Public Enemy #1

Today, ladies and gentlemen, I present:

WEEDS.

They must be stopped.

As well as the usual suspects--dandelions, chickweed, thistles, clover, and skinny things that spew seeds as soon as you touch them--there are a couple that give me particular headaches.

First, the maiden something-or-other that I can't remember.  

Sticky, seedy, long, tangly buggers, there's a story behind this weed-of-which-I-can't-remember-the-name.  Apparently long ago maidens would open the long stem, pull out the fibers inside, and make a pillow for their wedding night.  This was according to Jim, the ranger at the park where I walk every day with Belle.  We often sit and talk while he gives Belle a treat, and he knows almost everything you'd want to know about the woods.  Anyway, he told me the name of this thing, but I can't remember what it was.

I think the maidens were simply trying to torture the thing into submission.

The next little nasty I've been battling for years.  

I'd love to know what it's called so I can call it by name while I'm yelling at it.

I posted this on Facebook, and a lot of people thought it was wild morning glory.  

But it's not.

How do I know?

Because I've been fighting morning glory for years as well.  Finally I'm seeing progress, because usually by now it would be covering my garden fence.  The last two years it hasn't been quite as bad.

Here's the morning glory, not yet in bloom this year.

The leaves are more elongated, not to mention that morning glory is a climber---looooong stems and a loooooong root, and (according to Google) if you break the root, it gets a shot of energy and grows even MORE. So it's next to impossible, without weed killer, to get rid of it.  So I've bit the bullet and have been using Roundup during the bloom, and that has helped a LOT over the last two years.  It's still there, obviously, but believe me--it's not as bad as it was!  The problem, of course, it that it's at the edge of the veggie garden, so I have to be really careful where I put the Roundup.  The weed above the MG, the one giving me the shakes, has one leaf per short stem, and at the end of each short root is a bunch of teenie bulbs which come off at a touch.  And the stuff spreads and covers ground like CRAZY.

Here's what it wants to do, but due to its able opponent (ME!) it hasn't been able to go quite this far.

This was taken in the woods near my house yesterday.  It covers the ground as far as can be seen.  Crazy.

So please--if you know what this is, let me know.  I can't find photos of it on any "weeds of PA" site. But it's definitely prolific.

Ugh.

Why do I care about getting rid of these unwanted interlopers?

Because...

I love my garden!!

Fun Fun Fun Days!

The kids had their end of year Fun Days this week.

Just a few shots of the kids on their respective days.

The Girlie

And The Bean

I wish we had Fun Days when I was a kid.  Instead I had to endure Sports Day which, for someone with absolutely no athletic ability, was pure torture!

This was way more, well, FUN!

Seniors: Bryan

Went out with Bryan a week or so ago for a quick senior session.  Nice light.  Nice brick wall with peeling paint (my favorite!).  Nice smile.

You're an inspiration, Bryan.  Your future is going to be amazing!

Kreativ Blogger Award

My dear bloggy buddy Chris at An Inch Of Time  presented me with this Kreativ Blogger award.  I won't even say how long ago, but I think it's at least a month.

Complete with trumpet fanfare and the keys to the city.  :D  I'm honored--but intimidated. I had to back away from reading so many blogs over the past year, and haven't kept in touch so much.  I don't even know that many folks are even READING my blog anymore, since comments have subsided to a trickle.  I'll pass this award along to some blogs that I like--even though I don't comment as much anymore.  And they might wonder who I am!

But anyway.  I'm supposed to write down 10 things about myself that people might not know.

This is going to be hard!

OK.

1.  Erm.

2.  Ah...sheesh.  I can't think of anything interesting about myself that folks might not know!

3.  OK.  I can hook a worm, club a fish, and gut it without a shudder.

4.   I'm the odd female in my immediate family, being the only one that likes to shop.  It's a pity I can't afford to do it!  My cross to bear.  Now let me go grab a chocolate bar and bemoan my fate.

5.  Favorite vacation was to Assateague Island with the kids two summers ago.  Had a wonderful time tent camping.  Captain Barry's boat tour where we learned how to go clamming and crabbing was too fun.  I finally got a tan that summer!

6.  I have three antique cameras and really really want to spring for some film and make them earn their keep.  I know where to get the film, just can't justify the expense. In the meantime, they look cool sitting on the shelf.

7.  I'm a fluent piglatin speaker.

8.  I want to travel.  I love interesting places.  I want to go to Europe again with new and older eyes (after going when I was only 12 and not aware enough to really know what I was experiencing).  I also want to go to Australia.  And many other places!  I fear that although we're fairly close to NYC we won't get there, and the thought gives me the shakes.  Being from the Canadian west, it would also seem criminal not to explore eastern Canada a bit while we're in the general vicinity, but finances--again--force us to stay put.  Wah.  I need another chocolate bar.

9.  Cream peas on toast makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside.  Sounds gross--but it's comfort food at its best.  Or maybe it just reminds me of childhood.  I haven't converted anyone else in this house to its deliciousness.  Ah well--all the more for me!

10.  I've got odd thumbs.  But I think I've mentioned that before.

11 and 12 (since I cheated on 1 and 2):  I'd love to live at the turn of the century.  Only with money and indoor plumbing.  I love the pace of life, the gentility--and the clothing.  Which is partly why I love Downton Abbey with an unhealthy passion.  And I miss Canada.  That's all.

And now for six other blogs.  They're going to be surprised to get this, since they don't know I've been stalking them!

1.  Caroline at Constantly Evolving My word, what beautiful, beautiful photos.  When I want to relax and chill and feel something beautiful, I head over to her place.  Swoon.

2.  Robert at Daily Athens.  Beautiful words.  Cool photos from a place that I've always been fascinated by.  Someday when I go on that European trip, I'm going to meet this guy.  Robert--I know I used to comment on your blog all the time.  Believe me when I tell you I still stop by--I just don't comment as I ought.

3.  Petchy at Randomness by Petchy  I love her.  And she doesn't know I exist because I don't think I've EVER commented.  So go check out her sweet blog.  Thank you.

4.  Charlotte at Memories for Later  If she's not making me giggle, she's making me think. And I almost always can sympathize.  My husband and I have adopted her "A uterus is what makes women find things better than men" theory.  The problem is that sometimes my husband must borrow my uterus...

5.  Karrie at Dirt Don't Hurt  because her posts are funny, relevant, and she posts yummy recipes sometimes.  I LIKE this girl!

6.  And last but not least, my dear hubster at What's Happening In Yerbouti.  He has created a country and writes about it on a fairly regular basis.  He's a miniatures gamer, and creates scenarios to play with Yerbouti as the setting.  He has another blog where he documents his zombie games, of all things.  But I think the Yerbouti one is a bit more accessible!!

And a photo of mine, since this IS a photo blog, after all.  So here's a Phipps Phish.

Phipps Fleurs

Last Friday Maren and I went to Pittsburgh and a day at the Phipps Conservatory.  

It was a beautiful day--just look at the sky!

There were loads of lovely flowers:

And I thought, "How could I take interesting photos of these flowers??"

So, amidst the company of some supportive friends...

I went a bit nuts:

But then I had to go somewhat back to normal to capture these peonies.  Oh my goodness were they beautiful.

The butterflies were lovely.  I didn't know which one to show you, but I think I like this one the best;

 And we left with a couple of new recipes to try.  These look SOOOO good.  My mouth is watering, and I haven't even made them yet.

OK.  I'm off to have a snack, now.  There's a rumbly in my tumbly.

Night!