Out of Yarn
But, really, the dog comes first
O.k. You close your eyes and count to 10 …
Jul 11th
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And I’ll run away and hide.
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p.s. Should it bother me that I imagine conversations between the dog and the sunflowers?
Three things I can’t resist
Jul 9th
You needed a close up, right?
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Daily Dog
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And the Sunflowers are coming!!!
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Tomorrow I’ll return you to your regularly sized pix. Maybe.
Progress Report
Jul 6th
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Dude's First Sweater
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Too short. /sigh
(but it does keep me off Dreaded Sleeve Island for another day or so.)
Daily Dog
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Can ya’ll stand Silly Dog Stories? (If not, skip the rest.)
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I think, they get smarter (and smart-ass-ier) as they age. Proof:
Aurora has been given eye drops since her cataract surgery. We’re down from three times a day to once every couple of days. (Some dogs need them twice a day for the rest of their life, so I’m o.k. with this schedule.) She does not like getting the eye drops. When she goes to bed early, I tell Dude not to bother waking her for something like that when she’s so sound asleep.
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Dude gives the eye drops – because he is way way better at it than I am. I think it’s the bigger hands/easier control but it is clearly easier on all concerned to have him be in charge of eye drops.
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So, the other night, we’re going to bed. Aurora is down, in her bed, by our bed, watching us, telepathically telling us to give her a bedtime treat. Dude comes in and picks up the eye drops from a shelf. She sees this. (This, in itself, is a miracle of sorts: my dog can see. That’s kind of the point of catarct surgery but it still amazes me.)
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He kneels down in front of her. She quickly flopped down on her side and pretended to be asleep. Then she snored.
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She lost.
10 on Tuesday: The Herbal edition
Jul 5th
Today’s 10 on Tuesday topic is … (dum dee dumm …) 10 Favorite Herbs!
(And I promptly over-analyzed the question wondered: To eat? To grow? To sniff? There’s way more than 10. I wonder if they are counting bananas as an herb?)
I chose 10 herbs growing in my gardens. Some I chose to nurture because I liked the plant, or it was a perennial, or because I could. Some I choose to grow because I like to eat them. Some grow simply because they can.
1. Basil – my absolute favorite. And now that Norma has suggested basil ice cream, well, what’s not to like?
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2. Chives – I love their blue green color and the way the come back every year (twice, actually) in the garden. I love their oniony goodness in omelets.
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3. Cilantro – one of my most used herbs from the garden.
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4. Dill
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5. Lavender – although the flowers are edible (and flavor jams and ice cream), I grow this one is for sniffing.
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6. Mint – sniff it, eat it, grow it, lie in it (oh, wait – that’s the dog.)
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x7. Parsley – I’ve always heard that parsley is hard to grow. I’ve not found that to be true. I grow it so I can use what I need instead of having to buy a bunch and then compost three quarters of it.
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8. Rosemary – planted because it was a perennial and I could. I love the smell. I cook with it occasionally but mostly I try to keep it alive in the winter.
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9. Sage – another for sniffing purposes (and smudging). I believe it is consumed, but I don’t know in what. It is a beautiful plant and a perennial to boot.
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10. Horseradish - I planted this to take up an open spot along the fence line while the bushes were filling in. I have exactly one recipe for horseradish but Dude says he likes it, so I planted some. I now have a new spot for it in the front of the house -where it will not be attacked by the giant zebra grass.
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11. The Felines vote for Cat Nip!
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Daily Dog
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Miss Aurora believes that a marrow bone would make a fine garnish to any dish. And the smelly plants make her sneeze.
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Actual Knitting Content
Jul 4th
Hey, I have a novel idea; let’s talk about knitting. (It’s about time, right?)
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The Man’s sweater is actually almost long enough to join to the sleeves.
(When did that happen?) (Jared Flood’s Cobblestone (Rav); yarn is Cascade Eco Wool.)
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And the Annis Shawl is, uhm, finished with the outside border and some level of mid-way through the short rows. Yarn is Dream in Color Starry.
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I casted on for Lazy Katy (Rav link) My Overseer of the Department of Enabling pointed it out to me. I’m using Malabrigo Sock in the #173 Stonechat colorway.
(I had No Resistance – it’s got a simple interesting construction and the pix on Ravelry had me hooked from the start.)
Also: (Machine-less) Raspberry Swirl:
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and the Daily Dog
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Time Critical Posting
Jul 3rd
I’m not sure where or how the “tomatoes before July 4th” goal began, but I’ve never even come close to meeting it. (I hope for an August picking, actually.)
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Until today.
This and 3 cucumbers and 25 pounds of zucchini. (O.m.g. it’s July 3rd and already I have to figure out what to do with 25 pounds of zucchini.)
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Since I’ve been remiss in my gardening updates: the sunflowers are doing well – some are over 9 feet tall:
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And there is one particularly hardy determined one:
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This little guy was seen on my squirrel-proof feeder:
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He appears to have a home under the patio – except I just pulled out the 47 bushes around the patio and he has relocated to some bushes by the compost bin. I see his fuzzy little tail peeking out from under the bushes. (Well, I wouldn’t notice except Ned sits on the porch, transfixed at the sight.)
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Miss Fuzzball was awoken by a thunderstorm this morning – she sniffed out the door and decided right then and there that there was no reason for her to go for a morning walk. So she didn’t. Except she was pretty sure that her marrow bone after the morning walk would be a good idea.
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Really, she earned it. She went all the way down the stairs and everything. She thought she was going for a walk. She was ready. No reason to hold up the post walk treat just because of a little downpour and some thunder and lightening. It’s not like she controls the sky, after all.
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Seriously, is it just me or do they get more opinionated in their old age?
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p.s. Tomatoes on July 3rd! Squee!
Agreements Reached
Jul 2nd
Nickie and I have reached an agreement:
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I promise not to use the flash ...
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And she promises not to hide:
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Well, as much as a cat can promise not to hide.
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And Aurora promises not to gripe about the forced march Daily Walk, as long as she still gets her marrow bone:
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She’s tired tonight – what with a (short) morning walk and bobbing for treats.
almost all ned
Jul 1st
Do you remember when Ned was small?
Do you remember when he fit on the ledge of the screened in porch?
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Daily Dog
