Tag Archives: flowers

A Few Blooms, Very Little Order

Posted on August 15, 2026 by mohawkvalleygirl

As I was struggling behind my power mower (but so very grateful it started on the second try), I thought I might do a Lawn Order blog post in lieu of my usual Lame Post Friday post (oh, I do love that expression “in lieu of”).  I even started narrating it in my head.  I do that when I am running too (oh, I hope I will run again!) for Running Commentary posts.  For one reason, I had already taken a picture of my Rose of Sharon, which finally bloomed.

Not as many blossoms as other years, but pretty!

During another bout with the lawn, I had battled the wild grape vines which were threatening to overrun the poor bush.  I guess I met with some success, but I must get out and continue the fight.

Lots of Black-Eyed Susans!

While I was out there, I got a wider shot of the Black-Eyed Susans.  They certainly have spread and are thriving.  Before I started mowing this morning I noticed a very few Brown-Eyed Susans up by the deck.  In past years, we have enjoyed many of those, but this year not so much.  For one reason, I left a bunch of leaves from last fall lying around, soggily discouraging things.  On the brighter side, they also discouraged a lot of grass growing, which made my mowing easier.   Of course it is not the most attractive of sights, but I will do what I can to improve it, especially if I ever invite people over.

I mowed around them.

Speaking of people coming over, I think I had better try to get the inside of my house in better shape as well.  But that’s a whole other blog post.

 

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Real Flowers on Tired Tuesday

Posted on July 22, 2026 by mohawkvalleygirl

Oh dear I have waited till late in the day (for me) to make my Tired Tuesday blog post.  I really do not have much to say, because I do not want to go on about my health woes (and they are currently quite woeful, although I have some hope) (oops, I went on a little bit). I went for a little walk today, to the post office to mail a letter to a friend which, incidentally, I took way too long to finish, then to the Elks Lodge, to visit to whichever friends might be there.  On the way, I took one picture, which I will now share.

Oh dear, I did get part of me reflected in the door!

I must go by there again and focus more on the flowers.  I took the picture because in a recent post I shared a past picture of some flower in front of a place on the other side of Main Street.  These are even better, because they are real flowers.  I suppose one would expect the Department of Environmental Conservation to use real flowers, but one can never count on these things.

Full disclosure:  It was not easy for me to walk as it has been previously. I say this even though it constitutes whining about my physical ills.  I consider that it is OK on a Tired Tuesday post.  I shall hope for a better blog post tomorrow, and as always., I thank you for tuning in.

 

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We’ll Call This a Scattered Saturday Post

Posted on July 11, 2026 by mohawkvalleygirl

Oh dear, look at the time!  I was about to begin this post with “That was exhausting!”  I got a new phone yesterday.  I got it for free for being a loyal TracFone customer (don’t know how to spell it, so you see how loyal I really am; I am just to lazy to change these things once I have them).  I think I got my stuff switched over OK, all except for WordPress.  Well, I wanted to download (or is it upload?) two pictures I took yesterday to make a fast post today.  Full disclosure:  I only took the pictures to see if I could email them, because I am off to cover an event for the Daily Sentinel and it is of prime importance that I be able to include pictures.

I do babble on, don’t I?  Quick, throw in one of those pictures!

I do love purple!

These are the purple flowers that I am letting live in my front lawn after the daisies and peonies died.  Alas, they are not as plentiful, but they have the advantage that I can see them.  I was trapped on my couch or transporting to various medical facilities when the daisies and peonies were spreading their joy.  I hope other passers-by enjoyed them.

Can you count them? I can’t, so there will be no contest for guessing the correct amount.

These are the little pine cones that grow in profusion on the former Frankentree.  I took the picture, because my sister Diane was quite taken with them when she last visited, and I meant to email the pictures to her, since I knew I had her email address on file and was pretty sure she would email back.  I wonder if I could do some artsy-craftsy thing with a lot of little pine cones.  Additionally, I thought pincecones was one word, but my computer is underlining it, so I guess not.

I must get off my Chromebook and get ready to go to the Annual Wellness Fair at the Town of Herkimer Park.  It starts at 9 a.m. and runs till 1 p.m. will lots of vendors, information and activities, for any local readers who would like to check it out!

 

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Fought the Lawn, Fought the Deck, What Next?

Posted on July 6, 2026 by mohawkvalleygirl

I got out early in hopes of making a Lawn Order post instead of my usual Wrist to Forehead Sunday blog post.  Well, fighting the lawn (and the lawn won) did cause me to swoon, dramatically posed with the back of one wrist to my forehead, but I felt I got something done, so I took a few pictures and I will attempt to make a blog post recounting my adventures.

No, really, this IS the “after” picture.

I maybe should have taken a “before” picture.  I spent some ten minutes yesterday and a little bit longer today with clippers, chopping away at dead daisies and past their prime peonies (I made up the alliterative titles while I worked) while trying to let the purple flowers live.  There was a insidious invasive species I tried to do away with as well.  One sprig of purple blooms ended up in my green waste container, but I clipped it with a pair of scissors and it now resides in a bud vase in my living room.  Sorry there is no picture of it, but my living room is quite cluttered.  I hope to fight that mess to a standstill as the week progresses.

Not party ready yet, but getting there!

After puffing and panting out front (bending and straightening is not fun for my age and weight) (yes, I KNOW I can do something about the latter, I’m trying, but these things take time, give me a break!) (you know who you are), I went out back to my deck.  There were still leaves on it from last fall, which I know is extremely harmful to the wood.  I huffed and puffed first with a rake then with a broom.  I feel I met with some success.

Luna, the dog next door, came out on her back porch and barked at me.  There were no balls handy for me to throw for her, as I explained to her.  She watched me work for a while, making sad noises from time to time but in general acquiescing in my refusal to play with her.  I felt bad, but there is only so much an old lady like me can do, after all. Quite frankly, if there had been a ball handy I might have thrown it a few times and let some of the leaves go hang, but we’ll never know.

Yes I know the lawn needs mowing.

Three containers is the most we can leave out.  Also, they don’t like stuff to stick up over the top of the containers.  So I felt I was in compliance.  I went back in the house and like any normal person got on the internet for a while.  After scrolling around, I noticed some weird brown puffy things on my shirt.  Oh dear.  This is what happens when you don’t get into the shower right away.  It was awkward to get a picture of the shirt (I do like to document these things), but luckily there were some on my socks.

It’s an old pair of sneakers.

This is turning out to be a long blog post.  Isn’t that nice?  Maybe I should try to write a few other things.  Maybe that novel I keep talking about.  I’ll let you know how that turns out.  Maybe a horror novel about invasive species and little brown puffy things who terrorize old ladies who just want to have parties on their decks.  What do you think?

 

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A Nice Walk, A Short Post

Posted on May 30, 2026 by mohawkvalleygirl

I took a walk today, bringing my phone along in hopes of doing a Pedestrian Post with Pictures in lieu of my usual Lame Post Friday post.  Technically, I suppose yesterday’s post was a Pedestrian Post with Pictures, because I took pictures as I walked home from the Elks Lodge and used them in a post, but this time I was doing it with specific intent.  Also, I have not been taking many walks lately.  This one was twenty minutes long and did not feel too bad.  I may be back to my bad ass walking and running self soon (I use “bad ass” in the most generous and self-flattering sense of the term).

I should do something like this in my front lawn.

I always like the little spaces with the low stone fences.  I’m afraid my phone doesn’t really show up the colors very well.  What do I want from a crappy TracFone (or whatever it’s called).  I shouldn’t be so cheap, I suppose.

I’d like a little burro, too!

This little guy is often dressed for the season.  Today I admired his patriotic necktie.  I also like the flowers.  I need some lawn decorations.  I think I have some frogs somewhere.

Pretty!

I was bold enough to walk a few places up somebody’s driveway for the irises.  I used to have irises, but there is no sign of them this year.  I may be able to get more bulbs when my mother thins hers out again.

My walk was not very long, but I enjoyed it.  I hope to take another one tomorrow, perhaps before the sun is up when the birds are singing.  We’ll see how early I can bestir myself.

 

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I Have a Sinus Headache

Posted on May 27, 2026 by mohawkvalleygirl

I put that headline to warn anybody who does not like bellyaching posts.  I thought “bellyaching” was a more descriptive word than “whining,” but the pedant in me feels it is the wrong word since, for once, my belly is not aching.  I pause as I ponder the discrepancy to pour myself another cup of coffee, which may solve the whole problem.  Hey, I can hope.

It is mid-afternoon on a Tuesday, and once again I have not done much blog-worthy activity.  I could perhaps have made a Lawn Order Post, as I spent some time wrestling with my deck and back yard.  Not a lot of time.  In my defense, I am old and suffering a mysterious complaint which renders sustained movement painful (I did mention this was to be a bellyaching post) (once again, the pain is not in my belly).

NOT from my Media Library

I suddenly bestirred myself to get up and go out into the back yard and take a couple of pictures.  Here is my rhododendron, just beginning to bloom.  It is now blocked by a new tree I perhaps should have cut down when it was still small.  However, there are other trees in my yard I may want to have taken down, so perhaps I should let this one live.  I do like shade.

A little more color.

I guess I mentioned that my mower is at Collis Tru-Value Hardware being worked on (just to plug a local business).  I thought it behooved me to do the best I could with the non-power mower.  I figured I could at least get the weeds and grass mushed down a little.

By no means a large section of lawn.

This meets my cousin Mary’s criteria of “looks better than it did.”  A little at a time, I will get the whole thing looking better, and when the power mower is back I hope to get it looking  very nice indeed.  Then I will take more pictures and maybe even invite people over.

These are all over the yard.

On the way back to the house, I took a picture of some forget-me-nots.  It didn’t turn out so well, but I will have plenty of opportunity for more pictures.  Before I went inside, the dog next door on their back porch barked at me.  She often does.  If a ball has fallen into our shared driveway, sometimes I throw it for her to chase while I beat a hasty retreat.  I did so this time.  Alas that my throw was not very strong, and she returned before I had gotten far.  A young woman came out of the house while I prepared to throw the ball again.

“I always feel so bad, because she just wants to play,” I said.  “So I throw the ball, then try to escape.”

I heard her call the dog Luna as she brought her back into the house.  Now I know the dog’s name.  It’s always good to be on a first-name basis with the neighbor’s dog.

By the way, the coffee did help the headache.

 

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First Rule: Make a Blog Post

Posted on May 6, 2026 by mohawkvalleygirl

I have somehow made it halfway through the week and, oh dear, not a whole lot done.  Then again, what is the rule for how much a crazy old lady is supposed to get done, and who sets these rules anyways?  There are always my rules for me, such as Any Writing Counts, but I do not remember setting a rule for How Much Should Get Done.  Note to self:  Set rule about how much should get done.  Or don’t.

Where was I?

Ain’t nobody here but us chickens!

I threw in a picture to distract from the fact that I have not much to say (I bet you thought I was going to say “to pep things up”) (you know who you are).  As I chose the chicken (yes, CHOSE the chicken, kindly do not get vulgar, this is a family blog!) (again, you know who you are), I thought to myself that it is too early for a Non-Sequitur Thursday post.  Then again, that is another Cindy-made rule.  There are no penalties for transgressions.

He loves me, he loves me not…

I found this picture in May 2023 of my Media Library.  I was thinking of mowing down or trying to move my wild daisies this year.  They get a little out of control and completely overshadow the forget-me-nots and lilies of the valley.  They are not very far along so far, but I guess it is early days yet.  I have not bestirred myself to do much outside yet.  The first thing I need to do is to get my lawnmower looked at. I seem to remember indulging in No Mow May last year.  They say it is good for the environment, but for me it was a handy excuse to be lazy (judge me if you are so inclined).

I see I have babbled on for over 300 words.  I shall bill this as a Wuss-out Wednesday and drive on.  I shall be out and about today and try for some Mohawk Valley Adventures.  I hope you are all having a lovely week.

 

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Running Into May Flowers?

Posted on May 2, 2026 by mohawkvalleygirl

Well here I am with another early-ish morning post for a day late Lame Post Friday.  I am lame these days.  I don’t know if I have whined about the trouble I’ve been having with my legs lately, but, well, I’ve been having some aches and pains.  Whatever will happen to my Boilermaker hopes and dreams?  More importantly, I count on my walks and runs to supplement my anti-depressant medications, which my doctor heartily approves.  I suppose these things will work out one way or another, and I think I had better throw in a picture to lighten up the post.

Is that an azalea?

I saw this in my Media Library from May 2022 and thought it was my own rhododendron but I see now it is a plant from a neighbor’s yard.  I can’t see pictures in my Media Library as clearly, because now they show an IMG code or whatever it is (regular readers know I am far from tech savvy).  Anyways, this is a good picture for the beginning of May.  We had a few April showers and I for one am looking forward to May flowers.  I must plant a few.

Alas, an increasingly distant memory.

One thing I have let slide is my container garden, which used to grace my back deck.  Since 2020 I have been determined to reinstate it, and I have met with very little success.  Will this be the year of the pots?  Or will I once again, go to pot?  A little uncertainty adds interest to my May.

In the meantime, I am over 250 words.  Sufficient for a late Lame Post Friday post I say.  I hope you all have a marvelous weekend.

 

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Last Wintry Run?

Posted on April 8, 2026 by mohawkvalleygirl

I thought of this title as I was walking my cool-down and watching the snow return.  I woke up with my usual case of I Just Can’t Even, thinking tomorrow would be just as good to re-start my Boilermaker 15K training program.  Ha-ha, like I have a program!  I just try to run a little further each week and not miss a bunch of days in a row like I recently did.  The weather gurus at WKTV News assure us that today is the last day of winter like weather.  Will they be accurate?  A little uncertainty adds interest to my week.

The flowers say it’s spring!

I ran near this patch of purple flowers which I took a picture of last week and thought, oh good, at least I will have one appropriate picture.  I was pretty pleased with myself for getting out there and moving, the more so since I had washed the dishes first.  Full disclosure:  I only washed the dishes first because I had neglected to charge my Garmin so needed to give it some time to come back from the dead.  Now I am happy the dishes are done.  If I can do a little laundry, I will really feel like the happy homemaker.

Some eye-rolling at myself ensued when I was getting ready to leave.  I picked up the arm band I put my cell phone in (I use Garmin and Map My Run, which should surprise no one who is acquainted with me), then thought I needed a hat and gloves.  After I found gloves and thought a headband might do instead of a hat, I said, “Where did I put that armband?”  Of course I could not find it.  I retraced my steps about eight times, finding a hat in the process but no arm band.  Finally I said to hell with it, I will hold my phone in my hand!  I got everything else together: tissues tucked in sleeves, sweatshirt to wear on cool-down walk, bottle of water (I had to fill a second one, because I misplaced the first), Garmin on, cellphone in hand, go to the door…

There was the armband!  I had sensibly put it near the door before looking for the hat and gloves!  Who knew I would ever do the sensible thing!

I contemplate my experience.

I did not take a selfie after the run, but here is one from April 2020, on a similarly cold day.  My hair is about as wild, and perhaps a little longer.  I guess I haven’t really talked much about the run itself, but I see I am over 400 words.  I must get on with the rest of my day.  Once again, I thank you for tuning in.

 

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Comfort from Crocuses on Slacker Saturday

Posted on April 5, 2026 by mohawkvalleygirl

Oh dear, here I am late in the day (for me) on a Saturday, wondering if I can Scatter or Slack.  On the whole, I say Slack, and perhaps share a few flower pictures I still have on my phone.

Yay, crocuses!

It was Tuesday afternoon when I was delighted to notice some crocuses in my backyard.  Naturally I took some pictures.  I put down crocus bulbs the first fall after my late, dearly missed husband Steve and I bought the house, in 2005.  I truly must put down more. Will 2026 be the year?  We can hope.

This one was wide open.

I suppose one could derive some lesson for my life, that I have gone over 20 years without doing a fairly easy improvement on my property, namely putting down crocus bulbs.  I do not believe it would be anything particularly flattering to me.  Instead, I think I will merely rejoice that some crocuses yet appear in my yard, and it will always be possible for me to put down more bulbs.

It’s so pretty!

I truly hope to do more work in my yard this year.  It will definitely make for a few good blog posts.  In the meantime, why now cut myself a break?  As I said, I enjoy what I can see.  And I look forward to seeing more as spring wears on.

 

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