Burrow House

spring-y

I've been conspicuously absent from this space this week.  Gardening.  Then the rain came, and I had to attempt to summit Mount McLaundry.

This is what spring looks like around my house.

All over the neighborhood are spectacularly beautiful white blossoms.

The city at one point had decided to stick a Bradford Pear tree in every available spot.

The flowers last less than 2 weeks.

Which is a good thing because they stink.  Sortof like vomit.

And then in the fall, they drop these mangled little hybridized fruits that stick like napalm to your car.

But even in their flawed perfection, I adore them, because they  are the heralds of SPRING.

hints

I made fish the other night for dinner.  Then these started turning up all over the house.

Next to my bed.

Next to her bed.

Next to her sister's bed.

In my office.

In the family room.

Could she be trying to tell me something?

gigi and elsie

From the very first day of preschool, "Gigi" became every other word out of Elsie's mouth.

She adores all the little girls in her class, but Gigi, well, those two are cut from the same cloth.

Gigi's mom told me the other day that she is named after her great grandmother.  As is Elsie, actually.

As Gigi's mom was going through Gigi Sr.'s things the other day, she came across a vase that said "Gigi" on one side.

And on the other side was the name of her best friend who had made it for her...

Elsie.

where's the beef?

I've made a pact with myself to NEVER leave home without my camera.  Most of the time I forget.  Like the other day when we passed a leotard clad dance squad bouncing down the street, faces layered with blue eyeshadow, a river of rouge streaked down each cheek, and lips as crimson as the setting sun.  Oh, how I wish I could share that scene with you!

But sometimes I do remember.  And I see things that jump out at me.  I like to immortalize these things, so I can ponder on them later.

Like this shot I took last week.  Is someone worshipping Beef?  Did they use a ladder to get up there? Did they have a stencil?

This shot in and of itself may prove to be only a short diversion.  But this morning I drove past something that gave me pause.

I had remembered my camera, which is a serendipitous thing, because this is what I saw.

What can this MEAN?  Friends, there is a conspiracy afoot!

details, details

If I haven't mentioned it lately, I love my neighborhood.  

We have the largest concentration of Victorian homes in the entire country.  

That's right.  

Even more than San Francisco.

Occasionally, I'll remember to take my camera along when I go out walking.  

And every time I stop and look, I see something that I hadn't noticed before.

Intricate details are packed in every conceivable place.

From the tips of their noses.

On down to their toeses.

And every place in between.

Those little people LOVED their details.

Maybe someday I'll take a class on symbolism.

I really enjoy our time together.  Come visit again soon.  And if you wouldn't mind closing that gate on your way out.

road rage

I seem to get flipped off a LOT while driving.  Honestly, most of the time I really don't think I deserve it. Here are a couple of stories to make my case.

Once upon a time, I was turning left from this intersection.  Now, the light had been green for all of one minute as I was waiting for a pedestrian to cross the street.  Because, well you know, it's the law. And I didn't want squished pedestrian all over my tires.  And THIS pedestrian was a cute guy, hereafter referred to as cute guy pedestrian.

Anyway, someone behind me got tired of waiting. Whether they were tired of waiting for me, or cute guy pedestrian, I'll never know.  But they let out a startling honk.  And without even looking up, cute guy pedestrian flipped ME off.

Now it was warm out at the time.  My windows were down. So as soon as cute pedestrian guy's feet were safely on the curb (and not one second before, much to the dismay of mister fasty-pants behind me) I made my turn. It disturbed me that cute guy pedestrian thought I was the one who honked.  I called after him through the open window, "Um, excuse me, but I just wanted you to know that it wasn't me who honked."

At which point he stopped, turned, looked me square in the face and said in very irritated tone, "Well, life just isn't fair, is it?"

I was so shocked at his unexpected response that I burst into laughter and responded, "Oh my God, you are a d!@k!"   Who knew?

This is where a little old man pulled over the other day so he could put his arthritic hand out the window and flip me off with his wizened gnarled fingers.  Well, they were so stiff that he couldn't quite fold down his ring finger and pointer finger so it was more of a W.  But I got the point.

I have absolutely no idea what I did to deserve that one, but in his defense, I DID just get a mini van. The dimensions are both longer and wider than my cross country.  In all likelihood, I had it coming.  Sorry Mister!  I really didn't mean to!

Now, see the red light in this photo?  That is the scene of my next story.

Saturday was gorgeous.  I was in a great mood. My windows were down. I was stopped at a red light here, behind another car.  We were both going to turn left when the light changed.  I have no idea WHEN the light changed because I was daydreaming, as I am wont to do on occasion. In fact, I never even noticed my husband and children in the car next to me trying to get my attention. Until I heard a honk.

At which point the woman in front of me, who also had her windows down, flipped me the bird and let loose with a string of profanities that would make any sailor proud.

We made our prospective turns, and she slowed to a crawl in front of me.  No doubt trying to provoke me into a street brawl.  

So I pulled along side her and asked in my sweetest sing-song voice, "Excuse me, but are you screaming at me?"

"Did yew honk at mie?" she screamed in a voice tarnished with tar and nicotine.

"Why, no, I didn't.  I think that was my husband honking at me to get my attention," I replied.

"Oh. Whale, I apologize then,"  she threw at me as she accelerated into the distance.

I immediately called my husband and told him the story.  Apparently, when the light turned green and they were passing me, Raike reached over and honked because they couldn't get my attention.  He said he already knew that I had been accosted because a look of absolute shock washed across my face.

But this last one is my favorite.

It was about 9:15 in the morning and I was at this intersection waiting for oncoming traffic to pass so I could turn left.  A guy pulls up next to me in an old Gremlin, smoke encircling his head like a wreath, screaming like a maniac and pointing at the sign.

Angelically I smiled, pointed at the sign, and then to my wrist.

I watched as the color of his face changed from indignation to realization and then to embarrassment, then he sped away into the wild blue yonder never to be seen again.

The funniest thing of it all, is that ALL of these scenes are within a half mile radius.  Makes you wonder what's in the water 'round there.

That's my story for today friends.  If you have any tales to support those who flip me off, please feel free to share.  This is an open forum.

green week; day 5

But THIS, my friends, has to be the most beautiful green of all.

It's the "ready to go" signal on the caffeine machine.  Seriously. I couldn't start my day without this green.

Thank you SO MUCH Emily, for hosting Green Week!  I love being part of such an amazingly talented group.  

My sweetie girl has been home all week with a fever, and was feeling blue.  So I sent her an email. And she replied:

mom, 
  Thank you for sending me a letter.    
I love you too. 
you are the bestesed mom ever. 
I really love you. 
You would be a wonderful vet. 
You would be a wonderful docter. 
But I'll love you even if your 10,000 years old. 
You are the most gratest mother of all. 
I love you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 
{-_-} {-_-} {o_o} {-_-} {-_-} 
FUNNY FASES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 
 
  LOVE 
  LILY 

I don't know about her, but it sure made my day better.
 

green week; day 4

It seems that all my greens have been of living plant matter, so I'm going to change that right. now.  I mean, it's not as if that's the only green in my life!

Ladies and gentlemen, I give you...

the bathroom.  Unstaged, and uncut.

green week; day 3

This post could either be titled Emily's green week installment III, OR The Beets.  Because they're in. The ground.  Planted.  It's actually supposed to hit 70 degrees here today, so it even FEELS green!

I swear, Burrow House is not going to turn into a gardening blog.

But that's where I am right now.

And I'm taking you with me.

There is even a Green Week flickr group.  Go on! Have a peek!

Now, I made the commitment to do a Beauty in Chaos piece once a week, and I've fallen behind.  Story of my life! The mess sure hasn't fallen behind!

Aesthetically pleasing. Somewhat.  But the big picture...

And THAT flickr group is here.  Stephani, you were a brave soul to open that can of worms!

green week; day 2

They are tired, and want nothing more than to rest.  But I'm not ready to let them go.

My children have taken up the garden challenge with gusto.

There is some ambitious planning going on around here.  The calculator was out last night, clicking away, tallying how many plants can fit into their 7'x7' plots.  That's 84"x84", by the way.  

Raike is now researching corn varieties, and has taken it even one step further.  He is planning to put out some meal corn, so he can make his own cornbread.  I think when he's finished with his paper on how you harvest and grind your own corn, I'm going to have him be a guest commentator here so he can teach the rest of us.