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Hookers, Johns, and night-time photographs
Posted by doggonedmysteries
I know it’s weird that I take pictures of the gardens at night. The whole night-time photography thing started in a strange way…
I live in the center of town in a rather quiet area, slightly off the beaten path. For years, we had a high hedge along the side of yard. This attracted a certain problem. What was the problem you ask? Hookers and their Johns discovered it. At first, I’d let the dogs out and allow them to bark at the strange cars but I began to fear that these people might try to harm my darlings. My tactics changed quickly when one man became confrontational and we had to call the police on him.
After such an experience, you tend to try to find easy ways to move them off without being confrontational. Having a camera’s flash go off several times in their direction certainly does the trick. No, I don’t take pictures of them or their cars but they don’t know this. Should they try to confront me, I can prove that I am innocently taking pictures of my gardens and pond.
I’ve found that when I photograph the gardens at night the colors of the flowers and Koi come up clearer and most natural. There is that deterrent thing too…
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Never tell anyone who your tomato overflow person is…
Posted by doggonedmysteries
We planted five tomato plants. The counters and fridge are teeming with tomatoes. I have several neighbors who put in at least a dozen plants, no wonder they have so many.
Our tomatoes are coming in faster than greyhounds after a rabbit and so are all the neighbors’. Neighbors are scrambling to get rid of them and they are all getting the same response, “I already have a ton of tomatoes.”
I’ve made salsa, tomato sauce, and relish. We’ve had so many BLTS that they are coming out our ears. (I’m not complaining I love BLTs.) I have two people I give my overflow to before the harvest fills every shelf of the fridge and my entire counter top. Shhh, don’t tell anyone but my next door neighbor and my MIL are our tomato people. They welcome our surplus with glee. Dear Hubby takes a basket of grape tomatoes and a couple of the Big Boys over to his mom once a week. My next door neighbor has Big Boy tomatoes whenever she desires them.
When other neighbors complain that have no one left to give their tomatoes to I suggest taking them to the soup kitchens.
Posted in my garden
Tags: Author, Beads, Bones, books, Books on writing, Bull Terriers, Care giving, Caregiver, Coffee, comedy, Craft of writing, Crafts, Dead, Disability, Dog humor, Doggoned, Dogs, Family, Fiction, Gardening, Gardens, Home, Humor, Life, Love, MS, Multiple Sclerosis, Murder, Mysteries, Mystery, Novel writing, Writer, Writing
I am not a domestic Goddess
Posted by doggonedmysteries
I hate to clean. Don’t get me wrong, I love a clean house but I hate doing the work to get it clean.
Dusting, oh, I’d rather play with the dogs. Running the vacuum, yuck, it’s so noisy, wouldn’t it be better to sit and read a book? Sweeping, it’s quieter but wasn’t there something I meant to write about? Washing windows? Do I really need to see outside? If I wash the dogs’ nose prints off the windows, they’re back there in an hour anyway. They call it decorating and I tend to agree with them.
Who wants to schlep baskets of laundry down and back up two flights of stairs when there’s gardening to do? I can go outside, pull a few weeds, daydream, and play with the Koi and the bullfrogs. Therefore, the laundry piles up and when I finally break down to do it; I’m at it all day. It’s a good thing to do on a rainy day. I can cuddle with the dogs in between loads. No, I didn’t say dust, vacuum, sweep, or wash windows.
Posted in Misc
Tags: Author, Beads, Bones, books, Books on writing, Bull Terriers, Care giving, Caregiver, Coffee, comedy, Craft of writing, Crafts, Dead, Disability, Dog humor, Doggoned, Dogs, Family, Fiction, Fish, Gardening, Gardens, Home, Humor, Koi, Life, Love, MS, Multiple Sclerosis, Murder, Mysteries, Mystery, Novel writing, Pet humor, Pets, Pond, Ponds, Rescue Dogs, Writer, Writing
There was no blueberry feasting at our house
Posted by doggonedmysteries
I’ve been hunting up recipes for things to do with blueberries. I’m dreaming that next year we’ll have some to harvest from the bushes. My cousin gave me some much needed information on how to get them to produce. He told me to add peat moss, iron sulfate, and plenty of mulch to the soil around them. Next time I at Home Depot, or Lowes I’ll make sure to pick up what I need.
The bushes looked puny this year and didn’t produce enough fruit especially with the cat bird making raids on the bushes. Danged bird would look right at me, make his mewling noise, grab a blueberry, and fly away. He beat me to every ripe berry.
The only blueberries I had this year were the ones I picked and brought home from my Aunt’s place. The first thing I did was to make us a lovely batch of blueberry pancakes. Next year, if my bushes produce like the ones at my Aunt’s place, I’ll have enough to share with the blasted bird without missing out.
I’m thinking about all this because I have to start now if I want the bushes to be in good shape next year.
Posted in Misc, My blog, my garden
Tags: Author, Beads, Bones, books, Books on writing, Bull Terriers, Care giving, Caregiver, Coffee, comedy, Craft of writing, Crafts, Dead, Disability, Doggoned, Family, Fiction, Gardening, Gardens, Home, Humor, Life, Love, MS, Multiple Sclerosis, Murder, Mysteries, Mystery, Novel writing, Writer, Writing
We will have to buy some mulch
Posted by doggonedmysteries
The poor pups had a late dinner tonight and they certainly let me know they were not thrilled it was late. Gavin scolded me as I washed and refilled the water dishes. This ritual marks dinner time in his eyes. Patty ran from the kitchen to the living room several times. There she’d sit in front of her dish stand for a second before returning to join Gavin in sassing me. What does this have to do with buying mulch you ask?
I finally cleared the mulch pile from the driveway today. I moved seven wheel barrow loads of wet mulch. I mulched the entire side garden, half of the garden under the Tulip poplar, and a bit of the back garden along the fence. I didn’t finish until after seven and that’s why the dogs were disgusted with me.
I figure we’ll need to buy about five bags worth of mulch to cover the parts of the gardens that I didn’t cover today. Unless, the neighbor’s son just happens to have another truck load of mulch to get rid of, of course.
Tired doesn’t begin to describe how I feel. My legs burn, my back is sore, but I’m happy. Tomorrow I’ll clean the house…yeah, sure like that’s going to happen.
Posted in my garden
Tags: Author, Beads, Bones, books, Books on writing, Bull Terriers, Care giving, Caregiver, Coffee, comedy, Craft of writing, Crafts, Dead, Disability, Doggoned, Family, Fiction, Gardening, Gardens, Home, Humor, Life, Love, MS, Multiple Sclerosis, Murder, Mysteries, Mystery, Novel writing, Pond, Ponds, Writer, Writing
Ahhh, fresh tomatoes
Posted by doggonedmysteries
Our Big Boy tomatoes are beginning to ripen. I picked some today. At that point, dinner became a no brainer, we had BLTs, and they were wonderful! There’s nothing quite as good as fresh home grown tomatoes. We’ve been munching on the grape and plum tomatoes for weeks now. In fact, so have the damned squirrels. We’ve been finding half eaten ones all over the yard.
I’ve been keeping my eye on a couple of huge Big Boys on the vine in the side garden. They are growing to twice the size of the potted tomato plants alongside the house. Those will be one slice a sandwich tomatoes. I guess I’d better stock up on bacon.
I think that next year I’ll plant the same number of tomato plants but I’ll do a pot of a variety of lettuces too. My neighbor did it and it turned out quite nice since the rabbits couldn’t get to it. The Romaine lettuce, that I planted in the pot with the grape and plum tomatoes, has long since gone to seed but it sure was good early on.
We love fried green tomatoes too so we always hope to have plenty of green tomatoes left at the end of the season. Dear Hubby had never had them before he married me. Now it’s something he looks forward to having in the fall.
Posted in my garden
Tags: Author, Beads, Bones, books, Books on writing, Bull Terriers, Care giving, Caregiver, Coffee, comedy, Craft of writing, Crafts, Dead, Disability, Doggoned, Family, Fiction, Gardening, Gardens, Home, Humor, Life, Love, MS, Multiple Sclerosis, Murder, Mysteries, Mystery, Novel writing, Writer, Writing
The green stalker
Posted by doggonedmysteries
I have a stalker. It seems I can’t weed the gardens now without feeling as though I’m being watched. Yes, that creepy sensation of eyes boring into your back that makes you turn to see who it is. Slowly I turn and, and, and….
GAH! He has webbed feet and a green complexion. It’s Goliath Frog. He’s crept up behind me and is waiting for me to toss him some worms. I can’t go anywhere near the gardens now without his sudden appearance near me. Yes, I’ve told him I won’t kiss him, I’ve already found my prince.
The idea of a stalker frog cracks up Dear Hubby. I’ve had to prove it to him. This man knows that bull frogs are smart — he told me about them using a dead bird as bait for a fly feast. Yeah, I know. How gross!
I’ve seen them stalk and catch starlings. We now have six big bullfrogs and three medium sized ones. However, Goliath makes the five other large frogs look small. I’m hoping that one day we can find tadpoles for the pond that will produce small frogs. I’m tired of relocating bullfrogs.
Tags: Author, Beads, Bones, books, Books on writing, Bull Terriers, Care giving, Caregiver, Coffee, comedy, Craft of writing, Crafts, Dead, Disability, Dog humor, Doggoned, Family, Fiction, Gardening, Gardens, Home, Humor, Life, Love, MS, Multiple Sclerosis, Murder, Mysteries, Mystery, Novel writing, Pond, Ponds, Writer, Writing
More mulch please
Posted by doggonedmysteries
Five more wheel barrows of mulch are in the garden, which brings the count to fifteen. I pulled so many weeds the last couple of days that I filled a thirty gallon trash can. And, I’ve only done the pond garden. Geez! I hope to begin the side garden and I’m betting there’s at least two more thirty gallon cans worth of weeds there.
Heaven knows how many wheel barrows full of mulch it will take. I only hope that I don’t run out before I’m done. If I run out, I’ll have to go buy some. The mountain of mulch in the driveway now looks as though I’ve been removing some. It’s down to half the size it was after my neighbor’s son dumped it there.
I’m not sure if the frogs like the change. They seem to be staying in the pond more, but then that could be because the yard is dry right now. Maybe I’ll get a chance to take some pictures of the gardens this week.
In the pond garden, I’ve trimmed back the baby’s breath, cut down the remnants of the oriental lilies, removed some iris, put in the variegated yucca plant my cousin gave me, and moved one of the day lilies.
Posted in my garden
Tags: Author, Beads, Bones, books, Books on writing, Bull Terriers, Care giving, Caregiver, Coffee, comedy, Craft of writing, Crafts, Dead, Disability, Doggoned, Family, Fiction, Gardening, Gardens, Home, Humor, Life, Love, MS, Multiple Sclerosis, Murder, Mysteries, Mystery, Novel writing, Pond, Ponds, Writer, Writing
Hard work never hurt me
Posted by doggonedmysteries
We had a very hot, humid day today and like a fool, I went out to work in the gardens. At least I waited until the afternoon when the sun was off the area I planned to work in. I weeded and trimmed back the overgrown baby’s breath and a few other flowers. Then I hauled three overloaded wheel barrow loads of mulch from the driveway to the pond garden and got that put down. I still have a ton of work to do but at least I can see some progress now.
Around six thirty Dear Hubby came outside. He took one look at me and told me to quit before I had a heat stroke. I can’t help it if I sweat like a horse. It doesn’t have to be in the 90’s for me to look as if I just stepped out of a shower when I’m working. I know, ew tmi!
All this hard work will be worth it and I’ll be sure to take pictures and add them to my garden and pond page.
Posted in my garden
Tags: Author, Beads, Bones, books, Books on writing, Bull Terriers, Care giving, Caregiver, Coffee, Dead, Disability, Doggoned, Family, Fiction, Gardening, Gardens, Home, Life, Love, MS, Multiple Sclerosis, Murder, Mysteries, Mystery, Novel writing, Pond, Ponds, Writer, Writing
August already?!
Posted by doggonedmysteries
It’s hard to believe that it’s August already. This summer has swooped past at top speed. We were lucky that for the most part the weather was mild. However, that does make one wonder what this winter will be like.
My gardens are now full of marigolds from last year’s seed heads, red sage, purple Echinacea, multicolored snap dragons, and the mums are beginning to bloom. As I dead head flowers, I have a habit of dropping the seeds from all my annuals right onto the ground. I have been lucky to have the flowers return each year. It saves me a fortune since I haven’t had to buy these annuals for several years now.
I spent several hours weeding the pond garden and trimming back the Lizard Tail in the pond. The Lizard Tail is in a pot on a shelf in the pond. It was getting huge and taking up a lot of space both in and out of the pond.
The Koi seem happy that I trimmed back the Lizard Tail but I think the frogs are upset that they lost some hiding places. They’ll get over it.
Posted in My blog, my garden, Writer, Writing
Tags: Author, Beads, Bones, books, Books on writing, Bull Terriers, Care giving, Caregiver, Coffee, comedy, Craft of writing, Crafts, Dead, Disability, Dog humor, Doggoned, Dogs, Family, Fiction, Fish, Gardening, Gardens, Home, Humor, Koi, Life, Love, MS, Multiple Sclerosis, Murder, Mysteries, Mystery, Novel writing, Pet humor, Pets, Pond, Ponds, Writer, Writing
The weeds and frogs didn’t miss me
Posted by doggonedmysteries
It’s hot, humid, and miserable outside. I can’t go out to weed the garden because when I go outside I can’t breathe. All I do is cough up my lungs. The weeds don’t mind, they are gleefully invading every area I didn’t get to mulch. (This is most of the gardens.)
My neighbor’s son gave us a half truck load of lovely mulch before I went on my road trip. He dumped it in the middle back section of our driveway. I’m dying to get that black gold into the gardens. Maybe next week when I’m fully recuperated and have enough energy to get at the weeds.
Our bullfrogs haven’t minded that I’m seldom outside lately. In fact, they’ve become quite bold. Tonight there were two close to the back porch steps catching bugs under the light. It was a shame I had to take the dogs out and in doing so scare them. However, it was funny to watch them scurry for the pond and leap into it.
Posted in My blog, my garden, Writer, Writing
Tags: Author, Beads, Bones, books, Books on writing, Bull Terriers, Care giving, Caregiver, Coffee, comedy, Craft of writing, Crafts, Dead, Disability, Dog humor, Doggoned, Dogs, Family, Fiction, Gardening, Gardens, Home, Humor, Life, Love, MS, Multiple Sclerosis, Murder, Mysteries, Mystery, Novel writing, Pond, Ponds, Writer, Writing
The gardens needed the rain
Posted by doggonedmysteries
It was almost time to drag out the hose and water the gardens. After so much rain there for a while, we had a nice dry spell, but we were due for some rain. The rain began around seven tonight and I’m jumping in here in between storm cells.
During one break between downpours, I went outside with the flashlight and checked around the pond. Dear Hubby calls this doing my frog count because I always tell him how many I’ve seen after I do my walk around each night. They certainly were active in the yard tonight. I think they were enjoying the rain. I counted nine bullfrogs. I don’t often see more than four or five most nights.
One small bullfrog took my presence as a threat. He panicked, screamed, and took off as if the hounds of hell were on his water tight butt. The poor thing careened into a plastic coffee can (we have it near the pond for the worms I catch to feed the fish), then he bounced off of a piece of slate, took a high flying leap, and landed with a loud splash in the pond. The bigger frogs have more sense.
Posted in My blog, my garden, Writer, Writing
Tags: Author, Beads, Bones, books, Books on writing, Bull Terriers, Care giving, Caregiver, Coffee, comedy, Craft of writing, Crafts, Dead, Disability, Dog humor, Doggoned, Dogs, Family, Fiction, Gardening, Gardens, Home, Humor, Life, Love, MS, Multiple Sclerosis, Murder, Mysteries, Mystery, Novel writing, Pet humor, Pets, Pond, Ponds, Writer, Writing
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