...I never get anything accomplished!
Friday, August 14, 2009
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
Nothing Changes When You Procrastinate
I am busy during the school year...too busy. I am involved in many different activities...too many. I am on the Ted Grace Reading Grove board, President of Parents for Public Schools of Syracuse and the NYSUT building representative at work...and of course I need to do my job too. Thankfully, my duties as Corcoran PTSO president have ended and today I will be handing over responsibility of the Corcoran PTSO listserv to someone else. Why am I telling you this? Because I am the queen of procrastination. I spend the entire school year putting off so many duties until the summer (hehe, I said duty.) And here it is August 12th and I still have a huge list of things to accomplish. Today, I need to write an autobiographical introduction to send to the Parents for Public Schools membership list. I've only been president since May....
But I have this tall pile of books I want to read and there are weeds that need to be pulled and I really want to vacuum the pool and I hate writing...especially about myself.
But I have this tall pile of books I want to read and there are weeds that need to be pulled and I really want to vacuum the pool and I hate writing...especially about myself.
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
Garden Advice Needed
Dear Diane-
I am trying to take notes about my garden this year. What works...what doesn't work...and what looks really bad next to a light pink flower. I am not afraid to dig up and move things but I can never figure out what should be moved in the fall or the spring. Of course, I move things and forget and weed them out the next year.
I love the colors this time of year but I am having issues with the different heights. What advice can you offer to someone with a strip gardening bed rather than a nicely shaped plot?
What do you do with these daisies after blooming? Deadhead or cut back? My gardening books offer little information after the bloom.
This moon plant is so much fun to watch. A friend of mine gave me a moon plant as a gift 5 years ago. It didn't survive the winter. I read that they sprout late and I waited and waited but nothing happened. Two years later I purchased another and it took over the garden. The plant spread for about 10 feet and I kept cutting it back. The next year...no plant so I planted other things in the space. About July, up pops the moon plant. I put it in a pot and kept its growth in check last summer. I wintered moonie over in the cellar and planted him again this year. Slow grower at first but once the flowers are out it starts to double in size. It blooms at night and the flowers last only 1 day. The flowers reflect moonlight brilliantly. If I enjoyed going outside after dark I would cover my yard with these plants. I think I will leave it in the ground this winter and see what happens.
The coleus and white impatiens under the pear tree still looks good. I hold my breath when Ian mows around the tree. I am sure the white flowers used to be thicker....
I filled three hanging planters with coleus, vinca vine and these gentle white flowers and another plant with small maroon flowers. these planters still look gorgeous. I am going to try to figure out what the unknown plants are and do these again next year.
I was trying for maroon and white annuals this year so the circle is filled with so many new and different things. The coleus kept its color and did well in this spot. To my surprise, the alyssum also thrived in this spot. Might try different colors of alyssum next year. I am not happy with the million bells at all. They got really woody and are mostly dead stems with a few flowers hanging on. I have dug up most of them at this point. The petunias also got died back. I am done experimenting with the wave petunias. I planted them in the circle the first year and they did great. Last year and this year are poor showings. Little leaves and flowers left...mostly long, ugly brown vines. The site gets morning sun until about 1...but too much sun for impatiens. Anybody have any thoughts for next year? Or any ideas about planting in this spot for the next month or 2? I hate looking at a pile of brown dirt and since Chandler is in rehab he cant use it for a pitcher's mound!
I am trying to take notes about my garden this year. What works...what doesn't work...and what looks really bad next to a light pink flower. I am not afraid to dig up and move things but I can never figure out what should be moved in the fall or the spring. Of course, I move things and forget and weed them out the next year.
I love the colors this time of year but I am having issues with the different heights. What advice can you offer to someone with a strip gardening bed rather than a nicely shaped plot?
What do you do with these daisies after blooming? Deadhead or cut back? My gardening books offer little information after the bloom.
This moon plant is so much fun to watch. A friend of mine gave me a moon plant as a gift 5 years ago. It didn't survive the winter. I read that they sprout late and I waited and waited but nothing happened. Two years later I purchased another and it took over the garden. The plant spread for about 10 feet and I kept cutting it back. The next year...no plant so I planted other things in the space. About July, up pops the moon plant. I put it in a pot and kept its growth in check last summer. I wintered moonie over in the cellar and planted him again this year. Slow grower at first but once the flowers are out it starts to double in size. It blooms at night and the flowers last only 1 day. The flowers reflect moonlight brilliantly. If I enjoyed going outside after dark I would cover my yard with these plants. I think I will leave it in the ground this winter and see what happens.
The coleus and white impatiens under the pear tree still looks good. I hold my breath when Ian mows around the tree. I am sure the white flowers used to be thicker....
I filled three hanging planters with coleus, vinca vine and these gentle white flowers and another plant with small maroon flowers. these planters still look gorgeous. I am going to try to figure out what the unknown plants are and do these again next year.
I was trying for maroon and white annuals this year so the circle is filled with so many new and different things. The coleus kept its color and did well in this spot. To my surprise, the alyssum also thrived in this spot. Might try different colors of alyssum next year. I am not happy with the million bells at all. They got really woody and are mostly dead stems with a few flowers hanging on. I have dug up most of them at this point. The petunias also got died back. I am done experimenting with the wave petunias. I planted them in the circle the first year and they did great. Last year and this year are poor showings. Little leaves and flowers left...mostly long, ugly brown vines. The site gets morning sun until about 1...but too much sun for impatiens. Anybody have any thoughts for next year? Or any ideas about planting in this spot for the next month or 2? I hate looking at a pile of brown dirt and since Chandler is in rehab he cant use it for a pitcher's mound!
Sunday, August 2, 2009
Smug Alert!
I have been casually looking at new cars for a few months. The Forester had over 100,000 miles, was soon in need of a full exhaust system and had a leaking right head gasket. I wanted to trade it in while it still retained some value and before something blew and I was faced with thousands in repair bills.
I read reviews online. I borrowed the April Consumer Report from a friend and started doing test drives. I was interested in something cheap (under $15,000 tax and trade included)...to get me through until the college years were over. I wanted excellent fuel economy, a roof rack and a satellite radio. I drove a 4 cylinder Hyundai Elantra Touring and liked the mileage 25/31 but not the ride. The price was low, it's a European model but no roof rack was available through the dealer or after market. I tried the 4-cyl. FWD Hyundai Tucson...nothing special. I drove a 2010 Pontiac Vibe (1.8L FWD) many times and liked it but didn't love it. Ian wanted me to buy it but I think he just wanted me to stop dragging him to dealers to sit in the back seat of cars.
I read reviews online. I borrowed the April Consumer Report from a friend and started doing test drives. I was interested in something cheap (under $15,000 tax and trade included)...to get me through until the college years were over. I wanted excellent fuel economy, a roof rack and a satellite radio. I drove a 4 cylinder Hyundai Elantra Touring and liked the mileage 25/31 but not the ride. The price was low, it's a European model but no roof rack was available through the dealer or after market. I tried the 4-cyl. FWD Hyundai Tucson...nothing special. I drove a 2010 Pontiac Vibe (1.8L FWD) many times and liked it but didn't love it. Ian wanted me to buy it but I think he just wanted me to stop dragging him to dealers to sit in the back seat of cars.
I have always wanted a Prius. The Prius usurped the Volvo Cross Country as my dream car many years ago (probably the same year as Hurricane Katrina.) I couldn't afford the Prius although I spent hours looking at them online. Dealers were asking $20,000 - $25,000 for low mileage (1,000 - 40,000 miles) on 07 -09 cars. One day on a whim I drove to Nye Automotive in Oneida to see a 2008 Prius with 30,000 miles that they had on the lot for under 20,000 (not much under 20) but I thought it couldn't hurt to try to make a good deal on my trade in.
It was love at first sight. I have never felt this way about a car before...love everything about it. And I still do...three days later.
And I only went a little over my target price. I hope to make it up in gas savings. Ian loves the Fuel Consumption graphics that illustrate whether the gas or electric is being used to drive the wheels or charge the battery. We make a game out of trying to drive as far as possible using only the battery. 
And yes....my farts do stink!
It was love at first sight. I have never felt this way about a car before...love everything about it. And I still do...three days later.
And I only went a little over my target price. I hope to make it up in gas savings. Ian loves the Fuel Consumption graphics that illustrate whether the gas or electric is being used to drive the wheels or charge the battery. We make a game out of trying to drive as far as possible using only the battery. 
And yes....my farts do stink!Saturday, July 25, 2009
Puzzled....
Tom and Cyndy sent Ian a puzzle of a castle. He well appreciated the irony! The puzzle arrived the day before his graduation party...the day of Chandler's graduation party and the day Hilary, Chuck and Joey arrived. Please keep in mind what I am like before any event that I need to prepare for.... there is not enough Valium or alcohol to keep me calm. Ian was so excited about the puzzle that he opens the box and dumps it on the floor of the front porch and starts putting the puzzle together. Like we have nothing else to do that day? OH MY GOD! I was mildly hysterical and made him pick it up.
When life calmed down and I could think clearly again, I brought up Cyndy & Tom's (and ours too) old kitchen table from the cellar and set it up on the porch for the puzzle. Ian thought it was a cool idea and started on the puzzle again.
But look who ended up doing most of the puzzle and finishing it! I had no idea Rob enjoyed jigsaw puzzles....
When life calmed down and I could think clearly again, I brought up Cyndy & Tom's (and ours too) old kitchen table from the cellar and set it up on the porch for the puzzle. Ian thought it was a cool idea and started on the puzzle again.
But look who ended up doing most of the puzzle and finishing it! I had no idea Rob enjoyed jigsaw puzzles....
Monday, July 20, 2009
Friday, July 17, 2009
Alden Gallery
Lucky us! Rob had an opening at the Alden Gallery in Provincetown on July 10th so we HAD to take a trip to Cape Cod this year. The night was beautiful and the crowds were so interesting. As a bonus, Rob sold 2 paintings the night of the opening and 1 more on Saturday. Congratulations Rob and keep painting!
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