Odds ‘n Ends

OUR NEW RED FACTOR CANARIES, TOBIKO AND CREAMSICLE, TOO FAST TO STAY IN FOCUS.

 Every day I try to take some photos, but after a while, they tend to add up into a jumble that can’t seem to be clustered together, especially during busy gardening weeks such as these early summer days. So I thought that I just might take a random selection of images from the last week, and share them with you in one post. So much is happening, that a separate post for most of these topics would be just too much.

ORANGE BERRIES IN A PINE? NOT EXACTLY. TRY, INDIAN KUMQUAT’S FROM OUR FORTUNELLA HINDSII WHICH ARE DROPPING OFF THE MOTHER PLANT FOR THE SEASON. THIS BONSAI PINE JUST HAPPENS TO BE BELOW THE KUMQUAT. I STILL LIKED HOW THIS LOOKED.

LYDIA, RETURNED OUR LOST TORTOISE. Hmmmmmm. Oh LYDIA, YOU HUNTRESS – LYDIA, OUR YOUNGEST IRISH TERRIER, ATTEMPTS TO MAKE UP WITH DOPPLER, OUR RED-TOED TORTOISE THAT MYSTERIOUSLY DISAPPEARED FOR A WEEK IN THE GARDEN. SHE RETURNED IT TODAY, UNDAMAGED, BUT EVER SO SLIGHTLY CHEWED WITH A FEW TEETH MARKS ON HIS SHELL.

DOPPLER WAS PRETTY PROTECTED, ( AND PRETTY PISSED) WE THINK HE EITHER CRAWLED OUT OF HIS  TUPPERWARE CONTAINER AND DROPPED 12 FEET OFF OF THE DECK, OR, LYDIA JUMPED UP ONTO THE RAILING WHERE HE WAS SUNNING, AND ‘BORROWED’ HIM FOR A WEEK. EITHER WAY, HE’S OK.

BABY PHEASANTS! WE ARE NOT SURE IF THESE ARE RED AND GOLDEN PHEASANTS, OR LADY AMHERST PHEASANTS, SINCE WE HATCHED THEM IN THE INCUBATOR. WE DO KNOW THAT THEY WILL BE PRETTY LIKE THEIR PARENTS WHEN THE MATURE. THEY ARE VERY FAST, AND NOT FRIENDLY, UNLIKE THE DUCKLINGS AND THE GOSSELINGS.

Not everything works out, and here is a good example. I had this idea, and thought that I might lay out a design with pots and some old windows, which I would photograph, and then use as a new masthead for this blog. In the end, it was a disaster. Too contrived, too ‘designed’ and just not right for me. 

Even this image looked too ‘art directed’, but in a dated way. I think with the right props, and more thought, I can get a more thoughtful yet more honest design, but for now, I will keep using a graphic approach.
What’s this you ask? It’s our local ‘big box’ glacier, all dirty and sandy but still taking down some casualty trees as it moves slowly down the hill.
Underneath it’s covering of dirt and debris,  icy snow still exists here in central Massachusetts, condensed into the ten foot deep glacier which is still sliding down a hill. This exists right now, on June 11, in Millbury, Massachusetts, and it sits just below our local Target store’s parking lot. If you can remember the record breaking snow we had in January, this is all that remains – which is pretty amazing, considering that it is the middle of June, and that last week we almost reached 100 degree’s F. for three days.

Margaret is still recovering, if you can call it that. She has her up days, and her down days. Probably more down days than good ones. ,One day at a time, but we can tell that she cannot carry on for much longer. I doubt that we will lose her feeding tube, and now we are adding additional water via an IV 3 times a day. It’s all just very sad. Still, she is amazingly strong, and sometimes jumps up to see what the other dogs are barking at ( like the drunk driver that hit the telephone pole yesterday right in front of our house),on those moments when she surprises us energy and bright moments. Sometimes she takes a little run after the ducks, or a squirrel, we are thrilled. Each day is precious, for we know that she won’t be with us long. Sweet, sweet, Margaret. My eyes well up just typing this. Crazy, right? Oh well. We do love our dogs, and Margaret is simply my favorite – I can have a favorite, right?

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Comments

  1. Seems like a lot is going on! I like the blog header that you have at the moment, I find it kind of refreshing!

    Hope all is well!

  2. Matt, your story of Margaret is so touching. I am sitting writing tearing up too. All of us who have had a special pet go through this stage of life knows it is so difficult. We had one of our cats that at the end would somehow jump up to the kitchen faucet for his drink as he did when he was full of life. Hope Margaret has a good week.

  3. Your feelings for Margaret are not crazy at all!! Pets are an important part of our families! Hope she has a happy week.

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