When we first came to Maine I transplanted some Siberian Iris from a vacant lot nearby and over the years I have divided the original clump several times. Now I am deciding that I don't really like the plant-- it has a short bloom and each clump expands outward but dies in the center. They are tenacious plants, however, and have to be wrestled out of the ground with great heavings and choppings of a mattock-- These are many that I moved this spring and planted beside the ditch that springs from the perimeter drain. They like wet feet and seem very happy in their new home. They have done a great job dressing up the ditch and if I get more ferns in with them I think I will be satisfied.
Every morning at eight I meet my neighbors to walk our dogs around the circle. Darby and Winston are off leash but Angus is deeply traumatized and kept on leash. It is alleged that he was never out of a cage from birth to six months when he was "rescued". He is terrified of almost everything and even though it has been a year since he has been with Norm, he has never become comfortable with me or Karen. He cringes from any attempt to pat him and refuses to take any treats. Darby and Winston get regular doses of dried chicken as we move around the circle-- a treat that insures their close presence through the walk. Angus is a handsome dog and has a lovely prance.
These are the pale pink poppies planted near the porch. My camera or the lighting or just the amateur nature of the photography in general give a poor representation of how beautiful they really are. I will try again at dusk and see if I get better results.
Today is John's 67th birthday. My only presents for him are a rhubarb pie and a strawberry shortcake. I was up very early this morning and finished all my newspaper puzzles in time to start the piecrust at 6:00 am. We are camping this weekend at Mt. Blue State Park in Weld so we will have the shortcake tonight and the pie for breakfast. Andrew and Margaret will join us.
Joan had an upsetting meeting with her oncologist yesterday. She is supposed to go on a maintenance regimen of chemotherapy and has learned that it will cost $3000 every 21 days (with a seven day break between) and that insurance will cover none of the cost. Her doc said she would need it "for the rest of her life". This is, quite simply, impossible and I have spent many hours thinking about solutions. It is incredible to think that she is being told, in effect, that she can buy some indefinite period of life for a cost that seems exorbitant-- they might do it for a year or so if they beggared themselves but what sense does that make?
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