Snakes 'n' Scammers

This "attractive" fellow was lying in the grass near one of our compost piles, but I didn't have my contact lens in so I thought it was a heap of horse poop. Hahaha! Good thing I had the presence of mind to go in the house and insert my contact lens before attempting to heave him onto the compost! I did grab the camera and document him (or her) and go back into the house and onto the computer to identify the particular variety of snake (especially not wanting to disturb this individual if it proved to be potentially poisonous.) I am confident in reporting that- although ugly- it is a harmless snake, most likely a water snake. (There were many of these snakes at a garden I took care of one summer. Nasty things! They were sufficiently long and intimidating so that if one was "sunning" itself on the stone steps behind the house, I was forced to circle the entire house to gain access to the upper garden.)
But alas, there are human "snakes" a few of which feature in the next discussion...
Bob and I told friends that we were making (another) trip to the New York Botanic Garden to deliver an order of Bob's metal work. We always look forward to these trips as Bob's contact there provides us with free passes and we get to see whatever special exhibit is featured. The friends in question asked what route we took. They expressed horror when we outlined the highways we have (successfully) traveled many times now, telling us that these roads were off-limits to trucks and commercial vehicles and that hefty fines were levied on the drivers that violated these statutes. They said that we had been lucky to have evaded the law for so long.
Chastened, we took the advice offered and plotted another course, which looked direct enough. I was feeling perturbed, as we'd managed to get this route down and were sanguine about reaching our destination- not always the easiest thing when navigating our way into New York. Anyway, we gamely made our way, finding the first two connections easily... until we got lost. There was simply no sign  that announced the particular road we were looking for (even though it had shown up on our computer at home). We went too far, almost winding up in Manhattan. We back tracked and took the only exit that made mention of the botanic garden and The Bronx Zoo, which is close by. Suffice it to say that once off the highway, we got even more lost as there was a single sign pointing us vaguely easterly and then abandoning us. I tried pulling up maps on my phone but seemed to get nothing but gibberish and Pokeman. Here comes the fun part.
We were stopped at a busy intersection when a man called out, "Hey! Your hood is open!" We were already moving but Bob and I looked at each other and agreed we'd better pull over and check it out. This being NYC, we had hit several heroic pot holes and certainly the hood could have come unlatched. As Bob pulled the truck into a conveniently broad sweep of street shoulder, a man approached (a bit too well timed?) and said, "Hey! there's smoke pouring out of your engine!" Yes, in retrospect, it seems pretty obvious what was happening, but at the time- after being lost and turned around and anticipating engine disaster- we got out and cracked the hood while the "helpful" good Samaritan said, "Oh hey, you're really lucky this didn't happen on the highway. You cold have blown your whole engine!" as he helpfully offered to add anti-freeze. Then he made a big deal of rolling under the truck and exclaiming as how our "engine pin" had loosened and he'd tighten it...* this is where Bob and I simultaneously realized that there had been no smoke, or over heating or smell and the truck had been running just fine. I said, "Thanks; we'll just call AAA", but our patron saint persisted and said as how we should give him $60 for "fixing" our truck. Bob and I (feeling pretty stupid and just wanting to get the fuck out of there) exchanged glances and gave the guy $20 and drove off, being lucky that that was all it cost. (In fairness, it was a very busy major road, not some back alley so we were reasonably safe. But good heavens! This snake extorted $20 from a couple of artists! Go pick on someone else!!!) Then we figured out that the guy in the car at the intersection was in cahoots with our "impromptu mechanic": a setup!

Anyway, we finally made it to the Botanic Garden and had a lovely time strolling the amazing tropical plants and exotic installation that replicated a Brazilian garden as envisioned by Roberto Burle Marx. It was spectacular enough that we had a splendid time and enjoyed the rest of our visit. Needless to say, upon leaving, we reverted to the former route that we had safely traversed many times. And except for getting stuck in a major traffic jam and crawling slowly home once over the Connecticut line, nothing else happened.

* Bob reminds me that this guy had his schtick down pat! He asked if we had a rag and proceeded to offer the wetness of it as evidence that our engine was leaking (this was after he wet it with anti-freeze.) I actually think that if he hadn't gotten so carried away with his own multitudinous details, he would have been more convincing. I mean, if you suspect something is truly wrong with your vehicle, you often don't know where to begin diagnosing it. But there was smoke and leaking and an "engine pin" (when I realized he was a scammer!) and a few other problems!

Mommy 1920-2017

Alas! Veronica West Valley Bogel aka Mommy has died. We have known for a long time that she was fading but it's still shocking when it happens.  I know I'm still processing this information, and truly haven't had time to feel much of anything yet; except, perhaps, a profound sense of relief as Mommy's last few years were anything but rewarding or beautiful.(The picture above is from quite a long time ago, as Mommy had her dog Molly with her and she's driving what appears to be the silver Toyota that she handed down to me like twenty years ago! But it all seems like yesterday.)
So Mommy finally died on June 17th, her 97th birthday. It does have a nice feeling of her coming full circle. I'll never forget how Mommy turned to me once- when she was a comparative spring chicken of an old person (like in her vigorous eighties) and said, "You know if I died now, I'd be happy". I exclaimed, "Do you know something that I don't know?" and she replied that she wasn't sick with something mysterious or anything, she just felt contented and at peace and happy that we, her three daughters seemed happy. Obviously, she went on to live for quite a while longer!
I am happy that she bequeathed to me a love of dogs and most animals- except snakes, of which she was deathly afraid. It is really ironic that Mommy moved to East Haddam and lived in a town that was reportedly a "Herpetologist's Dream". One of my chores when visiting my mother was to go down in the basement and check for snakes. I would inevitably do so... and find one.We never told her that East Haddam was known as the "Snake Capital" of Connecticut. And while she loved flowers and gardens, her fear of snakes kept her from planting much of a garden at home. When she'd come to visit, she was famous for standing in the driveway and refusing to venture further into the grass (where she KNEW snakes were lurking) and waving here arm generally at the garden and saying, "That's okay! I can see the garden from here!"
Mommy was unfailingly generous. She gave Beatrice and Cathy and me a piece of land that we were able to sell. The proceeds from my portion of that transaction allowed Bob and I to purchase The BauHaus Chicken Coop. Thank you Mommy!
The only thing that drove me crazy about my mother was her insecurity about her intelligence. She never seemed to understand that there are many ways to be smart. I think she had been told early on by someone (a family member (who as we all know are not always helpful) or a teacher) that she was a "dummy" (that was the word she used about herself) and I think that was tragic! She was a good cook, a good listener, liked to read and taught me to sew. (We all know where that led!)
So I will say this: Mommy was never judgemental and didn't question my life choices. She never turned to me and said, "Why are you an artist? Why can't you just become a secretary or something?' She knew that being an artist was a different kind of commitment. When she was younger, she did a number of paintings and I had encouraged her to take up painting again later in life, but she was busy doing other things.
And a last note: Mommy loved strawberry shortcake. It was an ongoing ritual for her birthday and if you asked her what she wanted for her birthday, she's invariably say she didn't care what she got, as long as there was strawberry shortcake. (And it had to be REAL shortcake, not that spongey stuff!) I had thought about making one on her birthday just to fulfill that annual wish but then she passed.
So I guess I'll say how terribly we will miss Mommy. I will miss talking with her about silly things my current dog was doing, or telling her about what I was working on in my studio, or what Bob and I were up to (she loved Bob). Goodbye Mommy!

Three Tee Shirt Day and Plumbing Made Simple

It's the day before my birthday, we're expecting company for dinner and damn! the downstairs bathroom sink won't drain. (Even the red rubber fish seems to be avoiding the sink.) Two days ago, I noticed that when I washed my hands and left the bathroom, the sink was full of water. Ditto an hour later. I went promptly into avoidance as I felt badly telling Bob, who probably gets stuck with more of those odious household jobs than I do.
But no elves or even orcs came to snake out the drain and our guests were still on target to arrive later today, so I did a heroic thing (even for myself). I actually told Bob to show me how to clean the drain. Yes, the day before my birthday on a truly three tee shirt kind of day (humid and just a tad above 100 degrees on the thermometer) we rolled up our sleeves (metaphorically as I wasn't wearing any) and the adventure began.

This is what it looks like underneath. Innocent enough, until you start unscrewing the plastic fittings and discover what's inside.
This:

Yup, that dingle berry of astonishing proportions is slime-ing its way out of the pipe as soon as it's removed. Hands, wrists are soon coated in an evil pudding of brown glop, composed of us and our lovely remains. (Human and dog hair skin, plant material and just plain dirt.) Check out Bob's hand in the sink:

Oh boy! Sure makes you never want to eat again! But hell, we're made of sterner stuff and I took all the parts outside and hosed them down. Refitting was cleaner but tricky as you have to thread the underneath parts of the plunger/drain blocker into a little hole and it's all upside down and backwards. Upon clean up, the sink ran and drained beautifully and I gained a skill and Bob is exonerated from having to unblock the drain next time.
Of course, I had to go change my tee shirt again but we all repaired to the air conditioned bed room, to wait for dinner guests who can now wash their hands in a clean and functional bathroom.

A New Member of the Family!

Don't tell my mother, but we seem to have a new resident here at the Bauhaus Chicken Coop. That's right, it's a handsome (traditonally) striped garter snake.  He/she chose to take up housekeeping in the pile of stones destined to become our terrace, right next to my Blue Garden. I had this funny feeling that there just might be snakes (thankfully the garter kind!) in this area.
Yesterday as I finished up planting and weeding, I happened to glance at the rocks and there it was. Being shy, as we haven't been formally introduced, he/she ducked back under a rock when I first suggested a photo shoot. But later on, Snake had reappeared and I caught the above candid picture.
Today, Snake is back; much more relaxed as I strove to plant and water in the rather oppressive heat.

Snake is positively sprawled along the top of the rocks. I think Snake likes the blue garden and seems pleased I took the time to weed and edge it. The Blue Garden was getting a bit out of control. I also pointed out to Bob that Snake might be in love...

because this bit of yellow rope was laying on the rocks, too. The yellow looks pretty similar to the yellow stripes on Snake's side. Perhaps a case of mistaken identity?
It must be Reptile Season as I spied a Box turtle careening across our lawn three days ago (gone when I fetched the camera). On my morning walk with Jules, we encountered a large garter snake who had been unfortunately run over while crossing the dirt road. Plain bad luck! Probably three cars a day drive on the dirt road- if that!- and the snake gets nailed. At least our snake is far away from the road and harm.

The Indian Well

When we first moved here, our neighbors regaled us with stories about odd and fascinating facts regarding this property and the general area.  I'm certain they were using these tales as a way to test our character and to pull our legs.
Thus we were told of the treacherous quicksand pits that lurked behind Bob's studio, ready to suck us innocents into their gooey depths (we're still waiting to stumble on those). And we marveled at stories of the awesonely gigantic black snake that lived in the murky green pond at the bottom of the horse field. I still tread past the pond delicately, fearing to see this serpent of heroic proportions. So far he/she is a bit like the Loch Mess monster; lots of rumors, fewer actual sightings. (I let Bob do most of the planting of wetland irises into the banks last year. He purports to be unafraid of snakes. Let's see who wants to move to the Everglades!)
In any event, the tale of the Indian Well may well be true. Across the great water (actually our humble brook) there is a cistern of sorts with a narrow pipe from which water always flows. The body of the container isn't old, but we suspect there is truth to the notion that area Native Americans probably used this very stream and possibly even a receptacle of some kind to catch the water from one of many springs in the area. Above and below are pictures of this basin. We don't know who put the tube there, or added the pipe, but it is always brimful and quite pretty.

It's nice to have mysterious corners of the property. We're still waiting to see (or not!) that giant snake.