Knitting And Flowers, and Stuff

After searching and searching for a pattern I liked for Cody's hat, I finally just cast on a plain old stockinette with ribbed brim stocking cap.  I've gotten the ribbing done, and have just started the body of the hat.  I decided to go with a full on stocking hat, rather than a beanie.  I figure that if he's going to wear it to football games, a stocking hat will be a bit warmer.

I don't know yet what I'm going to do about the scarf, though.  I'll figure that out when I get there.

As for me, I decided to put the second Jaywalker sock aside and just do another plain vanilla sock.

For those of you who may not be knitters, a plain vanilla sock is what we call socks with no pattern or design to them.  They are just stockinette stitch, except for the ribbing at the top.

Anyway, I had some Crazy Zauberball that I though would make some really pretty socks.  I wasn't sure, though, since that yarn is only two plies, and very loosely spun, so I wondered if it would hold up as socks.

Nevertheless, I cast on and started.   However, I'd only gotten this far when I came to the second, yes second break in the yarn.

It wasn't the whole yarn that was broken, but just one of the plies.  You can see it in the photo, the pink ply sticking up where it was broken.  Still, it confirmed what I'd suspected.  This yarn would never last as a pair of socks.

I pulled it off the needles and cast on with some Paton's Kroy. 

The colorway is Brown Striped Ragg. 

And finally, here's a lovely little photo of my wildflowers.  They're really starting to take off now. 

 

I can't wait to see the bed in full bloom. 

Oh, and I found the laundry soap recipe, here.  Homemade Laundry Detergent.   This is the powdered form, which I prefer to liquid.  I'll let you know how it works sometime later, as I still have half a box of storebought left.

Not Quite Eye Candy

I've decided to try to make my own laundry detergent.  I hear it's way cheaper this way than buying it. 

Well, we'll see.  These ingredients cost me $7.60, and a 120 load box of laundry detergent costs about the same.   It will depend on how many loads I can get out of the home made stuff. 

Now I've got to go try to find that recipe again. 

Needless To Say

I didn't go fishing today.

I was going to cast on Cody's hat and scarf, but I couldn't find the pattern I wanted, so I guess I'll just make a plain stockinette set.  My knitting mojo has taken a vacation, so I really haven't been knitting a whole lot.

Well, at least that makes one of us.  Dr. Armstrong asked me if I had any vacation plans for this summer.  I just laughed.

Speaking of laughing, I called Group Leader Fernando mein Fuhrer.  I don't think he appreciated it.  But hey, at least I didn't have to explain who der Fuhrer was.  I did the last time I called a group leader that. 

"Huh?" 

Kinda takes the sting out of the insult when you have to explain it. 

I got my lab results back.  My liver enzymes were high.  It's usually caused by damage or inflammation to the liver.  He wants to recheck it in a couple of weeks to see if they are still high.  The nurse asked me if I took a lot of tylenol, but I don't.  I wonder if it could be from the RMSF, or the Doxycycline. 

Hmmm, I wonder if the Claritin could be causing it.  I hope not, because I've gotten kind of fond of this breathing thing. 

Would hate to have to give that up. 

Lots To Catch Up On

So, let's just jump right in there, shall we?

Today was the day for my annual physical, which usually gets done every 2 years, so I took the day off.  I always try to get the earliest available appointment, because they rather you fast for your bloodwork.  I know some people at work who will get 4 PM appointments, then go all day without eating or drinking anything-- at work.

Sorry, bub, I can't do that.

But I digress...

Anyway, I got a clean bill of health, but he did a few things he hasn't done in the past.  He listened to my carotid arteries, for one.  I guess as you get older, there's more stuff they need to check.  I still got a clean bill of health.  My weight and blood pressure are "perfect" as he said, and my weight is holding steady.  It'll take a couple of days for the lab work to come back, so I've still got to wait for that.

He did refer me to a urologist.  You know that "Gotta go right now" feeling the commercial talks about?  Yeah, I get that.  I feel like I need to pee all the time.  And I do mean all the time.  But half the time, when I go, I just get a little trickle.  Then 30 seconds later, I feel like I have to go again.  So, we're going to see what that's all about.

I know, I know, you probably didn't want to hear about that, but hey, maybe if you have similar problems, you now know you're not alone.  Maybe it'll give you the courage to bring it up with your own doctor. 

After my appointment, I went and had a sausage biscuit, which is also my after physical tradition.  Then I came home, ate lunch, then went fishing.  I got three bites at the river, but missed them all.  Then I went to the pond, but nothing there was biting.  I could see the fish swimming around, but they just wouldn't take my bait.  I'll say one thing, though.  If I keep on fishing I just might end up with a tan.

Last night, I finished the first of my Jaywalker socks.

I haven't cast on the second one yet.  I bought some yarn a while back in Cody's school colors, and want to knit him a hat and scarf set for Christmas.  That's kinda taking priority right now.  I wish I could find an old pattern for a ribbed type scarf and hat set I used to have.  I knit it for one of my nephews like 10 years ago, but I can't find it now.  If I don't, I'll just use a mistake rib, which is similar, but quite the same thing. 

Moving right along...

As most of my regular readers know, I frequently donate to Green Beans Coffee's Cup Of Joe program, in which I can buy coffee for troops stationed overseas.  Sometimes they have special promotions, like the Challenge coins I showed you a few days back.  This month, they are offering a t-shirt.  Mine came Monday:

And finally, I'm starting to get some flowers blooming in my wildflower beds.

I'm thinking that maybe next year, I won't plant anything.  I'll just see what seeds itself.  They seeded plenty in my yard, after all.

And on the other side, everything has perked up since I put the mulch down.  These are my Four O' Clocks.  No blooms yet, but they are really growing well.

I need to put some more slug killer out, and spray them down with bug killer.  My zinnias and marigolds are doing well, too.

And finally, finally, just one more thing...I've got another poem finished.  I'm just letting the words settle a bit before posting it on my poetry blog. 

If you want an invitation to my poetry blog, leave a comment, send me an e-mail or PM on FB with your gmail address and I'll send one out straight away. 

Well, that's about all I have for tonight. 

Thanks for stopping by. 

Chats On The Farmhouse Porch

It's that time again. Time for another Farmhouse Chat. So grab your lemonade and join me on the porch.




1.  Do you enjoy grocery shopping? 

Eh, not particularly.  But I don't particularly dislike it either.  It's just one of those things that you have to do.

2.  Are you following any particular news stories? 

Not particularly.  I'm kind of following the IRS scandals, and the spying scandals, and the phone taps scandals, and of course, the Benghazi scandal, but not religiously.  I don't watch news on TV, but I have some news junkie friends on FB who keep me informed about everything that is going on.

3.  How do you feel about all of the technology we have today? Is it too much, just right, or not enough? 

Yes, and no.  It's great having friends all around the world at your fingertips, and being able to access all the information that is out there.  On the other hand, we seem to be losing that personal touch.  We are losing that sense of community that we once had.  We don't even know our neighbors any more. 

4.  On a scale of 1-10(1 being the least) how much do you worry? 

 I'd say about a 4.  I don't worry too often, but when I do worry, I go all out. 

5.  Without any of your responsibilities or concern with how you would accomplish this, what would your three dream jobs be?

A rancher, a hermit, or a mountain man.  Except not the man part.   But saying "mountain person" just sounds too weird. 

I hope you've enjoyed this week's chat, and your lemonade.   Now I'm going to go try to finish that pesky sock, so I can start knitting Christmas gifts.

Oh, by the way, it's only 6 months until Christmas. 

You're welcome.

A Lovely Little Ditty

The plan was to show you a finished sock today, but...well... stuff happened and the sock didn't get finished.  So I'll have to show it to you another time.

In the meantime, enjoy this lovely little ditty that's been running through my head all day.



I want someone to call my own, I want a dream lover, so I don't have to dream alone.

It would seem I've moved on from my 1970s rock jag and am going through a 1950s rock and roll jag. Most of which beats what they are putting out these days by a bunch of miles.

I'm also watching the pilot of this new show called Under The Dome.  I doubt I stick with it.  I'm not impressed so far.

Well, I'm off to go dream...alone.  

Strange Cravings

I was sitting in my recliner this afternoon, watching reruns of Doctor Who on Netflix, when suddenly, I needed a legal pad.  I didn't just think, "say, a legal pad would be a nice thing to have."  No, I needed a legal pad.

I mean, I really, really needed a legal pad.  

I remembered that I had bought a whole pack of legal pads years ago, so I tore up the house looking for them.  I didn't find them, but I did find 4 packs of pens-- three of which hadn't even been opened.

But no legal pads.

Well, I thought, I'll just go get one after church tomorrow.  And a nifty leather thing to hold it.  After church.  Tomorrow.

But the craving would not be silenced, so off to Wal-mart I went.

I found the nifty leather thing to hold it, and it had a legal pad already inside.

Alas, it was white, which just would not do.  I needed a yellow legal pad.

Yeah...

Into the nifty leather thing went the yellow legal pad, and the craving was finally sated.  I have my legal pad, a proper yellow one, and a nifty leather thing to hold it, and all is right with the world.  I am content.

Life is good.

Yes!

If I ever get married again, I'm definitely going to release The Kraken. 

At work today, I was teasing Group Leader Fernando.  Supervisor Alex was standing there, too, and I said, "Alex, look over there so I can knock Fernando in the head."  Alex replied, "Hey, I didn't see $#@&.  Fernando slipped and fell.  That's how he hurt himself."

I like Supervisor Alex.

Tuesday when I was in Bass Pro Shops, I was in the archery department looking at some recurve bows.  I want one so badly!  The sales man came over and asked if he could help me.  I said, "Not unless you want to be my sugar daddy." 

Yeah, I kinda wish I'd thought that one through. 

Such A Total Luddite

I'm driving down to Jackson day before yesterday for my doctor appointment.  I've got GPS on my phone, along with Google Earth and whatever maps program that is also on my phone.  And what am I following to find the doctor's office?

Handwritten notes on a piece of paper.

Such a total Luddite!

I finally got my flower beds mulched.

I didn't even start until 7 PM, and by the time I got done, I was drenched in sweat.   By the way, I hear Alaska is having a heat wave.  They're getting up into the low 80s.

Poor babies.

I've been on a 1970s rock jag here lately.  After listening to some of those songs, I'm pretty sure those people must have been stoned out of their minds when they wrote them.  Seriously.  Listen to some of the lyrics.

By the way, I'm still singing Come Sail Away.  I've got this clever idea that if I can talk James into letting me use his boat...well, let's just say I want to get out on the water so badly it hurts.  

Finally, just for funsies, here is a picture of one of the cute little fish I caught yesterday.

They weren't all that small, but none of them were big enough to keep. 

I'm Going To Live

Yesterday I went to my appointment with the infectious disease guy, and he pronounced that I was going to live.  Basically, he said I was cured, and that Dr. Lee had done everything right.  The problem cases occur when people let things like that go on too long and by the time they go to a doctor, they're very sick.

But since I went to the doctor as soon as I noticed a problem, and he put me on antibiotics right away, I'm cured and there's nothing more I need to do.  He did say that the rash would take a while to fade, and that was mainly what I was concerned about.

Once we got that out of the way, it was on to the fun stuff.  Cody went with me, but didn't want to drive, the little stinker.  So I couldn't knit on the way.

Anyway, the first thing we did is to go get something to eat.

We ate at Soulshine in Ridgeland, then drove out to Mississippi College, because he needed to pick up some clothes he'd left there.

 It's a very nice campus, very compact.  My college was nicknamed The 40 Acres, and for good reason.

Cody took great delight in showing me all the sights, but then it was back to Jackson whereupon we went to the mall to find Cody some new shoes.

I was sitting there on the bench, bored, while Cody was shopping for shoes, wishing he would hurry so we could go to Lowe's and Bass Pro Shops.  Yes, I do recognize the irony in that.

I found it to be quite amusing.

We finally got to Lowe's and I got some mulch for my flower beds.  Well, first I went to the bathroom because by that time, the Dr. Pepper I'd drank at lunch was working it's way through me.  When I came out, I didn't see Cody anywhere.  I figured he had wandered off, so I sent him a text saying that I was in the garden center.

Well, he didn't come, and he didn't come, so I went looking for him.  I finally found him, and he said, "Sometimes a man just needs to look at hammers."

I also found this little marigold.

It was the only one they had like that, and I got it.

Finally, we made it to Redneck Heaven, also known as Bass Pro Shops, where I was squealing and jumping up and down, and Cody was bored.  Yes, I do recognize the irony in that.

I found it to be quite amusing.

I bought some new vanes for my arrows.

I was going to get feathers, but when I saw the price of them, I decided vanes were good enough for what I wanted to do with them.  James said I could borrow his fletcher, so I hope to get those done soon.

I also bought some lures.

I didn't realize how similar the Rat-L-Trap and Strike King were until I'd gotten home.  And of course, I got the Yo-Zuri because I liked the rainbow sparklies.

It's my one concession to my femininity.

Then we had to rush back, because I'd told my friend Tina that we would get on Google Hangout and practice sign language.  She is taking a class, and I've always been interested in learning it, so we try to get together once a week or so and practice.  It is fun.

After that, I pretty much just went to bed.  It was a long, tiring day, but except for the lack of knitting time, it was a good day. 

Today, not so much.  I had to go back to work, and that's never a good thing. 

But I did go fishing after work.  I caught 4 fish and threw them all back.  They were too small to keep.  I still had fun catching them, so the day wasn't a total waste. 

Maybe I'll go back tomorrow.

Chats On The Farmhouse Porch

I've got a few minutes before I have to leave to drive down to Jackson, so I thought we'd have time for a quick chat.  I'll have to read all of your chats when I get back.  




QUESTIONS

1. Is there a friend or relative who has been on your mind a lot lately?
2. Do you sunburn?
3. If you were visiting my farm for a week (or weekend) would you want to cook with me, pick veggies or pull weeds with the farm crew, or just feed Wendell carrots until he outgrew his horse suit?
4. Do you like to tell jokes or hear them?
5. Do you wear sunglasses often?

Answers:

1.  My son, Cody.  We've got to find him a summer job, but what with his truck being broke down and all, it's mighty hard.  And we can't afford to get his truck fixed until he finds a job, so yeah, we're kind of stuck in a vicious circle.  I keep telling him to put in as a temp out at the plant, so he could ride with me, but he hasn't.

2.  Surprisingly, as white as I am, I don't burn that badly.  Now, if I were in a bathing suit, yes, my back would burn, but my arms and legs don't.  The downside is, I don't tan either.  I used to lay out for hours as a teenager, and all I'd do was turn pink for a few hours, then go back to being blindingly white.

3.  I think I'd like to do both of the outdoor options.  I don't much like cooking, though people tell me I'm a good cook. I'd rather work in the yard or brush and feed the horse.

4.  I like to hear a good joke, but I'm not so keen on telling them.  I'm more into the sarcastic one-liners.

5.    Yes and no.  I don't wear sunglasses, but I do have the transition lenses in my regular glasses, so that sort of counts. 

That's it for the chat.  Now I need to start getting ready to go.  I'll let you all know how the doctor's appointment went. 

Just A Few Things

I've gotten my poetry blog started, and am busy copying some of my older works into it.  I've noticed I go through spurts.  I'll write a whole bunch of poems for a while, then stop writing for sometimes years.  Then I'll write a bunch more. 

My first poetry is very strict in regards to rhyme and meter, but here lately, I've gotten more into free form stuff. 

Well, whatever... it's a private blog, but all my friends are welcome.  Just PM or e-mail me your gmail addy and I'll send you an invitation.  If you don't have gmail, I can still send you an invite, but they'll want you to create a Google account to have permanent access to the blog.  If you don't want to create a Google account, I'll have to resend your invitation every 30 days. 


I've got my doctor's appointment set for tomorrow morning.  When they called this afternoon to confirm, I asked for directions to the office.  She went into great detail, even directing me which deck of the parking garage to park on, but if I don't, that's OK, I just need to take the elevator to the right floor.  Yeah, thanks, I can figure that part out myself. 

Cody is going to ride with me, because he needs to go to the college campus for something.  After that, we're going to Redneck Heaven, also known as Bass Pro Shops.  Then Lowe's, and wherever else he wants to go.  I think I'll make him drive so I can knit on the way.

Yes, I had ulterior motives. 

Finally, in honor of Father's Day yesterday, here is one of my favorite Daddy songs:

Flowers, Too!

I've got flowers!

Just not in my flower beds.  Some of the wildflower mix that I planted in one section of my bed last year seeded into the yard.  They're everywhere, and they're blooming.

What's funny about it is that nothing in my bed is blooming yet.

Some stuff is getting close, though.  Soon, I will have blooms!  Then maybe I can finally start weeding.

I still need to get some mulch down.  When I go down to Jackson Tuesday, I'm going to find a Lowe's and see if they have that 4 bags for $10 mulch and pick up some of them. 

Oh, yeah, I don't remember if I mentioned, but my follow up with the Infectious Disease guy...er, doctor... is Tuesday morning.  At 11:00, this time.  I wasn't silly enough to make another 7:00 AM appointment! 

My plans are, when I'm done, to go to Bass Pro Shops, then Lowe's, and maybe Academy.  By that time, I'm sure I'll be ready to come on home. 

I'm thinking of starting another blog for my poetry.  Y'all didn't know I wrote poetry, did you?  This one will be by invitation only, to try to keep people from stealing my poems, though why anyone would want to do that is beyond me.  I'm not exactly Walt Whitman over here. 

Anyway, if you want an invitation, let me know and I'll send you one, as soon as I've figured out how to set up a private blog. 

Poem in Progress

I think it's almost finished.  But then, I finished it back in April, then decided I didn't like it and started over.  I like this version better, but that last verse may still get some tweaking. 

Weeds

Most people see me as a weed
Unacceptable, unbearable, intolerable
Because I am neither elegant rose
Nor stately orchid gently nodding a graceful head.

I don't belong in their cultured gardens
Unworthy, unwanted, unloved
An outsider.  An invader to be pulled up
Cast aside, or tossed into the fire.

But I have beauty, too, though of a different sort.
The capricious whimsy of the wind in my eyes,
The merry twinkle of starlight in my soul,
And a heart filled with the echo of the wild goose's cry.

But those who can truly see me
Those rare few who get to know my heart
And touch my soul, they are blessed for
They will see that I'm a flower, too.

Challenge Coins

Challenge coins are an old military tradition dating back to the 1940s.  Despite having served 5 years in the military myself, I'd never even heard of them until just a few weeks ago.   I've heard of commemorative coins, but not challenge coins. 

For several years now, I've been buying coffee for troops serving overseas through Green Beans Coffee's Cup of Joe  program.  I really enjoy doing this, and the best part is when they send you thank you notes.

A few weeks back, they commissioned some challenge coins to be sent to people who'd bought a certain amount of coffee.

Now, I'd have bought the coffee anyway, but these coins sure are nice.

I've actually gotten two of them, one to carry with me, and one to keep special.

Well, they got me interested in collecting challenge/commemorative coins, so I did some digging and found a few more that I liked. The rest of these I'd consider commemorative coins, because challenge coins are usually presented to you for doing something-- even something small like buying soldiers coffee.

This one, because I will never forget, and I will teach it to my son that he may never forget.

And of course, I had to get a Navy Veteran coin.

And finally, a coin commemorating something near and dear to my heart:  The U.S. Constitution

On the back, it has the text of The Second Amendment, which is the most important one.

Because without the Second, there would be no others. 

I'll probably be adding to the collection, though slowly.  On the other hand, if anyone out there needs gift ideas....

Hint, hint.

Down To The Seas*

I had such a lovely dream last night. 

I dreamed I'd bought a sailboat. 

And I took off in my sailboat and headed to the Bahamas. 

My plan was to live on my sailboat, just sailing from island to island.  The sky was so blue, and the water was so blue, and the wind was so fresh that I hated to wake up. 

I got to work and spent the entire day singing, "Come sail away, come sail away, come sail away with me!"  And group leader Fernando gave me a strange look as he walked by.  But I didn't care. 

In my mind, I was still at sea. 

Where I've always longed to be. 

I came by it honest.  My dad always loved the sea, and taught me to love it as well.   He told me once that he'd planned on joining the Navy when he got out of high school, but he was drafted by the army first.  He was a huge influence on my own decision to join the Navy, and irony of ironies, I never got to go to sea.

Oh, I wanted to.  But when the ex walked out on me and left me with a newborn-- OK technically Cody was born the day after the ex left-- I decided it would be easier to be a single parent as a civilian. 

I've always regretted that decision.  I know it turned out for the best.  Cody has grown into a fine young man, and really is a better person than I am.  I can't take credit for that.   He's studying to be a minister.  I think of all the lives he will touch, and I do know getting out was the right decision. 

Even so, my heart still longs for the sea. 

*Taken from Sea Fever, by John Masefield-- my dad's favorite poem

I must go down to the seas again, to the lonely sea and the sky,
And all I ask is a tall ship and a star to steer her by,
And the wheel's kick and the wind's song and the white sail's shaking,
And a grey mist on the sea's face, and a grey dawn breaking.

I must go down to the seas again, for the call of the running tide
Is a wild call and a clear call that may not be denied;
And all I ask is a windy day with the white clouds flying,
And the flung spray and the blown spume, and the sea-gulls crying.

I must go down to the seas again, to the vagrant gypsy life,
To the gull's way and the whale's way, where the wind's like a whetted knife;
And all I ask is a merry yarn from a laughing fellow-rover,
And quiet sleep and a sweet dream when the long trick's over.

Chats On The Farmhouse Porch

It's Tuesday again, and that means it's time for another chat on the porch.  Since it's so hot today-- 92' with a heat index of 101'-- we'll skip the coffee and get some lemonade instead.

We'll also sit in the shade.  Definitely in the shade.




Here are this week's questions. 

Questions

1. How many times a week do you have a green or veggie salad?
2. Do you pray? (You may skip this if you do not wish to answer.)
3. What season is your birthday? You do not need to give us the date.
4. Do you have dinner guests often, every now and then or not at all? Wendell says he can be there for dinner as quick as a wink!
5. Could you describe yourself as a DIY- Do It Yourselfer?

And here are the answers:

1.  I'm so not a salad person!  I rarely eat salad, and when I do, it's Beverly's broccoli Salad.  And since I know someone is going to ask, here is the recipe:

2-3 bunches fresh broccoli, florets only, cut into bite sized pieces
1 lb bacon, cooked, cooled, and crumbled
1 purple onion, chopped
1 lb cheddar cheese, grated

Dressing:

Mayonnaise (since I'm allergic to eggs, we just substitute vegetable oil, usually canola)
Vinegar
sugar

We don't measure.  We just put some mayo in a bowl and add the vinegar until it is the right consistency, and add sugar until it tastes right.

Mix it all together in a large bowl, and top with the dressing.

2.  Yes, I do, but not in the way most people think of praying.  I'm so not a gregarious person, so the "traditional" idea of prayer --sitting down and yammering at God for an hour or so-- is almost impossible for me to do.  My prayers are mostly a sentence or two here and there throughout the day--and almost never out loud.  Sometimes, I imagine Jesus physically standing (or sitting) beside me, and I talk to him that way.  And you know, it's OK to be quiet and listen when you pray.  Most of us need to do more listening. 

Another thing, I find the way people talk to God, well if they talked to another person that way, they'd probably be committed.  Our youth pastor, and I'm not kidding, says "Lord" at least 3 times in every single sentence that he prays.  As in "Lord, we just Lord come before you Lord to Lord, thank you Lord for Lord this beautiful day, Lord"  I'm NOT joking.  He really does that. Can you imagine talking to oh, say Bob, and doing that.  "Bob, how are, Bob, you Bob, today Bob?  Bob, have you, Bob, got any milk, Bob, that I, Bob, can borrow, Bob?"  I tell ya, Bob would send me to the funny farm.

3.  Autumn.  I'm a November baby, born on Veteran's Day. 

4.  I never have dinner guests.  I don't like people in my house.  Not even family.  Really.  When we do have dinners, we do it at Beverly and James' house.  They actually have a dining room, with a table, whereas I eat in front of the TV in my recliner.

5.  I used to be a DIYer, but I'm getting to the point right now where I'd just rather pay someone to do whatever I want done. 

That's it for this week's chat. Please leave your glasses on the table and I'll clean up later. 

Be sure and join us next week, and pop on over to Patrice's blog to make the rounds.  (Link is in my side bar -- Everyday Rurality)

Monday Blahs

There's not much blog- worthy going on today, so I thought I'd show you some sock progress. 

I've made it past the gusset decreases and am on to the foot. 

Alas, the sock is all I've been working on, when I've taken the time to knit.  As I said, I'm trying to get out and do more and not just huddle in my house all day. 

Well, that's about all I've got today.  Just for good measure, here's a picture of Jesse looking adorable. 

A Little Gardening

I got out and weeded the flower bed this afternoon. 

For the record, I think Weather Bug lied.  It said 82', but it sure felt hotter than that out there.  I wasn't sure I was going to make it, but I persevered.

I got the entire bed weeded.

These colors aren't quite true.  Those zinnias are way orangier than this photo shows.  That's what I get for using my phone, but I just didn't want to drag the big camera out there.  Oh, and all that grass at the bottom is outside the flower bed.  I really did weed.  I think tomorrow after work, I'll go get some mulch to put down and the bed will be finished.

The plants on the west end of the bed are really struggling.  That end is lower than the other, and stays soggier.  And wouldn't you know it, it's raining again.  Sigh...

But I digress...those zinnias are really about the same color as this zinnia.  

After I took these photos, I did go back and deadhead everything.   This is just a general photo showing the three purple coneflowers that came back, my Agamemnon, and one of my lantanas. 

And here are my two surviving dahlias.  They still seem to be struggling, but they are hanging in there.  

The one on the left of the photo -- which is really the one on the right because the photo is upside down-- is the one I'm watching.  I think the other one might make it, but I'm not sure about the left one.  If it dies, I'm going to replace it with another of these lantanas. 

My grandma always had these in her flower beds.  I wasn't sure if they were the same plants she had until I smelled the blooms.  They say that memories of scents stay with you the longest.  I don't doubt that, because I recognized the scent of these flowers right away, and I knew then that I'd gotten the right ones. 

And finally, this is the east end of my flower bed. 

This is where I planted my wildflower mix.  I haven't weeded this side at all.  I did that last year, and ended up pulling up some stuff I should have kept.  So this year, I decided that the wildflowers would just have to compete with the weeds until they got big enough that I know for sure which ones to keep. 

I was going to go fishing again this evening, but when I got through working in the garden, I came in and took a shower.  I just didn't want to get all sweaty again, so I stayed home. 

And that's basically all I did today. 

Besides laundry, knitting, paying bills, and watching TV, that is. 

The Dance Of Joy

Do you remember the old 80s TV show called Perfect Strangers?

In the show, Balki and Larry had this dance they did called the Dance of  Joy. The dance evolved a bit from the first season and by the time the show ended it looked like this:



Today at work, I was doing some particularly obnoxious parts.  Several orders of them, at that.  It was after lunch when I finally finished the last one.  As I put the last header into the bin with the rest of the completed work, I said, "Now we are so happy, we do the Dance of Joy!" and I started doing it.

Right there at my brazing stand.

When I finished, I turned around and there were two of my supervisors, staring at me like I'd gone off my rocker.  Ronnie asked me if I'd been drinking.  I just laughed.

The plant has about 5 different supervisors now, each covering a different area.  Ronnie used to be over all of the assembly lines.  Well, really, at one time he was over the entire plant.  Then they started adding more supervisors for different areas.  Now Ronnie is over lines 3 & 4, and Alex is over lines 1 & 2.  That makes Alex my new supervisor.

Yesterday, he came up to me and said, "Did you see what [another supervisor] did?"  I responded that I hadn't, so Alex said that the other sup had flipped him off, and was worried that I'd seen it and would report him.  I said that no, I would leave it to them to settle their own differences.  Stuff has to be really bad for me to report it-- I mean like, safety hazard bad.

Anyway, Alex said, "Well, if you ever see him do it again, mess with him about it."

I have a feeling that things at work are about to get a lot more interesting.

He he he...

My Fishing Hole

One of them, at least.

 Fishing is a great activity for an introvert like me.

It's a calm, quiet activity, but with moments of excitement.

And the best part is, even if there are other people around, nobody really expects you to talk. 

You don't want to scare the fish, now do you?