Days

 Seems like we were busy everyday so far this week.   A couple of windows have been washed.  Grocery day had to happen early...one substitution that did not make me happy...again ...when I said no substitutions.   We got a loaf of non moldy bread....it is practically a miracle.  

Far Guy's Godmother Marge died on Halloween.   That is "Marge Grass" in the photo.  She gave us a start of that plant about 20 years ago.   Services will be held at a later date... Marge was 88 years old. 

Psalm 23 Verse 6  Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever. 

A very nice young man...age of 60 died last week from Covid,  he worked at the place where we used to take Chance to be groomed.   He was always so cheerful and happy to see Chance...one time when we picked up Little Elvis from a grooming he hollered "Elvis has left the building! "  

Far Side

Original Wildflower Gardens

I planted flowers in this area 18 years ago.  It used to be more formal gardens, we tended gardens in between customers all summer long.  After we retired from the greenhouse business we were both burned out and just let the gardens go “wild.”  We don’t water or fertilize or do anything special, what survives …survives!

Flowers by the sauna, Gaillardia out front and Ratibida out back with various other flowers. The Gaillardia is going to seed and is on my list for collection!

Ratibida pinnata

The small windmill.  You can see the sauna and my garage in the background.  The Liatris, Rudbeckia and Physostegia (Obedient Plant) are in bloom on this end of the gardens….along with some really tall Thistle.

Liatris out in front with a sprinkling of Rudbeckia and Marge Grass in the background.

This is a new arrival this year, it showed up on the edge of the Marge Grass. It is a Helianthus  or Woodland Sunflower.  A bird must have dispersed the seed into the area.  It is a native to Minnesota plant.  Not to mention one of my favorite flower colors!

Chance usually walks out to the gardens with me. When he was younger he would run the perimeter of the gardens and lay in wait for the ball.  Nowadays he doesn’t run, he will play ball on a good day but lays down with the ball after it is thrown once or twice.

I took these photos on Tuesday toward evening, yesterday (Wednesday) it rained all day.

Marge

Far Guy’s God Mother Marge ( He calls her Aunt Marge) has been on our minds all Spring and now Summer.

She is fighting esophageal cancer and going through radiation.  Her kids who live many States away are taking turns caring for her. They fly in for a couple of weeks and then another flies in to take their turn.  They drive two hours to the radiation treatments and two hours back.  Marge says the treatment after she is inside the helmet and locked down takes just seconds.

We visited recently.  We all laughed and cried.  She wonders when it will all come to an end.  Far Guy said “We never know… God is in charge and when it is your time it is your time.”  Marge wonders what she could possibly do on this earth that would make a difference.  She is a Minister’s kid and her 92 year old brother is still doing vacancy preaching. Marge has a strong faith, she knows she is saved by Grace alone…she is ready.

Many years ago, Marge and her husband Orville gave us a couple of pots of a tall grass.  They said it will spread and it is impossible to kill so put it someplace where you don’t care if it takes over.  Since then we have called it Marge Grass. ( It is really a Miscanthus of some sort…not sure which one. )

All Spring the Marge Grass was struggling…as was Marge.  One day I told Far Guy “ I am worried about the Marge Grass and Marge I think it is a bad sign.”  He replied “I know…me too.”

 

Finally now in late June, the Marge Grass is coming along.  Marge completes four of her six week radiation regimen today.

Here is The Marge Grass at it’s best in the Fall.

Marge never forgets our anniversary or Far Guy’s birthday, the phone rings and it is Marge.  She has graciously shared some of her husband’s family history with us. Orville’s Mother (Aunt Emma) was Far Guy’s Grandma Tracie’s sister. As a side note Orville had Trigeminal Neuralgia also and breathing problems which may or may not have been Alpha One Antitrypsin Deficiency.  Orville died back in 2005.

Marge will be 85 on her birthday in August.

Marge Grass

We have a beautiful grass out in the wildflower/weedy area.  It was a gift from Marge, Far Guys Godmother.  She was and still is a heck of a gardener.  She has hit a rough patch the past couple of months..and one day she said to me “Don’t go talking about me on that blog of yours.” Now there is a very fine line between talking and writing about someone. 

So I won’t say how every year on February 15 the phone rings and it is Marge remembering her Godson’s birthday.

I won’t say how she shared some of her very invasive grass or how she smiled when it left her yard.

We planted it out on a mound of soil..and we enjoy it all winter long..I have no idea what this grass is called and you know what I don’t care…we call it Marge Grass:)