Friday, planting

Today I am off on vacation! First item on the ToDo list is to purchase and plant my flowers. So, I got to Blocks just after 9:00 AM. I must say, the difference between this place on a weekday versus the weekends I am normally here is amazing. No parking problems, plenty of carts, etc. It took me a while, but I got everything I wanted and proceeded to the checkout. Here's where it was strange: I had to wait in a much longer line than when Carla and I came. I think they didn't have as many checkouts opened today.

And, another odd thing: I spent more on my flowers than Carla and I did on vegetables and herbs! I guess my priorities are messed up as it seems I should spend more on plants I can eat that on plants I just look at.

When I was finally back in my neck of the woods, I stopped at Home Depot for something I needed, but they didn't have. Then I went to Leo's Coney Island and ate breakfast. Finally, on the way home, I stopped at the quarter car wash and washed my car for the first time in a long time.

I got home about 11:30 and changed my clothes. I planted the three basil and one dill plants I bought first, and then sifted a wheel barrow full of compost to use in the planters. I set up a planting bench in the garage with the two sawhorses and a piece of plywood. I dragged the hose out front so I had water and got to work (see photos)

By 2:30, I had all the container gardens planted. I'll take photos when they grow a bit. I did take photos of the one-offs and posted them. So, the chairs this year have asparagus ferns and impatiens, the tree box has a spike and two ornamental sweet potato vines, the hanging baskets have asparagus ferns and wave petunias, and the big pot on the garage apron has a spike, two geraniums and two wave petunias.

I planted my now traditional two Gerbera daisies in front of the trellis (thanks again, CC!) I put two hostas in the shaded corner of the front garden, another hosta in the tree garden (where last years ornamental grass didn't come back) and two hostas in Jake's patio garden as a permanent solution to that garden (I have in years past either planted impatiens or coleus there)

My mail man stopped by and chatted. We had an interesting, if somewhat odd conversation as he is a conspiracy theorist. Today's discussion was "raspberry crazy ants." He says they are a new strain of ants (raspberry-colored), from South America, that are being brought in by Mexican truckers (who the US trucking union - would that be Jimmy Hoffa's boys? - was forced to make concessions, allowing them to come in at an unregulated minimum of 700 miles). Anyway, they are so kick-ass, that they kill fire ants (which would be good). Downside, without actually eating or even touching electronic gear, they can wipe out a computer or DVD, or render an HTD Television useless! He said he'd gone on a radio telephone talk-line, but nobody else seemed to know about this new threat. He asked me to search the internet and leave anything I found out about it in my mail box for him. I said, "Sure!" He asked, "Where is Homeland Security on this issue?" I said, "I don't know..."

By 3:30 PM, all I have left is the rest of the flat of Impatiens in the front garden, some hostas for the very back garden, two rose bushes and the English ivy to plant at the pig's feet. But, that will have to wait as its time to cut the lawn... Lunch and a nap, however, must take precedence. I finished the rest of the linguine with clam sauce and took a well earned rest

I woke up just after 5:00 PM and gassed up the mower. I cut the front, side and back, and then quit for the day just before dark. Dinner was the last two hot dogs. I watched a stupid TV show, but turned it off in disgust. Since I haven't made my run to the library yet, I had no new book, so I just went to sleep.