Apologies for My Absence – & – Better Days Awaite

I am sorry to have missed so many posts from all you lovely folks who read my silly blog. As always, I thank you for so many kind comments. My attention has been focused on a tragic misfortune.

The friend I’ve mentioned several times, Scars, finally convinced his lovely lady (S) to move up from her tiny Texas town. She adored taking care of him and his ailing father. Unfortunately, less than a year later S succumbed to her long suffered epilepsy, and stayed in a coma for over a week. Even after being removed from life support her body continued fighting.

Now she is at rest, though, about an hour after Scars held the phone so S could hear the voice of one final person. His lady had taken care of an ailing matron back home and we believe this gave the ultimate closure necessary.

On the bright side, S’s ordeal healed several estranged relationships. It’s too bad her siblings and adult children didn’t show S adequate respect or affection during her lifetime.

This is the first time carrots worked for us
& we look forward to eating cabbage...

 

Corn designed for container growing...
~fingers crossed~

Pointy leaves give away the cucumber...

Can you believe I managed to confuse my pepper breeds before transplanting? Do you know that young cucumber and pumpkin plants look almost identical? ~rolls eyes~ Four cucumber plants will keep us very busy pickling this summer.-

My First Harvest of the Growing Season

Okay, I suppose a single item doesn’t really constitute a harvest. But this little sugar snap pea tasted delicious. Fingers crossed, I’ll be gathering many more in future.

I find these little blooms pretty but the
intricate transformation engulfing
the one below astonished me.

Can you believe I split that tiny nibble with my husband? Do you enjoy eating any pea variety?

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A Tale of Three Kitties

This post is nowhere near epic as the title suggests. Sorry, Mr. Dickens, for any copyright infringement. ~grin~ But I just had to share each of our girls’ unique quirks.

Polly is known as The Great Ribbon Slayer. I think she wanted her sister’s assistance when this image was taken.

I just needed a beauty shot before continuing...

This time, Terra did not assist in killing ribbons. She enjoyed peering out the bedroom window before jumping to the top of my dresser. For reasons I cannot comprehend she occasionally becomes fascinated by my fan, which was running when she made the leap.

Your photos cannot do my majestic beauty justice...

Our One Fanged White Wonder (so nicknamed after her expensive dental extractions) received a very unprofessional haircut from me. At the right angle viewing her backside, it looks like she’s wearing a frilly miniskirt. Alas, my botched job did not prevent the buildup of a hairball.

Excuse my superior digestive system,
frail human...

In my effort to apologize for shaming her I took this much more flattering photo of her lounging. It disturbed her nap, though, so I guess a further apology is needed.

I am gorgeous no matter what you do to my fur...

Should I expect a thanks from craft stores for protecting their stock of ribbons? Do you think I have a future as a pet grooming trendsetter?

The Good, the Not Too Bad, and the Chilly

This morning I mowed the lawn while wearing an old winter coat (!) because it’s that cold, and the dampness doesn’t help. I’m crossing my fingers that all my vegetable plants survive.

Tomato and pepper plants hate cold;
some crops do well, at least,
such as carrots, lettuces,
cabbage, & broccoli...

I made sure to have plenty of sugar water out for our ruby throated hummingbirds. Perhaps they are in torpor due to the cold but it’s available either way.

Since they are so territorial I decided to purchase more feeders from Amazon; they’re just plastic yet very affordable. One broke several years ago after decades of service.

Unfortunately, two out of four arrived broken. Amazon customer service gave me a refund without even requesting the photo I took. A similar situation happened when I received a hand held extension cord caddy. The all important hand grip was missing. I accepted another refund and plan to shop locally.

It’s no big deal. Oh, and I solved a different niggling little nuisance regarding hummingbird feeders. It’s easy to lose track of when they were refilled, resulting in mildew. Ugh… This spring it occurred to me that filling each with a small amount forces me to change out the solution virtually every day.

Not only is cleaning less a chore, it also reduces wasted sugar. I call that a win/win. Now I only hope consistent high winds relent and temperatures rise a bit.

Are you experiencing unseasonable weather? If so, what type?

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Step by Step Gardening

Filling my grow bags (basically heavy cloth containers) is tedious but I found a bit of a shortcut mixing half perlite and half compost. At first I used a small scoop, which took far longer.

Step One

 

Once the container is topped off with perlite, the next step inspired me to start calling these bags my cauldrons. By the way, my plastic bin is a repurposed trash can.

 

Crazy “Deals” (?)

I stumbled upon a so-called bargain website months ago and have no recollection how. Considering my husband’s (greatly improving!) health and mobility issues, it’s no wonder I lost track. I did, however, keep an image for the purpose of blogging. Not only did the price make me cringe, as did the use of snake skin, but so did the structure.

I must admit to wearing a similar boot
but mine were of fabric and
had a straight heel...
Yikes!

Beginning in the mid 1980’s and only ending about a decade or so ago I often donned quite high heels, sometimes with very sharp toe points. Running through school halls, dancing well past midnight in steel toed stilettos, and then stubbornly refusing help carrying heavy items at work took their toll. As shared in 2023, I am very fortunate as simple footwear changes have relieved all pain and only my right foot developed a bunionette. Otherwise known as a tailor’s bunion, it’s named after the the tradesmens’ cross-legged posture causing the issue.

Isn’t it fascinating how medical conditions are named? Do you have issues with foot pain?

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My Little Helper

Starting seeds in our basement has been both relaxing and successful. We already had a warming mat to help them propagate as well as other equipment to aid seedlings. The one thing I do not have is a proper potting bench, and my video proves the point.

Do you think I should offer some of my extra little vegetable plants to friends and neighbors? Would you accept such an offer?

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Good Fortune

Months ago, following a delicious meal of Chinese style orange chicken, my fortune cookie slip was forgotten in my pocket and rediscovered after it went through the washer and dryer. By that time I’d been well on the way to vegetable garden preparation and rereading it made me grin. Lunch at a hibachi/sushi place provided a perfect follow-on. While I don’t really believe in fortune telling it is fun to have received this boost.

Have you heard the history of fortune cookies deriving from Japan? Are you a fan of any Asian cuisine? -