While I'm Away...

Here are some lovely pictures to look at while I'm spending time with my mother this week. My daughter took them yesterday; they're of a small Japanese magnolia we have out back. It was small and scrawny when we first moved in 7 1/2 years ago. I almost got rid of it, and every summer while trying to mow around it, I would secretly harbor thoughts of running the thing over.

I'm glad I didn't because it's finally come into its own. This is the first year that I have been absolutely delighted with its springtime offering.

Patience is all that was needed.

Click on this one to get the full effect:

Only someone cruel and heartless would mow such a thing over : )

Visit

I'll most likely have fewer posts next week due to my mom's visit. Here are some things that we will potentially be doing:

Visit Amish country.

Walk around the quaint downtown part of our nice little town.

Take a ferry out to Kelley's Island on Lake Erie.

Walk a few trails in Cuyahoga Valley National Park.

Visit the quaint town of Peninsula right next door.

Go look at local university where hubby works and kids attend classes.

Tour Stan Hywett Hall (a local mansion).

Tour Hale Farm and Village (one of those places which has been preserved like it was long ago and you can see life re-enacted as it was in the 17- and 1800's).

Eat at some nice restaurants.

Walk dog : )

It'll be lots of fun to see my mom. She lives pretty far away and we don't get to see each other very often.

Yikes

My mother is coming for a visit next week. She was waiting for the weather to warm up here before she came (she lives in Phoenix). I'm not sure if I should tell her that we had snow flurries this morning...

Here's hoping the weather behaves and puts on a nice show for her visit =^.''.^=

Where Am I Going?

And why am I in this handbasket?

Okay, maybe I'm not going there. Apparently I'm going to bad gardener's heaven, where these come up in your vegetable garden bed:

And these beauties come back, even after you've rototilled them away:


And the weeds in your lawn look like this:

And this:

And you have trees, the names of which you can't remember (edit - Japanese magnolia, or tulip tree), but they look like this just before they burst into bloom:

And these little things pop up here and there to surprise you:

And where even the softest of colors are glorious:

Fixes

Within the past week, one cat and one computer have been fixed.

My very own computer seems to have been fixed (cross fingers, knock on wood), so no more sneaking into other people's rooms while they're sleeping and trying to type very quietly.

And the stray cat who came for Christmas, went to a new home, and then rebounded back here recently, has been fixed. I think I am single handedly financing the local veterinary industry =^..^=

A Beautiful Day

Wow, what a nice day we've had today. Sunny, warm.

I've been doodling around with a couple of story ideas. Yesterday a new and promising idea came and I started outlining and writing. In the middle of the night the 'twist' I was searching for popped into my head and so today I rewrote the smattering I already had. I've got a good start.

I get excited about ideas sometimes and start the writing and really think things are going wonderfully for a few days. Then I'll actually think about what I'm writing and say, "Ugh, what in the world was I thinking?"

I'm still at the excited stage with this one, but I think I may be able to take this one all the way to the end. Why? Because I can actually envision the end, and that's a big stumbling block with most of my other ideas. I can't see the end, not even a whisper of it. For me that makes it hard to write what leads up to it. The end doesn't have to be fully realized, but I have to know enough for it to act as a guide for what lies between it and the beginning.

And since today has been so nice, I was able to do a lot of my writing outside with pen and notebook. I was so involved with my writing that the poor dog's little wimpers and woofs, reminding me that there was a ball that needed to be thrown, went mostly unheeded.

He must think I'm crazy, to be outside and NOT want to throw a ball!

Whoops

Last Saturday we set our little garden seedlings outside to enjoy a bright, sunny day. We've been doing that when the days are warm and sunny enough. We bring them in again before nightfall and set them under a grow light, which we switch off before turning in for the night.

On Saturday, however, after returning home late in the evening from a wedding reception and then mixing egg dye and coloring eggs until almost midnight, we completely forgot about our little seedlings.

Whoops.

Easter morning greeted us with bright sunshine, a hard frost, and a tray full of dead seedlings. All gone, except for some evening primrose and one hyssop plant.

So I spent some time today re-seeding the little pop-up pots. At least they'll have a few short weeks head start. We won't be able to plant outdoors here for a little while yet.

So much for planning ahead. At least we gave organized thinking a try : )

Happy Easter!

Happy Easter!

Bunny? What bunny?

24 eggs were hidden, but only 23 were found. Why?

Me: Place mug of water in microwave. Turn Microwave on.

Husband, dashing into kitchen: "Nooo! Not the Microvwave!!"

Microwave: POP!

Egg count 23

Have a wonderful day!

My thoughts exactly

Told you

Okay, so we did get our late snowstorm. Bad news - we got a few inches. Good news - it couldn't stand up to the return of the sun today.

We had tons of robins in our backyard yesterday hunting for worms where the dog had trampled the snow away. But today it looks like spring might just be thinking of sticking around and the robins are now more widely dispersed.

Sabriel, Lirael, Abhorsen

I just finished (re)reading the three books in Garth Nix's Abhorsen trilogy.

I still like them. In fact, I think that they are some of my favorite books. I will even say that the third, Abhorsen, is one of my top favorite books and it has my favorite ending of any book I've ever read.

I like the feel of the worlds that Nix places us into with these books, and I am in awe of the things that his imagination conjured up for these stories. Things like Charter magic; two different worlds with very different realities separated only by a wall; the seven bells that are used as tools by the Abhorsen; the nine gates of Death; and creatures like Mogget the cat and The Disreputable Dog.

The first book, Sabriel, introduces us to the Old Kingdom, land of Charter magic; and the country of Ancelstierre, reminiscent of an early 1900's England. If the last book contains my favorite ending, this first book contains my favorite beginnning. I listened to this book as an audio book read by Tim Curry the first time I became acquainted with it, and the beginning drew me in immediately. And I was in awe the whole time with the bells and drawing magic down from the ever-flowing Charter. The Abhorsen must use the bells and the Charter to keep the Dead in their place - and the necromancers who would use the dead to wreak havoc and gain power.

Sabriel, daughter of the Abhorsen and raised in a bording school in Ancelstierre, is thrust into being Abhorsen when her father disappears and a terrible and powerful entity is loose in the Old Kingdom. She barely knows the Old Kingdom but must go there to face her duties, find her father, and keep the Dead at bay.

The second book, Lirael, is excellent. It's about Lirael, a daughter of the Clayr - Seers who live in a glacier (another amazing part of the intricate world that Nix creates). In Lirael we are introduced to the title character who doesn't quite fit in, and the friend she creates with powerful Charter magic - the Disreputable Dog. We also come to know Prince Sameth, son of Sabriel, and his struggles to live up to being the Aborsen in waiting.

Lirael and Sameth's paths cross right when things are going downhill fast in the Old Kingdom. A couple of extremely powerful necromancers are on the loose, but something even more dangerous, more powerful, is behind a very carefully laid plan which has loosed all kinds of Dead.

The third book, Abhorsen, picks up where Lirael ends. It's a masterfully drawn conclusion, full of revelations, emotions, tied-up ends, and a few left for us to tie ourselves. Hats off to Garth Nix, this really is one of my favorite books of all time. And that's all I will say because I don't want to give things away.

If you enjoy young adult fantasy, you might give these books a try. And even though there are a lot of dead things in them, it doesn't have a zombie feel. The places in the books feel real with problems which must be overcome, or at the very least, kept under control, and the walking Dead are part of that. Luckily, there is an Abhorsen who can draw upon the well-ordered Charter magic to counter the effects of free magic, which powers the Dead. How it all works is fascinating and not zombified at all.

Comfrey: A Cautionary Tale

I'll get right to the point. Comfrey is like some kind of miracle herb, able to help broken bones mend quickly and heal wounds and alleviate troubling skin conditions in a trice. The only problem is it's toxic to your liver. I will never, ever, use comfrey in any of my herbal preparations.

Comfrey contains pyrrolizidine alkaloids, or PA's, which can be toxic to the liver and can cause liver damage. The FDA prohibits injested forms of comfrey from being sold in the U.S.

Comfrey root contains the highest concentrations of PA's, the next highest concentration is found in new leaves, and the lowest concentration in older leaves.

Comfrey is readily absorbed through the skin, hence the ability of topical preparations to aid in the healing of broken bones, and in the healing of wounds.

Using topical preparations containing comfrey should be done with caution, and only preparations made with comfrey leaves should be used - avoid the roots. And never put topical preparations containing comfrey on broken skin. Children should NEVER use any form of comfrey preparation under any circumstances.

I continue to be amazed at the amount of creams, salves, lotions, sitz bath "teas", etc., that are available which contain comfrey. I have even seen diaper rash creams which contain comfrey root extratives, and skin care salves with comfrey which proclaim to be "safe for the whole family."

I research the herbs I use to make sure they're safe. A lot of people think that because herbs are 'natural' that they are inherently safe. This is wrong. Medicinal herbs work because they contain chemical compounds that react with your body in the same - or a similar - way that manufactured chemical compounds (medicines) react with your body.

There are lots of natural things that are harmful, rattle snakes, hemlock, many types of mushrooms, many types of berries - you wouldn't eat any red berry you came across in the wild, would you? No. Why? Because many of them are poisonous. Even though they're natural.

So what I'm trying to say is, if you use herbal remedies, do your homework. Not everything you can lay your hands on is safe.

Below you can read what the University of Maryland Medical Center says about comfrey, or you can visit their alternative medicines page about comfrey here.

What UMMC has to say:

What's It Made Of?:

Comfrey contains substances that help skin regenerate, including allantoin, rosmarinic acid, and tannins. It also contains poisonous compounds called pyrrolizidine alkaloids.

Available Forms:

Oral comfrey products have been banned in the U.S. and many European countries, but topical preparations are still available.

Comfrey ointments (containing 5 - 20% comfrey), creams, poultices, and liniments are made from the fresh or dried herb, leaf, or root of comfrey species. Use only products made from leaves of common comfrey.

Be sure to buy comfrey preparations from established companies with good reputations, and who distribute their products through trustworthy and knowledgeable establishments. Follow dosage recommendations below.

How to Take It:

Pediatric

Never give a child comfrey by mouth, and do not apply creams or ointments containing comfrey to a child's skin.

Adult

Never take comfrey by mouth. Severe liver poisoning and even death may occur.
Use herb and leaf ointments, creams, and other topical preparations. Toxic alkaloids can be absorbed through the skin so it's important to follow these safety recommendations:

Never apply comfrey to broken skin.

Use only small amounts of comfrey-containing creams for no longer than 10 days at a time.
Do not use any comfrey product for more than 4 - 6 total weeks in a year.

Precautions:

Comfrey contains toxic substances that can cause severe liver damage and possibly even death. For this reason, comfrey and comfrey-containing products should never be taken orally.

Comfrey contains toxic substances that can be absorbed by the skin, so even topical preparations should be used for only a short time under the supervision of a knowledgeable health care provider.

Comfrey should never be applied to open wounds or broken skin.

Do not use comfrey if you have liver disease, alcoholism, or cancer.

Children, the elderly, and pregnant or breastfeeding women should not use comfrey products -- either orally or topically -- under any circumstances.

Possible Interactions:

There are no known scientific reports of interactions between comfrey and conventional medications. Some herbs that have also been known to cause liver problems, such as kava, scullcap, and valerian, should not be used while using comfrey ointment or cream because of the increased potential for liver damage.

Robin Song Morning

This morning as my dog and I passed one of the picnic shelters in the park, I heard the most magical birdsong.

A robin was sitting on one of the picnic tables in the shelter, which is basically a roof and no walls. He was singing his morning song which was being amplified and echoed under the shelter's roof.

He must have thought that he'd found the most wonderful place to sing, and his song, already beautiful, had become almost like a concert in symphony hall.

Even on ordinary occasions I love to hear a robin's song, but this was a real treat.

The Daily Coyote

I just finished reading The Daily Coyote by Shreve Stockton.
It's a wonderful book with beautiful pictures and a heartfelt tale about finding life, finding love, and finding peace.

The author tells how she found herself drawn away from New York city to a new life in the little town of Ten Sleep, Wyoming - population 300.

She is given a days-old, orphaned coyote cub and told, "If you don't want to take care of it, or it gets to be a problem, let me know and I'll drown it in the water tank."

The author - who has sidestepped and is inexperienced with commitments involving the care of something other than herself, those that tie one down, and those which involve a change in one's own life - knows that this is a serious decision. The death of this creature, or the responsibility for it's life, will be placed upon her. And she doesn't make her decision, or take the resultant responsibilities lightly.

You will become involved in the author's life - her struggles to find balance while adjusting to her new surroundings, trying to make a living, tending a blossoming relationship with a neighboring cowboy, and raising a baby coyote along with her cat in a place that doesn't look favorably on coyotes.

It's an absolutely wonderful read, and the story doesn't end with the book. You can visit Shreve Stockton's websites, the old one: The Daily Coyote ; and the new one: The Daily Coyote. Both are full of Shreve Stockton's beautiful photography featuring Charlie, the coyote, and the deeply captivating Wyoming landscape.

The noise (and stink)

I live in what many people describe as an idyllic little New England style town. And this is true. The only thing that really has begun to upset me is a business which lies very nearby. It is by no means close to the idyllic downtown, but it does lie no more than about 1/4 of a mile from my home. It is a mulch and soil business and it has expanded in the past couple of years.

Early on, in our first years here, a strong smell of mulch would sometimes drift our way. Now that the business has expanded and the small hills of mulch have turned into steaming mountains, the strong smell of mulch has been replaced with a sometimes overpowering smell - what a friend of mine mistook once for the biting stench of what she thought must certainly have been a chemical spill in the area.

And now, for the past year, this enterprise has been experimenting with what is called Green Grinding. They take in food waste from local grocery chains, grind it up, let it compost, and use it as a soil additive. This is all very well and good, green-thinking and saving our landfills and all, except for one teensy detail.

It stinks.

Apparently it's not supposed to stink, but the way this business is doing it, we often smell the stench of a landfill blowing our way. And in the park next door, which is even closer to this business, the stench is sometimes gut-heaving in quality. Think of the rodents that this must be attracting.

To add to all of this, the expansion of the business means that they are often very busy adding to their mountains of mulch. This process has become excessively noisy. It doesn't take place all the time (please see this post about the pleasant quiet), but when it does, the noise is fearsome. Especially when it begins at 8:00 am.

I've uploaded a little snippet of video that I took this morning from my front porch. I used a digital still camera with a video feature. You know how when you take little video snippets this way, noises which aren't right up close to the camera sometimes aren't caught, and if they are, they aren't as loud as they were in person? Keep that in mind while you listen to the sounds. Be sure to turn your volume up:

On my walk in the park with the dog before I took the video, the noise was loud enough to make my head hurt.

I know that some people live in high traffic, high noise areas, but when we moved here we bought a house at the end of a dead-end street, up against a nice park. Not a high noise, high stink area.

My how things change.

A Quiet Day in the Garden

Today has been a quiet day. Beautiful and sunny, but very quiet. The park next door was empty. I could hear the breeze in the treetops it was so quiet. On our walk, I rested for a few minutes with my eyes closed and my face to the sun while my dog rummaged through the old cattails looking for stray baseballs (he found one which has been fermenting in the goop all winter).

It's the beginning of spring break here for the area schools. I think everyone has flown south for the week.

I tidied up the back yard by gathering sticks and fallen branches, enjoying the quiet and the song of the wind through the pines and the just-budding branches of other trees.

I'm not really a gardener. I do a garden blogger's bloom day post every now and then (supposed to be on the 15th of each month), but really I'm just an impostor. My posts consist of cleverly cropped photos leading you to believe that my yard is bursting with bloom and color. You will note that you will never see a panoramic, or full shot of the whole yard. I also post pictures of what's blooming wild in the park next door.

If you've ever read Harry Potter, you'll know what I mean when I say that, for comparison's sake, my yard is a Weasley yard (rusting cauldron by the doorstep, stray galoshes piled up, and gnomes in the garden) and not a Dursley yard (everything prim and trimmed and neat).

Nonetheless, I do put forth a bit of effort. This year I even thought ahead and started seeds indoors. I've even got several things sprouting in my sprout tray:

Last year when we rototilled a garden spot in the way back, I had to say goodbye to all of my lovely wild violets. I've been grieving that decision recently because 1) wild violets are my favorite flowers, and 2) they are some of the first bloomers and I was already beginning to miss them, even though it's early yet.

But wandering around in the mud patch back there, I spotted some hangers-on pushing up through the earth. Hooray! I'll have some violets after all:



And speaking of rototilling, how good a job could we have done if these are coming up in the middle of the vegetable garden plot?:

Spring is really here. The crocuses have arrived and late snowstorms haven't even spoiled the show, as usual, to cover them up again:

Happy Spring!

Evasion tactics, or, "Where, behind that cat?"

We have a cat who likes to come along for walks when we take the dog out.

We have a couple of different routes for walks in the park. The smaller route which goes around the pond is the only route on which we allow the cat to join us. The other route, which encompasses the whole park, is too long. Too many things could go wrong for a cat - other dogs, for instance, or just the feeling that the whole park is now its domain. The latter one is what I don't want the cat to come to believe. The park is too big and too busy for the cat to go gallivanting that far from home.

The result is that, if the cat looks like it's trying to follow us on the longer route, we must try to outrun it, hoping that it will finally stop and go to the hedges which are its favorite place to wait for our return.

So yesterday, my husband and I went running out over the soccer fields, dog happy as a lark, cat running after us, all the time looking over our shoulders and shouting, "He's coming, hurry!"

To onlookers it must have looked something like Monty Python running from the killer rabbit.

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society

This was a very charming, engaging, and interesting book.

A London writer, just after WWII and digging for an idea for a new book, stumbles upon the interesting lives of several inhabitants of the tiny island of Guernsey in the Channel Islands. They all have interesting stories to tell of life during the German occupation during the war.

A letter-writing correspondence with these people leads to a visit and to a whole new life.

The book will teach you things you probably never knew about the war and about the Channel Islands - and it will keep you marvelously entertained with the wit of Juliet Ashton, the fiesty main character.

The book is presented as a series of letters and telegrams, each one a treat to read. They end up weaving a riveting tale that's easy to read and pulls you into the lives of the characters.

Take it along on vacation, or spring break. You won't regret it.

A Study in Moss and Lichen

Yesterday my family headed over to Cuyahoga Valley National Park. Although spring is in the air, on the Pine Lane trail we found a forest still bleak in winter colors, but interesting things all around, nonetheless.

Lots of lichen growing on decaying trees:


Hidey-holes in mossy tree trunks:

Woolly moss:

Which sometimes looked like a head of hair:

Or as if it was just resting for a moment on the rock before scurrying away:

A diverse neighborhood:

Fern eruptions:

We turned around here, not just because part of the trail had fallen into the creek below, but because two of our number had fallen in as well and were wet and cold (the male half, which were playing around on fallen trees and too close to treacherous, sandy banks):

A jumble of fallen debris:

Here is a trail marker, fallen in:

More moss:

A spot, slowly eating away the stone upon which it lives:

A mossy colony:

A bit of green peeking through the leaves:

And finally, a very interesting pine:

Herbs for herbal remedies - Growing or wildharvesting your own vs mail-order

Here is the difference I see in what I've grown in my garden or wild harvested and what I get through mail-order. Mine are on the left, mail-order is on the right:

Calendula:

Goldenrod:

I prefer my own. I mean, just look at the goldenrod. With the mail-order you get stems - big ones from the looks of it - all shredded up with the flowers and leaves.

When I make goldenrod infused oil, I only use the flowering tops. All I have left of what I harvested from last fall is what you see in the picture, so I mail-ordered some to get me through to this fall when I can harvest some more. I'm a little nervous about using the mail-order now. I'm not sure how the oil will turn out.

I'm glad I've planned a big garden this year full of lots of different herbs. I'm really looking forward to using only my own homegrown or wild harvested plants.