A Hot and Hazy Day on The Lake

Word of the Day

Jellopishe - To show a complete understanding of jellopy as an item, a device, and a philosophy.

My former roomie in college who is also one of my best friends e-mailed me yesterday that her only son was in a motorcycle accident yesterday. I received an update on his condition this morning. He came through surgery fine. She believes that all of the broken bones were fixed: two in the lower right leg, three in the right arm below the elbow, and a chip on the upper right arm bone by his shoulder socket. One leg bone and one arm bone had come through the skin. Both the elbow and shoulder were dislocated, but got re-aligned.

Despite all this, there don't seem to be any head, neck, or internal injuries! And there was an elbow specialist who assisted in that part of the surgery; neither surgeon saw any torn nerves, so that is a good sign that my friend's son will recover the use of his fingers (he's right-handed). He'll most likely be in the hospital (one of the best around for trauma) a few more days.

My friend wrote that her son is feeling bad that, in turning to see what he thought was someone in distress, the motorcycle hit some gravel and the bike went down and that it was amazing that he didn't flip off the bridge or get hit by any of the heavy traffic on the highway as he travelled to work. The helmet saved his life, according to the highway patrolman and the ER doctor.

Thank God he was wearing a helmet! With gas prices so high, I wonder what the statistics are for motorcycle and bike related accidents. I bet they're going through the roof!

Today is the last day of July. It's supposed to be hot and sticky today. I know that it wasn't as hot and sticky yesterday but picking the raspberries was not a pleasant experience. I was "glowing" profusely. Ladies don't sweat, they glow. I won't be picking any more raspberries until August. That's tomorrow. Same goes for the beans and the cucumbers. Despite the .90 inches of rain that we received a couple of days ago, I had to race out onto my deck and water all the plants again. This has become a daily necessity. My poor cucumbers in the Earthboxes looked pretty crisp. Thankfully, they perked up after they'd had their first sip of water. The way they can perk up so quickly after looking so dead and dried up amazes me. I'll have to water again when I get back from the city.

We're combining today's trip to the city with other activities. Yesterday's trip to the city (different city) was to visit with a lawyer about a parcel of property we own and I thought I'd check out the pet store to see what kind of clippers they had. The Country Store looks just like a PetSmart store. They even have a groomer on staff. I talked to the groomer and it turns out that they're going to be trimming nails (dog's nails) for free today between 10 AM and 4 PM. Customer Appreciation Day! Whoohoo! So, anyway...it looks like HTP and I are going to add another city to our itinerary today. First we'll bring me into the city to see take care of some "pressing" issues. I've got a mammogram scheduled for this morning. Then, we're dropping some laundry off at the dry-cleaners. Grocery store run. We're bring a cooler. And then we'll drive to the other city with Gypsy to have her nails trimmed. The groomer said she'd take care of the hair between Gypsy's toes at the same time. Free. Well...except for the cost of the gas that we'll be burning in the car.

Murphyism of the Day

Charles Osgood's Axiom

Nobody thinks they make too much money.

Noteworthy Quote of the Day

The shoe that fits one person pinches another; there is no recipe for living that suits all cases.

- Carl Jung (1875 - 1961)

Home Sweet Home

Word of the Day

Jeatjet - "Have you eaten yet?"

Tired. I haven't even done much today. I only just got the laundry started and folded one single load of towels. However, weirdly enough, I feel less tired than I did before I did my push-up challenge assignment for the day. Somehow, I managed to complete the entire set and the final twenty push-ups didn't kill me as much as they did the day before yesterday. However, I'm still tired. A trip to The Big City on top of everything else just seemed to suck every drop of energy out of me. Too bad HTP and I have to drive into a big city to take care of some business today. I was going to see if I could take Gypsy to the groomers while we were in the big city but it looks like EVERYONE is getting their dog groomed today. The soonest I could get an appointment with any groomer was on August 20th. Wow! I sure wish there was a Petsmart nearby. I wish I could trim Gypsy's nails by myself but I don't have the proper equipment. Gypsy's nails are the easy kind of nails to trim. White. You can easily see the quick and avoid it. Maybe I'll see if I can find one at Walmart tomorrow when I drive into yet another big city. Doctor appointment. It seems like I'm spending a great deal of time in cities...one way or another.... and driving a car.

Murphyism of the Day

Crane's Law

There ain't no such thing as a free lunch.

Noteworthy Quote of the Day

A magician pulls rabbits out of hats. An experimental psychologist pulls habits out of rats.

- Anonymous

There's No Place Like Home

Word of the Day

Jazams - A music composition.

I need to take care of the raspberries that I picked yesterday...and the blueberries. I don't have time to do much this morning. HTP and I are heading to The Big City this morning and I have to get all of Gypsy's stuff packed up for her visit with my folks. She loves going over to visit with my folks and I really appreciate that my folks are willing to watch her while we're in The Big City because taking her with us for the day isn't an option and leaving her all by her lonesome here at The Lake wouldn't be a good idea either...especially since one never knows how circumstances could make a day trip into something longer.

My cucumbers in the Earthbox are going crazy! I've already made two quarts of cucumber salad which HTP and I have been enjoying, but you can only eat so much cucumber salad. I discovered that I had lots more cucumbers that NEEDED to be picked before they turned into MONSTERS. These cucumbers were well on their way to monsterdom. So, I made four pints of Bread & Butter pickles yesterday. This, of course, drove Gypsy nuts because of the lid pinging. Every time a jar sealed, her ears perked up, she looked all worried, and then she'd start barking (baying). *sigh* I've still got to make jam. More pinging. Relish. More pinging. Canned tomatoes. Lots of pinging. More green beans. Pinging. Either she's got to get over this ping thing or I'm going to have to call in The Dog Whisperer...or maybe this is just a phase. She only really started this barking thing (problem) since she turned one year old this month. Happy Birthday Gypsy! You're a big dog now and you need to start acting like one. Right? *sigh* Thank goodness that there isn't any pinging repercussions when Sis and I cork the wine.

Murphyism of the Day

Wingfield's Axiom

Accuracy is the sum total of your compensating mistakes.

Noteworthy Quote of the Day

Mid pleasures and palaces though we may roam,
Be it ever so humble, there's no place like home.

- John Howard Payne (1791 - 1852)

The Raspberries Need Picking

Word of the Day

Java vu - Phenomenon of constantly adjusting the sugar/cream level of your coffee to your liking, only to have a waitress come along and ruin it again.

I never did get around to making jam yesterday. I ended up having to pick the green beans in the garden. The humidity outside sucked almost every drop of energy out of me. I only had enough remaining energy to clean and can three quarts of green beans and we had enough remaining beans to have with our supper...and leftover for tonight's supper. I need to pick raspberries again today but...I think...I hope...I can find room in the fridge to put the berries because there is no way that I can make jam today. I'm just too tired. Or...I may decide that I've got more energy after breakfast. You never know.

Hopefully, the humidity won't be so high today but I'm not really depending on it. With such high humidity, you'd think we'd get some rain. I'll have to water the plants out on the deck again this morning.

Murphyism of the Day

Thurber's Law

There is no safety in numbers, or in anything else.

Noteworthy Quote of the Day

Literature is news that stays news.

- Ezra Pound (1885 - 1972)

Old Grey Frog Picking Raspberries - Picture taken by MC Daughter in 2007 The hat's the same, the person is almost the same ( a bit heavier), the bushes are twice as thick and LOTS taller, but....MC Daughter is in Indiana right now and things haven't changed THAT much.

Word of the Day

Jampage - 1. The screaming and dancing rampage one goes on when they jam or stub a body part on a household object. 2. A jamming session that is rampageous enough to make the listener believe that the musician is crazy. 3. The frenzy a person gets into when making homemade jam.

HTP and I had some blueberry pie for dessert last night. Not to worry. I used Maltitol instead of sugar. Wonderful! As a matter of fact, I've been resisting the temptation to have another piece this morning. Every time I go into the kitchen, that pie is calling my name. Eat me! Pie isn't breakfast food but I can't actually see a reason why it couldn't become breakfast food. A piece of sugarfree pie would be lots more nutritious than one of those fruit-filled, sugar-laden, bismarks....don't you think? Oh well...I went outside and picked more ripe blueberries this morning because I plan to make some blueberry pancakes for breakfast.

I think I'll make some jam today too. I've got enough frozen raspberries to make one batch of sugarfree raspberry jam and I think I can pick enough rhubarb to make at least one batch...maybe two...of rhubarb/strawberry jam. Sugarfree.

It's too wet out (morning dew) to pick the beans this morning. I'll have to wait until things dry off a bit. Actually, I probably could hold off on picking until Monday or Tuesday but HTP and I have to make a run into The Big City on Tuesday We're helping HTP's Mom and Dad get all the paperwork taken care of for their new apartment. They'll be moving in early August....around the same time that DD Daughter, GI Joe and Ms. En are coming to The Lake to visit and celebrate Ms. En's first #1 Birthday. So, anyway, I'll have to pick and can the beans that are out there today and I'll probably have to pick and can again on Wednesday. I noted that the raspberries could be picked again today but...I just picked them yesterday! I just don't have the energy to pick raspberries every single day. They'll have to wait until Monday...tomorrow....and hopefully the birds and critters don't gorge themselves on what's out there in the meantime.

Murphyism of the Day

De Balzak's Axiom

Behind every great fortune, there is a crime.

Noteworthy Quote of the Day

There is absolutely no inevitability as long as there is a willingness to contemplate what is happening.

- Marshall McLuhan (1911 - 1980)

Gypsy on Patrol

Word of the Day

JABUPS - Jargon Articulated By Unintelligible Public Servants.

When life gives you lemons....well...in this case, blueberries...it's time to make pie. I mixed up a recipe of pie crust this morning, stuck it in the fridge to cool for a bit more than four hours, and then baked a blueberry pie. I didn't even have to use any of the blueberries from Blueberry Hill. HTP bought me a couple of dry pints of blueberries when he went grocery shopping the other day. I needed to use the blueberries. In the meantime, I have three and a half cups of blueberries from Blueberry Hill...which I froze. I really should have picked blueberries again today but...I ran out of steam. I only had enough energy to pick the raspberries. I figured that since the blueberry bushes on Blueberry Hill are covered in netting and the raspberry bushes are exposed to all marauding birds and rodents, it would be best to at least pick the raspberries before the early bird got the raspberry...or chipmunk. I'll pick the blueberries tomorrow morning. I think I'll make blueberry pancakes for breakfast. I'll have to pick the green beans tomorrow too. Again. Gypsy is just going to have to get over the sound the lids of my canning jars make when they seal. "Ping!"...and Gypsy starts barking up a storm, racing to the door to check where the sound is coming from. This is going to be a really interesting canning season. There's going to be a lot of pinging going on in my kitchen so she's going to have to get used to it.

In the meantime, I made some beef stew for Gypsy. We're almost out of chicken stew. I know that she likes green beans....at least...she enjoyed the bits of raw green beans that I gave her. I hope she likes them cooked because there's green beans in her beef stew.

Murphyism of the Day

Buckwald's Law

As the economy gets better, everything else gets worse.

Noteworthy Quote of the Day

I have left orders to be awakened at any time in case of national emergency, even if I'm in a cabinet meeting.

- Ronald Reagan (1911 - 2004)

The Lake

Word of the Day

Irritainment - Entertainment that makes one irritated.

After breakfast yesterday, I drove over get pick Sis up for our wine-making projects. I also needed to stop at my folks' place. Anyway, my folks had caught a red squirrel in their Havahart trap and asked if Sis and I could release it far away and over the bridge. That was OK because we were headed that way anyway. So, Sis and I pulled over across the bridge and Featherstone RV Park now has one more cute red squirrel. We released it right by some sort of nut tree. Later in the day when I took Sis home, we stopped by my folks' place to return their trap and found out that the nut tree was a Butternut tree. We plan on revisiting the tree sometime this Fall to try our luck at finding butternuts amongst the fallen leaves. At the same time we'll be checking out the grove of hazelnut trees off our own driveway.

After adding one more red squirrel to the RV park, Sis and I continued on our merry way to town. I needed to buy a hunk of cheese at The Store. Hey! I didn't name it. That's what it's called. The Store. So, I got my cheese and then we went over to Don's to check out their merchandise and I bought a couple of things that I couldn't live without. Don's is a clearance outlet store for just about anything. Eclectic stuff that Don buys in large lot auctions and then turns around to sell at his store. I try not to visit Don's too often because I usually end up too tempted not to buy. Since I'd just thrown away all kinds of stuff, I was cringing as I bought more stuff to take the space of the stuff that had been tossed. Oh well...it's really neat stuff which I NEEDED.

Sis and I made quick work of our wine projects. We're learning. Sis didn't even get a taste of the new wine as she created the suction required for racking our wine. (I told you that she wasn't tasting the wine...not on purpose.) I could have washed my kitchen floor because Sis didn't spit any of the awful stuff onto the floor and we didn't spill. The flavor of our wine, at this point so early in the fermentation process is...nasty. Anyway, we lugged the fermentation buckets up from the basement. We racked the wine into clean fermentation buckets and then lugged the wine back down to the basement where it will work/rest until we revisit it again for the next racking session at the end of August.

After cleaning up the kitchen, Sis and I sat down to a wonderful lunch that Sis had brought over from her place. Yummy! Lots of Beans Salad (3 Bean Salad...but with lots more than just three kinds of beans)and BLT Salad but....I don't think there was any lettuce in the salad. Sis needs to rename this salad. BTP Salad. Bacon, Tomato, and Pasta Salad. Tasted wonderful!

I know that I hadn't planned to even think about the beans in my garden until this weekend but after Sis and I finished our wine projects yesterday, we walked over to look a the garden and it was obvious that the wax beans REALLY needed picking. From the looks of things, even one more day would cause them to turn "beany". Anyone who grows beans knows that beany beans are not a good thing....unless you're planning on drying them, shelling them, and keeping them to make baked beans. So....

After I took Sis back to her house, I picked the raspberries. I picked the blueberries. And then....I picked the wax beans. A whole colander full of wax beans. Then...I checked and it was apparent that the Italian Roma beans needed to be picked so I picked a colander full of Roma beans. Then...I checked the Kentucky Wonder beans and....I picked those too. I picked a few of one of the other variety of green beans but they weren't in danger of growing beany as yet so, I'll wait a couple more days to pick them. My Burgundy beans aren't ready for picking which is a good thing because by this time I had enough beans to clean and cook up. I ended up canning three quarts of mixed beans and I had enough left over to enjoy for supper. Yummy!

And then...I finally got to bed around 10:30 PM...but, I remembered at around 12 AM that I hadn't taken the seed birdfeeders inside for the night. I got up and brought the feeders inside. Done. But...I noticed that the cucumber plants in my one Earthbox were looking a bit droopy. I argued with myself that it was midnight and that the cucumber plants could wait until morning for me to water them. So...I went back to bed. Guilt finally drove me back out onto the deck at 2 AM to water the cucumbers and the zucchini in two of my Earthboxes. *sigh* Now HTP has joined Gypsy in thinking that I've lost my mind. "What are you doing?" HTP asked. "I need to water the cucumbers." I replied. "You're watering the cucumbers at 2 AM?!" I know. But...I was able to sleep much more soundly after I watered the cucumbers...and the zucchini.

This morning, the cucumbers looks lots better but I watered them again and it was more than apparent that they NEEDED water. At this point, I noticed a huge cucumber that I hadn't seen before. HUGE! It was one of those oopsy cucumbers that was hiding behind some foliage. There's lots of foliage on my cucumber plants. It looks like I'll be making some cucumber salad today. I have two cucumbers in my fridge that I bought at the grocery store but now, added to the monster that I picked this morning and three more that I discovered that were well on their way to monsterdom, I'll be able to make a huge batch of cucumber salad. Time to get out the finger guillotine.

I think I have enough blueberries from my bushes to make some blueberry pie...at least...when added along with the blueberries that HTP purchased at the grocery store the other day. I also think I've got enough tame raspberries to make a batch of raspberry jam. It looks like today will be another busy day at The Lake.

It's a misty moisty day. We're not getting rain. We're getting moisture. Foggy.

Murphyism of the Day

Miller's Law

Exceptions prove the rule - and wreck the budget.

Noteworthy Quote of the Day

For me, words are a form of action, capable of influencing change.

- Ingrid Bengis

Sis Isn't Drinking the Wine, She's Racking the Wine....Really...

Word of the Day

Irreventive - Regardless of the inventor.

I'm still in my cleaning and organizing mood but I need to put a damper on it for a while...at least for today. Besides, the urgent need to organize and toss things out isn't so great now. The garbage cans are out at the road. 1/2 mile away. I can't throw anything more away until I get those garbage cans back. However, if I can maintain this mood, I'd start on the garage, my closet, and my dresser and bookshelves....but not today.

Today? I need to pick raspberries AND blueberries...if it doesn't rain, and I don't think it will, and I'm not even going to think about the green beans...oops, I guess I just did. Sis and I have to work on the wine today. The first two batches of wine that we started this Spring (Dandelion Wine. Rhubarb Wine.) need to be racked and we need to get the Prickly Gooseberry Wine set to go down to the basement. It'll be nice not to have the Eau di Fermenting Vino Perfum in my living room anymore this summer. After today, all the wine is going to be doing its thing down in my basement and Sis and I won't need to do anything more with it until this time next month.

Murphyism of the Day

Jeff's Theory of the Stock Market

The price of a stock moves inversely to the number of shares purchased.

Noteworthy Quote of the Day

Remember that there is nothing stable in human affairs; therefore avoid undue elation in prosperity, or undue depression in adversity.

- Socrates (469 BC - 399 BC)

"What the Heck are You Doing Now?!"

Word of the Day

Irkutated - Past the point of being both irked and irritated.

And just when Gypsy feels that things are starting to get back to normal, her human, yet again, shows signs of insanity. Fits of insanity. It's not often that I get in the mood to clean and re-organize things. As a matter of fact, this just may be the first time Gypsy has seen me in one of those moods. Yesterday, I cleaned and organized my spice/pantry cabinet...one of them...the other still needs a good going over and toss session. I ended up filling up the kitchen waste basket with all kinds of stuff that would never be used and then I organized everything so I could find stuff. While MC Daughter was here, she was looking for some Cumin. I found it. It's now alphabetically organized so I can find it again. I don't use Cumin that often. I also found out that I didn't have any dried Parsley, I was running low on dried Sweet Basil, and I didn't have any dried Oregano. I have fresh of all three growing on the deck but none of the dry stuff that comes in handy for when you can't get the fresh stuff. So....I harvested some of each, Parsley, Basil, and Oregano, dried it in my microwave, chopped and crushed, and now I have dried Parsley, dried Basil, and dried Oregano. Done.

Then...today, I decided to make some Sugarfree Chocolate Crinkle Cookies. Delicious, but, I'm still working on the recipe....so...I won't share. Then, of course, I had to clean the kitchen because I'm not the cleanest cook in the world and I was still in the mood to clean and reorganize so....

I decided to clean and re-organize my half of the bathroom. Actually, I cleaned the whole bathroom but HTP keeps his stuff really well organized so why bother with his half. I've never been able to figure out why I always end up with twice as much cream rinse as I do shampoo. And I have no idea why I never you up the last dab of shampoo before I buy a new one and a new conditioner/cream rinse too. Why? I only needed shampoo. I ended up throwing away multiple bottles of shampoo with just a dab remaining and combining all my dabs of conditioner into one bottle. And lotions? Anyone need lotion? I've got enough to keep dry skin at bay from an entire Army for a year. OK. I'm exaggerating a bit but...only a bit. And then...where did all the toilet bowl cleaner come from? It looks like I must buy a brand new bottle every Spring when we get here whether we need it or not. We don't need any more... and I'd better make a note to myself not to buy any next Spring. I think I've got a lifetime supply under my sink.

Then...I cleaned and organized my make-up drawer and my medicine drawers. I don't even use nail polish! And I decided that if I haven't used that particular shade of eye shadow in the last five years, it's time to toss it out....along with all those old bits of foundation which I rarely use. And as for medicines? Wow! I'm set for any and all allergy and headache emergencies. A rash of them. Heartburn is taken care of too. I was able to consolidate and toss empty bottles of EVERYTHING! I won't need to visit the pharmacy section of Walmart for years....maybe longer. At least I know what I have now, now that I've organized and things aren't all in a jumble. I took Benedryl off my shopping list.

Next? I washed my hair. Gypsy, sitting off to the side where she thought she'd be safely out of harm's way, thought I'd forgotten about her but...she got a bath too. Then? She followed me around the house as I vacuumed. I think she thought I'd totally lost my mind. Poor dog. She kept "dogging" my heels and, sad to say, she kept getting in the way as I tried to vacuum. Poor dear. She kept looking at me as if to say, "Are you OK? What's going on here? What the heck are you doing? Are you OK?" I swear she kept looking at me like I was just about to sprout horns or something. It's OK Gypsy. I'm done now. But...maybe I'll mop the kitchen now that I've got it all swept and vacuumed. Maybe. Thing is, Sis is going to be coming over tomorrow to help rack the wine. Maybe I'd better put off mopping the kitchen until we're done spilling wine all over the floor. However, it is garbage night. I may tackle the big pantry. I know there's things in there that we won't ever use...just taking up space.

Murphyism of the Day

Heisenberg Principle of Investment

You may know where the market is going, but you can't possibly know where it's going after that.

Noteworthy Quote of the Day

It is very strange that the years teach us patience - that the shorter our time, the greater our capacity for waiting.

- Elizabeth Taylor

Morning Look View From My Dock

Word of the Day

Iridiscance - The property of CDs and DVDs that causes them to emit a spectrum pattern whenever a light is shined on them.

I really need to clean and dust and organize. As I look around me, my desk is cluttered. Heck...my bathroom is cluttered, my kitchen is cluttered, and my living room is cluttered. I've let things get out of hand. Again. No excuses. It's just me. I let things like cleaning get out of hand and then they get so bad that I finally suck it up and clean. Today may be that day...or tomorrow. We need to take the garbage out to the road on Wednesday for Thursday pick up....ummmm....maybe I'd better start organizing and tossing today because from the looks of things, it's going to take at least two days to sort and toss. Besides, I'm in an organizing and tossing mood. Cleaning? Not so much but I know that I'll feel a whole lot better afterwards...when things are clean and sparkling. (Pep talk)

It's laundry day today. I noted that I have all kinds of empty wine bottles stored on the top most shelf of my laundry room. I wish I'd soaked all the labels off before I stored them on that top most shelf but I'll start on that project today. Sis and I are going to need these bottles in a few months when we bottle the wine. I've actually been pretty good about soaking off wine labels and storing the empty bottles...this year...but these bottles are from a few years back when I'd just wash 'em up and tuck them out of sight, figuring that I'd soak off the labels when I had more time. Hah! There's never more time. I'm adding the label soaking off thing to my To Do list today.

Other things on the To Do List are : Pick the tame raspberries. Clean and freeze the blueberries that have ripened on the countertop over night. Crayfish? I really don't feel like taking care of the crayfish traps today....so I won't. We'll have spaghetti for supper tonight. I need to clean the crib that HTP and I bought that's out in the garage. Crap! We need to clean and organize that garage!...but....not today. But...maybe HTP will cut up some of those cardboard boxes that should be recycled?

Murphyism of the Day

Mark's Law of Monetary Equalization

A fool and your money are soon partners.

Noteworthy Quote of the Day

Your world is made of your memories, and your memories are given to you by your world. The whispering voice of happenstance is always in our ears. 'This is the world. This is the way things are. Look. Pay attention. Remember.'

- Real Live Preacher

Old Grey Frog Picking Blueberries on Blueberry Hill - 2007

Word of the Day

Iono - Shortened form of "I don't know".

I brought a container of crayfish (mudbugs) over to my sister this morning. I have more in my traps by the dock that I really should collect and boil but....they'll just have to wait until later. I'm getting tired of cleaning crayfish. While I was at Sis' place, Sis and I decided to hike down to check on the wild blueberries. We picked 1/4 cup of the ripened wild blueberries that we saw. Not too many. However, maybe, if we continue to fertilize, there will be more wild blueberries in the coming years. In the meantime, when I got home, I picked about a pint or more of my own blueberries (the tame variety) and it looks like I'll have lots more to come. This was my first picking of the season. My tame blueberries sure make the wild ones look tiny.

The green beans in my garden look like they'll need picking by this weekend...if not sooner. They're already a lot bigger than I was expecting. However, even though I probably could pick enough for HTP and me to have for supper tonight...I'll wait. I picked more sugarsnap peas instead and HTP and I enjoyed a few of them, raw, with our lunch today. As for the beans, it looks like I'd better think about hauling my canning kettle up from the basement, along with my canning jars. I planted lots of beans again this year.


Murphyism of the Day

Horngren's Observation

Among economists, the real world is often a special case.

Noteworthy Quote of the Day

I don't confuse greatness with perfection. To be great anyhow is…the higher achievement.

- Lois McMaster Bujold, "Mirror Dance", 1994

HTP and Me at HTP's Cousin's Wedding - July 11, 2008

Word of the Day

Intpossibility - Something that is a possible to do over the Internet.

Woodtick Count - 42

I went out berry picking yesterday. Wild raspberries. I didn't get enough to do anything with but just enough to know that they aren't too plentiful this year and note where the wild hazelnut tree grove is located. I also noted that if we continue to get enough rain, we'll have a huge crop of blackberries this year. Oh...and that the woodticks are still active. In the meantime, I'm getting LOTS of tame raspberries (I've already picked several pints) which makes me consider NOT picking the wild variety. Huge tame raspberries versus teeny-tiny wild raspberries which usually end up being wormy and buggy. The thing is that the wild raspberries usually have lots more flavor but I'm not getting any younger and it's a lot harder to see the bugs than it used to be. I may stick to my tame raspberry bushes this year and go out and pick the blackberries for wine-making toward the middle of August.

Aside from the tame raspberries, it looks like my blueberries are finally beginning to ripen and my garden is starting to produce. I picked five zucchini this morning...along with the male squash blossoms. I also picked my first cucumber. I really should go out and pick the sugarsnap peas but I think they can wait until tomorrow. I'll have to start picking and canning green beans soon too. Tomatoes? They're still green but that's no big surprise.

#1 Son has gone back to The Big City. I made him some squash blossoms for breakfast. That's not why he left. He happens to like fried squash blossoms...so do I. He's got to get back to The Big City because he's got classes and work. Besides, he finished up his laundry.

Murphyism of the Day

Napolean's Observation

Rascality has limits; stupidity has not.

Noteworthy Quote of the Day

Deeds, not stones, are the true monuments of the great.

- John L. Motley (1814 - 1877)

A Full Moon at The Lake

Word of the Day

Intertwingle - To mingle and intertwine with others.

#1 Son got to The Lake at around 6:30 PM. I cooked up the fish that I'd planned to make the previous night. I was a bit scared that the bass would have that gamey taste that they get when the weather and the water temperature in the lake gets warmer. They didn't. The fish was wonderful! Delicious! I guess it's still safe to catch and eat bass. Most fisherman believe in catch and release when it comes to bass but I really love walleye. Huh? I went to a meeting last summer where a DNR guy was speaking about the different types of fish in the lakes around here. He recommended that if we want to encourage the walleye population in the lake, we need to start decreasing the number of bass in the lake. Bass hatchlings hatch out earlier than walleye hatchlings. Bass hatchlings eat the walleye eggs before they can hatch out. Thus, if you want walleye, you need to stop it with the catch and release. However, talking to a guy in a boat near my dock the other day, I discovered that this bass fisherman and his buddy didn't like the taste of bass. He just likes catching them. They call it sport. Me? Waste not, want not.

On that theme (waste not, want not), I cooked up another batch of crayfish this morning. HTP is going to complain about the smell again but it's better to boil these critters up while I can have the door to our deck open. Yesterday morning when I boiled up the crayfish, I couldn't open the door to the deck because it was already too humid outside. The dew point isn't as high this morning. Maybe the crayfish smell will dissipate better this morning. I gave my Mom some of the catch yesterday. Sis will have to wait until I can get some fresh bait for my traps if she wants some of my crayfish...of course, she does have her own traps but I think the time she found a water snake in one of her traps put her off catching mudbugs for a while. I only got enough crayfish this morning for on pot of boiling water. I'll clean these up after breakfast.

There was a full moon last night. I appreciated this fact when Gypsy headed up the driveway at around 10 PM on our nightly "walk". I don't know why she insists on heading up the hill and into the dark but...she does. Of course, she can see just fine. Me? Not so much. I need a flashlight and I'm not too sure what we may find up the road, in the dark. Bears and coyotes? Armed with a flashlight, the only thing I could do if we encountered either is RUN! My brave Gypsy would probably trip me in an attempt to hide between my legs. She's scared of squirrels....and they know it too. Poor baby. I really should start walking Gypsy on leash at night so she doesn't head off up the hill. However, last night, the moon was so bright, I followed Gypsy up the road a bit...sans flashlight....sans leash. It was weird to be able to see so well and...best of all...for some reason the mosquitoes never found me. It was a really nice night for a walk, perfect...but, in the back of my mind, the persistent thought that there may be bears, coyotes, and even wolves out prowling in the night, drove us back inside.

Murphyism of the Day

Potter's Law

A rumor doesn't gain credence until it's officially denied.

Noteworthy Quote of the Day

Trying to determine what is going on in the world by reading newspapers is like trying to tell the time by watching the second hand of a clock.

- Ben Hecht (1893 - 1964)

There's This Huge Brush Pile Near the Dock - And Two of the Same Size Not Shown in Picture - Bonfire?

Word of the Day

Interrobang (!?)- A combination of a question mark and an exclamation point or the appearance of both right next to each other.

This weekend is going to be crazy on the lake. It's the annual Bluegill Festival. There are lots of planned activities going on this weekend in our little town, closest to The Lake. They'll even have a parade. I imagine the lake will be churning. I'm glad I went out and enjoyed some fishing off the dock yesterday after breakfast because there will be no fishing this weekend, not with all the churning and darting boats and jet-skis. #1 Son planned to come home this weekend and bring some of his friends but he called last night to tell us that it'll only be him coming. Maybe he and HTP can take care of burning some of the brush in the brush pile? Dare I hope?

I caught two really nice smallmouth bass off the dock yesterday. For the most part, I fish off the dock, not in the boat. I only go out in the boat if HTP is with me...or #1 Son. However, fishing off the dock isn't all that bad, witness that I caught two nice bass. Keepers. Actually, I caught four nice bass but two were under the legal size limit. Though a bit too small, I still needed to use the net to bring them in...or risk breaking my line. I also caught some nice bluegill so I'd planned on making fish for supper. I've got them all cleaned and ready but neither HTP or I were hungry last night so we'll have them tonight...or I'll freeze them for a future meal.

Having caught and cleaned fish, I baited my crayfish traps. Wow! I had so many crayfish this morning in the traps that they were spilling out of the bucket and escaping. I boiled up two pots of crayfish...the most I've caught this summer. It looks like I'll be spending the morning, after breakfast, and into the afternoon, cleaning crayfish. Maybe I'll see if my Mom wants some....or Sis? Since I reset my traps, I expect that I'll have more crayfish to boil up tomorrow morning, though not nearly as many as I encountered this morning. I've got a block of cream cheese in the fridge. I'm really looking forward to noshing on my crayfish appetizer. A meal in itself.

Murphyism of the Day

The Rule of Law

Never make a major policy change based on a close vote.

Noteworthy Quote of the Day

I like work: it fascinates me. I can sit and look at it for hours.

- Jerome K. Jerome (1859 - 1927)

My Tame Raspberries are Getting Ripe

Word of the Day

Internet leech - A person who uses only free AOL trial disks to access the Internet, without ever paying for it.

Although we did get a spit of rain yesterday, there wasn't enough to measure. I wish someone would take that umbrella down. I'm going to have to water my garden and my lawn if we don't get any of today's promised rain. It is overcast, so maybe.

In the meantime, I took down all my hummingbird feeders and using this neat new brush, cleaned them, sparkling clean, and then refilled them with fresh nectar. The hummingbirds have returned in mass, diving and swooping....real aerial battles out there on my deck.

I finally found a use for all the egg yolks that I've been discarding every morning when I cook up our egg white omelets. My sister found a cookie recipe that calls for egg yolks. Of course, I can't actually receive a recipe and then not alter it to my own specifications. That's a me thing. I used the basic recipe which Sis clipped out of the newspaper....but HTP prefers almond extract to vanilla. I didn't have any cream of tartar so...I left it out. I had eight egg yolks, not six. Oh...and because I like my cookies a bit softer....I used butter-flavored shortening instead of butter. I did use sugar but...next time?...I may use a sugar substitute. And then....HTP asked me, "Isn't there a reason that you carefully separate the eggs and toss out the yolks?" *sigh* He's right. There is a a reason that HTP and I don't eat the egg yolks but I really hate to waste them. Besides, this recipe made five dozen cookies...worst case, four dozen. That means that there are only two egg yolks per dozen cookies....doing the math...that means that each cookie has 1/6th of an egg yolk. As long as I don't sit down an eat a dozen cookies in a day, that's not a whole heck of a lot of egg yolks per serving. However, I am going to have to look into turning this into a sugarfree cookie. I already ate three cookies with my coffee this morning. Hey! They're really good! But...that's all I ate for breakfast so I don't think anyone needs to send for the diet police.

However, I may munch on the raspberries that I picked yesterday. Later. Maybe with lunch. I ended up with at least a pint. I noted on Gypsy and my morning perimeter check that picking raspberries may become a daily thing. When I picked yesterday, I picked even the raspberries with just a tinge of pink. They ripened on the countertop overnight. There's lots more pink berries today but...I'll wait and pick again tomorrow...even though I'm risking the birds and the chipmunks getting to them before I can.

Murphyism of the Day

Shaw's Political Principle

A government that robs Peter to pay Paul can always depend on the support of Paul.

Noteworthy Quote of the Day

All human situations have their inconveniences. We feel those of the present but neither see nor feel those of the future; and hence we often make troublesome changes without amendment, and frequently for the worse.

- Benjamin Franklin (1706 - 1790)

We Need to Buy and Wash More Bottles Than Last Year?! We're going to need more countertop space too!

Word of the Day

Intenternet - What the Internet was intended to be.

We're getting rain! At least....I hope we get some measurable rain. Unfortunately, it seems like we live in an area where an umbrella forms over our heads and the clouds part, proceeding on their way North and South of us and then as soon as they pass us, reform and dump on our neighbors to the East. Of course, some would say that this is a good thing. We haven't had any "race to the basement" moments. We've had enough rain to keep the wild berries happy but no hail to damage my garden. And, I've only had to do the sprinkler dance once this summer. But...I do love a good storm, especially at night.

The deerfly have returned to The Lake. I can't go outside without a hat...ever...even on Gypsy and my perimeter checks in the morning. I'll be spending the rest of the summer with hat hair. I'll also have to keep a sharp eye for the sneaky ankle and elbow biters that zoom in under the radar and blind-side you. One deerfly managed to bite Gypsy yesterday. It got her before she noticed. They're sneaky that way. I swatted it for her because she could reach but it had already done its thing. I hate deerfly! Nasty things. Even though it's starting to get hot outside, I'm reluctant to go outside in shorts, sandals, or sleeveless shirts. I don't welt up from mosquito bites anymore ( built up immunity from years of bites?), but I REALLY welt up with deerfly bites and end up with multiple sores for each bite even though I don't scratch the bites. I must be allergic. Actually, the stupid tick bites end up driving me itchy insane and welting up too but at least I don't get the sores that take so long to heal up. Since Sis and Mom both seem to have the same problem as I have with deerfly bites, I imagine it's some kind of allergic reaction.

Oh well...enough whining. It's better to make and drink wine than spend too much time inserting an "h" into the word. Today will be a good day to clean the kitchen and do the indoor things I've been putting off because I'd rather do outdoor things.

Murphyism of the Day

Inge's Axiom

It is useless for sheep to pass resolutions in favor of vegetarianism while wolves remain of a different opinion.

Noteworthy Quote of the Day

Would those of you in the cheaper seats clap your hands? And the rest of you, if you'll just rattle your jewelry.

- John Lennon (1940 - 1980)

Vintage 2007 - Ummmmm....I'm thinking double....I may need a bigger table for 2008 Vintage

Word of the Day

Integritous - Characterized by integrity.

Wood Tick Count - 40

Yesterday was a wine day. Sis and I spent a couple of hours hiking in the woods and picked enough wild gooseberries, added with the wild gooseberries that I picked on the 4th of July, and the black currants that we also picked, to start a batch (4 times the recipe) of Prickly Gooseberry Wine. We're hoping that we'll end up duplicating the quality of sparkling wine that we hit upon for our 2007 vintage. Aside from picking the black currants to add to our Prickly Gooseberry Wine 2008, we also picked enough red currants to start a batch of Currant Wine. Not stopping there, we strained the Strawberry Wine (got rid of the pulp and must), and then blended two gallons of it with a couple of gallons of the Rhubarb Wine that we've been brewing. We air-locked four gallons of our new Rhubarb/Strawberry Wine, leaving 2 1/2 gallons of Strawberry Wine. So...this summer, Sis and I are making lots more wine than we made last summer. I guess we'd better start thinking about getting some bottles. Lots of bottles. Dandelion Wine. Rhubarb Wine. Currant Wine. Strawberry Wine. Rhubarb/Strawberry Wine. Prickly Gooseberry Wine.

And the blackberries look like they'll be good this year....knock on wood. But that will have to wait until August. In the meantime, it looks like the wild raspberries are starting to get ripe. I'll have to start picking in a few days. I should have figured that they'd be getting ripe soon since I picked the first of my own tame raspberries....enjoyed the handful for breakfast. The summer is heating up and it looks like I'm going to be kept really busy from now until Fall.

Murphyism of the Day

Kamin's Law

When attempting to predict and forecast macroeconomic moves of economic legislation by a politician, never be misled by what he says; instead - watch what he does.

Noteworthy Quote of the Day

Hell is full of musical amateurs.

- George Bernard Shaw (1856 - 1950)

The Swing at The Lake - Picture taken in 2004....Blink and you'd swear it was 2008.


Word of the Day

Intaxication - Euphoria at getting a refund from the IRS, which lasts until one realizes it was one's own money to start with.

Beautiful! The weather perfect! These were my thoughts as I sat on the swing in my backyard, playing with Gypsy. Cool, but not so cool that I really needed the sweatshirt that I'd just taken off. Breezy. Just enough breeze to counteract the afternoon sun and keep the mosquitoes at bay. Perfect. Are you waiting for a "but" phrase? Sorry. There won't be one. If there would be more days here at The Lake just like yesterday, we'd be over-run with people wanting to live here. Thankfully, this isn't the case. I was able to enjoy the perfect silence of Nature....which really isn't all that silent when one comes to think of it. The leaves rustling and the branches creaking in the wind. The birds singing. The splash of the water against the shore and the added splash of the fish creating rings within rings as they leap here and there in the lake. Yesterday was beautiful and it looks like today may be beautiful too. I hope I didn't just jinx things.

Murphyism of the Day

Law of Governmental Self-Fulfillment

The more money spent on the feasiblility study, the more feasible the project.

Noteworthy Quote of the Day

Finance is the art of passing money from hand to hand until it finally disappears.

- Robert W. Sarnoff

Blueberry Hill - Picture taken in 2007....Blink and you'd swear it was 2008.

Word of the Day

Insufferior - to feel inferior or insufficient.

I picked a little more than a fistful of ripening raspberries from my tame bushes. They're starting. It looks like I'm going to get a plentiful crop for jam making and breakfast munching. The bushes are becoming so dense that it's hard to thrash myself close enough to pick.

My blueberries remain stubbornly green. As for the Juneberries? I've decided to abandon any thought of making Juneberry Wine. The birds are eating the berries faster than I can pick them and the amount that I do pick doesn't measure up to nearly enough to make wine...even if I combine them with blueberries. I might as well just make Blueberry Wine but I never can get enough blueberries from Blueberry Hill to even make a blueberry pie. However, HTP found a place where they have U-Pick blueberries. It does look like I'll be getting more blueberries from my own bushes this year. I've got them covered with netting so maybe I can get to them before the squirrels and birds do.

In the meantime, Sis and I are going to have to pick gooseberries tomorrow and we'll have the added task of picking currants tomorrow as well. They're ripe....at least mostly. The birds are starting to notice this fact but I think we can wait one more day...I think. We'll making the Gooseberry Wine tomorrow. I'll have to thaw out the gooseberries I've already got frozen. From the looks of things, we'll be able to start our Currant Wine tomorrow too. I just hope that we'll get enough black currants. They seem to be ripening at a slower pace than the red currants.

Murphyism of the Day

Glabraith's Law of Politics

Anyone who says he isn't going to resign, four times, definitely will.

Noteworthy Quote of the Day

To find fulfillment...don't exist with life - embrace it.

- Jim Beggs

My Flower Garden - Picture taken in 2007....Blink and you'd swear it was 2008.

Word of the Day

Inspectigate - To investigate closely with the intensity of an inspection.

We're back! OK...we weren't really gone all that long. The wedding was...a wedding. The only people HTP and I knew were the bride, the bride's parents, and about six other relatives. HTP's side of the family. It was nice to see the relatives, the bride, and the bride's parents and meet the groom and the groom's family. They accounted for about 1/20th of the people that were in attendance...maybe less. Anyway, it was a nice ceremony. I remember the bride as a two year old toddler when HTP and I were first married at a gathering at HTP's folks' place. The bride's parents are actually HTP's Aunt and Uncle...Uncle B isn't all that much older than HTP. Uncle B and HTP could pass as siblings rather than Uncle B to Nephew HTP. We also got to see HTP's cousin (with the same name as #1 Son) who we haven't seen in years...actually...I don't think I ever met him. You could sure see a family resemblance. He looked a lot like bit younger version of HTP. We got to visit with two more of HTP's Aunts...other than the Mother of the Bride...and another Uncle...other than the Father of the Bride...and another of HTP's cousins who we hadn't seen since we'd been to California with the kids visiting Sea World. A really long time ago! Anyway, even though HTP and I didn't know the majority of the guests at the wedding, it was nice visiting with the people we did know. Worth a trip to The Big City.

However, it was really nice to get home. Gypsy was thrilled to see me. You'd think my folks had been torturing her or keeping her in solitary confinement. I know better. They spoil her rotten. On the other hand, it was heart-warming to see her enthusiastic welcome. We were concerned because a rather nasty line of thunderstorms had not only blown through The Big City but had marched across the state and over The Lake area. It really looked bad on radar. Thankfully, we only added another .56 inches of rain to the rain gauge. No damage. It took a while to bilge the boat and some of the plants in my garden look a bit beaten down but no damage.

My tame raspberries are starting to ripen. I mentioned that I thought I saw one ripe berry before I left...yesterday. I have to keep reminding myself that we weren't gone all that long...just long enough to attend the wedding, the reception, an overnight, and then watch a movie (Hellboy II.....I liked it but.....). But in just that amount of time, I've got peas and beans forming, I've got raspberries ripening, and I'd better get out and pick the Juneberries before the birds get them all....oh...and I need to stir the Strawberry Wine again. Only and overnight and I had to water those dang zucchini in the Earthboxes again. However, I do have a zucchini forming....4 inches long.

Tomorrow? I need HTP to make some Sugarfree Strawberry Jam labels. I've got 18 jars of jam sitting on my countertop taking up space. I can't store them away until they've got labels.

Murphyism of the Day

Primary Political Corollary

A good slogan beats a good solution.

Noteworthy Quote of the Day

A person reveals his character by nothing so clearly as the joke he resents.

Georg Christoph Lichtenberg (1742 - 1799)

My Domesticated Raspberries - June 2007 (Everything is ripening about two weeks later than previous years)

Word of the Day

Insparation - Thinking up a great idea while sitting in a spa or sauna.

HTP and I won't be leaving The Lake for The Big City until sometime after breakfast. His cousin's wedding in The Big City isn't until late afternoon. Plenty of time to wash and style my hair, drop Gypsy off at my folks' place and blog. I even may be able to blog tomorrow night after we get home. Maybe.

MC Daughter called last night (actually, early this morning but that's OK because I was getting worried and it was good to hear from her). She called to let us know that despite some alternator problems with D Buddy's truck (alternator was brand new and had a warranty), they were able to get the repairs done and continue on their way to Kentucky. The call was to let me know that they'd arrived at their destination safe and sound...a bit later than intended due to rush hour traffic in Chicago and some other traffic tie-ups. I was afraid that they'd run into some heavy weather. There were some really bad storms crossing their drive path yesterday. We even got over a half inch of rain. I enjoyed the Nature's fireworks a lot more because I knew that MC Daughter and D Buddy were safe.

We got over an inch of rain out of last night's storm. I guess I should drag out the lawn sprinkler more often. It started to rain before the lawn tractor sprinkler had barely finished it's task and HTP packed it up. It took a long time to bilge all that rain water out of the boat this morning. We really needed the rain. On the other hand, it doesn't seem to matter how much rain we get when it comes to my Earthboxes...at least the one with the zucchini. Zucchini are REALLY thirst plants. I may have to set up a timer system if HTP and I have to leave town for more than a night. I don't dare skip a day. I almost lost them the other day. They looked like dishrags attached to the top of stalks. Thankfully, they recovered but I don't want to test it. Sis and I noted that the new directions for planting zucchini state that you should only plant four zucchini per Earthbox. Unfortunately, I used the old directions which stated that you should plant six zucchini per box. I'm beginning to think that it isn't a space issue that made them change the directions. It's the fact that you end up having to fill the water reservoir so often (daily to twice daily) when you have six thirsty zucchini sipping out of one water reservoir. Sis only planted four zucchini in her Earthbox and doesn't seem to be having the same problems as I'm encountering. Of course, her yard is a lot shadier than mine. My deck (where I have my Earthboxes) gets really hot during the summer months. No shade at all...except in the early morning.

I noticed that I have my first ripe raspberry on my tame raspberries by the side of the house. I didn't pick it...yet. I didn't want to wade through the bushes to pick just a single berry...not this morning. I need to be wearing berry picking clothes to do that. And a hat to ward off the deerfly. I'll worry about taking a closer look at the raspberries on Sunday. Maybe there will be more raspberries ripening by then.

Murphyism of the Day

Syrus's Leadership Principle

Anyone can hold the helm when the sea is calm.

Noteworthy Quote of the Day

Be courteous, be obliging, but don't give yourself over to be melted down for the benefit of the tallow trade.

- George Eliot (1819 - 1880)

Sitting on the Deck with Gypsy - July 2008

Word of the Day

Insinnuendo - 1. An innuendo that has been insinuated, or suggested. 2. To insinuate an innuendo about something.

Wood Tick Count - 38

Sis and I went out to get some watercress yesterday after the MC Daughter and D Buddy left. Thus...the two wood ticks. I can't seem to go out in the woods without bringing a few back with me.

We were supposed to go out and pick gooseberries today but first we stopped at a garage sale where I picked up a really nice stroller and a child gate and a nice high chair and some crib bedding...but no crib mattress (still looking for that item) and then we went shopping for wine supplies and groceries and by then it had started to rain so...we'll go out gooseberry picking on Monday. Why? Because Sis has doings this weekend and so do HTP and me. As a matter of fact, HTP and I are heading to The Big City on Friday for the wedding of one of HTP's cousins. We won't be back until Saturday night so Gypsy gets to go over and visit with my folks while we're gone. As usual...since I doubt we plan to bring our computer for just an overnight....I probably won't be able to blog again until Sunday.

In the meantime, I need to get the rest of my sugarfree jam cooked up. I'm blogging as the jars are being washed and sterilized in the dishwasher. At least I should be safe from any additional wood ticks here inside the house. I hope.

Murphyism of the Day

Podnos's Law

One is tolerant only of that which does not concern him.

Noteworthy Quote of the Day

Forsake not an old friend; for the new is not comparable to him: a new friend is as new wine; when it is old, thou shalt drink it with pleasure.

- Bible

A Blue Heron Fishing Off My Dock - July 2008


Word of the Day

Inscape - To escape into one's self; to escape inwardly.

I haven't been spending too much time hiking. MC Daughter and D Buddy are going to be heading off to new adventures (pulling out and hitting the open road) in a matter of hours, so I decided to stick closer to home today. For the most part, they're doing laundry and packing today so....me? I decided to haul the lawn-sprinkler tractor out of the garage, lay track (hose) and water the lawn. The grass in our yard is getting pretty crisp. We haven't had any measurable rain since when I went to New York. We need rain! Anyway, watering the lawn with the my lawn-sprinkler tractor isn't something that I need to keep too close an eye on...unless it jumps the track but...with no real close neighbors, even if it does jump the track, it won't be causing problems in someone else's yard.

D Buddy and MC Daughter stopped over to visit Sis yesterday. They picked up the two fermentation buckets of Rhubarb Wine that Sis had over at her place and brought them over here. I added gelatin to the buckets and then installed the air-locks. D Buddy took one of the buckets down to my basement to age. The other one is up in my living room next the bucket of Strawberry Wine that is bubbling away. As soon as I've strained the must out of the Strawberry Wine, Sis and I will blend a couple of gallons of the Strawberry Wine with a couple of gallons of the Rhubarb Wine before taking everything down to the basement to age.

MC Daughter and D Buddy set off some fountains (fireworks) last night in our driveway. They were just some fountains that #1 Son had out in the garage. Nothing huge. I love the little fountains. They don't cost nearly as much as the artillery shells that #1 Son loves to set off from out dock. They last longer too. More "bang" for your buck and all that. I wonder if I can talk #1 Son into buying some more fountains at the Fireworks store next time he comes to visit. It was nice standing outside in the driveway last night with D Buddy and MC Daughter as they set off the fountains. Pretty.

Murphyism of the Day

Lawrence's Law

A diplomat is someone who can tell you to go to hell in such a way that you will look forward to the trip.

Noteworthy Quote of the Day

It is only the great men who are truly obscene. If they had not dared to be obscene, they could never have dared to be great.

- Havelock Ellis (1859 - 1939)

My Peonies Needed Support - June 2008

Word of the Day

Inoculatte - To take coffee intravenously when one is running late.

I removed all the dead and dying blossoms from my peonies and removed their supports. I also removed all the dead blossom stalks from my iris. Both are all done blooming for this year. I was pleased to get a red blossom on the new peonies that I planted last Fall. I'm going to have to move my iris. They're getting choked out by the Mugho pines. The roots are going to rot if I don't move them. I'm afraid they're already starting to rot. Move 'em or lose 'em. I also noted that I've got some dwarf daylilies coming up where I don't want them. They seeded themselves. I want to move the volunteers to some of the bare areas along our driveway....and maybe up onto the hill by the garage.

This morning I added the yeast to the fermentation bucket of my Strawberry Wine. Sis thinks that we should blend a gallon of it the Strawberry Wine with a gallon of our Rhubarb Wine. Rhubarb/Strawberry Wine sounds interesting. We'll play with it on Wednesday? Sis and I will go into the city Wednesday to pick up more wine-making supplies. We're out of airlocks and we could use more fermentation buckets. However, for the smaller batches of wine, I have five one gallon jugs that I can use. Balloons work fine as an airlock on the gallon jugs. That's what I use in Arizona for my Pomegranate Wine and my Prickly Pear Wine.

D Buddy and MC Daughter have decided to spend one more day here at The Lake. The weather is great! A bit warm and sticky but it's not so windy today. Maybe we'll go out fishing. However, they do plan to pack their cars today/night so they'll be all ready to go on Wednesday afternoon. And they want to wash up some laundry too. I offered to do their stuff with mine but MC Daughter told me that they don't have much more than a couple of loads which can wait until tonight.

Murphyism of the Day

Fourth Rule of the Political Pollsters

When too close to call, be surprised at your own strength.

Noteworthy Quote of the Day

I bought a cactus. A week later it died. And I got depressed, because I thought, Damn. I am less nurturing than a desert.

- Demetri Martin

I KNOW that I've got to cover the blueberry bushes! Stop bugging me! I'm busy!

Word of the Day

Infotainjugal - Describing salacious material presented on mass media as informational and consumed as entertainment by its audience.

Strawberry Fields Forever. OK. Not forever but.... D Buddy, MC Daughter and I all left the house this morning EARLY so we could drive to a strawberry farm near the city....about 20 minutes away from The Lake. Our plan was to pick enough strawberries for me to make LOTS of strawberry jam, both sugarfree and regular. We picked eight baskets of strawberries at around $6.00 per basket. I delivered one basket to Sis, per her request and started work on making jam after I'd returned to The Lake. I made two batches of regular strawberry jam and one batch of sugarfree strawberry jam. I prepped and froze strawberries for two more batches of sugarfree strawberry jam. At this point, my thoughts returned to wine-making ideas. In the past, I've always made strawberry liqueur. However, I still have quite a bit of strawberry schnapps (homemade) from last summer...so I really don't need to make any more this summer. Anyway, I found a recipe on the Internet for Strawberry Wine. I figured....Why not? I hadn't planned to make a whole lot of it but....oops! Looks like I'm going to make a huge batch of it. I made a mistake. Doubled the amount of sugar that the recipe called for and so to correct the error, I had to double the amount of strawberries and water that the recipe called for. *sigh* I sure hope I like Strawberry Wine.....fruit of the vine? Anyway, I still have enough berries leftover to prep for one more batch of sugarfree strawberry jam. I can't remember how many batches of sugarfree strawberry jam I made last summer but I think that four batches will be plenty...especially since I plan to make some sugarfree rhubarb/strawberry jam and some sugarfree wild raspberry jam....and maybe even some sugarfree raspberry jam. We'll have LOTS of sugarfree jam to use this winter in Arizona.

MC Daughter is making homemade calzones for supper tonight. Yummy! I think that this will the last supper MC Daughter will be making here for a while. D Buddy and MC Daughter plan to hit the road some time tomorrow.

Murphyism of the Day

Third Rule of the Political Pollsters

When the polls are slightly unfavorable, play for sympathy as a struggling underdog.

Noteworthy Quote of the Day

Anyone who works is a fool. I don't work - I merely inflict myself upon the public.

- Robert Morley

Tick and Burr Magnet - June 2008

Word of the Day

Infomoron - An infomercial stand-in specialized in the task of showing the audience just how difficult commonplace tools or equipment can be to use, giving them ample reason to buy the new product.

Wood Tick Count - 36

It's going to be hot and sticky today. Summer has arrived. The deerflies have returned as well as the midges. For some reason the midges seem to like to die at my doorstep, leaving drifts of the little creatures that need to be swept off the front steps or you end up tracking them throughout the house.

I actually picked and cleaned some radishes from my garden yesterday. Radishes are one thing that I have a really difficult time growing here at The Lake. I don't know if it's our climate, the acidity of the soil, or too much nitrogen, or what. I just haven't been able to grow radishes. Half of the seed that I planted (granted that it was REALLY old seed) didn't produce anything but green tops. However, I did end up with a little over a dozen radishes. So...this morning, when I was out picking lettuce, I planted another row of radishes (same REALLY old seed). We'll see what comes up.

I'm boiling up another batch of crayfish this morning. We all really enjoyed the crayfish appetizer that Sis and I served yesterday at our family get-together. Crayfish meat on a bed of cream cheese, a drizzle of cocktail sauce over the whole and just a squeeze of lemon. Of course, MC Daughter didn't eat any...she's really weirded out about eating anything that looks kind of like a big bug. I don't think she appreciated the fact that I had a bucket (covered) of live crayfish sitting in the kitchen sink this morning. They were all squidgling about in the bucket while she was pouring her morning coffee. Hey! I had to put them somewhere while I was waiting for the water to come up to a boil. It's not like she had to see them or anything. The bucket was covered...to prevent escapees from wandering around the kitchen. Believe me...that HAS happened, even with a covered bucket.

I really should go out and pick some more gooseberries some time today. It's just that I don't really look forward to adding to my wood tick count. Maybe I'll hold off so I can spend more time with MC Daughter and D Buddy. They'll be hitting the road, heading off toward new beginnings and adventures on Tuesday of next week. It's going to be really quiet here after they're gone.

Murphyism of the Day

Second Rule of the Political Pollsters

When the polls are overwhelmingly unfavorable,(a)ridicule and dismiss them; or(b)stress the volatility of public opinion.

Noteworthy Quote of the Day

The universal brotherhood of man is our most precious possession.

- Mark Twain (1835 - 1910)

Get-together at Sis' Place - May 2008

Word of the Day

Inflaminate - The instant reaction of something setting on fire.

Woodtick Count - 36

My brother and his family are here at The Lake. They arrived at their cabin after dark last night. Unfortunately, they found that they couldn't get their water running until this morning. Thankfully, they were able to borrow water from my folks' place to tide them over until the plumber got here early this morning to fix things. The nice thing about living here at The Lake is that the plumber will actually come out to fix things when you find yourself in an emergency situation. I can't say that I'd find similar results in any other place that I've lived.

I got a call early this morning. We all thought it would be nice if we could all get together for a family meal this afternoon. Mom called me. Mom called Sis. Sis called me. We're throwing together a potluck-type meal at Sis' house. Sis and I worked out a meal menu. I made angel food cake. MC Daughter cut up and sugared the strawberries. I took the Cool Whip out of the freezer. Sis has pulled pork. I have some riblets. BBQ. MC Daughter mixed up the coleslaw. I've got a list. D Buddy just needs to go out and get some buns and some ice for the beer/beverage cooler. We're good to go.

I picked and cleaned 3 1/2 quarts of prickly gooseberries yesterday afternoon. The mosquitoes were so thick, I was afraid to open my mouth (the only part of my body that I hadn't sprayed with mosquito repellent). Too bad the ticks weren't scared off by all the repellent. HTP had to dig one out of my back this morning. The others I was able to take care of myself....yesterday. The one that HTP dug out of my back went onto today's woodtick count. Hopefully, as I don't intend to pick any more gooseberries today, I won't find any more of the little buggers until maybe tomorrow or the next day.

The burrs are starting to find their way into poor Gypsy's coat. I've had to make a nightly check of her feet and ears, combing out the little burrs so they don't get even more tangled into her ears and in the hair between her toes. These burrs aren't the huge prickly kind. They're more like little Velcro beads...the size of a small BB. I hate to even think about the bigger burrs or those sticky half moon seeds that cling to everything later toward Fall. Gypsy is going to have to get used to all these grooming sessions. She's not fond of the comb but there just isn't any other way to get the burrs out.

Murphyism of the Day

First Rule of the Political Pollsters

When the polls are in your favor, flaunt them.

Noteworthy Quote of the Day

To want to be what one can be is purpose in life.

- Cynthia Ozick

The Dog That Bit Me - July 3, 2008


Sweet Justice - July 3, 2008


Cleaning Fish Can Be a Messy Business - Cleaning Fish at Sis' House: Summer 2007

Word of the Day

Infinition - An infinite process of defining something that cannot be fully or precisely defined; an endless list of possible definitions.

Woodtick Count - 35 (After I picked the gooseberries this afternoon.)


Happy


4th of July


Everyone!


We didn't eat supper last night until a fashionably late hour. 9 PM? Wow! Actually, it makes sense when you consider that we all went out in the boat...fishing. MC Daughter caught an ENORMOUS Dogfish. HUGE! Over two feet long. Heavy! Actually, dogfish are kind of fun to catch. The really fight! She had a hard time reeling him in close to the boat so I could net him. And then.... OK. I know better than to stick my fingers into a fish's mouth. I really do. I've been fishing since I was two years old. Only, I stuck my thumb into this dogfish's mouth and CHOMP! Wow! Who knew that dogfish can bite so hard? Pike bite! Even bluegill bite...a little. Bass bite, but not too bad. I wouldn't put my finger into a walleye's mouth. I guess the issue of putting my finger into a dogfish's mouth never came up before. It took constant pressure and a goodly amount of time to stop the bleeding. We remained out in the boat, despite my injury but eventually stopped at the dock so I could run up and bandage my poor thumb. What about the dogfish? I called my Mom and asked her if she wanted it. She did. The dogfish was the first fish I cleaned last night. I felt a certain amount of justice was done when I decapitated the dang thing. Mom plans to make Pickled Dogfish.

Aside from the dogfish, we caught a goodly amount of bluegill...and I caught two nice bass. A largemouth bass and a smallmouth bass. Poor D Buddy ended up having to dig a hole in our rocky soil so I could bury the remains. Normally, I freeze the remains and dispose of them on garbage night but I just don't have much freezer space right now. The remains of the dogfish and the bass had to be buried. I used the remains of the bluegill to re-bait my crayfish traps.

I boiled up a mess of crayfish yesterday that I'd caught in my crayfish traps which I'd baited a few days ago. I suspect I'll find even more of the little mudbugs in my traps when I go down to the dock after breakfast. Over the years, I've found that my shoreline here at The Lake has an abundant supply of crayfish. This is probably why we have so many bass on this shore. LOTS of bass. I figure that if I can keep down the population a bit, maybe we'd get a few more panfish moving in. I normally use the cooked crayfish that I've cleaned as an appetizer. Taste just like shrimp. Cocktail shrimp. They may be small but they're tasty.

Anyway, it took a while to get all the fish cleaned, my finger re-bandaged (cleaning fish and bandages don't mix) and then I had to get the kitchen cleaned up before we could sit down for supper. MC Daughter refused to even enter the kitchen before I removed every bit of evidence from the my fish cleaning...hence the 9 PM supper time. HTP turned on some soothing background music and we all sat down to some wonderful BBQ pork sandwiches with a Tator Tot side. I know that I should have made coleslaw but....I forgot. I'll make it for tonight's supper. Hamburgers on the grill.

Murphyism of the Day

Abourezk's Laws of Politics

1. Don't worry about your enemies. It's your allies who will do you in.

2. The bigger the appropriations bill, the shorter the debate.

3. If you want to curry favor with a politician, give him credit for something that someone else did.

Noteworthy Quote of the Day

If you want to be free, there is but one way; it is to guarantee an equally full measure of liberty to all your neighbors. There is no other.

- Carl Schurz (1829 - 1906)

A View of Blueberry Hill - June 2008

Word of the Day

Ineptiphobia - An abnormal fear of being inept.

One of my friends just wished everyone a Happy 4th of July in the subject area of her post. I totally panicked! What?! Today?! I calmed down after I read her post. I hadn't lost track of time. Tomorrow is the 4th of July. We'll enjoy a nice supper tomorrow night and after dark watch fireworks from our deck. D Buddy is going to set off a few fireworks off the end of the dock. Lighting up the night sky. Last year, D Buddy and #1 Son lit up the night sky. #1 Son won't be able to join us this year to celebrate the 4th of July. *sigh* Maybe next year. The town is going to have their firework display on Saturday....the 5th of July. Our little community here at The Lake depends upon their weekend visitors during the summer in order to make ends meet. It just makes sense to wait until all the weekenders are here in order to have the big fireworks show.

MC Daughter made stuffed chicken Parmesan last night for supper. She baked a foccacia bread to go with it. My folks joined us for the feast. It was nice to sit out on the deck last night (despite the mosquitoes) and chat. I only have four chairs for my round table on the deck but we dragged one of the rockers over to the table and MC Daughter brought out one of the kitchen chairs. We all sat outside chatting and watched the sun go down as we polished off hot fudge sundaes for dessert.

I wonder how the fishing was last night. D Buddy and MC Daughter went out fishing after my folks left. They were using the new lighted bobbers that I picked up while I was in town yesterday...getting the mail. I could see the bobbers glowing from up on the deck so at least I know that the bobbers work. I hope the nightcrawlers were doing their job too.

I'm really going to have to empty the crayfish traps today. Time to boil up some mudbugs. At least, I hope there's still some crayfish in the traps. I didn't have time to take care of them yesterday. Too busy trying to stay out of MC Daughter's way as she cooked up a storm in my kitchen. I didn't think she'd appreciate a pot of boiling water filled with crayfish in the kitchen at the same time that she was trying to make stuffed chicken Parmesan. She's not a crayfish fan. Come to think of it...she doesn't like any fish or seafood....except tuna.

It's a lot cooler outside today. Yesterday was hazy and humid. Thank goodness for air-conditioning. This morning, I had to put on a sweatshirt when I took Gypsy outside for our morning perimeter check. Last night Gypsy discovered a painted turtle that had wandered into our backyard and became all bothered. My Mom got to hear Gypsy bark. Yes, Gypsy has found her voice and has decided to use it to alert anyone who will listen that something is "weird" and she doesn't like it. First the cats, then The Bringer of Cats (MC Daughter), the grey squirrel she finally saw one time when it was stealing seeds from my feeder, and now...a painted turtle. I picked up the painted turtle so Gypsy could get a better look. The turtle was licked....cautiously...but Gypsy still remained on alert, following it three feet into the woods after I released the poor thing.

Murphyism of the Day

If you want to make enemies, try to change something.

Noteworthy Quote of the Day

Some things have to be believed to be seen.

- Ralph Hodgson