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pameladeanWrote 200 words. Ceremonially took the upstairs kitchen garbage can outside and washed it thoroughly with the hose. (Phooey; must remember to turn off outside water again before it snows later this week.) Took cat outside on leash. He rolled about on damp dirt, dust, and sidewalks, and ran up a mulberry tree, and stalked a squirrel.
The tulips in the most sheltered part of the south-facing bed by the house have put up the barest red shoots. More motherwort. No signs of the aliens yet (Japanese knotweed, but it took us years to figure that out -- the diagnosis was made in the same day first by Jon Singer and then by Teresa Nielsen Hayden). I wonder if I have actually managed to kill any of them by situating a bird feeder in their midst and putting sunflower seeds in it.
Did laundry and dish stuff; had a bit of conversation with Raphael. Went downstairs and found David. Lydy had decided she had too much to do to come to the party, but David and I went off and collected Eric, and arrived maybe five minutes after the official starting time. There were indeed many many daffodils. Outside it was twilight, with Jupiter showing up proudly, but the sunlight was inside. I was smitten with shyness for a bit -- the people there were certainly some I know and have often seen at parties, but haven't conversed with much.
Because there were not crowds of people and possibly as well because there was no music, Comet turned up and rubbed about on ankles and was very gracious. Bruce felt that we should give equal admiration to Maggie, so he took Eric and Daedala and me upstairs and showed us Maggie reclining very magestically on her pillow. Then he picked her up and turned her upsidedown, which she put up with perfect dignity.
Elise turned up and showed us her gemology book, and David handed over some photographs he'd done for her.
I didn't get to talk to everyone I might have wished to, but I did manage to have actual conversations with Beth and Lynn and Nate and Karen and Bruce. I thought I had already introduced Nate and Eric, but if I did it didn't take somehow. Nate introduced himself in a definite manner, so I think it's taken care of now.
When the ice cream started to look too tempting I asked about the non-dairy alternatives. The Oatscreme was extremely interesting. It wasn't like ice cream, but it was dessertlike. Karen got out a jar of raspberry jam that had failed to jammify and had thence been designated as sauce, and it really dressed the basic frozen smooth cold stuff up beautifully.
Eric and I went out onto the back porch and looked at Jupiter, and he patiently showed me for the umpteenth time Castor, Pollux, Procyon, Rigil, and Sirius. Karen suddenly appeared with an offer of binoculars. "You know you can see the Galilean moons with binoculars, right?" Bruce brought them out a few minutes later.
I hadn't done any binocular astronomy since Hale-Bopp was in our skies. I love the moment when the twinkly dot in the sky becomes a sphere. And yes, two moons. It was hard to keep the binoculars steady; I'd forgotten the trick of it. Eric lay down on the deck, and then I did too, and that was easier.
Juan came out and spoke to us briefly; Eileen and Daedala came and sat with us for a while, conversing amiably. Eventually everyone went in to get various comestibles, and I talked to Beth and Eric some more. I think it was at that point that we discussed Liavek and got into to what degree the fictional regent of that city's effect on its teenaged ruler might mirror the effect of Richelieu on Louis XIV.
Eric and I went back outside for a bit of private conversation. We were feeling entirely in charity with one another. Comet came out and streaked up a tree, very like her namesake -- if comets had to do with trees I am sure they would look just like that. Bruce came out with Maggie, who looked completely wild, unlike the indoor pampered persona she had had on her pillow. Bruce said she had "the spring zooms."
It's hard to describe the atmosphere of the evening, but it was utterly lovely: relaxing and stimulating at once, gracious and witty and silly and homey and celebratory all at once. I had a wonderful time.
We left at ten, as requested, and took Eric home. I ended up with two jars of daffodils and Eric had one and a slice of leftover cake. I believe, however, that everything got home safely enough.
I watched an episode of "Angel" with Raphael, and had some literary discussion. I looked at my book, but didn't add anything.
Pamela
The tulips in the most sheltered part of the south-facing bed by the house have put up the barest red shoots. More motherwort. No signs of the aliens yet (Japanese knotweed, but it took us years to figure that out -- the diagnosis was made in the same day first by Jon Singer and then by Teresa Nielsen Hayden). I wonder if I have actually managed to kill any of them by situating a bird feeder in their midst and putting sunflower seeds in it.
Did laundry and dish stuff; had a bit of conversation with Raphael. Went downstairs and found David. Lydy had decided she had too much to do to come to the party, but David and I went off and collected Eric, and arrived maybe five minutes after the official starting time. There were indeed many many daffodils. Outside it was twilight, with Jupiter showing up proudly, but the sunlight was inside. I was smitten with shyness for a bit -- the people there were certainly some I know and have often seen at parties, but haven't conversed with much.
Because there were not crowds of people and possibly as well because there was no music, Comet turned up and rubbed about on ankles and was very gracious. Bruce felt that we should give equal admiration to Maggie, so he took Eric and Daedala and me upstairs and showed us Maggie reclining very magestically on her pillow. Then he picked her up and turned her upsidedown, which she put up with perfect dignity.
Elise turned up and showed us her gemology book, and David handed over some photographs he'd done for her.
I didn't get to talk to everyone I might have wished to, but I did manage to have actual conversations with Beth and Lynn and Nate and Karen and Bruce. I thought I had already introduced Nate and Eric, but if I did it didn't take somehow. Nate introduced himself in a definite manner, so I think it's taken care of now.
When the ice cream started to look too tempting I asked about the non-dairy alternatives. The Oatscreme was extremely interesting. It wasn't like ice cream, but it was dessertlike. Karen got out a jar of raspberry jam that had failed to jammify and had thence been designated as sauce, and it really dressed the basic frozen smooth cold stuff up beautifully.
Eric and I went out onto the back porch and looked at Jupiter, and he patiently showed me for the umpteenth time Castor, Pollux, Procyon, Rigil, and Sirius. Karen suddenly appeared with an offer of binoculars. "You know you can see the Galilean moons with binoculars, right?" Bruce brought them out a few minutes later.
I hadn't done any binocular astronomy since Hale-Bopp was in our skies. I love the moment when the twinkly dot in the sky becomes a sphere. And yes, two moons. It was hard to keep the binoculars steady; I'd forgotten the trick of it. Eric lay down on the deck, and then I did too, and that was easier.
Juan came out and spoke to us briefly; Eileen and Daedala came and sat with us for a while, conversing amiably. Eventually everyone went in to get various comestibles, and I talked to Beth and Eric some more. I think it was at that point that we discussed Liavek and got into to what degree the fictional regent of that city's effect on its teenaged ruler might mirror the effect of Richelieu on Louis XIV.
Eric and I went back outside for a bit of private conversation. We were feeling entirely in charity with one another. Comet came out and streaked up a tree, very like her namesake -- if comets had to do with trees I am sure they would look just like that. Bruce came out with Maggie, who looked completely wild, unlike the indoor pampered persona she had had on her pillow. Bruce said she had "the spring zooms."
It's hard to describe the atmosphere of the evening, but it was utterly lovely: relaxing and stimulating at once, gracious and witty and silly and homey and celebratory all at once. I had a wonderful time.
We left at ten, as requested, and took Eric home. I ended up with two jars of daffodils and Eric had one and a slice of leftover cake. I believe, however, that everything got home safely enough.
I watched an episode of "Angel" with Raphael, and had some literary discussion. I looked at my book, but didn't add anything.
Pamela
no subject
Date: 2003-03-24 09:55 pm (UTC)will tell you as much as I know.
It's really very pretty, and its late-summer flowers attract a lot of native pollinators. But it's wildly invasive and hard to squelch.
Mine was originally part of a thick planting along the entire north wall of the next-door neighbors' house. They got rid of it a few years ago and put down plastic and gravel there, but it's coming back in their yard and had already spread to mine.
I don't want to use Roundup. I hate Monsanto.
Pamela
Japanese knotweed
Date: 2003-03-25 06:47 am (UTC)I too have a hatred of Monsanto, but I own a gallon of Roundup with a squeeze trigger applicator. I have this because I have an even deeper hatred of the loosestrife that was establishing itself along the creek downstream of us. And so I got the Roundup and killed the loosestrife (which I am convinced escaped from my neighbor's garden, and yes, I have talked to her about it.) My hatred of creeping charlie in my woodland garden is not so virulent; I haven't used Roundup on it, and have no plans to.
At any rate, you're welcome to the use of my Roundup to kill off the knotweed without also putting your money in the pocket of the evil empire. One of the evil empires.
K. [who has found some red tiny shoots of hellebore coming up in two places]
no subject
Date: 2003-03-25 09:24 am (UTC)I'm going to give in and use some Roundup this year. I have a Mulberry Problem, and apparently repeated applications of Roundup on the stump is the only solution. :(
I too have a problem with Monsanto. My s/o grew up about a mile from Times Beach, and the guy who bought the dioxin-contaminated waste oil from Monsanto to spray on the gravel roads was a friend of the family. Monsanto knew the oil was contaminated, but didn't tell the guy who bought it. If he'd known, he never would have used it.
Ranj frequently bemoans the fact that he can't take me to see the house he lived in as a small child. Last he checked, it was still behind a big chain-link and concertina-wire fence.
no subject
Date: 2003-03-25 04:56 pm (UTC)(I'm sure there's some around Seattle. I should eat it.)