Shoes...and Stuff....

I'm too sexy for my blog....

A bit of wishful thinking on my part, I will admit.

But today does have my mind swirling and turning with so many thoughts on different things, that it is hard to just pick and choose one idea and run with it. So this will be a bit of a hodge-podgey blog that I hope in the end makes some sort of sense.... But if it doesn't, I know you will just chalk it up to that just "being Vic"...A bit too old to be considered funky, a bit too young to be considered eccentric, which leaves me somewhere in the middle of just being weird, (sigh).

This past week-end we saw several birthdays in blog-land, one of which was for my good blog friend Sleepy Lady, aka Des. Several fellow bloggers tried to come up with an avatar of something about Des, or something that represented Des, or just something she could relate to for her birthday. So not knowing anything of F1 racing which she is fond of, I chose a pair of sassy red shoes with a british flag background. I think maybe I should have blogged about it to perhaps warn all of you, as I think the shoes scared you, perplexed you, or had all of you thinking I was entering into another personality disorder you weren't aware that I had.

Let's face it, (or more importantly, for me to face it)...sassy red stilettos aren't me. As much as I would like to think I could pull off such a pair of shoes, I just can't. On here or in "real" life either way I would be leaning precariously near a wall or some support hoping to catch myself for when I stumbled, pitched forward, or got that nose bleed from the high altitude....(thanks Misty for the hanky)...The shoes did have several of you scratching your heads though, which got me to thinking about how shoes are more than just an accessory and how they say a lot about you. I am not a big collector of shoes. I like shoes, even love some pairs of shoes, but over half of my shoe wardrobe consists of sneakers and practical shoes. There aren't too many high heeled pairs of shoes that I own or have ever owned. I could go out and buy new shoes, but in my heart of hearts I know they would languish in the bottom of my closet. As much as I would like to think I could be sexy in some new shoes, the shoes would be wearing me instead of me wearing them...if ya know what I mean.

Shoes...who would think they say so much, on here and in our everyday lives. It does make me want to clean out the closet and reassess my shoe collection, along with a few other things...

Totally unrelated to shoes and off topic.....Robins... they are back today in flocks, it finally feels like spring is  truly on it's way...

More off topic stuff... I finally decided and this year I am planning on growing Red Brandywine, Mortgage Lifter, and Giant Belgium heirloom tomatoes. I am growing them from seed so crossing my finger the cat doesn't sit in the seed trays again this year...

Speaking of the cat, she has gotten a bit on the pudgy side. When she sits in the recliner rocker and washes her tummy, she sets the rocker in motion. I giggle and mumble under my breath, boy you have gotten a big backside this winter kitty. But then I get a worried look that pets are suppose to take after their owners and that maybe I need to get a full length mirror...

....or maybe not...

Happy hump day... and if you are bored and think you have nothing to blog about, go check out your closet....

 And if you find nothing that interests you in there today, feel free to pass around and wear those sassy red shoes today. I am claiming it as "too sexy for my blog day", today...

In The Mood...

 Reading my blog title, some of you will probably be thinking that I am going to blog about all things related to romance and the upcoming Valentine's day. Mentioning that I am "in the mood" might even have some of you pondering a breathless whisper of those words in the ear of  someone special. But most of you who really know me will know that I am most likely talking about.....gardening. Yep I am in the mood to plant stuff.

Even though it's still winter, you would think spring had sprung early here in the cornfields of Nebraska as I carefully lay out all the garden catalogs on the kitchen table, pages ear-marked, items circles, and an ever growing list filling a small note pad.

I blame the weather, I blame the seed companies with their slick glossy magazine covers, and I blame myself for a weakness for playing in the dirt and seeing something pretty in bloom. My biggest arising dilemma is the fact that I want too much. Seeing the pics, reading the descriptions has me itching to plant stuff I have never planted before or even ever considered planting before....

Case in point....Sweet peas.

Growing sweet peas in the midwest is a foolish notion. We can go from spring to summer in just a matter of days. Growing just regular garden peas can be daunting. They whither and dry up quickly in the heat and humidity, and the thoughts of even entertaining the idea of growing sweet peas promises a very, very short bloom period....and that is IF I get them started early indoors. But I still cling to the notion of trying to grow sweet peas this year,.... until the next catalog item catches my interest.

Brugmansia....Ooooh pretty...I want one in every color, I want a whole row, I want trellises of the cascading trumpet blooms. Never tried growing it before, but it's caught my eye and I want it, til I read bugs love it, and my interest wanes a bit til seeing the next glossy pic in the garden catalogs.

It's a sickness... and the seed companies know it, and they keep feeding the addiction with the color enhanced photos of flowers that I want, have to grow that never do quite look as brightly intense in my own garden. But it doesn't stop me, it just seems to drive me more.

This past week, I actually found myself annoyed while out shopping....Where is the garden seed? Why isn't the garden seed on the shelves? Don't they know gardeners have to start seed early in doors with lots of stuff. I was disappointed, I was peeved, no garden seed.

So I came home and looked at the catalogs again. Goodness knows I will have to order seed now, I need seeds to start indoors for stuff, never mind the fact that by the time I place an order and it gets shipped the seeds will most likely be stocked on the local shelves by then. ....I keep repeating that mantra to myself....just wait....it will come...But it's been hard, all this waiting.

I pick up a new catalog and spy more stuff in the meanwhile....Ooooh siberian iris... I have to try siberian iris, and I might as well get it in a couple of colors. Just a couple I tell myself, and then I have to force myself to just walk away from the catalogs. Yesterday didn't help when our temps hit near 60 degrees and I was tearing the garage apart to find the sprayer to spray fruit trees... I never did come across the sprayer but I did find the dormant oil. Wouldn't you know the temps have plummeted again with promises of rain or snow in the forecast this next week.

So I thought to myself, I won't order anything just yet....(well except for two new trees ordered last week)...I will get some feedback from the rest of you....who do you order from? Which catalogs? What are you going to grow if anything? I will admit that I have been lurking around a bit on Dave's garden site, particularly at The Garden Watchdog with it's assessment and imput from others on the different catalog companies.

One thing I do plan on trying this year is heirloom tomatoes, or just some different tomatoes that I usuallly pick up. No more better boys, beef masters, celebrity, romas....I want to try something different. So of course I have been closely peering over the Totally Tomatoes catalog for varieties and it's a bit overwhelming. So far I am leaning towards Brandywine, Mortgage Lifter (Mopsy's fault for blogging on them last year) and maybe an Italian plum tomato.

(Sigh)...it's overwhelming and addicting, and a bit of daydreaming of warm temps, bright flowers, and just having something green growing outside my window.

I spot another item and I tend to go a little glassy-eyed....Ooooh peppers! Not just ordinary green peppers either...I should try new peppers too...... anyone ever grown pimento peppers?...

Yeah, I am definitely in the mood....

Behind

As usual I am far behind, so far behind that I feel like I am still playing catch up for 2008. It's hard to believe it's already a new year when it doesn't really feel like one. I don't think I have ever known what it feels likes to be totally caught up. There are always some small fragments and loose ends left that need attending to, but sometimes you just have to move on or you will forever be living in the past.

First off an apology to those of you who have birthdays that I might have missed in the month of December. I already feel bad for those of you who have to share a birthday with such a big holiday as Christmas. I know that you have probably had a gift or two wrapped up in Christmas wrap and yet it was designated as a birthday gift. I am hoping that you each still got to celebrate your special day. I will be uploading a couple of my "birthday mags" to my photo section for some of the birthdays that I missed, better late than never they say....or maybe not?lol Belated wishes to Judy, Vero, and also to Terrence and Sharon who just had birthdays yesterday. If I missed anyone else of the regular bloggers, please let me know!

A couple of days ago I ran into the lady I had painted the butterfly house for. She was totally surprised and tickled to get the replacement butterfly house for her Christmas gift. I told her (again) this is the last one I am painting, 4 is my limit. I wonder how long it will take before I eat those words again? There is a lot of truth to the saying of never say never. I think it is life's way of teaching us humility. Who are we to make such an absolute decision? Never isn't as final as we expect it to be sometimes. I am including a couple of pics of the butterfly house, the pics aren't the very best and I don't have a pic of all 4 sides, but the pics posted below will give you an idea of what a butterfly house is if you haven't seen one before. The one side that isn't in view has pink/purple coneflowers, blue morning glories, a dragonfly and a couple of bumble bees on it. I think I have more pictures on another roll of film but it will have to wait to be developed. The last roll of film that I finally finished up had pics on it from (cough) almost 6-7 years ago...(oops!) I will try to do better. But at least I have tied up that loose end, albeit if a tad bit late.

                                           (FRONT OF BUTTERFLY HOUSE)

                                   (SIDE AND BACK OF BUTTERFLY HOUSE)

I have finally put the Christmas tree up and all of the holiday decorations, my family was a bit late getting together for our last holiday celebration. It's strange on what a difference a day (or two) makes. In my last blog I had moaned and groaned about the holiday and cookies and relatives, etc. etc. An ice storm blew in early one week and cancelled my holiday party with the cookie exchange. So no more cookies were baked. Two weeks after my twin brother sent out his Christmas cards and presents to everyone else, a card showed up in my mailbox with a gift certificate. Last minute change of heart? A visit from the ghost of Christmas past? Or a sister-in-law that bent his ear a bit who knows? Christmas day ended up being a quiet day, a rather too quiet day as the cord on my keyboard shorted out (or was chewed on by a cat) and I was offline for several days. It always seems to be something...

I haven't made any New Year's resolutions this year. I am not going to promise to be on time or get all caught up or anything else. I'll just work on it, it's all I can promise. Old habits are hard to change for die hard procrastinators. I am not even going to promise to eat less chocolate or diet or any of those other rashly made resolutions we all make after the 1st of the New Year. I'll just work on it. I am not going to promise to be a better person, work more toward the good of common man, give more of myself and other charitable acts. I'll just work on that too.

Will I be a better blogger and blog more? Who knows, it's another thing to work on along with a bunch of other shortcomings, but Rome wasn't built in a day and I can't expect to somehow work miracles just because it's a new year. It's hard to change and make changes yet when each of us look back on our lives we realize we aren't the same person as we use to be, each of us is a work in progress, so I will accept that any and all kind of changes I want to see or hope for or wish for are just that, a work in progress...

I'll work on it.

The best to each of you in 2009 and beyond...

Wukky's Birthday Magazine Edition...

At the Local Aussie Newspaper stand...

 

 

Happy birthday Wukky! ....(wicked grin)

(Graphic uploaded to photos, click to view for an enlargement on photo section)

HBD Dixie!

At the local news stands today...

 

Happy Birthday Dixie!

Thanksgiving Quiz

Well since I can't think of much to blog about today I thought I would just make a Thanksgiving quiz to see how you are going to be celebrating the holiday, even if you aren't celebrating the day feel free to post your comments...

 

1. At home or traveling?

2. Cooking or not cooking?

3. White meat or dark?

4. Is it stuffing or dressing?

5. Cornmeal or bread dressing/stuffing?

6. Cranberry sauce? Yeah or Nay?

7. Favorite pie? (or dessert if you don't like pie)

8. Kiddy or grown up table?

9. Favorite side dish?

10. What else is on the menu?

11. Did you ever have to dress up like a pilgrim?

12. Favorite Thanksgiving memory?

 

 

(Happy Thanksgiving everyone! I am thankful for each of you...)

HBD SUZI!

Found in the latest gossip rags....