Getting Ready to Garden

It feels SO good to be gardening again!  It's almost safe enough to plant tender flowers (annuals), but not quite. But I am into perennials mostly, like my mom. Last weekend we all went to our favorite greenhouse, Lowe's in Bainbridge. We were like kids in a candy store!

There was a decent plant sale going on, "Buy two, get one free". So, I got purple primroses  that look like roses,  alpine poppies and some cornflower blue and white columbine. Mom and dad got a bunch of gorgeous perennials, from a variegated euphoria to a large pink penstemon, and topsoil. We walked around, just enjoying the colors and textures of the leaves and flowers. Greenhouses are so relaxing to me. I'm glad dad went with us, he loves it, too, even if he doesn't garden anymore.

So now, mom is busy in her gardens, which are already colorful. I have been weeding and planting, along with some spring cleaning in the house. It feels good to see the yard alive with birds returning from warmer climates, an occasional butterfly or bees, and other signs of life. Well, except the rat who I found digging in one of my gardens. A few sprinkles of cayenne pepper powder around the plants he was digging up, and he hasn't been back since. Hehe. I'm sure he's long gone elsewhere by now.

The cats are plastered to the windows, excitedly watching all birds. Sometimes I hear a "hiss" or two, and I know they are getting annoyed with whoever got the best birdwatching spot. Beau loves the rainbows cast off by a faceted crystal sphere I have hanging in a window. I touch it, making the little rainbows dance all over,  and he dances, hops and pounces on them Not bad for a fourteen year old cat :)

Spring Has Sprung Again

Spring is here, and my daffodils are blooming! This is my favorite time of year.

Life is wonderful, despite being bedridden due to sciatica pain and the medications I've had to take for it that made me dizzy. I'm healing up and though not 100% yet, I'm getting out and even did a little gardening (weeding).

My stores are busy and I'm adding new products on a near daily basis. I work from my laptop from bed, cats piled around me, TV on in the background (oddly, it helps me work to have noise on in the background).  I've got new products galore so stop by my main store, Two Purring Cats Clothing & Gifts at:  http://www.zazzle.com/twopurringcats

The cats have been enjoying themselves, watching birds and TV (yes, they really watch it). I work so that they can live royal lives! :)

Pretty soon I'm going back to the drawing board, literally, to do more artwork in my office. Over the early winter I made my office more efficient, with shelves and other items to make working in there easier. It looks good, but there's always work to be done in there (more shelves and places to put stuff!!)

It, like me, is a work in progress. Anyways, life is peaceful, mom and dad are doing fine, and everyone is happy that the weather is warming up.

That's all for now, later!

 http://www.zazzle.com/twopurringcats

It's December but Feels Like April

The holiday season is here and my garden flowers are blooming. The weather is unseasonably warm and my irises sent up buds, one rose bush has a bud on it, and the perennial bachelor's buttons are flowering! This weather is great.

Yesterday I got a call from a producer for America's Funniest Videos. They liked the video I sent them, of Farrah messing with the mini Christmas tree, and it will air on their show this Sunday evening! And, they're sending me a tshirt. So, I told friends and family, and will record it on my phone this weekend. Pretty cool.

As for me, I've been self studying skills for growing my business. It's complicated but I get it, and feel pretty confident as I go along. And my office is becoming more efficient, as I move furniture and make the space more comfortable. I practically live in it so it needs to be relaxing and easy to find things (more storage is the answer to most of its issues).

Mom and dad are enjoying their holidays, between shopping, making sure dad's health is on track (it is) and caring for their cats. They love their house and property, it is gorgeous and big! We see turkeys in the big meadow from time to time. Their friends call their property "The McFann Metroparks"..perfect for this nature loving family!

<a href="http://www.zazzle.com/christmas+gifts?rf=238441954547012598&CMPN=ban_holiday_gifts_2015" rel="nofollow"><img src="//asset.zcache.com/assets/graphics/z4/uniquePages/banners/Christmas_Plus_Gifts/Z_Christmas_Gifts_300x250.jpg" alt="Holiday Gifts" /></a>

Late Summer

It's late Summer and I'm busy doing artwork for my stores, working in  gardens and trying to keep my lawn watered since it gets crispy without much rain!

Mom and dad have settled into their new house, and mom is busy with her gardens. With all its acres of land, she - and I - can garden as much as we want. I spread my gardening between my home and theirs. My garden at their house is huge, in the middle of a giant meadow, and is covered from four years' worth of rampant weed growth. It reminds me of the book, "The Secret Garden". Once the tall weeds are out, it will will be necessary to hire someone to rototill it. I plan to grow many kinds of perennials, and bring it back to the grand Victorian garden it once was.

There are fruit tree groves and big raspberry and black raspberry patches on the property. How wonderful that is for us! Raspberry season was amazing. Endless berries, free of pesticides, better than any that can be bought. And good for us, too! Mom made her berry recipes, I made mine, until we were too tired to do any more. Apple season is here now, so we'll be using every apple recipe imaginable for that. We love this wholesome, country life, surrounded by this private park or arboretum that they have.

My parents' cats love their barn, where they can freely come and go as they please. I got them a large cat tree, dad and I put it together and they use it.

The cats love to follow us around or snooze under bushes or hidden in the gardens. They pop out quickly when dad comes to feed them, so cute!

Mom, dad and I are getting along much better now, which is a relief to me. Mom has an Amish cleaning lady now, so she isn't focused on controlling me now. Thank God. I am so glad. All I've ever wanted was a harmonious family. So far, so good.

My business is doing just fine. I draw some but spend more and more time learning to grow it..and it is growing. The bigger it gets, the more there is to do. It's a passion so that doesn't bother me at all. Christmas season is approaching, so I'm getting myself ready for it.

Concentrating on Drawing Now..Less Internet, More (Shudder) Work Away From the Computer

My internet is out right now, and it will be for awhile, so my office is temporarily the library right now, using the computer, and will be every day until I get the net back again. Right now, it's pretty tight money-wise (nearly all my money goes to the mechanic for awhile), so I'm staying in, working on drawings as my business runs itself, without a problem, online. I'm ok, just going through a bit of internet withdrawal at home. It's like going back to the pre-computer days, shudder, when you actually do things around the house other than spend all day online. Wow. For a person totally dictated by technology, this is tough. But I need to find a better internet, that isn't too expensive, and there aren't many options out here in the boonies, where I live. I may even have to get with the 21st Century and actually get a smart phone! Nothing too fancy, just something to get emails from. I have avoided it for a long time but feel the need to access the net from anywhere at this point in life. And home internet has been unreliable and very slow. Lucky for me that I can do my drawings at home, still. It'll be ok, it's just inconvenient to be net-less at the moment.

It's really Fall outside, with brilliant orange leaves on the trees, lots of rain and temperatures are beginning to go downwards. It's nice to sit in front of the fireplace with the cats, doing art and drinking my coffee. No internet means more time to concentrate on artwork I've been wanting to do for a long time, but was too distracted by online matters to do it. So, the time is now, drawing more, computing less (but stressing more, relaxing less, at times, without Facebook and my friends there to talk to 24/7). I'm independent and money-making mode. Due to the plummeting economy, financially it's been tough and I'm making the most of it, now that I have to give a chunk of money for car repairs that weren't even finished! The whole mechanic thing is not being forgotten or swept under a rug, it's being worked on.

Without the internet, it's given me time to also do a few hobbies I'd put off for awhile. I'm now baking more homemade bread (made a loaf of raisin bread last night) and also, finally got around to refinishing a Duncan Phyfe drum table and a lovely oak end table that really needed a change of color. They look good, like new. Yay, me. Just in time for the cold weather to come in, too. The other day I had them outside, refinishing them in the sunshine, letting them stay outside all day and night to dry, and a day after they were brought inside, it got rainy and cold enough for me to turn on the heat in the house. I love Ohio, the weather fluxuates. Living in the Snow Belt, it REALLY fluxuates, and the winters here are tough. Will have to get the car fixed by a family friend before it's too cold, since the coolant leaks like a sieve. It wasn't fixed. This injustice will be fixed, in time. Until then, I found a trusted, competent and HONEST mechanic to take the car to, just need to make more money since all of mine is already spoken for. Seriously. Until late Spring of next year. Ugh. Yep, the car repair thing has made my finances beyond tight.

Another thing I haven't done in awhile but am now doing is watch tv. I only listen to it normally, as it is on in the background, unless it's some show that I just can't pry myself away from (anything news and some reality type shows). I watched hardly no tv before but now I'm getting caught up on shows, but working on projects at the same time. I have a hard time sitting still and just doing nothing while the tv is on, most of the time. It isn't easy being Type A, lol.

So, until next time..when I'm at the library in a few days, it's time to go home, fix dinner and feed the cats. I am on a mission to keep the economy and car repairs mess with my financial stability. So far, so good. Life goes on, and with friends and support, I'm holding steady. Hope we all get through the economy/government circus soon. Positivity and faith get me through it, and despite some bumps in the road, things will be ok.

Relaxing Here in the Office

It's a peaceful night, time to relax and get more work done. Dealing with car mechanic issues has really stressed me out for the last month, so it's time to relax and not let it consume me. Outside it's cold, so all the windows in the house are now closed and the heat is turned on. Earlier, I got rid of side door drafts by putting weatherproofing foam "tape" inside the door frame, and it has helped a lot. The kitchen usually gets cold in the winter, and it was cold until I did this. Good, maybe I'll save a little money on heat this year. Anyways, another chore crossed off my "to do" list.

I've made my office extra comfortable for the upcoming holiday season, my busiest time of year, especially now that we don't have our bonuses anymore and need to sell more than ever. Sales are coming in, but due to the economy, it's slower than last year. So, I work to market products, and others are also helping me market, via online newspapers, articles, etc. My products are spread all over the internet and they have a life of their own, as they have for years now. If I can just calm myself down from distressing car issues, I'll be more efficient. Right now, I still get heart palpitations from stress so I get up and walk around, go outside and distract myself. It's annoying, this is not normal for me. Just want the car nightmare over with. It's overwhelming. The answer to everything is to keep working. Working on my art or websites is all therapeutic to me.

Tonight I made a bunch of popcorn, a good snack on a cold night. I do it the old fashioned way, on the stovetop, and use butter flavored salt to save on calories. I don't do microwave popcorn anymore after reading about how bad it is, so many chemicals in it. Back to the basics is fine with me. As a kid, I used to make Jiffy Pop popcorn on the stovetop, don't know if it's even for sale anymore. Just give me Orville Reddenbacher's in a jar, a little canola oil and I'm good to go.

Talked to a reporter from Channel 5 TV today, who will hopefully help me with the car travesty. It was so reassuring to talk to him, and he assured me he'd do everything he can to help. He's one of a few strong avenues I've taken to deal with this. Hoping it gets resolved, I'm not some dumb idiot just going to sit back and let people take advantage. Nope, this car will be fixed..but by another place who will do it right this time. Someone I can trust and who won't blow me off, who will listen to me. The mechanic called today, but I'm not talking to someone who hasn't listened to me or treated me right. Any correspodence from now on will be in writing.

It's so nice to know I'm not alone. I have my parents, friends and others looking out for me. In a world where I spend so much time alone, working here at my house out here in the country (which I love), it's easy to feel lonely at down times. I want the months ahead to be good, financially and emotionally. The economy is a mess, people are suffering around the country. I'm so far holding my own but extra tight now that the mechanic's bill is stuffed with pricey add-ons. $40 for anti-freeze, when the container in the car is bone dry, for example. Sickening. I hope our economy improves, customers will then hopefully be less afraid to buy. I checked my products on the marketplace at Zazzle and they're up front, for the most part, being seen. Buyers are just being tight with money until this crisis passes. The best thing to do is to just keep calm and carry on. We all will get through this. Hard work and persistence is the key, I think.

Time to get back to work. I feel ok, listening to music, my pets with me here, asleep, the picture of calm. Life is still good.

A Time to Rest and Enjoy Doing Absolutely Nothing of Value

Today was a beautiful, cool Autumn day, so mom came and picked me up, and took me back to their house for the day. I've been stressed lately and it felt good to go do a few chores, spend time with my parents' kittens and see mom's gardens. Family time is so important, and I was also able to help mom look for one of their cats, who escaped through a window and has disappeared. We didn't find Felix but he's not the type of cat who will go up to strangers, and hopefully he'll make his way back home. I will alert Rescue Village that he's missing, as they have people (pet detectives?) who look for lost animals.

Dad is busy working on his projects in his office, and he's very skilled with making just about anything, so it was fun talking to him about his ideas. Mom has been doing leaf printings, making stationery and having a great time with that (Oriental ink brushed on leaves then pressed into paper, very pretty!). It's so wonderful to have such a creative family. And cute kitty cats around, too. The two kittens Blackie and Felice, sat with us on the front porch and had fun watching mom make stationery. Then, they'd tussle, chasing eachother with such energy, throughout the gardens and back up onto the porch before wearing out and retreating to their favorite chairs. They both let me pet them now, and follow mom all over the place. Love those little ones. They are precious.

No news yet on my car. Until then, I have a friend to help me, and mom took me to get my distilled water (my water supply was running low, as out here in the country, faucet water is ok for washing and doing dishes but it tastes terrible (too salty), so I have to have my water delivered. I'd been out of water for a week for the first time, and it was getting precarious..not enough water to make coffee..now, that's an emergency! Cats have always had their water, I make sure they are always getting what they need first and foremost, no matter what.

Mom & Dad

My parents and I went out to eat before they dropped me back at my house, and so I'm sitting here, stuffed and feeling mellow. We had driven out in the country a little while, with its rolling hills and now, Fall colors are coming into the trees and fields. Here in Ohio, there are purple Aster flowers all over the place, as well as Goldenrod (terrible for those allergic to it but very pretty yellow flowers for the rest of us non-allergy sufferers). This is only the beginning of the upcoming colorful displays, as the trees prepare to color up. Living in the country is heavenly, with Amish buggies going here and there, the smell of burning leaves in the air. We noticed a new little coffeehouse on my road (a couple miles from my house), so that's nice to see. They have a full line of coffee drinks, donuts, and Gyros, the sign said. My kind of place. We desperately need a Starbucks out here, but since there isn't one, any decent coffeehouse will do.

The cats are fed and the sun is now setting. Rays of the last sun are falling on me as I type. It makes me so happy to see that there are people who care about me, and that my parents are happy. Mom stopped to say hello to my cats, who watch her with interest, not afraid, just curious. She marveled how little Farrah has blossomed into a beautiful, fuzzy wuzzy white Persian fluffball. She bounds around, wanting to play and making chirping noises at me. The cats enjoy my "fake fire" fireplace, that puts out fake flames (I don't want real flames around my pets, way too dangerous), and it gives off substantial heat in the Winter, as well. It looks very realistic from a distance, and the dancing "flames" spark cat curiousity. They like to sit in front of it and watch. I got it going for the first time in months, now I know Fall is officially here.

Farrah and her straw

So, hopefully tomorrow I'll get news on my car. I'm so glad my parents' Buick Roadmaster is strong and safe for them. We've all been through a tough month or two and their car was in the shop before. But now, just in time for cold weather, they are safe and secure, it works fine and all is ok there. Hope for the same with my car, once I get it back. I will be paying it off for awhile, which will be tough, but at least I'll have a safer car to drive. With snow coming, it pays to have a safe vehicle with the steep roadside dropoffs around here. In the winter, we all sort of hiburnate. Who wants to be out in blizzards? Not any of us. We're enjoying this lovely weather while it lasts, until then. Autumn..the best time of year. It's priceless to have friends and family to share it with. Despite some stressful financial setbacks, life is still good.