Double Trouble

Today is double trouble day.  

"And why is it double trouble day?" you may ask.  

Well, I'll tell you...because you get two blog posts!  The first one was the history post I published this morning, which I still stubbornly do every year even though those types of post draw very little traffic to the blog.  Since I didn't post yesterday, I felt I needed to catch you up on what's been going on -- which doesn't make sense because the stuff I'm telling you about happened today.  

But that's the way my crazy brain works. 

First up, the good news.  We did have today off from work.  A few people had to go in, but I wasn't one of them.  The first thing I did this morning was to sleep past 4:30 AM.  OK, the cat only let me sleep until about 5:45, but hey, we take small victories where we find them. 

I spent a leisurely morning with a cup of coffee and a few loads of laundry -- I washed my new allergy pad before putting it onto the bed, so that created an extra load, then I decided to wash the blanket, too -- and I went outside to sit in my chair for a bit, but didn't stay long before the mosquitoes found me, so I came back in and caught up on some DVRed TV shows.  

What I hadn't planned on doing was mowing.  What I ended up doing was...mowing. 

I started out weed-eating, but then the weed eater broke.  It would seem when I changed out the gas tank last year, I didn't get the bolts tight enough, and the vibrations must have loosened them enough that they fell out.   There I was, just a weed-eating away when the tank fell off, the motor quit, and gas was spraying everywhere.  Well, phooey.  

I'm sure I can find some bolts that fit.  I just need to figure out size.  If I can find an online breakdown of that model, it should be pretty easy to do just that.  I'm thinking about selling that one anyway, and buying an electric model.  I know there are downsides to them, but the gas one I have is just too heavy.  Ten years ago, I could handle it.  Today, not so much. 

Anyway, with the weedeater out of service, I cranked up the ol' lawnmower, and this time I did the whole yard, including the back.  I even threw in the towel and cut down all of the wild garlic after deciding that the ground had gotten too hard, and it was starting to die back anyway.   

One of the landscaping websites I was reading said that if I hoe them down when they first start showing up in the Fall, the lack of sunshine will starve the bulbs.  I'm going to try that, and see if I can stay on top of them that way.  But first, I'll need to buy a hoe.  Believe it or not, I don't have one. 

I was able to mow around my biggest and healthiest patches of clover and my daisy fleabane, 

and the little yellow flowers I like so much.  Everything else got cut down. Well, except for the day lilies and spider lilies I want the landscaper to come dig up. 

I figure it'll be easier for him to do that if he can actually see what it is I want gone.  I'm determined to contact one THIS WEEK.  But Monday, after Easter.  

By the way, I did some research and found out Basil is an annual, so the one from last year wouldn't have come back anyway, even if I hadn't pulled it up.  But at least now I know. 

While we're on that subject, my little seedlings are getting their first true leaves! 

I know it's hard to see them in this photo because they're so tiny, but they're there.  That means that soon, I'll have to pick the strongest one in each pod and cut the others down.  I always hate that part, but it must be done. 

Now for a bit of bad news, my last little bluebonnet has gone to that great Texas in the sky. 

I think maybe I overdid it with the direct sunlight, so I brought it back into the house and put it under a fluorescent lamp.  Maybe it'll perk up.  Maybe it won't.  I know I've gotten them to grow in the past.  Just click on the bluebonnet label in the right sidebar and you'll see them.  You have to scroll back a couple of years, but they're definitely there.  

Oh, and look what I found in the shed when I was getting the lawnmower out!  An empty pot, and it's definitely big enough to grow a tomato in.  

Next time I go to the store, I'll pick one up, along with a cage, and we'll be in business.  Once I finally get my raised beds in place, I do want to save two for tomatoes and banana peppers.  I'll have one pollinator garden -- at least -- and the rest will be herbs. 

After spending much of the late morning and early afternoon doing yard work, then taking a nice hot shower, I settled in with some knitting and Easter shows. 

 That is some yarn I got at a past Fiber Fun In The 'Sip, back when my friend Leann was still vending at that show.  It's called Toasted Marshmallow, and I love how it's knitting up.  But it is making me hungry, so I think I'll go get myself something to eat. 

Laters.