more peony splendour and my new vintage lime green pitcher
Phew ! That's over for another year. Many thanks for all the sweet birthday wishes.
Had a great trip to town and am all stocked up again with big 22kg boxes of clumping cat litter and little tins of assorted Finicky Cat gourmet feasts, like sole, shrimp and crab medley and duck Florentine. I kid not. It seems I have the fussiest cats in the world ... (except for Bleet who happily seems to enjoy any particular flavour of food that I feed him). Gussie is the worst, he's one of those cats who races back and forth against my legs when my feet first hit the kitchen floor each early morning. Back and forth, back and forth, purring madly as if to say thank God you're finally up ... I'm near faint with hunger. I choose a little tin from the newly stashed variety of tins, put a small mound on a clean plate and put it down in front of him. 9 times out of 10 he takes a delicate sniff, and looks up at me as if to say you're kidding, right ? and proceeds to begin the mad rubbing against my legs once again. Back and forth, back and forth., letting me know that he is just moments away from kitten collapse. And what does Mama do ... I open another flavour. How about grilled tuna Mr. Mr. ? They have me totally wrapped and they know it.
Self promotion, customer/job hustling and working on my etsy shop update are the projects on my desk currently. That and that nasty housecleaning thing as I'm having company. MLou is returning this weekend for another designer gals chat and paint, paint and chat, summer rendezvous weekend. Yeah ! This weekend our project will be to paint my upstairs hallway, the big sunny room that is to become a library space for me. She and I have managed over the years to turn the act of chatting into some incredible, endurance marathon sport. As soon as she arrives we get the initial welcome, hello, get your things from the car ... and we're off. Always a limitless selection of topics and things to talk about, and amazingly it's always interesting, stimulating, comforting, and fascinating with some new advanced and fresh takes on themes that she and I have been discussing for years and years (she and I became friends over 20 years ago while attending NSCAD - art college).
We'll often begin with a specific topic and quickly become totally side tracked, off at gallop, we'll embark on a series of ever widening oh, and that reminds me of ... side topics only to eventually find ourselves totally lost, bobbing way out in a sea of how did we get talking about this ? But magically and almost always, one of us manages to retrieve the original topic from the cloud of words and thoughts buzzing above us. It is a truly amazing thing and always makes us laugh that once again we've managed to find our way back. And now we paint and chat - which is perfect. The next thing I know it will be drive carefully, Love ya lots ! and off she'll go back to the city, and we'll have only stopped with the chat to sleep for a few hours. It's lovely and absolutely perfect.
She, nearly single handedly, saved me this year ... and she continues to save me, to lift me up each time I begin to sink again and I love her dearly.
Just downloaded to itunes - this year's drivin' in the car, happy, up-beat, summer anthem song and this vintage summer anthem ... with a shout out to our western friend Vee who's currently suffering through the Calgary Stampede (and don't get me started on the animal abuse issues there).
Happy birthday! We are both July babies. My birthday is on 11th (Friday) and I will be 57 years young. How did I ever manage to get to this age? There was a time when 40 was ancient. Love your photos of Winnie. And the cat tales! That is one thing about having Labs, they eat anything although I always take trouble to make things tasty. The photos are lovely of the peoniesare lovely. They are difficult to grow here - too hot for them .Have a great time with your friend. It's so good to talk to someone when you can jump all over the show in the conversation and they always follow the thread. Love Eleanor at Thatchwick
ReplyDeletehappy belated birthday, susan! i laughed out loud at your story about gussie. i love how you personalized him and gave voice to his thoughts. so entertaining! the peonies are beautiful. don't you wish they bloomed all summer long and into the fall???!
ReplyDeleteThe peonies are just beautiful, and old friends are precious.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful, beautiful pictures! You are so very lucky to have such a great friend. Have fun this weekend!
ReplyDeleteHey Susan! tx for thinking of me as I try not to get involved in any of the Stampede madness... I did think of going to the grounds today....yeh..for about 2 ticks of a second! Then I remembered the smell... and how hot it is..and... ick.. couldn't do it.
ReplyDeleteSometimes I do like to see the craft area..it is huge...and with some beautiful photography from all over the world...... you should enter some photos next year...
love the peonies in their perfect jug... almost makes them look like they are still attached to greenery....
yey... the little stick..hahahha..it is a piece of spirea twig.... but, then my doggy is much smaller than yours....
Such beautiful flowers in your gorgeous green pitcher. It's good to hear that Mlou is visiting again, I know she was a huge help with your office. Sounds like the only time you get much attention from Gus is when he wants something from you. :)
ReplyDeleteHey J,
ReplyDeleteYes that's so true about Gussie ... I think he has his own apartment somewhere. I hardly ever see him ... and only when he's hungry. That's why there are never any pictures of him ... he's very difficult to spot. Thank goodness sweet Oliver is the exact opposite.
And these days both Lulu & Bleet can be found outside sleeping. Bleet lies on his back on my front porch, like some big fat happy walrus. It's very sweet and Lulu has made a nest under a bush where she naps away most of these hot humid summer days.
Happy B'day! Sorry I didn't catch this earlier.
ReplyDeleteI love that song, Sweet City Woman. that's pretty old isn't it?
Ahhh...a another wonderful weekend with your friend. It's such medicine to the soul to have such individuals one can share so much in common with...and you're productive, to boot1 I need a few more friends in the latter specific too methinks!
BTw, again, loved your this time curiously bright and jolly photos. you make the simplest things look exquisite.
I really love the peony shots, especially that last one. What colors!
ReplyDelete