Ideas Into Reality

I’ve promised and promised, and finally, the redesigned web site is almost here. It seems that with everything that I do, the idea seems simple, but the execution is far more complicated and challenging than I’d imagined. Luckily, I have skilled people around me who know how to take my ideas and turn them into reality.

For example, how hard could it be to take a 17-ton rock that already has a hole through it and turn it into a water feature?

Very.

The results are always worth the trouble.

Creating the revised HenCam has been even more challenging than moving that rock. There weren’t any templates that fit what I had in mind. A designer was hired. A technical guy was hired. Steve taught himself how to code web sites. Even with three professionals on the job, it has not been easy.

(I’ve been working, too! I’ve been writing lots of new material.)

We’re at the end of the project. In the next few days we’re moving 6+ years of content onto the new HenCam. During the transition, it would be easier for the team if I stop blogging and responding to your comments, so let’s all take a short break.

Have a great week, and I’ll see you on Monday. With this.

Chicken Socks and a Disappearing May

Where did May go? This month has been crowded with events, work and visitors. I haven’t been able to blog much – either I didn’t have a moment or I was far from high-speed WiFi. Like here:

Last week I drove 1,000 miles out to Le Roy, NY and back. I spent two days at the Leroy Historical Society and Jell-O Gallery, doing research (not on Jell-O, but their museum is fascinating, and tour guide Ruth is a delight.) On the way to Leroy I stopped at The Farmer’s Museum to give a talk on chicken keeping. The museum is home to the Empire State Carousel.

There are one-of-a-kind animals to ride on. There’s a chicken!

With eggs on his saddle.

The museum has farm animals from the mid-nineteeth century, including Dominique hens and sheep. It’s lambing season!

The gift shop has the best socks, ever.

I told Donna, the store manager, that a few of my readers might want to purchase those socks. She said “no problem, call me and I’ll ship.” So, here’s her number. 607-547-1493 Tell her that I sent you.

I’ll be wearing those socks to a school visit tomorrow.

Meanwhile, I have a garden to get ready for the Concord Museum Garden Tour. So, May continues to be crazy-busy, but now that I’m back home and on the internet, I’ll be able to get back to blogging.

Hot Dog

Scooter loves hot weather. If he were a sensible dog like Lily, I’d let him enjoy it. But he’s not. He likes to sunbathe. He plops down on the back step in a bright spot, and stretches his skinny little body out as long as it can go. He’d bake himself until limp if I let him, but dogs can get heatstroke, and I’ve found him on the verge. So, I’ve been limiting his tanning sessions and shushing him off the step. I was pleased the other day when I let him outside, and instead of flopping down in the sun, he trotted across the lawn. Maybe he’d gotten the message!

But, no, I guess he’s a tad more clever than I give him credit for.

When I called the dogs in, this is how he looked. He had been over at the pond, baking himself on a sun-heated rock.

Scooter, I’m onto you!

Pip’s Twin

Wendy brought sharp tools in her suitcase. She was determined to teach me how to felt. I do like felted animals, but have no desire to hold a wad of wool in my hand and poke and stab with a needle (often pricking myself) in order to create a toy (albeit as adorable as can be.) Wendy persevered. She bought wool. She felted while we chatted at the table. (She only went “ouch!” a few times and never did curse – much to my disappointment.)

Pip now has a twin.

Wendy even captured Pip’s perpetual smile.

I still don’t want to work with sharp needles. But, Wendy did teach me a new crochet stitch. I’m working on a scarf. It might be finished by winter.

Container Pot Planting

Last week, in preparation for Wendy’s visit, I did a few things. Yes, I changed the sheets in the guest room and put out a fresh, pretty little soap. But the most important thing on my to-do list was to go to HomeGoods and buy a carload of black ceramic pots.

On her third day here, we shopped at five plant nurseries and came home with a trunk full of vegetables, herbs and flowers (annuals and perennials) and 160 pounds of potting soil. With her plant knowledge and eye for horticulture design (and now sore back) we put these together:

The next morning, my husband got up early and baked off croissants (Trader Joe’s frozen are the best) and I hurried out to the garden to dig in the perennials – all while Wendy slept in. See? We are very good hosts.