Monthly Archives: November 2016

In Color. And in Black and White.

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I bet Ark will get the title reference! Wonder if anyone else will? Think 70’s music, for a hint.

Murtagh’s Meadow, a blogger very VERY local to me, has been sharing pictures from the lovely frosty mornings we have had the last week. I’ve been struggling to get out the door on time for work (the car has to be defrosted, then the dog pukes all over the floor and is too much of a princess to clean it up herself like a normal dog would, then the kitten decides to leave a massive stink bomb in the litter box and OMGWTFBBQ it has to be cleaned right then and there or the house will reek of kitten-death-poo) so I’ve been missing all the beauty in my frosted garden.

We took Friday off, our last paid holiday day for both of us left in 2016 (Christmas holidays not included). Mostly just because, partly to prep for our odd version of Irish-American Thanksgiving, which we did Saturday.


Turkey last night, after 4+ hours being smoked on the Weber charcoal grill. Sorry, my vegetarian friends! Obligatory turkey pic, it’s an American thing! I also made cheddar garlic biscuits (scones), and barley stuffing or dressing. He made some mashed potatoes from the goodly (and free) haul I dug out of the garden last month. Since I let our jack-o-lanterns rot in the driveway, I made a sweet potato pie instead of pumpkin. All was lovely, and we can’t wait for leftovers tonight. And, of course, I had pie for breakfast, as you do.

Back to the original subject. I do tend to ramble when in the mood. 

Saturday morning hubby was awfully slow to get out of bed, and as the morning grew late I lost patience. I went upstairs and leapt onto the bed and bounced around like Tigger or the boxer in this year’s John Lewis advert. After he got done giggling at me acting 40 years younger than I really am, I said, “Let’s go take frost photos!” So we loaded up the ‘good cameras’ and headed to his uncle’s garden. 

I have a bunch of pictures, but thought I would start with these from my ‘phone. Same photo – one iPhone, one iPhone using my favourite Hipstamatic setup.


I only took one picture, remember. But the app saves it normal (this one). 


Along with what I saw, and wanted – this, in black & white.

I find it quite odd to see a colour photo when my brain isn’t expecting it at all (Hipstamatic did not previously save a ‘straight’ version). What do you think? Which one do you like better? I will admit I like the black and white version best. 

Orchids

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I’m sure you aren’t surprised to learn that I have orchids. Four, at the moment. All bought on super-sale. My oldest one was bought in 2009 for just fifty euro cents. It’s a tiny one (or was) and was ‘potted’ in a glass tea light! That one hasn’t bloomed in a couple of years now, but it is happy and healthy.

My next oldest one sent up a flower spike last year, and like a dammed idiot I tried to train it up straight and snapped it right off. I cried. It is trying again right now, and I am being SO GENTLE this time. But it does have to go up, not sideways! Both of these live on my kitchen window sill, over the sink, so they get lots of attention.

This year hubby got me two new ones. They have been in bloom for months, but the yellow one is starting to fade. Last night I gave all four a good soak in warm water with a bit of fertiliser in it, and while they were in the sink, I finally took some pictures.

Orchids are very, very hard to photograph up close! Especially when using an iPhone. So apologies for bad focus, and my junky kitchen (yes the walls are lavender, I love it).

Yellow one!


You can see the sad dying flowers in these. Bummer. I really should have taken pictures sooner. Moving it from the front window to the bathroom shocked it too much. But I had to, because…kitten. The bathroom is a much safer place for plants, away from the little monster.


The purple and white one. It’s been in the bathroom since it came home, so it is happy there. I need to repot both of these as they are in ugly clear plastic pots. Also, as they both were mistreated, the potting medium is full of moss and dead roots and in general, smells bad. Musty. Can’t be good for them! I made my own orchid pots before, at a ceramics shop. Got a square bit of greenware and cut round holes all over, for aeration. The roots grow out the holes and all over the place! Next time I’ll share pictures of the older two. 

Lumi Loves Me….

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Before I get into the reason behind the title, some cute pictures. 


He has decided my nightly drink is also a toy. I told him he is too young for craft beer – he has to start with the cheap stuff like any teenager!


I’m actually not sure if brother Lokii loves him, or wants to smother him.


They still use Spot’s bed. But the pair don’t fit inside it as well as they used to. Two weeks ago at the vet Lumi was weighed – 3.25 kilos or over 7 pounds! Half a stone! He was only barely 5 months old. He is going to be a big kitty!

So, here is the reason behind the post title. If you are easily grossed-out, stop here!

I think I’ve mentioned that Lumi always wakes up with me. He always comes and licks my eyes and ‘meeps’ in my face – every morning since we brought him home. Recently he started licking my lips and smelling my nasty morning breath. Cats are weird.

This morning was much the same. I was flat on my back, Lumi was right on my neck/chest giving me kisses and purrs.

Then he turned around, like he was going to lie back down on my right shoulder. I felt something wet drag across my cheek and my lower lip as he turned. I was immediately concerned- why is my kitten wet when he just woke up? 

I turned my head to look – and got a close up view of a kitty-willy.

Yep, he had his little lipstick out, and almost stuck it in my mouth.

Lumi, I love you too – but not like THAT!

Leonard Cohen

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I’d like to share my favourite of his, of the ones I have heard. By no means have I heard his entire discography. 

https://youtu.be/RLq7Aqd_H7g

I know, it’s a lazy way to link. Sorry.

I love a story song, and this one always makes me think about the people in the story and where I might fit into it.

Election Therapy?

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My stomach is in knots about the election tomorrow. I think a lot of you are feeling the same, no matter where in the world you live.

I did my part and voted – it is all I can do!

But maybe not all. Maybe some adorable Lumi pictures will help take your mind off of the potential political world disaster that will come to a close late Tuesday?


The brothers in Spot’s bed.


The nose!


The sleepy face.


The not-so sleepy face!


Hugs for all. 


More sleepy nose-face.


Very awake! About to start trouble.


Wise kitten says vote! 

November in Bloom

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I still have roses. 


The leaves on the blueberry bushes are just stunning.


Best of all, I have new gazania. Really tall gazania! These grew from seed this year, and I popped them into a pot with gladiolus. That might give you some idea of how tall they are! All of my others are less than a foot tall – these are heading toward three!


Unfortunately there hasn’t been enough sunshine for the blooms to open fully. Shame as they are just gorgeous.


Yesterday there was a bit more sun and this one tried to soak it in. Blurry as it was also windy as heck yesterday! 

Halloween Treat! Hedgie in the Compost

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It’s an old story now, but last week when I took my kitchen scraps out to the compost bin, I  got a surprise.


The bin.
When I opened it up, it did not look anything like the way it had looked two days before. It looked like the world’s biggest worm had been rummaging around in there.


Such a big hole where no hole was before. What could it be? 


Hard to see, but something had dug a tunnel into the bin underneath the massive oregano bush. 

I immediately thought of rats. I’m not a fan of rats in the wild. Not scared, but I’d rather they didn’t live on my property.


But there was a wee round nest, too. What animal is native to Ireland and is round when it curls up? A hedgehog! So I looked closer….


Hedgehog poop! Definitely not rat poop. 

Unfortunately it seemed hedgie didn’t like my intrusion into the warm safe place full of food, as there hasn’t been any sign that it has been back.

Bummer, I even left grapes as an offering!