Yard in May

With the warm weather we had last week, the yard and garden are growing like crazy. Our iris are at their peak. Roses are blooming all over the place. And my little salad garden is doing just fine, too.

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Last week we bought an Earth Machine compost bin. It was easy to install and we've been using it a lot. I hated to throw those leftover salad/fruit scraps or peanut shells down the disposal or in the trash when they could be used for making compost. So now we don't have to throw them away and I should have compost handy for next year's garden.

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We've already been eating salad from our garden - microgreens & spinach.

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And I've finished my first pair of socks!! As you can see from the picture on this site, they match pretty well - and they fit. I was concerned on whether I'd be able to get the 2nd sock the same length and size as the first but I was pleased with the results. I've already got my yarn for the next pair and I plan to start on them tonight.

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Devin & Zoe are both enjoying the warmer weather. Usually Zoe spends most of her day just sleeping on our bed but now she goes out and sleeps on the cushions on the deck chairs. She's even taken to exploring a little. She is now 10 years old and has slowed down considerably, especially compared to Devin - at 1, he is full of pep and energy and finds a few hours of sleep each night is plenty for him. He's made friends with some of the neighboring cats, too, and they'll sometimes play together.

Mother's Day 2008

Am I the only mother in America that got some "Windup Hopping Lederhosen (Bavarian folkpants with a mind of their own)" for a Mother's Day gift? I bet I am. I'm probably the only mother in the entire world who got this gift. If you are a mother who got the identical gift this past Sunday, let me know!!

Had a fine Mother's Day. Spent the morning with C & friends having brunch. I decided to be adventurous and ordered Crab Benedict. However - the joke was on me. I never had Eggs Benedict and I didn't realize that it came with a poached egg - something I am NOT fond of. That's what I get for adventuring. The rest of the brunch - fruit with mint sauce, scones, and the crab portion of my special were all very tasty. So, by no means, did I starve.

Later in the afternoon I went out with B&M to a cafe near their place and had pie. We had lots of choices. B & M both had berry pies but I chose chocolate cream. It was fun to have so many different selection possibilities and I'm already wondering what I'll order next time I'm there.

My day in court

Here you can see my garden - as of a few days ago. On the left are a couple of rows of lettuces, then two rows of spinach, and all the remaining rows are peas. They've all been thriving in the cool weather we've been having lately. Where will I put all the other things I want to plant?? Well, some of them may go in pots and others may replace the peas when they are done for the season. I could use another bed...

A few weeks back, B. & I went to the local community college for talks on trips to Egypt and Machu Picchu. On our way back, we went down a street that was partially blocked off but provided access for local traffic. Since we were just going to the next main street, we figured it was local. No! Got pulled over for a ticket (along with many other folks). This morning I went down to the court house for my scheduled 8:30 AM court date. I left home in plenty of time and made it to the court house about 15 minutes early. Still, there were lots of people ahead of me. I listened to them talking and found that a lot of people ahead of me were there for the exact same reason - they had gotten ticketed at the exact same place. I had expected that we would be in a courtroom in front of a judge but that's not how it worked now - though apparently that was the case in the past. Now, everyone with tickets just lines up, waiting for a turn to approach one of the five cashier windows. It is at the window that you make your choice - request a trial, enter a plea of GUILTY or NO CONTEST, or enter a plea of NOT GUILTY. And then pay your fine.

There was a lot of talk about how ridiculous it was that we got ticketed for going down that street. Some of the others came armed with file folders which held many photos of the site. None of them felt it was fair and all wanted to protest. But for all their bluster, I noticed that as each one went up to the cashier's window, they all paid their fine and went on their way - except for one gentleman who requested a court day. For the most part, people did not want to be bothered having to come back again - and just considered the fine as a donation to the police.

I didn't want to be bothered with a return either and I didn't know how I'd make out in court. I thought we were driving locally, the officer thought not. Was it worth the gamble of a court appearance? I spoke with the cashier who said my fine would be lowered by $60 because of my good driving record and that if I went to court and the judge found me guilty, I'd pay the same amount, no further discount. Only if I were found not guilty would I escape payment. I weighed my options, then pulled out my checkbook and pleaded NO CONTEST. I still feel it was a ridiculous ticket but I don't feel contesting it was a battle worth my time. Now back to the serious stuff of life - like tending my garden. :)

As to the Egypt/Machu Picchu trip, B. & I decided on Egypt as we have wanted to go there for many years. We sent in our deposit and began to plan - only to receive a phone call a few days ago that the trip had been cancelled for lack of participation. So now we are thinking we'll go to Machu Picchu.