Out in the Garden...week 2

Why we should never, ever trust Susan with yard clippers.........(or scissors)

So I said to myself this morning, "Self, lets listen to some excellent tunes and tidy up the front yard a little."

My Self should have protested. Those unkempt shrubs didn't deserve the beating they got. I only wanted them to look more like our neighbor, StogieMan's, shrubs. Thats all.

StogieMan will be so disappointed that I'm his neighbor.

All of this reminds me of when I wanted to give Amanda a little "trim" before she entered kindergarten. I nearly cried at the outcome, but hey, (sniffle) the hair grew back in about 5 months. Yeah--it was THAT bad. Thanks Amanda for not holding a grudge.......4 months after "the cut"

By the way....I am not finished with those shrubs! I need to ponder the situation I have created. James is questioning whether I should be allowed access to the foliage anymore. I have no problem ripping the shrubs out and replacing them with colorful annuals. Marigolds are much more festive anyway...

What do you suggest?

Out in the Garden...week 1

Normally, I love gardening. There are exceptions to this; namely, I don't like to get dirty and sweaty. I also don't like to weed a garden that is going to produce more weeds the second I turn my back.

In the past, my springtime garden skills went in full swing when I was baby-hungry and I needed to nurture something. Once I passed up the garden skills and just went into the bird-breeding business---but that is another story. Brielle was born about 9 months from that time anyway.

I assure you that there will be no more baby-making here---but I am ready to cultivate this mess of a backyard/garden this year. Here are the cast of characters you can look for throughout the Spring and Summer:




The Tethered-One.


















"...But this time I promise I WON'T jump the fence and get stuck on the neighbor's patio cover for three days...."

One of many lizards. The fat ones were hiding from the camera.

The Cat That Couldn't Jump a Fence
(even if her life depended on it).

My two best friends. Gloves and Digger Claw. I can't do anything in the garden without them.




















The North Corner. Its a curious eye-sore now, but give us time. That Lemon Tree was brought home with the Mandarin (below). It has shown its gratitude with a little crop of the best-lemons-ever 2 months ago.



















The Berry Crop. We might even have a few pies this year, Audrey!



















The Ugly Sisters. These plants didn't start out as a mess, of course. After 7 years of neglect, these uglies will finally get a little Spa Treatment this year.


















The South Corner. You are looking at the Stumps From Heck. They haven't budged in 2 years.




















The Mandarin Orange Tree. When we adopted this poor plant 2 years ago from Costco, we promised to plant it in the South Corner. The tree is barely clinging to life...

Glade Melvin Terry

I want to wish my dad a Happy Birthday today!My dad in 1971

My dad is pretty amazing. Back in the 70's the TV shows were saturated with cops and detectives. Remember Baretta, Starsky and Hutch, MacMillan and Wife, The Rockford Files, and Kojak? I actually HAD a detective dad. He almost always had his "undercover car" parked in the street...but sometimes he had to bring home a "cruiser" (cop car). Yeah...us little kids thought we were sooo cool! Sometimes dad had to run an errand in the cop car and I'd get to ride shotgun. You bet I was sitting as tall as I could!!

Only a few years ago did my dad reveal how poor he was when he was small. My Grandpa Terry died when dad was 6 years old. I think that because my dad had so few possessions as a kid, he made sure that his own children were not deprived of anything with wheels!My dad in 1977

Dad has a knack for fixing anything broken. He made the best kinds of bikes for us. Even now, he has a small collection of kid-sized cars called Power Wheels for his adoring grandchildren.

Speaking of cars, my dad has the finest 1927 Model T. He restored it. That car is still in dad's garage, probably reminiscing about the days it was a parade car, a tour car and a prop for a few wedding receptions.

This photo makes me laugh for many reasons.


My dad is the youngest of seven children. His brothers and sisters are the kindest people you will ever meet.

That's me and dad at the church's Daddy-Daughter Dinner Date.
I'm very happy to have such a handsome date!

Penmanship has always been important to my dad. I don't know if his desire for the people of the world to print clearly and distinctly came from his fingerprinting expertise-- or he just wanted his children to not be judged for poor writing skills. Either way, dad bought the cutest little desk for me as a kindergartener. It was vintage...thats all I know. It didn't matter because it had a hinged top and I could store all my writing and coloring treasures inside. It also had a spot for an inkwell...but I digress. My dad expected me to practice my printing. Although I practiced on countless reams of paper, I didn't master the skill. My sister, once again, trumped me on that talent. My dad has always praised my sister for her beautiful penmanship.

Happy Sweet 16!

Happy Birthday to our sweetheart, Monica!

Being the oldest of 4 sisters is not an easy task, but Monica is generally the calm in the storm.


As a youngster, Monica was tinier than most her age, but had the mannerisms of older children. Her indifferent gaze was mistaken as maturity. What a conversation piece she was for her first-time parents!

Amanda, just 2 years behind Monica, was a perfect friend....and still is. When these little girls would play at our neighborhood playground, Amanda seemed to fit in easier with the crowds of kids. Monica kept her distance and waited until Amanda had befriended someone. Monica would swoop in and take the friend for herself....the hard work already done for her!


Nowadays, you will find Monica attached to her iPod, at her friend Anna's home, in Anna's pool, and scanning her FaceBook for new admirers. Don't worry...her dad is a friend who checks in on Monica's admirers as well.

Here's to our Cinco de Mayo baby...(oh, and she doesn't appreciate Mexican Food like the rest of us...)