My birthday is always an occasion for cake and ice cream and plenty of presents from my three "kids". Even Pauline, my 98-year-old stepmom sends me a check.
Usually, Chris gives me money and listens patiently while I describe some choices I might make. Almost all are gardening related. In the past, I bought a weed-eater, little pond liner, specialty tools, plants and stepping stones. Lis brought me four big walkway stones this year.
With some of my birthday money, I ordered a pump for the cistern. When I went to the hardware store for furnace filters, I believe that new lawn chair jumped into the back seat of my car.
Izzy brought me bedding plants, most welcome. She and Molly helped me plant impatiens and petunias.
With some of the other money, I got this ultimate gardening gizmo. Molly tried it out first. This is a boon to the overworked digger in the earth. Situated with a big pine tree and a huge cedar to filter out the road dust, it was easily put up between a medium chokecherry and a maple tree.
The beauty of this hammock is when I lie down in it, I only see beautiful green leaves overhead. I cannot see things that need pruning, weeding, planting, transplanting, mowing or watering. Swaying gently in the shade, I see no reason whatsoever to get up.
It's very peaceful here now that the farm traffic for the planting season is over. Soothing sounds are the many birds singing and the occasional bass accompaniment of a bullfrog down at the pond. Another feature I discovered was that this blue cocoon is a time portal. It's a gateway whereby an hour vanishes into a strange time warp.
