Monday, April 15, 2024

Sheila, Being Real


The camassia lilies are blooming again, as you can see from the two in this picture. And yes, for those of you who asked in the comments yesterday, the little blue flowers in the background at left are forget-me-nots. We're having a banner year for forget-me-nots this spring. We have LOADS of them.


I cannot take a single picture that shows them all.

Note to self: Last year, as spring turned toward summer and the forget-me-nots stopped blooming, I pulled the spent plants and shook them over the flower beds to release the seeds. I sometimes don't pull the older plants and I wasn't sure how it would affect our "crop," but now I have the answer!


We had some little European goldfinches stop by yesterday. They like to pick buds off the tamarisk tree. I also heard the woodpecker again, and hoped to get a photo of it in the act of "pecking," but I couldn't get a clear sightline to the tree it was on. It's out there making a racket now, trying to find a mate, I think.

Well, my photo walk didn't happen. I had enough to do around here to keep me busy. None of it was very exciting, but it feels good to be on top of things.

I took the yucca outside for its annual bath, for example. That plant gets very sticky and dusty unless I wash it off every spring or summer. I also ordered a gigantic new pot for the avocado. It's badly root-bound in its current pot, and we've decided to put it in a planter on the patio and do our best to protect it in the cold winter. We'll see if it survives. I saw a video on YouTube showing a gigantic avocado tree in London -- bearing avocados! So apparently it is possible to grow them outside here, and if winters as mild as the last one are in our future, it doesn't seem inconceivable that it would survive. But it may not.


I walked Olga in the morning and we found more of Esley's rocks. By the way, "Esley" is actually Estella. I finally found some rocks where I could read the name more easily. I picked up two of them and put them in one of our planters on the patio, so Estella can see that someone appreciates her work.

I got some surprising news via Facebook that one of the women I was in Peace Corps with about 30 years ago, Sheila, died last year from ovarian cancer. I hadn't been in touch with her so this came out of the blue, and it makes me sad. She was about three years younger than me. We've lost a couple of people from our Peace Corps group in the years since, which I suppose shouldn't be surprising given the amount of time that's passed, but it still feels too soon. My main memory of Sheila was that she and I both loved dancing to Cheryl Lynn's disco hit "Got to Be Real," and every time it was played at any party we'd grab each other and head for the dance floor. I will never hear that joyous song without thinking of her.

22 comments:

  1. I hope Estella sees her rocks displayed in your planter.

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  2. The Camassia flower is very lovely and I have never seen massed forget-me-nots so thanks for those. The little goldfinch is pretty. I'm glad you put a couple of painted rocks in your pots.
    Maybe I could try a bit of rock painting. They'd brighten up the garden.

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  3. How sad that Sheila went too soon. However, the obituary suggests that she had many talents and lived her life to the full. You were lucky to have known and to have danced to "Got To Be Real" with her:-
    To be real
    To be real (it's time to be real)
    (It's time to be real) to be real (it's time to be real, it's time to be real)
    To be real (it's time to be real, it's time to be real)
    To be real (it's time to be real, it's time to be real)
    To be real (real, real, real), to be real

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  4. Sheila’s obituary was well done. I love the paragraph on Sandy Harbor and her stage career! She sounds like a wonderful human being. Sorry for the loss.

    I think those should be forever known as the Esley Rocks.

    Beautiful photos (yet again).

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  5. The woodpecker drumming says Ladies I'm here..this is My patch!!!

    I miss the swooping flight of the green woodpecker and its call which gives it its other name..the Yaffle

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  6. Me being older, people around me are dying. You need to get used it in spite of he sadness you feel.

    I love the photo of the European goldfinch. But a daily bath for a such a hardy plant as a yucca/ Really.

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  7. I love the rocks and the fact that you keep finding them. i wonder if you found them all and put them together would they create an entire picture?


    Sorry to hear about your friend Sheila. Even when we don't see people it's still such a loss.

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  8. You and Jennifer have both reported the loss of someone they knew and admired at way too young an age. I am so sorry. Sheila's obit makes me wish I'd known her.
    Your little goldfinch is the prettiest thing. Good picture.

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  9. It's been a long time since I've heard that song!

    We're close in age so it isn't surprising that I've lost some friends and acquaintances to cancer already. It is always so shocking I guess since I feel I have a lot of life left to live and I presume the decedent did as well. It is always a kick in the but to live life a little fuller now, just in case.

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  10. I'm sorry for the loss of Sheila - if she was younger than you then it was definitely too soon. Especially to cancer.

    I look forward to the Adventures of the Avocado tree!

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  11. I like that camassia lily, looked it up and it's hardy in zones 4 - 8. I'm zone 9 but I might try it anyway if I can find some.

    I'm not surprised you picked up and kept a few of 'Esley's' rocks.

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  12. Oh, what an amazing woman she was. I'm glad you were friends and have that happy memory of dancing with her.
    My flower bed is being taken over by grass and weeds. I may have to mow it down and start over but I hate to lose the sweet purple flowers that are blooming now. What to do, what to do...?!?

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  13. That is sad news about Sheila. She was way too young to leave this world.
    That goldfinch is beautiful. What a colorful bird. I love seeing all the beautiful flowers in your garden. It's your own little paradise.

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  14. The European goldfinch is a very attractive little bird.

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  15. I am sorry for your loss. Sheila lived life fully but departed much to soon. Thank you for sharing your fondness and loving memories of your time together. Your garden looks more filled with color and blooms almost daily. I would definitely go for growing avocados in the garden. Having your own harvest would be great.

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  16. I'm so sorry about Sheila. :( I hate cancer with a burning hot passion. Spring is so rejuvenating. My bulbs go from one bloom to another--right now I have tulips. Then the bearded irises. I'm delighted to see them every year!

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  17. It's disconcerting to have our contemporaries die at any age. My sympathy in the loss of your friend.

    What a beautiful little bird! I've always enjoyed birdwatching, but even more so lately since I finally downloaded that Merlin app. Now I don't just look for them, I listen for them!

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  18. I'm so sorry about your peace corps friend, Sheila. It hits as such a shock, doesn't it? Too young.

    I love Estella's rocks, too, and I'm glad they are in your garden. Those forget me nots are fabulous and I love your "shake the seed" idea!

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  19. I just can’t get camassia lilies to grow in my garden
    Tips man????

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  20. Most of the photos loaded so slow and then didn't complete the photos. The first photo is is so fairy tale-like.

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  21. That bird is spectacular. As are your little blue flowers.

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  22. I had never heard of camassia lilies - lovely flowers! I can just picture you and Sheila being real! Such a sweet memory for you.

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