Tuesday, October 7, 2008

Ms. Low-Tech Makes Good!




I've finally figured out how to add a picture to my title page! Blimey! My last efforts have left me with a little postage stamp picture sitting out there looking meager and lost. Which is rather distressing, because some of my very favorite bloggers not only have stunning pictures behind their titles, they change them at will! New beautiful pictures all the time to match mood and seasons and life.


I've been sitting here for months going plink plink stab mash bang bzzzzzt on the keyboard and getting {ERROR! RUN OUT OF THE HOUSE NOW} messages on my screen and nothing to show for my efforts. Don't expect this one to change for a while. I have to rest my brain and take a nap for a while. It was also just a fluke and I've already forgotten how I did it.


Blogging has been an adventure in figuring things out with a mind that neither likes to follow directions, read contracts of any kind, or read any of the small print on the back of my credit card statement. ( Would someone kindly read the back of their credit card statement, and just give me the bottom line.) The small print basically allows the company to change interest rates at will and charge you for stuff you never asked for.


Knowing my lo-tech capabilities are an hindrance, I've made a point of learning at least one new thing a day here in blog land. I just impressed myself to death the first day I figured out how to add a link to a word, a picture to the post, change the color of font and anything else that some people apparently have just known how to do before computers were even invented.


I love the flowers in the picture. They're called plumeria, also known a frangipani. They have a wonderful heavenly exotic fragrance and come in many different shades of red, pink, yellow and orange. This is one of the plants that are (supposedly- I'll get to that in a minute) so easy to grow, that all you do is whack a branch off a mature plant, stick it in the ground, and voila - new plant growing and thriving. They are in the oleander family, and are (supposedly - I'll get to that in a minute) poisonous. They grow so rampant in Hawaii that they are used on leis. The ones they give you for free at the airport!


I drove all the way to Seffner a few years ago and purchased two plumerias after browsing and sniffing thousands of them. These were already rooted and growing nicely in gallon containers. I carefully planted them, nurtured them, watched over them and voila - they both croaked within 6 months. So I gave up on them. Until 2 years ago when my friend Heather whacked a branch off of her beautiful plumeria. I went home and planted it in a pot and voila! It grew nicely and even got some leaves the following spring.
In May I got really brave and planted it outside next to the fig tree and voila! The deer ate the top off of it. And pulled it out of the ground the next day. Undaunted - after I got over it a few months later - I trimmed the dead top off and voila! New leaves started to grow in 4 places around the sides of the stalk and voila, the deer ate the leaves. It's supposed to be poisonous, I thought. They don't care. What's a bit of a stomach ache when they can hide in the bushes across the pond and watch my reaction to their nibbling


Well, it's autumn now and I see plumeria thriving and blooming in the neighborhood, and mine is sitting there looking reasonably healthy despite the fact that it gets barbered every week or so by the deer. No flowers yet. Or maybe there were and the deer ate them too. I dunno.


So, now I have this lovely picture of plumeria on my blog! I think I will dab a little perfume on the screen so I can enjoy the scent. Lord knows I may never find out what my real one smells like.


24 comments:

Tess Kincaid said...

Oooooooh....ahhhhhh!!! It is so beautiful, Cynthia!! It took me several months to get up the nerve to try to post a picture behind my header. Now that I've finally figured out the process, the possibilities are endless. And, as you well know, I tire easily of my own header and play with it constantly. (I am easily amused.) ;^)

MuseSwings said...

My excitement at my achievement shows how easily amused I am as well. Your's of course just happens to be one of the blogs I was referring to. Lovely header pictures!

Kelli said...

Bravo Cythia!! Your banner looks fantastic!!! I gave up trying to create a banner ages ago! I'm so technology challenged even my 60-something mother can do more fancy stuff with gadgets than me! (She taught me how to 'text' *blush* a few weeks ago)!

I will watch your banner with much interest from now on! :-o)

Kelli said...

Opps, I mean't Bravo Cynthia! *blush*, again. :-o)

steviewren said...

Huzzah!!!! Welcome to the world of hi-tech-ed-ness. Now the rest of us that figured it out one step ahead of you don't look so smart anymore do we? The banner is beautiful. Just think, if you had a green thumb and you didn't have a hungry deer living near your pond you might not have been moved to share your blossoms with all of us.

Please let me know when you learn how to add scents...imagine clicking on a blog and getting a whiff of supper cooking or burning candles or stinky baby diapers. We wouldn't even need to read anything to know each other's mood of the day.

Christian - Modobject@Home said...

Your plumeria is breathtaking, and I love your header. Nice job!

I am presently nursing a little Japanese maple back to health... it's had a rough summer and I hope that it makes it through the winter.

Nana Trish is Living the Dream said...

Congrats on your picture to the header. I have tried so hard to change my template and put something else. I have changed it a few times, but for some crazy reason I just cannot get the pink stuff to go away. Anyone that could help me I would truly appreciate it. What I already tried was going to HTLM and erasing the stuff and tried to put in a new program. It just keeps going back to the pink. Scream.

ChaChaneen said...

Wow, what a beauty! You did good! ha ha Seriously, that is a beautiful picture, definitely makes me think of Florida in Autumn!

Those darn deer, I remember my mom running outside with her duster on shewing (spelling?) the deer away from her Dogwood tree. The deer froze, she got super close to them and I thought my dad was going to have a stroke because he thought they were going to bolt and in her direction. That was an amusing thing to watch! I should call my mom and remind of her of that funny memory!

Lavinia said...

Wow, sensational new banner! YOur blog is in bloom indeed! Beautiful blossoms...I needed to see these tonight....a balm for my senses...

Happy plumeria-day to you...!

MuseSwings said...

Ladies, can you see me taking deep curtsies fit for the queen? Thank you for your bravo's. I just knew I could tell you how lo-tech I am without risking eternal embarrassment! I knew in my wee little alt/delete heart you would see the beauty, the success, the breakthrough! Not the listless button punching behaviour of the technically challenged. Thank you thank you xoxoxoxoxo Thank you!

MuseSwings said...

Janeen! I LOVE your tiara! IT SPARKLES!!!!! oooooh (covet covet covet)

Lavinia said...

Cynthia, thanks for your comment on my blog tonight. Believe you me, if I ever *do* find the mythical champagne fountain, the very first call of discovery I make will be to 1-800-Cynthia!~ How's that!?

MuseSwings said...

I've got my glass ready and my phone handy dahlink!

Lavinia said...

Rrrrrrrrrrrrrr-ing! Rrrrrrrrrrrrrrr-ing!

MuseSwings said...

Hahahahaha! This is a time that caller ID is really a blessing - got my glass ready!

Debby said...

Hi, Ms. Low-Tech. I'm Ms. No-Tech. Charmed to meetcha, I'm sure.

Thanks for the laugh. I've got a rose bush that I've been trying to kill for about 5 years. Just when I think I've succeeded...new vines. It does not bloom. It just climbs.

Pat said...

Pretty plumeria! I scrolled all the way down to see if you'd explained how to add a photo...I haven't tried yet, and am not sure where to start. You can email me under my profile...:<)

Shelley said...

Your new header is perfect! Suits your blog perfectly!

soulbrush said...

i adore frangipani (oleander)and te colour is magnificent.

MuseSwings said...

Ladies! Again, a twirl about the room and a deep curtsey to all of you for your cheering on of the low techie. I just e-mailed instructions to Bibi. Let's see if hers works to test my instructions and then if you like I'll send them out to those of you who have not yet managed that feature.

Devoted said...

Love the Plumeria. They are my favorite. I plant them every year and do my best to just keep them alive through the season. Thank the Lord my husband and family are plants and produce brokers and I can get a new one whenever I need one.

Love the page, love the blog!

MuseSwings said...

Devoted - thank you so much for visiting! Another plumeria lover. Excellent. I enjoyed my visit to your blog today and will stop by again very soon. It's nice to meet new bloggy friends!

ChaChaneen said...

I found that jeweled tiara and knew I HAD to have it! Suits me too seeing as how I'm the princess of the most high KING! You're welcome to use it too since your my sister in Christ too! Don't you love how it sparkles! I do too!

Blicky Kitty said...

Oooh I'm inspired to redecorate the Blicky homestead now. All you had to do was hack off a little picture plant it in your blog and 'voila' beautiful blooms!

Laurel