Monday, May 16, 2011

Acanthus .







It's getting hot . Time to open up the pool . ' The font ' can think of more exciting things to do with a morning than buy pool chemicals so Wilf and yours truly head into town bright and early on our own . Wilf likes the hardware store . It has a large yard full of malodorous nooks and crannies . On our way back we stop off at the cafe for a coffee, the mandatory bowl of water and a croissant . Even the beer and absinthe crowd are talking about the strange case of Monsieur Strauss-Kahn and his alleged rape of a chambermaid in a New York hotel room . The story broke yesterday morning and now has the whole of France in a frenzy .

The rickety old farmhouse has an equally ramshackle old garden . It doesn't have flower borders so much as great swathes of untamed wilderness . What people on those programmes about restoring old houses would describe as a ' long term project ' . Underneath the weeds , acanthus plants . Twenty seven of them uncovered yesterday . All growing happily away in the shade . In Scotland we planted acanthus, or bears breeches , as a feature . Here they seem to grow as weeds . What will happen to them now that they can enjoy sunlight remains to be seen .

Hourly pit stops with Wilf last night. I hope its just a bad batch of insulin rather than a sign of anything more serious with his liver . Not that he's bothered . He returns home to find Audes van in the driveway . His first priority ? Tyre christening .

19 comments:

  1. Maybe you should go for an Egg McMuffin sometime! :)

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  2. Thank goodness the acanthus are plants. "Canthus" is the inner or outer portion of the eye where the upper and lower lids meet. I initially imagined Wilf's eyes inflamed! Hourly piddles seem benign compared to my greatly relieved mind (but it is not my sleep being interrupted). Hope all mellows out.

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  3. Desirable plants growing weeds??! That's got to be a bonus.

    XXXOOO Daisy, Kendra & Bella

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  4. Christening Aude's tyres was Wilfee's first priority of the day, the second one will surely be to take some rest in the sun, or to roll in the grass. He surely had great ideas about it !
    Happy new week Wilfee, enjoy each day, sweet boy.
    Lots of love and trillions of bisous for you.
    AmitiƩs to you Angus, and the Font.

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  5. Ah yes, my earlier scientific research revealed that in the world of dog blogs, the purchase of pool chemicals is a key indicator of the change in seasons (though not in Scotland, oddly.....)
    Hoping Wilfy has a better night tonight.
    Toodle pip!
    Bertie.

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  6. Wilfie!!! I hope tonight all is well with you again. I am overwhelmed by the love you have for the polar bear.
    Acanthus - it is infesting all my garden. First I introduced it then it takes over ... It looks great for 2 months and then it is over...
    Love from Southern Italy Susanne, Daisy, Foxiie and Dandy the Cat who sleeps with us now after being away for some days...

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  7. Of course the story of Monsieur Strauss-Kahn is all over the news here--The report of the incident has changed from last evening. The first report was that the maid came into his $3000 a night room to clean and he was there and assaulted her. Now they are reporting that he chased her down the hallway--And she was able to pick him out of a line-up. It's really a bizarre story that I really hope gets sorted out quickly....

    But we had Acanthus at our last house. It’s one tough plant and kept coming back despite my neglect. People in more temperate climates consider it a pest.

    We think so often of Wilf, and never stop sending prayers and good thoughts for him--I hope both your evenings are quiet and restful ones with no pit-stops!

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  8. Ah, British tyre christening (or US tire christening) is a treat with personal meaning anytime! Here's hoping Wilf has many such pleasures awaiting him. Happiest of Mondays to you Wilfee. DBH

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  9. I love how those boys can always rise to the occasion of tire christening! I know about long term garden projects. I'm hoping for several rain free days so I can unearth our daylilies from the crab grass!

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  10. The story of Mr. Stauss-Kahn fascinated Mr. O and I on Sunday when we read it in the news. He certainly fled the hotel in a hurry, leaving behind much evidence..... hmmmm.... will be interesting as the story continues to unfold.

    The acanthus garden is interesting and indeed a long term project (after the pool is opened)

    The folks living in the grand log house in Anchorage can easily get to their house in icy winter, surprisingly the road is very well maintained. However, I dare not venture up those heights in winter, even with studded tires and 4WD.

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  11. Mr. Strauss-Khan seems to have captured the front page here too. He was described as a Jekyll and Hyde -- a brilliant financier and an inveterate womanizer. What is it with these powerful people? Do they really think they can do whatever they wish and no one will ever find out?

    We'd much rather think about Wilf.

    xxx Joan

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  12. I still marvel at the foxglove (digitalis) growing wild in Scotland. Here, I coax and baby it and still have to replant each and every year for the best blooms. Sigh. This year, with my first vegetable garden, I have turned my attention to okra.

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  13. Hmm, gonna have to google that story about Monsieur Strauss-Kahn and the alleged rape. Funny how France gets so much American news. We get very little news on France.

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  14. Ok, I just googled it and it is in the news here.

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  15. Of course tire christening should be top priority, to say the least! Enjoy your day dear Wilf et al....at least Blogger is working in your neck of the woods....not here yet! Keep going Wilf, lovely boy...

    With love your Canadian pals,
    Dianna along with Tor, Willow and Tucker

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  16. I would suspect that Wilf has indulged in one too many treats. From your experience, you know how sensitive the diabetic condition is to variations in diet.
    Strauss-Kahn: arrogance run amok. Demanding to be treated like a VIP by the police. The nerve! Not the way to win over New York's finest. Power goes to some peoples heads. Probably thought a simple hotel maid would be too intimidated to come forward and stand up for herself.
    Acanthus, like Strauss-Khan, is an absolute pest. Keep an eye on it; it will try to take over.

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  17. What is it with dogs and tires!!! Wilf is in fine form!!!

    Sending our love!

    Scruffy, Lacie and Stanny

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  18. Hope Wilf's bladder is back on a more sleep-friendly schedule. But if not, love still triumphs over late night pit stops. Don't recall any past posts about Wilf enjoying swimming in the pool. Does he?

    We think Americans are enjoying a sex scandal that, for once, is not about one of our own politicians. To the extent Americans even know who Strauss-Kahn is, we suspect Americans are more shocked about the sexual assault and the French are more annoyed that he was stupid enough to get caught.

    Jed & Abby

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