Category: Uncategorized

Earlier this week, I freed two young robins from the netting on the blueberry bushes. It was a horrible process, and I apologize again to the birds.
I put up the new wind chime this morning and made an appointment for an overdue (since February) eye exam.
On the way home tonight, I realized that I had no chores or errands planned. It was a good deal more pleasant outside tonight than it has been for most of this week, so I washed the truck.
The semi-deja vus are still happening.

I don’t like holidays because holidays are designed for couples. Couples as in, women with online names like “Bunny” or “Kitten” who post with words like “Yum”, and the men who love them.

Now, don’t get me wrong: it’s none of my business whether or not you raise your legs for some man, ladies, or get down on your knees for that matter.

I just don’t understand why you are in a lower tax bracket than I am as a single filer*.

*Example: a married couple with a combined income of $60,000 has a marginal tax rate of 15%, while a single person with the same income has an MTR of 25%.

I also don’t understand why holidays have to do with couples, to the exclusion of everyone else.

Christmas, for example. Why do jewelers advertise to men who are looking for a gift for the women who raise their legs for them? What would be wrong with a marital status-neutral ad with the tag line, “Every woman deserves beautiful jewelry”. Whether or not we have to buy it for ourselves.

I used to love Fourth of July, but no more. Fourth of July should be as marital-status neutral as they come, but it’s not.

Everything is around family get-togethers, which means that there is, inevitably, some married couple in the middle of all of it, fussing over the burgers and the potato salad because never-married people can’t afford a place big enough to entertain more than, oh, one or two guests. Maybe three if all the guests are under age 16.

Family-oriented events are tough enough on us adoptees without making coupled-ness a prerequisite for celebrating the country’s Declaration of Independence, for cripes sake.

About the only holiday left for single people is Halloween. In fact, single people, i.e., children, have the most fun on Halloween.

Could be why it’s my favorite holiday.

First Rudbeckia this morning.
Mowed today. Hotter than Hades in the sun. Water, water, water.
First tomato!

There are several tiny cukes on the plants in the cold frame.

First Nasturtium today!

Pink coreopsis have started. Have one Portulaca from last year, in a pot.

The Evening Primrose is done.

Peach daylilies are blooming.

Gave the tomatoes another good soak this morning. Tom of the Lawn Company is testing the soil.

James was stung twice by yellowjackets while he mowed the lawn in their back yard. Terminix came out today to spray. I hope that gets rid of them.
Tomatoes in the new garden don’t look too great. I think they needed more water. I gave them Miracle Gro today and am going to water them and the grass every day for a while.

Yesterday and this morning, everything got a good watering.
In spite of inertia, I did 3 hours of mowing, staking and deadheading.
It’s humid and disgusting today, typical New England summer weather.
James, Ethan and Tyler are playing with water guns – a good idea. I threatened to bring them home if they didn’t come up with something to do other than watch Nickelodeon.
Emme won airplane tickets to Nantucket at the concert last night!

It must be the humidity.
I’ve lost all incentive to do much of anything but stare out the window.
The garden (knock wood) looks great and except for the battle with slugs, isn’t requiring much maintenance these days. I did “8” the cukes last night.
Fluffles is a tiny train wreck. It’s been impossible to brush out or even cut all the knots in his fur, so I’m bringing him in for grooming next week.
Found out that Mashpee’s “quiet hours” are 10 pm to 7 am. Which means I can get started with the mowing now.

Ryan’s daisies and the St. Johns Wort have started. The St. Johns Wort is perfect: those who said to cut it to the ground were absolutely right.

More sweetpeas, purple ones, and they have a fabulous fragrance.

Both of the butterfly bushes have started as well.

Even the cukes have blossoms. Wish I could say the same for the tomatoes. The ones in the cold frame at least look healthy. The ones in the garden I labored so hard to create look awful.

Fed Neptune’s to the tomatoes and other veggies, plus the big lupines. Exactly two weeks since the first feeding.
Good soaking rain around 5 AM this morning, brief but potent storm. Even the normally imperturbable Fluffles was taken aback by the thunder.
Removed two dozen slugs afterwards from the Stella d’Oros, mostly near the porch. Put out upside-down flower pots to capture more.
The white sweet peas started blooming this week. Nice fragrance and easy to grow.

Mowed the front, side and about 1/4 of the back after work.
When it got late, I dragged out the old push mower, which was actually fun to use. I’m glad to have held on to it.