When we moved into our home nine years ago our postage stamp backyard was all grass. My husband and I learned quickly that weed wacking the grass was not the way to go! We both agreed that buying a lawn mover for what little grass we had was silly and grass wasn't what we wanted in the first place! We hired various companies for suggestions about what to do with the space. The bids we received were for amazing amounts of money or simply designs we didn't like. We decided to take the plunge and do what we felt like doing.
We hired someone to come and remove the sod and rototill where we wanted planting space (part of which is in the five foot utility easement). My husband (Dick) spent time with pencil and graph paper designing the brick walk and patio he was going to build. The work went slowly - mainly ideas only - until our beloved kitty Musashi passed over the Rainbow Bridge. Our garden became a loving memory to Musashi - Musashi's Garden.
At the first baseball dinner of the year Coach Graham said it was going to be a very interesting year. He wasn't kidding. This year has been a cardiac stress test for Rice baseball fans. We've had no idea what we were going to see when we got to the ballpark. If anyone had told us when the team was 8-7 we would be going to Omaha for the College World Series for the third time in three years, we wouldn't have believed them.
If you've guessed by now the Owls won their super regional against Texas A&M you'd be correct -- by the skin of their teeth.
Because Rice is a small university, baseball season ticket holders are like an extended family. You know the names of the fans sitting around you in your section and usually something about them and their family. You exchange email addresses and telephone numbers to keep in touch during the off season because you really do miss them when baseball season is over. You meet the players. You realize that Rice has successfully combined the student with the athlete. Listening to the team last night at the after game celebration was a joy. These are articulate young men who are a pleasure to be around no matter how much stress they've put us through.
Fans always have their favorite players. One player everyone has been rooting for is Jimmy Comerota. He started the year as our utility infielder. If someone needed a day off, Jimmy got to play. Our second baseman suffered a season ending injury and suddenly Jimmy became the starting second baseman. The fans watched Jimmy mature as a defensive and offensive player and (even Coach Graham agrees) one of the best second basemen in college baseball. To put the icing on the cake, Jimmy is also an excellent student. Go Jimmy Baseball!
No matter what may happen in Omaha in 2008, we are proud of our Owls. GO OWLS!
I just finished reading Nightshade by Susan Wittig Albert. Nightshade is the sixteenth book in a cozy mystery series featuring China Bayles. You read that right. Sixteen books in a series and I've read all of them.
China Bayles left practice as a criminal attorney in Houston and bought a century old building in the fictional city of Pecan Springs in the Texas Hill Country. In Pecan Springs China turned to her love of herbs and started her shop Thyme & Seasons. Her best friend, the vibrant and flamboyant Ruby Wilcox, runs the only New Age shop (Crystal Cave) in Pecan Springs and co-owns with China a tea shop called Thyme For Tea.
China's husband, McQuaid is an ex-cop who has tired of the politics involved in his position as an associate professor in the criminal justice department at the local college. He recently hung out his shingle as a private investigator.
Nightshade centers on the story of China's half brother Miles and their father Bob Bayles. Bob died sixteen years ago in an automobile accident. Miles believes that there was something funny about their father's death and hires McQuaid to help him investigate the case. China has mixed feelings. She had a difficult relationship with her father and it was just a few months before that she learned that Miles Danforth was her half brother, a product of a long term relationship between her father and his secretary Laura Danforth.
Albert takes some chances with Nightshade. The usual cast of Pecan Springs characters - Ruby, Brian (McQuaid's teenage son), Smart Cookie (beautiful and tough Pecan Springs Police Chief), Blackie (county sheriff) - are hardly seen. The story centers on China, McQuaid and Miles. Albert's previous books in the series are written in China's voice. In Nightshade, Albert adds the third person perspective of McQuaid. While interesting to read what McQuaid is thinking and feeling, I thought it broke the flow of the book.
As usual, Albert includes snippets of herb and plant lore along with the ever popular recipes. I missed my yearly visit with the characters living in Pecan Springs, but Nightshade did answer many questions about China and her father. I recommend this series to cozy mystery lovers as well as those who are interested in herbs.
Albert has a web site that includes information about her books (3 different series), herbs, recipes and the blogs that Albert writes. Enjoy!
Good Morning! When I wake up I try to do the same things every morning. It's my attempt to get the day off to a good start. Up on my feet and open the shutters to take my first look at the day. The world still exists outside my window. The grass is green. The sun is shining. The trees shading the earth. Thank you for another beautiful day. Do something good with this day!
Then it's out to the balcony to water the tomatoes. Tomatoes on the balcony? Yes! We have a postage stamp back yard which is lovely and I'll share that with you another day. Several years ago we tried tomatoes in the back yard -- in the ground and in containers. I believe we enjoyed one ripe, red juicy tomato. The rest were eaten by Mr. and Mrs. Squirrel and their offspring. Really! We watched them early one morning taking even the green tomatoes off the plant and eating away. I decided this year to try tomatoes in containers on the balcony and I'm happy to report that it seems to be working. We have a dozen tomatoes so far. Delicious! Nothing like a home grown, no pesticide (and all of that) tomato. I did notice yesterday morning that one of the ripening tomatoes had claw/tooth prints. It was still on the plant this morning. I'm leaving it just in case the Squirrel family wants to continue to munch. I keep telling myself "compassion for all living things". "You have enough. You can share with these critters." I don't eat THEIR acorns. Next year we will plant more veggies in more containers on our balcony garden.
I also try to read a brief poem or words of wisdom from a favorite source. Then I'm really ready to say "Charge! Full speed ahead!" Here is a favorite from a small book edited by Jack Kornfield called "Teachings of The Buddha".
DHAMMAPADA
We are what we think.
All that we are arises with our thoughts.
With our thoughts we make the world.
Speak or act with an impure mind
And trouble will follow you
As the wheel follows the ox that draws the cart.
We are what we think.
All that we are arises with our thoughts.
With our thoughts we make the world.
Speak or act with a pure mind
And happiness will follow you
As your shadow, unshakable.
How can a troubled mind
Understand the way?
Your worst enemy cannot harm you
As much as your own thoughts, unguarded.
But once mastered,
No one can help you as much,
Not even your father or your mother.
from the DHAMMAPADA, translated by Thomas Byrom
Wishing you a bright and beautiful day. Good morning!
I've been thinking about starting a blog for months. It seems like a good way for family and friends to keep up with what is happening at Twisty Lane. It also seems like a good way to keep a diary or journal. Remember those little books that came with a lock and a key? Every little girl had one. I think I had a pink book and I don't remember writing anything in it! A diary online. What next?
It is college baseball season. In fact, it is the road to Omaha time and the College World Series. We are big college baseball fans and follow the Rice University Owls. Rice University is a beautiful place. It is a three mile walk around the entire campus ... beautiful live oak trees the whole walk. Rice is a small university with an undergraduate and graduate population of a little under 5,000. Rice baseball is coached by Wayne Graham. Under Coach Graham the Owls have won conference championships 13 years in a row (1996-2008), appeared in the NCAA regionals 14 times (counting this year), super regionals 8 times (also counting this year) and have appeared in the College World Series 6 times winning and becoming national champions in 2003. Home for the baseball Owls is Reckling Park, a beautiful, pitcher friendly facility that overlooks the Texas Medical Center. Last weekend the Owls won their regional and this weekend will host Texas A&M in the super regional. There are three former Owls on the hometown Houston Astros: left handed pitcher Tim Byrdak, outfielder Jose Cruz Jr., and first baseman Lance Berkman who was the National League player of the month for May. GO OWLS!
