First, some business (though I doubt those who need to read it will.)

I did not intend to spend my time here reading meaningless comments. I used to have a capsha option, but I no longer do (or I can’t find it) so I needed to put comments on moderation until I can figure it out.

I appreciate a genuine compliment as much as anyone, but I’m not looking for compliments . . . especially on my “great blog,” “wonderful coding job,” or “useful content.” That all says to me that you don’t have a clue what my blog is about. Even from people I know, obtuse compliments make me wary. If you are a real person, who actually read the post you’re commenting on, I expect to recognize that when I read your comment. No compliments necessary, just interaction. Advertisements, proselytization (religious or political) or anything hateful will likely get you banned. Disagreement, as long as it’s not rude or nasty, is fine. (Although since +99% of what I blog is what I’ve done or am going to do, I don’t know what there is to disagree with. The -1% . . . okay, just be nice about it.)

Now, onto my content (such as it is — very mundane).

This lovely plant is Italian arrowhead. I remember it as a houseplant (or else I’m confusing it with arrowhead vine, whose leaves look the same). When I first saw it here on my yard, I thought “How pretty!” It is pretty. It’s also a noxious weed here in Oregon. It is virtually impossible to get rid of. From what I read the only way to get rid of it is to dig our all the soil where it grows and throw it away! Trying to dig out all the little dirt colored, pea sized bulbs is impossible. I tried. Which is why I have as much of it as I do. It just spreads the little bulblets.

As long as it doesn’t interfere with what I planted, I’ve pretty much made peach with it. It is pretty. I like its Jack in the Pulpit type blooms. Its red berries are pretty, too, but they will go into the trash. After blooming I’ll pull out the leaves, which for the most part stay away, though I think watering my flowers will keep them popping up. I might even try growing some in pots for indoors.

I’m not sure what previous owners were thinking. Of course, when this house was built in 1950, most people didn’t know what plants were or would be invasive. So we have the Italian Arrowhead, English Ivy on the wall, which is difficult to keep on the wall only, but easier to remove where dug up completely in our yard, and St. John’s Wort, which is really pretty during it’s short bloom time, but not otherwise and keeps growing no matter how much root you’ve pulled out! There’s always a tiny piece that can grow, hiding somewhere. And it definitely crowds out other plants. One whole side of the deck where we pulled it out was filled with lavender and is now again filled with St, John’s Wort.

I thought my neighbors overgrown tree hedge was Huckleberry, but the berries didn’t match. It’s probably Portuguese Laurel, which is another invasive non-native plant (although there are native Laurels here). It seeds prolifically. The other prolific seeder grows across the street. I’m pretty sure, but not positive that it’s a cotoneaster. At least I didn’t see “invasive” listed anywhere on that plant’s OSU agriculture page.

Another unexpected plant I get occasionally is peanut. They don’t grow well here. Not at all. But the squirrels and/or birds are constantly planting something in my rose bush pots–peanuts, walnuts (another “weed” here), hazelnuts, holly berries, and evergreen cones) They “plant” anywhere I’ve dug and amended the soil. I also get a lot of maples (from my big yellow maple in front and from my red Japanese maple in back), needle evergreens (not sure which) an holly bushes (also curtesy of the squirrels and birds).

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We had another estimate for a new deck today. Still haven’t received the estimate from the first guy. I have this fear that we’re going to have to wait another year to do it. That means we will probably have to rope off the deck this summer. We found two spots where the floor gives way too much, more so than where it looks really bad.

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Because the deck guy showed up early, I was up before noon. Yay! I got the corner of the storage closet, where we keep the suitcases, cleaned out. Aye, yi yi. I found things I’ve been looking for since Iqbal last “cleaned” it up. (Just broke down on Saturday and bought some orchid food and there was the one I knew I had.) Basically, his idea of cleaning is getting it out of his sight. This is great if someone calls and says they’re on their way for a visit. He can clean the public areas in no time flat. It’s not so good if you want things organized and findable. He’s been known to totally disorganize what I’ve logically put away, and to waste space, with his “cleaning.” Things are as clean as Fibber McGee’s closet and often still need to be swept, vacuumed or wiped down.

Anyway, now I have put away my sewing machine luggage, purged a bit of excess luggage and tamed the rest. And I can get to it! And that led me back to the laundry room, where I got rid of an unneeded clothes rack (Goodwill), and some pet items (sister-in-law with dog and cat). There’s a dedicated shelf for clean rugs. The crate with the orange electric cords is tidied, as is the one with caulks. Paintbrushes now have their own drawer. (Now that I can find them, I may actually get the woodwork painted!) I found a nook for the rarely used tool boxes. Once I get the laundry done this week, and get all the baskets off the floor, I can mop the floor (which needs it) — and use a couple of those clean rugs!.

The studio fares not as well. Purging there is a lot harder. I still want to do stuff and I’m just not ready to throw in the towel. Plus, we had mice in November and I’m just finding all the spots I need to clean up after them. Yuck! Si far, I’ve had to wash (hot water and Lysol) a whole basket of quilt batting, but at least they didn’t shred it. Going thru all the fabric boxes means not getting more put away. I really need to get it all put away, organized, to get to the rest of the “stuff.” I think, too, that when I have everything together, instead of here and there, I will be able to purge some of it. It’s happening, but it’s slow.

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I did some stitching last night and plan to do some more now, I hope to post about that later this week.