The Blackburn Digest

Yesterday’s trip to the market was mandated by finches, sparrows, doves, chicadees(sp!) and a few extremely vocal blue jays.  The supply of seed blocks had run out, and no one was happy about it!

The plant?  It’s not my fault - honest!  There IT was, just outside the entry doors; lantana, lipstick vine, native grasses and a *mystery plant*, all tucked into one large bowl and calling my name quite loudly. I argued, but the plant won! 

I’ve had fair luck with most of the garden this year, despite the very high temperatures and the lack of rain/watering restrictions. (Two notable exceptions are the fuchsia and creeping charlie.)  My “black thumb” has relaxed enough to allow me to provide home-grown oregano, parsley and chives for our table, and a variety of hanging basket plants are gracing the yard.

Hopefully, the new addition will not regret its decision to claim me as its care-taker

There was definitely a protective pixie on my shoulder at 7:15 this morning:-)  I have proof of that,  in the form of a Very Large Truck which was parked directly across my driveway and making it impossible to gain access to the street with either car!

Why was this a good thing?  Well, we have to revisit yesterday for an answer. Thomas is now an Austinite - Shannon, Justin and the Sprout are presently enjoying brisk temperatures and sightings of snow and elk in Colorado, and I delivered Tom to the airport for a flight to John Wayne/Orange County Airport.  I simply do not sleep well when the house is empty - I expected to sleep even less with all of the family spread about and out-of-town. I didn’t know the half of it! Even though I ran errands, stopped by S & J’s to visit with grand-cats and water plants, came home and did plant-duty and game-time with my felines, finally wrote & mailed all the bill payments, mopped floors, cleaned up my craft “Tower” (sort of…….), packed more workshop kits (it takes awhile to put together 210 kits!!) and watched “Northern Exposure” episodes till I was cross-eyed, I couldn’t get to sleep until midnight!

There is an awesome miniature in the developmental stage in our family. It is one-of-a-kind, created of the very best that planning, love and commitment can provide and it will require several more months to complete.

Nope - it’s not a new item or scene I’m working on in one-twelfth, half-inch or quarter-inch scale. It is already larger than a 144th-inch scale project. Actually, I am only a very enthusiastic  member of the support group on this project.

 Our daughter and her husband are expecting their first child (and our first grandchild) on (or around) April 1st.  Yep, April Fools Day! ”Due Dates” are notoriously iffy, so this very welcome “mini” will probably arrive slightly before or after the “target” date. 

Meanwhile, there are calendars to mark, knitting/crochet/sewing patterns to be unearthed and a “Nana’s Nest” to be created for times when this wonderful new addition to our family comes to our house!!