April 13, 2022

Yesteryear
One year ago today: April 13, 2021, the shed turns one.
Five years ago today: April 13, 2017, that boat never floated.
Nine years ago today: April 13, 2013, Savannah, Georgia.
Random years ago today: April 13, 2015, Pete, the cactus.

           There’s lots I should have got done today, but screw it. I sat around and played gardener. I used the last of the potting soil to transfer some of the marigolds, since the leftover seeds I threw near the cactus plants grew just as well as the ones in the near perfect planter environment. There’s good news for those who’ve been following along, here is Mrs. Red through the telephoto early this morning. I noted she is eating really well, then I heard the reason. That was Mr. Red, the long-missing now great-grandaddy. I did not see him but I’d know that chirp anywhere. He’s still with us and I expect photos soon.

           I further know it is him because he is the one who patrols the yard, larger birds keep away most of the time. I finally learned how to keep the misting nozzles clean. You’ll need an air compressor and at least 80 psi to blast the ports clean. Hold on to them, that much air can easily send them off not to be found. I put them on a small screen to be on the safe side.

           That means not only are the birds in a major paradise zone, the flowers are getting the greenhouse effect. I sat down near the swinging planter and the breeze was just right. I got misted and cooled down enough that I didn’t want to get up. Hence, lots of seedling transplanted and around fifty flower seeds planted. No vegetables yet, I just don’t have the energy for a food garden. Shown here is the best of this morning’s efforts. The seedling you see are all marigolds, which I planted too close together. They are now in several pots hoping they will grow leaves instead of competing for sunlight.
           The remaining pots are new. There is a mix of zinnia, cosmos, and morning glory. Not shown here is the vigorous oregano plant of two weeks ago. It was spindly so I pinched it back to find in direct sunlight it outgrows everything else I got. Is it real oregano? I know it does not match the photos on-line. Also not shown is my peach tree. It is busting out with leaves. Almost every branch and parts of the limbs and trunk are showing signs of tiny leaves. As soon as I’m sure they are not just playing with me, I’ll make a report.

           And it is best I caution these plantings, because I’ve gotten this far many a time before. They grow to pot-bound size, but when transplanted to identically mixed yard soil, or any soil, they begin to go spindly on me and never bloom right.

Picture of the day.
Driftwood Beach, Mulkiteo, WA
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           A zero afternoon. Let’s see what is on-line for the masses. Here’s one, the five things rich people don’t want you to know about money.

1) Invest in famous art. Masterworks, it’s like a mutual fund for art. Makes sense. 2) Use Aspiration’s secret debit card. I’ll pass. 3) Cancel your car insurance. Not really, it’s the EverQuote people again. 4) Bookkeepers. It’s an Intuit company that pays for accounting data entry. 5) Stop paying your credit card balance. Another refinancing scheme.

           I don’t personally know anybody rich who would indulge in most of these, but I like the artwork idea. Hey, art is a scam, the reason pieces go up in price is a Federal tax scam. But, if it works, I’ll take another look. You recall Bradford, the guitar player who never was? He sells art, so maybe I’ll ask him. I mean, try to ask. He’s better at selling that providing useable info. But sue, I’ll go in with 999 other people to own a Picasso or something.

           My ad for a guitar strummer has drawn three replies, one is in Winter Haven. That gets first pick. He did a duo with a steel player, so he’s aware of how the rules change when you don’t have a full band. It’s a lesson not taught at Guitar Center. The other two guys right now are further away, but one I know I’ve jammed with that guy somewhere. He finger-picks a lot and goes for a studio sound on stage. Still, if it is who I recall, we blasted the room away back in 2016 jamming the Doors, “Love Me Two Times”.

           I scrolled through the year 2005, which is very incomplete in this blog. But, unlike earlier material, by then I was keyboarding the material, so it is there. Just not published. The records are a mess because they were designed by the week. Those were during my lengthy recovery. I was cooped up a lot and some of the entries are pages and pages, I had also gotten a reasonable digital camera so there are pictures galore. I had not yet learned to sift through and grab just the best.

           Hence, this photo. There are actually three trailers (mobile homes) and this is the original. I don’t think you’ve seen this one because it was so misfiled I almost didn’t find it myself. It’s the unit the trailer part shafted me for $1,250 so I declared it an historical site. It took them something like seven years to raze the unit, you can find pics of it sitting alone in the vacant site. I don’t know if it was my doing, but I like to think so.
           If that is the case, I cost them hundreds of thousands. I’ve been past the locality in recent years and it is one of those instant slum townhouse developments with never enough parking. Vaguely this is how I remember the structure before I painted it half decent colors. And these are not consecutive pictures. See that palm tree? It grew that tall in one year.

Last Laugh