Monday, September 7, 2009

In Case You're Interested . . .

I've been tagged by Racquel at Perennial Garden Lover and Carol at May Dreams Gardens to participate in a meme that many of you have joined in on. The rules, very briefly, are:



1. Link back to the person who tagged you.

2. Write 7 interesting, little-known facts about you.

3. Tag 7 other people to participate.


I participated in a similar tag over a year ago when I may have had 10 commenters on a good day, which you can find here. A long time ago, Joyce also tagged me with this meme, so it's about time I finish it. Besides, it gives me a chance to include a few unused photos from the archives.


"Self-portrait"


1. I am not a morning person, which won't come as much of a surprise to Spring Flingers like Carol. It's not that I can't get up early in the morning; it's just that I am not one of those people who hit the bedroom floor running. It takes me a couple of hours just to get moving. Ironically, as I get older, I'm not much of a night person either. No wonder it takes me so long to get things done.



2. I've always wanted to learn how to play the guitar. I played alto sax in high school, played the piano as an accompanist for Sunday School and the school chorus, and occasionally played the pipe organ for church services and weddings. But all that was long ago--before children--and I'm very rusty. My children gave me a guitar, one of my best birthday presents ever, for my 50th birthday. I took a few lessons a few years later, but then stopped practicing. I am determined to learn how to play this instrument before I die! I've signed up for a class at our local community college in October called "Instant Guitar." I doubt it will turn me into Eric Clapton any time soon, but maybe it will give me the motivation to finally take more lessons.




3. I think I'm in the minority among gardeners, but I like expansive lawns. Good thing, because we have a very large lawn that takes Hubby most of every Saturday to mow. It's not fertilized or sprayed with any kind of chemicals, so it won't get any awards for lushness, but it's a great place for Sophie to run and for the grandkids to play a game of soccer or tag.



4. I've never liked housework. Oh, I would love to have my house neat and tidy . . . but I wish someone else could do it for me. I learned long ago that you just can't do it all, and a spotless house doesn't necessarily make a happy family. The sign hanging above my kitchen sink warns any visitors what to expect. My belief that "housework, properly done, can kill you" was further validated when I cut a deep gash in my leg cleaning the bedroom last week.



5. Despite being completely athletically-challenged, I am a big sports fan. I'm a diehard Chicago Cubs fan and a fan of all Illini sports. I'm glad college football season has started, because the Cubs' season might as well be over.


6. I am an incurable clock-watcher. I thought this would change when I retired, and it did to a degree. But I find myself still watching the clock, thinking "I really need to get off the computer this morning and start getting some work done."


One of my eager garden helpers, all prepared with her own garden tools and accessories given to her by her great-grandmother (my Mom).


7. I think I am a good driver. In 40+ years of driving I've never gotten a ticket--those 3 warnings I received for speeding don't count, and none of the fender benders I was in were my fault. I include this last bit of trivia for the benefit of Lisa and Frances who may think otherwise after sharing a late-night trip into the heart of Chicago with me at the wheel during Spring Fling. I get very nervous driving in the Big City, though, and I admit I do have a little night blindness . . .


Toby, my garden supervisor


I am generally a rule follower, too, and I had every intention of tagging 7 people to participate in this meme. But I see that quite a few of you have already joined in, and others I know prefer not to participate in memes at all. So this once I'm going to break the rules and extend an open invitation to anyone reading this to participate if you'd like.


Enjoy the rest of your Labor Day weekend!

26 comments:

  1. Hi Rose, Toby looks so nice with the contrasting red of the wheelbarrow. I think music is something everyone has a right to do, whether they're great or not! Also, you said "I cut a deep gash in my leg cleaning the bedroom last week." HUH WHA'? This just begs for more details!

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  2. Thanks for joining in. Very interesting little tidbits about you. Sorry about the injury you sustained while cleaning... better get out to the garden where it is safer!

    Carol, May Dreams Gardens

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  3. I meant to add my 2 cents about lawn: I think most gardeners who are "anti-lawn" (including me) are against all the resources that go into maintaining lawns that are never used for anything. If a lawn is a place for kids or pets to play, then I think it's a fine thing, especially if it isn't treated. For me, lawn is only wasted garden space (cats prefer sitting in the beds to sitting on the lawn and the youngest "kid" in my life is 20!).

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  4. I love the picture of Toby in the wheelbarrow. I'm not a morning person either and I wish I was!

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  5. I think it so cool you wish to learn how to play the guitar! My son plays it and occasionally I touch it-but that is it. I've never been musically inclined in the wee littlest bit. You and I share the housework thingy and clock watching. Yup, same issue-gotta get off here and get to work! Ha! What a life huh? Love the self portrait.

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  6. P.S. Those warnings surely don't count at all and I think 40+ years of driving and no major accidents a very good driver.

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  7. Oh Rose, Ihave always wanted to play the guitar too. I took lessons and played for a few years. It is best if you can find someone that likes to play the same music you like. A great incentive to keep playing.

    I can announce to the world you are a good driver. I wasn't a bit afraid that we would be hurt when riding with you.

    I don't need a sign to tell people Martha doesn't live here. They can tell by looking at the garden as they approach. Ha... Have a nice Labor Day.

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  8. Love your Martha sign!! I have a similar sentiment cross-stiched 'A Clean House is the Sign of a Misspent Life' I love it! your self potrait is pretty cool.

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  9. Good morning! I am so with you on the clean house thing! A clean house is highly overrated;) If company is coming over we do tidy up the public spaces...but please don't ask for a tour of the entire house!

    I hope you do learn to play the guitar~~it's such a lovely sounding instrument. One of our friends has over 200 guitars in his collection! He is a musician, but gosh doesn't that seem like A LOT!

    I can't give up all my lawn~~some is needed for dandelions, clover and other 'weeds' that bees need!

    Have a delicious day!

    Gail

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  10. My friends and I have saying: "A clean house is a sign of a wasted life." And that's great you signed up for guitar lessons. You can do it!

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  11. Judging by those answers, we have more in common than you'd think!
    Don't like lawns though and I can't play the guitar but I hope that you take it up again!
    I am thinking of learning the recorder!
    Lovely pics.

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  12. HA Rose, I think you are the best driver ever! And you navigator was wonderful. You got us where we were supposed to be with no one injured or worse. We applaud you! I admire your determination with the guitar and hope to see a video someday of you on youtube. I agree that house cleaning can be dangerous. I have broken more vases and lamps dusting them than all the moved we have endured. And ball games in the house. :-)
    Frances

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  13. Rose, Love your little gardener. Such a very grownup pose.

    Of course, I knew all the other things about you, even your night blindness. What the others in the car didn't realize is we both have a little of that. :) And we have no sense of direction, prefering to take the senic route to our destinations.

    Hope your Labor Day was great!

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  14. Love your garden supervisor! And you garden helper. Isn't she lucky to have a great-grandma (and you to still have your Mom).

    Your self-portrait is awesome. That shade of blue just glows in the garden.

    I totally agree with you about housework. I'd rather be in the garden (gee, I bet you didn't know that did you? LOL!)

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  15. Hi Rose,
    It is always nice to learn more about my blogging friends. I also am not a morning person...I get up early enough but do not really get going for a couple of hours...I like my coffee withthe birds.
    Sherry

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  16. Monica, The incident wasn't that exciting--I was cleaning the rest of the junk out of Daughter's bedroom and rubbed against a shard of glass I didn't know was there. I'll have a nasty scar to remind me to be more careful. As for the lawn, I totally understand. But you've seen my yard--no way could I turn that all into garden without full-time help:)

    Carol, Well, I have managed to acquire quite a few scratches from gardening, too.

    Sweet Bay, Toby loves any empty containers he can crawl into; it was a little difficult getting the mulch out of the wheelbarrow without dumping him, too:)

    Tina, I have a self-imposed time limit in the morning--after 9 AM, I feel lazy if I'm still reading blogs:) Maybe your son could give me lessons!

    Lisa, I think the drive into Chicago will remain in our memory for a long time--lots of laughs! I'm beginning to feel I'm not alone in disliking housework:)

    Janet, That's a great motto!

    Gail, I clean for company, too, but never let them see my bedroom! (It's where I stuff everything I don't know what to do with.)

    Rose, Thanks for the encouragement, Rose, and I totally agree with that saying!

    Maggie May, I'm not surprised we have a lot in common. Good luck with the recorder!

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  17. Frances, Thanks for the positive feedback on the driving; we did have a few laughs on the way. I don't think I'll be ready for YouTube for a long while:)

    Beckie, She is all business when it comes to planting flowers! "Too east of east" or "too west of west", we always have a good time on our road trips:)

    Wendy, I'm very lucky to have my mother not only still here, but still very active--I think she has more energy than I do! I'd definitely rather be gardening.

    Sherry, I have coffee with the birds, too. There isn't a better way to start the day:)

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  18. I think we'd get on so very well: we have so much in common. Mornings, nights, housework, drumming - okay, you're guitar but same principle!

    I do hope your leg is healing well.

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  19. Hi Rose, mighty handsome cat in the wheelbarrow;) Haven't seen him in a long time.

    I haven't played my guitar in years. When I was in school I saw myself as the next Joan Baez;)

    Big lawns are nice for kids and pets but I never intend to waste a day a week mowing one. Feel pretty much the same way about housework.
    Marnie

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  20. I have that exact same sign hanging in my laundry room ... my son gave it to me a few years ago. My kids are well aware that if I'm given a choice between gardening and cleaning house, I'll be out the door in a nanosecond!

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  21. I need that sign! Kudos on signing up for guitar lessons, I hope you stick with it. I tried to learn to play the guitar, but I hated the calluses, so I gave it up. I still feel so badly that I didn't point you in the right direction to get back to Chicago from Barrington. You really need to see Barrington Hills during the day, it's really beautiful.

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  22. Fun read Rose. Love the self portrait. I look forward to hearing about the guitar lessons.

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  23. Liz, And messy youngest children... My leg is fine, but I think I'll have a nasty scar as a reminder not to clean too much.

    Marnie, Toby is always around, but he hides out a little more these days with Sophie around; she annoys him:) I wanted to be Joni Mitchell:)

    Cindy, That's too funny. I don't usually spend much money on knick-knacks but when I saw this plaque, I knew I had to have it.

    MMD, Yes, I'll have to develop calluses all over again, sigh. Don't feel bad at all for the trip from Barrington--Beckie and I still probably would have gotten lost with directions:) Besides, the trip has become another one of the "scenic routes" we often laugh about.

    Susie, Now that I've committed myself to guitar lessons here, I can't very well back down, can I?

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  24. Never got a ticket? Your life is not complete yet! Not a morning person? You are young!

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  25. Thanks for playing along Rose. It's fun to get to know a bit more about other bloggers. I can relate to the cleaning part. I've always prefered the outdoor stuff myself. :)

    Racquel
    http://perennialgardener.wordpress.com

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  26. Oh, Rose! What fun to see a couple of similarities in my life and yours!

    During Austin Spring Fling in 2008, Carol found out just how slow I am in the morning, too!
    I bought a mandolin years ago but still can't play it worth a darn, have no tickets in 37 years of driving and am with you on the dangers of housework... one of our huge rolling trash carts flipped when I was washing it out, resulting in a visible and quite expensive scar.

    I like the Martha sign, but am glad yours looks purchased... the words "Martha doesn't live here" carefully crafted in hand done cross stitch would be an oxymoron!

    Here's hoping we'll both play our stringed instruments some day.

    Annie at the Transplantable Rose

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