Sunday, May 25, 2008

Good Stuff

Today I wore shorts to work. Men's cargo shorts. It was hot and sunny at work and I spent most of my day watering in the greenhouse or out in the perennial yard. Oh, the questions I was asked today. Amazing. I know the answers. Usually. Euphorbia equals spurge. I'm learning my Latin. Working again tomorrow. And we are having a "free lunch" for the holiday. Someone is making Whoopee Pies. I love a good Whoopee Pie. Chocolate cake circles with creamy frosting inside.

I remembered the granular sulfur I promised a customer. She lamented the need to buy a nine dollar bag of sulfur so she could dose her new hydrangea with one teaspoon. I said, come back next week and I will have sulfur for you. I purchased a bag years ago to mix a rose potion for my roses. It included iron which is a heavy metal and SO NOT healthy to be mixing. Anyway, this morning I got a sandwich bag and carried it out to the garage with me. Collected about a 1/2 cup (for years of deep blue flowers) and then carried my lunch, coffee and sulfur out to the truck. Yes. I get to drive the truck to work!!!! My customer said "what can I give you for this?" and I said, nothing. It is enough that I remembered. I was so proud of that.

Yesterday I fell asleep while watching Law and Order. I never do that. Now I do. This is what happens when you spend 8 or 9 hours a day, outside the house. Outdoors. Fresh air. Weather. Walking. Carrying stuff. Bending over. Reaching over your head. Good Stuff.

What's Good: My daily lunch of carrot sticks, hummus to dip the carrots in and a Yumbo. Ham, american cheese melted on a bun. Burger King used to sell them in the 1970's. My kids and I loved them and I always made them for the children as a special dinner when it was just the three of us eating. Now I have one every day for lunch. It took a while for me to find the perfect lunch. Some choices left me feeling too full and others--hungry (terrible!) This lunch is "just right". My second favorite is vanilla yogurt, Grape Nuts and dried sweet cranberries. The Grape Nuts get all soft and gooey after it sits for awhile (4 hours or more). I also like a carrot stick and Romaine salad with Ranch Dressing and some toasted bread. The more chewing involved--the happier I am. Clean sheets on the bed.

What's Not Good: Mosquitos.

3 comments:

gema said...

Seems like you are getting tons of exercise and fresh air, to be envied!

Is it true that placing old rusty nails at the roots of the hydrangeas will make them blue as well? I have been tempted to buy old pieces of iron or iron balls (via Ebay) and just stick them in the soil around the plants.
Some years ago I was picking up a sewing machine that I'd won on auction and noticed the woman had some beautiful blue ones in her front yard. I asked her about them and what she used, she said NOTHING! They were always blue. I did believe that much.
I have planted 'blue' ones which have gradually turned pink. I must say though that one of those blue ones still has a tinge of blue but it is planted in a spot where the soil has some red clay. The only area in the garden, a very small area. Roses seem to do good there too.
I am going to plant some by my gate so that it will look welcoming up until late autumn. For years, I was never sold on hydrangeas, maybe because my DH's mother likes them!!!! Now I am coming to appreciate them for their long and interesting flowering.
Final question, can I take clippings of them to make younglings?

gema said...

"Some years ago I was picking up a sewing machine that I'd won on auction and noticed the woman had some beautiful blue ones in her front yard. I asked her about them and what she used, she said NOTHING! They were always blue. I did believe that much."

That should have read "I DID NOT" believe that...much!

Must proof read before I hit the button.

gema said...

Oh, and if you think the mosquitos are bad, try the horse flies. They have taken over here for the past few years. I suspect the warmer winters encourage their survival.
I dread them.