Way Past Time for an Update!

I ended up starting the job at the call center. I've nearly completed the 10 weeks of training and should get a pay raise to $9/hr. next week. It's likely I'll have to fight them for it because the company seldom does things in a timely manner. I like the work sufficiently, but I will also begin looking for a different job shortly because of the low wages.

My current schedule is 2nd shift, from 2:30 to 11:30pm. Surprisingly, this works fairly well for me given my sleep disorder. My days off are Tuesdays and Saturdays-- I'm not sure how refreshing it is going to be having only one day off at a time, but it is rather nice to break up the work week into segments.

I really enjoy my co-workers although company policies and office politics are ridiculous at times. I actually ended up "adopting" a couple of co-workers who've been slammed around by life lately. They've been staying with me for about 7 weeks. Depending on how things go for them, that may continue into the new year. They are most certainly NOT freeloaders, but their situation is personal so I cannot go into detail here. I have helped them, but they have been a blessing to me as well, taking on some of my house projects & "upgrading" my car with maintenance and detailed cleaning. Some good things are beginning to happen for them, but other situations remain unresolved.


My other exciting piece of news is the purchase of an upright piano!!! It is used, but in great condition and will allow me to practice and improve my skills. It will be delivered tomorrow or on Tuesday. I can hardly wait!!! I dipped into my savings for it because it was available at a newly reduced price. It was in the store for quite some time and a previous purchase arrangement fell through-- I think God was saving it for me! ;-)

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Changes

On Thursday, I uprooted dead, dying, and struggling plants from my garden then replanted seeds for one last harvest before frost. Today there are radish & lettuce sprouts visible. Neato!

On Friday, I spent the morning applying in person for jobs here in town. I was hired at a call center, second shift (4pm to 12:30am), at the low pay rate of $8.50/hr. which will rise to the low pay rate of $9/hr. after 10 weeks of training. It's not enough to pay my bills given my house mortgage. Still, for the time being I will take the job and continue to look for better-paying work so that I don't deplete my savings and lose my house. Fortunately, health insurance is included. I start this Monday or next. We'll see.

House Showing

Relatives came to visit us from several states for a short time. They stayed with my parents but came to see my house. Thanks to several days of work and help from my mom, I managed to get some boxes unpacked, the clutter confined to my "office," and most of the house decorated. Here are a few pictures of the living room and dining room. Pardon the poor lighting.

Corner of Living Room

The front door opens in front of the coffee table.

Dining Room

Thoughts on Gardening

Now that spring euphoria has worn off, I find that I still want to garden, but there are pros and cons.

I have harvested radishes, lettuces, spinach, green beans, chard, baby zucchini, and herbs. So far my favorite crop is lettuce. Mixed salad greens from the garden aren't costly yet are fresh, organic, and washed thoroughly clean by yours truly. Harvesting lettuce also allows some flexibility-- I can use the leaves at the baby stage or leave the plants to grow if I'm not in need of them yet; they don't "expire" according to strict "use by" dates. Lettuce is even more flexible than green beans, zucchini, or cucumbers which must be continually harvested if production is to continue. Mostly pest-free (an occasional spider web or flea beetle), lettuce just needs regular watering. Low-maintenance is nice! ;-)

Kentucky summers are not particularly pleasant for gardeners though. Early morning is the best time to be out there, but that doesn't always work for my internal time clock, and if I were working outside the home, it would likewise be difficult. That leaves early afternoon when temperatures are still high-- by the time it cools down, the biting insects come out. It's tempting to put off watering and other maintenance such as pulling up expended plants and replanting seeds. The garden can grow unkempt or the soil lie unproductive; it's a shame not to get good use from prime ground right out the back door.

Another difficulty is that harvest times are not easily predictable-- so, do I buy radishes at the store or can I count on a supply from the garden? Will the lettuce last or will it bolt in the heat? It's a bit of a gamble making these decisions. (I usually plan meals and do my grocery shopping on a weekly basis.) The seed package dates aren't very reliable, and if we have spells of unusually hot or unseasonably rainy weather, maturity times can vary considerably from the norm.

I'm also learning more about timing for succession crops and about planting quantities that suit my eating habits. For example, I've found that I need to plant 18 bush bean plants (2 square feet) at a time if I want to be able to harvest a serving size of green beans for dinner. I'll also definitely plant more squares of spinach at a time than I did this year.

I also want to cease growing crops in containers because I find the soil there dries out too quickly-- rosemary being an exception and of course mint has to be contained! I may need to build a deep bed to handle some of these crops (carrots, for instance).

I also would like to grow beans near the edges of the beds so that it's easier to examine them for mature pods. I may resort to runner beans now that I've discovered how easy and inexpensive it is to construct a large & stable trellis from electrical conduit.

In short, I'm not giving up but doing lots of brainstorming about how to make things better for next year. And meanwhile, I'm still harvesting! ;-)

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Yard Work

I'm hoping to get some things done outside today. A bit of gardening, of course-- some squares are ready to harvest & be replanted. But I also need to do some less pleasurable work-- pruning suckers and a branch with an old leftover tent worm residence, dig up some plants I dislike, etc. The weather's not ideal for such labor, and I'm certainly not getting an early start; I may not get far, but at least I don't have appointments or crucial errands today. Hopefully, I'll make some progress. ;-)

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A Full Rich Day

I love the M*A*S*H TV series, and watch the DVDs far more often than any sane person should/would. This post title is taken from one episode of the series.

But, it has indeed been a full, rich day for me. (Or rather yesterday was-- I can't sleep and am taking advantage of my insomnia to write this, but I can't keep my tenses straight, so bear with me.)

I got to church this morning, which was great. Moved to tears by the very first worship song-- a fast-paced old hymn. I can't even say why, but it really got to me (in a good way). First message from the new senior pastor too. I'm looking forward to having him; apparently he'll start officially at the beginning of June (after leaving the church where he presently ministers and moving his family up to Kentucky). Yay! The long search and wait is over.

A good friend shared some personal information with me privately on Facebook; I was glad she opened up and honored to have been trusted.

My brother and sister-in-law are moving to a new apartment. Their new duplex neighbors are people they go to church with, and they won't have to commute any more. So awesome.

I did lots of cooking and baking as well: granola, crustless pumpkin pie, and a pseudo-Thanksgiving meal of turkey meatloaf, scallion mashed potatoes, and green beans. I had so much fun playing in the kitchen. I was singing at the top of my lungs and doing my private "funky chicken" and booty-shaking dances between chopping and measuring and stirring. It was gray & raining outside, so it was the perfect way to spend a drippy day: celebrating life, life, life-- and that more abundant! The giving thanks of my pseudo-Thanksgiving was real. ;-)


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Tax Refunds

I'm so grateful to God. My federal tax refund has been deposited into my checking account. It's a big fat one this year because I am a first-time home buyer who qualified for the $8,000 credit. With my being unemployed, this "cushion" could not have come at a better time. I know there are politicians who'd like to take the credit, but I see it differently. I try to honor God with the money that passes through my hands, and I believe He is faithful to provide for me through many methods-- in this case it just happened to be through a government tax law.

I still don't know what's going to happen with my job situation, but I am assured that God knows and has matters well in hand. To me, this "windfall" is just proof of His care for me. It's His lovingkindness and His thinking of me that really blesses me far more than the money itself.

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What to Say?

I feel the need to write this morning, but I don't have a lot to say! I haven't been feeling well for the past few days and have limited my activities accordingly.

I did start reading P.D. James' The Private Patient and am enjoying it so far. It's an Adam Dalgliesh mystery. I've never read anything else by the author until now. (Summary: After thirty-four years, a newspaper journalist elects to have a disfiguring facial scar removed at a private surgical clinic for the wealthy housed in a Tudor-style home in Dorset, England, and is murdered while recuperating. Adam Dalgliesh's team is called in to solve the crime.)

While I was in school for my Master's or dealing with books all day at the library, I preferred fast reads over slower, better developed works such as this (even if the quality wasn't great)-- the books were just a break from routine, a needed escape.

I don't read fiction that often these days; I prefer nonfiction books that give me information and ideas for my personal projects such as gardening or cooking or knitting.

I am waiting on the new P.J. Tracy mystery though-- I requested it from the library but didn't get my name on the list early enough so must wait for a turn. The "author" is actually a mother-daughter writing team. The books are set in Minnesota and feature a quirky cast of characters who work with the police to solve unusual crimes. My favorite was the most recent where victims were hid as snowmen. I can recall the cover but can't remember the title-- maybe Snowblind? Anyway, I like and am looking forward to the newest-- I think the back history of Grace, one of the main characters, will be unfolded a bit. It should be interesting.

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Mesclun Photo Essay

4-6-10

4-11-10

4-17-10

4-29-10

4-29-10

Baby lettuce & greens
26 days from seed to first harvest
(cut-and-come-again crop)

Inventory & Labels

Yesterday between head pain and a nap, I downloaded a couple of new iPod apps and began listing the books and movies I own and using a label maker to print Dewey Decimal labels for the book spines. I also photographed covers of some that were too old or obscure to have photos available on the Internet. 


I have a large cookbook collection (77 volumes listed, and that's just the beginning). Consequently, Dewey is the simplest way for me to arrange them.


As a former librarian, I am familiar and comfortable with Dewey and can find what I need quickly that way. If I were to organize my books by size, color, content, or any other scheme, I'd be forever rearranging them. Dewey has a logical order built in, so I can label the books once and be done with arranging despite expanding and editing my collection over time.


My other collections are small in comparison-- only 8 knitting books and 6 gardening books for instance. But my cookbooks could take over the house unless I corral them. The floor in my knitting room is already less crowded now that I've done some shelving. Once I have the books together, I may also elect to prune some (ones I don't refer to often), but first I need an overall view of the breadth of coverage, and that means getting my books off the floor and off my treadmill and onto the shelves.


This is a part of my uncluttering plan, although I wasn't planning to tackle it until later. But the task was something I could begin while sitting down and resting in between activity bursts. That way at least I didn't lose the whole day to feeling poorly.

Radish Photo Essay

4-5-10

4-11-10

4-17-10

4-20-10

4-29-10

French Breakfast Radishes = 33 days from seed to harvest

Bringing Order to Life

I've been busy at home since my vacation. I need to get fully moved in, unpacking all my boxes, putting my stuff where it belongs, and getting rid of clutter.

So far, I've worked on more basic chores and errands. I cleaned the kitchen, did quite a bit of laundry, set up regular lawn mowing for the season, and picked up my new glasses and prescription sunglasses.

I also have more gardening to do. I planted my annual flowers, green beans, cucumbers, and cilantro, but I need to plant my squash. The problem is space and support. I've got potting soil and some containers, but probably not enough-- another raised bed would come in handy now. However, I'm going to restrain myself, even if I have to refrain from planting some of the seeds I purchased. If I don't want to exhaust myself and my bank account, there has to be a limit. Next year is time enough to add more beds if it seems necessary.

On a different topic, I have to say the flooding in Nashville makes my heart sink. Thankfully the number of lives lost were few. I know other places in the world have been harder hit by flooding in recent years, but the difference is that I've been to Nashville. I have some sense of what it looks like under ordinary circumstances; to see places like the Opryland hotel submerged in muddy water is really sad. I can't imagine having to clean that mess up or deal with the damages and repairs over the next months and beyond-- ugh!

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On the Way Home

It's EARLY in the morning, but I'm awake. My aunt and uncle are sleeping in one bedroom. My dad is snoring on the couch hide-a-bed with Mom in the living area. I'm propped against my bed's headboard waiting until a decent hour for breakfast so I don't interrupt the sleep of others.

Yesterday, I skipped out on the waterway taxi because I was pooped. I napped and showered while everyone else was out. I did get to socialize with my aunt and uncle over dinner and afterwards in our suite. Plus, some of us took a final walk on the beach with the full moon shining down on the water. Lovely. I was marveling again at how awesome the Bahamaian sand was, and my dad came up with a good description-- he said that sand is like powdered sugar and regular beach sand is granular like ordinary sugar.

I'm mostly packed up except for a few items I will use this morning. Today we fly back to Kentucky. I'm eager to see my garden and harvest some radishes. Hope all is doing well-- I know we've had some wild weather during my absence.

It will finally be time to plant the seeds that need frost-free weather. I'm going to try to get it done quickly since thunderstorms are predicted in the coming days.

I will miss the ocean, but it's been a good trip, and I'm also looking forward to the comforts of home.

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Location:SE 12th St,Pompano Beach,United States

The Bahamas

We were only on the island for about 3 hours-- as our taxi driver Denyse said, "It's a teaser." Still, it gave us the opportunity to see how beautiful their beaches are-- turquoise water and the softest, whitest sand I've ever felt or seen-- amazing! Even Hawaii didn't have sand like that!

The people are sweet, and the women are strong in heart. The shopping was too touristy for my taste, but I'd love to stay a week on one of the islands. It was interesting to consider how the people make a living given their circumstances and how many goods must be imported. Expensive!

Dinner on the boat was good, and the moon shining on the water and the blowing wind were gorgeous, but we were ready to get home and unwind. We watched a movie in one of the lounges while music from the dance floor below throbbed and vibrated around us. We went through customs at 12:50am-- one heck of a long day!

My aunt and uncle are coming to visit today and want to take the water taxis through the intercoastal waterways of the area, but I don't know that I've got the umph to join them. I've had only 6 hours of sleep for two nights in a row. My big ambition for today is to shower and clean up. I last saw my relatives a few years ago at a family reunion. I'd like to spend some time with them, but I'm also headachy.

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Location:SE 12th St,Pompano Beach,United States

On Board

We're on our way to Freeport in the Bahamas. It's a day trip cruise. I woke at 6:45, threw on clothes, and we drove to Port Everglades. We had to go through a passport check etc. then boarded our ship. They fed us a breakfast buffet, then got underway. We'll spend a portion of the day on the island, then reboard our ship and embark for Florida. They'll serve us dinner on the return trip.

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Lifelong Friends

On Sunday, my parents and I headed to a local flea market to meet their friends-- a couple they hadn't seen in more than thirty-five years; I don't remember them since I was only a few years old the last time. However, I enjoyed their company-- they were kind-hearted and zany and fun. I've heard about them all my life since she and my mom were friends from the time they were four years old; it was a pleasure to meet them at last.

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Location:SE 12th St,Pompano Beach,United States

Oceanside

On Saturday afternoon, my Mom and I left our hotel room for the beach and pool. We played at the water's edge a while. I like to bury my toes in the sand and let the waves break over my feet and legs. It was a breezy day, and the waves churned up a lot of sand, so after a time we pulled lounge chairs up to the wet sand and watched the waves instead. I do love the ocean.

The hotel has two pools, one of which was heated to the perfect temperature. Plus, most folks were headed to their rooms to get ready for dinner and such; we had the pool to ourselves with a live band in the background covering some oldies & love songs in reggae-style. Not a bad way to spend an afternoon. ;-)

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Location:SE 12th St,Pompano Beach,United States

Vacation Begins!

I got up on time yesterday because I needed to get packed for a Fort Lauderdale vacation. My parents were going to pick me up at 1:15pm. We'd drive to the Lexington airport and take a nonstop flight. But I still needed to do a load of laundry before I could pack my clothes!

Well, I got the important things done with time to spare. I didn't leave my house in mint condition, but the dishes were washed and the trash put outside, so it was good enough.

I hate flying-- I'm not afraid (a bit nervous, but given all the air accidents in the past years, I think that's rational)-- but the takeoff and landing make my stomach woozy. Luckily, the plane wasn't full, and we were able to spread out a little-- it's still not much leg room though. I snoozed on the flight and felt better for it.

We weren't able to do much upon arrival except get our rental car, drive to our hotel, and eat dinner at a pizza place right across from the beach. We did venture onto the sand to look at the ocean after dinner-- it smelled briney and stretched out forever-- but it was already dark, and since they don't allow camping on the beach, it was time to get settled into our hotel suite for the night.

We were only staying at that hotel for one night-- it was a lovely suite: two bedrooms, two baths, a kitchen, a kitchenette, a dining room, and a balcony. It would be easy to live in this home away from home just seven miles from the airport.

Today we're headed to Pompano where we'll have accomodations for the week. We can't check in until later in the day, so that will give us the opportunity to hang out in Fort Lauderdale for as long as we desire.

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Ready Radishes?

My radishes sprouted 20 days ago, so I was hoping a few would be mature enough to harvest now (but judging by the foliage, I doubted it). Still, I pulled one up this morning. A lovely scarlet root, but not a plump radish. Ah well, I knew I was being impatient. I did wash and eat it, and it tasted spicy. Another 10 days I reckon.

I have 17 carrot seedlings growing, and true feathery leaves are showing on some.

Yesterday's lawn mowing threw all sorts of clippings into the raised bed, which makes it a little difficult to see emerging sprouts. Hopefully those bits will wither and turn brown quickly so that I can see when my next crop of lettuce appears.

Definitely need to water today-- for the seeds' sakes mostly.

Today's going to be another busy day of chores and errands, even though I've started kind of late.

I need to shop for some summer clothing. I only have one pair of ginormous shorts and multiple way-too-tight capris that need purging from my wardrobe. I can't wear pants through Kentucky's sweltering summers unless I'm ensconced in a chilly air-conditioned office.

By the way, here's a photo my mom took of her birthday lava cakes.


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Busy Day

I've got someone coming to mow today, thanks to my Mom's arranging, so I need to prep the yard a bit. I have to rope off the area where the tulips are growing, trim the excess weed fabric from the remaining bed, and remove the netting for the moment-- I don't want him entangling himself or his equipment in the portion puddling over the sides of the bed. Plus, I may not be at home to give directions or warnings when he arrives. This will be the first mowing of the season, and the yard sorely needs it. There's a 30% chance of showers though, and it does look a little cloudy and dark. Hope it gets done.

I have an appointment with an optometrist. It's been 3 years since my last checkup. I need new glasses that aren't so fragile, and then I'll have the current ones for backup. I also need prescription sunglasses. I've never purchased any before because of the expense, but I think it will be a worthwhile investment in headache prevention.

It's also my Mom's birthday, and I am planning to bake Molten Lava Cakes and take them to her. I first made them earlier in the year (January maybe? Before I started this blog). They are wonderful and surprisingly easy to make. I have to find my recipe though; it's buried in an avalanche of papers in my knitting room. I can't even remember the source of the recipe that I finally tried-- I have several in my collection. If there are any leftover they can be frozen then nuked. I want to try that and see if the frozen ones are as good as fresh. The only thing they needed to be perfect was a little vanilla ice cream on the side! ;-)

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An Interesting Day

I woke up at 5:30am to the intermittent beep of smoke alarms. The sound has a certain quality/pitch that cannot be ignored (at least by me). So I got up to investigate, figuring they probably needed new batteries. I thought I'd just remove the drained batteries and then replace them at my leisure. However, even with batteries removed the alarms continued to beep. So in the pre-dawn hours I drove to Wal-Mart to buy fresh 9-volts (and to escape the nerve-grating noise). But after I returned and installed the new batteries, the smoke alarms continued to beep!

During all of these efforts, it hadn't occurred to my tired mind that the alarms must have another power source, but a friend responded to my Facebook help request (thank God someone was awake), giving advice that jogged my thinking. So I headed for the circuit panel in the laundry room and cut the power to the three bedrooms and the hallway (which is unfortunately on the same breaker as the dining room and part of the kitchen). At last, silence reigned!

An electrician that my mom recommended is due here first thing Monday morning. I'm glad he responded to my request so quickly!

So I've spent the day in partial blackout conditions in order to have peace & quiet. I made myself tea, boiling water in a pan on the stovetop instead of using the microwave. I always use the microwave timer to remind myself when the tea is finished steeping. I set the timer as usual and then it occurred to me that if I could set the timer, that meant the microwave had power. I bust up laughing at how silly I'd been. ;-)

But no Internet! The wireless router is on a jack in one of the bedrooms. A real loss-- no Facebook friends for company, no quick lookups of info (such as garden frost warnings or farmer's market times), no emails or job searching.

And only one kitchen light-- so I made dinner in the dark: salmon with a marmalade-chipotle-five spice glaze. The glaze was mild-tasting-- pleasant but nearly bland, but the salmon itself was delish. (I've eaten so much seafood lately-- can't seem to get enough!)

And no movies! I've about "musiced" myself out listening to all the songs on my iPod that I enjoy-- I'm "full" now! I seriously considered moving the TV and DVD player into the living room where there is power. But surely I can live one day without a movie??? ("My name is Angel, and I'm a movie addict...)

I've played a lot of solitaire on my iPod today too; I'm up to $51,000+ in winnings. (Lest my readers fear for my sanity, it has taken more than 3.5 months to reach that level.)

I did some chores: dishes & laundry. I quick-read a magazine and a cookbook (which is where the salmon recipe originated). I also napped for three hours, making up for the time the smoke alarms stole.

And naturally I keep flipping powerless light switches on. Can I just say that I'll be glad to get back to normal?

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Taking Stock in the Garden

I wasn't feeling well yesterday & didn't venture into the backyard to check my garden at all. But today, I evaluated.

I thinned the carrots and lettuce a bit. My spinach is producing true leaves that are becoming sizable and actually look like spinach now! I had planted a succession crop of radishes, and they've already popped up. I really like the super-large leaves of the French Breakfast variety; they're so extravagant. The mesclun will be riotous before long.

Spinach

Radishes

Mesclun
My peas, pansies, romaine, and daffodils won't amount to anything. I've hoped and hesitated to draw that conclusion, but there's little doubt now. I have one pea sprout, but it doesn't seem to be growing. I planted the peas later in the season than I would have liked, plus the weather has been unseasonably warm-- record-breaking even. The pea and pansy containers were also too close to the laundry room vent. Due to careless watering, I buried & unburied the romaine seedling so many times that I think I uprooted it. Oops.

On a positive note, all 30 of my tulips are up and leafy. Whether they'll actually bloom this year--I do see some stems-- or come back next year remains to be seen, but so far so good. I think it's amazing that there wasn't a dud in the bunch.

The weeds are also alive and well! So far, no weeds are actually growing in my garden, but I plucked away from the soil surface numerous dandelion seeds and hairy flat seed pods that had blown in from a shrubby-treeish plant by the fence. Today's going to be windy, so I'll have to stay vigilant to avoid interlopers.

I'm waiting on watering for the moment. A storm is forecast for tonight, so we will hopefully get some rain. I definitely prefer it when nature does the work! ;-)

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On Not Blogging

Wow, I can't believe my last post was on Friday. I'm feeling very nonverbal lately-- not unhappy, just contained. The little I want to say I have said on Facebook and haven't been interested in duplicating here.

On Sunday I actually went to church for probably the second time this year. Amazing-- everything just came together perfectly: sleep/health, will/motivation, timing/preparation. And, it was an encouraging service, because a "permanent pulpit supply" has finally been found-- the man chosen will preach the services until a new senior pastor can be found, but he is not "on staff" in any other sense. He does a fairly good job of the messages, although it's still a trifle slow and simple for my liking. However, I think his desire for the church's growth in this interim period is genuine, and that means a lot. I also think this is a better move than rotating oodles of people through the pulpit-- not all of whom were capable of taking a Sunday service despite effort.

Yesterday, I went to the sleep doctor. His advice was to reduce the sleep med dosage. I agree because after analyzing the log I'd been keeping, I found that I was doing too much sleeping in the day time of late-- there have been a number of reasons for the daytime sleepiness such as the daylight savings time change, allergies & antihistamines, headaches from sun exposure with gardening, TMD splint adjustments and the pain that follows until I adjust, and even the Midrin I've taken for migraines and headaches has a side effect of drowsiness. The bottom line is that if I sleep in the day, I won't sleep at night. So the theory is that by cutting back on the sleep med I won't have too much of the drug in my system to contribute to daytime sleeping. Plus, he worries about patients developing tolerance to the drugs which means upping the dosage. So, it's better if I am taking a smaller dosage to begin with.

As you can see by the timing of this post, however, I am currently awake in the middle of the night. I've had about 3.5 restless hours of sleep so far. But if I can get another 2.5 hours before morning, I'm sure I can make it through the day without napping.

Yesterday evening I went shopping and out to eat with my Mom and our Nashville family friends. I bought some needed items and enjoyed the good food (Panera Bread) and the good company.

Here's a photo of a tree in my front yard which I snapped before we left. (I still need to get some dogwood tree pics before the blossoms are gone; but today I have to do my long delayed taxes. Ugh.)


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Finally Better

I've had a run of difficult days with cramps, headaches, drowsiness, aches and fatigue. I had to get to a doctor's appointment fairly early yesterday which helped me to get my rear in gear. I did get an adjustment to my medication which allows me to pay far less for one of them in exchange for taking pills twice a day instead of once. Good news!

Unfortunately, I had missed a dose of that medication (all out and waiting on doc for authorization), and it has such a short half life that I was starting to have withdrawal symptoms. So there I was crying on the way home from moodiness and feeling so bad, and my jaw muscles were so tense that my teeth were chattering though I wasn't cold. I went straight to the pharmacy for a refill, straight home for water to swallow my medication, and shortly began to feel better.

While at the pharmacy, I bought the local newspaper because the headlining story was about a woman who'd been arrested and jailed overnight for disorderly conduct in defense of deer. I have waited on that woman at the library and can confidently say that she is a strange and sometimes hostile person. She seems to hate Kentucky, so I'm not sure why she continues to reside here-- obligations? financial restrictions? sheer stubbornness? I believe that she needs mental health assistance, but I'm sure she would be offended at the mere suggestion-- she sees herself as normal and everyone else as deficient. I have seen her be charming and funny on at least one occasion, and it saddens me to see her spin her wheels and burden the community with imaginary issues. Life sure is complicated and amazing sometimes.

I took a walk in the late afternoon while my dinner baked and snapped this picture. I think the photo aptly captures my feelings about the last few days and my desire for something better for ailing people in this world. I've titled it "A Break in the Gloom". If I were a professional photographer and selling my work, I'd donate the proceeds to some mental health organization that is successfully impacting people's lives. But since I'm not, enjoy the photo. ;-)


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A Quiet Movie Day

I was awake for a couple of hours in the middle of the night and didn't feel well the whole morning, so this was a low-key sort of day. I did two loads of laundry (towels) but didn't fold them. I watched the following movies (and simultaneously played on my iPod): the rest of The Guns of Navarone, Westward the Women, In Harm's Way, and Jurassic Park.

My dad delivered leftover fried chicken and mashed potatoes with white gravy, so that made a good lunch. Thanks, Mom!

I did an evening garden check and discovered that one carrot seedling is showing which is remarkably rapid growth, but then we've had the weather for it!

Here's a picture of the mesclun which I'm growing in cut-and-come-again fashion (so I won't be thinning it).


I also took a picture of a wild corner of the yard (which technically doesn't belong to me, but since there's an empty lot next door, I'm claiming it for the time being).


I love the various greens and the contrast of the redbud branch. Plus, the area is tucked away so it seems like a secret garden.

God lifted my spirits this evening, and I am expecting and looking forward to a better day tomorrow.

"Love is right here, love is alive, love is the Way, the Truth, the Life, love is the river that flows through, love is the arms that are holding you... love never fails you."
-From the song performed by Brandon Heath entitled "Love Never Fails"

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Seedlings Abound

Two more spinach seedlings are up, and there are lots of mesclun sprouts (all the same type of plant, though I don't know which). Plus, a pea seed finally germinated.

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A Garden Photo

Radishes!


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Seedlings Report

The romaine lettuce and Brussels sprouts seedlings are up!

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Easter Sunday

Despite it being a special occasion, I didn't make it to church today-- only 5 hours of sleep and soooo tired. Dragging, in fact. It took me forever to get my shower and to make the simple ingredients for our Cherry Trifle: yogurt sauce and sugar-glazed walnuts. Mom made the angel food cake, so I only had to cube it and assemble the trifle when I arrived at my parents' house.

Dad grilled steaks and potatoes for us, and Mom roasted the broccoli. She also prepared strawberries with dessert toppings: sour cream & brown sugar plus a chocolate sauce with a hint of orange and vanilla.

As always, we had a great time talking, laughing, and catching up with each other. My brother and sister-in-law are both quick-witted and tend to keep the three of us entertained with their humor and sense of the outrageous. Invariably, one of them says something funny just as my Mom or I take a sip of a beverage-- with predictable results!

It was a good day.

Toward the end of our gathering, I slipped away to take some more spring photos of plants in and around my parents' yard.

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Morning Garden Check

One spinach seedling is up!

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Helmut Kohl's B-Day!

Okay, how strange is this? I decided to read a bit about Helmut Kohl, and would you believe today is his birthday? So I guess the Berlin Wall topic isn't so random after all-- there is a connection! ;-)

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More plantings...

I'm having a difficult time getting going today, but I have done a bit of gardening. I planted 8 each of two types of carrots, plus chard and mesclun. I gave up on the idea of a container for the mesclun and just used a square in the raised bed. It won't be as conveniently located, but at least I won't delay getting the seeds in the ground any longer.

I also watched a library-borrowed documentary on the Berlin Wall. Sort of a random topic, I suppose-- but having lived in West Germany for 3 years and poked my toe defiantly into No Man's Land somewhere on the German-German border during a school trip, it's a topic of interest to me. I remember writing to Helmut Kohl for an assignment in grade school and coloring in programs for a ceremony to which various dignitaries would be invited; we were erecting new flag poles so that both the American and West German flags could be displayed on our campus. Years later and back in the U.S., I remember being in Mr. Jordan's physics class when one of his former students dropped in and shared news about the Wall's dismantling-- the people were tearing it down! The documentary was filmed for the History Channel and shares the story of the Wall and of some of the people who successfully escaped from the GDR. I enjoyed hearing their stories (and the German language spoken-- I don't understand it, but it's familiar to my ear).

Good Friday Video

This awesome video shows God's power to transform people's lives in real, important, and dramatic ways. The link will take you to Sojourn Church's blog post to view Stories of Change. (To avoid disruptions when viewing, you may want to turn HD off.)

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Spring Photo Session

I had to nap about 3 hours in the middle of the day. I feel much better now-- so much so, that I can't really focus on Jesus' crucifixion in the heavy way that some Christians seem to be doing. (I am thinking particularly of something I heard on the radio that didn't sit well with me.)

I am deeply grateful for the love and forgiveness of God, but I'm so caught up in all this new spring life. I don't think He requires that heaviness either. I find NO contradiction in calling this GOOD Friday. He paid a heavy price, but it was one He paid willingly and gladly. Hebrews 12:2 says that Jesus, "for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." If He hadn't paid that price, where would I be now? I needed it, He did it, and it's okay to rejoice in His love and goodness and power.

I had to do an errand today, and afterwards I went on a photo spree around town. I've been seeing some beautiful blooms as I've driven around, but today, I STOPPED and tried to capture some of it. So, what follows is my little "photo essay". (Now, I just need some dogwood and redbud photos.) Hope you enjoy! ;-)

Tulip Magnolia

My favorite-- The color restores my soul!

Star Magnolia

Magnolia - Not particularly spring-y, but I love its form.

Forsythia-- a golden fountain

Lots of Seedlings!

Yesterday, I saw the first radish seedling (Early Scarlet Globe), and this morning there are four more above ground including the French Breakfast variety.

As of this morning, all the leaf lettuce is showing one or more sprouts: Black-Seeded Simpson, Salad Bowl, and Bibb.

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Addictive Photography!

I had no idea that I was going to be so interested in taking pictures of every landscape feature I see!


On the other hand, when I was a kid living in Savannah, Georgia, I took a photo of the oak tree (which we nicknamed Sarah) in our yard-- it looked like it had a face. I also took a sunrise picture over the Rhein in Bacharach, Germany, when most of the other kids in my sixth-grade-class were taking shots of each other mugging for the camera. Maybe I shouldn't be so surprised at my focus on the scenery after all. ;-)

My few readers are lucky that my camera's batteries ran out while I was on my morning walk-- otherwise, y'all might feel like a captive audience at a slide show of someone's vacation!

I do think Kentucky is a beautiful place-- especially in the spring!


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In the Cool of the Day

From my back stoop.


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Bunching Onions Are Coming Up!

I'll be glad when they are ready to harvest.

It irks me to pay $1.50 for a bag of scallions at Wal-Mart (and then use only a few of them), but I think regular onions are too strong to substitute-- and I certainly would't want to omit them from my meals; they're pretty and tasty.

(Because Kroger sells smaller bunches with less packaging, green onions are one item where they have Wal-Mart's price beat; but most of the time, it would be a waste for me to make a trip to two stores. Besides, if I walk in Kroger's door, I'm all too likely to buy more than scallions!)

Best solution? Open the back door of my house and pluck what's needed from the garden! ;-)

They should be ready for use around June 1st.

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Quick Account of the Day

I should be going to bed right now but wanted to post something.

I woke up a trifle late this morning because I couldn't get to sleep last night-- I was starving, having forgotten to eat an evening snack. Oops! too busy recording song snippets to notice hunger. Overfocusing again.

Had a great laugh while drinking my morning tea and facebooking-- all about wascally wabbits in the garden and the Elmer Fudd solution. Sentimental memories of childhood's Saturday mornings to boot. And amazement at the quality of those old cartoons-- great facial expressions and vocal intonations. True art!

Once I was able to get going, I headed out to the garden and put up the second grid. A robin and a male cardinal oversaw the process. I planted 2 squares-- romaine in one and Brussels sprouts in the other. I suspect the weather is going to get too warm too soon to get good results from either plant, but I wanted to try.



I still need to plant some mesclun (but I want a free-standing container for that so I can keep it right by the back door) and some pansies. Also, I should trim the excess weed fabric from the beds and PLANT that blueberry bush-- no time today, but it needs to be outdoors ASAP.

Afterward, I showered off the garden and dressed to do errands. I had to get groceries TODAY since I was out of ALL the staples-- milk, eggs, bread, cheese, fruits & veggies. (I ate some odd meals today, making do.) So happy to have cooking ingredients on hand again. My pantry is usually stocked thanks to my parents, but I can't live on canned foods and dry goods alone!

I also picked up a device that allows me to transfer digital photos directly from the camera's memory card through the USB slot of my laptop. I've been using my printer as a "router", but this device eliminates the printer from the process. For $8, it seemed worth it!

I came home, unpacked groceries, ate, and caught up with my Facebook account, then took a short walk-- I saw at least 3 plant subjects I want to photograph, but I forgot to bring the camera along. Bummer. Hopefully tomorrow.

I'm amazed at how quickly the evening flew by. I had a DVD on, but simultaneously played on my iPod doing who knows what. Solitaire, Facebook, prioritizing for tomorrow, changing my wallpaper, etc. Day is done.

A good day. Not a lot of projects accomplished, but some significant ones. Got to turn in-- my brain is falling asleep. ;-)

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God's Love

I was reading from the book of Revelation tonight-- particularly the worship scene in heaven when the Lamb is found worthy to take and open the sealed scroll. I can't pretend I understand half of what follows. I don't think most Christians understand-- even if they tell themselves and others that they do.

I do know that God's love for His people is clear, and that is my security. That's where there's rest. And so, I am motivated to sing...

Spring Green

In a lull between rain showers yesterday, I squelched my way across the backyard to the far corners to get photos of the bright green leaves emerging on some shrubby plants. Unfortunately, the pictures were blurs-- I keep forgetting to hold the digital camera still long enough for it to capture an image.

So today, I tried again. I don't think we'll get more rain, but it is "butt cold" out there (to use a Pioneer Woman phrase-- she was referring to the rear ends of horses and posted a photo of the ice on their tails). No gardening for me today-- it's supposed to warm up tomorrow.

At least plants are more tolerant of cool temperatures-- God is wise!

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Great Song, Good Video

Some of the images are super, others are so-so at conveying the meaning of the song.

Rainy Palm Sunday

It's likely to rain all day today, and I think I heard small hail (or at least heavy rain) on the windows while I was still in bed this morning.

What's more, we're likely to have rain on Easter too. I don't think we've had a sunny Easter since I've moved here (seven years). That's pretty remarkable since Easter's date varies-- I'd think we could get lucky occasionally. So much for egg hunts and fluffy girls' dresses under those weather conditions-- it dampens my enthusiasm.

I've got the bunnies though; I saw two cottontails in my backyard yesterday evening. They were doing their best not to be noticed by freezing still, but my back yard is a wide open space, and I'd just seen them dashing away. Cute, but not too clever! ;-)

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One SFG Grid Done

I drilled pilot holes then inserted 12 galvanized deck screws so that I could use the heads to string a cotton grid over the top of the raised bed. I used 100% cotton yarn and twisted it into cords; I also "wove" the strands for added stability. It took 1.25 hours.


I also planted 5 of the 16 squares: 8 Early Scarlet Globe radishes & 8 French Breakfast radishes, 9 spinach plants, 4 black-seeded Simpson lettuces, 4 green salad bowl lettuces, and 4 Bibb lettuces. I watered all planted seeds and recovered the bed with the bird netting.

We're due to get a day of rain, then it's dry weather for a stretch of 5 days. The next day that it's suitable to work outdoors, I plan to get the other grid up and a few more seeds planted. Also, I need to get my blueberry bush planted. I have an appropriate container for it, but it likes the same conditions as azaleas and rhododendrons. I'm wondering whether the potting soil I have will do the job.

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Sage Update

My sage is producing true leaves, and they're so cute-- miniature versions of what they'll become. Another sage seedling has also sprouted. ;-)

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Tulips Emerging!

Despite being planted in mid/late winter, my tulips are beginning to force their way up through the clay soil! (I planted two varieties at two different times. The ones that went into the ground second are the most numerous above ground now.)


No sign of the daffodils yet, though I've seen the small variety blooming when Mom and I went to tea.

I'd prefer blooms at different times anyway, so that I'll have bouquets over a longer period.

On the way to another appointment with the TMD specialist, I saw a tulip magnolia tree in bloom and some trees with pink blossoms too. It's getting to look a lot like springtime. ;-)

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Animal-Proofing

Yesterday I did some errands then selected a book to read while eating my lunch; the next thing I knew, it was dinner time! (It was a nonfiction health book, not particularly suspenseful; sometimes I overfocus.)

I took a lovely dusk walk to stretch out the kinks. Someone was barbecuing, and the smell of the sauce was torturously wonderful. Maybe my mom will make some BBQ chicken for us soon. (I can make it, but I think it tastes better when she does it.)

Anyway, my gardening time was a short period just before sunset. All I had the opportunity to do was to cut and secure some bird netting over each bed with the corner stakes assisting; however, I don't think it's going to be effective at animal-proofing. In fact, I may have given the cats a comfy hammock to curl up in.

I woke this morning at 4:30am, scheming about other possibilities: What if I...? Maybe I could try...? Would it work if...? What would be the advantages and disadvantages of using...? Since my brain was definitely awake, I got out of bed shortly after 5am.

It's going to be a rainy day, so I can scheme to my heart's content, but in all likelihood I won't be able to try out any plans today. That's okay though. I need to wash dishes. ;-)

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Reading Health Info

I moved my appointment with the sleep specialist up from June to April; I do not think my insomnia has been sufficiently resolved, and I still need help.

I spent most of the day reading the health information which the patient advocate at my TMD specialist's office provided. Since I have another appointment coming up shortly, I wanted to "prepare" a bit.

Some facts about migraine timing-- they can follow periods of stress, occurring in the "letdown" phase. To counter that, the suggestion was to try to slow down during the stressful period but to pick up the pace a bit afterwards-- the idea being that a more even work/stress load keeps blood vessels in the head from contracting then dilating suddenly and causing a migraine. Helpful maybe, interesting for sure; it encourages me to observe my body's patterns more closely at the very least.

I also read the pamphlets given to me about anxiety disorders. I don't think I have one, but I do believe there are times when hormones cause me to be tense, endlessly indecisive about stupid stuff (like whether to dare to deplete my kitchen pantry of a can of salsa verde by opening and consuming it), and anxious for a few days in a row. I startle easily (at completely unspooky things), have nightmares (usually bugs or intruders, but horrific even if the content seems ordinary), and have serious mental BATTLES not to dwell on life's negatives and lose perspective (depression). Sometimes I lose the battles too despite my best efforts. Win or lose, all I want to do is be by myself, because the battles are fierce and require concentration and reflection to work through.

Those brief periods mimic anxiety disorders and could be taken for one by health practioners looking for buzz words in my help requests-- but I don't believe they are, because the next hormonal shift makes all that nonsense evaporate. Suddenly, no anxiety; I'm just tired instead. And, the 3-day episodes reoccur on a monthly basis-- the details change (what I'm tense or indecisive about), but the essentials remain.

Besides, the meds I take already include one anti-depressant (for hormonal mood swings) and one anti-anxiety drug (to calm my brain for sleep, thus combatting insomnia). Seems to me that if I really had an anxiety disorder or depression that those meds should take care of it. The fact that they don't (during those short episodes) leads me to believe that hormones are the culprits rather than anxiety or depression.

This is a breakthrough for me. I've never been able to state what's happening to me in that phase so clearly before. I fully intend to show this to the health professionals who are trying to help me. And thinking about what I've written, it's no wonder I feel a little crazy or out of control some days-- these ailments do a number on my mind as well as my body. It ain't NO fun, believe me.

Let me just say that here's one female who's longing for menopause. I honestly think heart disease and/or breast cancer (risks of these increase for women after menopause) would be easier to bear than the constant and severe emotional up-and-downs that are the same-old same-old, yet always seem to take me by surprise. I'll take my chances; bring on "the change" even with the risks.

Okay, enough of that rant. Moving on!

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I resumed knitting again today. I'd been working on a sock and had almost completed it, but the pattern says to bind off "with double strand"; I don't know what that means and haven't been interested in finding out. I'm sure it's not difficult, but I wanted to knit without practicing new techniques for a while. So I've put that aside and have now resumed a blanket I hadn't worked on since back in October, I guess. I'm ready to finish it (or at least make some progress on it).

Tomorrow I need to do some chores and errands. I've been ailing and "battling" for three days already which is three days too long.

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Garden Photos

Not much to see yet but this photo will be great for comparison later in the season.


This second picture is a bit blurry, I know. It's going to take me a while to get used to the camera. These pots are the ones I was able to fill with leftover soil and are where I've already planted some seeds.


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Children and Faith

Lately I've been browsing through Facebook taking a peek at how some of my former students are doing. Many of them had great parents, and I had no doubt that they would end up happy and successful in life. Others had little support and opportunity; I wanted the best for them, but I was doubtful about how they would fare.

By and large, I think I should have had more faith in God's plans for their lives. He never abandons any of His children, and in the areas of their lives where I saw weakness or difficulties, He has transformed and used those very weaknesses. They have developed into the people God meant them to be all along. Maybe if I had been older and more experienced, I would have known that.

On the other hand, it shouldn't surprise me that I didn't know the end from the beginning; only God has that kind of vision. Our view is mostly limited and earthly no matter how earnestly we seek His wisdom and viewpoint. There will come a day when we know even as we are known, but it is not yet that day. That is one reason why we must walk by faith and not by sight-- we're too blind to want to give our own perceptions that level of credibility.

At the tea shop, I saw a sign that said, "Pray about everything; worry about nothing." I think that is an excellent paraphrase of an important Bible verse. I want to do that more often than I do now. There's no point in worrying since God has it covered-- all of it, everything, whatever it may be.

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Basil Update

Hooray! I'm seeing the first basil sprout this morning! One less plant to buy-- I definitely prefer growing my own from seed.

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Tea with Mom

Yesterday Mom and I headed to Frankfort to have tea at the Candleberry Tea Room. They have a gift shop with lots of girly items-- china, home decor, jewelry and fashion accessories, etc. (A bit pricey.) The dining room is attractive, and our table was cheerfully appointed and by a window, allowing us to enjoy the spring sunshine.

Image source: Mom
The food was good-- their signature herbed tomato soup (just a little spicy-- not bland Campbell's), a blueberry scone with cinnamon-sprinkled whipped cream, a chicken salad sandwich that wasn't overly sweet (a refreshing change), cream cheese-filled baby carrot cakes, lemon bars topped with blueberry sauce, and Derby pie bars were some of the treats.

We talked quite a while with the owners-- an interesting and kind middle-aged couple. They work hard to make the business pay, serving lunch as a cafe, and hosting catered meetings by arrangement in addition to tea sittings.

Mom and I intended to do some shopping afterwards, but we didn't do too much because we managed to get lost in our efforts to find a peddlers' mall. We headed 20 miles out of the way on a windy rural road. At that point we asked an older man at a stop sign for directions. His advice was to turn around and head back over the same 20 miles we'd just covered. I wasn't wild about that idea because of the curves and a tendency toward motion sickness. Would you believe we finally thought to consult the GPS that we'd had with us all along?!? It was funny-- we're obviously not digital natives! The GPS gave us the same directions as the man had, but we had a good time talking and laughing regardless of the detour.

We did stop at a Goodwill-- my mom's compelled to hunt those bargains down. She found some shirts, and I bought a picture for $3.50 that I'll eventually have professionally cut down, matted, and framed to hang in my knitting room.

Image source: Me! with the digital camera Mom gave me!
All in all, a lovely day. ;-)

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Herb Update

The sage sprouted days ago, but I keep forgetting to mention it. The thyme is beginning to get true leaves. The chives stem has unfolded.

Basil and rosemary are still no-shows. I may have drown the basil seeds right from the beginning (oops!), but I'll give them some more time since basil's not cold-hardy anyway. I recently read that rosemary doesn't always come true from seed, but again, we'll see.

I'm hoping to get some mint from my mom; I don't know which cultivar she has, but I've used enough of it in my cooking to know that it will be dandy in a pot in my garden-- got to corral that bully so it doesn't conquer the world!

Also, it's not an herb, but my mom bought me a blueberry bush. Yum! Gradually, I want to develop a whole thicket of blueberry shrubs, but one is a good start until I learn more about their care.

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Aching Knees But...

I couldn't resist planting peas, bunching onions, and Johnny-Jump-Ups in those pots of leftover soil. I'm done for the day-- not just with gardening but all together spent.

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Beds Are Filled!!!

Building the remaining frame, laying weed barrier, and staking the frames took 1 hour. To mix the soil and fill the beds took 2 hours and required a shower afterwards-- very messy. I did have 4 smallish containers of soil remaining; the rest went into the beds.

Image source:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/8853180@N02/3584472940/sizes/l/
I've had some concerns about protecting my garden from deer and rabbits, but it was only today that I realized how the cats are going to view these beds: the perfect litterbox! Naturally, I know about this tendency of felines, but when I've seen garden advice of this type in books, I've always dismissed it-- "I don't have a cat," I've thought. Well, I don't, but the neighborhood does! At least three of them.

I was talking the matter over with "our dog" when she visited. (I love the way dogs "listen" with their whole bodies, so I can't resist "conversing" with them.) I was encouraging her to be a good watchdog and keep the cats out of the beds. Well, she was so enthused about the assignment that she scrambled right across my soil to get to me and tell me so! Yikes! That means I have a boundary-less dog to take into consideration as well.

I've concluded that I'll wait and let the rain settle the soil, create my SFG grid, devise some animal-proofing, and THEN add seeds. It'll be safer for the plants! ;-)

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