Gardening Pitfalls

Aaaccck!! I have the MOST wicked case of Poison Ivy that I have ever suffered. All over my arms, ankles and back of my knees. I just want to peel my skin off. I do so well not to scratch and then my hand brushes the area, which leads to a tiny scratch and before I know it, I can't control myself. It just feels too good to not scratch.

In the mean time, Im trying to teach Big E not to throw his toys. Im trying to start early with learning how to take care of our things. The problem lays in the fact that whenever I have him sit in his chair as a 5min time out, he laughs at me and shakes his head saying "no, no! No, no!" That seriously makes me want to throw my hands in the air and say "forget it!" Maybe I need to try something else. But what if I do that right as he begins to get the point? sigh....

Comments

Evidently I had something turned off or switched off that wouldn't let people make comments. I believe I have remedied the situation! Comment away....

The First American

I have just finished The First American- The Life and Times of Benjamin Franklin by H.W.Brands. I have been reading it now bit by bit over the past nine months or so. I have loved learning about this man. From his family history to his scientific/philosophical/political interests. Now that I have reached the end I am moved to tears by how hopeful and tireless B.F. was in creating what he felt was a better world for us it inhabitants. Do such people like him exist today? Self-taught, genius men and women who are by no means perfect, but still inspirational to their fellow human beings? Those that serve tirelessly for the greater good of humankind?

Am I idealizing this man Franklin? Yes, I just finished the book and am coming off its killer last line. With all the apathy in the world today, its good to read about a group of people that wanted to change the world for the better.

If anyone has any other inspirational reads, let me know. I would love to have any suggestions.

First Fruits

My Roses are blooming! I actually learned how to prune the rose bushes that I inherited when purchasing our first home, and I have already twice as many blooms as last year. This gardening thing is amazing! Outside of pruning a couple of things and sticking some rose food under a couple of plants I've mostly been crossing my fingers and knocking on wood. I usually kill any type of houseplant, but maybe staying outside is best as nature has a way of taking care of itself. I look forward to seeing if any other roses blooms happen the way my uncle said they would if I cut them in a certain spot. I know, not overly interesting,but they are gorgeous. I had my second bud open the day that my girlfriend had her baby, it opened very quickly so I cut it and brought it to her in the hospital. A doctor on the elevator asked if it was from my garden and commented on how good it smelled. I thought maybe he was trying to hit on me, but then I realized that some people are really into this gardening thing. Here's to the next batch!

Notification of Next of Kin

The recent tragedy in Iraq in which two soldiers were kidnapped by insurgents ended horrifically. What caught my attention though was that reporters violated a common rite of allowing the notification of the next of kin by reporting that the bodies of said soldiers had been found before military personnel were able to deliver the news to family. I cannot even imagine the families horror to discover that all hope was lost before any military personnel even got to the door. As it was an Iraqi official that reported the discovery to the media, Shouldn't the media wait and verify that next of kin have been notified? Would it be appropriate to fine the media for jumping the gun? Yes, journalists have the right to the info, especially in the US with regards to the freedom of press, but isn't there some sort of human code of conduct that was breached in this instance?

Hope for Rwanda

It's a very long story, but our church is partnered with six other across the USA to make a difference in the Great Lakes Region of Africa. This includes Rwanda, Burundi, D.R.of Congo amoung others. In my links sections you will see a link to World Relief and will be specifically directed to their work in Rwanda. A team from our church took a trip last September and artist Alain Picard did a series of which he has turned into prints. All proceeds go to help the work of World Relief in the Great Lakes Region. www.picardstudio.com/collections.html and http://rwanda.wr.org/
Definitely check out Alain's site, the pieces are truly beautiful.

In response to Kohana's blog

My Dear Kohana,

Big guy D just fell asleep in his lunch, time for a lazy summer day nap. I have on my to-do list " Call K back" So while Im distracted from the exciting life I lead pushing the boundaries in laundry technique I find your blog and there is a post written to ME! I miss you so much! How is it that our girlfriends are off getting PhD's, traveling in Holland and adventuring in China while we throw up and try to stay cool in the hot summer sun? We all have our different paths, I guess... but wouldn't it sound better if I were doing laundry in Istanbul right now? Or the Greek Isles. My brother in-law just got back from his honeymoon in Cinga Terra, Italy. The laundry HAS to be better there, Im SURE of it!

Anyhow,onto the task at hand. You are a woman of impeccable taste and style. Your home is like a wardrobe. Each space its own outfit. Therefore, your family room sounds stunning! Sleek, elegant, yet functional and comfortable. You and I love new things and creating a palette that allows for a splash of something different from time to time is great. As we do up here near NYC. Wear lots of black and let the bling shine (I dont have any bling but you know what I mean, accessories) With your honey wood tones, variations of warm-greys (vs. blue/cool greys) will make a great monochromatic palette. That will set off any artwork/photos, kid's toys, "cushions" (as you european types say) and accessories that you want to show off. ( The kid's toy thing is inevitable ) Use textiles to create any additional pattern and color. That could be a simple 54"sq throw out of a fanstatic sari or fabric that you find. Maybe a small round side table with a fabric skirt. A throw rug also can bring in some additional pattern and color. I just got a cool catalog in the mail called Flor. Its modular carpet squares that you mix and match to create an area rug. Florcatalog.com. I believe the mother company is Interface which was a company that I LOVED when working at Anderson. The tiles are 20"x 20" aprox. and most are blocks of color with variations in texture. Home Decorators Collection also has rugs. www.homedecorators.com ( They really have some scary stuff, but there is a diverse selection when it comes to rugs)

Anyhow, my only thought is that with grey walls, a variation of grey window panels, and black and white photos, my instinct is to get some stunning color on the wall somehow. i.e. something at eyelevel. Floorlamp? a tall plant? Color photos, Viv's artwork? Your artwork? Reframe b/w photos in different colors? Im just brainstorming here. Whether through photographs or even an accent color wall. At my brothers place in NYC, the couple that lives downstairs from him, painted their walls two subtle shades of grey. Think about that possibility to. Though the room is small, it might be interesting to have opposite walls ( the short walls & the long walls ) painted differently. Do you have a mirror over the couch? ( the wall adjacent to the kitchen) That would also capture natural sunlight from the front of the house and create a window effect. It would visually push the wall back, making the room feel slightly larger than it is.

My strongest suggestion, as always, is to trust your instinct. If it doesnt make you smile, don't do it.

The baby boom has started to explode here. #2 of Nine expected was born last week. Im busy planning showers and trying to figure out how I can get anyone a gift without breaking the bank!
Hubby is assuming that I am already pregnant though we haven't yet tried. Maybe he thinks its a virus you can catch or some sort of osmosis type thing. Its understandable with all the women around here. Seriously, you can't turn around at a party without bumping into someones belly! LOL!

Let me know about Eden and especially about your Sprout! I can't wait to hear the news!

I miss you! Have a cup of tea for me!

Peace!
caro.d