My 'Garden Boy' --------

Yesterday was not a day of rest by any means. . . . . . we, and hired help, 

worked together in the garden. In fact we worked outside the entire weekend, 

and included a trip to buy landscape items including wall building stones, 

netting to keep the dastardly squirrels off my newly sown seeds, potting

 soil. . . . . . and of course I managed to sneak in some plants - two pots

 of beautiful Shasta daisies for the now more elegant back bed along

 the fence.

No pool so no 'Pool Boy' required around here!!!

But here you can meet my 'Garden Boy', good 'ole Bob.

He gave up the business suits and polished shoes (other than when the

 occasional wedding or funeral comes along) with retirement, many years

 ago, and now pulls on those old faded jeans and worn out running shoes

 and becomes a version of a Master Gardener!

Thank you Bob for digging holes, trimming branches, mowing grass, 

blowing leaves and on occasion, like yesterday, clambering flat out under

 the Japanese maple to pull out those pesky weeds such as pokeberry

 and Boston ivy.

I have to add though that pokeberry is not all bad as despite the berries

being poisonous to humans, but loved by birds, the plant appears to

 have a good side. . . . . .

Today, pokeberry is being researched as a possible treatment for cancer. According to the American Cancer Society, a chemical found in pokeberry juice has been used to successfully treat cancerous tumors in laboratory mice. The chemical is also being tested to determine if it can protect cells from HIV and AIDS.

Georgia Wildlife Resources

Here Bob is actually in our neighbor's yard as it's easier access under the tree

as we have a wall on our side.  

Side yard of our house where, as you can see, these azaleas and

 the acer have encroached over the split rail fence into our neighbor's 

yard. . . . . . .thankfully he doesn't mind one bit.

Our handyman 'solutions' guy and his assistant are a great pair and

after doing such a super job on the deck restoration, we had them

back to build the low wall along the back bed. They dug out the old

fallen over scalloped edging and placed it in back, then built a simple

low wall. Once the daffodil greenery dies back and can be cut off, we

 will add more soil and compost and replant with a couple more

climbing roses, perennials and hang new bird houses.

Hope your week is off to a good start.

Our temps have dropped quite a bit after the recent

 'heatwave', and I'm not minding at all.

Front Porch company and pumpkin bread -

I've only purchased one new decorative item for Autumn this year -

this sign for the porch which says it all for me personally.

We were able to spend some fun 'porch time' on Saturday - first with

 our former neighbor April, who recently moved, when she visited late

 afternoon. Then, quite late into the evening, with our neighbor Bob from

 the other side who joined us after his 4.5 mile run, then shared a good

 bottle of Portuguese red and an impromptu supper of Italian baked 

eggplant Parmigiana, followed by an English sherry trifle I made

 earlier in the day. 

I love unplanned happenings such as that - lighting the candles as

 darkness arrived, good conversation, a drink, and an easy meal.

Do you enjoy pumpkin bread. . . . . . an Autumn bake many of us concoct

 from scratch or, much easier, a readymade mix?  For several years

 I've turned to Libby's mix to which you add just fresh eggs, oil and water.  

Libby's is known for their great canned pumpkin and this colorful box which

 makes two delicious 9"X5" loaves - and includes their awesome can of

 pumpkin - is the best. At $4.99 it's a great buy.

This year I stocked up early with several boxes as they disappear from the

 grocery shelves fast. I found them at Target and also at LIDL. 

I've already baked and shared a couple of loaves. They also freeze well so

 you can enjoy pumpkin bread all winter. . . . .along with hot chocolate or

 a cup of tea on a chilly day. . . . .I'm waiting for them!

Another week, hopefully a good one for all.

The weekend -

 Another of those hot, humid, almost sunless days. The sun rose with a 

watery countenance then disappeared. The air was thick and sticky, tiny bugs

 hovering, biting and stinging if given half a chance. Why do they always manage

 to bite no matter how much you cover up and spray what have to be near-lethal

 chemicals? They always find a spot to attack!

Sometimes they cling to your tee shirt (which we all seem to wear these days),

and come into the house. If you sit still they make that awful buzz in your ear.

You scream "mosquito" knowing you'll never squish it before it finds a spot and

 takes your blood!

This is the best type of food for August in these parts.  Little cooking (grilling

 outside preferable), plenty of tomatoes around, olives and goat cheese in the fridge, 

oil on the shelf. . . . . just pick up a deep purple eggplant (aubergine), and grill, 

add a crusty artisan loaf.

With a glass of chilled rosé - this weekend I'm enjoying a bottle of an old California

 standby, Dark Horse, just $8.00 - hard to beat. . . . . .

. . . . . . though I may toss together a simple pasta also.

Surroundings can change. Mine have these past weeks. 

No longer circled by long time friends, my neighborhood is different now . . . . 

. . . . . . . and this particular weekend, sooooo quiet!

Seven houses make up our cul-de-sac. Our immediate neighbors to the left

are brand new owners with plans to raze this now empty house (above) and

 build a bigger house which will use much more of the lot . . . . . some old

trees will have to go.

The house directly across the street is empty and up for sale.

Three current neighbors are away traveling leaving just one 

neighbor, the newest homeowner, plus Bob and I, the only people

here. . . . . . at least for this weekend!

It seems odd, strange, almost otherworldly, the quietness of the street.

Even the birds seem fewer in the fig tree - perhaps even they are 

sick of eating figs now the insects have taken over.

The house next door - sadly soon to be gone at less than 40 years old.

Weekend reading - my first Anna Quindlen novel which 

I'm enjoying.

"Quindlen's astute observations. . . are the sorts 

of details every writer and reader lives for."

---Chicago Tribune

"A wise tale about second chances, starting over, and going after

  what is most important in life."

---Minneapolis Star Tribune

Someone did find a new neighbor for the nest!  Now who could that have been.

Note:  I just came back after a break to complete this post. 

If you're trying to create a new post this afternoon you may, like me, 

suddenly find everything is double spacing and photos are posting in

 a very large format.  

 A lot of fiddling is going on - please Blogger cut to the chase and get the problems sorted!

Make sizing, centering, line spacing, adding labels etc., simple again.

Bring back spellcheck - and definitely do something ASAP to rid us of the 

disgusting comments being left on our posts by a person(s) despite our settings

 supposedly denying them access!  

Something is horribly wrong here.

Sad news - childhood memories. . . . . . . . .

I left my home in England at what now seems such a young age. It was one week 

before I turned 19. Boarding that plane at Heathrow airport was my window 

to an exciting adventure which was to be short and sweet before returning home

 and settling down. However, the one year I expected to stay and

 work in the USA (Washington, D.C.) has now turned into fifty five! I still feel a pull

 to my original home across the pond, and guess I always will.

This Christmas season, as always, I sat for many hours spread over several days,

 writing cards. I love sending and receiving real cards for birthdays, special occasions, 

and definitely at Christmas. 

The cards I send to the UK have become a much smaller bundle now - many 

older family members and friends now gone, and my only sibling lives in France.

 I write a note inside, affix the international postage stamp, a holiday return

 address label, and address each one with thoughts of them eventually being

 dropped through a letter box across the pond.

 Most of these people reply with a lovely card - always lots of chubby English

 robins perched on holly, thatched cottages with lighted windows and such - but

 for several years I haven't heard back from my friend Carol, who was

 my next door neighbor for eleven of my special childhood years.

We shared the same birthday, she being a year younger, and many hours 

together doing what little girls do such as sewing and dressing our dolls. We spent

 hours on the beach after school, her mum meeting us with our swimsuits, towels

 and tomato sandwiches. We used to meet up now and then when I visited

 home and my family still lived next door to her family. The last time I

saw her was at my mother's funeral almost 15 years ago.  

People move a lot now. A card went off to Somerset as always in early

 December hoping it would reach her. . . . . a note enclosed saying how I missed
 hearing from her and hoped she would get in touch.

A couple of days ago I opened my e-mail and was heartbroken to read one
 from her older son, Andrew, whom I've not seen since he was a boy.

 He had received my card, forwarded by the post office, in which I'd tucked
 my e-mail address, and told me of his mum's death last year after his dad had
 also died  - both of them devastated over the loss of their younger son, a
 lifetime diabetic.
 He wrote such a nice note and attached some lovely photos. 
He apologized for not getting in touch earlier - apparently Carol's address book
 disappeared when she moved to a care home following her husband's death,
 and she had Parkinson's disease - and said he'd like to hear back from me.

One certainly pauses after news such as this, wondering when, how, why, we
  ourselves, will eventually die. I am so sad at the news, but also grateful that 
Andrew took the time to write to me. . . . . . . .and of course I will be writing back
 to him and sharing some of the history his dear mum and I shared as children.

If cats could talk. . . . . . . . .

Time spent with cats is never wasted ~ Sigmund Freud

I'm cat-sitting again. 

My neighbor is paying me in cucumbers, peppers, and hopefully

 by the weekend, several ripe juicy tomatoes!

Heaven on earth - fresh veggies within reach of the kitchen.

The veggies are growing in the front garden in view of all and sundry.

I'm hoping the neighbors don't think I'm raiding his plot.

This is Ms. Nala, a shy, quiet, beautiful calico cat. Yes, she's 

a big girl, and very independent as most cats are.

It takes several days for her to get used to me even though

 I've visited often. I think she has to first get over her 'dad' leaving

 her and going on vacation before she will allow me to lift her on to my

 lap for a little cuddle. . . . . . . . and sharing some sweet purrs.

Nala apparently likes spending time on this corner of the bed where, 

when she looks out the window, she can watch me stealing harvesting

 her 'dad's' vegetables.

I can feel her beautiful eyes watching me.


Interesting Calico cat facts HERE

More about Nala. . . . . . . .

 Nala on my lap this morning.

When I agreed to take care of sweet Nala whilst her 'dad' went on vacation

for two weeks, I said I could manage to hop the fence twice a day through

 yesterday - then I would need a few days to prepare for Africa.

Another friend was going to start today and watch out for her through

 Sunday when her 'dad' returns.

Guess what, Nala and I have become such good friends I texted my neighbor

 yesterday and asked if I could continue through end of day Friday and he 

gave me a thumbs up! 

I've cared for Nala a few times before but perhaps not quite long enough to have

 her actually bond with me. Now we are best friends and she seems to love it when

 I arrive, greeting me with meows, twirling about my legs, and looking up at

the cat treats on the shelf knowing she'll soon have a couple to munch!!!

 She then climbs into my lap and we have a lovely cuddle with purrs and kneading

 biscuits, I tell her stories about the kitty I used to have, Ms. Tiny who was with us

 for a long 21 years!

Then a quick brush of her beautiful fur coat, and out on the sun porch for the day

so she can watch birds and squirrels from the windows.

She is a very sweet cat and no trouble at all.

Oops, it's after 5:30 pm. Time to hop the fence and go for some cuddle time!

Today I've just about finished my packing for Kenya, written overdue e-mails,

 ordered a new camera, baked lemon zucchini muffins, and prepped salmon, fresh

 picked garden tomatoes, and salad for supper.

 Not a bad day at all.

Someone else's cat. . . . . . . .

This is Nala my neighbor's cat. She's all mine for a couple of weeks while
 he's up north on vacation in Massachusetts. I hop the garden fence 

twice a day to feed, water and scoop, share a treat, and chat for a while.
Nala is a big, shy, quiet girl. I love that she meows when I enter the
 house, then proceeds to the door of the sunroom telling me she wants to
 spend a lazy day in there, obviously bird and squirrel watching. 
I took this photo and sent it to her 'Dad', telling him, in her words, how well
I was doing my cat-sitting job, and that she missed him!
He seemed pleased to get the text. He loves this cat despite the fact he
was only keeping her supposedly for a short while - she belonged to his 
daughter's college roommate who perhaps didn't love her quite as much.

 Ms. Nala has now been a guest for well over two years. . . . . .

. . . . . . . and meanwhile lucky me gets to pick my neighbor's tomatoes 
whilst he's gone. Life is good. 

The 'money cat'. . . . . . . . . .

I love cats but haven't had one of my own for a long, long time. 

My last feline friend was Tiny - a beautiful long-haired, bushy-tailed, part 

Maine Coon, who ruled lived in our home for twenty one years. We still miss her.

This is Nala, my neighbor Bob's big cat. 
She belonged to his daughter's college roommate. When she could no 
longer keep Nala at school, Bob was asked if he could take her for a little while. 
That time has lengthened into its second year but Bob doesn't seem to mind.
This weekend while he went out of town on a golfing trip I agreed to be the 
'kitty sitter', popping in to feed, water and scoop. I also handed out probably 
far too many treats - Ms. Nala really needs to start watching her waistline!

Nala, a calico, has beautiful coloring in her glossy fur, and her eyes are green.

Calico cat facts/genetics are really interesting - go HERE to read more.

I found her to be very shy with me, perhaps because I'm a stranger. 

Don't think she's used to having her portrait taken either - it was hard to get

 her to look up at the camera - but she was very sweet.

Folklore, in some cultures, says that calico cats, who are almost always female,

 bring good luck! Here in the US they are often referred to as money cats - perhaps 
I need a new feline friend of my own!

I know some of you share your home with beautiful cats.

Does anyone have a sweet calico girl?

Before I close, I also have to show you the cats I met on Sunday afternoon.
These are farm cats. They live at my favorite country place to visit when 
preparing to decorate with some Autumn colors.
More on the Johnson's Farm soon - it was a perfect day weather wise for a 
visit. We'll be leaving on a trip soon and I felt the need to buy my pumpkins 
early. I'll store them in a cool place and have them waiting for me when I get 
home. By then I'll be ready to do a little seasonal decorating around the cottage.

This was definitely a weekend full of cats for me.