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Wednesday, May 30, 2012

just words. not about birds

I tend to think of myself as a crafty person, but I am wrong. I love attending craft fairs and looking at crafty products on Etsy, but once I realize that one of these crafts is going to take more than an hour I give up. I also used to think of my self as a Do It Myself-er. Guess what - times they are a changing. I think I turned the corner of "Can't we just pay someone to do this?" after Aaron and I tiled the sunroom floor (with a lot of help from my dad).

2 years ago I bought this tiny purple sewing machine from Big Lots because I was trying to be nice to myself and also encourge myself to be craftier. It is still in the box. About 2 months ago I bought some fabric to recover the hideous throw pillows that came with our new furniture. I got it washed. There are only 2 more steps. 1. Cut to size. 2. Sew. And yet I tolerate the ugliness. But you know what, they aren't so noticeable when they are supporting my head and I am looking at the TV.

Now I have this other project that I think should be done after the roofers and gutterers do what they do - deck repair. I found this Restore Deck product at Home Depot and it looks way better, as in less money, to me than installing a new deck regardless of whose labor it is. Even though it doesn't look all that complicated, I am dreading it already.

Amazingly, I think I could qualify as one of those people with too much time on their hands. I just don't have anything to show for it. I don't feel like I have too much time. But I rarely feel like I have too little. Which is nice. Sometimes I feel guilty about this. Sometimes it is about the cleanliness of the house, sometimes the state of the weeds in the yard, sometimes about less fortunate people and being generous and volunteering.

I don't know what else to say. So, that's all I have to say about that.

Friday, May 25, 2012

Aluminum Pecker

It's not what you think! Unless of course you were imagining a woodpecker trying to get some goodies from our aluminum siding...

It is SO loud.

For some reason, when I hear a tree being pecked upon, I think "Ooh a woodpecker! I wonder what tree it is in..." and the sun is shining and the flowers are blooming.

But when I hear the front of my house being pecked upon, I think "Ugh! Woodpecker! I wonder if it will fly and stay away if I throw something at it..." and my nerves are frayed and my feet are stomping.

Next month when the roofers are roofing, it probably won't be an issue.

Wednesday, May 23, 2012

12 Years Ago Today

12 years ago today I graduated from Polk County High School. Class of 2000, baby!

Over the past 12 years I have:
  • held 7 jobs
  • lost 2 family pets
  • got a family pet of my own
  • graduated from college
  • had 4 traffic violations
  • got married
  • attended 8 weddings, 4 as a bridesmaid
  • gained 20 lbs
  • completed 2 half marathons, 6 sprint triathlons, and 1 duathlon
  • attempted to start a farm within the city limits
  • lived in 4 different towns/cities
  • vacationed out of the country to Switzerland

In the last 12 days I planted a garden (or some semblance of one anyway).


and made some progress on my "before" picture.

Today is also my friend Sarah's birthday. Happy Birthday, Sarah!

Friday, May 18, 2012

Buddy and Bunnies

Ooh - it's Meghan's birthday today! Happy Birthday, Meghan!  (You remember Meghan, she is the one that told me about Rabbit Rabbit).

Speaking of Rabbit Rabbit, my rabbit den has been abandoned. A couple of days after Flopsy ran off into the thick of loriope, Mopsy and Peter must have decided to go look for him or hang out in Mr. MacGregor's garden.

One day though, one of the babies was hanging around outside the den, between the fence and the yard and Charlie got a whiff of him/her. Baby bunny didn't know what to do, so I thought I would help. Instead of accepting the safety of my hands, bunny ran through the fence a couple of feet in to the unprotected area of Charlie's yard. Charlie was very intrigued and followed quickly, swatting out a front paw and in "whack-a-mole" style pounded the bunny.

Bunny screamed. I panicked. Charlie let go. Bunny ran back toward the den.

I made a few more unsuccessful attempts to corral baby bunny away from big dog. Once I had some luck and was able to picky bunny up, sighed with relief and Plop! Bunny down! And stunned. And not moving. Oh geez.

I reach for bunny again and he's on his feet. I slalom around the trash cans and try to scoop him out from under the small edge of siding he is using for cover. We do this dance for a couple of minutes.

Finally, baby bunny runs across the driveway up through a flower bed and past shed #1 to safety.

The irony here is: now that the babies are grown they are fair game for "Charlie, get that bunny!" (If he ever actually catches one and then does what dogs do to rabbits, I couldn't handle it. I think he just likes the chase. At least, that is what I am choosing to believe.)



Thursday, May 10, 2012

Dear Mrs. Rabbitt

Dear Mrs. Rabbitt,

I am sorry I picked up your child and assumed that they would feel comfortable enough in my hands not to want to flee. My intent was only to check on your babies and convey to them how I would like to keep them safe. If it is any consolation, Flopsy ran like the dickens and knew to hide in the tallest grass, the thickest of the daylillies and the deepest darkest loriope.

In anticipation of Flopsy's return I have left out some vegetable scraps near the den. I feel confident that Flopsy will be a survivor. I am not as worried about him/her as I am Mopsy and Peter. I can't begin to imagine how they are feeling.

Sincerest apologies,

Lauren

Wednesday, May 9, 2012

Judgement(al) Day

Last week I was at the grocery store in the check out lane with a couple of customers ahead of me. I got the impression that the cashier was one of those people that was overly friendly. You know, one of those people that tries to create a deep and meaningful bond for the five minutes of interaction the two of you might have. (I actually appreciate this behavior more than being totally ignored, although it can be a little uncomfortable.)

When it was time for my groceries to cross the scanner I recieved a boisterous "How are you today?"
-Good thanks.
"What have you been up to?"
-Oh, you know. Working.
"Oh! Where do you work."
-In Oak Ridge.
"Really?! What is the most fascinating thing you did today?"
...pause...
-Well, I choked on my own spit.
"Oh. Wha..?"
The gentleman bagging my groceries is in hysterics.
- Yeah. I figure if that is the worst part of my day, it can't be too bad.

The man asks if he can help me out to my car. I usually go for it when they ask thinking they probably want a break from the inside or the overly chatty cashier, but for some reason I turn him down. Maybe to save face - even though I wasn't really embarrassed. Perplexed. I was perplexed. Why would that be my answer to a question of fascination? Especially after the judgements I had passed on my cashier about being socially awkward.

Hello, Pot. I'm Kettle.

Friday, May 4, 2012

Not so many words

This isn't the best picture of the Cinnamon Queens, but I wanted to show evidence of Eleanore's improving comb. She is the one on the right. I swear every time she grows in a nice new tail feather Kathy yanks it out.


Charlie watching over the rabbit den totally ignoring his pig ear. Usually pig ears don't get ignored.

The rabbit den.


 Can you see the bunnies? If you find the darkest part of the picture you can make out some gray-ness.
 Peonies - finally!




Wednesday, May 2, 2012

A little about April

There was so much going on in April I didn't get an accurate count of the egg production. Helping Eleanore get over her illness was priority. And then of course Charlie discovered bunnies...

I did, however, witness something on Sunday that I haven't seen my chickens do before - dusting. They were kicking and scratching the dirt then rolling around in it with puffed up feathers. It was pretty entertaining to watch.