Long Overdue - A Glimpse of Upcoming Spring

Every day I think about my friends in the blogosphere and intend to both comment and post something myself. On the bright side, I have been busy preparing for the gardening season. Seedlings for some peppers and tomatoes have been started downstairs on a heated seedling mat while lettuce seeds are outside in a container (fingers cossed) and I shall soon sow some carrot seeds.

These crocus blooms have faded
already, replaced by daffodils...

I am, of course, so sad about all those devastated by tornadoes and high winds. We are blessed that Ohio has thus far been spared, not to mention being insolated from the countless horrors people bring upon one another every day. ~sigh~ So, I hope my simple photo at least brightens your day.

Did you know that carrots are notoriously difficult to grow? Can you believe one of the tomato seeds has sprouted in just a few short days?

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Every Rose Has its Thorn

I went to the grocery store the other day to snag some relatively inexpensive half gallons of milk. The limit of five has restocked my freezer. That and some fresh produce were my main goals but I couldn’t resist the plethora of flower bouquets marked down following St. Valentine’s Day.

My husband approved my purchase since my birthday was a few days earlier and I asked for nothing special...

They aren’t as fragrant as those I recall from the 1980’s. In addition, a lot of petals landed on the floor while the thorny, dry woody stems made trimming them a chore. While roses are much cheaper now, I’d be angry if my full price bouquet rotted in under a week.

Do you purchase cut flowers? If so, did you know that a slanted knife cut allows the stems better water absorption than a scissor's pinch?
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Bargain Finds – Flowers and Fungi

I know not everyone enjoys the taste/texture of mushrooms. My husband and I adore all varieties. Shiitakes are a favorite for cooking but tend to be expensive.

Growing in My Yard; I Dare Not Taste It

To our joy, we found shiitakes sold for a reasonable price at the international Jungle Jim’s market in Cincinnati, Ohio, USA. Dried versions in a distant aisle were even less expensive by weight. However, we were happy with our fresh, more familiar find in the produce section.

While he ordered lunch at the indoor sandwich shop I went to wash my hands and found a ridiculous markdown on cut flowers. Originally priced at $7.99 (US), these bunches were being offered at 99 cents each. Petals fell off as I trimmed stems and put the flowers in a vase but they remain festive.

They had been painted, of course...

Do you think any average person nowadays could justify spending eight dollars for something so ephemeral? And are your local stores having huge sales on items they can’t sell otherwise?

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Random Joys in Troubled Times

Humans have forever been warlike but it’s hard to believe we haven’t moved beyond it. Meanwhile, my husband thinks bearing witness is a duty. He’s a good man, while weaker me sometimes wishes for blissful ignorance and that the twenty-four hour news cycle didn’t exist.

So I drown my sorrows in beautiful and often silly things. A few seemed worth sharing. The first is absolutely under the silly category.

My chalk kitty has an ear tipped in honor of
all you TNR heroes out there...

I have a Halloween decoration inside that shows partway through the glass, so that was my template. Reflected from the yard is my giant pumpkin a friend made for us probably two decades ago.

My $1 Walmart mum survived winter '22-'23 in our garage!

A neighboring tree left this upon my hellebores...

My two solar water features have been set up again since the weather is nice. While not a pretty display, I still enjoy it on these lingering warm days. As a bonus, it draws insects for me to observe.

Did you know butterflies and bees sip on mud for the minerals?

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Video Clips from Tuesday's Stroll

 

Taking a Walk

Park signage in the neighboring town claims several were established in or around 1846! About ten years ago the city began expanding and/or interconnecting these plots. Yesterday I explored a meadow with mown walkways off a recent paved path addition. However tame, the space provided me a little suburban paradise.

One Great Find & Two Replies

Your replies are both correct, Liz A. and Andrew. Terra was high on catnip and there are a plethora of pet food related puzzles. I bought one years ago, in fact, hoping to slow down our dear departed kitty Tilly.

The Stimulo Feeder

My husband won’t use it. He fears the narrow food cups will cause whisker fatigue even though they’re supposed to dig food out with their paws. We also had a ball that dispensed treats when rolled. One half disappeared years ago. Current choices available are rather overwhelming. Terra and I both enjoy afternoon treat time. I’ll have to show video of her running.

Meanwhile, I went looking for garden center clearance items and scored a few perennials for 50% off (!) and a white mum for a mere five dollars (US). I added the bat and dried stems.

Sorry about my shadow...

Have you ever heard of whisker fatigue? Do you think garden centers no longer label mums as perennial but rather annual plants to sell more each autumn? Or am I just too cynical?

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