Couple of shout outs

First of all happy birthday to my fabulous niecie, Annie! Many happy returns, my love.

Second, here's to the newest great-nephew, whose birthday won't occur for a few months. We haven't met, but Zia loves you already!

I am back at the Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens, driving the shuttle. Gone are the six seater open air golf carts. Just look what they are letting me drive!! Are they crazy??
  It's like driving a bus. Only on dirt paths. And, it's quiet (electric). Too much fun, baby! If you haven't been to the gardens this year, you are in for a treat. You can look at their website here:  http://www.mainegardens.org/

Well, I cleaned out my shed and, after a bit of organizing and a few trips to the dump, I've managed to fit almost everything in here:

almost everything

Any guesses how many trips it took in my Prius to move most of my studio into my shed? Because I lost count. I've spent hours unpacking and trying to find a place for everything and I'm feeling pretty happy about it so far. I will sew in the house but at least I can see my fabric and can do my cutting out here. Charlie came over and ran power so I have a light and a fan as well. 

SWEEEEET!!

 AND, check this out! I've strung a hammock and voila! Instant bedroom. I actually took a nap out here yesterday afternoon.

And finally, the piece de resistance . . . 

Yes, it's the Luggable Loo. Just in case . . . 

TMI?

I also want to show you this gorgeous plant: It is wild tobacco with some impatiens tucked in around it. 

Putting things into perspective

An afternoon with my BFF

And, a gorgeous sunset . . .

No room for hate in my house.

Nothing like a solid 5 hours of sleep to center you, right? I was thinking about my niece, Anna, when she was a little girl, and I said something like, don't you hate it when that happens? And, she replied, hate doesn't live in our house. We should all aspire to be like my precious niece. I am trying, I really am.  Happy Independence Day - On a purely selfish note, I am nothing if not independent.

Post removed on the advice of a friend...

Scram for Dogs

So, I listen to the Paul Parent Garden Club on Sunday mornings, and he was going on and on about Scram for Dogs. Highly recommend, guaranteed, etc.
I've been trying to make a walkway of flat stones and every time I come home Sophie has dug them up. And, she likes to roll on her back on the lawn when she gets out of the Lake, making big dirt spots.
I've been reseeding constantly and using mulch hay and she digs that up as well. I know the problem is that I'm not here when she does it and she's acting out but what am I going to do other than get a dog nanny. And, that's not happening.
Anyhoo, this Scram for Dogs, is organic, natural, non-toxic, blah blah blah and is made out of some kind of urine - hyena or coyote or something - and you spread it on the spots you don't want your dog to be. So, on my way to work last week, I sprinkled the stuff on the spots she has been trashing. O.M.G. the smell. Horrendous!! Disgusting. Gork factor 100! Well, when I got home that night, rocks were dug up as usual, bare spots in the lawn, no sign of the granules. Huh? I poured some more out there. Yuck. I could smell the stuff out my bedroom window all night. But hey, if it works . . .
The next morning I let the dogs out and when I went to let them in, they weren't there. They were EATING the Scram for Dogs. Having a little feast in the yard. Yummy yum yum. And, if that wasn't bad enough, Sophie decided it would be fun to ROLL in the stuff. So, now she smelled to high heaven.
I can not win.