Trimmings

There is more to life than

increasing its speed.

---Mahatma Gandhi

First, I would like to say thank you to Zascha for leaving an anonymous comment yesterday. I don't have a way to send her a note, but wanted to say that I also love The Bee Movie too! I saw it twice and need to rent it and watch it again......it gave me such a chuckle! Thanks for reminding me!
As I mentioned before, I did some trimming outside with our "2nd chance" weather we have been having and had to show you the poor little rose bush I butchered the day before yesterday.
I am not a pruner in the sense of knowing what I am doing. I just start clipping away and before I know it, ta-da! These are old rose bushes that have probably been here for at least 10 years or longer. I actually would like to dig them up (I don't like the colors, bright orange and red), but that is another project for another day (or year!) Anyway, it reminded me of my grandfather, my father's father, my Nonno. While I was growing up, he lived in San Francisco and came down to Cupertino every Monday. For 3 years my Mom worked at a doctor's office so he would be alone for part of the afternoon and was always pruning something. When my Mom came home there would be another bush or tree practically gone! She would be so irritated, but what could she say? Nonno liked to be outside, but he lived in a flat in San Francisco and didn't have much outside space so I am sure he felt like he hit a gold mine coming down to sleepy little Cupertino. (this was the 60's when it was nothing but apricot and cherry orchards for miles and miles, not Silicon Valley)
So I guess I inherited that trait from him. Also, I know that if I get too particular in doing something it just doesn't get done......I lament over and over on how to do it just right......but I know I just have to get out and do it!

I had to take a picture of this little ol' lone tree out in the front. We planted 3 different trees 2 1/2 years ago for spring and fall color, but this is the only one that survived. I think it is a pistachio tree without the pistachios. (it is not the actual nut tree, but called something like that just the same) We planted one up in Fortuna that was lovely and grew more rapidly than this one is doing. Hopefully we will get more rain this winter to give it a boost (although I did water it during the hot summer months, but maybe not enough?)
Beyond the tree are several pear and apple trees that have been here forever it seems. Several are no longer producing and the others need to be pruned. By the time I get out there to pick what little fruit there is, the birds have already had breakfast, lunch and dinner!
I am finally working on painting the bedroom and will share more of that tomorrow. I have to prime the walls first as I had a patchwork of 6 colors of blue trying to figure out which one to use, trying to match it to the movie Mamma Mia! (another story) :o)
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Today's poem ---

IF LIFE WERE BUT A DAY
by Frank B. Whitney

If all that we could know of life
need be but for a day,
If life were really one day long,
we'd make that one day gay;
We'd never take the time to frown,
to worry, or to sigh,
We'd get the good we could from life
before the day went by.
~~~~~
Some flowers grow that open wide
at dawn to bloom till night:
They keep their faces to the sun,
reflect its sunny light,
They shed their beauty, perfume sweet
on all who pass their way---
And all they ever know of life
is but a single day.
~~~~~
In Truth we've but today to live,
the present moment's all,
Tomorrow never seems to come---
it e'er eludes our call.
We need to get the good we can
from all today can give,
So let's resolve that we today
will love, rejoice, and live!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I love that poem...words to live by.
HAVE A TREMENDOUS DAY!