I am the Audience

So many changes

June 23, 2020

a day in this life
We decided to take down the raised beds. We were both frustrated by the ongoing battle against the Trees of Heaven that kept growing up through everything. Chuck had put serious effort into getting the roots out of 2 or 3 of the beds last year. And it helped. But, it wasn’t a cure. And the asparagus couldn’t win.

So, Chuck sold the cinder blocks and we’re letting the grass grow in. Of course, this has been THE best year for the asparagus.

He put 2 100-gallon watering troughs in the part of the hazelnut ring where the bushes don’t grow, filled them with compost and planted salad in one and tomatoes in the other. The tomato varieties are ‘Cherokee Purple’, ‘Rutgers’ and ‘Golden (something)’. The yellow ones are cherry sized and ‘Rutgers’ is supposed to be sandwich sized.
I got another watering trough and transplanted the asparagus. Wrong time of year. I know. But, the cinder blocks were gone and the roots were exposed all around the edges. And they aren’t dead. There were even 4 edible stalks last week. So, I remain hopeful.

I’m late to post. So, the salad is already done and there is Candy Roaster winter squash in that trough, now.

My first peach is putting out fruit prolifically this year. But the Damson plum next to it is dying and we have no clue why.
Bodies are annoying

June 2, 2020

a day in this life

I have had a dry cough for a couple of months. No other symptoms. Saturday it got worse and I has become worrying to Chuck. Saturday evening, at work, it finally occurred to me that I have had this before. A time when someone’s cologne set off a coughing fit. It’s acid reflux irritating my larynx.

I always take my stress out on my stomach, even when my head doesn’t feel stressed yet. And between fretting about my offspring, the pandemic in general, my mother and my child during the pandemic, coworkers troubles because of the pandemic and an unasked for promotion at work…. DUH. Hello stomach acid.

Fortunately, during the last go-round, I learned that I can treat it with dried papaya. Which I keep around. It’s miraculous how quickly it works for me.

Add to that a gallbladder that has decided to develop stones and I’m just in a mood. The stones aren’t horrific. But, a constant ache of varying degrees below my right rib cage has become unpleasant enough that I intend to have the damn thing removed in July.

And a crown has cracked causing a toothache that is going to be addressed tomorrow.

2020 sucks.
A contrarian bonsai technique in ten pics — Adam’s Art and Bonsai Blog

May 27, 2020

bonsai

I’ve been following this guy for a while. Reblogging to be able to find the post easily again when I need it.

I’ve posted something like this before, I think on Facebook, but I’m working on a clients tree and I figured I’ll share it to the blog, for posterity or something magnanimous sounding like that. Pic one:A nice pot, well made, good shape and glaze. Pic two: Attention was even given to the interior for good […]

via A contrarian bonsai technique in ten pics — Adam’s Art and Bonsai Blog
Wisteria

May 6, 2020

bonsai

I have seen a couple of bonsai wisteria, lately, that were really lovely. And I realize that when it isn’t blooming, it may not be impressive. But, I’m interested in giving it a try.

Yesterday, I went to Caitlyn’s house to get a wisteria yamadori. She has been fighting a battle with it since she bought this house. And her neighbors love it. So, it is, ultimately, a losing battle.

She is working from home during the pandemic. I didn’t see her. But, she knew I was coming and she left a couple of masks she had made on the porch for me to send to my child who is about to start back to work on Friday, too.

One of the things I am aware of is that larger trunks make for more interesting bonsai. So, I went for a piece that had some size. I had a bucket in the front seat of my car to keep the root wet until I could get it home. There weren’t a huge amount of rootlets. But there were some and they stayed wet until I got them home and situated.

I stopped at Home Depot to pick up potting soil (masked and distancing) and have the chunk of wisteria in a pot for it to recuperate from the trauma. I’d like for it to begin getting a little more roots before I do anything else to it.

I watered it, again, this morning and there is some green growth in a spot on the trunk, I’m hopeful.

I’m thinking that I will cut it down when I can tell where new growth is actually going to be.
The king is not actually dead

May 2, 2020

family, Laughing, Southern culture

A friend and I got on an Elvis-is-not-dead kick in the mid-’80s.

My dad jumped on board and offered the theory that Elvis’ twin brother Aron hadn’t really died in childhood. Instead, he was hidden by the family in the old Southern tradition because there was “something a little wrong with Aron.” When E did the crazy stuff, it was actually when A got away from his handlers and acted out. It was actually A that died and E, who was tired of the fame, etc., took advantage of the opportunity to slip off into oblivion. And, was living happily in MN working at a Burger King.

My cousin’s husband had just finished a pathology residency at UT-Memphis where the autopsy was done and it just made him crazy to hear that conversation.

“Elvis is dead! Dead! Dead!”

That man never did have a sense of humor.

#TCB