After a productive day–yesterday–today will be disappointingly uneventful. Finally, I’ll plant lettuce, radish, and green onion seeds. (Because I now have planter soil.) Get it done!! More rainy days predicted for next week. I love the beautiful GREEN landscape all around me!!

Remember my plans to buy a garden tower? More than one design available. Remember my desire to enjoy home-grown veggies?? Pictures will reveal that I’m using less expensive (“cheap”) planters. Maybe next year I can buy and use the “tower” design?? (One can dream can’t one??)

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The weather was absolutely PERFECT; it was such a joy to work in the yard. When I got started… I couldn’t stop!! I used every last ounce of planter soil (three bags, $25.00). I planted everything except spinach. No soil; no planter. Then I climbed the ladder (several times) trimming dead limbs. Furthermore, I sprayed weeds with “killer.” I hate to do that (chemicals) but easier on this old lady than weed-whacking.  ~~ I made a hasty trip to the dining room for turkey dinner “to go.” I hadn’t wanted to interrupt my work to shower and dress… so slipped into the CARE Center in my work clothes. ~~ Today’s labor may be in vain?! Last year’s seed packets (too expensive to discard). The zucchini may not thrive with their roots confined to planters. One zucchini planter with organic soil and other with ordinary potting soil. I was “on a roll” and didn’t want to stop as long as I had seeds and soil. ~~ Last picture (afterthought): I’m reserving that large planter for several-year-old asparagus plants (arriving any day, from an acquaintance).

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I finally sat down in my rocking chair–on the patio–with my camera in my lap. I watched Hummingbirds come and go (and no picture). I watched recently fledged baby Bluebirds waiting for Daddy to feed them. A Carolina Chickadee came and went (and no picture). ~~ The friend that provided the wire fence also left brand-new unopened bags of organic plant food. I’m delighted; I will definitely use that!!

Yesterday I purchased a “sleep aid” at the health food store. It didn’t help, and I had a completely sleepless night!! Hour after hour, I watched the clock as time passed. I’m going to be a “zombie” today.

On the NBC Today Show, Matt just said “Gray hair is cool again.” Hooray!!

I anticipate another day in the yard because no humidity and temperature in the low 70’s. Originally, I signed up for a bus trip (today) to the Folk Festival at Huntsville. “Make hay while the sun shines” as the old saying goes. Lorraine’s paraphrase: Work in the yard during pleasant weather conditions. (“Summer” weather will be here any day; “Spring” didn’t happen.)

Gray hair.

A website wants to guess your age. How disappointing; the analysis upped my age by two years!! Check it out?!

Break time (eleven o’clock); 73 degrees outdoors and 73 degrees outdoors. ~~ My only expense: Miracle Gro soft ties for $2.99. ~~ Hey, it isn’t “perfect” but I’m probably the only one that will notice?! Furthermore, the fence is old, and bent, with rusty spots. ~~ More later.

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Back again; lunch with Dr. Oz (one o’clock TV program). This morning I planted Periwinkle. (Free plants, from a friend.) I passionately dislike that ugly white pipe!! I wasn’t consulted; “they” just put it there while my back was turned. (And it does not prevent water from accumulating at my site. See recent storm pictures.) So I have planned (for many months) to have “ground cover” camouflage the pipe. Time will tell.

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At 2:05, I saw my first female Hummingbird of the season–at one feeder. They arrive later than the males. I quickly retrieved the feeders and replenished with fresh nectar.

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3:00 PM: nap time.

5:30 PM: After a nice nap in my lawn rocking chair–on the patio–I filled bird feeders, rearranged hanging baskets of flowers, and trimmed limbs on a nearby tree. Now I am so-o-o-o tired I haven’t the energy to fix supper. I didn’t sign up for meals in the dining room. I expect to sleep very well tonight!!!!

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Postscript, Sat. May 2, 2015, 6:30 AM: Wonderful refreshing eight hours of sleep!! Hallelujah!!

Yesterday morning, eight until noon, I was attending a CPR training class. I missed seeing Nik Wallenda‘s walk on the Orlando Eye in  Florida. So I did a Google search and found a video of the event. OMG, how scary!! I am very uncomfortable with heights!! Just watching was frightening!! (Climbing ladders in my yard is a challenge!!)

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Another cool night; another morning where I activated the furnace.

Nine o’clock: Now I’m heading to Lowe’s for organic planter soil. I’m overdue to plant lettuce, radish and green onion seeds.

It’s been over three weeks since I shopped. First stop: Tractor Supply for bird and squirrel food. Second: Health Food Store. Third: Lowe’s for two bags organic, and one bag non-organic, planter soil, one Yellow Bell Pepper plant, one red Calibrachoa, one Marigold plant. Fourth: Groceries from a local market. ~~ I planted as soon as I got home (before I put groceries away, lol). Well, I planted… after using the hand-truck to move the planter soil, and bird seed, from the car to their respective locations. Then I started the process of setting up sections of a wire fence. Yesterday, a departing resident (in the RV Park) gave me a lot of garden things. It will take energy to force the bottom of the wire fence into the rocks alongside the white pipe berm. Some wire needs to be straightened. A good project for another day. Then I must plant the long-neglected Periwinkle plants along the pipe.

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One new Marigold but four “old” plants that had been neglected because no planter soil.

Feels like Winter!! (Abracadabra.) Yesterday, due to dip in temperature, I had to close my windows and door.  I wanted to turn on the furnace but the recent power outage disabled furnace/air-conditioner. The tower oscillating heater was packed into storage several weeks ago (and I wasn’t going to struggle to get it). Instead, I clicked toggle switches in the breaker box; I changed batteries in the remote control. Finally, some heat!! The temp was low during the night but quickly raised when I got up (to shower).

A busy day ahead: I’m taking a professional CPR training class. It would be another great day for indoor, or outdoor, tasks but I signed up, and paid, some weeks ago. Gotta go.

I’m not “the Energizer Bunny” of years past but I still have the desire to assist in time of need–here at our CARE community. We never know when an accident–or weather–will affect our residents. Yesterday, one resident fell and broke her hip. It was our weekly trip to Livingston, by bus, to the market (formerly to Walmart). A “fluke”: She took a wrong step between the bus and the curb. It didn’t require CPR (of course) but I mention because “accidents happen” and I am more capable than most residents.  (I praise God for my health and physical ability. No, I wasn’t on the bus trip; I was “Spring cleaning.”) 

“Liar, liar, pants on fire!” Remember that old saying?? Today I want to reference you back to a previous blog message (November 28, 2014) where I made a “resolution” to Keep things tidy!! ~~ Honestly, I haven’t!! Too little space for all the things I have accumulated and have not yet gotten rid of. ~~ Today has been quite chilly and I wore a jacket most of the morning and early afternoon. Only sixty-three degrees at three o’clock on a gloomy overcast day. Cool enough to do some “deep” cleaning. Stanley and I have been busy!! (Sitting down to prepare this blog is my “break”.) ~~ Our weather has been so peculiar: Lots of hot humid days where too hot to do some strenuous vacuuming. Or: weather was perfect but I was busy volunteering at the CARE Health Fair or the CARE Garage Sale.  No rain today (slight amount overnight) so I could temporarily shift things to the patio. I’m feeling good about my accomplishments but “Oh, my aching back.” (Punishing myself because I feel depressed about missing the 2015 T@B Blue Ridge Rally!!)

In the May 2014 blog message, I have a picture of “Ivy.” Here are before and after pictures. She seems very happy on my patio.

April 28, 2014: Lucky Lady.

April 27, 2014: Something old, something new.

April 27, 2013: Rain on our rally.

April 28, 2012: Three Quarters And Counting.

April 30, 2012: En route to a T@B Rally.

April 29, 2011: The Royal Wedding.

I seriously lament that I am not planning a trip to the 2015 Blue Ridge Rally!!

😦 😦 😦 😦 😦 😦 😦 😦 😦 😦

Awakened about 4:30 AM because I heard thunder in the distance.  I got up and turned on the TV news. Yes, severe weather was headed our way. Shortly after that first picture, at 5:06 AM, the power went out. Picture number two is the only successful image attempting to capture a lightning strike. The wind was determined to rip the awning off my trailer.  I located flash lights, quickly dressed, got out a rain coat, and put my purse with ID and medical cards at the door. In almost pitch darkness–except for lightening–I watched and waited. I wondered if the CARE Center was open–because it has a generator. At 6:30 I went to the Center and, indeed, staff and volunteers had been there since 4:30. It was eight o’clock before power was restored to the entire area. I headed home and started collecting debris in my yard. Nine-thirty as I type these words and it is a bright sunny morning. However, a second wave of thunderstorms will hit this afternoon.

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Humor me?! I want to display larger images of two pictures.

1) Lightning, 2) Dawn

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