Sunday, April 13, 2008

Sunday and Friday

I write this not, like Cassandra Mortmain, sitting in the kitchen sink, but while listening to the shrieking of brakes and the grinding of gears. Apparently, D is teaching L to drive the car with the standard transmission. I have been banished inside the house.

This morning, I went to church, the Lone Pilgrim. L was in a bad mood, in pajamas and a sweatshirt with the hood over her head, shouting about an essay. D was in front of the television, shouting about the Sunday morning political commentary programs. I was glad I went, as the choir sang Psalm 23 during the Offertory, so the opening to the Vicar of Dibley came to mind . . . In an hour I'm going back to hear some choral Tudor anthems sung by a fairly new group.

Friday, D and I went to the Native Plant Sale:



We got a few things, one of which was Dutchman's Pipe, a vine to cover the pergola and give us some shade. Another plant we spied and got was the Mountain Bush Honeysuckle (Diervilla rivularis), to replace the out-of-place rose bush in the otherwise native plant garden.

This pot was, oddly, NFS:

We have lots of this Blue-eyed Grass, but no Thimbleweed:


These are dried gourds that the swifts use as houses, if someone, as here, strings them up; I think every one of them was occupied.


There were many turtles lurking below the surface, but only one Canada goose was in evidence. I wonder where the mate was . . .


Tomorrow, urban views!

8 comments:

Gledwood said...

I don't think swifts will go into hung up gourds in this country... knowing here squirrels would climb the line upside down and raid the nests or cats jump in or something other naughty happen... what am i saying this is Britain you can rely on the local horrors (kids) to do THAT!!

hope you had a great weekend though

all the best

;->...

Bobby D. said...

Nice plants and gourds. it's good to see these posts on what's happening out in the world of green growing things and birds.

lettuce said...

i've been googling dutchman's pipe, it looks very exotic! the gourds are great.

i went into the garden 3x this weekend to do some gardening. Each time it began to rain (or hail) so i gave up.

tch!

Anonymous said...

Learning to drive a "shift car" is sometehing that very few kids are doing today.

However, if you go to England and rent a car, those are the most available. Here, not.

At least you are not the one getting slammed back when the clutch pops out too soon!!!

dennis said...

Dennis thinks native plants are a good idea-- no Kudzu or Houtunia please!

Jay said...

Oh, I love the photo of the gourds!

Linda said...

I learned to drive in my father's jeep which I had to shift. I've always been glad I learned that way as I've had to drive many cars since then that were manual. I spent many months with my three children as they grew up teaching them to also to learn to shift, especially on hills. When I first got my drivers license I got stuck at a red light on a major hill every single time and I can't tell you how many times I stalled the car.

carolyn said...

The "kitchen sink" line just has to be one of the most evocative first lines of any book, I'ts up there with DuMaurier's "I dreamed .."
Want some of those gourd bird houses.