Tumble Weed

In the Spring, when the dandylions were blooming so profusely, my boss pointed to a mess of yellow fluffy heads growing in her bed of Asters and Lamb's Ears.

"Can you hop in there and pull them out?"

Of course, I said. But like so many things, it was easier said than done. I squeezed passed four Japanese maples and slid by one prickly spruce - ouch - in order to reach the bed. My boss raises most of her flower beds with boulders, brick, or railroad ties. This one was a boulder bed; it also happened to be situated on a slope. I clambered over the boulders and stood surveying the enemy.

Dandylions must have been created with a hint of cleverness in them. They have a knack for finding small cracks between walls or they grow right up against a tree or other shrub. These were smack against the asters. So the trick is to pull the dandylions, roots and all, without pulling the asters.

Hmmm...

I knelt and pulled. Nothing. I stood up, bent over and pulled. Nothing. I squatted down next to the dandylions and pulled with all my weight using the down-hill pull of gravity. The dandylions realized their own defeat and gave up the ghost.

The roots popped out of the soil, and I rolled downhill into the Lamb's Ears! I was quite a sight, laying on the sloped hill, my feet in the air and my head against a boulder with the blood rushing to it.

Listing this under "I feel out of a tree today while pruning", I decided that my occupation can be hazardous to my health.

G.H.

Tonight at dinner, George thought I was calling him names.

me: "Good stuff - milk."
george: "Did you just call me 'Milk'?"

Later: while dipping our chocolate chip cookies in the said milk,

me: "Pretty good stuff, huh?"
george: "First I was 'Milk'. Now I'm 'Huh'."

...

Just now:George comes to the bottom of the stairs: "Hey, Emily!"

Lol!

Life

Life is a blast.

*(think firehose!)

Sometimes things hit you just right and you're caught off guard. Othertimes you've had more sleep you can catch those around you whom life has caught off guard. In either case, maintaining balance is good. :-)

Balance your life with books. Reading is instrumental in a life less petty.
Balance your life with sleep. Sleep is necessary in a life less boring.
Balance your life with family. Family is necessary in a life lived worthily.

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Yesterday a customer's car didn't start. She was loaded down with soil and plants, and the stearing wheel was stuck and the car wouldn't start. Kindly gentlemen each took a turn pulling on the stearing wheel and trying the key, but to no avail. She finally called her husband, but even after detailed instructions she was still stranded. So I took her home (about two minutes away) and brought her husband back. He started the car and drove away.
How do they do that? Guys seem to know everything about cars; how to work them, drive them, fix them, even down to what part of the engine is making that sound. I have no idea what they are talking about sometimes! But I'm so thankful for the men who fix my car. We take all our family cars to a local automachanic/pastor. He is so generous with his time and with our money. We like giving him our money when our car breaks down

Whee!

The clown car and me get to be in the Potlatch Days Parade!! We'll be washed clean and the car will be painted, and I'll be spruced up good.
Come and see us!

Trying some new things

This year I bought shallots and leeks. Mom tried a recipe this Spring with them in a stew and they were tasty.
Also, I'm growing an artichoke. Unfortunately I don't know anything about artichokes so I'll be doing some research this summer.

I think I haven't posted in ages! (mostly because I couldn't remember my password.)

Well, I'm back.