alskuefhaih
asoiefh

Monday, June 11, 2007

in the garden

Saturday and Sunday were days straight out of the halcyon definition in the dictionary:

hal·cy·on /ˈhælsiən/ [hal-see-uhn] –adjective

1. calm; peaceful; tranquil: halcyon weather.
2. rich; wealthy; prosperous: halcyon times of peace.
3. happy; joyful; carefree: halcyon days of youth.


I potted flowers.


We installed a birdbath in the herb bed. I suddenly thought of putting in stones from my collection, many of them from Inge, two of them gray spotted Petosky stones. We haven't seen any birds take advantage yet.

We planted 18 lavender plants. The sight and scent of lavender part the curtain into a universal place of beauty. Don, who thinks he is not an artist, made the half moon sculpture last year.


The Adirondack chairs we built our first year on the farm (2003). Good place to sit after working in the yard.

Or lie on the hammock and rest.


Or sit on the side porch and watch "Pipsqueak," our resident hummingbird. (No photo yet!)

22 comments:

Ginnie Hart said...

You and we both relaxed in different ways over the weekend, Ruth! But relax you/we did and we are better for it. I love the "halcyon" feel of your time. I think that word aptly describes ours as well. Thank you.

Ruth said...

Boots, I felt as if I'd been on vacation, and I was ready for work this morning! Glad you rested too.

photowannabe said...

Resting like that revives the soul. Love the picture of the Adorondack chair in the late afternoon sun and shadows. It invites me right into the picture.

Ruth said...

PW, thanks, I'm glad you like that photo. I took it early this morning, when the light is so wonderful on the farm. I worked a lot on the weekend, yet I didn't feel as though I was working. The way all of life should be, if you ask me.

rauf said...

Two new words for me which i am sure i will never use. i don't like them both.
The chair is beautiful and you made it more beautiful in the picture but the name is silly. For a very comfortable looking chair like that there should be a more comfortable name. Adirondak gives me pain to my tired bones. I like the name and i like the comfort of a wicker chair.

A rough translation of halcyon is KHUSH-HAAL, which includes prosperity also. We have a Khush-haal Nagar in Coorg. (meaning every one happy and prosperous in this town) Its like Halcyon town.
i would rather have a better name for this ideal situation which every one is after. Imagine my mysery when i can't use a beautiful and tasty sounding word like Humongous.

I hope you and Ginny would have watched Brad Pitt's 'Seven years in Tibet' Along with Dalai Lama thousands and thousands of people fled Tibet. ( Dalai Lama is the only 'the Only' religious figure head i like and respect Ruth ) India welcomed them with open arms. But the people had to be settled in an already over populated country. Dharamshala in Himachal State is one place where Dalai Lama resides ( I missed him by a few minutes Ruth, any one can meet him, but i do not know the situation now ) The other place given to them where they live peacefully is KHUSH HAAL NAGAR Halcyon town in Coorg and these peaceful people made the town more Halcyon. My silly shirted Cousin took me there. Actually he did not take me there I demanded it. Entire family went. This is the time Ruth that i get murderous. I wanted to drown the entire family in the river. They were making noise in a most beautiful and peaceful Buddhist temple i have seen. i made signs of squeezing their throats. Told them in sign language, just get out and i'll squeeze your throat. Take my picture take my picture here they were shouting. And those poor peaceful people have absolutely no restrictions slapped on visitors.
I'll mail you the pictures Ruth.
The entire area is a Halcyon place. Indian government has given them fertile lands. Had a long chat with a tibetean lady with a child who was born here, 1972 she said. Got married here. i would have spent my entire day with her talking but for my silly shirted cousin and his stupid wife and daughters. Yes it is her desire to go to Tibet. i was in tears Ruth.
She too got emotional, but she covered it as she was feeding her child. i said now that the Chinese govt has opened up and inviting them back would she like to go.
NO NO NO NO she said, they are cheating the world, they want a good image for the coming olympics. we will never trust them.
And at this time Ruth, my silly shirted silly cousin says Lets go rauf.
Tell me why shouldn't i commit a murder Ruth. i am going there alone next time. i'll have to walk about six kilometers. its ok.

Ruth said...

Oh, wow, rauf! Are you ok over there? I didn't know my beautiful words were going to send you into a murderous rant!

I love "Adirondack!" It's from the mountains and county in New York state. Beautiful soft mountains with lakes, woods, old wooden buildings. So lovely! I love this word, it rolls off my tongue as easily as Kuala Lumpur!

Now, "halcyon" I agree is not a word I would use either. It's just that the meaning completely fits this past weekend (except for the wealthy part). I always thought it a strange word, "the halcyon days of summer." Who says that?

I heard that if you pay $1,000 you can have lunch with the Dalai Lama. Just pay $1,000 and you can spend a couple of hours with him. I have him on a CD recording, and I must say is voice is quite grating. I don't think you could pay me $1,000 to listen to him for 15 minutes, although I believe he is a very good person, and I admire Buddhism. I don't mean to be disrespectful. He's a good person, no doubt.

If I went with people to a Buddhist temple and they were yelling and disrespectful, I would go crazy and want to go alone next time too.

Well, dear rauf, please rest and forget you ever heard these terrible words. You will be afraid to come to my blog ever again. :)

rauf said...

1000 dollar affair is news to me Ruth. Pretty silly isn't it ? They talk high philosophy and do such silly things. Its quite disturbing.
He is quite a witty guy. His interviews that i have watched are very lively. Perhaps he is very relaxed on indian TVs

i went to Dharamshala in 1980. stayed in a wooden cabin. i will not have lunch with Dalai Lama even if he pays me 1000 dollars. i lived in a monastry in Sikkim for a couple of days, the monks eat pretty awful food, some paste like thing.it was a torture. i ran away.

I went for JK's lectures a couple of times with friends (they took me) here at Chennai. Very elitist atmosphere. It was very clear that he didn't want poor people in the compound. You sit on the floor and listen to him for free. You had to pay for a chair. Since all had money they all had chairs. So no room for poor guys. Very clever.
i said if this guy gives me a ticket to heaven i will not take it.

freefalling said...

The Dalai Lama is in Australia at present. You can go and see him "in concert" for about US$40. He has been in the news because our Prime Minister won't meet with him - they say he doesn't want to get on China's bad side. I feel a little ambivalent about the Dalai Lama - when I first heard about him, people all around the world deferred to him as "a saint" - for some reason, I just don't buy it, although I can't disagree that the people of Tibet have received a "raw deal".
I love that movie "Seven Years in Tibet" - one of my favourites.
Anyway... I think that little red table on your verandah is very cute and what a perfect spot for your Adirondack chairs (I have to agree with Rauf - an annoying word to pronounce). I think the half moon looks like a smile and you can see the nose too.
I quite like the word "bucolic".

Miss Kim said...

Isn't it funny... I read the word halcyon and just sighed. It's beautiful and I will use it.

Ruth said...

rauf, you told me about JK, and I was quite disappointed, because at the time I was reading his books. His books helped me a lot, and I always thought he did not want to be followed. I wonder if he had a bad manager. I picked up one of his books the other day and couldn't read it! Not because you told me this, but I just couldn't read him. Maybe once you "get" what he says, you don't have to hear it again.

Ruth said...

Freefalling, I still haven't seen "7 Years in Tibet" but I want to. Too bad all that has been so politicized.

Glad you like the red table. We just picked it up for a song at the sweetest country sale of two ladies who are awesome, have chickens running around. I wonder what anyone else who's from the States thinks of the word "Adirondack"? Ginnie, do you like the word? I've always loved this word. :)

Glad you like the moon sculpture. It's hard to see in that photo. I see the nose! Cool! You could put your sister's photo in there somewhere. :D

Ruth said...

Traveller One, it's funny how different we are, isn't it? You're Canadian, yes?

Mrs. SwedeHart said...

Adirondack is not a word that rolls off my tongue lightly, but I think it's because I have never heard anyone use it. I first learned the word last year.

I enjoy your pictures of the farm. It's so beautiful- does it take a lot of work to keep it all dusted and manicured? I remember the little cleaning lady that came to g'ma and g'pas to help dust everything.

Ruth said...

Well, Rachel, you're seeing it at its current best. Otherwise I wouldn't show you pictures! We don't have a "Ruby" - wasn't she a dear? But the weekend was so glorious, Uncle Don and I didn't even feel that we were working. Other days or weeks, we feel too weary to keep up. It's a lot of work. But the more we get done, the more we want to do. We just have to pay attention to it!

rauf said...

Ruth, you have to in a perfect mood for gardening activities. i have read many blogs this week and most of them talked about their garden activities. People are happy. When people are happy where ever they are i am happy.

Ruth said...

rauf, it's a rule of perfection.

mystic rose said...

lovely! all the pics.

Ruth said...

Thanks, Mystic Rose!

Unknown said...

and now i miss the farm even more. these photos are just amazing. especially the adirondacks...the way the light falls. there is such a clear line. breathtaking.
i'm so glad i can be on the farm through these photos.
hopefully i'll be there in person soon.

Ruth said...

Lovey, Lesley, the farm misses you. It missed you yesterday when people were playing four square and croquet. :(

Anonymous said...

Ruth, what a wonderful garden you have. I love your bird bath!

Ruth said...

Thank you, Jennifer, we love it too!