoms (nature) make men
imagine (culture) the sex of women (nature)?
It may be this sort of confusion that we need more of.
- Michael Pollan, Second Nature, 1991

~~~

xoabb

expect anything!

Contemplation

More Sweets & A Little Night Music

It amazes me that one sweet pea plant can have so many different colored blossoms - and on one plant! No true blue but every other shade in between blue and red. Above is a closeup of the bouquet dad picked for mom Tuesday. The vase they're in is a beauty that Bari Precious (and yes, that really is her name) of Precious Pots created - all of her ceramic works are wonderful. I'm pleased to tell you they all came home this afternoon! All is good. And it look's like it's finally only going to get better. Slooooowly better. But better all the same.

Cody and I went down to the edge of mom and dad's pond last night to ~commune~ with nature. Well, I communed. Cody thought it was her sworn duty to protect me from all the swooping bats, white catfish and frogs in and around the pond. Speaking of frogs, at one point I could make out at least five different frog songs. It was quite a lovely symphony. And so very very peaceful. I also slept well that night, again without Cody as she was still taking care of Dad during the night since mom was still in the hospital. I fully expect to have my roommate back with me tonight. That tickles me pink!

Though the sound isn't the best,

here is a little taste of the froggy night music. Enjoy!

~~~

xoabb

expect anything!

Sweet Peas for his SweetHeart...

Dad in the garden picking a bouquet of sweet peas to take to his sweetheart of nearly 60 years. Flowers are such an important part of their lives!

Dad and I couldn't possibly leave the house to see mom without him bringing her a bouquet of flowers from their garden. And sweet peas it had to be. They are one of mom's favorites.

A bouquet gathered for his bride...

(A photo aside: I know, I know! The quality of the photos are seriously lacking...however, I was standing quite a ways from where dad was and he hadn't any idea I was there - as I wanted it to be. Had he known I was snapping away, I would have been told not to. So please imagine the above as the perfect pics I imagine them to be instead of the snuck photos they are! Thank you very much.)

~~~

xoabb

everlasting love is real...

P. S. To all those who've asked, Mom is now truly doing much much better and we expect her to come home from the hospital no later than Thursday. As always, your friendship, thoughts, prayers, everything are so very appreciated. And more than you will ever know. Thank you.

No ABC Wednesday for me this week -

BUT

Go here to join the fun!

Discombobulation Reigns Supreme

I haven't a thought in my head worth sharing with anyone. Amazing how exhausting it is to sit around and worry. (But pleased to tell you there's less to worry about today than there was yesterday - things really are slowly improving.)

I want to thank each and every one of you for your kind thoughts and wishes. It is appreciated and loved by me (and mom & dad) more than I could possibly express. The best, I tell ya, y'all are just the best! Till the next sunrise, my friends, when I hope to be a little more coherent.

On another note...

Here's a bit of some CT side-yard scenery I came across last week while walking with MPM & Jules. Had no idea cactus plants grew "wild" and in this abundance in Connecticut of all places!

~~~

xoabb

expect supreme tiredness at times!

P. S. It is KILLING me to be without my camera! Mom has one, but its transfer cord is AWOL. I could very well have a complete and total melt-down over this. I am not kidding!

Just Another Manic Monday

Been a roller-coaster of late. I'm in Missouri rather unexpectedly as Mom became ill before Dad had the chance to fully recover from the same malaise. They so easily take care of one another, but when both are under the weather at overlapping times...not good is the result! But this too will pass. Dad is looking much better and know Mom will follow suit soon.

And guess what I couldn't find on my way out the door (to fly home to MO) last Friday? My camera! It is always with me! Can you imagine me being anywhere at all without my camera, let alone my parent's glorious place??? Me neither! (In my defense, I had little time to pull it all together and pack, and we all know I need lots of time for that.)

Above is a photo that has absolutely nothing to do with what's written above of some of the glorious wood pilings (I think that's what they're called) that line our Connecticut coast in various places. For whatever reason I love how they look.

Desolate, weathered. But enduring.

~~~

xoabb

expect anything!

Sunday Serenity

“Aerodynamically, the bumble bee shouldn't be able to fly,

but the bumble bee doesn't know it so it goes on flying anyway.”

~Mary Kay Ash

Imperfect by design
Ungainly sporadic jerks define gawky movements
Flawed in nearly every way
A veritable outcast
Among hive-minded conformity
Blissfully ignorant of the overwhelming odds
Heedless of the scrutinizing critics
Who see only inevitable failure
Unaware of its own limitations
In the face of impenetrable skepticism
And aesthetic superiority
And because necessity is the mother of invention
And inspiration the father of hope
The bumblebee flies anyway
Thus the intangible becomes thinkable
The execution of such an absurdity, doable
The lofty goals to which one aspires, attainable
And the bumblebee flies on.

~Sarah K. Jenison, MI

~~~

xoabb

expect anything!

Photos: CT, 7/3/9

Our Great Nation

Happy Birthday, My Beloved America!

May You Ever Be Free!

~~~

xoabb

expect patriotism from me - always!

SWF - Plus Our Very 1st Harvest! (Sorta)

I love the rise and fall of our Long Island Sound tides,

and they've been particularly high of late.

Overlooking the 14th hole of Shorehaven Golf Course

on one of our few semi-sunny days.

(Click pics to embiggen - much better!)

To the left....

And to the right...

On another note, there has been tremendous growth at our CG plot!

Well, except for the pepper plants.

What is UP with the pepper plants???

If they don't start growing soon, I'm ripping those suckers OUT!

Our very first harvest!

Three pea pods!

We cannot feed the masses...yet...

(Hope springs eternal, tho!)

~~~

xoabb

expect anything!

~

Sky Watch Friday

Do Join Us!

LISound photos: 6/29/9

CG photos: 7/2/9

Always More Than First Meets the Eye...

Safe-looking

But what do I see among the lilies??

Stella sees and flushes the suspect out...

Thanks to Stella, my birds are once more safe

From big bad Trey-You.

~~~

xoabb

expect anything!