visits

A good friend came to visit me today. I hope she had as good a time as I did. One of the best things was that she's one of the people in my life where we have the kind of connection where we "get" where the other one is saying. I was telling her about what I'd like to do with the kitchen and she started filling in bits before I'd even said them. It's so exciting to be around people like that, and so fun. I'm afraid I talked her ear off, poor thing.


Timber spent most of the day in his crate, I'm afraid, but Taenzer did pretty well, and I'm pleased with her. She's a grown-up girl now!


We went out to one of the local nurseries--annuals and perennials. I want to go back--they have a beautiful hosta I haven't seen before and the more I think of it the more I want it. It's got lance-shaped leaves, and very very pale, subtle green and white markings. And darn it, I can't remember the name of it! There was also a cool green one with very twisted leaves called Praying Hands.


But what really got my juices going was the heucheras Obsidian and Dolce Licorice. You see pictures of them and go, "oh, yeah, nice, black heucheras" and turn the page. But in person they knock your socks right off. Obsidian has a silky sheen that makes you want to touch it--my friend said they look like taffeta, which is a good description. Licorice is similar, but it has the very faintest possible marbling or veining. They're really beautiful and lust-worthy and if you garden I strongly encourage you to trot out to your nearest nursery and see them in person and see if you don't immediately start trying to figure out where in your garden you can put at least one.


I came away with a heuchera Peach Flambe, a green and yellow hosta called Queen Josephine, and a hakone grass, plus some annuals that are currently sitting around in various positions to see if that's where I want them to be.


We had pasta salad with bacon-ranch dressing and tiny shrimp for lunch. Yum.


And she brought me an early birthday present!

Isn't it great? It's a sock-project-holder. I love the way the little cap buttons on. I'm going to take it out and put my van sock in it.

I gave her some European ginger, some leadwort (plumbago), some sweet woodruff, and a self-sown brunnera to take home. I hope they do well for her.