Hello, Friends!
It seems like it has been a day and an age since I've last posted. Several of you have asked how I've been and, well, it's been a very strange past five months! (Since school started, actually.)
Trouble is, I've been involved with some large projects - some, fun - some, I would really like to hide my head in the sand because of. I've hacked my way through most of them and am feeling lighter, now, with the beginning of the new year. (Thanks to those of you who have asked!)
One of my major projects that was taking a lot of time and energy, this past October/November was my garden (tiny start of a thing that it is.) Like some of you know, Tom finally finished the stone wall and I was able to move my old languishing perennials from the parsonage (they'd been there untended for two years!) Digging the garden was absolutely painful. There are a lot of rocks in Vermont but this was something quite special. The dirt was gorgeous in the end, though.
It's been a completely different experience digging and planting a garden right when everything is going dormant. I planted over 800 bulbs, too. Then, I bit my nails as we had well below freezing weather and no snow for two months. "Normally" (although, the weather is never "normal" in VT), we get snow, at least, by December and it adds a lovely blanket of protection from the deep frost. I have no idea what will come up - what will live and, really, what it will even look like. What a grand surprise I'm going to have this spring, eh? (er, hope springs eternal...)
The winter bones of my baby garden.
Snow!
This does bring up snow. Madelief asked me if we were getting ready for spring in the garden, yet. The answer is that we got over a foot of snow, today. I'm sure that we will get more, too! sigh.
This is the view of the lane leading up to our home, from the bottom of our driveway, after the first snow, on January 8th. It still looks like this but MUCH deeper!
Well, not only have there been a few stressful projects that have been keeping me busy, the past few months, but, also, I've been in this curious conundrum that, when I sit down to write a blog post, pictures and words don't seem to come together for me. Happily, the ideas are starting to flow again.
Still feeling the freshness of the new year and needing to pick myself up and to keep going after all that's happened, words of wisdom for myself have been banging around in my head. I thought that I'd share a few of my thoughts with you. Hope you don't mind!
~ Lighten up!
~ Those who can't laugh at themselves, leave the job to others.
(J. John - a British evangelist)
Remember! Wherever you go,.... there you are!
Time flies! (Whether you're having fun or not!)
(The adorable Mary Engelbreit)
Remember to take things with a grain of salt!
I just heard my boys in the other room talking about "that's how the cookie crumbles"! (Although, they could have been talking literally about it all - Grandma had just sent cookies down.)
This is from the notes on a CD but it just made me laugh!
How many times have you fallen in love with a lyric that you thought went, "Show me a day with Hilda Ogden and I'll despair." Only to find out that it went, "Show me a way to solve your problems and I'll be there."
Here's another song lyric:
I don't wanna be a flame, I wanna be a raging fire!
(Hmmm, that's a good one - yeah!)
(From Ginny Owens! and, if you're one of my friends who likes christian pop/rock and don't know her music, yet, you should!)
Some of you will have heard this gag before:
To do is to be! ~Socrates
To be is to do! ~ Plato
Do-be-do-be-do! ~ Frank Sinatra
Don't forget Scooby-dooby-doo!
And,
"Well, gang! It looks like we have a mystery on our hands!
Let's split up and look for clues!"
(Fred=])
I've been listening to the Police a little bit, though, and I think that Sting has it right:
De do-do-do, de da-da-da!
That's all I want to say to you!
De do-do-do, de da-da-da!
Their innocence will pull me through!
well, perhaps I'll have something a bit more erudite for you next time!
Katy Noelle
LOL, you "kill me!" I love it! Good to have you back. Hugs!
ReplyDelete800 bulbs you say? I can't wait to see what comes up. Sounds like you've been one busy lady.
ReplyDeleteI love the photo of the lane leading up to your house.
Nancy
Dearest Katy Noelle,
ReplyDeleteYou make me feel bad as my blogs have not one third of your wording... And your humor; you're great! So don't make us all feel too humdrum about our ordinary blogs.
What a snow you got! With those rocks that's one thing for sure but look at the soil you show there! I'd love to stick my hands right in there and start growing... Wish we had such soil here in the south east.
As for the bulbs, one never knows for sure. They're planted though a couple of inches below the surface and before the frost gets really deep deep down, they might have settled in and gotten used to this. Remember, the second year they're in the ground too, they can handle that. So don't bite your nails that much that it hinders you when using the keyboard... ouch!
Lots of love and glad to read you here again!!!
Mariette
PS The first quote (wich I LOVE!) does the part 'Lighten up' also go with it?
Were you standing in Narnia when you took those pics? Beautiful. And the soil! I can almost smell the richness.
ReplyDeleteThe sayings made me laugh, especially the one about Hilda as I recently dressed up as her! xx
Hello Katy !!!...what a smily post !!..,so fun...i sit here with a big big smile on my face !!!! ...nice to hear from you !!...please do not stay long away darling...i miss you.........other wise i must send you an message in a bottle.....whahahahahahahhahahah!!...have a nice day filled with joy darling....love Ria.....xxx...
ReplyDeleteOh, you guys just crack me up!!! =]
ReplyDeleteYour driveway is beautiful- I would enjoy walking there every day. We just got a lot of snow last night too but not the wind that was expected.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed all the sayings going through your head and I look forward to seeing your garden come spring- all those bulbs will be beautiful!
Carolyn
Hi Katy,
ReplyDeleteSo glad to hear from you again! Glad you're Baaaack! Can't wait to see the garden once the snow is gone and those bulbs start peeking their heads through. Thanks for all the wonderful "words of wisdom!" ~Delores
How beautiful your driveway is! And I cannot wait to see what comes up in your garden -- I'm sure it will be lovely! Stay warm, my friend. :)
ReplyDeleteXoxo
Dearest Katy, How lovely to hear from you and to see the small steps that your new garden is taking. It is so true that gardening is a lot of very hard work but the satisfaction of seeing things grow does compensate. However, at the beginning, there always seem to be many more failures than successes so one does have to keep one's nerve!
ReplyDeleteYou have such a busy life and so many calls on your time that I am amazed how much you achieve. Take care to do things at a comfortable pace....after all you have the rest of your life to build a garden!!
Dear Katy,
ReplyDeleteGood to hear from you again. I am glad you sound so cheerful too and are full op ideas and inspiration! 800 bulbs!!! Your garden will be a sea of flowers in spring. Can't wait to see the result.
Wish you a Happy weekend!
Lieve groet, Madelief
Dear Katy Noelle!!!
ReplyDeleteSO lovely to hear from you - altough you are a bit in 'that' mood too....it's the time of the year (I hope) ...again - have missed A LOT and reading your words makes me feel a bit guilty for not having made more of an effort :( - SORRY! Been hardly been in blogerland AT ALL -and it is amazing HOW quickly one gets used to it i.e is not blogging - but also amazing how much I miss you all :)!!).
Really enjoyed your post - so much in it!!! And I cannot believe HOW busy you have been - 800 bulbs!!!! Let's hope your hard work will have paid off - if Mr Frost did not touch them, you will be in for an amazing show!!!!!
Have a LOVELT Sunday! Put your feet up, have a nice pot of tea and ENJOY!!!
Love and will be back soon!!!
Nicola x