Hot, Humid

Got an early start, watered front and back yards and pruned the roses this morning.  Pruned the shrubs next to the front steps last evening.  This afternoon, deep pruned the one on the right and did a modest prune of the holly.

First outdoor shower of the year, and it was great.

Pruned overhanging branches from the “U” and the corner garden.  Truck is pretty full.

Yesterday, drove James to work for a 7 am shift and Emme to Hyannis for a second interview at 10.  Picked up a bag of bagels at the Senior Center.

Mowed our yard a couple of days ago and the front lawn at Edgewater yesterday.  Have set the mowers as high as they’ll go, so the grass looks a little strange.  I’m hoping after a couple of weeks it’ll even out.

Got my replacement lenses and the optician tightened up the frames, so the glasses are comfortable now.  Picked up more lens cloths and cleaning fluid.

Had some correspondence with the eBay seller about the Canon.  I’d almost thrown out the battery and charger.  The camera came without a memory card or USB cable, though.  I ordered accessories, on the cheap from eBay.

Sat in on an orientation for the WHFF earlier this week.  It was helpful.  Ron reminded me of my infamous temper and low threshold for BS, so I changed my assignments to reduce customer contact to zero.

It’s summer on Cape Cod, and if it weren’t for the gardens, I wouldn’t want to live in this world of horrible people.

Antipasto, New Spigot

Bob and Tom from BCL replaced the spigot in the back, so we are now up to date with outdoor plumbing.

Talked with a very pleasant, helpful woman at the Wareham USDA office about a grant.  They are at least six months out, so no hurry in applying.

antipastoPicked up good bread, parsley, olives, artichoke hearts, salami and mozzarella; leftover salad with our lettuce; and roasted tomatoes, our garlic, chickpeas (soaked overnight and simmered) and basil for a fine antipasto that we shared with the Winslows last night.  They provided beer and wine.

We have peas and tiny corn!

Hydrangeas for the most part are healthy but very few flowers.

Hot

Start of another heat wave, possibly.

Toured the Chapman garden: magical, a true masterpiece in a neighborhood almost as modest as ours.  Spoke at length with George, got his advice on the dogwood, which I trimmed.

Gave the trees a good watering.

Laundry, Rain, Spray

We had a highly localized rain shower today.  Wish I’d taken a screen shot of the satellite image.

Changed sheets and hung a few extra things out and those got a rain rinse.

Sprayed the corn and beans today for aphids.

Took the case off the old Easy Share but couldn’t get it to work.  Bid and lost an eBay auction for a digital camera, then won one a little later for about the same cost.

Hydretain, Blue Spruce

An unexpected shower this morning set the ground up for an application of Hydretain.  Required 1/4-1/2 inch of watering afterwards, so by the time I was done hauling the hose around, it felt like I’d been carrying a pallet of rocks.

We did the transfer station run, though, and a quick trip to the farm stand for tomatoes and cukes.

Planted the little Blue Spruce – last of the trees!  Althea has buds.  Corn is starting.

Good Checkup

Cardiac doc gave me a thumbs up for much improved biometrics: slight weight loss, lower blood pressure, much improved cholesterol measures.

Did some weeding today and tripped on the rake, smashed myself into stones.  Scratched my lenses but the optometrist’s office will replace them.

Forgot to take my after-breakfast meds until 1 PM.  Duh.

Sprayed the crabapple and the roses.  The war against bugs, as opposed to just fungus, has escalated.

Luis says to water the lawn every other day for 30 minutes at a time.  Ugh.

About the Rich

I will raise a glass to every entrepreneur, scientist, ENGINEER or computer geek who’s become wealthy through their own efforts.

I’m not seeing the Republican party do anything for start-ups or tech firms – just the loathesome denizens of Wall Street who don’t produce anything, just collect their billions playing with electronic funds.

I have no respect for big companies who hoard their capital, thus artificially raising stock prices and enriching their overpaid senior executives, instead of investing it.

Hope that clarifies and I’ll be disappointed in anyone who disagrees with me on this.