Month: May 2024

Planting, which seems so straightforward, always takes longer than I expected. Yesterday I found spots for the last two, one from last weekend’s sale and the mail order viburnum.

Raked the side corner and hope some of the seedlings survived.

After a struggle with the mower, Ron took care of the front and back yards.

Bell visited the deck briefly.

I was warmly greeted at the bank. Did a food shop.

Washed the Corolla.

This morning I swept the deck, mulched the lily of the valley garden and some other spots, and did a little weeding at the other corner garden. Ron got the mower started and took care of a couple of spots that he missed yesterday.

The boys and their Dad came over for a short visit.

Accomplished very little today after yesterday’s flurry.

Suffering from mosquito bites. One so bad it woke me up and I ripped it last night.

I had a fine visit to the Williams College Museum of Art. Wanted to see the exhibit of works by the Class of 2024 and was not disappointed.

Made an organic spray for the kitchen to keep down the no see ums, or whatever they are.

Made a beautiful salad and heated soup for lunch.

Did a little detailing in the Corolla, reinstalled the mats. Did a terrible job but it still makes a positive difference.

Ron and I took the truck to West’s for wine and IPA.

Spread a bag of mulch on the center garden.

I vacuumed the Corolla and washed the front mats.

Washed the front shed with Krud Kutter; it looks 100% better.

Planted the Joe Pye today. Planted yesterday as well; two of the original twelve to go. Dug out a couple of good-sized rocks, made a soil/peat moss mixture to fill in.

Replaced the furnace filters.

Cooked ravs for lunch. Made quesadillas yesterday, froze half of them.

Paid bills.

We visited Linnea earlier this week. Very encouraged by her progress.

Dug out the giant root from the corner of the house yesterday. Not sure what to do with that area.

Stopped by the food pantry but it was pretty slim pickings today. Dropped off a check at Town Hall, ran into Brian.

Watched some excellent videos on using storage containers instead of raised beds.

I made a big salad and baked potatoes for lunch and brownies.

Cleaned up the kitchen. Did a laundry and loaded and ran the dishwasher. Ron fell asleep early. I’m wondering if we’ve been fighting off a bug.

We changed the sheets today.

Found my long-handled shovel! The fairies must have put it in the corner shed for safekeeping.

Today I got half the new plants into the ground and watered. Hope to finish tomorrow. Undid the hose with a giant slice cut out of it (lawnmower). Fortunately, I don’t need it for now. The hose and soakers in the corner garden work great.

Dug out a couple of good-sized rocks in the lily of the valley bed.

Missed the Northern Lights.

Ron is helping me dig out an invasive something or other.

Fell asleep early last night, second time this week. Kept dosing off watching tv in the afternoon.

Trying to dig out a big plant on the side of the house.

Did a shop yesterday at the Berkshire Botanical Garden annual plant sale. Great drive down to Stockbridge and back, well-run sale.

Attended the last Log Lunch of the season. Skipped a concert last night, too tired.

Brought a big box containing years of confidential papers to the transfer station this morning for shredding. Went back a short time later with trash and recyclables. Brought redeemables to BFAIR.

We visited Linnea. She’s doing well, hopes to be home in a couple of weeks.

Missed the aurora last night, didn’t know it was going to happen, and it’s cloudy now.

Misplaced my long-handled shovel. Sad.

Yesterday, Ron raked the back yard, and thanks to his work the day before, I was able to clean the front and garage side siding.

I ordered an adapter to read Ron’s old hard drive.

Attended a Statistics senior thesis presentation.

Had to fix some bad links that mysteriously appeared in the MRS confirmation emails.

Had fun with Bell making giant bubbles with Ron’s Pustefix kit.

I’m tired this morning.

I dug up garlic mustard from the garden next to the deck and grass around the oval.

Harvested Forget Me Nots as collateral damage. Ron’s grandmother’s creamer serves as a pretty container for them.

Over the last couple of days, I made time to watch “Ride Like A Girl” and “The Man Who Knew Infinity”. Enjoyed them both and returned them today to Milne.

Ron has been working hard today to attach a hose to reel cart at the front of the house.

I got creative with gifts: actions not things.

Changed the sheets and found a Mac specialist who happens to live within walking distance to check out the old Powerbook.

We had lunch at the Project, then stopped at Walmart for my meds. Got groceries at Job Lot and Stop & Shop.

I baked a chocolate cake with horrible store-bought icing (never again) and made tacos for supper with “on-hands”.

Best gift to Ron might have been that he didn’t have to clean up afterwards.

One mouse this morning.

It’s been raining all day.

Ron received seeds from one of his charities, so I sowed them in the section of the yard we cleared yesterday: Zinnia, Coreopsis, Alyssum, Marigold.

Planted some old sunflower seeds in the oval garden.

Struggling to get Ron’s old computer to run. I first tried to change his password, but couldn’t get it done in single user mode. Another suggestion was to create a new user, but the machine “sticks” part way through.

Surprise: we went down two USDA Hardiness Zones when we moved, from Zone 7 in Mashpee to 5 here. No wonder we didn’t expect the latex paint to freeze.

The email announcing Donald Trump’s appearance at the national convention must surely be from the Borowitz report or some other satirical outlet.

How many Libertarian principles does Trump honor?

Personal liberty: he’s attacked LGBTQ and Trans people

Free trade: remember those tariffs on Chinese imports?

Immigration: Trump is proposing using the National Guard to deport 15-20 million people

Separation of church and state, respect for the constitution, honoring the self-determination of women of child-bearing age….these are consistent with Libertarian principles and in every case, Trump gets a failing grade.

He was the first modern American president to leave office with fewer jobs than when he was inaugurated. He exploded the national debt. His response to the COVID pandemic was, in the journal “Public Administration’s” classic understatement, “sub-optimal”.

Trump’s temporary tax cuts make him a hero to some. They seem to forget that these expire next year. Let the Republicans have their Trump convention, but please reconsider the decision to invite him to ours. This is not the kind of association that we need – now or ever.