"Try to be gracious, even if it hurts."
Friday, May 31, 2013
Wednesday, May 29, 2013
Too Easy - Early Answer
Yep. The Mystery Photo was a stack of egg cartons waiting to be returned to the farmer's market.
goes to Lori, Tim, and Gina for guessing egg cartons
goes to Debbie for guessing an army of soap sliver people, waiting in line for a washcloth
goes to Charlie for guessing bent birthday candles
goes to Z for guessing skirts in a chorus line
Monday, May 27, 2013
Friday, May 24, 2013
Wednesday, May 22, 2013
Stepping Back
Kristin and Donna Marie asked for longer range pictures of my Giant Backyard Project. We have too much shade for a lawn, and the weeds had taken over. Last summer I started taming the feral garden.
This is the entrance to the garden. I planted the vinca on the left of the path last spring, and the patch to the right earlier this year. The hosta bed on the far right used to be confluent, but the deer have thinned it.
This is the entrance to the garden. I planted the vinca on the left of the path last spring, and the patch to the right earlier this year. The hosta bed on the far right used to be confluent, but the deer have thinned it.
More of the vinca and hostas.
I had a large lush European ginger plant under the large oak on the left of the top picture. It disappeared, but I have found "babies" throughout the garden. I transplanted them to a rock garden, and they seem to like it.
This is the other side of the vinca I planted last year (around the corner from the top picture). The stones under the rain spout help prevent erosion.
I'll post more pictures later in the summer, as the plants fill in and I get more weeding done.
Click on the pictures to enlarge.
Sunday, May 19, 2013
Saturday, May 18, 2013
Experimenting with Vines
Many
years ago, I planted a pink climbing rose and a deep purple clematis together.
In June, they cover their trellis with gorgeous blossoms. A few years back, a
poison ivy vine joined the party, but I ignored the problem.
Last
fall, I decided to eradicate the poison ivy. I cut back the rose, so I could
get to the poison ivy roots. When plants share a trellis, they rub against each
other, and the rose thorns became coated with poison ivy toxin. Introducing
poison ivy toxin under the skin is A Very Bad Idea. Trust me on this.
This
spring, the poison ivy is back. I decided to spray some Round Up on a piece of
aluminum foil then dip a Q-tip in the Round Up and paint it some of the poison
ivy leaves. (Simply spraying the poison ivy is likely to get all three plants.)
The possible outcomes include:
A) Nothing
B) A
few poison ivy leaves will wither, and the plant will remain robust.
C) The
poison ivy plant will die. Forever.
D) The
poison ivy, the clematis and the rose will all perish.
I’ll keep you posted.
I’ll keep you posted.
Sunday, May 12, 2013
Sunday
wild geranium
I believe these are wild blue phlox. Please correct me if I'm wrong.
botanist's valentine (I made that up.)
sweet white violet
I have lots of violets in my yard, but no pure white ones.
Happy Mother's Day!
Friday, May 10, 2013
Wednesday, May 8, 2013
Interesting Links and a Correction
Anna J Boll posted an interesting revising idea. She made a chart of the first
sentences of each chapter in her novel. This is a way to check if chapters start
with too much exposition. She can see if chapters tend to start at the same
time of day, like when the main character is waking up. Most importantly, she
can judge if each chapter starts with a hook. I’m going to try this.
This plant is called Spanish bluebells, which is a monocot. I said they were Virginia bluebells, which
is a dicot. (The leaves in the photograph are vinca.)
Elizabeth Wein’s wonderful novel Code Name Verity won the Edgar Award for the best young
adult mystery/thriller in 2013. She also has a new book coming out, Rose Under
Fire. I have never met Elizabeth Wein, but I loved Code Name Verity and can’t
wait to read her new book.
Sunday, May 5, 2013
Sunday
Brunnera - King's Ransom
Jack in the Pulpit
Fiddlehead - Thanks to Sandy Carlson for the ferns!
Rhododendron - Northern Hi-Lights
Wednesday, May 1, 2013
Synopsis Exchange
We
hateses the nasty synopsises, don’t we, Precious?
Writing
or revising synopses in never fun. Is anybody else struggling with their
synopsis right now? Does anyone anticipate needing a polished synopsis within
the next few months?
Have
I got a deal for you!
I
will organize a synopsis exchange among my kid lit friends. Please leave a
comment on this blog entry if you’d like to participate in a synopsis critique
exchange. Include your email address. I’ll match up entries in groups of two or
three. Perhaps the exchange could begin this weekend or early next week.
(If
no one responds, I’ll quietly go back to work.)
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