Boy Did This Weekend Come And Go ..
So fast and here it is Tuesday already. I was just pondering all that I did and didn't do for the second half of the extended weekend. Most of the weekend we sort of hung around the house. Pepper has taken ill and we didn't want to venture out too far and leave him alone for too long. He did go in for an emergency visit today and we are just waiting on the blood work test results to come back. Cha-Ching and out the window goes $450.00 USD. He is so worth it though. I hope we get a few answers soon so we can give him what he needs to start feeling better.
Most of the weekend he wanted to be by my wife's side or mine, but also found a little comfort in his beds.
When either my wife and I were not around, Molly kept a close eye on her big brother. They spent several hours in the bunk bed on both Sunday and Monday mornings. On occasion I would have to pick Pepper up out of his resting spot and carry him outdoors to pee-pee. He had just enough energy to pee. I had to then pick him back up to carry him inside. He turned his nose up to a cookie every time. You know he's feeling rough when he snubs the cookie.
He is also laying in some odd spots. He never just lays down in some of these areas I am finding him in. That's okay, it must be a little cooler there anyhow.
When I wasn't keeping an eye on Pepper, I took a little time to take care of myself. I needed to shave. Seriously shave! I hate shaving so when one of these long holiday weekends roll around, I tend to let the beard stubble grow. On Monday, I had had enough and wanted to get back to my routine. I took these shots in black and white in order to hide the grey hair. I learned this maneuver from 
I puttered around in the yard a little. Pulled a few weeds, cut the grass, and checked up on some of the plants beginning to die back for the winter. Below is our Scarlet Rose Mallow. A bright red, and quite large flower, that resembles a Hibiscus bloom. The stems of the plant die back every fall and then sprout up new in the late spring. There are still a few blooms coming yet, so I won't cut this plant back till early November.
The first flower pictured is not so hot looking, but my arm in there gives you a little size reference.
This one is a little nicer of a flower.
Below we have one ready to open any day now.
This is a fairly good look at the steps. You can see where I cut them off last year. The new shoots come right up out of the ground next to the old ones. They are sort of soft, yet rigid. It dosn't take much effort at all to slice them right off. I leave a few inches sticking up out of the dirt.
The leaves look like large hemp leaves. It's not a very full lush plant if you look at the stems individually, but when you have a grouping of them, it makes a nice plant for the home landscape.
Had to throw at least one artistic photo in there.
I also got around to winterizing the garden. After all of the plants are pulled out of the vegetable garden for the year, I add a thick layer of grass. This keeps any winter weeds from taking over, and the grass slowly decays adding nutrients back into the soil. This practice has made my gardening life so much easier.
I like to use a long forked till rake to move the grass around so that no soil is exposed. I usually just dump the grass clippings as I mow, over the beds and rake it out after I am finished.
After a few days pass, the grass browns and locks in place like natural mulch.
I always have a HUGE long pile of grass clippings right next to the garden, in case I need more. I did the compost off the bottom of the pile in the spring, spreading that over the garden as well. I'll then till the compost in. That can wait for spring.. I can't wait for spring to get here already!
I picked up a new beer last week and really like it. I cracked a few open while working in the yard. It's called "I Love Lamp". It's a local brew made by Evil Genius Brewery. A Pineapple Hefeweizen that is so refreshing! Yummmm...
All in all it WAS somewhat relaxing this weekend, despite the anxiety I feel over my Pepper boy. I HATE when my dos feel sick. They just can't tell you what to do. I'll just keep saying prayers for him. On Monday night, we settled down to some TV and snuggle time with Pepper and Molly, let the weekend end like a beautiful sunset, and prepared ourselves for the week ahead. I don't know what it will bring, but hope it's all good news.
Thank you for swinging by my blog and checking out the post. Have a great day!
“I'll fight it. I'll fight it for you. Don't you worry about me, Hazel Grace. I'm okay. I'll find a way to hang around and annoy you for a long time.”
― John Green, The Fault in Our Stars
All words, pictures and art pieces are the sole property of B D Miller Gallery, unless otherwise noted and credited, and are not to be reproduced or copied without the prior written consent of B D Miller Gallery.
About Me ~ The Artist
My art work incorporates a wide variety of subject matter, including landscape, seascape, cityscape, and still life images. My works are the product of a continuing process of exploration through which I seek to portray personal and visionary interpretations of my surroundings. My paintings are impressions of places and events from everyday life, an interpretation of my imagination, and personal responses to what I see and feel on a daily basis. More recently I have invested generous amounts of time into my landscape painting. I am surrounded by natural and man made beauty, which inherently presents itself in the tri-state area, and almost demands that I paint it.
Not everything is art. Art is not everything, but it comes close. Art is everywhere and all the time. Art makes you experience the beauty of the world, the people in it, and the places we call home. Art itself is so influential that it can tell stories, show feelings, and express passion or fury. Art exists in addition to language; expression of sensations and thoughts, revealing a way of thinking too subtle and delicate for words.
For me art requires love, honesty and perseverance. In return, it reveals some personal, non-analyzable, and creative untamed passion. For the public, art with its magnificent beauty, improves mood and health and builds better human beings and communities. It engages the intellect, softens the heart, strengthens the soul and frees the spirit.
If Your Interested In Purchasing Any Of My Work:
They can be found for sale on
Saatchi Art
Or
Etsy
If you don't see the piece in either shop, It may still be drying. Let me know and I can upload it as soon as possible to be available. Or you can always make me an offer (in HBD, Hive or any other crypto) in the comments section of this post. If we agree on a price, I will then ship the painting to you. (shipping costs will be determined by your location).
