Thursday, July 09, 2009
nanny nanny boo boo
bet you wish this were you
Jenica paddled to the island, way over at the end of the lake, to see if she could see any goats there. First there was just a rumor that the neighborhood bully put 5 goats on the island. He owns the island--it's for sale, by the way, for $1.5 million, should anyone be interested. We laughed at the rumor and everyone down there said they'd for sure hear the goats if they were there.
Well ... guess what? On Sunday someone we know paddled around the island and saw goats. Only 4, but they were actual goats. Why anyone would put goats on a small island that has no pasture or good place for a goat to live is something no one knows the answer to.
Jenica didn't see an actual goat but did see something big and white run off into the woods. I'm sure it was a goat but she remains skeptical. A big rabbit, perhaps.
best greeting ever
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Tic and Tac
Monday, June 22, 2009
A lady's shoe
For a few years when we were kids, living in Rockford, we went to Door County (peninsula in Lake Michigan, Wisc.). The water was clear, we went before tourists, beautiful place. My father was thrilled because there were yellow lady's slippers. Those are very rare and seldom seen. There they were--in the woods, spread out all over the place. They were very pretty, and it was nice to see him be so excited.
alder brook june 09 010
Peaceful
Cutest thing
Me on the left, Molly, and Henry.
I like this because
a) I'm frowning, obviously taking it very seriously, what my sister is pointing out,
b) my sister and I have very blonde hair,
c) we're all wearing UVM sweatshirts--my father was teaching there, d) Molly's pants have those iron-on patches that never really worked but were the big thing then,
e)my brother is letting my sister be in charge, his hands folded patiently
f) mostly because my sister's and brother's hands are completely recognizeable, and they looked like that all their lives
Monday, June 15, 2009
Flora instruction
Lots of wildflowers in bloom right now. Not too many bugs, though the black flies are still making their presence known. I'm still learning to identify wildflowers, but I'm making progress. These are mostly pretty obvious ones. I didn't find the Ladyslippers until Linda pointed them out to me last night at Camp, plus I found False Solomon's seal there too. Just to keep you in suspense, pictures to follow.
I stayed in the boat house last night. Pretty but I was restless and woke several times. Then overslept so was late to work today. Barely functioning. Plus didn't take my sweatshirt off this morning when I bathed in the lake. Huh?
Book group on the b.house porch last night, very nice. Great food, and we learned the difference between French lentils and our lentils. Everyone was there. This month we're each reading a different Gene Stratton Porter book, courtesy of Lin. This is a new concept, having everyone read a different book, and these are sweet books so we'll have a good time next month. At Linda's, no less. M. gave us a really nice book talk on the books she'd read during the month. I liked that a lot and it made me want to read a couple of the books a lot. And skip the others. It's great, guidance in what to read and what's not nearly as good as the jacket makes it sound.
Got to sit in the sun and read on the deck yesterday. Such a luxury! Plus got to talk to my sister part of the time. Double luxury. I have a good life. Social life is really picking up now, and will rev up even more. Workfest 09 starts this weekend--The Boys of Kokosing (just down the hill from my house) arrive. How cute are they? VERY. Sadly, the end of June is closing in and the lake will fill up with people and boats and jet skis. Last night, sitting alone on the b.h. porch it was totally silent at dusk. The lake was glassy, no one was there. I realized that, in a little while there will be boats and jet-skis droning around at that hour--it's a popular time to go round and round, after dinner and a few beers. It' wonderful to to have the time now.
Fern (? Bracken?) in bloom
Labrador tea
Yes, I've heard you can make tea from the leaves of this. Doubtful that it tastes very good, though.
Bunchberry
My friends bought a camp with a few buildings, a beautiful and wonderful camp that belonged to other friends of mine. The new owners named one of the buildings Bunchberry. The main building is Birchwood. The previous owners named the main building Robinswood and the other building Wendy. I always thought Robinswood was named after the Pooh character Christopher Robin, but who was Wendy? Anyway, Wendy is a stupid name for a building. So is Bunchberry. Better than naming a child Trillium, which is what a (distant) friend of mine did.
Clintonia
The blossoms are very pretty. They become blue berries, a very true and pretty blue, big and tempting to children. But STAY AWAY, CHILDREN--the berries are poisonous. First that was just family lore, but when I got older and read about wildflowers, I read that this is true.
When I was a curious kid I of course opened up the berry. Inside it's white and like cotton/popcorn. Oh, so tempting--must be very sweet. Like those orange carnival peanuts that are revolting to adults but irrestible to kids. yummmm.
Foamflower
Canada mayflower
We called them "Little Bills," and we'd have Little Bill Villages. We built a huge Little Bill Village in a pile of the nice, dark dirt/loam my father had to add to his garden. There was a winding road that went all the way to the top of the pile. The best ever LBV we had was in the bunch of lilies of the valley that grew next to the house in Rockford. We made driveways, had houses, it was a great LBV.
When I drive around and see houses nestled in the woods with nice driveways I think "what a great Little Bill Village." Anyway, these flowers would be like Giant Sequoias to Little Bills.
Thursday, June 11, 2009
dorky but funny
Tuesday, June 09, 2009
Back by popular demand
Hard to believe we're moving along through June. My good friend Linda arrived Memorial Day weekend and I've been spending many hours with her. I get in the habit of stopping at her camp on my way home just about every night, but this year I feel as if I'm using it as a shelter/sanctuary to avoid thinking about Ken. I also think I need to pay more attention to my house.
June is We Own the Forest month for black flies, mosquitoes and punkies (no-see-ums) and we're approaching the end (maybe?) of the season now. Except for the punkies, which are having a great time this year. They small enough to get through screens so there's really no stopping them. Tiny black things that have a mean, mean bite. ouch it hurts. They're easy to kill, though, apparently it takes them a long time to bite so they sit still, inviting you to pinch them to death.
I've been planting flowers regularly--annuals mostly, and I have all of them planted. I have a lot of perennials to plant and on Sunday I wrote down where I'm going to put them all. This was part of the delay--I couldn't make up my mind about that. My perennial garden was bulldozed by a friend to make a better place to park and turn around, which I really like. Anyway, I bought a ton of new plants and have to get them in the ground. Lots of lilies. I bought one of those things that you hang upside down to grow tomatoes in but stripped the screws when I tried to hang the hanger. That was the same day the lawn mower stopped working and something else went wrong (mercifully I can't remember what that was).
I've been taking time off because the weather's been great, off & on. Sunny and not too hot. I've been able to sit on my deck & read in the sun, until the black flies took over. I tried to do it on Sunday but it didn't take long for the flies to find me. You can't complain about them--like cold weather and snow, it's part of living here. This year everyone seems to be more frustrated than usual about the lack of good Internet connections. I keep saying that, when you live here you have to give up certain things. Yeah, sure, I can say that because I have this connection at work. Catch me again when I only have my dial access from home.
I had water problems again--no water for 3 weeks, but it was much easier this time. 2 water barrels full so I didn't begrudge the dogs their water (as in, "Do you HAVE to drink so much water?" from the winter) and could flush without counting the gallons. As always, Steve found the problem and fixed it in a matter of minutes. I said that pretty soon "we'll" have replaced the whole system. Not well received at all.
I stayed in the boat house quite a bit but then it got cold (40's) at night. I need to have it be at least 50, preferably 55, to spend the night there. One morning it was 48 when I woke up and I decided I was a fool for staying there when I have a nice warm house up the hill.
We have at least 4 loons on the lake this year and they're incredibly vocal. Loons have several calls, each meaning something specific, like Where are you? I'm right here. I'm horny. I'm right here. Let's play. Alarm!Alarm! etc. Anyway, these loons spend time at opposite ends of the lake, calling to each other. It's been nice to listen to (I can hear them from my house) but the other night it was a little annoying. I was sitting on the porch at a friend's camp--the porch is about 6' from the water, it was a silent night with a full moon making a beautiful path on the water. The loons wouldn't shut up. All right already! It was a pretty sound for the first half hour, but after an hour, really, we'd had enough. How snotty does that sound?
Dogs are fine. Chances has real vision problems, cataracts in both eyes and can't see distance very well but sees things close up. I can see her slowing down a bit but she's as happy as ever and I pay extra attention to her. Tess has mellowed just the tiniest bit. She spends too much time at the bog with people I don't know because I don't tie her up soon enough.
Not much else to say. I've been to a few libraries, weeding their collections (mostly adult non-fiction). The directors are wonderful and these trips are really nice. I've learned not to notice the junkiness of the collections and just enjoy being with the people. We're weeding our fiction here, not in alphabetical order, oh no--based on which parts of the alphabet are most crowed in the stacks. I let the clerk decide which areas to do, everyone needs to have some decision making power in the work place.
bog mem day 009
ladies 001
The luncheon has become part of Hawkeye lore now--lots of people asked how it went and have heard full descriptions of the whole thing. It was fun and I'm lucky to have such great friends.
ladies 002
Inside you can see the vase that's a lady--that came from M., a book group member. We swap things at book group--you bring a couple of things and are supposed to take a couple of things home. It doesn't always work. Sometimes I feel like Tess, walking around the house looking for something to play with.
The bureau is one that's been in the boat house for as long as I can remember. I think it probably came from my parents' past. A few pieces on the porch are from their early days together.
There are a few candles--I put most of them away (I didn't want the Vase Lady to look like a shrine) but we have lots and lots of candles so we can sit on the porch after dark. Only one outlet in the building--it's impressive how resourceful we are with that one outlet.
frost 004
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Obviosity
I wasn't sure I wanted to be liked for the reasons they liked me. Tough. I was working with a member director yesterday, weeding her collection and having a good time. She said that everyone likes it when I visit. puff, puff up my chest. I've been visiting several libraries lately and they all say things like that. I've changed a lot in the last few years. Changed the hard way, worked hard at it.
I'm worrying a lot about what someone thinks about me. Not just anyone, but a someone. At least it gives me something to think about.
Another water crisis. This time it barely bothers me. There's water everywhere--2 rain barrels full, a lake full, Holt's shower and washing machine, water in at camp, unlimited access to Ken's and Linda soon to arrive. I would like water this weekend, though, as I have a long list of things I'm hoping to clean. Many of which require water. But I'm a resourceful Little House on the Prairie girl. As opposed to a Donner Party girl. Anyway, here's my lesson for today
You get more of what you have.
When you feel friendly, people want to be your friend. When you feel sexy, people are attracted to you. When you feel confident, others have confidence in you.
This truth is cruel because so often, you want others to give you what you feel you’re lacking. It’s when you’re feeling isolated and awkward that you want people to be friendly. When you’re feeling ugly, you want someone to tell you how sexy you are. When you’re feeling insecure, you wish someone would express confidence in you.
First, although we think we act because of the way we feel, often we feel because of the way we act. So by acting the way we wish we felt, we can change our emotions – a strategy that is uncannily effective.
Second, the world’s reaction to us is quite influenced by the way we act toward the world. For example, in situation evocation, we spark a response from people that reinforces a tendency we already have — for example, if I act irritable all the time, the people around me are going to treat me with less patience and helpfulness, which will, in turn, stoke my irritability. If I can manage to joke around, I’ll evoke a situation in which the people around me were more likely to joke around, too.
Goethe wrote: “I have come to the frightening conclusion that I am the decisive element. It is my personal approach that creates the climate. It is my daily mood that makes the weather.”
Tuesday, May 05, 2009
may bog 011
dot the bear
may bog 016
exhaustion
stinking benjamin
It's also called stinking benjamin, by a very few people
Friday, May 01, 2009
What a difference a day makes
Monday we're putting Ken in the ground. We have to wait until the ground thaws here, and Bill was able to convince the priest to put if off a bit. I'm taking the day off and expect to shed lots of tears. It's supposed to be 60 and sunny, which should be a little cheery. Maybe it won't be as bad as I fear, and I'll have the afternoon to do whatever I want. I'm sure I'll have recovered by then.
Today I'm ready to face the world. I was supposed to go to E'town to weed the oversized non-fiction but I called in short-handed in the department (one person isn't here) because I just didn't feel like going. BAD LIBRARIAN. I rescheduled, leaving a message on the machine. let's see if she listens to her messages. Instead I'll do some peaceful cataloging. I have to catalog a ton of complicated RLStevenson stuff but at least I'll be sitting at my desk instead of crawling around on the floor with my sinus headache. I'm going to get my shy and fearful goldfish (Flip) a companion, hoping that will help him relax. Misery loves company, eh Flip? He hides behind a picture nearly all day and hasn't figured out that food falls on top of the water. Easily intimidated. Not my kind of pet. yes, I miss Leroy. he was my pal--we understood each other for sure.
What's up this weekend? I posted a computer desk on Freecycle and got an answer from someone who turned out to be the daughter of the man who worked for my grandfather. She wants it for her grandchildren. She and I talk to each other every few years. We had a nice conversation last night, arranging for her to pick the desk up Sat. morning. Her life hasn't turned out very well lately--terribly bad back problems, several surgeries. A daughter addicted to painkillers who keeps having surgeries that require follow up treatment with painkillers every time she gets straight. I remember how much Eugene (Rikki's father) adored his granddaughter and know he'd be so troubled by her life now. He died shortly after my grandfather did--he was totally devoted to my grandfather. Much the way Steve was to Ken, but for decades instead of months. Anyway, I've know Rikki for a long, long time. Funny how these things work out.
Other things--maybe garden work, but if the black flies are out that will be a challenge. Soon I'll have to mow my lawn. Rush & Annie will be here so there will be an evening with them. Sunday my book group meets. I have Rachel Getting Married to watch. I have The Beet Queen to read. I have lots of gardening to do. I have morning glory seeds to plant. indoors. laundry. So there's enough to keep me distracted and happy. Or cheerful. Interacting with other people. I'll just warn R & A that I cry a lot. But I always laugh a lot with them. We have really nice visits.
It would be good to walk the dogs in the bog. bog dogs. Again, depends on black flies. bf's.
On to The Spiderwick Chronicles Goblins attack, then Troll Trouble.
dawn 0428 014
This was the beginning of the sunrise Tues. morning. I spent Monday night there, too. When it's warm enough (like, say 60) I stay there--to get out of the house, to feel lucky that I can be there, to enjoy being there, to feel nested.
Anyway, first it was blue.
Thursday, April 30, 2009

I'm not having a good day--and it has nothing to do with cataloging 20,001 food facts, chefs secrets & household hints. It doesn't take much to make me feel very, very sad. I made a big mistake yesterday and went to our sawmill. The building is there, but of course it's empty. I must be a glutton for punishment. The site is beautiful and I can still appreciate that but I had an empty, sad and hollow feeling standing there. It was a lifetime ago and an entirely different life. Oh, what I didn't know then.
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
strange things
Here's the complete text from where we got "the biggest aspidistra in the world--" for my sister
For years we had an aspidistra in a flower pot
On the whatnot, near the 'atstand in the 'all
It didn't seem to grow 'til one day our brother Joe
Had a notion that he'd make it strong and tall
So he's crossed it with an acorn from an oak tree
And he's planted it against the garden wall
It shot up like a rocket, 'til it's nearly reached the sky
It's the biggest aspidistra in the world
We couldn't see the top of it, it got so bloomin' high
It's the biggest aspidistra in the world
When father's had a snoot full at his pub, 'The Bunch of Grapes'
He doesn't go all fighting mad and getting into scrapes
No, you'll find him in his bear-skin playing Tarzan of the apes
Off the biggest aspidistra in the world
We have to get it watered by the local fire brigade
So they put the water rates up half a crown
The roots stuff up the drains, grow along the country lanes
And they came up half a mile outside the town
Once we hired an auditorium for a hot house
But a jealous rival went and burnt it down
The tom cats and their sweethearts love to spend their evenings out
Up the biggest aspidistra in the world
They all begin meowing when the buds begin to sprout
From the biggest aspidistra in the world
The dogs all come around for miles, a lovely sight to see
They sniff around for hours and hours and wag their tails with glee
So I've had to put a notice up to say it's not a tree
It's the biggest aspidistra in the world
Sometimes people do things
Over the weekend he apparently jumped his fence (tank) and landed on the floor. He was known for jumping high enough to make loud splashes so, although this was an extreme jump, no one was toooooo surprised. I was at a meeting all morning yesterday so the other dept. members discovered him when they came to feed him. His eyes was all blunk in so it was obvious he'd been dead for a long time. One staffer furnished a box and they saved the corpse for me. They were nervous about how upset I'd be when I found out--no, seriously, they thought I'd be upset. Turns out they are concerned about my emotional state after all.
Anyway, Kim went to PetSmart and got me another goldfish, who is now swimming around in a confused state, in need of basic workplace training. When they told me about fishie's death I laughed. They were sooo relieved. When they showed me the smelly body I laughed harder. When I saw my new fish I was deeply, deeply touched. Of course it would be Kim, the sweet one, who would think of getting a new one. Anyway, both were very concerned and nice about it. Just goes to show you, huh. New fish is Flipper. AKA Flip.
Thursday, April 23, 2009
This is some of the scenery I saw yesterday on my trip to Potsdam. I went to a workshop on cataloging Web resources. Only a cataloger--a TRUE, DEDICATED cataloger would have been able to stand 2 minutes of the workshop. My friend Donna and I spent so much time leaning in toward each other, rolling our eyes and trying not to whisper funny comments. I finally said "This woman is obsessed with fixed fields." OK, all catalogers in the group laugh now. Her mantra was "Content, not format." So remember that, children: Content, not format. Streaming video or DVD, it's all the same. duh.Anyway, there's this stretch of road, some call it 9 mile wood because it's just a bunch of road with nothing but woods, some murky ponds and dirt roads into conservation easements. I used to drive this road with member library directors often, and every time--no, really every time we got to this part they would start talking about their sex lives. Except for the one who told me about the huge polyp she had in her sinuses. Anyway, I figured it must be the pointed firs that made them think of sex. I got tired of collecting these details. Not to mention trying to pretend I was interested. Most of those directors are long gone and have been replaced by more sensible and discreet people.
Tonight I'm having dinner with my friend Barb and her family. I don't even have to take a shower there, I'm just going to enjoy their company. Great to see people I miss being with, to be part of a group. Well, I'm part of a group all day every day, but tonight's group is one I PICKED to be part of.
I'm having a bit of my Seasonal Affectiveness Disorder, spring version. I have it every spring, get depressed and distracted, unable to care about much. I'm trying to get into gardening stuff, but I planted a bunch of nifty cosmos seeds and only half came up and lots of them are dying of damping off. piss on my foot. I'll get more seeds and try again. And buy seedlings when I can. My violas look pretty perky, though. And crocuses are blooming. And daffs are coming along nicely. And primroses are spreading. And I'm parking on top of the horseradish--evil horseradish--so maybe it won't be so ugly this year. Wish I could remember who wanted it.
I'm supposed to be doing a bunch of other tasks, a long list I wrote in my book of tricks, but I can't manage to function that well. I started working on the lib.'s blog, listing sites our lib's could use to sell their books, but they never read the blog anyway, so I stopped when I got bored. Didn't take long.
warm weather a'comin'. Boat house nights this weekend?
um, not
"Surely every one realizes, at some point along the way, that he is capable of living a far better life than the one he has chosen."
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
here she is
I opened the boat house. Silly to do so this early, but I wanted to DO something, and I like having it done. Yeah SR Family, always the first to get the season going.
I may stay there Friday night (either foolish or brave, or maybe just dumb) because it's supposed to be mid-70's on Saturday. Plus my Friday nights aren't turning out very well lately. They're Ken-less.
first real swim
Tess looked into the boat slip. She likes to run around the edge of the slip, where there's a shelf just wide enough for a person to walk or a dog to run really, really fast without falling in.
have a seat
ready and waiting
Thursday, April 16, 2009
good/bad happy/sad who wins?
The trip was good. Nice to be with Liza and Mark, who really liked having me there. I got to sleep on the front porch, not insulated so it was grand to keep warm with 2 dogs and an electric blanket and be almost outdoors. Library director Jenica and librarian Drew were there too, another treat. We celebrated Easter in good pagan style. Mark and I went for early morning walks with my dogs, something we started doing last summer. I ate too much and now my pants are tighter. Time to pedal harder, faster. And sit up straighter on my big purple core-strengthening ball. And walk, yes, walk.
Last night I watched Slumdog Mill$$ It was good; very clever film. I'm enjoying it more today than I did last night. I also watched episodes of HBO's In Treatment, a series about (fictional) patients in therapy. Each half hour is a session with Gabriel Byrne, the hair-dying, too-smooth skinned for his age therapist. Naturally, anyone who's been in therapy would find this entertaining. And he actually says "and how did that make you feel?" I sometimes say this to people, too. as a joke. but also because I want to know.
I came home Monday night, got to 58OHR in good time, before 5 I guess. I'd left the cat inside but she wasn't there. I searched everywhere for a body when she didn't come to my cootchie-coos. Worse than missing cat was a pump that wouldn't come up to pressure, wouldn't shut off, and wouldn't pump water when I turned it back on. And worst of all was no Ken to check in with or visit once I got unpacked. Of course I sobbed. and sobbed. Then I solved my problem: I went to Pat's. Cried to her. She didn't say "And how did that make you feel?" she said "Want some whiskey?" perfect. I stayed there a while and felt better. Got home, cat came in from OUTSIDE. How do they do that? Sort of common, people tell me, for cats to find a way out of houses when people go away. Anyway, that was good but there was still no water and no Ken.
Water problem was solved by the time I got home from work the next day--Magic Steve found a loose clamp and fixed it. I think everyone should try going without running water for a while, just to experience the joy and relief the moment you turn on your faucet and water comes out.
Now if only someone could figure out how to raise the dead. I miss Ken as much as ever. I didn't get to stop to say goodbye when I left for RI, I couldn't stop to check in when I got back. I can't tell him my daffodils are coming up and my crocuses are in bloom. I can't tell him my rain barrels are half full. Or that I've planted some flower seeds and they're germinating. or that my guppies need vasectomies. He always wanted to know what kind of trip the dogs had when we went to RI. And "How was your ma?" Yes, there's a void. I spent every evening with him for the last 3 1/2 months of his life. every evening. Dinner with Steve and Ken. So now, not only do I not get to eat Steve's cooking, or watch Jeopardy with Steve and (sometimes) Bill, or read the pet ads to Ken ("For sale: Cockatoo. Doesn't get along with people and is mean"), but I don't get to play "guess how hot it is in here" at Ken's. The record, of course, belongs to Steve, for the day he arrived and it was 102 degrees. I usually only sat through 88-90 degrees, with an occasional dip to 84 or so.
I'm lucky, though--very lucky. I live where I've always wanted to. I get to have 2 dogs. My sister and I recently discussed the possibility that an owner and a dog share similar personality traits (this, preferable to the dumb idea that they look alike--so, I look like the tubby one? do my eyelids droop? or do I look like the small one who's obsessed with Kleenex and will beg for it when I blow my nose?). Of course a dog would absorb some of the owner's karma. So I suggested that maybe I was doing all right because, although both dogs are neurotic, one is calm and mellow, the other is hyper, busy and has trouble controlling herself. I figure they balance each other out. My sister's response? "I'd better get another dog." She only has one and it's sort of a jumpy dog. Yes, I think she should get another dog, but I think everyone should give their dog a dog of its own.
The 40-volume set of Harvard classics (registered edition) awaits. after Mummy Math. And Onenhakenra (the video)(in Mohawk) by White Seed. but after that Silver Lake awaits. The juncos are back. Poplars starting to bloom. achoo.
pretty enough to eat
pre-easter
from today's Washington Post:
THE INTERIOR Department has until Monday to decide whether to defend or discard a federal rule passed late in the Bush administration to allow visitors to national parks and refuges to carry loaded and concealed weapons. A federal judge found last month that the Bush administration had acted rashly in its zeal to enact the gun provision and temporarily put the rule on hold. Interior Secretary Ken Salazar should permanently reject the initiative.
