Apropos of Nothing v.13

That is a lovely mum - and I probably wouldn't have given it a second look without the heads up. I wonder how those would look planted next to my purple asters that bloom like crazy in September...

Yep. I remembered as soon as I saw it. I might have to do it, regardless of whether it makes it through our freezing rain . . . I love that soft peachy color and the big spidery blossoms.

They looked fantastic next to the later-blooming larkspur that had naturalized nearby.

I feel like the Johnny Appleseed of 'Mary Stoker' chrysanthemums ...

You are!

Ha -- I called my dad tonight to find out who Amy was (we're still both unsure -- looks as if Justin had a kid before he married whomever he's married to, I can't remember her name but like her because she loves cats but can't have them in the house so her father builds these amazing insulated outdoor cat houses that always have cats lounging around & in them it's really cute)

ANYWAY ... I warned him that if anyone ever reports him anonymously to the driver police it will be me. He said he'd report me first.

Apropos of nothing- I can't recall who it was here that recommended Diana Gabaldon to me, but I want to say Thank You from the bottom of my little book-devouring heart. I've read Outlander and Dragonfly in Amber so far, and I'm on the waiting list for the next few in the series. I love them. :)

Oh, thank you, I have had a good chuckle wondering when my procedure this week is. Willow and Lynn, praying everything goes well for you two, this week.
Trying to keep track of all the different directions this thread has taken is mind boggling.
Good thoughts please for all my fam as we gather in Texas for a wedding on Sunday. The one son's family left this morning. They are driving - with 3 little ones in the car. Good thing they are stopping in Tenn. til Thursday. One of the kids gets carsick. Hopefully, the whatever she is going to give him works, or it will be a L O N G drive.
I fly out tomorrow with my niece ( the photographer and her 2 kids) , DH on Thursday after school, and the other two sons on Friday.
Needless to say that it will be difficult trying to catch up on the threads (let alone the weeds) when I get back, but know that at some point this week I will think of you.

Safe journey, Jan.

We have a guy on the island, Ross Chapin, an architect, who designs these kinds of places all over the U.S. He's built 2 in Langley. Altho they're just houses and common areas, no stores, etc. Probably because they're in Langley village and therefore walking distance to stores, library, post office, coffee, movie and performing arts theaters, etc. I used to work for his wife actually. He's also currently involved in bringing some kind of green-building college to Langley. Not sure how far along they are on that.

Travel safe, Jan, and have a fun time with family!

Thank you for the sweet sentiments. We will have fun, we will have fun, we will have fun.

So much fun!

You're welcome, Pony!

Jan have a wonderful and safe trip. I love family weddings when everyone present is full of good wishes for the bride and groom. All those people in one place with collective happy thoughts! Enjoy.

Gwen I like the communal living places that integrate into the community. I think it adds another dimension to life, and is beneficial to the community as well. As long as there is enough space on the communal living grounds to have a rural feel. I'm going to google Ross Chapin.

We have another communal place here called Talking Circle. In fact, now that I think about it, we have quite a few. We looked at a house for rent that was in a communal situation.

Oh, Pony. I'm so glad that you're enjoying them. Aren't they amazing? Diana Gabaldon has an incredible ability to weave a story around facts and create some amazing characters. And the series doesn't ever get old - there's always more and more. I told the friend that recommended (nay, "forced") they on me that I had to have action or I just couldn't focus on the story. She said that this would do the trick and she's so right.

Jan, have a safe trip. And safe trip to your family, as well. I got car sick as a kid, too. Probably still do, but I rarely ride in the back seat on a long trip. My parents used Dramamine, which pretty much knocked me out so I missed things. I found out years later that some people let their car sick kid sit in the front seat. I think that might have helped me out.

Summer - cute exchange with your Dad. I'd love to hear more about these outdoor cat enclosures. Maybe you need to go to the graduation. :-)

Thinking about you today, Patricia (Willow).

I love the idea of these communes, but I think I'm too ornery for rules. Sigh, I guess there will come a point when it just won't matter how ornery I think I am. On the other hand, I just started a good daily dose of Vitamin D and now I think I'm going to live forever . . . I'm convinced.

I'm kinda with you, Katie. I've looked into a couple & decided that, for my purposes, they were just a disguised form of HOAs.

Since we have our own architect, maybe she can help us with a new concept . . .

I'm another big fan of the Outlander series. Okay, i'll admit, I'm just a big fan of Jamie. ;)

I'm on her most recent book but only read a few pages every now and then because I don't want it to end! I bought it the day it came out and still am not even halfway done. LOL I hope to drag it out til the next one is released.

Yeah. Who doesn't like Jamie. She has written him well. I think that's why they can't do the movie -- because even Gerard Butler can't do him justice. But if they do, that's one movie I'll buy immediately.

Have you read any of her other stuff? She's done a series on Lord John. My friend has read it and thinks it's great.

Another couple series that this friend recommended that I loved are below. I would not have though in a million years that I would have enjoyed these. She literally forced me to try "just the first one" and I'm stuck.

Rachel Caine Weather Warden Series http://www.rachelcaine.com/page3/page3.html
Kelley Armstrong's Bitten Series http://www.kelleyarmstrong.com/mSeries.htm

And then there's always Gorge R.R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire Series. I've started his series and want to read the rest, but I sit down to read so seldom (on the bus) that it will take me the rest of my life. It's amazing to me that there are so many people who have named their kids after characters in the books, but after reading them I get it.

I've never even heard of any of these books or authors.

Everyone keeps pitching Barbara Kingsolver to me but I'm halfway through "Animal Vegetable Mineral" and not particularly enthralled. Seems like old ground to me.

The books I listed are just plain mind candy, really. My version of Georgian Romances or something. Sort of fantasy/historical/action with lots of plot twists.

I like Barbara Kingsolver, but I need to be in "the right place" to read her.

If it feels cold, that's because it is.

http://www.komonews.com/weather/blog/94775664.html

Katie59, the communal living concept is not about rules - it's about sharing resources. The people can make it whatever they want it to be. Consensus about what the shared spaces are about, and anything goes in your private space. Shared resources like having transportation when you can no longer drive, common farming areas, common space for assembly, common guest facilities, etc.

I just finished Ian McEwan's Solar. He's an amazing author. The first book I read by him was Enduring Love, and I was hooked.

Oooh Kathy (and Pony & Gwen perhaps) if you like Kelly Armstrong and Diana Gabaldon, have you read Charlaine Harris (the Sookie Stackhouse novels that True Blood is based on, although I love her other mystery series as well), or Carrie Vaughn (the Kitty Norville series), or Patricia Briggs (the Mercedes Thompson series)? Mind candy all of them, and much faster reading than the Fire & Ice series.

Jack is coming to visit in a month (neither of us has met anyone else, he's too busy & I'm too lazy) ... so we're going to try to crash Crater Lake.

Anyone have recommendations for the best beach town to stay in between Lincoln City & Coos Bay?

Big laughing fit here after catching up with this thread. I'm fine thanks, just another scar on this old bod. I think he put it in a crease. Have to go back next Wed. and have the stitches out. Hope Lynn gets out as easy as I did.
I have the Lord John books if anyone would like to read them. They are small and go fast. They are a good addition to the Outlander series. I think I've read the 'Song of Ice and Fire' ones. I'll get the others you mentioned and see how they are. There is another good series who's main character is Dritz. Salvatore is the author. They are upstairs and I'm not going there today. I like Elizabeth George's books about a Scotland Yard agent. I'll have to get that info also.
Hope you have a fun trip Jan. Tofino

I did understand that, Judi. And I love the concept.

I guess, because I'm not married, don't have kids, have always lived alone, was for all practical purposes an only child, I just know that I'm not very good at sharing anything - space, ideas, etc. And I don't commit very easily. So I just don't know how I'd ever fit in to anything, including a community with ANY kind of plan. But if there was one, that'd for sure be it.

Kim - I had the Patricia Briggs Mercy Thompson series recommended to me by that same friend, but forgot about it. She lives in the Tri Cities http://www.patriciabriggs.com/books/books.shtml. Carrie Vaughn and Charlaine Harris are new to me. I must look them up. Thanks for the recommendation.

SK, have fun with that trip. For me, part of the fun doing the Oregon Coast is staying wherever you end up. I don't suppose you can really do that so well anymore and I haven't been down the coast in a long time.

I plan ahead when traveling with the dog. From my research so far, southern Oregon looks kind of ... primitive.

Katie, you & I could probably make a commune of 2. But remember, I get to set all the rules.

We also need a super-fine kennel and huge dog park on our commune.

Osita just volunteered to be boss of the dog park. She herds cats too, she pointed out.

You got it Willow. It will be dog paradise, with a few cats thrown in for excitement. I would be happy to dog-sit for anyone who is away. I'm not sure what we would do with a kennel? A huge secure fenced dog area is a greta idea!

Katie59, that kind of living is not for everyone. You say you don't share well, but rumor has it you share your life with many furry ones - that's a pretty sharing kind life!

I've started a book recommendations thread. Let's keep this going with recommendations and reviews. It'll be fun.

http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1101073/

Patricia, I'm glad you're back and that things went well.

Aw, Judi, you always say the right thing. At this point, I think it's they who are actually sharing with me. I'm just housekeeping, really. :-)

I would love to have dog sitters that I could trust. I literally don't remember when I last went on a vacation.

SK, I think Osita would love Bug and Magic. They like it when other people make and enforce the rules - gives them more time for play.

Ahh- see, those are all the authors I usually read. Rachel Caine, Kelley Armstrong, Kim Harrison, Patricia Briggs, Charlaine Harris, (I'm reading her latest now) Karen Marie Moning, Carrie Vaughn, Lori Handeland, Keri Arthur, Richelle Mead, Jeaniene Frost, Jaye Wells, Stacia Kane, Caitlin Kittredge, etc. etc.

I love Urban Fantasy type stuff. Totally brain candy, and I zoom through about a book a day. Can't do that with Diana Gabaldon! LOL! Her stuff is like sinking my teeth into a thick steak when I've been eating nothing but roast beef sandwiches. :)

Hmmmm - we are all reading the same authors. I find that interesting. Pony, would you mid posting your author/book recommendations on the book thread, as well? I'd love to have a single place to go back and look for this information when I'm looking for a book.

George R.R. Martin is more like Diana Gabaldon - lots of plot maneuvering, history, character development, detail, description, twists and turns. I swear that either of those two authors can take a single day in the life of one of their characters and turn it into several hundred interesting pages. Thank goodness they have this outlet or their brains might explode.

I think Gerard would make a fine Jamie but they've waited too long and he's getting too old to play the younger Jamie.

I have read all the Sookie books. I like them but I don't care for the tv show. It's way too dark. I wish they had followed the books more.

I'll check out the book thread later tonight. I'm on a brief break from major yard work and am headed back out there now. I have read a couple of the Lord John books. They didn't do much for me, altho they were okay. But basically without Jamie, Claire, and the kids, not nearly as much fun.

315 posts already! Sheesh! ;p

Time for a NEW THREAD! *dingdingding* NEW THREAD!

http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1101120/