Wilshak's Xanga

Tuesday, June 30, 2009

Tue, 30 Jun 2009 23:12:06 GMT

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.

Wednesday, June 24, 2009

Wed, 24 Jun 2009 14:19:14 GMT

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

Wednesday, June 03, 2009

Wed, 03 Jun 2009 01:29:06 GMT

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

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Thursday, May 07, 2009

Thu, 07 May 2009 16:28:58 GMT

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.

Monday, April 13, 2009

Mon, 13 Apr 2009 13:41:14 GMT

I hope everyone had a nice Easter/Passover/Spring weekend. Yesterday I watched Mary Poppins and Willy Wonka, and did housework and gardening during the long commercials. Saturday we went out to Ted's Montana Grill for my birthday, then went to friend's house and dyed Easter eggs and watched The Ten Commandments.

I always wonder when I'm in a season of the year--if I'm "doing" it right, and or enjoying it while it's around. It's been very flowery here, though frequently rainy or cold, or very windy like right now. All of which is better than the drought of recent past. Right now my red seed ball swaying in the wind, covered with goldfinches.

Going to the Tea Party at the State Capitol Wednesday. This one being broadcast nationally, since CNN HQ just down the road--so maybe you might see me--haha.

Sometimes I never know if I'm awake or really dreaming. Was startled the other night to hear footsteps in the living room where I was dozing on the couch, beginning in front of me then walking around the house. Or it might have been the kitchen ice maker and me hearing it in my sleep. Other than that--my usual dreams of spaceships, alternate timelines, or zombies or space aliens.

Haha

Tuesday, April 07, 2009

Tue, 07 Apr 2009 12:56:01 GMT

Well spring has been nicely bloomy--but rained much of last week and now cold and windy. Flurries north of here--haha. Walked some parks last weekend. Dunaway Gardens which was big on the Chautauqua circuit in the 20s/30s, and Cochrans Mill Nature Preserve. Ducks swimming with a copperhead snake at Dauset Gardens in Jackson Georgia probably a more curious moment. Got some sulphur water from the mineral springs at Indian Springs at Jackson. Some mineralized water from deep somewhere trickles out of a rock, and has been a healing place since ancient times.

Too many squirrels in my yard, and they avoid the trap. Supposedly drought is over but TV weather people still mumble restrictions and "it takes along time to Really come out of a drought."

Oh well--time for car emissions test and new license decal--must dress in layers--though supposed to be 70's this weekend--maybe--

Saturday, March 28, 2009

Sat, 28 Mar 2009 14:39:15 GMT

Raining. Bad stuff seems to be going south of me so far. Pleases me to look out my office window and see daffodils, crocuses, azaleas and hyacinths. Later in season I'll see irises, roses, and summer annuals when planted.
They still have random people on TV talking drought, watering restrictions and gloom and doom. The outrageous part of irresponsible watering in the past was like businesses or mall areas having their automatic sprinklers run all night or during rain storms. That was true waste.

Dogwoods in bloom, but can't take walks at the moment. Maybe tomorrow. New crocus blooms getting sort of flattened down. Cleaned and sorted my desk area yesterday. A periodic event--haha--

I guess the bad weather across the country will dampen "earth hour." (turning your lights off for an hour and sitting in the dark.) At the risk of getting into "global warming," every planet in the solar has shown indications of it since the 80's, which would suggest solar cycles. Pollution and habitat destruction are definitely important issues--but much of going green I view as ultimately political manipulation hijacking and perverting worthy issues.

Ok well anyway--maybe I can run errands in an early afternoon lull in possible devastations--ha-

Thursday, March 26, 2009

Thu, 26 Mar 2009 14:24:18 GMT

We're supposed to have several inches of rain here, but "They" keep trying to work drought into it. It's been raining since December 2007. This time it was a map of the Southeast showing water flow of rivers and the like? A patchwork of green and brown spots on the big weather map. Ok well rivers are the quickest things to go up and down, unlike lakes and groundwater, and most are a function of what the Corp of Engineers decides to release somewhere--ergo--not necessarily based on current weather reality.

Dogwoods in early full bloom, azaleas just beginning. Paperwhites and hyacinths make nice sweet stench in my front yard. Too many squirrels, and they haven't had the first round of babies yet. Neighbor had a hummingbird, so I need to fill that feeder.

Macon Cherry Blossum festival was fun a couple of years ago, but looks like the main weekend will be rain impacted for the second year in a row. Red diamorpha moss blooming at Panola and Arabia Mountain parks just east of town.

Weather Channel talking of children's allergies. TV weather, whether local or national--always wants you to stay inside and glued to set--because something might happen somewhere or change-ha- On the allergies--they warned in early morning pollen is heaviest, but in the evening it's mold spores. Ok--then what--indoor video games all day? Since I've been taking echinacea when I feel the need ---beginning about a year and half ago--haven't taken a cold pill since. Take the usual C, B complex, multi vitamin, and etc too.

Tuesday, March 17, 2009

Tue, 17 Mar 2009 13:53:14 GMT

Happy St Patrick's Day!

Been 40's and raining for several days--but now supposed to be 60s/70s for a few days.

Recently planted paperwhites now blooming, other stuff coming up.

I've been ready for spring since last October. I think will be helping Steve plant seeds later, then use my car pass to go to Stone Mountain Park again east of town.

I need to rake but now it will be warmer and drier when I do.

I'll be wearing green underwear-but you'll have to pinch me to see it.

Tuesday, March 10, 2009

Tue, 10 Mar 2009 20:51:29 GMT

Tonight's full moon is the Storm Moon. So build a bonfire and dance naked, err--"skyclad." Well it's been 70's here. Looks like the Greater Midwest having the storms. We have another day of 70s then back to 40s and a lot of rain--which is a good thing. Two of the bulb mounds I planted a couple weeks ago starting to have the green tips of crocuses and daffodils poke up. Having a second wave of other daffodils beginning to bloom. Spraying repellant to keep squirrels out of things--nice urine odor-ha-

Eating Haagen Dazs Pistachio ice cream. Yum!