Flower Friday : : Acanthus*

Our garden is a strange combination of things this year. Our friend Tobi said probably the reason the zucchini is dying before it is fully mature is because it wasn't properly pollinated. All the rosemary and lavender, which were always humming with bees burned in the fire and If you could have seen what was left of them, you wouldn't have replaced them either. However, the tomato plants are getting tomatoes and the ground squirrels don't seem to like them so we should have a good crop, bees or no bees. 

 The school term ended last week and Dana came to coffee with us this morning.They are remodeling their bathroom and she said she had to get out of the house because she was obsessing over paint colors. I know the feeling. Paint colors can be almost impossible, and she spent the night reading up on choosing paint colors instead of sleeping. I am a firm believer in the fact that too many choices and knowing too much can be a bad combination.

Spike and I had a walk around the circuit which was very quiet today. NO barking collies, no lurking pit bulls no cats and no squirrels. He was very well behaved. I am a bit frustrated by the glitch in the umbrella installation occasioned by the fact that nobody told us that we were responsible for bolting the base into the concrete. I don't think it is a very difficult job but it does require a specialized tool....

I spent the afternoon knitting a swatch for a new sweater pattern. I was on the verge of giving up on the whole thing because I just couldn't get the pattern established either on the needles or in my head but it kind of fell into place today. A new element will have to be added in the form of two more  colors but since I will probably have to sit in a soundproof room to get that going, I decided to put it aside for now.

Acanthus grew all over Berkeley and I never really liked it very much, but here it has been so reliable with so little care or attention that I have grown quite fond of it. It seems that it too has colonized in several places but this one next to the steps is the only one that is blooming. 

I'm glad that it's Friday and that the guy in the disaster house who has been sanding (or something that sounds like mad bees) constantly for weeks has quit for today...

Definitely wine time....