Sunday, May 24, 2009

Come, come, come to the garden.....

Aptly named a "Shrimp Plant" -


This is one of three types of basil I have planted. It is the hardiest. I also have lemon basil this year and it is incredible in ice tea and water for flavor.

First Bell Pepper of the season. Pretty spicey though!


Natural mosquito relief


My Mother's Day Lily


Lacey Hydrangea


Baby eggplant wanting to grow up

Gardens give me great pleasure. I cease to think in the garden. That is a good thing. I have thought so much during the last 24 hours, my brain is literally exhuasted.

I am going to paint today. I will hide when I paint - I don't know what is going on with the particular neighbors - the kids who "want to paint" - I've set up an ideal situation for them, they don't show up, then several hours later begin pounding on my door wanting to "paint." I've spoken with their mother - typed up a packet offering free art lessons with the stipulation that after the first lesson during which I will furnish supplies, they either pay supply fee or bring their own supplies. I created a plan, a syllabus, a lesson for the first day and created a time that the kids and their mother agreed to. When they banged on the door for the second time, 6 hours after not showing up, the older kid said they went to Walmart instead of showing up at the agreed to time. I've haven't a clue what is going on, other than I'm tired of answering the door at random hours, while trying to cook dinner, work on the computer (real work, not play), or watch a movie with kids demanding to use my paints and my house. But at least I'm getting things very organized to begin classes for people who are able to make them. Kids or otherwise.

I don't mind an occasional fun day with the paints or whatever other art supplies I have, but several times a week, and just coming in the house without knocking or asking - I have had to begin locking the door - oh, weird, if there is a weird situation, I will find it.

Then - my business - the man who is training me, just quit. Won't answer phone calls. The one above him is telling me to produce - I have produced - set up gigantic events and small events, and events and events and now people are hanging, I am hanging - so I'm thinking, well - another square peg not fitting into a round hole - what is it I'm learning from this. PAINT - then market myself. Perhaps that's it. Just concentrate on joyful things - painting and art and writing. I'm retired. I can do that after years and years of work I didn't really like. Why keep striving? I'm really free - I just keep thinking I HAVE to work. I don't.

I will share all my health research, my experiements on myself and the wonderful products that have contributed to making me well....and keep the business.....but very, very leisurely.

Then in July I have a month gone from my summer - my mother is having hip surgery and I must go to Wyoming and dwell in a closed up house with no A/C - she has one, just doesn't like it because the "dogs get cold." No open windows - the drafts bother her. No, she's telling me, I don't need to have my meal replacements sent there, I can eat the TV dinners that have been in the freezer from last year. Oh, what a weird summer. Maybe I will sweat the rest of the weight off.

Ok, I am off the computer - I've pulled my weeds from the garden, I'm going to make a glass of iced tea with the basil and lime, the paints are all organized waiting - I'm putting on music and stopping the pesky thinking.....the only person I know with weirder rabbit trails is my beautiful and eccentric Doc Lovely....

7 comments:

Wandering Coyote said...

Your plants are gorgeous - esp. the shrimp plant. Very cool. I just got my garden IN yesterday! I do hope it's more successful than last year's.

Sorry about the downer re. staying with your mom. That would drive me up the wall. Nothing is negotiable with her?

Gardenia said...

No, that's why it took me over 40 years to figure out that I had a will. Today I was informed that I had to let one of the dogs eat eggs out of a bowl that I was eating out of - or at least pretend I was eating it so the dog would want it. Ai Yi Yi. Thirty days of making scrambled eggs for a dog that doesn't want them in the first place, and then pretending I am eating them so it will want them? Reminds me of the horror movie Thirty Days of Nights - or something like that -

Wandering Coyote said...

Dear God. "Eccentric" comes to mind...You have good book material, you know!

Candy Minx said...

I feel like I can smell the basil plant from here. I love the idea of the basil in a tea. Fabulous.

I wonder....is it possible for you to tell your mum something like this:

"Mum, I love you. I am here to keep you company while you heal but I have my own way of doing things. Because we are diffeerent does not mean I don't love you...but I need a/c for one month. The dogs will have to adjust because you've had surgery and I am here to help. "

Etc etc.

Tell your mum you want a compromise on her ways of doing things in order to be comfortable and relax for a whole month away from your husband and work with art at home. Etc

Just a thought Gardenia....just a thought...

Wandering Coyote said...

Yeah, Candy's totally onto things, Gardenia. You have to sort something out with this, and Candy's wording is really good - much better than anything I'd have come up with in a 100 years.

Gardenia said...

Yeh, I think I'll print that out and memorize it rather than build a dread for another month....that WOULD be the sane thing to do! Funny how our intimidations of our childhood follow us on our return trips to parents, eh? I will add a line to my memorization - "I am an adult now and I own my power."

Milla said...

I feel like hugging you right now, Gardenia. I think you are a very very good woman and a fine lady.