Silent Sermon Sunday

Namaste' Till Next Time,
Holly aka She Who Is Grateful For Her Eyes

A Butterfly Flaps Its Wings In My Yard...

I'm sure you've heard the sentiment, "A butterfly flaps its wings somewhere and the wind changes, and a warm front hits a cold front off the coast of western Africa and before you know it you've got a hurricane closing in."  It's a way to explain Chaos Theory which basically goes to teach that for every action we take good or bad, it impacts something, somewhere down the line in ways that we can't predict or even imagine.  For me, it's a good reason to sit still and do absolutely nothing for the rest of my life because, well, who needs that kind of power or lack of control?!  

However, since I've decided to create this blog post, I'm sure that my decision will impact events in ways I didn't envision, so I may as well continue.  You may want to get out your storm gear just in case.

At the very edge of my property runs what is left of the driveway that lead to the tiny farm house that was home to the people who owned the farm this development now rests on.  It was tucked up in a canopy of over-growth and trees.  You could tell it was once loved as day lilies still bloomed close to the foundation.  By the time the developer bought this 50+ acres, it didn't much resemble a farm and the house was falling to ruin.  We all hoped the small house could be saved, but it would have cost way too much to reclaim it.

All that is left of the original owners is the long driveway and some of the huge pines edging it.  It's taken me awhile to get used to the notion that I have a driveway as the last few feet of my property, but it has come in handy when we need to get mulch or other things to the backyard.  A truck fits down it quite well.

Over time, the concrete has broken up and fallen apart further along the drive, but up at our end the first four home owners still have concrete. It's become wild and overgrown as the years have gone on. While we have our grass cut as part of our monthly dues, wild areas are left to the homeowners to manage as part of their property. We aren't a condo association with all the exterior being common ground.  We each own our quarter-acre property as well as the house that sits on it.

Our home owners association, envisioned ours to be a 'no fence' community, at least for the patio homes.  This means that we all have the freedom to do what we wish when it comes to gardening.  We liked the idea that one would see a continuous vista of green open space with the Laurel Highlands as the back drop.  It's one of the best views I've ever been blessed with as a home owner.

It's actually worked out very nicely.  We all collaborate with each other about plants and flower beds and other things we wish to do so that it's become quite a close knit group.  We all benefit from the additions and plants.  It's park-like. We've given an open invitation for our neighbors to feel free to use our fire pit anytime they'd like.  And there's a great deal of chatting back and forth when we're out.  Nice.  Very!

The other day My Lion said, "I'm going to get a quote to have the landscaper clean out the back.  I want to be able to get a vehicle down there again.  And, we have to keep it cleaned out so that the gas utility people can get to the gas line for service.  Can you talk with the neighbors to see if they want to participate?"

To be honest, over the ten years we've lived here, it had become a real mess.  My neighbor Theresa and I especially dumped our yard waste down there.  I mean, what are you going to do with all the cut back?  The trash company won't take it to the landfill and we don't have a recycling spot that will accept it so it seemed an easy solution.

It turned out it wasn't our best idea.  Why?  Because as it got more and more filled with yard debris and grass clippings, it's become a bridge from the farm directly behind us to our yards for ground hogs and snakes and you name it.  And, as it became more overgrown, we've had lots of incidences of neighborhood kids using it for whatever nefarious deeds young people are want to do. The last straw was finding what turned out to be my neighbor's stuff strewn about and picked over after her car was broken into and well, enough was enough.

I talked with my neighbors on either side.  Theresa immediately said she agreed and would contribute.  My neighbors on the other side said they'd have to think about it.  The neighbor on the other side of them said, "No, I'll have my guy take care of it like he does twice a year.  Thanks."

Last Friday, the landscaper came with a small bobcat and they got to work to cut back the trees and brush and weed-wacked till it was down to the low point.  The bobcat was used to shorten how many hours he'd have to charge to have them remove the debris by hand.  It was either pay for the equipment rental or pay them per hour for clean-up.  We went with the equipment option which was actually a bit cheaper and I am certain they all breathed a sigh of relief when we did.

In about four hours time they had it returned to the way it looked when we moved in- in fact better! Perfectly cleaned out and down to the original cement drive.  Now we have a natural fire break and the critters will possibly think twice before sauntering over to our yards.  I hope.  Theresa was pleased with the job.  We were completely pleased with the job.  Michael told the three neighbors what the job cost and asked them to contribute what they feel it is worth to them.  In case you're curious, the job cost $1500.  He says, "Regardless if they want to contribute, the job had to be done so I did it."

Now, $1500 is a pretty big price tag and we're totally hoping that the neighbors will kick in, but if they don't we still feel we what was best for our property and for the good of the community.  So, I bet you're wondering why I started out this post with the whole Chaos Theory bit, aren't you?  I'll get to that now.

While the job was being done my neighbor, with whom we've been very friendly and who declined to be part of the job, rings the door bell.  I step out, big smile on my face because I'm always glad to see him and get totally bushwacked.  Totally.  He starts out by saying he's very upset and when I ask why he continues, "I thought we were friends!  And yet, without telling me that you're having equipment brought in and severely changing the grade of that back property, you just go and do it. I've called my attorney and if you cause a ponding, standing water issue for me, well, you're going to have to deal with my attorney."

Shocked, I answered, "I did call you and tell you we were going to have it cleaned out.  I offered you to be part of it if you wanted to have the brush and grass hauled away.  I know you have it weed-wacked twice a year but if you wanted the build-up removed, you could have done it!"

He went on to say we'd severely changed the grade and since he sits at the lowest point on the run, he'll have major issues.  I tried to tell him that we couldn't change the grade because the cement is already there.  He refused to believe me saying that cement only remained at the very top of the drive. I countered that he was incorrect.  Asked if he wanted to go back and look and he refused.

His parting words to me were, "I'm just really disappointed.  I thought we were friends and friends don't cause problems for friends." When he drove away I simply stood there.  Totally caught off-guard.

He's not spoken with us since.  My Lion says, "Once someone threatens me with their attorney, all conversation on my end stops.  I won't get involved with a treat. We have the pictures and a video that the landscapers shot that shows he already has a problem with standing water back there.  That's how they determined how far to go with the clean up."

Sigh.  SIGH.  MAJOR SIGH! Yes, I suppose this is one of those times when No Good Deed Goes Unpunished.  But, I have to say I am totally perplexed.  How can our decision to do what's right for our home and the homes immediately surrounding us, willing to absorb the total cost, be anything but a good thing?

How can a butterfly flapping its wings in my yard cause a total shite-storm Tsunami for our neighbor two houses away?!?  Can anyone explain that to me?  It seems Chaos Theory applies to people as well as our Universe, I suppose.

And, it turns out that Chaos Theory is correct; I never saw that one coming...

Namaste' Till Next Time,
Holly aka The Tsunami Starter

Silent Sermon Sunday

"Let yourself be silently drawn

By the stronger pull of 

What you really love.

~ Rumi

Namaste' Till Next Time,

Holly

Image courtesy of the Internet, Cloister Garden at Versailles

Silent Sermon Sunday

May the view of your world from your garden gate be as kind.

Namaste' Till Next Time,

Holly aka Rory's Mommer

Silent Sermon Sunday

May your dreams unfurl this week.

Namaste' Till Next Time,

Holly

Image courtesy of my garden!

Look! Up In The Sky.... It's A....

I'm laying in bed this morning, still involved with my post-Thanksgiving, turkey induced comma....minding my own business and luxuriating in the warmth and softness of the flannel sheets. Having a love affair with Morpheus.

The bedroom door creeks open a wee crack and then next there is a Scottie presence anxiously standing next to the bed. And, it goes like this:

Rory: Mum! Mum! Ye mun wake now!
Holly: Boydog, no, go away. Mum is resting...
Rory: MUM! Ye mun get up ast ah need ye strrraight away!
Holly: Go play with Fiona, I'm meditating...
Rory: MUM!!!! ARRRROOOOOO!
Holly: Oh for heaven's sake, Rory, what is it?!
Rory: Gae and get yer picsturrre taker now! Ah need ye tu capture the mirrracle that Sirius has sent tuday!
Holly: What the heck are you talking about? What miracle??
Rory: (As he noses the curtains at the bedroom window aside,) Luk at the sky!!! See it?!
Holly: Oh my goodness! Yes, I see it...
Rory: Quick like Mum aforrre it gaes away....

I jump out of bed,run for the camera, and come back to the window as Rory is anxiously hopping about. And, this is what had him so excited. Can you see it too?


Click on the picture to make it bigger if you can't see that, in the sky hangs a Cross of St. Andrew! Yes, that is Scotland's flag done in nature's colors.

St. Andrew's day in November 30th, so this is a wee early, but Rory and Fiona are thrilled that Sirius sent them a living sign of their homeland heritage. Now that is a site to earn an ARRROOOOO! We stood there wondering about it and then Rory whispered, "Ack, tis grrrrand, aye?" Me, "Yes Boydog, it is indeed."

Namaste' Till Next Time,
Holly aka MUM

Summer Yields Her Last

That's the last of it. The garden has been put to bed and this is all that is left. It's pretty, the shapes and textures. I suppose I'll have to see if I can successfully fry the green tomatoes.

My neighbor, Cindy, and I did not have a lot of luck with our garden this year. The cucumber vines and the squash plants turned brown and stopped producing. They went very early. The tomatoes produced fruit that split quickly and damaged. And not near as much yield this year. Even the cherry tomatoes were stingy this year.

The second planting of green beans did produce a heavenly small yield of sweet and tender bits of green heaven, but the peas and snap peas hardly posted at all this year.

Always the one to think I've done something wrong, I really fretted over my green thumb turned black, but I heard from other 'farmers' that their back yard plots didn't fair much better. So that's left me wondering what may be going on. I'd appreciate any insights you can share.

How did your garden grow, Mary Mary Quite Contrary? Mine, no so good. How about yours?

Namaste' Till Next Time,
Holly aka Farmer Dietor

How Does Your Garden Grow?

This was my morning message, and I thought it so fascinating, I wanted to share it with you:

It's like everyone's given seeds that are capable of growing into the garden of their dreams, but no one's been told they even have them. Then, when they see their neighbor's garden growing, whether it's because their neighbor actually found their seeds or accidentally spilled them, there's a rush to see what's happening. In fact, whole industries are built around the buying, selling, and trading of other people's gardens...

There are seeds that grow into private gardens. Seeds that grow into best sellers. And seeds that grow into happy families.

It's quite a riot, and often good fun but, would you believe that one of the biggest impediments one has to discovering their own seeds, is their fascination with the gardens of others?

I don't believe I have garden envy...but I will admit that some of my best ideas for my garden have come from admiring others. I suppose the issue becomes, not the admiration of others, but the coveting of their life, their garden as it were.

Sometimes it's so easy to look at other people's gardens, it distracts you from taking care of your own. You also forget how many hours it takes them to cultivate such a pleasing garden. How long it can take you to develop your own style and look. How much you have to take into consideration the growing conditions of your garden vs. the conditions that others must deal with. What look do you want; what makes you the most comfortable? What sort of garden gives you a sense of accomplishment when you stop to look around you? What is the best way to express your bliss in your own wee plot?

How about you? Do you have garden envy? Do you spend way more time worrying about other gardens than you spend hours tending your own? Time for me to get busy...I've let some weeds grow in mine and it's time to take control.

Namaste' Till Next Time,
Holly aka She Who Loves To Garden

Silent Sermon Sunday

Spring slowly slips in...
~ Amen

Namaste' Till Next Time,
Holly
Picture of the only Scottie in my home who obeys

Eye of The Beholder

Somewhere near, a robin trills its morning song. My bleary eyes slowly focus on what has caught the bird's prayer. I join in silently...

"Thank you, God, for my eyes."

Today, I hope you have a moment that lights your heart and sparks your gratitude and imagination.

Namaste' Till Next Time,
Holly aka She Who Does Not Do Mornings

Silent Sermon Sunday

Can spring be far behind?
~ Amen

Namaste' Till Next Time,
Holly
Image courtesy of the Internet

I Spoke Too Soon

Clearly, I was mistaken. It's back in the wilting 90's again. Will stay that way for the entire week. Red sky at morning? Ask a sailor what that means...

Summer roars back again. After all, it is only the end of August. So, Summer, listen because I'm only going to say this once, "You were right; I was wrong. You win." For now.

Namaste' Till Next Time,
Holly
view from my coffee cup

The Crow Knows

~ The Demise of Summer ~

In the quiet of the morning
I hear the sound
The one for me that tells
The season is about to turn.

In the open hayed field beyond
The crow sits perched and yawns
And caws and caws to say
Summer is going.

I wait each year for this sound
To tell me another summer is bound
To fade away with its heat and fierce beauty
It bows out as Autumn sweeps in, colors flowing after her.

Cawing, Cawing, the crow announces
The fields are ripe for picking
Left overs are there for the taking
Summer is leaving and fall is coming
Most welcomed by me.

Namaste' Till Next Time,
Holly
Images courtesy of the Internet; Round Table art by Marion Rose

So Now What?

...yeah, Summer is like that. That's just from one time picking. Ideas? Anyone? I'm open to your suggestions.

And, since we all face this embarrassment of riches this time of year, I'll share one of Nanny's best recipes for summer eating. This salad is best made a day or so in advance...if you can restrain yourself.

~ Neapolitan Salad ~

(This is all done to your taste, so don't get upset that there are no measurements.)

- green peppers sliced thin
- ripe tomatoes of your choice
- extra virgin olive oil
- basil fresh if you have it, and also dry.
- salt
- cracked black pepper
- garlic minced fine. A lot of garlic is needed to flavor this salad.
- hint of sugar.

Slice the green peppers thinly and put them in the bowl with the olive oil, and the other ingredients. Make sure they are coated nicely. Dice your tomatoes and add it. Mix. If you have the fresh basil, dice fine and add in. You can add fresh mozzarella to this but mix it in just before serving. Some people like to add slice onion to this, but we prefer it without.

Mangia Bene!


Namaste' Till Next Time,
Holly

Summer Ahhhhh.....

Heirloom tomatoes just picked from my garden! 'Nuff said...

Namaste' Till Next Time,
Holly aka Farmer Dietor

Silent Sermon Sunday

"As often as you can, take a trip out to the fields to pray...All the grasses will join you. They will enter your prayers and give you strength to sing praises to God."

~ Rebbe Nachman of Breslov

Namaste' Till Next Time,
Holly aka She Who Hopes To Pray Well

One More Reason To Blog!

I would like to introduce you to Linda! That's not this day-lily's real name, for that's been lost. However, Linda is the best name for her. She is one season old. She came all the way from Washington state to live in my garden. Just because I admired her when I saw her...

...on another's blog!

Linda is a glass artist and gardener. I met her through another blogger who is a jewelry artist and well, the thread winds through and around and now both of these talented women, who I have never met in 'real' time, have become friends. Amazing.

If you want to see a garden that you'd love to sink down in and just spend hours looking around, then by all means, go see Linda at, An Artist's Garden and enjoy your visit.

Please note: You CAN NOT have the turquoise Adirondack chairs for I am taking those, and also the bird house...hands off, that's mine too! Oh, and the glass bird baths, any of those are most likely mine. Don't argue with me. And, enjoy your visit.

Linda, I am thrilled that Linda rewarded me with a bloom the first season of being up and here. When we move? She goes with me!

Namaste' Till Next Time,
Holly aka She Who Loves To Garden

Not A Thought...

...in my head this morning. Not a one. I happened to find these in my garden over the weekend. And that first one reminded me of tie-dye. Then I was reminded of how cool it is to be able to take my own pictures. Of what ever I feel like.

But a thought to share? Umm, they all fell out of my head overnight. I'm sure when I make the bed, I'll find them laying around on the mattress. I'll scoop them up. Try to put them back where they belong. Just know, I don't plan to make the bed for quite a few more hours, though. So best not to wait...

Instead, you'll just have to look at these and make up a story or a thought for yourself. Leave it for everyone else to consider in the comments.

Please, you'll be doing us all a favor. And remember, sometimes the best tales are the ones we don't think are important enough to share.

Now, go discuss, talk amongst yourselves...what did you come up with?!

Namaste' Till Next Time,
Holly

Inside Out

My dear creative Beth, of Be Yourself...Everyone Else Is Taken, has a fun post today and she's a fab photog. I love to see what she's doing. She's participating in a shooting challenge and invited us to play, too. Now, I really shouldn't because she has a truly wonderful eye, where I am a hack when it comes to visual arts. But she is encouraging me to find my visual voice, as it were, so I thought I'd give it a whirl. The notion is to see what lives inside your space and then see how you connect it to something outside. So, here goes...

The colors in the first image above...

Seemed to reflect the colors I found here.

While the predominate shape in this shot....

and maybe the color...

...seemed to match up pretty nicely with this little bauble.

And, it was the form of this statue...

...that made me laugh when...

...I saw it reflected by the stance of my wild highlander resting for a wee bit. Certainly it wasn't the regal bearing of the statue because there's nothing regal about Rory. He's just completely loving and spiritually simple.

The serenity of this image...

...and I think, the colors too, corresponded to...

...the serene expression here. And, in part, the colors.

Let's hear it for the red, white, and blue!

...inside and outside, too!

Do not be alarmed. That's Merv, The Griffin. He is the happy guardian of our front door. He does not bite, unless you are a bad person and he is very discerning. Otherwise, just give him a pat on your way in.

It's a wonderful thing to be made to look at the usual to find the unusual. Thanks Miss Beth, for asking me to play along...hugs & kisses from, the...


Namaste' Till Next Time,
Holly aka Queen of The Universe
Yes, that actually does hang in my kitchen; no lie!

One Very Sunny Day

Gardeners in my area have been enjoying a banner year. Higher than average rain fall and the cooler days means that plants and the grass have bloomed, grown, and run wild like kids on summer vacation. Recently, I've been showing close ups of the inhabitants in my gardens, and I've been asked a time or two what things look like in the gardeness of it all, so I thought...

...I'll wait till a sunny day and take them on a bit of a tour. Click on any of the photos to see the details if you'd like. First stop? My humming bird feeder, which when I had the camera ready, not one of the cheeky lil' buggers would come winging by! Dern...

I've shared this spot before as it's one of my favorites, but I got caught up in the light cut into two extremes; I liked the effect. I adore this water feature of ours. The sound is so soothing, yet we don't have to deal with the aspects of upkeep since it's a pondless water fall. I'd highly recommend it if you have children or, don't want to deal with the upkeep that's required of water features.

Here's our back deck. We spend a great deal of time out here, but honestly, since we put up the under-decking, I prefer sitting on the patio below. It's always shaded and comfortable. And, when it rains, I can sit out there and enjoy the sound and the smell. Wonderful!

If you stand on the deck and look to your right, here's the view that will greet you. We are blessed with outstanding neighbors, many of whom are very much into gardening. Western PA has some beautiful natural areas. The Laurel Highlands is one of those. Nice, huh?

I've never had a veggie garden before and this summer my next door neighbor and I decided we'd share one. It's a great idea; it's not as much work as trying to do it on your own, and it's fun to share the excitement of growing things with a friend. Cindy and I are always amazed when we go out and it looks as though it's jumped up another foot!

I had absolutely no idea that green bean plants could be so dainty and pretty. I like to stand in the garden and watch the flowers open. Soon, they're going to yield us some very tasty Blue Lake Green Beans. Yum!

And, this is one of our tomato plants that I placed in the center of the garden to act as a sentinel. It's becoming quite impressive in size, but it doesn't scare the chipmunks who go jetting in and out of the garden as though it was a game of Super Market Sweep.

Even the marigolds are getting visitors. And the very last of the spinach makes a nice counter point to the vivid color of these little gems...

Across the yard from the veggies, is my other garden and the wall that Fiona and Rory like to walk along. Very brave Scots I have; nerve wracked mother I am, yelling, "Come down, Come down!!"

Honestly, though, everything has grown so large that I often feel as though I'm in Jurassic Park...everything is encroaching on the next plant and there is absolutely no order in the garden this year. Those really tall things you see? They're Casa Blanca lilies not yet bloomed. The stalks are taller than me! Whoever heard of lilies growing so tall? The English lavender is no slouch this year and has become a bee blanket.

The grasses are wild and the sunflowers have yet to bloom but are over seven feet tall! Wowzers...

Some of my hosta have become quite bossy expanding into new spaces...and the lilies on this side are also impressive; they'll need to be staked to keep them from crashing down before the blooms open. There is nothing like the fragrance of Asiatic lily in the sultry evening air...ahhh!

This rare sunny day was the chance to weed and take a stroll in my newest garden, installed this year, at the far edge of the property. I was lucky to find a Forest Pansy Red Bud tree. I love red buds, but this form is really quite lovely as the leaves stay this delicious merlot color all summer and turn red in the fall. It's really a gem.

This isn't the best shot as I've discovered that bright sun flattens out images, so it's hard to pick out detail, but here's the newest garden. There's the Forest Pansy standing on the right looking all full of herself. She knows she's pretty and expects to be admired.

There's more to see, but I don't want to wear you out. Why don't we stop here? I'll share more later. If the sun has made you a bit tired, let's sit under the deck with some iced tea and chat. Or, if you'd rather take a little snooze like some in the garden seem to do...I don't mind, go right ahead. I'll just sit here with you and watch the garden grow while you do.

Namaste' Till Next Time,
Holly