A Little Adventure – & – Sharing Meals

My iPhone battery needed switched out, so my husband and I traveled up to a shopping center called The Greene Tuesday afternoon. Besides the Apple store and our dentist’s office, there are 75 retail shops, a theater, comedy club, over 20 restaurants, and even apartments at the back. I’d like living there in my old age, I think. The only lack is a grocery store, but I think there’s one at the strip mall across the street, or certainly not far away.

After a quick look, this place is out of my price range;
but I really like the amenities and small town layout...

I wish our closer Austin Landing had half the dining/shopping options of the Greene and not the haphazard parking layout. Oh, well. This is the shopping center we visit for eye appointments and one thing Austin Landing has is an extensive running water feature. It doesn’t stock any koi, however, which would be nice.

Meanwhile, the Apple store apparently got hacked and our kind assistant suggested returning either that evening or the next day when their network service recovered. We opted for the latter. Still, we dined at Club Oceana and greatly enjoyed mussels in white wine sauce and a huge salad. We didn’t even try to dive into the clam linguini entrée. Our server boxed it up and this, too, was later devoured.

On Wednesday we got the battery replaced. The process took a few hours and this time we ate at Scrambler’s. As at the seafood place, we split the food order, having discovered that our appetites have lessened with age. I’m not a big fan of their crab cake benny, finding the crab cake too sweet and hollandaise sauce always a bit too rich, but it filled my belly and we didn’t have to worry about leftovers spoiling in the hot car.

After that we spent time in the air conditioned Winan’s Chocolate and Coffee shop. Their overly expensive sweets didn’t much impress me. Seated on bar stools facing the window made for relaxing people watching entertainment. I did like the blueberry flavored jellied fruit candy we split in two, also vastly overpriced at $5(USD) for four pieces. On that note, I need to get into another fruit flavor this evening. lol And I really need to make chocolate covered potato chips again. The sweet/salty combo is my favorite but not worth what Esther Price charges for a seasonal grocery store box.

Can you believe I forgot we brought home some candy? Are you a big fan of sweet treats?

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Hard Work and Great Expectations

This past Monday I spent long, arduous hours fertilizing plants in all my grow bags and the raised bed. Long after I’d spooned out dry components for each plant it occurred to me that a plastic cup could be marked with the desired amount. ~sigh~ I’d done that with liquids, so why not? Measuring proved a bit trickier but made things way quicker. Meanwhile, I’m incredibly grateful for my ‘portable oasis’ shade and these cooler temperatures.

This is my little raised bed contains dill, eggplant,
sweet basil, and bell peppers...

The little 3 pack purchased at our Walmart garden center looked like it contained basil and I wasn’t wearing my reading glasses. LOL What’s even funnier is that the tag gave no clue as to the variety; the image included everything from sweet bell to some of the hottest. Weird, huh? Oh, well, I look forward to finding out what they are, which is probably green bell.

Meanwhile my husband, most beloved by me and our three cats cannot conceive how hard I work. He does appreciate it, though, and cooked our dinner that evening. The next day my body complained, for sure, but a good foot soak and rest restored me. And I’m excited.

I took this today and need to keep an eye on that twine,
making sure it does not interfere...

Do you know that eggplant got its name due to the original white skin matching the mass produced chicken egg’s shell? Why do you think growers felt the need cultivate the purple variety?

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Wow!

My thirty year old neighbor’s abilities and work ethic astound me, especially with so many skills being self taught. Hired to a friend’s family upholstery business with zero knowledge of its intricacies, he learned by watching YouTube videos and experimenting. His greedy employers didn’t pay him near his worth, so he walked away, hoping to start his own business someday.

So much for friend/family loyalty, right? He filmed some of his later efforts, which will go in a future portfolio. His only regret is not filming all of them.

In the meantime he provides custom car repairs. The current project is a magnificent beast of a vehicle, a Ford Mustang GTS. Her owner requested both minor mechanical and some very precise cosmetic work on the hood. If too much varnish gets sanded off there’s no going back. So he’s experimenting on one of his own needing similar attention.

The color is not my favorite but what counts is under the aforementioned hood and the stripped down design;
less weight means greater racing speed.

I’m glad to have grown up in a family of car enthusiasts. When possible I express my admiration, which thrills the drivers. And my neighbor appreciates my shared appreciation while teaching me how intense the culture considers any modification. The interior ceiling headliners he’s shown me are true artworks, which I didn’t even know was a thing.

I find it interesting that cars and boats are both referred to as ‘she’ in American English. And that in linguistics, gender means ‘category’ or ‘type’ rather than biological sex. On that note, comedic essayist David Sedaris shared his hilarious struggle with the French language. I highly recommend you seek it out if you’re unfamiliar.

Do you know that Spanish and French adopted noun gender assignations from Latin? Is it not cool that this performance package model saw a limited release in 1995?

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Another Garden Update – & – A Lingering Annoyance

My lemon cucumber plants are growing like gangbusters. I added another level to my Earth Box trellis. The growth rate is astounding at three to four inches a day. The straight 8 variety are growing slower, for whatever reason.

I apologize for the poor image. The vines have reached
further toward the sky and deserve an updated photo.

This jungle parrot sweet bell pepper looks great.

This corn is growing well; I need to move the other
three grow bags into more direct sunlight.

I’m going to address my ‘first world problem’ with a message to Strayer. Yesterday I clicked to sign in to Blogger and actually reached the sign in page this time, but it dumped me out again. ~sigh~ My friend, I’m sorry about the sudden loss of Juno. And thanks as always for the good you do through your nonprofit The Happy Cat Club.

Did you know that corn is a heavy feeder and tomato plants need a lot of water to prevent blossom end rot? Isn’t it fortunate an automatic watering system finally solved the latter issue?

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King for a Moment – & – Foodies for Life

My husband went to a routine doctor appointment and stopped at Burger King on the way home. Amusedly lamenting over my spoiling his lasts two surprises, this afternoon he got me.

He met me wearing a paper Burger King crown. I burst out laughing. Why the clerk gave it to him, I don’t know. And I neither know nor care why the chain is affiliated with Ohio State University’s football team, the Buckeyes.

I did enjoy the taste of my flame broiled whopper jr., though. If he’d called ahead to ask if I wanted one the answer probably would have been no as I’d eaten a while earlier. But by golly, I cut the burger in half and still ate the whole thing in one sitting.

Something similar happened after I saw that another fast food chain, Arby’s, brought back their chicken pecan salad sandwich for a limited time. The slices of hearty whole grain bread are rather wide and packed with equally yummy filling. But about twenty minutes after storing half in the refrigerator I went back and devoured the rest.

It’s rare that I crave any fast food, let alone rave about it. But the fresh crunchy flavors of apple, pecans, and celery perfectly balance the abundant juicy chicken chunks while a light, simple mayonnaise dressing keeps the whole thing (mostly) together. Trust me when I say that any bits that fell out onto my plate didn’t go to waste.

Is it wrong to wax poetic about fast food? Do you agree that limited releases are a gimmick, however tasty?

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Both Bewildered & Delighted

Somehow, I didn’t get on my laptop for four days straight (!) when I thought I’d only missed doing so yesterday (Monday). ~scratches head~ So I’m sorry for my lengthy absence.

In the meantime, my first super sauce Roma tomato blooms have fruited. I’m so happy my leggy seedlings could be rescued.

I harvested exactly one last year due to not
labeling, planting only sturdy seedlings,
and all but one turned out being
of the cherry variety.

In my defense, my husband spent two weeks in hospital last spring, thus my thoughts were scattered. At least I learned a valuable lesson about seed starting, and I’m thrilled at how well my guy is doing now.

I also enjoy our ruby throated hummingbirds and maintain several sugar water feeders. The ants no longer annoy me as they did years ago. They are generally beneficial, after all, and we all have to eat.

Inevitably, a few of these teeny tiny ants hitch a ride with me
even though I try to leave them where they were...

It fascinates me how only a single size of ant invades one feeder or the other. You would think the larger types would take over from the tiniest. Perhaps having so many options makes a difference.

Aren’t I lucky that replanting all this season’s scraggly seedlings deeper revived them? Who knew that different types of tomato seeds were more finicky than others about their growing conditions?

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Not in the Mood (An Insect Introspection)

If even the tiniest spiders make your skin crawl, with all due respect I suggest skipping this post. I filmed the video at bottom in my garden. Should you watch, know that the two jumping spiders were so small I couldn’t guarantee they are the same species (like I would know, anyway), yet this seemed like a male attempting courtship.

With fingers crossed, I hope she spawns. You can probably guess that I’ve become extremely fond of jumping spiders. While the females choose their partner and when they mate, this dance struck me as nonlethal for the failed suitor, who could have become her next meal.

Preying mantids (another insect breed I favor) share this lethal characteristic along with their hunting expertise and precision eyesight. They are among the few tiny creatures who actively acknowledge a human presence. And if I’m not mistaken, the larger female spider noticed me (!) at my short clip’s end.

 

A few days ago my husband and I watched this scientific video featuring jumping spider vision. It’s over half an hour, so don’t feel compelled to watch. But if you’re a science geek I suggest spending the time.

Do you know some people keep these little critters as pets? Are you prone to notice tiny animal interactions surrounding you?

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My Fragrant Find, Brief Summary of Space Exploration, & an Apology

Before delving into silliness, I want to express my gratitude to all our US nation’s fallen protectors. May they rest in peace and their families find comfort. Now on to my usual nonsense.

Carnations have always been my favorite flower, especially for their fragrance. I was happy to score a deeply discounted bundle of them. Over a week from my purchase they still smell wonderful and their pale pink petals remain looking fresh.

The greenery was filched from my asparagus plants...

I divided them between two containers because the perfectly sized plastic vase was nowhere to be find. ~shakes head~ It’s so typical of me. Some went into a little sake server and I think look rather elegant. The others in a clear glass appear rather like something Dr. Suess might envision.

Is this not silly?

In a short answer to a few queries about current space flight experiments, goals include building a permanent station on our moon and, eventually, Mars. Whether you believe it or not, humanity is getting closer with every test flight. It’s doubtful either my husband or I will be alive to witness a Mars occupation but we are enjoying the process.

If you have even the least bit of interest you should check out at least one launch. Modern camera technology provides stunning and fascinating views. There are several companies like Blue Origin and SpaceX making great strides.

My apology is to Strayer, whose content I devour. Currently, not one web browser out of the four on my laptop allow me to comment. For whatever reason, each one shows an error stating I cannot sign into Google. ~scratches head~ Fingers crossed, perhaps my tech savvy husband can help.

Do you have a favorite fragrance? Are you aware that our olfactory senses are purported to store the strongest memories?

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Two Furry Friends

One new green pal has potential to provide tasty tomatoes this summer. I am pleased that buds are forming already.

Their fuzzy appearance is cute while a close-up reminds
me of Audrey II from Little Shop of Horrors...

This blissful perpetual kitten I filmed likes huffing catnip from a toy Halloween treat bag. It has a jingle ball inside. Twice now I’ve seen Polly momentarily get it stuck on her head.

Have you been following any of the ongoing space exploration? And on an earthly note, do you think Polly stuck her face in so far because the months old ‘nip is losing potency?

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Keepers

My husband deserves to be at the top of this title’s list if for one example alone. In 1994 he suggested spending more money than I planned on a washer and dryer set. To this day these Kenmore heavy duty series 80 models are super sturdy and handle a lot of items. Thus they earned a spot here, as well.

Another treasure is a local fellow who repairs washers and dryers. He did great work for a very reasonable price in December of 2022. I kept his handwritten receipt atop my clothes dryer.

This afternoon I went downstairs to transfer clean clothes into the dryer and discovered that the water hadn’t drained. I immediately called my repairman, fingers crossed that he answered. He did, said he could be here before his shift started, and requested that I send him a text message. The expected reply never came.

When the doorbell rang shortly after I immediately, amazedly, recognized his grizzled features. The Tesla rock band T-shirt also helped because we bonded over music in 2022. ~grin~ I don’t think it took him half an hour to replace a broken internal switch.

Currently he works a twelve hour shift aside from these side gigs. His energy and work ethic amaze me.

Have you or someone you know ever found an enthused, passionate craftsman? How often do you think large companies charge an hourly rate without providing any actual service?

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Garden Innovations – & – an Urban Legend (My Mortal Kombat II Movie Review)

My vegetable gardening endeavors are going quite well. I’m continually learning and improvising. Let’s take a quick visual tour.

I hope this flipped trellis protects my pumpkin plants against deer;
I will have to keep track of it...

This contraption provides portable shade, which I concocted last
summer and started calling my Mobile Oasis. Our twenty-nine old neighbor thinks it is BADA$$. ~grin~ And he likes my idea of adding a cup holder, perhaps a small motor, and thinks I should market the altered hand truck.

My carefully cultivated soil for carrots got raided by raccoons overnight last week; the aforementioned kind neighbor
lent me wire cutters to create this barrier.

This morning my husband offered to see a horror movie called “Hokum” in theater. It’s been on my watch wish list so I got my butt into gear for a 10:15am show time. Weirdly, the next three days only offered late night viewings. But neither of us looked close enough at the Sunday listing; it should have been obvious the options wouldn’t be early one day and late the following.

So we had choices. The kind ticket seller mentioned another scary movie but we hadn’t heard of it and I suggested just leaving. On our way toward the exit my guy reminded me of our mutual interest in “Mortal Kombat II”. Lucky for us, our timing was perfect.

Both of us were hooked by actor Karl Urban portraying the flippant Johnny Cage. His film and cinema presence always delight. I did wonder if this Kiwi acting powerhouse would prove too old for the role of a former Black Belt fighter turned action star. I also questioned how this remake would fare against the nineties film we adore.

Happily, I cannot state enough how the character and plot adaptations surpassed all my expectations. Though this popcorn flick isn’t groundbreaking it had me utterly engaged and laughing at the many relevant cultural references.

Do you know that carrots need a particularly fine growing medium and appreciate a bone meal additive? Should I have been surprised that the bone meal attracted opportunistic raccoons?

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An Acrobat's Controlled Fall

 

Waylaid

With a laundered comforter, basketful of fresh sheets and pillow cases, I intended to make the bed this afternoon. But upon entering I found Dandelion tucked between the balled up comforter and one of the pillows.

What near perfect camouflage…

I adore how one paw is curled over her upturned toes...

Who could roust such a pleased and comfy critter? Doesn’t the word camouflage have one of the most awkward spellings?

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Fun Finds

Preparing my garden patch, I discovered a pathetic little sprout trying to grow around my weed barrier. It proved harder to remove than expected. Apparently a squirrel buried a walnut in my grow bag and forgot. Too bad I don’t have space for such a tree or I’d try sprouting a nut myself.

Can you make out the walnut shell behind the germinated sprout?

On the other side of the yard I needed to clean up some aggressively growing lemon thyme. In the process of pruning dead vegetation and what was taking over the sidewalk I decided to remove an old seashell for placement elsewhere before it got lost underneath the vegetation. I didn’t expect a tiny bouquet of thyme flowers to tag along and found it quite lovely.

I found this broken, weathered shell decades ago...

Are you allergic to nuts or do you enjoy eating them? Isn’t it funny that the peanut isn’t a true nut, but rather a legume?

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A Quick Veggie Plant Update

Things are looking quite healthy. I’m leaving them outside for two and a half hours today. On Sunday I fertilized each at half strength. Please wish me well that I don’t trip and fall while moving them.

All my pumpkins and cucumbers have
jagged leaves while those smooth
ones belong to peppers...

I have my heart set on growing Super
Sauce tomatoes this summer...

More pepper and cucerbit plants...

Did you know that luffa sponges are a type of gourd in the cucerbit family? Isn’t it amazing that these gourds harvested young are commonly eaten (similar to zucchini) either stir-fried or curried?

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My Furry Houdini

Acclimating my plants to the outdoors (Yay!), I move them through our walkout basement onto the back patio. It’s easiest leaving the sliding glass door open in the process. Preventing our cats from getting out has an easy solution. I close the door at the top of the steps.

Left to right: pepper, cucumber, & tomato
all still have growing to do...

It didn’t quite latch one day, which I knew but wasn’t concerned. Everything locked up and plants nestled back into their little greenhouse, I headed toward the steps. The wide open door caught me by surprise. Surely my husband hadn’t woken from his nap and opened it. He would understand why I shut the door.

At the top I found Dandelion, who promptly got the zoomies while the sisters remained sound asleep. She is long legged, strong, and has big paws with claws to match, so she must have hooked the edge of the door and simply pulled.

Mischief & zoomies over;
time to nap now...

Dani certainly has done a number on the carpet outside the master bathroom. I finally laid down a wooden transition strip to both further prevent and hide the damage. When used for good, these feet are adorable.

 

It was lucky I rediscovered the thing. Even better was the perfect fit. While longer than the bathroom doorway is wide, it slid perfectly beneath our pocket door.

What is the oddest way you ever repurposed an item? Have you ever seen a pocket door?

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A Very Windy Garden Update

I’m happy to report that my tomato, pumpkin, and cucumber plants are looking good. The Jungle Parrot sweet peppers look a bit feeble but not terrible.

They all need daily time outside to harden off for outdoor transplantation. I set them out three days ago for half an hour. But that’s all I’ve managed.

All my comings and goings left poor
Polly exhausted...

Today’s even more extreme wind gusts (up to 31 mph!) would be detrimental, to say the least. I have my fingers crossed that this pattern changes but the forecast isn’t looking too good. Oh, well. All I can do is try and all the while hope for the best.

She had zero strength to offer sympathy
to my tired, mildly frustrated self.

Do you know we Midwesterners have a saying “April showers bring May flowers”? Why, instead, did March “come in like a lion” and never leave? What happened to the “going out like a lamb” part?

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Two Simple, Satisfying Fixes

My first annoyance involves cooking. A few years ago I introduced my husband to corn meal mush. Usually fried in a pan, it should end up crispy on the outside with the center warm and creamy. But all the yummy crispness ended up stuck to my pan. My disappointed husband didn’t make a fuss but I wondered if air frying would work better with the remainder. As you can guess, success!

Fun facts about the Amish:
You may well know that the devout never drive motorized vehicles.
Neighbor/family groups hire drivers for long distance travel.
Meanwhile, the surname of Yoder is extremely common.
So, what do outsiders call these transports?
‘Yoder Toters’, of course (true story).

Another nuisance regarded my laptop. The keyboard has a ten-key number pad, which I find useful. However, the Num Lk button doesn’t indicate whether it has been activated or not. I’d roll my eyes every time my effort to key in a digit instead moved my cursor. Carefully pried off and turned upside with a dot of hot glue, it’s not pretty but will never fool me again.

While I doubt my husband would appreciate my fix, I decided he doesn’t need to know.

How the number lock kept getting turned off is a mystery…

Have you ever eaten corn meal mush? Do you own an air fryer?

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