Ah The Month of May

May is one of my favorite months, and a great time of year to visit Over The Backyard Fence.

Here in the Northern Hemisphere it a spring month but in the Southern Hemisphere it’s an autumn month equivalent to our November.

As I write this (4 days before posting) it is a beautiful morning with temps expected in the 80’s. I have the patio door open just enough to let Rue out. Amazingly after being a total house cat she is exploring, albeit cautiously, her yard. It might be the security of the high fence or maybe even that she got tired of the cold wet weather we’ve experienced this year.

Some May facts are:

It was named for the Greek goddess Maia, who was identified with the Roman era goddess of fertility.

Holidays in May include Cinco de Mayo, Mothers Day and Memorial Day.

May’s birthstone is the emerald, its flower is Lily of the Valley and its Zodiac signs are Taurus and Gemini.

Our daughter was born in May and I remember the wonderful weather when we brought her home.

Hope you’re enjoying Spring weather in your part of the world. The only flip side I see to May is the weeds love it.

Warming up with Walkies

Since last April, it seems as if we’ve hardly gone a few days without being rained on here in the UK. Many places have seen flooding during the unprecedented rainfall, with homes and businesses being flooded over and over again. I can only imagine how depressing that must be for those people caught up in this miserable cycle, replacing carpets and furniture only to have them destroyed again as another deluge descends. Thankfully, the rain seems to have abated, and while we’ve had the coldest March since 1963, at least it has dried up a little and at times the sun has even peeked through.

We woke up to pretty chilly temperatures again this morning and they’re set to continue throughout the Easter weekend. Our favourite way to warm up is a visit to our local animal rescue centre where we are volunteer dog walkers. On the journey to the centre, we stop off at a farm shop for coffee/hot chocolate, sometimes accompanied by a tasty cake or bun. This morning we resisted the cakes as we’re both trying to shed a few pounds

When we reached the centre, we were greeted by Daisy, the German Shephard, and CeeJay, a Westie, two delightful sisters who are always eager to get out in the country lanes for their walk. They came to the centre when their elderly owner died and are absolutely devoted to each other. On the walk, if one of them stops to sniff or do the necessary, the other one waits patiently until they can both walk on together again. They are absolutely delightful, even if they refuse to look the same direction when having their photo taken We were so pleased to know that they will soon be going home with their new owners who are thrilled to adopt them both. Such good news for these lovely girls.

We also took Tor, a two year old Springer Spaniel and a real force of nature. Tor is very bright and gets bored very easily, so out on walks she’s all over the place searching for the next interesting thing.
Then there’s Enzo, who AJ has nicknamed Ferrari, because when he sits waiting for his walk, he’s like an engine revving for take off. He’s a beautiful two year old boy who is incredibly affectionate and really loves to be cuddled and stroked. A real delight.

What I love about these rescue dogs is that, regardless of the reasons they’ve come to the centre, often too harrowing to contemplate, they live in the moment. Even more amazing is how even after being ill treated they have this ability to let go of the past and put their trust in another human, often showering their love and affection even after a moment of meeting people. To continually put themselves on the line by giving their trust away so readily after it’s been broken, perhaps time and time again, is quite a thing and perhaps one of the reasons why dogs so easily capture my heart.

Oh, in case you’re wondering, our guide dog puppy, Vinnie, has now entered full time training as it was decided that he’s basically too bright for his own good We weren’t too surprised, believe me that boy is Oxford University equivalent material, but we were sad to say goodbye. We’ll be doing some boarding for guide dogs throughout the summer, so hopefully it won’t be too long to wait for our next charge.

Hope everyone has a lovely Easter weekend, and that the sun shines on you wherever you are.

Camellia

I knew I would enjoy watching the yard at the new house this spring and summer. And I am. One of the first flowers to bloom is this Camellia and it’s beautiful.

We’ve had a lot of rain but the flowers haven’t been affected much from it. Years ago, when we were newly married and had just purchased our first home Jack planted a number of camellia bushes. He alternated between white and red. The white ones had a lot of brown spots from the rain and I didn’t like them. Since then we’ve never had a camellia and I wouldn’t have planted this one but I’m so glad it’s here and so hardy.

I need to start thinking about what I’m going to put in the raised beds. Maybe a tomato and cucumber plant. Not sure yet.

Rue isn’t an outside girl preferring to stay where she can easily hide if she deems it necessary. But today when I took these pictures she poked her nose and front feet out the door. This will be a safe yard for her, now to convince her of that.

And Springs officially here. ☺ ☺ ☺

If Easter Eggs Don’t Wash Their Legs Their Children Will Have Ducks by Valerie J. Patterson

That line is from a song aptly titled “The Nonsense Song”.  It’s a song I learned as a child.  Every once in a while I sing it for the bubbly hubby and—for my effort—he graces me with a smile, a shake of his head, and a squeeze of my hand.

Today’s blog is not so much about nonsense as it is about traditions.

St. Patrick’s Day and Easter—both holidays right around the corner—are steeped in tradition.

My grandmother—Dad’s mom—with the maiden name of Brady, was Irish and very proud of it.  St. Patrick’s Day was a big deal in her home.  Not because she liked green beer, but because she was a faithful Catholic and Saint Patrick meant something to her and the country where her ancestors lived.

The Wearing of the Green—commonly misinterpreted as wearing green for Ireland actually means to wear a shamrock on one’s clothing.  St. Patrick often explained the Holy Trinity using the three leaves of the shamrock.

Annually, Dublin, Ohio holds a huge Irish Festival that showcases fabulous Irish music, dancing, and dress.

Irish Truth—It is often that a person’s mouth broke his nose.  I don’t think that really needs interpretation, but just in case:  If one keeps his mouth shut, he removes all reason for someone to plant a fist on his nose!

March 17 commemorates the date of death for Saint Patrick, the Apostle of Ireland.

Legend states that St. Patrick banished all snakes from Ireland by chasing them into the sea after they attacked him while he was fasting on a hill.

Traditionally, St. Patrick’s Day is full of parades, celebration, and drinking all over the world, not just in Ireland.

Easter comes with its own traditions from the coloring of eggs to the wearing of Easter bonnets, spotless white dresses, and patent leather shoes.  From hunting for hidden Easter eggs to devouring candy found on artificial grass inside a straw basket, to looking for the Easter Bunny.

The Egg Bump—traditionally each player brings their own decorated hard boiled egg to the competition.  Two players stand across from each other and roll their egg into the egg of their opponent, bumping eggs.  The player whose egg cracks is out of the competition.  Play continues until only one intact egg remains.

Early Christians stained eggs red as a symbol of the blood Christ shed.  The egg traditionally represents life.

The Paschal Greeting is exclaimed on Easter Sunday.  Instead of “hello” it is customary to say, “Christ is risen” to which the response, “He is risen indeed!” is returned.

Easter also—for me and my family—celebrates the resurrection of Christ on the third day after the crucifixion, offering salvation to all who wish to accept it.

For you and your family, I hope there are traditions that are held precious and dear to your heart, that are steeped in meaning and sentiment, and that are shared with each new generation that arrives.

Happy St. Patrick’s Day and Happy Easter to all of you!

Until next time, take care and be happy.

Bring on the Sunshine…I hope.

Well, winter is winding down, right? At least, I hope it is. Here in the Pacific Northwest, we’ve been blessed with a pretty mild winter. (And I say that tongue in cheek as I’m one who prefers a little snow each winter). I hope you have had a tolerable winter, also.

Now that Spring is around the corner, my husband is starting on garden projects. This year, we’re (oooh, I think I just used the royal “WE” there) starting some seeds in our newly enclosed greenhouse.  This structure has been there the entire time we’ve lived here, but we never took the time to enclose it. 

So now, what used to be a playhouse for our grandchildren is now called “the blue house”. And hopefully, it will give hubby a running start at the produce production. Not that he needs it. I don’t think he remembers there’s only two of us living here when he plants those seeds.

Dude, our 17 pound cat, is already showing signs that he’s coming out of hibernation. He’s not hesitating so much when you open the door to let him out. Cold weather will turn him around in a heartbeat. I think he spends half the winter curled up close to the wood stove. He’s now going outside for more than a quick potty trip. And, at 17 pounds, we’ve been able to talk him into walks around the property. Yes, that’s right. We have to take our cat for a walk. It’s the only way he’ll exercise. He’s such a lazy guy, but too loveable to berate. lol.

Happy almost Spring, everyone!

What’s In Store for 2013

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So, another new year is upon us, but I’m not making any resolutions. I can never keep them. Instead, I have decided to make plans. Plans for things I want to achieve this year, plans for things that could happen … Continue reading →

Reflecting …

The period between Christmas and New Year always finds me in reflective mood. I look back over the year about to close and check its success against the goals I’ve achieved, the regrets I have, opportunities grabbed, rejected or just plain missed through lack of focus. Then usually, like most people, I resolve to do better next year.

Resolutions. Why do we make them? What magical substance do we suppose is in the air on that strike of midnight that heralds in a new year? And, once made, why do we break those resolutions so easily? When you think about it, resolving to be and do better at this time of year puts a ridiculous amount of pressure on us. The festive sparkle has diminished, the nights remain long and dark, comfort food is in short supply because we’ve maybe resolved to lose weight, and spring seems a long, long way off. Hardly any wonder we often break those resolutions well before we bid farewell to January, isn’t it?

So, no resolutions for me this year. Instead, I’ll have goals, broken down into weekly and monthly mini goals which, hopefully, will feed into one big annual achievement. That’s the plan. Because sometimes the big picture is scary and feels so out of our comfort zone our mind rejects it as unobtainable and we give up before really giving ourselves a chance. For me, it’s easier to think about losing weight by shedding one pound each week, than it is to resolve to lose three stone by next Christmas. Or writing a few hundred words a day which will lead to my goal of, say, three novels next year. Those bite-sized chunks really add up fast. Keep it simple, make it happen

Years ago I bought a book by Sarah Ban Breathnach which, although a cliche, really did change by life. Simple Abundance taught me the joys to be gained from disentangling the complicated and refocusing on the everyday pleasures that are so easily overlooked in the rush of life. Taking time to watch those roses grow, to just be in the now and enjoy. It was from that book that I discovered the beauty of keeping a gratitude journal, to every day list down those things that I am grateful for. I’ve slipped over the years, but often find myself returning to this practice. It’s the writing down that works for me and listing those five things a day to be grateful for helps keep my focus on the positive which, in turn, seems to draw in even more to be grateful for. I thoroughly recommend this book.

I’ll end my last post of 2012 with the wish that everyone has a safe, happy, healthy and enjoyable New Year filled with simple abundance and many, many blessings.

Winter’s Here – That’s Official!

Winter is here – that’s official. Well, at least in my garden it is. Yesterday, 2nd December, saw the first heavy frost here and it put my garden to sleep in an icy, if pretty, crystalline blanket. Gone are the colourful dahlias and marigolds that were holding on; frozen, limp and black are the remaining fuchsia flowers, and even the winter pansies have taken a battering and are looking very sorrow for themselves. But they will recover to bring colourful patches to brighten the short winter days, as will the other plants in the garden recover come spring.

Despite it being the worst summer on record for rain, the seeds scattered about, mainly the wild flowers I love so much, were the only plants that failed to grow. The established ones, and the perennials in my little patch of heaven have had a good year and thrived. The roses were magnificent, if short-lived, the lilies were sublime and filled the patio with perfume for weeks, the fuchsias sung out with their pendulous flowers and the nasturtiums were brilliant. The pots of geraniums and petunias were gorgeous and the hanging baskets the best ever. But all the wet weather meant I couldn’t enjoy many mid-morning coffees outside, sitting and relaxing, taking in all the sights, smells and sounds, and I didn’t see my little field mouse that often, although I knew he was there from the few glimpses of him I did manage. And most mornings as I ventured across the soggy grass to refill the bird feeder, I spied the hedgehog’s little black calling card.

Many of the so-say experts professed it was a disastrous year for the insects, with very few bees, few birds and even less butterflies. They obviously didn’t know about my garden, for if they had, these experts would have seen bees and bumble bees almost in swarms, the air constantly buzzing. The birds, particularly my gang of sparrows were always in the shrubbery, the flock now well over thirty. And as for the butterflies, this year we lost count of them, seeing many species we haven’t seen fluttering about for many years. They are as elusive as the Val Doonican song of many years ago, for try as I might to photograph them, the moment they sensed I was near they would all fly off. Either that, or they are camera shy.

We have growing over the garden fence from a neighbour, several buddleia bushes. I wondered whether it was these, along with my own black prince buddleia, a beautiful deep purple colour, encouraging the butterflies in. But when studying these creatures, most were to be found on my erysimum plant – a perennial summer form of wallflower – for they seemed to always congregate on this plant. At one stage we counted fifteen butterflies in the garden, and this excluded the common cabbage whites which, oddly enough, were rarely in the garden this summer. Of course, all this meant there were plenty of caterpillars chomping their way through the greenery. But I didn’t mind, they are next year’s beauties and the birds have enjoyed the extra food.

So whilst it all looks dead and forlorn out there, it’s given me a chance to reflect on what has been, and already I’m planning how it will look next year.

Well, it might come in handy…

Recently, inspired by the imminent arrival of autumn/winter, we decided to decorate and re-carpet the upstairs of our house. The scheduling wasn’t perfect as it coincided with the arrival of the new pup and a visit from my mum. But we thought that preparing and emptying the rooms wouldn’t take too long and that having work done upstairs wouldn’t be as disruptive as having work done downstairs. Right? Wrong. I couldn’t believe how much stuff we had accumulated in our upstairs rooms.

The main bedroom wasn’t too bad, as the decorators and carpet fitters were happy to work around the king-size bed and heavy pine wardrobes. Still, I had to empty the wardrobes to enable them to be moved, and wow, was I shocked at how many clothes we have, well, at how many I have, but let’s not split hairs I used the “if you haven’t worn it for a year it must go” principle, and was able to fill a few bags for the local charity shop.

The remaining two bedrooms were much trickier. Both rooms double as our studies which meant there were computers to move and box up, printers, books (even I was surprised how many boxes it took to pack those away), folders, files, music systems, and on and on. It took forever. But what was eye-opening about the process was the discovery that we are both ridiculous hoarders. Not just of books and paperwork, but assorted paraphernalia such as rubber bands (how many of those are you ever going to need?), pieces of ribbon (far too small to ever be of use), bits of material (where in heck did all those come from?), the list went on. But the most shocking of all was that I discovered I’d stored nearly a whole drawer full of plastic carrier bags. So many that I surely must be the main contender for the title of Plastic Carrier Bag Hoarding Queen

Needless to say we survived, and are now decorated and re-carpeted amidst cries of “never again”. All the upstairs rooms are now streamlined and paraphernalia-free (well, almost). I have vowed to curb my hoarding way and so has AJ, but how long that will last is anyone’s guess.

How about you? Are you a hoarder?

Getting Through the Season with the Right Attitude

It’s that time of year again. The bells are ringing and Christmas music wafts through your radio and the store loudspeakers. It’s fun and crazy and stressful and, well, a time of year that I always feel like I’m behind on just about everything. This year so far, I’m ahead of the game and hoping it stays that way.

I went online to look for some time saving tips for the holidays. There were all the usual ones, like marking “due dates” on your calendar, and simplifying gatherings and gift-giving. But one in particular caught my eye: prioritize. This is something we all do instinctively when we’re uber-busy. It made me stop and think about the season, though, and about what’s important. I want to slow down and enjoy this holiday season, to feel more of its magic.

So instead of time-saving tips, I offer my own version of do’s and don’ts for this Christmas season. These are only suggestions, but they are things I hope to incorporate into my December.

DON’T walk swiftly past the Santa exhibit at the mall, focused on the next store or the shopping list in your hand.
DO take a few moments to watch the scrub-faced, Sunday-best-dressed children as they meet Santa. Their reactions are varied and priceless and always bring a smile to my face.
DON’T leave things (like shopping) to the last minute—unless you thrive on stress.
DO try to find a balance between the work of Christmas and enjoying its true purpose, whatever you perceive that to be.
DO stop, take a deep breath, and smell the roses, er, evergreens, once in a while.
DON’T stare at all the last minute items stuffed around the checkout counter. Instead, wish the person behind you, in front of you, or both, a good day.
DON’T lose yourself in the season. DO take time out just for you. Personally, I suggest a bubble bath, a good book, and maybe a nice glass of wine.
DO remember to keep up with whatever exercise program you follow.
DO design a season that feeds your soul. This is the time to bank all those good feelings deep in the warm coals of your heart. That way someday, if you have a not-so-great day, you can fuel your own sense of well-being with these memories.

What else can we come up with to make this season relaxed and happy? Got any ideas? I’d love to hear them. Maybe we can cozy up to a cyber yule log with a cup o’ not-so-cyber hot buttered rum and come up with some ideas, huh?