KISS OF DEATH KINDA DAY

It was already 70-degrees outside when I woke up this morning, so I did my mile walk around the park straight off.

There were a lot of bold colors making their appearances bright and early:

These pretty tri-color petunias caught my eye.

Nothing could be bolder than this blood-red day-lily: even the stamens were blood red!

I have always liked the ‘Joseph’s Coat’ climbing rose. I used to have one at our previous home in Lexington – the house we sold 2 years ago to move here. I trained it to ramble the length of the chain link fence surrounding the front yard. We got a lot of compliments from passersby.

Two-tone orange day-lily.

And I skirted sticky, fresh, hot tar all the way around the park – there was no street that had not been painted with the stinky gooey stuff. Heading toward the home stretch, 1 block from our home, I saw these fellas hard at work, and actually felt sorry for them because it was so stinking hot – both the temperature, and the sticky tar. I also saw some bald-headed eagles soaring overhead; so of course, I had to stop and get a picture of them. I love eagles. The eagle, the wolf, and the cougar are my Lakota spirit animals: strong animal spirit for a strong woman ;-)

My granddaughter used to call me “strong-fisted woman”; and she didn’t even know my background before I became a “strong Christian woman”. LOL! She just knew that I will stare people down without blinking if need be, and I am resilient …

Tarring Heron Pointe streets.

When I got back home, it was 85 degrees and climbing, so I watered all of my garden beds because tomorrow is supposed to be even hotter than today.

Oy vey!

And I carried water with me from bed to bed so I didn't get dehydrated or suffer a kiss-of-death sunstroke after all those yo-yoing 70 to 45 degree day fluctuation before today's sun overdose:

When I saw this KINK in my ‘NO KINK’ hose, I just threw my hands up and consigned myself to wresting hoses for the rest of my life; there is no escape from the kinky kinks.

I also had an unwelcome garden crasher who was after water on this hot day. I have to be very careful around bees, wasps, and hornets because I will have an anaphylaxis kiss-of-death reaction if stung.

Christmas glove strawberry; LOL

Today’s strawberry harvest. I am going to make Strawberry Bread with them.

The soaring temperatures peaked at 95 degrees outside by 5 p.m., and I finally relented and turned the air conditioner on.

95 degrees in a humid rain-forest environment is like a kiss of death to Washington web-footer’s.

Tomorrow it is supposed to reach 98 to 100 degrees tomorrow; a kiss of death kinda day that packs a punch with it.

Whatever has to get done tomorrow will either get done very early in the morning … or put off to another day.

BABY DRAGONFLY

This morning I woke up and decided that THIS was the day I would design and craft the sling that would help me lower my husband’s cremains into a ridiculously deep “state required 4 foot hole” in the ground in 12 short weeks.

The cremains box is about the size of a teenager’s shoe box – there is no need for such a deep hole.

It is a stupid law.

And unnecessary.

That, being said, there is no way to get around it … even in a family cemetery, that by Law, does not have to adhere to State Law.

But the people in control of the cemetery are insistent – so I must concede. I am already in enough trouble with the family; I don’t need to borrow more by being insistent myself.

So …

I needed to stop procrastinating.

Out of bed I rolled.

Down the hall, I padded.

And I got a nice surprise when I reach the livingroom :-D

It was such a bright sunny morning, that I decided to look out the window before heading for the coffee pot. Turning from the window, I happened to glance down at the wide windowsill – no particular reason – and saw a baby dragonfly!

It must have flown into the house last night when I was in and out. Either that, or it came in with the greens I brought in.

However it got in, I was glad to see it; then I carefully shifted it from the windowsill to a geranium outside on our cozy front porch ;-)

About now, if Bob were still here in the flesh, we would more than likely be in one of the 4 mountain environments, hiking and watching dragonflies’ flit from here to there.

But, Bob is no longer here in the flesh. And I will no longer be enjoying any of the mountains’ environments.

So I was delighted to see that baby dragonfly this morning in our home – totally content; it didn’t flinch or try to fly away. Perhaps Bob whispered to the dragonfly that I needed it to lighten my day.

I sent the videos to kids, grandkids, my 2 sisters, and Bob’s siblings.

One sister said seeing that dragonfly was like Bob saying ‘hi’ and that he misses me: could be ;-)

One granddaughter said she recently read a book about how dragonflies are a sign of good times and happy memories: that fits :-D

One SIL thanked me, and told me she needed that happy lift today. Me too.

Bob has always been good to me.

And he always knew how to make me smile ;-)

Over the past month I have found pennies, and feathers, and this morning there was a dragonfly in-house: I took that as a very good sign that Bob’s spirit would be with me today while I got busy with a very difficult task …

Yarns being used in my design. I chose these yarns for a specific representation to the creation of the cremains box sling.

A work of love in progress. A bittersweet design.

Halfway through the process, the temperature rose uncomfortably, and I stopped long enough to slip on one of Bob’s roomy tee shirts, and to lift my hair off my neck and turn the air conditioner on: 

The sling is necessary – but, oh! – how I wish it were not needed …

I love you, Babe.

Always.

OX

"WHO ARE THE REAL HATERS?" - 2019 06 09 John Haller

GOKOTTA - Rising With The Birds

Bob passed this {act} to me when he stepped off Earth – I used to be a night-bird (all my life until recently); now I am keeping his early-bird hours.

Weird.

But I find that I am really enjoying this strange new affliction now ;-)

DROWNING IN A SEA OF EMOTION

Driving to Indy Way Diner earlier this evening to pick up the Liver Supper I called in, I suddenly choked up just before I reached the diner. I almost threw up, the raw emotion was so overwhelming.

One minute, I am fine … the next ((((BOOM!)))) … out of nowhere, it suddenly get s hard to breathe and my mind morphs backwards in time to Bob driving his Lemmon’s truck past the diner.

And moments like THIS is WHY I really can’t get very far from home yet.

Imagine this happening on the freeway, or somewhere between Rainier and Linden, Oregon?

Bob & I drove all over these 2 states for 44 years; memories keep slamming on the breaks in my heart and I can’t stop the slideshow …

Will I EVER get past this????

TIDY UP & WALKABOUT

The rain has stopped, so it was time to get back outside.

First thing I did was disappoint myself again when I checked the rain barrels a.g.a.i.n. One would THINK that after all the weekend rain there would be a noticeable change in the water levels – NO! I am not liking that city water is going into my food sources. I mean … I DO NOT even drink city water! And I was so careful not to use tap water on them during their seeding/transplant stages. I am seriously disappointed. I can’t believe how scarce rain has been this year (if there is 1 thing we HAVE in Washington State, it is rain; where IS it now?), and buying water to pour on my veggies would seriously dent my monthly budget.

But It is tempting.

Very tempting.

Anyway …

Looking out the front windows while enjoying my morning coffee, I noticed that the pounding rain had damaged my towering delphiniums in both flower beds; so, I got dressed and went out to clip the broken and damaged stalks:

That done, I aimed a jet stream of Roundup at the weeds sprouting in the driveway cracks.

And since I was dressed for outside, I went for an early morning walkabout. I don’t feel guilty for taking pictures of people’s pretties because I figure they WANT them to BE admired, or they wouldn’t have strategically placed them where they would be admired…

I am familiar with Monkey Trees, but this one is different, so I did a google search when I got back home to find out what this tree is – it took me a while, but I found out that its name is ‘The Monkey Puzzle Tree’ (https://owlcation.com/stem/The-Monkey-Puzzle-Tree-An-Ancient-and-Endangered-Plant)

My eyes kept being drawn to those clumps of turquoise eyed/purple hued sedums … so I just HAD to get a pic of it. LOL

The DINNER PLATE SIZE of this White Clematis is eye-catching too.

More rock interest additions since last Tuesday’s walkabout (https://jeastofeden.blogspot.com/2019/06/getting-stuff-done.html)

Before coming back inside, I lifted and transplanted several Tom Thumb Lettuces – these tiny tasty butterhead lettuces will grow to the size of a baseball, so they need more spreading space than they were getting with my broad-spread seeding method. I have been thinning a few plants out and using them in my Supper salads, but now I would like to have a few mature:

Transplanting Tom Thumb lettuce throughout the Tomato bed.

Now I am going to be lazy for the rest of the day, starting with ordering take-out Liver Supper from Indy Way Diner ;-)

ROUNDUP vs VINEGAR/SALT WEED KILLER

I, personally, do NOT have a problem with Roundup. We have used Roundup all of our married life when push comes to shove with testy and stubborn weeds.

Some people do have a problem with Roundup and they will go out of their way to try shame everyone else into their lemming rush over the edge.

Aside from the video posted - which I basically posted just for the visual aspect of the use/effect this fella highlights, I just want to confirm from personal experience that Roundup zaps things and KEEPS it zapped. I already know this, but dimwitted people (eco-freaks that put a lot of time into aimless and tiring repeat procedures) need to be told again, and again, and again.

Vinegar is a short term solution to a long term issue: choose wisely. I am a wise woman; I am also a very frugal woman. wasting $$$ again, and again, and again ... doesn't make sense to me.

Vinegar also STINKS.

A LOT.

Which is bad for my weak lungs.

I went for a walk around the Park the other day, and passed a house where they had used the vinegar-salt weed "kill" solution ... and WOW! The odor immediately seared my lungs, watered my eyes and I walked quite a bit quicker (I already run when I walk, so I was in turbo speed). When I did my 2nd lap ... the odor was still just as strong. I had to utilize my Ventolin Inhaler ... and you all know how much I hate that thing.

Vinegar in the amount it takes to TEMPORARILY burn the hell out of the leafy part of the weeds, is toxic to me.

So, I will continue to use Roundup - yes, it stinks too; but only during application; and that fades in about 5 minutes time. MPO

My lungs takes precedence over eco-freak ecology.

And it just plain makes me shake my head when the people shouting from the roof tops against Roundup (((PIOSON!))) poison their bodies with what they smoke, eat, drink, and physically do. It's crazy talk, from what appears to me to be crazy people.

Lemmings, furry little rat like creatures with a herd mentality, aren't the smartest creatures God ever created:

Vinegar concentrations strong enough to be effective against anything but the youngest, most tender weeds, is no longer a food product but an herbicide called horticultural vinegar and not so friendly. In vinegar concentrations this strong, vinegar becomes hazardous and can cause environmental damage. Vinegar is a contact, or 'burn-down' herbicide; killing what it touches within hours or days. But that kill-off is misleading because the truth of the matter is that while it LOOKS LIKE it is {working} to get rid of the weeds, the weeds will eventually grow back from the root stock. So the application was pretty much worthless. Unless, those making the application enjoy wasting time, money, and making a real impact of weed eradication.

In vinegar concentrations over 11%, acetic acid, skin burn and eye damage will occur. And vinegar concentrations of 20% and above are corrosive to tin, aluminum, iron, and concrete; and can even cause blindness.

Wildlife, taking refuge in the weeds – such as toads or salamanders - can also be damaged or outright killed.

Just because something is touted as ‘organic’ does not necessarily mean it is safe to humans, wildlife, or the environment.