busy week

The week started out with a puppy injury. Bailey cut her paw pad. Poor little thing. I took her to work with me and she huddled under my desk. It took a couple of days but she is doing much better.

I promised not to do this again this year. I KNOW, but I am a tomato addict. They are something I cannot resist. My husband and I worked the backyard this weekend. It is never ending. I can't imagine what it must be like for a farmer, we only have 1/3 acre.

I was serious about being addicted. I have no more space for my seedlings. Charles gave me three packs of heirloom seeds from a trip to California and I didn't expect them to do so well. Even the back porch has been commandeered.

I am very pleased with the pond garden. But then I always am. Just reminds me of my mom. I actually enjoy weeding in there. Lots of time to remember wonderful days spent with her.

My friend, Linda, is a wonder with plants. I was the happy recipient of some of her perinneals. She was thinning her beds. I always have trouble with that. She keeps reassuring me that it is healthy for the plants. I even had to have my husband cut back the new plantings. But Linda was right, new flowers have opened up.

My yard pleases me. There are a couple of quiet little areas for reading and talking.

This is one of the lavender plants I got at the lavendar festival with Margaret and JoAnne last year. The festival is coming up again in a

couple of weeks. Can't wait.

We made a big change in the front of the house. We took out two big evergreens and three dying bushes and lightened up the look.

The columbine are out. Alex's garden is in full bloom.

And sadly, we learned our favorite nursery, Carroll Gardens, is closing. It just can't hold on in these difficult times. We bought three lilacs today and planted them. The owner is so knowledgeable and helpful. Keep your fingers crossed for a miracle! Where will I get my vegetable plants and flowers?

tag you are it-challenged to name six

unimportant things that make me happy

1. Tomato season- need I say more!2. The refreshing taste of a lime ricky every August after a hot night on the Wildwood boardwalk.

3. Baltimore sports!

4. My mother's blue casserole dish for macaroni and cheese. Doesn't taste the same in any other dish.

5. Having a deposit work out correctly. Margaret and I post a lot of insurance payments at work. When you prove to the penny the first time-ahhhhhhh.

1+1=2

....and last but not least

6. The dogs greeting you at the door. Happy to have you home. Even if you just left five minutes ago.

i love this season

All is right with my world when my indigo comes into bloom. My husband and I worked the garden for the last three days. We cleaned the pond, weeded the lilacs, and tended the veggies.

All the perennials made it through another winter. This is a memorial garden on the side of our house for our beloved golden retreiver, Alex.

My daughter and I fill the other spaces of our property with flowers and herbs.
Our dogs enjoy this season also. They frolic in the backyard every day.

This is my Riles. Riley is getting up in years and weight, but still rules the yard.

This is Bailey. She is a wonder. She leaps and runs and darts. She is quicker than any other dog I have ever seen. She is very shy, but is working hard to overcome it. She is my daughters, but I think we have adopted her. We have come to love her very much.

Hope everyone had a good Memorial Day. Thank you to all troops and veterans!

DREAM COME TRUE

I have always been fascinated with Ireland. Like many Americans with Irish heritage, I have always wanted to visit the Four Green Fields. I finally got my wish. My brother travels a lot, but he promised to save Ireland for me(once my kids got out of college). We headed to the Emerald Isle on April 28 and spent the next 10 days exploring the country.




It is a beautiful green, lush land. But the people are even more special. "Cead Mile Failte which means one hundred thousand welcomes is taken very seriously there. Lost twice, people actually asked if we needed help. They are more patient in traffic and kinder in stores and hotels. They genuinely seem to appreciate life.

We flew into Dublin and stayed in the Temple Bar district. It is full of Irish bars, shops, restaurants and historical sights. We stayed in a B&B right in the area. Our favorite place here was the Temple Bar. We visited the Guinness factory, Jameson's, and The Book of Kells at Trinity College. They have a beautiful park in the middle of the city. No Walmart or Sears here, Dublin is full of little specialty stores


We then headed to Killarney by train. It was a holiday weekend in Ireland and the train was filled with many local travelers. The countryside was beautiful and just listenting to the the Irish accents all around us was wonderful.Killarney is a mid-sized city. They are famous for a National Park. It was willed to the city after the widow landlord died with no children. We walked the park for hours the first day. It is full of flowers, marshes, farmland, lakes, mountains and if you look closely, you can even see a castle.
The second day we were smarter, we took a jaunty car ride--driven by a Barry Fitzgerald look-a-like. Boy was he a charmer. Dan was his name. The horse was Pádraig. This was one of the highlights of the trip for me. He told us stories of growing up in Killarney and some local lore.

In Killarney I found my favorite bar and my favorite restaurant. The bar was called O'Connor's. Nothing fancy, but full of Irish song, drink and blarney. I think the IRA was meeting upstairs. Gaby's was a great restaurant. Everyone told me Irish food was not the reason people visited Ireland. But, we found the food absolutely delicious. Fresh seafood like I have never tasted before.
....I have also given up on all red meat, just can't do it anymore.......May, so of course, so many baby lambs and calves.Tea is really taken seriously. Here is a cottage that offers teas and light meals. I was a coffee-holic before I left, now I can't drink it. I am addicted to tea now.

We were planning on visiting the Ring of Kerry, but it was closed for a rally. So we bused early to the seashore to Dingle. The scenery was really unbelievable beautiful. The land is covered with green fields, dotted with sheep, separated by stone fences. It does not freeze, so perennials are abundant. Temperatures range from 35 to 65. The seas are a deep blue green.

This is not out of focus. It is called the Upside Down Bridge. The water runs over the road to the sea. You actually drive on the road as the water flows across to the sea.
Dingle Bay. My favorite B&B was here. It was the Benner's Hotel. It was so charming. Full of little cubbies for reading or quiet meets. They had their own bar and restaurant. First time for tea and scones. Ohhhhh, that fresh cream. The room had a window seat. Perfect to read, look outside to the mountains, and enjoy the palm trees outside. Yes, I said palm trees. We visited the shops, drank in the bars, listened to the music, ate great seafood, meet nice people, and chased after a dolphin.

If you ever get the chance, go go go!

Great Start to a St. Patty's Day

Charles and I had a wonderful Saturday. We spent it playing Scrabble and eating dinner with our dear friends, Linda and Tim. They were kind enough to introduce us to an Irish band named Barleyjuice.

A little Rock mixed with a lot of Irish tradition--that's Barleyjuice.I am a huge fan of Irish music. My brother and I are going to Ireland in April and I can't wait to experience more of this music.

The band played a multitude of instruments. I am not musically talented, but I love to listen. How can one person play the guitar, keyboard, drums, bagpipe, whistle, accordian----?????
They do wet their whistle with the brew. Maybe that is where they draw their strength. Even the mascot Saturday was two fisted.

I could have listened all night.

Visit their website and enjoy. My favorite songs are Celtic Girl, Weekend Irish and What's Up Yours. http://www.barleyjuice.com/

WEIRD OBJECT FRIDAY

Baltimore's own Big Bird. Imagine the shadow this would cast flying overhead. Her nest resides five floors up at the American Visionary Arts Museum. I wonder if she has any eggs up there!

IT'S DIET TIME!

Day four, and still on track. For me that is a miracle. I have great motivation this year. We will have a wedding in September and my brother and I are going to Ireland mid year. Two events I want to attend 30 lbs. lighter. So far, so good. My son gave me "The Biggest Loser"(my request) for Christmas and I am following their guidance. I have never had so many fruits and vegetables, nor consumed so much water. Wish me luck and check back for progress.

WONDERFULLY WEIRD WHACKY HAMDEN

There is a delightfully quirky, blue-collar neighboorhood in Baltimore called Hamden. It is most famous for two events: The hon festival(think John Waters' Hairspray) and our own Miracle on 34th Street. An entire block of row houses lights up the sky. Each house is decorated in it's own unique style. Vendors sell food and hot chocolate. It is definitely on the Baltimore to-do-list each Christmas season.A constant stream of cars moves down the street and the lines of people being welcomed by the neighborhood grows each year.

You have normal Chistmas lights and then you have the lawn ornaments made from recycled tools in the shape of a crab of course. They even included the Old Bay.

And who can forget the LP tree. Hamden is known for its pink flamingos. If you look closely you may find some on this fishnet tree.

There are favorite Christmas characters...

along with old wheel snowmen.

This house is showing it's Raven-mania! The beer angel and crab tree was a big hit.

But my favorite and my contribution to weird object Friday is the hubcap tree.

It is a sight not to be missed, hon!