how limp my pansies are

I wouldn't be a very good actress but I have learned to portray my conversations with much animation. My sister was deaf from the time she was 17 years old until she passed at age 50 so I soon found myself acting out my words with movement and exaggerated expression to help her better understand me.

As my Mother's hearing diminishes I begin moving my hands or body to help along the conversation. I realized this clearly today after I flung myself onto the couch to describe how limp my pansies are when they don't get proper watering. I must look like the perfect idiot. ha!

Corner Nest Antiques in Elizabethton, TN

I found this sweet little stool (there are four legs under the fringe) and a couple of other goodies in an "antique mall".

This particular place is called the Corner Nest Antique Mall and is located in Elizabethton, Tennessee. They have a cafe right in the middle of all the sectioned off areas called Apples To Oranges that's supposed to be yummy and focuses on locally grown food.

In addition to the stool, I had a beautiful Summer floral wreath made for the front of the house so they have that section of beautiful floral garlands and wreaths and there is also niceplants and flowers for sale. Their geraniums are huge, red, and thriving.

Like I needed another hat I bought a black velvet one, ala 1950s/Lucy and Ethel, that's hard to photograph so you'll just have to take my word for it.

There are lots of these co-ops around east Tennessee and western North Carolina that focus on high end hand-made items and antiques. "Antique" can be loosely interpreted and there may be the occasional styrofoamed snowman or crocheted oven mitt but for the most part (90%) the items are very worthy.

The Corner Nest is buzzing like a beehive in this droopy economy. The prices are great and on my first trip I bought as much as I could carry out when I went there Friday. I may bring a wheelbarrow for my next trip.

Return For Deposit

I went to Vest's Greenhouse today to pick up some flowers. Mother and I haven't been there in decades. We got wave petunias, peach impatiens, pansies, and geraniums. I still want a hibiscus or two.

I'm trying to tidy up the landscaping in the front yard. There are two bushes that I have shaved down as much as I can with electric hedge trimmers and they're still too large so it's time for them to get cut waaaaay down by a pro.

These are boxwoods that have been here for 50 years when the house was built in August 1959. The most unruly one got sheared down to a fresh start a few months ago and new leaves are sprouting already.

The guy unearthed a 16 oz Coca-Cola bottle that looks to be at least 30 years old; probably 40. It says "return for deposit" on the bottle and on the bottom it says, MIDDLESBORO. Remember when you paid extra for the bottles and returned them to get your .05 back. Does anyone remember when the deposit on drinks was .02? Nah, me either. =)

The same house I COULD NOT WAIT to leave at age 17 I returned to find much love and comfort in. There's an invisible force that gives me satisfaction. Return for deposit?

Someone's Got The Sweet Tooth

I do my Mother's weekly grocery shopping and try to buy healthy foods. We stopped by the grocery store and she wanted to get ingredients for a Cherry Cheesecake from scratch, natch.

She's 86 and walks with a cane but her freedom is important to her so I let her go in alone and leisurely cruise the grocery aisles. (I wish she wasn't afraid to use those motorized carts)

She came out with all the stuff to make the cheesecake PLUS

• chocolate pudding,
• chocolate ice cream,
• and two lemon pies!

She's 5' tall and weighs 100 lbs so this might last her for the rest of the year! Ha!

Caroline Costa sings Hurt : Incroyable Talent, 9 October 2008

This young girl is a super talented singer whose video is currently making the rounds.

Happy Easter, Dear Friends

My "little Mommy" (she's 4'11" and 97 lbs.) always asks me to come to church with her and Sunday morning I am going with her and then we're going to eat afterwards.

I hope you're all able to spend some time with your family this holiday week.

Dave's Garden

For several years now whenever I need to look up something pertaining to flowers or fuits, etc, I usually visit Dave's Garden website first.

From the website: Dave's Garden is an informational website where a large, international community of gardeners can learn from each other and find resources offered by the gardening industry.

It's much more than that. It has all the zones for planting, migration info, photos of plants and flowers from every zip and postal code. Forums of expert gardeners and piddlers like me all congregate to learn and/or help one another.

The Garden Watchdog at Dave's Garden is a free directory of 6,760 mail order gardening companies. And Plant Scout helps you correctly identify your plants. Plants and Seed Trading, also a great section.

Since 1994, 3,510 companies have been reviewed in the Garden Watchdog, and 46,579 comments have been posted (33,043 positive, 5,268 neutral, 8,268 negative) by 24,273 customers.

Hope you enjoy it. Favorite the link and thank me later. :)