This is One Improperly Named Plant!*

Yesterday, I dug up a 4x4 plot of my butterfly garden.  Last year, I'd let the "Obedient Plant" grow (normally I pull it up, you'll understand why shortly) because it's just lovely, and the butterflies and bees really love the flowers.

However, as I was edging grass, I discovered obedient plant roots.  So, thought I'd edge it back from the garden a bit.  When I jabbed the shovel in -- I discovered a carpet of roots!  The entire garden was now filled with obedient plant, to the exclusion of all else.

The obedient plant is MASSIVELY invasive and, while lovely, certainly doesn't belong in a garden that is limited in size.  I ruthlessly dug and pull out roots and more roots and more roots ... in fact, I filled up my five-gallon bucket THREE times and had piles of roots left over.

And, worse, I'm sure I've missed some.  So, this year, I'll make a point of weeding any and all obedient plant out of my butterfly garden.  I'll plant liatris instead.

Now I just have to pray I didn't destroy any milkweed roots that might have been in there...

Spring has sprung!

The Garden

I decided to try something a little different with my veggie garden this year.  You  see, my garden never has enough room, and after digging up the area for the strawberries this year I was out of steam and had little desire to expand the veggie garden.

It's pretty big, but not enough if I want to plant enough to can and freeze:

So, I took some of the plants that don't grow much in width and planted them elsewhere... in my flower gardens.

I used this place:

To plant six eggplants:

And here along the front of the house I planted beets (which I forgot to take pictures of -- but which have lovely red/green foliage):

And here where I have mostly flowering ground cover, I planted six peppers:

That was a few weeks ago.  So far?  I've lost two beet plants and three eggplants and I have no idea why.  More, the rest of the eggplants and beet plants aren't really growing much.  One pepper got smothered by grass clippings when my DH mowed (for thirteen years, I've asked him to NOT mow clippings into my garden... he still doesn't listen) and may not make it, but the others are going strong and most have actually flowered.

Next year, I'll try something else in the circle garden.  I'm not sure if the sprinklers killed the ones that died or if they weren't getting enough sun.

In my main garden, I keep finding plants "topped". I had two tomatoes that looked like they were broken off.  The first time, I figured it for a chipmunk, the second time I was ready to cry.  I started digged the plants up to make room for new ones (which I realized was a bad move -- tomatoes will come back from being topped), and as I dug, I found a cut worm.  BAD (and now deceased) bug.

So, a week later, when one of my cucumbers suffered the same fate, I dug around the roots and sure enough, I found a cut worm.  I've never really had a problem with them before, so am frustrated.  I do NOT want to treat the place with pesticides, but alternatively, I'd sure like to have some plants survive.

My admiration for the pilgrims grows every year I try to garden out here.

=======================

I Really Dug My Weekend!

Honestly, the weather was lovely, so I spent most of it on outdoor chores. Take a walk with me...

This is going to be our strawberry patch (this picture was taken on Saturday morning):

This one is as far as I managed to go before I ran out of steam (I don't use a tiller for many reasons too numerous to list -- plus I wanted some of the grass):



Here's what I wanted the grass for -- to plug some spots where the Japanese Beetle grubs attacked last year (we're investing in milky spore this year -- it's been ten years since we applied it last time, and it's clearly run its course):



I found a mama spider when I was digging ... I felt just awful messing with her "house". She's guarding her egg sac here. They actually carry the egg sac around with them and I didn't want her to get so freaked out that she left it behind, so we built her a little "house with rocks where she could hide while we finished. I think she appreciated it :-)



The daffodils around my well pump are blooming and look lovely:



But we're already having visitors (that's a deer print for you city folk):



I found these odd holes in some of the spots the grubs killed -- I think they're from the robins (who are eating the grubs -- GO ROBINS!):



We still have a LOT of work to do, but DD got her garden cleared:



And we'll get peas and spinach and chard seed planted this week.

All in all a pretty good weekend.

How was yours?

===================

This and That

Last night I dreamed someone stole Dakota out of my car at the gas station. I was looking at the security video, holding her leash and hoping she'd just jumped out. Then I saw this guy grab her, crying and struggling, from the back seat of my car. It upset me enough I woke up, heart pounding.

I'm still upset and keep looking to make sure she's right here with me.

In other news, I thought I'd share some pictures from my street from my latest walk.

My neighbor has an old bird's nest in his tree -- I know it's from last year, because the year before it was there but got ruined over the winter, so the birds must have rebuilt it. I hope they move in again this year. I'm going to try to remember to check it again in a few weeks...



We have this strange phenomena that happens every now and then -- this ant swarm thing. On the edges of the road, there are cracks and sometimes, from these cracks we get ants.



Lots and lots of ants...



I don't know why. It's the strangest thing. I suppose I could Google it.

DH has a co-worker who has a bazillion strawberry plants that he's going to share with us. I said to DH, "Didn't you tell me growing strawberries out here was hard because the birds and beasts get them?" and he responded, "What plants of yours DON'T the birds and beasts get to?"

Uh. Yeah. There is that.

So we're going to grow strawberries.

And lastly, if you haven't already, go congratulate Maria Zannini on her latest contract. She's had a rough time of it lately (parvo, tornadoes, computers) so the good news was a welcome change.

Have an awesome weekend!

==============

The Cunning Voles of Doom -- STRIKE AGAIN!

So ... just when you think it's safe to plant again, guess what moved in? See the tracks?



Yep ... they've moved into my flower garden over the culvert -- where I've had creeping phlox cascading over the bricks every spring for years:



Wanna see what it lookes like THIS year?






They may LOOK cute, but they are PURE EVIL.



================

A Day Without a Cat

All our knowledge merely helps us to die a more painful death than animals that know nothing. ~Maurice Maeterlinck

Thanks to everyone for your condolences on losing Breeann. Truly, it was time -- she was so weak, she couldn't stand, she'd been vomiting regularly since Sunday, and hadn't had any food since Sunday morning. She'd been sleeping on her bed in the basement for more than two days without coming upstairs. I'm certain that we made the right decision, but we still miss her.

Odd things about not having Breeann that I didn't think I'd miss ... but I do:

In the mornings, she always followed me into the bathroom -- no one else is up, and I can leave the door open. She'd come in, meow, rub, wander out. Just because she could.

Having her block the back door when I take the dog out. My routine was always to get up, go down to the basement and let Breeann out then take Dakota outside. She'd stand at the door for us to come back and would NOT move when Dakota wanted in. The dog wouldn't challenge her ... would just stand and wait until I poked the cat with my foot to get her to move. I'm pretty sure it was all a way for Breeann to remind the dog just who was boss.

Her talking. She was a very vocal cat and she'd just walk around the house chatting to herself.

We're looking for a new kitty at the animal shelter. Some may think it's too soon, but I learned with Bailey's passing, and the subsequent arrival of Dakota soon after, that having a new animal helps with the mourning process. It's comforting and helps to fill the void. While no other animal actually "replaces" the previous one, when you're used to having pets in your home, nothing makes you feel right again until you have one once more.

We want an older, female, declawed cat. My DH (as I mentioned yesterday) doesn't like cats, but tolerates them on my account (I've had cats since I was born). Still, I need to make sure whatever cat we get doesn't wreak havoc -- he won't tolerate one that tears up the furniture (hence getting one that is declawed), or tears around the house knocking things over (hence getting an older one). I've had bad experiences with male cats spraying even after they are fixed, so I prefer female cats. We don't want one that looks like Breeann. The two closest shelters to us have four cats that meet all the requirements but the last -- three of the four are tabbies like Breeann was, and one even has her same face (I swear, I thought I was looking at a picture of her), so that leaves us with one. She's a long-haired calico, and we'll go see if she's still available and if her temperament will work with our family dynamic.

This is her picture:



We're having Breann's ashes returned to us (the cost for this is crazy ... but I couldn't just have her tossed in the garbage bin and I didn't want to bury her out back) and will plant a memorial bush or other perennial in her honor (like we did for Bailey, who has a "Bailey's Dogwood" outside). I'd like something that has "cat" in its name, so will need to do some research. Anyone have any suggestions?

In the meantime, this weekend will consist of buying MORE things for DD for school (does it ever end?), cutting down a pile of perennials that have gone past, and working on the LASR/WC website. Unfortunately, my wireless router opted to stop working, and I needed to order a new one that won't be here until next week. So, I either have to hardwire into the modem and sit on our sofa, or tether to my phone (which is what I'm doing now). Sitting at the sofa hurts my body after a bit, and the phone runs everything slowly, but I'm managing and trying to be grateful I have that option.

Wishing you all a wonderful weekend.

=====================

You Are Skilled

You are balanced and competent. You value harmony. Other people see you as outgoing, hyper, and even a bit overwhelming. Your ideal romantic relationship is peaceful, romantic, and private. You do best in tasks that require you to be flexible, creative, and playful.

The Shape Test

Hmmm ... 50/50

======================

Yadda Yadda

You've got a lot of choices. If getting out of bed in the morning is a chore and you're not smiling on a regular basis, try another choice. ~Steven D. Woodhull

Not much to say today. Yesterday was busy but uneventful, and hopefully today will be the same. The dog is miserable with allergies: runny eyes, rash, and SUCH bad itchiness. I bought a pile of new medicated shampoos, tea tree oil and oatmeal spray, etc., that we'll try. I despise steroids with an all-consuming passion (which is what the vet suggested), so we're just going to have to stick it out until it freezes (which considering it got down into the 40s last night, might be sooner than later).

My garden is pretty well done -- the chipmunks are eating the few tomatoes I have before they even get more than a blush of pink on them, the cucumbers are doing their "fat butt" game where they are bitter and full of seeds, and the squash borers did a number on my summer squash. My eggplant never grew one blossom. The butternut squash is still going gangbusters, but the rest? Finis.

Six days until school starts, and I'm ready to go back to homeschooling.

I've decided that the stores have figured out that people are coming in to buy their loss leaders only and have quit offering the really amazing deals. I haven't done much couponing the last couple of weeks because the bargains just aren't there.

So are the days of my life.

You?

=======================

You Are as Laid Back as They Come

You are a risk taker. You love to roll the dice on everything. You are surprisingly easygoing. You like to keep everything as low-pressure as possible. You like to be in the middle of the action, although you don't purposely seek attention. You are an easygoing person who feels very comfortable about others.

The Park Test

Mostly right.

======================

Gardening

The way of the pioneer is always rough. - Harvey S. Firestone

So, I found this awesome vine of blackberries on my street ... not enough to can, but enough for a decent snack. I snagged a few on a walk recently, but when I went back a few hours later? It was covered in yellow jackets.

I swear, those bees are the bane of my existence.

DD pickled an egg a few days ago, because I had leftover brine from pickling and she wondered what it tasted like. She declared it "good". I wish I had enough home grown beans to pickle, because those are yum... I may end up buying some at the farmer's market instead. We'll see.

I think, though, that my canning days are largely over. I plan on making applesauce next month, but otherwise this summer's harvest was a bit of a bust. I'll have butternut squash, but that stores (whole) in my basement. We've had some beans and peas, but barely enough to eat, let alone can.

I think I'm going to have to reimagine my garden next year. I have never had a real bumper tomato crop, so I may cut down on the number of those plants next year to make room for the things that DO produce. I'll plant more beans (lots more), more squash, more peas. I think I'm going to plant potatoes in a couple of large containers instead of in the garden. We have a wireworm problem that precludes my planting root crops, but a container with new dirt might at least cut back on that.

I have a deep admiration for the pioneers. Every year when I have a crop fail I think of them. I can go to the store when that happens. They died.

Today, we tackle clothes shopping for back to school. We went through what she had that she could wear to school already and made notes. The painful part is going to be shoes... sometimes I wish we were still just homeschooling. It may be harder in some ways, but I didn't have a dress code, lol...

Have an awesome Wednesday.

=========================

You Are Allspice

You are not as complex as you seem to others. You really just like to keep things simple. People think you're something you're not. And you're getting a little sick of being misunderstood! You enjoy the company of others, and you appreciate people from all walks of life. You love to learn about different points of view. You seem familiar to strangers. People probably tell you that you remind them of someone else.

What Fall Spice Are You?

Blogthings: Quizzes and Tests and Memes, Oh My!

Um ... okay .... hmmm

On a side note, I always assumed allspice was a mix of cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves. -- and when you buy cheap spices, sometimes it is. BUT, did you know that allspice is a spice all by itself? Real allspice is not a mixture of different spices but the ground berry of a tree.

====================

School and Chomping Chipmunks

Gardening requires lots of water - most of it in the form of perspiration. ~Lou Erickson

RE: school shopping -- Dru asked if they gave us a list. They did! This school is in close email contact, which is nice. The list wasn't that extensive, and (aside from the two boxes of tissues that Brandy mentioned in comments) I didn't find anything to be too "out there".

DD sat down and organized everything. Very cute. It was like she was dying to touch it all. Paper is in the binders, pencils and pens in the case. Only a month until school starts. While she's in the eighth grade this year, it's really her first day of school... I'm nervous. And excited. And hopeful. I'm trying to be encouraging for her because I think she's going to like it once she starts. But it's going to be a big transition for us both.

DD has a chipmunk in her flower garden. A very voracious one. So far, it's pretty much decimated her liatris ... though this last time it dug down and started feasting on the tuber/root, I covered up the exposed tuber and dumped about a cup of chili powder on it. Seems to have stopped him eating THAT, but he's simply just moved on to other plants.

We're trying to trap him in a humane trap, but no luck yet. He has about ten holes throughout her garden, and I'm not sure which one he uses most, so placing the trap is tricky. Once he got in, stole the piece of apple and got back OUT without getting caught, the little bugger. I don't want to kill him -- I don't, but he's being as destructive as the Cunning Voles of Doom, and that's just not good.

So, we'll put the trap back out today, and keep our fingers crossed.

==========================

You Want to Talk to Someone Confident

You like a person who just tells it like it is. You appreciate boldness. You are self-assured and self-reliant. You have a lot of confidence in yourself. You are a self-starter and very entrepreneurial. You seize every opportunity you can. You are inner-directed and highly independent. You know what's best for you.

Who Would You Talk To?

HAHAHAHAHA! Okay, that's so close to perfect it's scary...

=======================

Monday Meandering

The butterfly counts not months but moments, and has time enough. ~Rabindranath Tagore

It's Monday, yay! It wasn't a bad weekend, not at all, but busy. I'm still behind, still scrambling to catch up. I really do think it's possible to do that, once I have a few days with no interruptions. My Saturday was mostly like that (after I got home from the dog park and helping my mom move some furniture) and it helped. DH and DD were boating so I had no drama, no interruptions. I was so relaxed and settled by the end of the day. I felt very zen.

It helped that I did some weeding. Really. I love to weed. It's one of those quiet, introspective times for me but still productive (I really like to be productive) and a time where, when I'm done, I can step back and see results. It's satisfying for me on so many levels.

Of course, nothing is ever perfect. I was chopping down some of my mini-iris greens that I have ringing my veggie garden, because they're blocking the sprinklers and nearly chopped off my thumb with the snippers. Oops. Oddly, it didn't really hurt (though it's tender now), so I finished the job with blood running down my hand, lol.

Still no monarch pillars or swallowtails (though I'm grateful about the swallowtails now as any caterpillars would be the kind to overwinter as pupae and I really don't feel like keeping them in my basement again). We DO have a ton of tussock moth pillars. They're so cute and fuzzy and I want to hug them (I don't ... really... I'm a little odd, but not totally crazy). Aren't they adorable?


They usually come in big batches until they get MUCH bigger and it's easy to find them because they totally decimate the leaves they're on.



Brandy asked why I thought we were not getting any pillars this year, and I'll be honest and say that I have no idea. Our winter wasn't the harshest we've had, the spring wasn't the hottest or wettest. Best guess? Butterfly numbers are down. I'm not a crazy uber-environmentalist, but even I can see that when we overuse pesticides, destroy habitat, etc., there will be negative results. The swallowtail typically eats people food plants (carrots, fennel, parsley, etc) so we kill them. The monarch eats a plant considered to be a "noxious weed". In Mexico, where they overwinter, their habitat is being destroyed, hundreds of acres at a time.

In truth, there may come a time we don't see the monarch or black swallowtail anymore. And that makes me sad. But the fact is: I've seen dozens and dozens of tiger swallowtails -- they're everywhere -- and the only difference between those and the black swallowtail is food. The tiger swallowtail eats tree leaves. So, I can't blame the dearth of the black swallowtail on the weather. They overwinter the same.

**sigh**

Tirade ended.

Today, my mom is taking my DD for most of the day. And I'm going to spend a least a little of that getting the new ending to my "Kitchen Matches" sequel written. I have the entire scene in my head, playing out like a movie, and I desperately need to get it down.

I also am planning on trying to visit you. At least as many of you as I can.

I miss you.

In any case, I hope you had a good weekend!

=====================

You Read to Escape

You appreciate creativity and imagination in all aspects of life. You love a good fantasy. You can be passionate to the point of being possessive. It's hard to quell your flames. You see beauty everywhere, and you like to share your inner world with others. You love to get lost in someone else's head. You are truly curious about other people's dreams.

The Bookmark Test

Blogthings: 100's of Fun, Free Quizzes and 3 Stupid Ones

All that from a bookmark ... and pretty close to correct.

===========================

The Weekend Recap

I love my mother as the trees love water and sunshine - she helps me grow, prosper, and reach great heights. ~Terri Guillemets

Happy Monday!

My blogging may be sporadic the next couple of weeks. Not only is my mom staying here until her apartment is ready, but DH is taking of next week, so things will be crazy. I should hopefully be back to normal (or what passes as normal for me *G*) July 11th.

Friday, Dru asked:

Is your mom living in the same place she lived before moving out west?

No. She lived with us before, in an apartment over our garage. When she moved, we totally renovated it, including some structural changes and it's not really usable (or available -- it's DD's school room, craft area and my office) now. She's getting her own real apartment thins time (complete with two pools -- one indoor, one outdoor, which THRILLS DD).

At DD's new school, do they wear uniforms?

No, though they do have a very strict dress code. I'll be honest, I wish they DID have a uniform. It would make my life a million times easier.

I spent the weekend reacquainting my mom with the area (much has changed -- even one road was completely redesigned and moved!) and letting her rest a bit. My DH went out on Thursday night to Kansas City to pick her up and drive her the rest of the way here. It was a marathon trip straight through with stops only for potty breaks and food. They got here Saturday morning, and both were exhausted.

But it's done.

In other news, I took my mom couponing with my on Sunday. We hit CVS, RiteAid and Walgreens. She got her cards for the two that offer them, and I showed her how to find the deals in the flyers and go from there. I gave her two of my UpRewards/ExtraBucks to get her started. She needed Zantac, and I showed her how it was on sale at one place - plus we scored: we HAD a $1 off coupon, but ONE of the packages in the store came with a $2 off coupon attached! She ended up getting it dirt cheap.

She's excited by the prospect and got her own coupon container started (with the UpRewards/ExtraBucks she earned) and is ready to do more.

I'm telling you folks, it's not THAT hard to get stuff for free or nearly so. In fact, at this point I won't "buy" toothpaste unless it's free (and I got two tubes at RiteAid for -$1 this weekend. They were free after UpRewards AND I had a $1 off coupon).

We've also been having a "Leverage" marathon -- we wanted to catch Mom up to speed since the fourth season started last night.

I did discover yesterday that the deer hit my veggie garden. My own fault -- I'd forgotten to put out my milorganite bombs (you put it in pieces of nylon stockings and hang it around the garden... keeps the deer away cuz it STINKS). They ate about 2/3 of my tomatoes down to about 6" high, nibbled my butternut squash and cucumbers about halfway down. I'm most upset about the tomatoes, though they'll bounce back. But they were loaded with blossoms and now ... they aren't.

*sigh*

Worse, I saw my first Japanese Beetles. We call them the advance guard. The first ones that hatch are this dull brown color instead of the shiny, iridescent color of most. It means the "real" beetles will be hatching in a couple of day.

Oh. Joy.

How was your weekend?

=======================

You Are a Performance Based Tipper

You believe that hard work should be rewarded. You always like to recognize a job well done. You are a natural motivator. You propel others into action. You have an unusually high sense of fairness and justice. You give everyone a chance to impress you. You are an empowering influence. You encourage others to be the best they can be.

What Does Your Tipping Say About You?

That's about right...mostly.

================

Mini-Vacation

I do not really like vacations. I much prefer an occasional day off when I do not feel like working. When I am confronted with a whole week in which I have nothing to do but enjoy myself I do not know where to begin. To me, enjoyment comes fleetingly and unheralded; I cannot determinedly enjoy myself for a whole week at a time. ~Robertson Davies

So ... I was away most of the weekend. Saturday we spent up at my DH's uncle's place on the lake -- DH is the caretaker there, so this time I went with him to help and to get away from it all. DD has the job of mowing, and the yard is HUGE so it's quite a job with the push mower. She's done it two weeks now and has blisters on her blisters. But she's a trooper (and the fact it's a paying job helps!).

I reclaimed a flower garden -- neither DH's uncle or his wife are gardeners, so the poor thing was more weeds and overgrown plants than garden. It took me a couple of hours but it was FUN. I pulled weeds, I pruned bushes, and thinned a couple of plant groupings that were taking over. I found amazing joy in the discovery ("Oh! LOOK -- day lilies!") and in the organizing and cleaning. I was surprised at how good I felt when I was done, stepped back and saw the results. The carnage was huge -- it took three overflowing wheelbarrow loads to clean up all the stuff I took out, but it looks amazing. I only hope DH's uncle and wife think so, too. *gulp*

It was oddly relaxing as well -- because I COULDN'T get on the computer (no internet there) I was free to do what I pleased. At home, despite having LOTS of yardwork, I feel obligated to work on the computer because there is always work to be done. I do some gardening every day, but not for hours at a time. And we had a group barbecue and small family gathering. It was good.

Sunday we spent at DH's brother's place on the lake (oh... if only I could say we spent the weekend at OUR place on the lake, but no such luck because -ha- we don't have one.. yet) with the entire family (which is amazingly large anymore -- lots and lots of kidlets). I wasn't allowed to bring the dog up to this one (and I have to say that I think people who don't like, or at least tolerate well-behaved dogs have something fundamentally wrong with them ... no offense to any dog-haters out there, but how can you not like dogs???), so I only stayed for a few hours. It's a long drive up and back, and I prefer not to leave Dakota for more than 6 - 8 hours at once. Still, it was a pretty good day. Ironically, since we were there with the family, I mostly ended up spending the day with my husband -- we ate together, took a long walk together, and when we got back from the walk everyone was swimming (and we didn't choose to) so we hung out on the deck and gabbed. It was a pretty darn good day, too.

Then I came home and had to build all of the pages for next week's LASR/WC website and edit the reviews. We won't talk about the book videos I still have to create. But everyone needs a break now and then, right? LOL...

How was you weekend?

=======================

You Are Dumbo the Flying Elephant

You rather be with your friends than be alone. You prefer to be surrounded by others. If you're bored, you will tend to become lazy and apathetic. You are content to just be. You are a total people person, and you get listless when you're alone. You need someone to bounce energy off of. You are outgoing and a social butterfly of sorts. You pride yourself on being able to get along with everyone.

What Disneyworld Ride Are You?

HAHAHAHAHAHAHA.... no.

==================

Father's Day Weekend

Old as she was, she still missed her daddy sometimes. ~Gloria Naylor

Just to make me a liar, yesterday we saw several black swallowtail butterflies (Dakota almost ate one). Hopefully this means we'll be seeing some butterbabies soon.

The weather here went from cold to cooking overnight. The plants (mostly) like it, but I have to get out and water every day again. Stuff is growing, but SO slowly -- everything is only a few inches tall ... I'm ready to start harvesting squash and it's barely got three leaves! LOL...

Don't know what this weekend will hold, other than a family gathering on Father's Day... I really miss my dad every year at this time. It's been twenty years since he's been gone, and there are times I feel like I should be able to call him up, or visit. I didn't appreciate him nearly enough when I had him.

And now my brain is empty. I feel like I should have more to say, but ... :::looks through the files in brain::: ... nope. Empty.

Wishing you all a wonderful weekend and Happy Father's Day!

===========

Your Friends See You As Confident

You automatically take charge when chaos or confusion arise. You know you make a good leader. You are strong and determined. You are ambitious and even stubborn at times. You are dominant, and you enjoy being in charge. You have vision and ambition. You have a vision of how your life should be. And you plan on getting there one day.

How Do Your Friends See You?

That's pretty much right, though it makes me look a bit like Napolean...

==============

Sun!!

Sunshine on my shoulders makes me happy. - John Denver

Holy smokes!! The sky is clear and blue outside.

:::faints dead away:::

Seriously, folks I don't know what I'm going to do with myself today -- it's supposed to be sunny and nice. Probably I'll go out and weed, and see if my garden survived the flood. My cucumbers, eggplant and squash weren't looking so great last time I checked on Saturday...

Didn't get my writing done yesterday -- but I have high hopes for today. DH has stuff to do, so shouldn't be underfoot.

Speaking of which, he's awake, so I'm going to sign off early. Today, I'll check for pillars and take some pix of my green, growing things.

Wishing you all a great day!



===================

You Should Celebrate with Champagne

You have high standards, and you are nice to everyone. Manners are important to you, even if that's old fashioned. You tend to follow norms. You figure why rock the boat unless there's a good reason to? You think of yourself as regular gal or guy next door. You do your best to make life a little special sometimes. You don't have a jealous bone in your body, and you're truly for happy for others when they succeed.

What's Your Celebration Drink?

About 3/4 right and champagne is the only alcohol that gives me a hangover, so I abstain. *G*

===================

Rainy Days and Mondays

Talkin' to myself and feelin' old
Sometimes I'd like to quit
Nothing ever seems to fit
Hangin' around
Nothing to do but frown
Rainy Days and Mondays always get me down.
- ROGER S. NICHOLS, PAUL H. WILLIAMS

Yes, it is raining. It rained all day yesterday. And our long range forecast is predicting rain every day but one for the next seven days. Fun time.

Sorry about the prolonged absence, though all of you with Blogger know that the stupid thing was down Thursday and most of Friday. Worse, when they did the "fix" on Friday, it deleted everything done Wednesday night forward. So, even though I *could* have posted on Friday, I had to do massive damage control on the LASR/WC site... all our reviews, our guest blogs, our spotlights -- ALL had to either be recreated or retrieved from draft.

Nope, I was not a happy camper. Which has led me to dusting off a PHP / Java / MySQL computer book and sending myself back to school. We hope to get all the LASR/WC stuff off blogger and onto a dynamic website over the next few months. We're actually planning some pretty massive changes so if I disappear, it's because I not only have to learn an entire computer language (well... three, actually), but also need to reimagine and rebuild the site.

I can't believe I did this on purpose.

However, I did have a wonderful Friday. The weather was GORGEOUS: warm and sunny. And, since there was rain on the forecast until June (that's only a slight exaggeration), I decided to put in my veggie garden.

We planted 24 tomato plants, 21 cucumber plants (yes, I really DO want pickles this year!), 4 butternut squash plants, 3 yellow summer squash plants, 3 eggplants, and uncountable pea and bean seeds. DD already planted carrots and I have my lettuce growing. I forgot to pop in my chard seeds, so I'll do that today.

We ran out of steam on Friday, so didn't put my "weed block" (i.e. newspaper covered with straw or grass clippings -- it all breaks down into compost eventually, but BOY does it do wonders for the weeds) down until Saturday.

Unfortunately, Saturday was cool and overcast and DD and I got eaten alive by mosquitoes.

In any case, the garden is in and happy. The flowers are blooming. I really, really love spring (and summer). I am just not a winter person at all.

Want a tour?

Here's the garden from in front (see the woods? Is it any wonder I have to fight deer?):



And from the side:



My rhubarb is crazy -- I wish you could use it for more, because I always have about ten times what I need, and end up throwing it away:



DD's little garden:


I swear, there are plants there! Here's my squash plant -- you can see my super professional weed block:



DD took a tour around the flower garden, too... here's a sample:

English daisies:



Our peach tree:


Wild blooming dogwood:


Rhododendron:


Bleeding Heart:


Mountain Laurel (from our woods):


Grape Hyacinth:


Creeping Phlox:


There are tons more flowers -- I love flowers -- but I won't bore you :-)

How was your weekend?

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You Are Dominant

You like to put yourself to the test. You don't feel alive unless you feel challenged. People usually totally love you or totally hate you. You are extremely intense. You are a little demanding. You know what you want, and you're not about to settle. You have a very strong personality. You don't tone it down for anyone.

The New Hair Color Test

As a funny ... that's actually not a "new" hair color -- it's what I have now. I didn't like the others (if they'd had a real auburn, I'd have chosen it -- but that "purple" auburn is ugly). AND... this is really pretty much true... guess I have the right hair color for me?

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