Thursday, July 02, 2015

smiles

When you do a lot of weeding (a lot of weeding! no one mentioned how much rain there had been here in my absence), your mind works through complicated questions and usually takes you someplace interesting.


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I have two themes that are running through my mind this morning: creeping jenny and adventuring with Ed.

But first, breakfast. On the porch. (The pink flowers on the table: hydrangea "strawberries and cream.")


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Now onto weeding.

Creeping Jenny (aka bindweed, but creeping jenny is such a nicer name for a noxious plant, don't you think?) has taken over our veggie patch. Ed has though of a way to possibly contain it and today, I inspected his strategy: lots and lots of paper cups (and bowls) to cover the vine as it first creeps up and out of the ground.


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Pulling it out doesn't help. A new weed (or two or three) sprouts within days. Digging it up is pointless. The root can extend many  many feet below and you're never really getting at the source of the problem. Toxic chemicals are a possible solution, but we're not going to go there. So we're trying the cups. It really is weird to see all those cups out in the field.

So I think about weeds and plants and our way of gardening.


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(the girls)


My second theme for this morning is the adventure I'm to have with Ed next week. This morning, I nearly backed out. With his blessing. Ed does not like watching me fret and worry. But after many calls to our intended July destination, I was coaxed into a less anxious attitude about the whole thing so that for now, our adventure is preserved. But I did spend a considerable time of morning hours on working through all the possible things that could go wrong. (There are many!)


In the afternoon, I go to Snowdrop's home. Hi there, littlest one!


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(with her mom)



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(with her dad)


I have a most wonderful walk with this little girl and her mom. We do our longest trek --  all the way to the zoo and back and I have to smile at our attitude -- that of old timers now. The first time Snowdrop was at the zoo, we pointed out all the animals. This time? It was more like this:
She's dozing, should we wake her?
Oh, let's let her sleep. Giraffe? Eh, she'll see the giraffe another time.


And then I take the little girl home, to the farmhouse, where I continue to be immensely impressed with how quickly she is growing. I end with pictures of her. Of course I do.


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(so much independence!)




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(so much laughter!)




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(I come back to letting her try something new: carrots and apples!)




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(she tries to keep an open mind...)


I smile at her messy face. Or maybe it's that she just makes us all smile. Again and again.

7 comments:

  1. Leaving us hanging about the adventure with Ed, huh?
    The paper cups are, er, awesome. Are the plants you want expected to hide the cups?
    Is that a squeeze spoon? Will wonders never cease. (I guess that's a question, too.) I seem to be full of them tonight. :-)

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    1. At least it's on this side of the ocean! A big hint: I was relieved when the escaped convicts were finally apprehended. One (out of many) worry scratched off my list!
      The cups are to keep the bindweed contained. We cannot think of any other way to keep it off the tomatoes that grow there. Eradicating it is nearly impossible.
      As for the spoon that one attaches to the pureed pouch: I tried it yesterday and found it to be the dumbest idea ever, at least so far as Snowdrop is concerned. Her hands were all over the pouch and she would inevitably squeeze more than she was ready for. A very messy project, but fun, I have to admit!

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  2. "Squeeze spoon" is new to me... interesting! As is everything Snowdrop is into :^)

    Bindweed (to me, creeping jenny is a different, more lovable/livable plant) is a pain here too, but a shady yard and one far smaller than yours makes it easier to keep under control (though never actually eradicate it). Looks as if Ed does his research... I see from http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/pn7462.html that shading it out by covering it seems to work, but you have to keep the cover on for three years... ouch!

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    1. On the squeeze spoon -- see my comment above! You'll appreciate how unworkable it is with a girl like Snowdrop!

      The bindweed -- it has so taken over the vegetable patch that we may well have to start another patch elsewhere. Before doing his research on it, Ed tried to dig it out -- you'll appreciate how futile that is!

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    2. Starting another patch elsewhere and covering the ground where the bindweed is now with black plastic for the next three years, weird as that is, sounds like the best idea from what I've read. It's amazingly tough stuff! (Evolution produces tough plants all right, but not necessarily what we'd choose!)

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    3. Never mind squeeze spoon... you're so right that she'll explore in messy ways! How about a little "mill" where you can turn the handle snd mash/puree the food, then spoon it into her mouth or let her dip fingers in and lick it off? I just watched a little boy in Target this afternoon eating goldfish crackers very carefully one at a time from the container. Just wait until S can do that!

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  3. Lovely to see you home in your beautiful surroundings. And those baby smiles are just the best. Welcome home gma!!

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