#im looking forward to choosing plants for the garden beds!!

[sharksfood]

WE BOUGHT A HOUSE!! WE ARE MOVING TO SEATTLE!! ITS FINALLY HAPPENING!!

[joontier]

The King’s Guard | the minis i. 

summary:  Seokjin leans forward, “Your father has fought well and there is no greater honor than to die for the safety of your countrymen. I am glad he has a son to continue the legacy of your family. Stand, Jung Jungkook, for I know your father’s soul is now at peace.” The man complies and speaks, “Long live King Seokjin, long live the capital!” The rest of the two hundred men follow suit. The citizens join in on the cheering but your eyes linger on the new captain and the faded scar on his left cheek.

pairings: kim seokjin x reader ; jeon jungkook x reader ; min yoongi x reader

rating: R | genre: established relationship! au, smut, fluff, the wedding night ™

warnings: no prep here whatsoever, two virgins at it for the first time 

word count: 1.1k

g/n: yall im sorry chapter five is taking so long :-((( please accept this drabble as compensation i just had to get this out of my unclean soul jdsfkjasdklfasjdf p.s one didnt get to climax bUT then again they didnt exactly get proper sex ed during those times hngnhghg p.p.s. @mintseesaw​ HELLO BABE IM SORRY FOR DROPPING THIS OUT OF NOWHERE BUT A GAL’S GOTTA DO WHAT A GAL’S GOTTA DO

The King’s Guard - Masterlist  ||  navi.

The King’s Guard | the minis i.

With your wedding ceremony over, you and Seokjin retire to his hanok in silence. It was awfully quiet, save the birds’ chirping with the cold breeze of the night. It wasn’t that type of silence that made you want to shrink and disappear, yet it was that type of quietude that was caused by anticipation, ultimately waiting for something that was already bound to happen, yet not one of you wishes to be vocal about it. 

Even with the sheer red veil covering your face, you choose not to meet your husband’s eyes as he slides his bedroom door open. He lets you walk forward and explore the room for a while. You can;t really think of anything else, mindlessly wandering around his room. Your head is clouded with anticipation that you don’t realize Seokjin already standing beside you. 

Seokjin lifts the veil slowly, and as you finally make eye contact, he lets out a breath he didn't know he was holding until now. 

“It’s alright, my love. I’ll take care of you,” Seokjin assures pulling you into an embrace. For a while, the both of you just stand there in each other’s arms, letting yourself calm down as you listen to the steady beating of Seokjin’s heart. You weren't sure what has gotten you on edge the whole day - and it’s not as  if you hadn't been with Seokjin during the better years of your life. 

Seokjin takes cognizance of your apprehension - he always does, like every small gesture does not go unnoticed. Sometimes, you wonder if he knows you better than you do yourself. “We don’t have to do this.” Seokjin pulls away, leaving you at arm’s length from each other. 

Ever so gently, he cups your jaw in his palm, pulling you a little closer as he places a lingering kiss on your forehead. You are thankful for the gesture,  a small smile gracing your lips in gratitude.  This time you feel more secure, knowing that Seokjin would never do anything that would hurt you. 

You place your hand on top of his, squeezing his larger hand a little to show your affirmation. “I trust you,” you whisper, leaning further towards the warmth of his palm. When you look up at him, hesitation is evident in his features. Unfortunately for him, the growing tent in his pants doesn't seem to agree with his uncertainty. 

Turning your head a little, you plant a kiss on his palm, never taking your eyes off him with a fervent hope he gets the message. Seokjin takes a deep breath at the sight, testing how far his self-control might reach. 

“You’re going to let me take care of you tonight, my Queen?” Seokjin whispers against the shell of your ear, effectively sending a shiver running through the length of your spine. You give him a shy nod in reply and Seokjin no longer wastes any time, nipping gently at your ear before attaching his lips on your neck. 

He finally removes the heavy golden pins on your head, letting your hair fall in small waves just below your chest. Seokjin continues to untie the knots on your ceremonial garments, inhaling sharply when he sucks on a particular spot just below your jaw. 

Tilting your head to give him more access, Seokjin’s lips never leave your skin until he finally slides your jeogori from your shoulders. You take his pausing an opportunity to undress him as well. With shaky hands, you reach out to tug his durumagi off. Seokjin chuckles as he sees you fumble with the knot just above his waist, offering to give you a hand. 

Sighing in defeat, you let him do the work. As soon as he discards his clothes, you pull him closer, connecting your lips in a feverish kiss. You’ve never done this before, let alone kiss him this fervently. You and Seokjin were always discreet when it came to displays of affection - a quick peck on the cheek when you were left alone in the garden of blush or a small hug when no one was watching. 

Maybe that’s what caused you to be rigid the whole day - to know that something was to happen yet unsure of what to do, or at the very least, expect. You had never been this nervous around Seokjin, wanting your first night as a married couple most delightful. Disdainfully, your desire to make your husband happy is seemingly backfiring, giving you more anxiety than confidence. 

Now though, you realized you were most comfortable and secure around your now-husband, so there was absolutely nothing to worry about. His actions are starting to get driven by haste, this time his fingers are thumbing the knot on your skirt. “Why do you have to wear so many layers of clothes?” your husband huffs, brows furrowed in concentration. 

As he finally rids you of your clothes, Seokjin gets back to kissing you, pulling you closer than ever before, if that was still possible. His hands start travelling southward, the slightly calloused pads of his fingers trailing down against the expanse of your back, ultimately landing on the globe of your ass. 

He gives them a squeeze, making you gasp at the sudden brazenness of his actions and he uses your surprise as an opportunity to hook his hands under your thighs to lift you off the ground and carry you to his bed. 

Laying you gently on the futon, he lays a hand on your inner thighs, gently spreading your legs apart so he can position himself properly between them. “Are you ready?” You can tell he’s keeping himself restrained, cock even twitching in anticipation. Your heart soars, grateful that the heavens have blessed you with a husband like Seokjin - one who puts your comfort first before his. 

“I’m ready,” you affirm, nodding twice at him. Seokjin inhales sharply, taking his length in his hands, letting the angry tip press tentatively against your core. Slowly, he breaches your entrance, the both of you shivering as he finally seats his cock up to the hilt. 

When the slight pain subsides, you give him a go-signal, urging him to start moving. Your husband complies quickly, pulling out slowly and pushing back in just as languidly. Seokjin savors how your walls clench deliciously around his cock, and at that moment, he decides nothing could ever feel more heavenly than this. 

He gets to a pace that brings him to his high shortly. Seokjin feels his balls tighten, and with one last snap of his hips, he cums, body shuddering above you. You wonder if you were supposed to reciprocate what Seokjin felt just now, but you don’t mind, if it brings your husband to elation, then it is enough for you. Besides, there will be plenty of that next time. Surely. 

Seokjin, who’s still panting heavily, collapses beside you, pulling the covers over the both of you. “Next time, wear less clothes, so I don’t finish quickly, my love.”

© joontier 2020. All rights reserved.

[oblio-k]

ANYWAYS ive been working on a mila fic whenever im exhausted and here it is. whether it’s love or manipulation is up to the readers

Invitation

As Mila pulls a weed from the little garden she’s started behind her employer's mansion, she finds it hard to keep her mind from wandering. From thinking about how her life is so different now.

She forces herself to use the word different because if she uses another word she fears she may start crying. And if that happens, someone would undoubtedly see her, and her employer would take her aside and ask her if she was alright in a way that would sound kind but could drag any answer out of her that he wanted. She likes working for him and vastly prefers this life, this job to her old one. Crying will just make things difficult.

Master Tain had been cruel and treated her as if she was nothing if he noticed that she existed at all. She’d been on the receiving end of his wrath quite frequently and had been left with bruises more than she cared to admit.

Agent Tain is cruel, but never to her. To her, he’s careful and kind, respectful. He goes out of his way to spend time with her and never raises a hand to her. When he looks at her, he doesn’t look through her, and she’s glad to be acknowledged.

She knows he’s only so kind because she knows who he really is. Who he isn’t, rather. But she likes to think it’s also because they’re friends. Or, at least, are becoming friends.

But when she looks at him when he’s working, she’s reminded of how they met, and she can’t stop her hands from trembling just a bit. Before meeting Agent Tain, she’d only ever seen people die from old age or illness. She’d never seen people be murdered. She’d never seen people be or had been interrogated, never had to learn how to use a weapon-

“Miss Garak.”

When she stands and turns, Enabran is behind her. At first, his ability to sneak up on her, to appear out of nowhere, had scared her. Now, it still frightens her, but she doesn’t worry he will hurt her. He’s had so many opportunities to get rid of her, to eliminate the last person besides his superiors that knew his secret, but he’s never taken them. She is alive and unharmed, save for a scratch on her palm from a tool she’d grabbed the wrong end of while gardening.

Before she can greet him, she sees the wound cutting across his abdomen. It’s as if someone had slashed him with a sharp knife. One hand presses tightly against the large wound, like he’s keeping himself from spilling open, though it does nothing to stop the flow of blood. A smaller puncture wound by his clavicle bleeds profusely. She forces herself to get over her shock after looking at each injury and takes his free arm around her shoulders. He leans against her and she helps him inside.

It’s not the first time he’s come to her with injuries, and she can never tell if he is in pain. Enabran is silent as they walk to the master bedroom, and his breathing is steady. It’s not typical for an Obsidian Order agent to appear immune to any injury, from what she’s overheard and seen.

She’s not entirely sure she knows why that is. Mila suspects he’s not a normal agent, that these assassination and interrogation attempts come so frequently because he is proof of something his superiors would very much like to erase.

He sits on the edge of his bed and she washes the dirt from her hands and retrieves the medical kit he has hidden away. It takes a moment for the wall panel to open when she lets it scan her palm, and when she turns around, Enabran is pulling off his bloodied, torn shirt. There are no wounds on his back, and he lies down as she opens up the kit next to him.

Mila doesn’t understand why he trusts her. Still, she dutifully heals him and when the medical scanner picks up an odd substance in his system, she asks, “Have you been poisoned, sir?”

“It’s a truth serum,” he replies, an odd smile on his face. His voice is completely level, as if he hadn’t almost bled to death.  “A very strong one.”

“But it doesn’t work on you.”

“Of course it d-doesn’t.” His voice cracks, and he closes his eyes. But he’s too late to hide it when she’s looking directly at him. His pupils dilate. Bizarrely, he begins to laugh. “Why would it work? I’m Cardassian.”

It means something, that. An inside joke that she’s not privy to the context of. But Enabran glances at her, an invitation for her to investigate. He won’t be upset if she finds out what that means- he wants her to, she’s almost sure. The secret she knows could destroy everything he’s worked for, what’s another?

“Miss Garak, are you finished?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Thank you. Would you get me a cup of tea?” Master Tain had never thanked anyone. Agent Tain never thanked anyone unless he was manipulating them, and even then, only rarely. Enabran always thanks her. She likes to think it’s genuine. He rubs his eyes as she turns, and sits up.

He has a small tea set in his bedroom, a little burner and a few boxes of the different teas he’s collected on his travels. It’s an indulgence of his, and he’ll get a distant look in his eyes for a moment when she hands the cup to him.

She’s thrilled and worried about noticing and knowing these little details about him. It’s an exposure of that part of him from before.

A weakness he would cease if she dared to point it out.

“Make a cup for yourself,” he adds.

“Yes, sir.”

She picks an herbal blend with a pleasant taste she knows will help with his recovery and help relax her nerves. Blood still isn’t something she’s very used to, especially not large quantities of it. Perhaps in a few years, it won’t faze her.

A few years. She’ll be lucky if he lets her live that long, and she’s not sure what she’s feeling when she realizes she only ever thinks about her future being here, serving him.

By the time the tea is done, he’s changed into fresh clothing, a garish orange turtleneck covered by a drab green shirt, with black pants that don’t match the rest of the outfit at all. Fashion is not something he’s good at, but then again, he seems to be good at everything if asked. She’s sure if she requested it, and he was so inclined, he could choose an outfit fitting of his position as heir to the Tain fortune.

As he takes the cup from her and doesn’t even check it for poison, she thinks to herself that he would very likely be inclined to do what she asked. But she won’t. She knows her place.

“Miss Garak, how is your garden?”

“It’s doing quite well. My brother sent me some seeds to try growing, and they’ve finally begun to sprout.”

“Tolan, correct?”

“Yes, sir.” She’d never told him her brother’s name before. “I’m afraid I’ll never quite meet his skill for flowers.”

“I never understood why people enjoy flowers so much.”

“They’re beautiful. People like to look at nice things.” He opens his mouth to say something and hesitates. Perhaps the truth serum is affecting him more than he wants to admit, though she doesn’t know what he could possibly say about flowers that he wouldn’t want anyone to hear. She asks a question that she thinks will be inconsequential, “If there’s anything you would like to see in the garden, I would plant it for you.”

“No. I’m sure whatever you grow will look beautiful.”

“Thank you, sir.”

“Though perhaps you should grow more edible plants than flowers. It’s been quite some time since I was last able to eat something that I’d picked myself.” That distant look. Then his pupils grow large and he looks down at his tea as he says, “When I was a boy, my caretakers would take me on walks around the estate grounds after I’d finished my studies for the morning. We’d eat from the garden until lunch was ready. It was nice.” They’re as wide as she’s ever seen on anyone as he finishes.

Before she can offer her own story about her and her brother enjoying fruits and vegetables from their father’s garden, he asks her, “Miss Garak, do you know how to play kotra?”

“I’m familiar with the title, not with the rules,” Mila answers, dropping the sir to see what he hopes to gain by teaching a servant a complicated game.

A smile tugs at his lips, and he gets up and pretends not to have noticed. “It’s a game I quite enjoy. I believe you would be a good player.” He retrieves a board from within his desk and brings back to the bed. “I was taught how to play when I was young.”

She expects to find a knife at her throat in an hour, then. “I don’t expect you to play any way but your best, sir, despite my inexperience.”

“Kotra is a game about bold tactical strategy…”

Sure enough, after having quickly lost two games against him and arguing with him after she realized he was allowing her to win their third match, a disruptor is pressed against her throat, her wrists held tight in his other hand. She hadn’t even seen him grab it.

“I think I need to get back to work, Miss Garak,” he tells her, voice cold.

Enough was enough. He couldn’t risk appearing close to her so soon after an incident. Quietly, she agrees, but he doesn’t let her go.

“You understand, don’t you, Mila?” It was too dangerous for them to be friends. To be whatever they were. Mila wonders which one of them he’s afraid for.

After all, why should he care if something happens to her? Attachment was a weakness. He’d said so himself to another agent, and for once, she was absolutely certain he had been honest. “Yes, sir.”

It’s even more likely that he’s not worried at all, that all this is a game to keep her quiet. Still, she enjoyed their time together and will look forward to the next, if it comes.

Agent Tain releases her, lowering the disruptor.

[devonmoving]

Checklist and Tips for A Stress Free Moving

The following article Checklist and Tips for A Stress Free Moving was originally published on: https://devonmoving.com

Helpful Tips for A Smooth Move

Moving to a new place can take a toll on you and your family. This means that you will be packing your things, moving them and then unpacking them in your new place. You will have to plan ahead and make sure that you will be bringing with you all the things you need.

A lot of considerations will have to be taken into account, especially if you are on a tight budget. You will be deciding on whether you will be doing a self-move or enlisting the help of a moving company. When you decide to do the latter, you will have to research and plan so that you can choose the best moving company for local and long distance which suits your needs.

You might also consider making a checklist so that you will not end up frustrated because you forgot to do something which turned out to be very important. Having a to-do-list can help your move become more efficient and systematized.

A Chicago-based firm, Devon Moving Company, can help you make your move more organized and stress-free. Here are several helpful tipsto guide you before and after your move.

First appeared here: (http://www.moving.com/articles/move-tips.asp)

A Checklist for Before and After You’ve Moved

Please take advantage of our moving tips and moving advice. Print this page and carry it with you before and several days after the move. Moving tips that may seem obvious can be easily over looked. Take our moving advice and utilize this checklist before and after you have moved.

Take Notes Make a note of your shipment registration number and keep it with you in case you need to call your mover with questions about your shipment.

Get the Bed Ready Designate one drawer of a dresser for sheets and towels so that you won't have to rummage through boxes for these essentials the first night in your new home.

Don't forget about the Fridge After you've thoroughly cleaned and dried the inside of your refrigerator, put a handful of fresh coffee, baking soda or charcoal in a sock or nylon stocking and place it inside to keep the interior smelling fresh.

Keep the Phone Book Take your current phone book with you. You may need to make calls to residents or businesses back in your former hometown.

Pack Heavy - Pack Light Pack heavy items in small boxes and lighter items in larger boxes.

Give out your Number Before the van foreman leaves for your destination residence, give him a phone number where you can be reached. It is also a good idea to provide him with an alternate contact in case you can't be reached.

Protect Your Memories If it's irreplaceable, take it with you in the car (you don't want regrets later). But if you do decide to pack framed photos or art, place sheets or blankets between them for added protection.

Know how to Pack Plates and Records Plates and record albums should be packed on end vertically, rather than placed flat and stacked.

Remember the Bare Necessities Toilet paper, telephone, toiletries, snacks, coffee (and pot), soap, flashlight, screwdriver, pliers, can opener, paper plates, cups, utensils, a couple of pans, paper towels, and cleaning supplies are some of the essentials you may need upon arrival at your new home. Pack a box with these types of items and ask your van foreman to load it last so that it will be unloaded first.

Unscrew Bulbs Remove bulbs before packing your lamps.

Tag your Items For your garage sale, tag all items and be prepared to wheel and deal. Garage sale gurus love to haggle.

Give the Kids an Exercise Have children write their names and new address on the cartons from their rooms so they can become familiar with their new street and town.

Help your Pet Relax Keep your pet calm and away from all the activity on moving day by arranging for a friend to watch him at their house.

Be Nice to Your Plants When moving plants to your new residence via your car, try not to let foliage rest against the windows, as the leaves will scorch.

Take a Break from the Computer Upon arrival at your new home, let your computer "acclimate" itself to room temperature before plugging it in.

Enjoy the Help Leave the rest to the professionals, sit back and relax, and look forward to the new opportunities, friends and experiences that are part of any move. Be sure to get a good night’s rest before the pickup and delivery days!

Before moving, additional considerations will have to be made. Along with this, you will also need to determine your budget and find ways to economize while still getting the best value for your money. Some of helpful advices are mentioned in this article.

Seen first on: (http://blog.upack.com/posts/things-to-do-before-moving)

“If you fail to plan you plan to fail.” Have you ever heard this little saying? I think it applies perfectly to moving. The good news is that you can have a successful, worry-free move just by doing a little prep work ahead of time.

I think you’ll find that comprehensive research and a pre-determined moving budget will help you feel much more comfortable about the moving company you hire, and make moving day (and the days leading up to and following it) go much more smoothly. Aside from researching moving companies, it’s also a great idea to research your new community. Start by requesting a newcomer’s packet from the Chamber of Commerce, visitor’s center, or your realtor. Knowing what to expect before you get there makes a difference!

Things to do when you’re 7-8 weeks from moving day:

Make a “moving file” to keep up with moving quotes and other important moving information. Keep this with you on moving day.

Compile important records/documents you may need, like: legal & financial documents, dental/medical/veterinarian/shot/school records, etc.

Contact your local insurance agent to make arrangements for coverage on your new home and coverage for your move.

Things to do when you’re 6 weeks from moving day:

Start paring down your household items. Go from room to room (including closets) and get rid of items you no longer need or want. Donate gently used items to local shelters/charities or have a yard sale.

Inventory items and valuables you’ll be moving. Take photographs of your belongings for insurance purposes in case something gets lost or broken during the move.

Things to do when you’re 4-5 weeks from moving day:

Check with your city administration to verify whether or not parking permits are required for moving trailers.

Schedule for utilities to be turned of and/or transferred. Change of address through the U.S.P.S., and begin collecting moving materials like boxes, packing paper, markers, tape, etc.

Things to do when you’re 1-3 weeks from moving day:

Empty safe deposit boxes, close bank accounts, and notify creditors of your move.

Create a moving box of important items to keep with you on the move (i.e., spare clothes and toiletry items); keep valuables with you.

Leave contact information with a friend or family member in case of an emergency. Keep all receipts of moving expenses.

The key to a successful move is preparation. Plan ahead so you can have an easy, stress-free, and affordable move.

If you are planning on downsizing and moving to a smaller place, say from a house to an apartment, you may be faced with several dilemmas. Which goes where? What are the things that you will bring and what will be left behind? This article outlines some tips to help you downsize your home in three to five steps.

Seen first on: (http://www.themovingblog.com/downsize-a-home/#more-4459)

Moving is hardly ever an easy thing to do. You have so many things to consider and sometimes – so little time. One of the most challenging relocations is downsizing from a house to an apartment. At first it may seem like there is less to do because you have fewer items to pack and move, and therefore the moving cost will be lower. This is a good point, but the process of actually getting there is longer than it is on a regular house-to-house or apartment-to-apartment move. What is the best way to downsize your home and how do you make it happen?

How To Prepare To Downsize Your Home In 3 Steps

Image Credit

Downsizing could be quite of a challenge if you don’t know where to start from, so here is our list which will guide you step by step into this tough process.

1.De-clutter. You need to begin downsizing your home by removing all the clutter and garbage that you may have inside. Throw away all obvious things like broken electronics, tools which are no longer working, old fashioned staff you’re never going to wear, the broken hose in the garden, etc. which hangs around long forgotten in the attic, garage and basement. In other words, everything that is in front of your eyes around the house and is a must-go anyway.

2.Attic, basement, garage, garden. The easiest way to continue downsizing is to go through the least used rooms and premises in your home. This could also be the guest room if you have one, for instance. In such places around the house it is easy to store things you don’t want or need in the moment and then forget about them. But they are still there and will not clean themselves up.

3.Clean up your car. If you have the habit of hoarding things, you may have been leaving things in your car as well. Remember to check the seats and the trunk. Make the downsizing uncompromising – this is what will make it efficient!

Downsizing Your House In 5 Steps

How do you actually decide what is worth taking and why? These ideas will help you take a decision!

Can you use it at all? There may be items in your home that are broken, torn, or worn out. In other words, they do not longer serve you. So, how about just tossing them away? You don’t need all that. When downsizing from a house to an apartment this is the easiest decision to take – throwing away what is actually useless.

Is it old fashioned? If you really care about fashion then this is an important decision to make. Do you have items that are out of fashion like clothes, shoes and accessories? Be honest with yourself. If you haven’t used it for the last two years, chances are you may never do it again. Things that you don’t want in your home and those that are outdated could go away.

Do you have space in your new home for you the things you want to move? Take measurements and consider well!

Is it of emotional value to you? There are items that are dear to us which hold an emotional value like gifts from people we love and cherish. Those could be souvenir or practical things like clothes. Either way, if you really care about it and want it in your next home, pack it and take it.

Do you really need it? There are some things that we actually need and some – that only fill in the space in the shelves, drawers and racks on our home, collect dust and nothing more. You don’t need to pay to move all that, especially if it is something bigger and/ or heavier!

Do you have room for it? It is important to take measures of your future home and decide what will and what will not fit in it. Why would you pay to move your sofa if there is not enough space in the room for it? Make a floor plan of your next home in order to make the estimations right.

What do you do with the things that are in a good condition and can be used but you have decided not to move? You can organize a moving sale and sell whatever you can. You can separate kids’ clothes and shoes, and toys, and donate them to an orphanage. You can just give away some things. Of course, if you still want to keep some things but will not have space for them in your new home, you can always use a storage unit. And remember to choose a mover carefully!

  Moving to new places can be stressful but it can also be exciting and hassle-free if you have enough knowledge about how to do it efficiently. An experienced moving company like Devon Moving Company can give you the logistical requirements that you need, helping you move with ease and comfort.

Checklist and Tips for A Stress Free Moving was first published on: Devon MOving Company Blog

[turfandlawncare]

Keep Your friends Close, Keep Your Anemones Closer

I have a sentimental weakness for my children, and I spoiled them. I’m talking about my two masculine children, Tom and Fredo. And I had high hopes they would share my love and talent for athletics.

Few plants looked as good whether planted as a single specimen or as an unruly mob as the fall blooming anemones.

Buds are almost as lovely as the blooms.

We moved to a bigger house in 1995 when they were seven and nine and needed some lawn for all the baseball, football, and soccer I expected they would play. Therefore, I plotted the demise of the Callery pear that was planted in the middle of a raised bed of ‘September Charm’ anemones, which was in the very center of the backyard. So I made it an offer it couldn’t refuse, and damned if it didn’t off itself less than a week later in a windstorm. Almost like it had been told that if it just killed itself, up front, nothing bad would happen to its family. Yeah, that was a good break.

Whether you choose varieties with single blooms or with double, they all grow well and look amazing. Many are exceptional at supporting pollinators, but more work is needed to sort this all the way out.

Several hours of work a week or two later and a twenty foot around blob of raised bed eight inches deep was gone and the anemones were sleeping with the fishes. My son Tom asked what I was doing. I told him, “I don’t feel I have to wipe everything out, Tom, just the anemones.” I explained, “Nothing personal. Just business.” And just in time too, as my wife came out and found me and said, “Leave the spade. Take the cannolis. We’re late for the baptism of your Godchild.” A day or two later, I planted grass seed for the lawn I expected my kids to slide, wrestle, and tackle upon.

And for fifteen years I cut grass…and anemones. Week after week, year after year, anemones reared their heads and I mowed them off. I thought to myself, “If anything in this life is certain, if history has taught me anything, it’s that you can kill anything, but just when I thought they were out of my life, they pulled themselves back in!

Fast forward a sequel or two, and Fredo, and Tom, they had broken my heart. “You can act like a man!” I hollered as they did nothing but play video games, never ever playing any sports. In despair, I threw myself totally into gardening, and learned that if I said a Hail Mary each time I planted a Heronswood plant, it had no impact whatsoever on whether it would live or die. But that was okay, and I said to myself, this is the pastime I have chosen; I didn’t ask who was responsible, because it had nothing to do with my pastime.

But I needed more garden space, so I hauled in a few truckloads of soil and built a new raised bed on top of the anemones, and figured they were now dead. I told Fredo that I had settled all family business, and the anemones would have to pay. But they insulted my intelligence! They came back and spread rapidly. I was angry. A man in my position can’t afford to look ridiculous, but I didn’t resort to violence. Blood, er, sap, is a big expense. It’s not good for business.

So I learned to love my anemones, and by now you’ll be very glad to know that I’m officially out of Godfather quotes, misquotes, and metaphors, except for the one I’m saving for the big finish.

Anemone ‘Lucky Charm’ at the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden

The fall blooming anemones maintain a perfect habit and clean foliage all season, and they’re as tough as Luca Brasi. Late August into September they lift up perfectly charming flowers. You can find singles or doubles. They’re all nice. I tend to like the older, taller varieties, but the new compact ones are awfully hard to ignore. They’re as tough as the big guys, but really cute. Especially so, my favorite, a variety called ‘Lucky Charm’. Just an outstanding, spreading grower that attracts pollinators like a sure thing on the fourth race.

As I’m getting older, I’m less infatuated by plants one must beg, trick, and shame into living. And I’m more and more enthralled by bruising mobsters like Anemone hupehensis, A. japonica, A. x hyrbrida, or whatever else they’re called. They all look and act alike, as far as I’m concerned. Give me survivors like these, and give me big masses of them, and I will never underestimate their virtues, nor overestimate the faults of my anemones again.

A fun extra bonus late in the season are the cotton ball like seedheads. Here on ‘Bressingham Glow.’

    Keep Your friends Close, Keep Your Anemones Closer originally appeared on GardenRant on February 20, 2019.

from GardenRant https://ift.tt/2SXW0Ur

[thelibraryshow]

When you realize

Don’t bother to check Facebook. If they were your friends, they’d call or you’d make plans to do something. Friendships are not sustained by a thumbs up. Those aren’t my friends.. I’ve just known them for a long time. They have little or no idea what my daily life is like, even those I’ve known for almost 20 years. I actually pay attention and pretty much know what they’re up to IF anyone still posts anything real, non-commercial, or non-self promotional. It’s mostly reposts. I don’t even look at people’s pages, I don’t need to see another airbrushed, perfectly lit “candid” of your conventional family, the one you finally built, or your new car- the ford you’ve always dreamed of. I don’t really care about your favorite cartoon and I’m not buying your Tupperware, your paintings, and I’m pretty sure now hat we can choose precisely what we see, I’m on exactly nine lists. How do I know this? I always get nine likes. 23 if it’s something you have to like; a picture of your mom or someone who died young, anything military, your ugly new baby or anything nature-centric. Whatever the trend is, they will “like” it. Give it a try. Tumblr… well, I like the anonymity. This is the kind of stuff you’d share with your FB friends in the past or tell them over lunch in the way, way past. My real stuff got me alienated. I know the exact post that blackballed me with my white friends enhanced my standing with my black friends. My Asian friends love perfection, innovation and art. Girls? Depends on the girl. Guys? I don’t post pictures celebrating how many turkeys I bagged or the antlers of all he bucks I killed this year so… In my flesh & blood life, I get it! The people I’ve been close to the last year split when they figure out I’m really not going to show them how awesomely comfy by bed is.

I’m confused about all of this. From a thriving, overwhelming social life that just fell on top of me to a social life populated with users, losers and people who want to “chill”. I finally figured out that chill is code for sex in certain circles. Yeah, who knew? Not me, because I don’t speak American slang.

I’m lonely as fuck but id almost rather the only people I spoke to today were my mum, Aiden and a few cashiers. The cashiers were friendly enough & my family is always there… if I make the first move. Think I prefer my mother & the cashiers most days. No baggage. I’ve been a hardcore wardrobe slut since I bought my first bespoke blazers to comply with the handbook from my first boarding school. In this big Japanese house, my dressing room is between my room and the library. Typical living room size. I lounge there... I feel the hand-woven vintage fabrics, the suedes, the furs. This room feels more mine than my studios. Because however I want to present myself on a given day is neatly folded and hung behind glass doors? No, because I like shopping and this room is designed as a shopping experience. Mirrors surpass my 6'2". Rack piece of furniture Is a one off, designed for, imported by and beautifully crafted by five generations of my family. The library and every other room are similar. Does anyone know what it feels like to live in a museum spanning early 18th century to landmark mid century modern to early American? Carefully curated. It's everything and exclusively what I want to live with. Nothing more. It has to be... because.. .

I'm Working on getting accustomed to life without much human interaction. But then I’ve been working on that for a decade. I’m very social. How do I extract that trait?

People who like me like me a lot. Too much. People who don’t like me never say so, they just do shitty things- like when your cat gets pissed and poops on your bed. That’s never happened & my cats live in pure feline luxury as do my guests. People rave over my house. My cats? I give them what I used to give people I cared for. Time, attention, whatever they need or want. Try that with most humans. Turns out I don't draw convincing boundaries.

I used to have a lot of money. I spent it freely. I entertained, I traveled, I collected, I surround myself with lush gardens, and at times, gilded interiors. literally. I picked up the bill and ordered the cars... I spent extravagant sums on my art practice. Those same friends either bought or stole so much art I don’t even exhibit anymore. I design and redesign my gardens. Extreme gardening is a great replacement for interactions but even that garnered unwanted attention so, I opened my gardens to the public to raise money for a cause that didn't save one life, feed one person or clothe one kid, though the public library was something I did believe in before I realized they have never been short one dime.. 400 people in my garden, a years preparation.. in return I frequently looked out my window to see a couple of little old ladies treating my space like a public botanical garden. It was amusing the first couple of times. Then I moved.. and took the garden with me. Every tree, every stone. It took six months to relocate an extreme landscape, but it was satisfying. My extraordinarily well heeled gardener had quit by then. Work wasn’t his thing.

I’m alone in my new house. It’s mostly glass and big windows. It’s open with secret passageways between rooms and I love it more and more. I've become attached though not necessarily secure. I know I’m on the clock. Counting the days till I relocate this landscape too. My sources for hedging material and anything related to anything I do have pulled away, so, don’t ask how I obtain my materials. I haven’t figured out if I’m awful or if people like me who always have funds but no visible means of earning those funds are seen with suspicion. A few people continuously try to figure it out. They never get it quite right & the few I told didn't believe me so I never told anyone again.

I’ve been dating someone new. He doesn’t call, he’s autistic, he thinks he’s in love with me… or he did last time I saw him. He too wants something quite physical so I can’t see it surviving summer. It’s okay though, I’m getting good at resisting attachments. It’s painful. I suppose hermits gradually grow thicker skin? Or are they sad, miserable people numbing themselves to what they desire? I’ve Met numb people. They’d given up. They were like me; they never fit in and weren’t willing to sacrifice what they loved about themselves or what alienated others.

So, full circle? I resist attachments and can’t recognize a friend when it appears. I really am preparing to be alone. A hermit more or less. The weird cousin or uncle who’s never around. “ I’m not around because hearing how unusual and exotic I am got old the first time you observed it”.

Kinda lonely. Trying to become accustomed to it. Im to young and I still want... Replacing people with rare plants. I miss being center stage. I miss clubbing all night. I miss making pasta for a house full of people. I miss sharing my house, my food…my music especially. I miss making art in my studio. I miss my big family. I miss the illusion of friendship. I miss my one friend who knew everything about my favorite subject: art and design. I miss my crew: the people you never see by day.. because we’re resting up and shopping for something to wear out the next night. I miss long conversations about ancient, obscure books. I miss my friend Greg. The only solace is he died a year ago. Solace because we never split up. We watched every pre-1950 movie we could get our hands on. We spoke the same language, usually obscure references to films no one in any other part of my much compartmentalized life will ever know. I miss Greg. I miss NOT feeling like this. Crying, but nothing comes out. If I could have a good cry, I think I’d feel better. I miss being 100% sober. I take sleeping meds and anxiety meds now. I have a brilliant new psychiatrist I see every month or two. I look forward to it, but looking forward to it means looking forward to the onset of cold weather which presents a thousand other trials Yeah, I think about suicide. I know how and I know I can go anytime I like, but I’ve kind of promised myself I’d stick around as long as my mother does. She’s the only family I talk to besides my dad, when he’s not golfing and my nephew who’s five and adores Me. I know where adoration leads in my family. These people turn on a dime, especially when he becomes an athletic super star and his father finally gives a fuck. I’m a bit like a place holder when it comes to nephews. Tomorrow is my older nephews HS graduation. I’m not invited. When they’re young, my brother can’t be bothered to do so much as feed them. Then they grow up and do something that pleases him. Then it’s my son this, my son that. The most stunning thing about not being invited to any corner of this kids graduation isn’t that I’m not invited on the trip, it’s that before he was born, my aunt warned me not to get too close to him… and then she died. How was she so spot on? You know what else? Very, very little has come about which wasn’t available info to anyone paying attention to the patterns of my family over generations. If my family were a publicly traded stock, I’d be a trillionaire. As it stands I learned late how to use this to my advantage, though I know how to profit from each of them in some way. it doesn’t make me sad seeing what my nephew is, it makes me sad having to face it instead of guess at it and hear my mother deny what I thought, and now know to be truth. The only think I felt about that was I pretty: I thought of cutting him off financially. It’s paperwork I don’t want to do, it would ignite a chain reaction with My own inheritance, and in the end, he will never need anyone else’s money. If I do nothing and get hit by a bus, this snotty little bastard gets everything I have. I talked to my friend piyush tonight, he’s home in India now. He told me I’m always on my Mind. The best part is he’s always on my Mind too. Lots of people are on my Mind and I like knowing I may see them sometime. Piyush told me he was thinking of me and when he says it, I know he means it. I know it because we have ups and downs. He’s been rotten to me, I’ve been rotten to him maybe, we live in the real world. That relationship has sustained so much. It’s not the conditional, situational relationship one is accustomed to. Some good things happened today.