1. Aries (3/21-4/19)

   You
   have a calling, and signs are emerging around you that reinforce that
   fact. People are giving you feedback that is genuine — they’re not
   just praising you for the heck of it! Have faith in yourself and
   understand that you’re capable of amazing things. The worst mistake you
   can make today is to limit yourself. This applies to new relationships,
   career challenges and even business opportunities. Act on your ideas
   and climb out of your shell.

Well, it sounds good.

Went to a “town hall” Monday night.  Small crowd was let in the actual auditorium with panelists; much larger crowd of maybe 1500 or so in the “overflow” hall.  I think the initial group was packed with  “pro” insiders who knew what was going on as for seating, and everyone else herded to larger main hall.  The Atlanta Journal which does very creative and imaginative reporting–said the crowd seemed in favor of it.  I’d say the overall crowd of two thousand people were split down the middle, and both sides very contentious and demonstrative.  Organizers said pleas for “civility’ were heeded–but I think if the whole thing had been in one big hall–the results would have been like all the others on TV.

It was rather hot with bad air waiting in line, and the cough I’d got ridden off bugging me again.

So–two thousand people–two thousand opinions?  One questioner made a good point–There are five bill versions being considered–what about a town hall before the final vote? The Georgia 4th District Representative–who for the most part is utterly incoherent–said–Weeeell things happen quickly in Washington (hisses from audience), maybe not before hand, but immediately afterwards (much booing).

Well I’ll say this–I’m glad so many people showing interest in the political process now.

B-52′s concert tomorrow night.  Amazing something so cool still doing well.  Dance this mess around!

Put out feelers to work again at the Coca Cola Museum.  We’ll see.  The Centennial Olympic Park area  downtown the evolving museum/tourist district.

Lots of hummingbirds.  A few butterflies.  Hawk on the back patio.  Owl the other night.  A few scraggly sunflowers blooming.

I went to my parent’s grave and released most of my brother’s ashes on the site. I hate to say this, but it’s the first time I’ve been back there since my mother’s funeral a rather long time ago.  I seemed to  have had some type of anxiety knot about going there for years, but it seems to be gone now.  The cemetery really not that far from me, in Atlanta terms.  The ground sort of patchy, so next time I’ll bring weed and feed.  And grass seeds later on.

Somewhat unusual mausoleum building near it.  Like an old chateau, where maybe the insides had been partially gutted and hallways put in.  It even had ramparts and towers, and blocked off damaged (?) areas.  Rather strong chemical scent. I guess formaldehyde.   Also had a chapel, with really ornate wood working and carvings, dark stained glass windows, and faded old looking paintings.  Very  much a movie set.  And steep carved stone staircases spiraling deeply into the basement.  And a number of dead ends and cul de sacs in the hallways, balconies and  enclosed once gardens now with dead dry brown plant husks.It was curious to wander around, but the odor was getting to me after a while.

(edit)  I didn’t know Westview Cemetery was so historic.

Came home and did some yard work, pulling up along the sidewalk and curbs where grass and weeds have spread out. Always about this time of year to do that.  And I made the mosquitos and fireants very happy too.  *scratch*

I found out recently the High Museum here has a free Saturday for county residents, so I went yesterday and saw an exhibition of Monet waterlilies from MOMA .   Very large panels, and quite peaceful to just sit and watch for a long while, as many people were doing on the numerous sofa seats.

Last Thursday I barely grazed a curb near the Marketplace area, and a wheel strut broke.  It must have been ready to snap since I only just brushed the curb corner. Fortunately I made it to a nearby parking lot.  And seems to have been a spot local police and law enforcement wait at between calls, so I had that protection while waiting for the tow truck.  I seem to be lucky with car problems in life, so far, happening in safe or ok places near home or help.

I think when I get the car back I’m taking the bulk of my brothers cremains and releasing on my parents grave site.  I’ll keep a small baggy, but I think it’s time to let it go.

Been doing various life re-evaluations last few days, and none of my conclusions are great.  Hopefully I’ll get through the various changes well enough.

Been rainy, though mostly south of here.

So–I was in Indiana for another wedding last weekend.  Yes–ha–gone three years and now 2 weddings in 6 weeks.  Which means I probably won’t go anywhere for the next five years.  Well maybe not the bad, but who knows?  The weather behaved again.  Was 70s/50s, though everyone had some cold thing, which I caught and am still trying to get over.  Mainly a minor cough, but it only seems to bother me when trying to go to sleep-then kills that.

It was ex coworker Monica’s wedding.  Saw some other  friends too, and went to 2 county fairs.  Tenderloin sandwich and fresh cookies were good at one.

Finally got to see what the Purdue golf course grounds keepers did to their side of the Celery Bog.  Oh well-in a hundred years the trees should grow back, if allowed.

Bus trip less eventful than the previous one.  Bus driver on one stretch did do a sniff test on us, because she thought she smelled booze on someone.   And all that sitting in one place is hard on the nethers after awhile.    

It’s been a cooler summer here.  Supposed to be low 80s this week and rainy.  And now that the lakes are full–some judge has ruled Atlanta/Georgia has no right to Lake Lanier water–that the Corp  “overstepped their bounds.”  Which is utter bs, since all my life I’d heard, and even read in encyclopedias that Lake Lanier is Atlanta’s water supply.  So, the three states have three years to arrange something.  If you can’t control people with real drought–make up the equivalent.  (I said back in high school–Atlanta should just build a desalinization plant on the coast and be done with it.  But who am I?)

And speaking of control–given the carefully orchestrated panic over swine flu and vaccinations–all this happened before in 1977.  Swine flu was going to be the next next pandemic, and I along with others got vaccinated.  Except back then after an explosion in Guillain-Barre Syndrome–the vaccinations were stopped.   GB causes nerve inflamation and paralysis; some people recovered, some didn’t.  And this time the government has granted itself and the companies legal immunity.  Companies which stand to make a killing–ha–off the profits.

Well in a normal flu year, 36K die in this country, and  maybe a quarter to half million worldwide.  And all the info on the current vaccine research, testing and production–uses words like fast tracked, quick, managed risk (?!).  Lets just say–I try to be more careful what I consume than perhaps in the past.

Squirrels had been unusually scarce last few days–but I think they just replicated-again. Anybody need any/a dozen?

Unfortunately last phase of a cold for me is the sinus headache due to residuals.  I think some aspirin /substitute is taking care of that.

So far from garden–I have harvested one small medium green pepper, and a cherry tomato.  Hooah!

Had small heat wave, but has cooled off quite a bit and been rainy, which is good.  Japanese beetles tapering off on the plants too.  Mid July seems to be height of birds in the feeders.  Gold finches, purple finches, cardinals, bluejays, titmice, nuthatches, woodpeckers, chicadees.  And non feeder birds like robins, brown thrashers, mockingbirds.
Rabbits, hummingbirds, butterflies.  Haven’t seen any more snakes. Sometimes owls at night.  Lightning bugs, crickets, spiders, caterpillars,  I harvested a green pepper.  haha.  Ants ate the strawberries.  Tomatoes still growing.  Squash and watermelon vine not doing great. 

July 4th weekend  went with friends to Charleston SC.   Nice view from the Battery: rivers, islands, ships, fireworks.
Folly Beach was pleasant.  Kiawah Island had lots of starfish on the beach–we put several dozen back in the water.

When fall comes I’ll probably do proper fall flowers which I haven’t done in a while–plant some pansies and a few mums.   I may lay off buying so many bulbs–since squirrels eat half of them.  And just be surprized by what does come up next year.  Gardens are a forever thing.

Still warm here but humidity has gone down some which is nice.   Japanese beetles eating up the roses.  Never tried a beetle trap since didn’t know if would do more harm than good.  Haven’t seen any hummingbirds since late winter.  Finally have begun seeing a few butterflies.  Lightning bugs quite dramatic at twilight.

Quick overview of the trip–  Stayed with Emily and Spence and daughters Lucy who is two, and Susannah who is a few months old.  Ate all sorts of freshly made foods at their place on Emily’s parents farm compound.  Fresh bread, canned food they canned, chickens they raised.

Adam’s wedding was at Cicotte Park in rural Independence, Indiana; reception was in nearby Attica.

Sunday met with Michelle and Neil and 3 year old Xavier at the zoo, and had fun with the prairie dogs and goats and geese and the like.  

Lafayette seemed about the same after three years.   Weather was cool, and the rain waited until after I’d left. 

Yeah it’s Comcast.  They had returned to the light a year and a half ago, but since late last fall have apparently been drifting back to the Dark Side.  I woke at 4:30 AM a while back and tried an experiment.  I won’t say surfing was fast, but it was noticeably more reasonable than usual daylight/waking hours of late.  And I now remember the reason when I first moved back I was up to dawn on the computer–wasn’t because I wanted to do that, but simply–I could only reasonably do anything online from about 1 AM to 6 AM.  I could tell when people were waking up because I’d abruptly be unable to do any more.  Oh well–back to burning black candles and chicken sacrifices to make pages load.  haha

Trip to Indiana went surprizingly well.  Greyhound wasn’t my first choice of travel mode, but it was the least expensive.  Met lots of strange and interesting people!  Haha.

(Ok browser crashed–but Firefox’s Lazurus brought it back.)

Well I had good weather on the trip–seems the rain started after I left.  And another wedding there in mid July!

More on the trip–

W

Well–I’m going to be doing a hit and run driveby of Indiana this weekend–for a friend’s wedding.  My first time back in three years.  Seems like yesterday, but I figured if I don’t go now–when will I?   Need to maintain some connections.   Adam is a Marine, and the festivity will have “biker security?”  Not certain what that means–but I’m sure it will be memorable.  A car drive acorss the USA would have been nice, but after estimating car rental, bus, train or airplane–Greyhound wins–haha.  I think.  Staying with Emily’s family, and get to use their car.  So–so far–one wedding and two picnics/cookouts for me.  Maybe I should do this more often?  Haha  Hopefully rain will take care of new plantings.

I’m sorry I haven’t been able to post pictures of recent flowers or last winter’s snow.  Some of you may remember past blogs I would do like picture stories.  My current set up seems to stall or struggle to load at times –and it can be discouraging.  But when I get back I’ll try again.

Recent plantings include foxglove, blue delphiniums, marigolds (which something is eating), impatiens, hollyhocks, tomatos. peppers, sunflowers, candy tuff, salvia, and others–haha–

More soon!

W

I’ve been told I should keep a flower journal–though squirrel journal might be more accurate.
I planted summer bulbs the other day but forgot to spray repellent on them.  I was rewarded with precise, surgical holes where I had planted.  Another battle is a red ball feeder for sunflower seeds for small birds like goldfinches and  such.  I had greased the wire holding the feeder, and when they tried to go back up it–they were running in place like a cartoon.  And soaking them a foot away with the hose was fun–though they figured out not that far to jump to the ground.  I could have put sharp sticks under the feeder, which would have not bothered me at all–but probably would have been upsetting to neighbors and passing cars.  Various combinations of pie pans didn’t work too well.  They’d just sit on the pie pan and ride it like an elevator as it shredded apart down to the red ball.  Large coffee can on the wire didn’t work at all.  Bad thing is they train each other how to get into it, and one will shake seed out for those on the ground.   Today I got large plastic saucer and melted/drilled hole in it and moved to level limb where it all would be more flat against the invaders.  So far no rodents in the feeder, and lots of happy small tweety birds.

Local weather has transitioned from drought of recent years to a monsoon like season–which we will all take.

Will go see Star Trek tomorrow at the less expensive matinee.   Previews it looks much better than the last two things.

“Haunting of Hill” by Shirley Jackson was an excellent book.  Structually much more intricate than might seem at first.  Like Thorton Wilder’s “The Bridge over San Luis Rey” seemed simplistic but wasn’t.

Back to work.