The thing taking over my backyard……muahaha
Posted by admin | Filed under Uncategorized
The photo doesn’t do it justice, but this plant is MASSIVE. A 2 year old Vitex, a spring-time gift from my parents. Normally, I am the resident pruner/landscape-artist. But due to our recent parenthood, I have not been taking care of any of the plants. My goal with the Vitex was to trim it like a tree (my parents’ is grown in this style and is gorgeous). Last year this plant was tiny and easy to manage. Now, every time I go outside, I am amazed at how large and unruly it has become.
It attracts a lot of insects and birds, which is great. Although I am much more partial to the Monarch butterflies than the HUGE bumble bees that look like they could bench press me. One evening I was gazing at this monstrous plant and thought I saw 2 large bugs, until I inspected closer and realized it was two humming-birds, how cool is that?! I know I must be getting older when I am posting about backyard plants and marveling at birds. Sorry, nothing fast or furious about this post.
I do well with plants that thrive on neglect, just ask my lovely aloe plants. Or the corn plant in my living room that the cat has sampled many times. But don’t ask the poor poor Basil that was growing outside.
My plan on taming the Vitex is to wait until fall/winter, when all the leaves have fallen off. When I can safely prune, without the company of steroid-swigging bees. If you need a good yard-plant that will flourish without attention and attract interesting bugs/birds, look no further than the Vitex.
We will miss you and your mustache!!
Posted by admin | Filed under Thoughtful Rant
Photo by Pat Arnow
John Stossel has left 20/20 for his own show on a new Fox cable news channel. I have been watching 20/20 since I was a kid and I love John Stossel. He always had the best stories, wonderful interviewing/presenting skills, and I really enjoyed his no-nonsense “Give Me a Break” segments. I have to also admit that part of my affinity for Mr.Stossel stems from his mustache, which reminds me of my dad, so I trusted him from day one.
Mr.Stossel you have a nice mustache, but my dad's will always be my favorite.
No matter what your political views are, you have to appreciate someone with a fresh perspective in a sea of media-political-sameness. I found Mr. Stossel’s libertarian perspective to give each story a clear and non-B.S. conveyance. I wish I had cable so I could watch him on his new show. I will probably continue to watch 20/20, as it is a Saturday morning ritual (aided by a DVR and coffee), but it just won’t be the same!
Good luck to you Mr. Stossel, you are awesome! Love all your pieces! Sorry the network guys blocked your story on Obama’s Health Care Plan, I would have like to hear it. If I ever get cable, I will definitely look up your show!
Considering the Inconsiderate: Why isn’t there a Driver Etiquette class for the rude?!
Posted by admin | Filed under Thoughtful Rant
I often wonder, when driving around, what in the world is wrong with people. There are soooooo many inconsiderate drivers on the road that it boggles the mind.
1. Why do some people in the left lane pull way up, past the stopping point, at intersections; when I, an innocent driver, am trying to make a right on red? I have to keep ooching up and craning my neck to see around the offending vehicle. What’s up with that? Unless there are new driving laws that I am unaware of, there is no such thing as a “left on red,” so what on earth are these people doing? Can’t they see that I am trying to make a right? Are they going to pay for my chiropractic-neck-spasm-care? Are they going to get a clue?
2. Although I know that I have not washed my car in over a year (I know…I know…), it is not an invitation to hit my car with your car door/metal implement/farm equipment! Why don’t people open their doors w/ caution and pay attention to their surroundings? I am not even kidding you, TWICE I have been sitting IN MY CAR and people have parked next to me and SLAMMED their car door into my vehicle (enough to push my car up on its shocks). What gives??!! Did everyone just decide that its ok to run around and act like a total jerk and damage other people’s expensive property? And both of those times the offending drivers were all “what? is there a problem?” Arg! Don’t these people believe in car-karma? Someday, someone is going to hit THEIR car and I will be laughing down from my soap box. And not to speak out against my own sex, but these people are often times ladies with giant sunglasses in giant SUVs (probably sipping their starbucks, while petting their lap dog and texting, in between taking glances at their TV (which probably has The View on it)). Sheesh…
There are many more instances of car-rudeness (that are totally avoidable), but this is all I have the energy to divulge. Now don’t get me wrong, we can’t all be gracious and considerate drivers all the time, but we really ought to aim for that as much as possible. And no, I am no angel behind the wheel all the time, we all have our moments….like the time I was driving with my sister in a parking garage and this rude woman was making it impossible for me to get in the spot I wanted and I said “what a ho!” and she apparently read my lips and made an angry face. That wasn’t very kind of me, but the rest of the time I try very hard to be a safe and polite driver.
Until such a time as all drivers consider the people/cars around them, I will just have to continue to white-knuckle it and try to avoid people who try to crash into my car. Some amount of driving stress is healthy, right?
(ps The photo is not my car, I am too nervous to park a truck!)
