When the fog is thick
I cannot see beyond the trees.
I hear sounds of things
moving on the river.
I imagine how sailors at sea felt
floating blindly while hearing
sounds in the fog.
FLOW
Sounds in the Fog
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My Messy Scones
I love scones but have never made any. I saw a recipe for scones with lime zest and a lime glaze.
I still have some key limes on my tree in the laundry room. I thought this would be a great use for those little green jewels.
I picked four and removed the zest with a zester.
Then juiced them for the glaze made with powdered sugar.
Spreading the coarse dough without smashing the blueberries was the hard part. I may use tiny frozen berries next time.
They turned out really messy. How did they taste?
Perfect. It was those fresh little limes that did it.
FLOW
A World in a Chair
This is my daddy’s chair. We called it ‘Hong Kong’ because he seemed to be far away while he sat in it. It is in my library now. I have sat in it quite a bit lately.
I sit and think, but sometimes I just sit. A reader sent me that statement while I was grieving.
It is my haven, now that the homeplace is being sold.
My little world in a blue chair. Surrounded by my favorite things. Watching the sunset on another cold day.
Invisible Danger
A third Ladder-backed Woodpecker hit one of our high windows this week while we were home. This last one was lucky enough to recover and fly away. We usually keep seasonal window clings on our windows, but we were late getting the winter set up. These will stay up permanently. They are prismatic, anti-collision decals put on with only distilled water.
I will wash the lower windows later and use prismatic snowflakes. Living in a house with a lot of glass and not many blinds is hazardous for our flying friends.
I am relieved to have this task completed. I ordered these from Amazon. Look for the term “anti-collision.”
FLOW
Dirty Weather: Dirty Water
We had some strong storms pass through our area yesterday. Our power was out for hours. A tornado touched down in a little town across the river.
All that rain has to go somewhere. It either goes down in the ground or downhill. Now that so much vegetation has been removed, more is going downhill or downstream than ever before. We have a new stream along our driveway because there is a new house in the woods. A house has never been there before…ever.
Let me highlight that NEVER BEFORE. There are roads and houses where there were never, ever any before in the history of this land. Forests have been cleared here and replaced by neighborhoods and giant warehouses and business parks. Progress has a high price. I am not preaching. I am telling you what I am seeing with my own, old eyes.
The river gets water from every little creek along its banks. This water dumps into every cove. All that detritus and debris gets flushed into the river. It turns brown from silt and is covered with floating mess. Most of this is organic at this time. The trash comes from the lakes upstream as water flows over the dams. That is what is happening right now. We have witnessed empty boats and boathouses go by during past floods.
Some of this mess will move on downstream if the wind blows it away from shore. Some will get stuck and settle. This will have to be removed later.
I want to end this post with a picture of Mr. Flower assessing flooding at the farm. He is looking at acres underwater. He is wondering if his culvert pipes where we cross the creek are still intact somewhere under there. This is the worst its ever been you see. There is a big, new development upstream along with a huge new warehouse. More water is moving downhill and downstream than underground to that parched water table that needs to recharge from recent droughts.
He looks little standing there amidst all that water.
Our ugly prediction has come to fruition.
FLOW
The Bulge
Yes, I have eaten too much this holiday but I am not referring to myself.
A bulge appeared at the edge of the Clivia pot. I was too busy to investigate before Christmas.
The bulge got bigger. I assumed it was a pup forming even though I thought Clivia pups usually come up at the plant crown.
I finally investigated when soil spilled onto the floor. I have been known to bring in stow-aways in my pots.
I carefully dug down expecting a toad.
Nope.
Just crowded roots that had run out of space. We know how that is.
I was a bit disappointed. I miss my toad friends during the winter.
FLOW
Stay tuned for a post on ‘ Hiding in the Siding.’ It’s one surprise after another here!
My Little Joy
I am home for the holidays. We are frantically cleaning before our son, the sneezer, arrives.
All dust must be ousted.
I tossed out some dusty items onto the bench outside. I forgot that this is the spot where my little friend sits each morning. I call him “Stubby” because he is missing the end of his tail.
He has never been frightened by me. I would like to believe he is the baby I rescued from the koi pond.
Chipmunk Rescue
These are the things that bring me joy.
I consider them gifts from the Universe.
I hope your holiday brings your heart joy.
FLOW
Only White Lights and Decoupaged Ornaments
Sometimes simple suffices.
FLOW
Our New Airstrip
There’s a new piece of land out front of our house due to sedimentation.
It is long and flat and clear of vegetation.
It has caught the attention of the pilots from the nearby private airport.
First a helicopter landed on it. (earlier post)
Now, we have observed PLANES landing on it.
The first time this happened was at dusk and I could not get photos.
It happened again yesterday.
I was worried about boaters landing on the new island! HA.
One yellow plane landed and took off while the other yellow plane flew alongside probably to film the feat.
There was a dip after takeoff. We thought it might go under the water but it pulled back up.
We may need to trim some limbs, so we won’t miss any of the air shows.
FLOW
P.S. My daddy would love this. He had a little yellow and red Piper Cub.
floweralley 