Finally Made It

Yes, folks, you would be proud of me.  I finally made it to the Farmer's Market this morning.  Once I got out of my own head and got over the idea that I needed to be there right when it opened, it wasn't too much trouble to get myself dressed and down to the square.  I still got there pretty early, though.  Just not right at the crack of dawn early.  

Since I knew I was going to go walk the Bottomland Trail when I left, I decided to treat myself to some cookies.  I got a red velvet and a chocolate chip cookie from Diamond's Sweet Treats. 

And of course, I had to get some of Mrs. Terry's old fashioned tea cakes.  

The last thing I picked up was a jar of Mrs. Terry's salsa for Brennan.  

She told me that was the best salsa she'd ever had, so I get her at least one jar every year.   I might even research salsa recipes over the winter and try to make some of my own next year.  

Once I'd finished my shopping, I drove down to the Lee Tartt Nature Preserve and walked the Bottomland Trail -- realizing shortly into my walk that I had forgotten to put on bug spray.  I guess I'm going to have to start keeping an emergency can of bug spray in my car -- right next to my emergency deodorant. 

It's such a nice walk, and I'll enjoy it more once the weather cools off a bit.  This morning, it wasn't that hot, but the humidity was so high my glasses kept fogging up.  And the deer flies!  Oh, the deer flies were thick out there and followed me all the way down to the Chronolog stand. 

I took my photo and uploaded it to the timelapse, which you can see below.  The last two photos are mine. 

Then, I hightailed it out of there and back into my air conditioning.  Which I didn't stay in long, because my other main project for the day was to get the yard mowed.  

It looks much better now, and on the bright side, I'll have lots of lovely grass clippings to mulch my garden beds with.  On the not so bright side, I found a ground hornet's nest...the hard way.   For what it's worth, Raid Ant & Roach killer works on those little devils, too.  

Just to be on the safe side, as soon as I realized I was being stung, I came inside and slathered Ivarest all over the sting sites.  Then I changed from shorts into jeans to continue mowing...and the buggers started stinging my arms!  Persistent little cusses they are.  Fortunately, I have this habit of tossing my old protective arm sleeves that we're required to wear at work into the back seat of my car.  And even more fortunately, I have this habit of saying I'm going to clean out the back seat of my car, but not actually doing it.  I put on a pair of those, and finished mowing in peace, after I'd absolutely soaked the bed with that Raid spray.  

Oh, and for those of you wondering what Ivarest is, it's Benadryl ointment and calamine lotion mixed together in one handy tube.  I get it at Walmart, but I imagine any place with those types of things would carry it.  After giving it a few hours to clear my system, I took a Claritin just in case.  I've never had an anaphylactic reaction to anything, but why take chances?  

By the time I was done mowing, I was absolutely soaking wet with sweat, even after taking copious breaks to cool off, but this thing had to jump up into my lap anyway.

 Then she had the nerve to get mad because she couldn't find a dry spot on me to snuggle in to.   And on that note, I was done with being outside for the day.  I spent the rest of my Saturday watching TV and finishing up this hat.

Yarn:  Hobby Lobby I Love This Yarn

Colorway:  Day Dreamery

Pattern:  Basic Beanie

Needles:  US 8 / 5 mm

I guess that's about it for today.  I think I'll find some more yarn and cast on a new hat.  

Laters.

Almost Done

I am almost done with the to do list I'd made for myself this weekend.  The only thing I have left is to try to mow the front yard, which I might do later today after it cools off some.  We have triple digit heat indices right now, so whether it cools off enough is iffy in itself.  If it doesn't cool off, I'll try to get it in the morning, even though the grass will still be wet with dew.  

Of course, all of this depends on if I can get the lawnmower started...

Other than the heat, it's been a beautiful, sunny day, and I started it off by going up into town to the Farmer's Market.  I didn't buy much, but I did get some of Mrs. Terry's cookies. 

If you are local, do go up to her booth when you get a chance.  She has all sorts of homemade stuff: jams, jellies, relishes, chow-chow, salsa, homemade vanilla extract, breads, cookies...And it's all so good. 

I also picked up this pepper onion relish from another vendor, just because it looks interesting. 

I might give it to the kids -- or I might put it into my chicken salad next time I make some.  I thought about stopping by the Lee Tartt Nature Preserve and walking some trails while I was up there, but didn't have the right shoes on for that, so I came on home.  

The major thing on my list for today was to get that last snake tank cleaned, and that's just what I did.  It wasn't too hard, since Sunny has always been my cleanest snake -- if such a thing is possible.  Onyx is the nastiest, as he's always dragging his bedding into his water, and sloshing water all over the tank, but Sunny's tank is so clean that I didn't have a problem using his old bedding to mulch my planters. 

Oh, don't freak out.  I picked the poop and pee out first.  

Besides, birds and bugs are pooping on outdoor plants all the time.  That's why we wash our stuff before we eat it. 

Oh, and did you know snake pee is solid?  It looks just like poop, but it's white.   There.  That is a thing you now know. 

Moving right along, I now have four relatively clean snake tanks, and four relatively happy snakes. 

The two on the right have white paper bedding, because it's cleaner than aspen shavings, being that paper is more absorbent.  That's what I'm going to use in Onyx's tank from now on, and probably Blaze's, since one pack has enough for both tanks. 

OK, enough about that.  

In other news, I managed to dig both of those big chunks of concrete out and add them to my stepping stone walkway.  

I'm still not sure where they came from.  When I had that whole sewer line replaced right after I moved into this house, the plumber had to break up my patio to do so.  He'd used some of the pieces to fill in the old septic tank that was there, and that's kind of what these look like, which begs the question:  why did the landscaper dig them out, if that is indeed what they are?  

And finally, the last thing on my agenda for the day was to finish knitting this blob, which I did while watching a Netflix documentary on the space shuttle Challenger disaster. 

You know, while I was knitting this, I kept wondering why this sweater is so popular.  I certainly wasn't enjoying knitting it.  I didn't figure I'd ever knit another one...but now that I'm done and have folded it up to see how it'll look once I've seamed the sleeves, I'm kinda proud of it. 

Maybe I'll knit another one after all.  Even though this thing isn't impressed.  

 Not at all...

Score!

I have no idea what day it is.  Having those two days off of work has totally thrown me out of whack.  I have to keep reminding myself that it's Saturday.  Fortunately, I managed to remind myself in time to get down to the Farmer's Market on the square where I finally got Brennan's salsa.  

Since she liked it so much, I got her two of them. 

Not only that, but Bost Farms had some banana peppers. 

I'm not sure they were the same variety as what I'm growing, because they were huge.  Nevertheless, I mixed them in with mine and made two batches of pickled peppers this afternoon. 

 

The batch on the left are sweet pickles, and the ones on the right are garlic pickles.  I'll probably end up giving them as Christmas gifts. 

Not much else has gone on today, except for getting the back yard mowed.  I took care of that right after I got back from the Farmer's Market, and even though it wasn't that hot yet, the humidity was so high, I still ended up drenched with sweat.   So, I took a shower and stayed inside pretty much the rest of the day.  

I should probably show you the hat I finished last night, too. 

Since then, I've been working on the Seaman's scarf, but it's slow going. 

And now, here's something I haven't done in a long, long time.  I recorded a song for you on the piano.  Truth is, I don't really like how it sounds when I record myself, because my playing sounds stiff and uncomfortable -- if you know what I mean.  It's like I'm hyper aware that I'm recording myself, so I get nervous.  I can play a song note perfect a hundred times, but when I turn the camera on, it's like I've never seen the piece before.  Oh, well.  I hope you like it. 

And to take your mind off the mess you just heard, I call this one Summer Symphony.  It sure sounds better than the music I make. 

Farmer’s Market

After spending the last six Saturdays saying I was going to get up and go got the farmer’s market on the square, then not doing it, guess where I went this morning.

If you said the farmer’s market, congratulations!  You win!  You don't get a prize, other than the satisfaction of knowing you were right, but still.  

Yep, I finally made it up there.  Naturally, my first stop was the Little Free Library, but there wasn't anything in it I particularly wanted to read.  

So I moved on to the Bost Farms vegetable wagon, but alas, I was too late to get any of the cantaloupes.  

I love a good cantaloupe, but the ones you get at Walmart just aren't it. Even so, our little Farmer's Market is growing, with a few new vendors this year, and it's not all food, either.  

There were people selling baskets, and little sewn ...things... and birdhouses.  I even saw one lady there with crocheted stuff, mostly dishcloths and a few hats, and I thought briefly that maybe I could set up a table and sell some of my hats.  I dismissed that idea as quickly as it popped into my head.  My knitting is not for sale.  

I didn't stay very long, but I did buy a few things.  

I got the last pack of TT's tea cakes, so as hot as it was, I made some tea to dunk them into.  I tried rosemary and lemon balm, and it turned out pretty good.  Next time, I'm going to use more herbs to make it a bit stronger, but it was all right.  

I also got some fresh tomatoes for 'mater sandwiches-- which is much more appropriate for July than gumbo.  Yes, I've already had one.  I've still got a little big of gumbo to eat up, but after that, it's 'mater sandwiches all the way.  The Salsa is for Cody and Brennan, and will probably be part of their Christmas.  

By the way, the vegetable wagon did have a few pattypan squash, but not enough to do anything with, so I didn't get them.  Maybe next week I'll get moving a bit earlier and get there in time to get me some.  My Aunt Martha had the best squash pie recipe that used pattypan, but it's so hard to find in stores.  

This afternoon, I was able to cross off the last item on my to do list.  OK, OK, the second to last item, but we all knew I wasn't going to make that phone call to the surveyor anyway.  

I got into my pantry and sorted all of my non-perishables.

I did not realize I had that many boxes of Velveeta shells & cheese.  It's often on ibotta, so I tend to stock up when I can.  Nevertheless, it's all sorted and arranged by expiration date, with the older stuff in the front so it can be used up first.  

Most of it is soup.  I see a lot of soup eating in my near future. 

What I didn't get around to doing was getting my new mailbox set up.  I had an epiphany sometime in the middle of the night, which is going to make things a whole lot easier.  See, I'd been dreading digging the hole for the post, but I realized there is already a hole there.  The hole the current post sits it.  If I can somehow get the current post out, it shouldn't be too hard to get a new post in the same hole.  

I'm sure somewhere in this pile of landscape timbers and 4x4s is one that will be long enough for me to use. 

Eh, I need to get all that mess cleaned up anyway, so the Fence Guys can do what they need to do.  I might get me a fire pit this fall when they go on clearance and burn the rest of it.  It'd be much nicer with a proper patio, but we do what we can with what we have. 

And finally, I finished yes another hat. 

As soon as I get off of here, I'm going to cast on another Jayne hat.  Maybe I'll get to keep this one.  

I've finished watching Firefly on DVD, so now I'm watching season one of  Doctor Who.  New Who, not classic Who.  Ninth Doctor.  Christopher Eccleston.  Back when the show was still good.  I'd bought it years and years ago, and didn't realize until today I'd never even opened it.  

I reckon I'd better work on getting the Tenth Doctor DVDs next, since I've dropped all of the streaming services it's available on.  

Laters. 

Wonder Of Wonders

 Miracle of miracles, they fixed the sink!

About an hour after I showed that photo to Boss of Bosses, wonder of wonders maintenance was in the bathroom unclogging the sinks -- including the one that's been clogged up for months on end.  I guess you just need to squeak in front of the right oil can. 

By the way, I took this photo before the cleaning crew came in for their afternoon cleaning session.  It doesn't always look like this.  But at least we can use it again.  No progress on the front bathroom, though.  

Anyway, we had this weekend off again.  Word around the plant is that they can't get the steel we need to make our parts.  Last weekend, I'd said I needed to get better about doing things during the week instead of saving everything up for the weekend.  Monday, I came home and got my mini chainsaw out, and cut a few more things up.  I cut down one more privet from my fence line, then finished cutting up these branches. 

Tuesday, I came home and ... sat in front of the TV.   Wednesday, I came home and decided we'd wait until fall comes to do this doing stuff during the week nonsense.  Seriously, five minutes out in this heat and humidity, and I look like I've got a haystack on my head.

I think I'll stay inside and knit instead.  Speaking of knitting, I finished the hat I was working on.  

I still don't like the way it striped, but I doubt a kid would care, or even notice for that matter.  

And speaking of cooler weather, look what I found in the store Friday!

Oh, it's on, y'all!  Not only that, we're finally getting a break from this heat next weekend.  Highs in the upper 80s instead of the upper 90s!  I can't wait!  

In other news, you'd be proud of me because after weeks on end of blabbering about it, I finally got my butt in gear and went down to the Farmer's Market yesterday!  Yay for me!

I have to admit I was a bit disappointed in the produce, but I don't mean to say that in a blaming sort of way.  The farmers have been struggling in this drought, too.  All of the produce was so small, but the tomatoes I got made good sammiches.  That's all I got, though, was tomatoes.  Vegetable wise, I mean. 

I also stopped by Miss TT's booth and picked up some new jars of muscadine jelly and Indian plum jelly. 

Funny thing, my Scottish was showing a bit when I picked up the Indian Plum jelly and said, "I've never heard of Indian plums.  I'll have to try this."  If you're Scottish, you'll get it.  If not, there's no explaining it. 

And of course, I couldn't leave Miss TT's without getting some of her old fashioned tea cakes. 

I know, I know.  There are plenty of tea cake recipes out there, but those would require me to bake them.   A whole recipe of them.  Which I would then eat.  Aaaaand you get where this is going.  

OK, moving right along.  I picked up these stickers at Walmart Friday on impulse.   

Because I thought they were cute.  Now I just need to find a new pen pal and I can start using them, since all my old ones have stopped writing. 

 

And finally, I made my hotel reservations for Fiber Fun In The Sip.  I went ahead and booked Thursday night and Friday night.  I did get the fully refundable rooms, so I can cancel if I need to.  Now, I just have to call the vet and get Jesse's hotel booked, and we'll  be all set. 

I'm not taking any classes this year, so I'll be there Friday and Saturday just to hang out.  I hope to see you there -- some of you, at least.  

Surreal

It almost seems surreal.

Having a Saturday off, I mean.  We've been working so much lately, it seems odd to have a day off. 

There were rumors going around the plant, but then, there's always rumors going around the plant.  Along about 2:45, they posted the work schedule.  Almost everyone was off.  Edna who used to read my blog, but isn't on Facebook any more had to work.  I leaned casually against her stand and asked, "You mad?"

This being a family blog and all, I can't repeat here what she told me.

Once she'd stopped cursing, she asked me what I was going to do with my weekend.  I said I'd probably sit in front of the TV, but if I could get myself up and moving, I might go to the Farmer's Market on the square.  Then again, I've been saying that for three years.  Not sure what would make today any different.

I work up bright and early, and got dressed.  I have some wasps up in my eaves.  I think I've pretty much gotten rid of the hornets and red wasps, but I have dirt dobbers everywhere.  I've tried wasp spray and wasp traps, but they don't work very well.  I found a tube of silicone sealant, so I thought I'd try to seal up where they are getting in.  I got up and did that, then thought, "Well, I'm already dressed.  Might as well drive up to that there Farmer's Market."

I was hoping to find some figs and tomatoes, but I guess it's still a bit early in the season for those.  There was one table selling vegetables, but I didn't buy any -- though that squash and zucchini was very tempting.

This lady was selling garden plants, tomatoes and peppers and the like.  I didn't buy any of those, either.

These two tables were selling jams, jellies, and relishes.  The one under the canopy also had home made cookies and fresh eggs.

There was another lady selling plants.  She had lots of lantanas, ferns, and potted plants.  I bought this one.

It's another variety of moss rose.  I'd wanted one of these kind, but hadn't gotten one.  I took another picture of it a few hours later after all its buds opened up.  It sure is pretty.

The only other things I bought this time were some cookies and this jar of muscadine jelly.

Maybe if we get another Saturday off later on in the year, they'll have more stuff out.  After my little trip downtown, I came home and spent the rest of the day in front of the TV. 

Well, except for mowing, that is.  But look, my little moss rose that I thought was going to die made a full recovery -- so much so, it's got blooms!

I was looking at my fire place the other day, and thinking I really need to get back to work stripping all that gunky paint off.  I went into my snake/craft/computer room looking for some more Easy Off, and I couldn't find any.  Had I really used up the whole case?  I didn't think I had, but I guess I did. 

I really need to get that room cleaned up.  Don't know when I'm going to do it, I just know I need to.