The Mountain Thymes

 Happy birthday, Mark..............follow your dreams.  Today was also my father's birthday. War is not the way to peace.   In honor of my Dad, for the women and men who gave their lives and who serve today, I thank you on this Memorial Day. Working for peace in the future is to work for peace in the present moment. ~Thich Nhat Hanh

Thursday we got our much needed inch of rain washing the dusty leaves and refreshing the wild flowers that grow along the winding roads.    Wednesday I had to furrow the clay between the potato rows because the plants became so large and heavy that they laid over exposing some of the potatoes.  It was like a buried treasure surfacing.  I planted early in March so some are almost ready to harvest.  I'm not sure what I'll do when the pounds of tomatoes need picking.  I staggered some of the plantings with the thought that I could spread out the harvesting.  The Roma will be made into spaghetti sauce and marina and I'll be preserving everything else that we can't eat.  Most were started from organic seeds and a few plants were bought at Wayne's Feed and Grain.  I think I've planted about 14 plants and given another dozen away.  This year I became intoxicated with planting.  I think next year should be a little more controlled............

We had our propane company come out and change our 325 gallon tank to a 600 gallon.  After last winter's harsh weather and the deplorable road conditions, we will only need one fill in the fall to last us throughout the winter and into spring.  Actually we only had cold and snow off and on in a six-week span.  It just felt like forever.   By the middle of February, the snow was gone but no trucks could safely maneuver up the road until the board hired someone to grade and put gravel down.  I don't think we'll see conditions like that again because the board was inundated with angry phone calls.......as they should have been.  Also, in June two new members will on the board so things are looking up.   You can see the smaller tank under the new one.  Think it's big enough!   From our porch toward the garden.  We've been cutting and stacking logs from the garden clearing. Still have quite a few logs to cut.  Some are hu...

As of this moment,  I have not been grossed out by any more scorpions.  Tucked under the sink now are two Tomcat glue traps, free and clear of spiders, mice, and scorpions.  So far, so good.  Got my Tractor Supply flier the other day and found a 6' garden windmill that was $20 off!! What a deal.  I didn't even realize I needed one until I saw this.  They were sold out in two days and had to get a rain check.   Cliff assembling my "made in China" farmer windmill. Maxine occupying the empty box and busying herself with tie wraps pretending to be occupied so nobody will ask her to do anything.  Windmill placed among the summer squash, the beets, and the struggling deer-eaten sweet peas.  I may plant morning glories at the base of the windmill and have them climb up the legs.

Forty degrees this morning when we got up and it will be heavy overcast again today with temp hitting 68.  Poor garden is wondering where the sun went.  By Friday we are going to be 90 degrees!! Planted corn yesterday and will plant the butternut squash today.  Need to pick the last of the lettuce before the 90 degrees and most of the radishes before they produce flowers.  Pulled a huge garlic last night and the first couple of onions.  Deer are still enjoying the sweet peas and something ate two of the sweet potato plants.  Guess it's time to put out a scarecrow and some rags or shiny pie pans. Last night I found the third disgusting scorpion in the kitchen.  Cliff killed one a few weeks ago.  After making my salad with our garden lettuce that had been refrigerated for days, I found one on the kitchen counter a few days ago.  Then last night one suddenly appeared on the hardwood floor where I had just walked....barefoot.  Now I do not...

What happened to spring weather?!  The last few days have only been in the fifties with a thick gloomy heavy overcast.  No rain, just gloom.  Cliff drove to Florida early Sunday morning to be available for the final walk-thru at Candlewick when the tenants left on Monday....which didn't happen.  This process has been such a cluster.  Our Remax Realtor is surely earning his money with this sale.  Early this morning Cliff left Deltona and  headed back home, leaving the final plans in the hands of our trusty Remax Realtor.  Sales are still very depressing in Central Florida with no signs of improvement.  The beginning of  hurricane season is only weeks away.  We need this sale to finalize. 

After doing errands this morning, we picked up our mail at the bottom of the road and I was the lucky recipient of an envelope with a return address from the Office of the Sheriff, Cherokee County.  I tried to recall my behaviors in the past couple of weeks before opening the envelope.  Did I jaywalk across Peachtree St. or not allow some pedestrian the right to cross at the crosswalk? Couldn't come up with a legitimate reason for the Sheriff to mail me a letter...............except............if I had to appear for jury duty.  Yes, I was hereby summoned to personally appear for jury service at the downtown Murphy courthouse on Monday, June 6.  I can be exempt from jury service if I am mentally incompetent, (by whose criteria?), if I don't understand the English language, I am a convicted felon, or I'm 72 years old and wish to be exempt.  I don't like any of those so I checked I will report for jury duty as directed.   The last time I had to report for jury...

This Mother's Day I honor my Mother for her positive words of encouragement throughout my life.... for never expecting me to be "perfect" and for teaching me to laugh at myself when things go wrong, for the gift of gardening and the deep appreciation of nature and all that is natural.  "The older I get, the more of my mother I see in myself." ~Nancy Friday Also, I am blessed to have been influenced by my sister's and my daughter-in-law's strength and courage in times of personal illness and healing, by my daughter's wise words and sense of humor, and the intimacy and sharing of my circle of friends.......those still living and "the Golden Girl" who passed away.   "Mothers of teenagers understand why animals eat their young!" ~unknown  

I worked today!!!  Haven't worked since fall of 2009.  Figured I was black-balled from the sub list, but Monday night, got a call from a 3rd grade teacher at Ranger Elementary to sub Friday.  It's been so long that I had the anxiety dream teachers get before reporting to pre-plan each new school year.  It could be showing up on the first day of school in slippers, not being able to get to school by the time the bell rings, or for me the worst is the reoccurring classroom-totally-out-of-control nightmare where children are the ones in control.  Needless to say, I didn't sleep well, but I really like this little school and the teachers I have met.  The principal is easy-going but an in-charge person, remembered me from my two days back in 2009, and welcomed me back.  It's very different from big city or overcrowded schools. The atmosphere is friendly and warm and the teachers are very supportive of each other.   Many of the teachers had workshops to...

Well, I picked the last two heads of Chinese cabbage the other day but we couldn't eat them  because they looked more like Swiss cheese.  The snails beat me to it.  This morning I researched natural ways to deter or annihilate the little freeloaders and found a site where people write in their tried-and-true methods used in their own gardens.  I found about ten suggestions such as hand-picking, stale beer and honey, sandpaper discs, and ducks.  I just happened to have a can of beer in the refrig and always have honey on hand.  So that was my elixir.  Once the beer went stale and the potion was made, I put it in little plastic cat food containers in between the red cabbage plants.  The theory is.......that the snails and slugs will be attracted to the sweet beer, climb into the cups and drown.  We'll see!  I may end up with every forest animal laying between the rows of radishes and cabbage with hangovers.  (Couldn't find a dru...