Garden Gab and Pickles

I have a two-headed chicken planter that I absolutely love. I'm the ONLY one that loves it...everyone else thinks it's pretty awful. This year I planted impatiens in it, and stuck it in the Weeping Cherry garden out front. The impatiens were wonderful and grew into a mound of bright color. A few trailing plants would have been a good compliment to the impatiens, but I just didn't think about it at the time. Anyway, when I came home today I noticed that the chicken was naked. Either a deer or a rabbit ate all of my impatiens, almost to the soil line! I don't cuss very often, but I did have a few choice words for the wildlife today.

The okra plants have withered into pathetic little leafless stems but the tomatoes are still hanging in there. I pulled a few more green tomatoes from the plants today. They sure taste good when fried.

Chickweed has once again invaded my gardens. It appears in the early spring, dies off during the heat of summer, and is reinstated again in the cool fall weather. I absolutely hate it. One day soon, before it flowers and sends out seed, I'll have to get out there and start pulling the hated weed. I can't remember what the chemical cure is...either 2-4D or Dicamba (spelling?) perhaps. It's been too long since I've used a chemical on it. I've been trying to control it by good old fashioned hand pulling. The problem with that is that chickweed has a very tough, fibrous root system and I have to get it ALL out. The chemical way sounds kind of appealing right now.

Speaking of appealing, I have had horrible cravings for Vlasic Sweet Baby Kosher Dill pickles. I can't get enough of them. Today I bought three jars, and while in the Wal-Mart parking lot, I did the unthinkable...I opened a jar and pulled out pickles WITH MY BARE HANDS! You know how I hate germs, and the thought of contaminating pickle juice makes me shudder, but I just couldn't wait until I got home to get a fork. I HAD to have a pickle. I ended up eating about a third of a jar. Just to prove to myself that I have SOME self-control, I refused to give in to temptation and eat another one for almost three miles. Luckily, you get one and a quarter pickles for only FIVE calories. Sadly, the sodium content is enough to send my blood pressure soaring. I just can't stop eating them. It's like my summer cravings for cucumbers and onions in vinegar....mmmmm. If I hadn't have had a hysterectomy almost 20 years ago, I would wonder if I were pregnant! (There's probably all sorts of grammatical errors in that sentence!)

Sleep well, everyone. Just talking about the pickles has made my mouth water.
shel

Counting my Money Before It's Hatched

Yesterday I spent all afternoon in Lincoln giving my resume to any business that I am even remotely familiar with. (Not Auto Zone, as I don't know my cam shaft from my rear end.) After depressing hours on my feet, dressed in a professional manner...terribly uncomfortable...and smiling my fake confident smile, I was ready for some good news.

Jessie brought Bryan to me at Wal-Mart so that I could bring him home for the weekend. Foolishly, I drove the Honda Civic instead of the van. We made the exchange and then I was on my merry way.

The portable greenhouse that was set up in Goodie's parking lot called to me as I tried to drive past it. "We're Making Deals", the sign beckoned. Although I had less than $20 in my pocket, I had to pull in. Good thing I did! The lovely young saleswoman was in a VERY generous mood. Annuals were $1.59 each, buy one get one free. The majority of the plants looked marvelous and weren't root bound, so I started packing in Rex begonias and double impatiens. Then the gal advised me that it would be cheaper to buy a flat for $8.99 and she'd give me one for free. To make a long story short, I ended up with four flats of+beautiful double impatiens and yellow, orange and red Rex begonias, a big planter overflowing with Wave petunias, four ten inch hanging baskets of ivy geraniums, two large tomato plants, and a few odds and ends. Out of the original $20, I came home with $4 plus some change!

Poor Bryan was surrounded by flowers as I tried to pack everything into my already loaded Civic. He probably got dizzy from the scents.

My original plan was to sell all of these plants at Farmer's Market this morning. It's held on the square in Clinton, and costs a mere $10 to participate. Last night I made price signs, cleaned up the geraniums, loaded everything into the van, and prepared to leave bright and early this morning. Unfortunately, rain started falling sometime in the early morning, and it hasn't let up! With both Bryan and baby Gabriel in my care today, I was unable to go sell my wares and make some extra money to pay for gas and groceries for the next week.

My mother always told me not to count my chickens before they were hatched. Guess I should have listened to her!

shel