Weeds and Critters

Farmer Chris is displeased.

I went out to the backyard today while Doug was up front mowing. I had a couple plants in 2 pots on the patio table, and both were technically ground cover plants and they didn't work well in pots. 

That's not what makes me mad. 

There's a critter out there. 

It is digging in the herb pots. And it, tiny though it probably is, pushed my terracotta pot on the stand over, and busted it. Thanks, you little jerk.

I have other pots and things I can do but c'mon man. What's up with you?

After fixing the knocked over pot, and dispatching the dead wee things on the table, I set up the planter and it is the perfect length for the table. 

Anyway, my goal today, in addition to fixing the problem with the busted ass pot, was to get this big 4 ft long window planter that someone gave me filled up with dirt and to, as my mother in law says "think about starting to get ready" to put something into it. Pansies, I think. 4 or 5 pansies will be really cute in there. 

For the past couple years we've gone over to a corner of a very busy intersection where there was an old gas station that was not in use, and someone had been running a farm stand on the location with blessing from the town. The property sold this winter and now the farm stand isn't there, which stinks. They had really good plants and were super nice. And the prices were great. 

Over by the brewery there is a huge independent flower/garden store but their prices are dear. The products are beautiful though. This afternoon Doug and I went over and got four little pots of petunias to pop into the planter before they closed. If we didn't get over there, it would be another week until we went. They were having a 25% off annuals sale, perfect for our needs. The shop is very nice, a bit more expensive than I'd like to spend money on, but we had fun browsing before paying for our petunias. 

Earlier today, I looked at the patio weeds, which have not been dealt with by someone in my family via the weed whacker. 

I don't know how to use the weed whacker. Otherwise, it. would. be. done.

So I thought I'd just plant my own ass on the ground and start pulling things out. Maybe, just maybe, seeing me do this would put some peer pressure on someone. 

It didn't work, he noted what I was doing and went and did something else.  I got about 1/4 of the patio weeded before giving up. I should have kept going but my attention span for stuff like this is minimal. I have to be honest. I can't just like commit to doing it all.

Sad really, I was out there thinking about my friend Shelley back in Massachusetts who has literally the most beautiful garden I've ever seen. She would spend all day out there, morning to night, weeding and planting, and then relaxing at her little table on her patio with a book and her cigarettes. She had a wonderful planter's bench along the back of the house, with hoses and running water, and a basin. She would plant seeds and get them started in a small greenhouse. I always had a lot of envy for this, but didn't have the same amount of "Yeah, that's me!"

I can't seem to recall if she ever did veggies, but she sure did do flowers. Their house was bluish purple with dark purple trim, and she had a gorgeous arch over the front door for wisteria. Every year she planned the annuals, and nurtured the perennials. It was a sight to see. Absolutely great. 

I miss seeing her garden.

But I have to say I have little to no focus in doing that sort of work, and after about a half hour of any task in the yard I'm bored. 

I do like to fiddle around with pots and plants though, as the adventures of Farmer Chris often say, so I am happy that we got my patio table planter full up and gorgeous. 

Anyway, here's a picture of a couple of the pavers on the patio. Over the next few days as long as it doesn't get too brutally hot again, I bet I'll either have this licked or Doug will finally have mercy and come whack it all. 

digits below, per usual.

digits:

exercise: 12/12 hours of 250 steps.  

blood glucose:

8:30: 201
4:15pm: 143
10pm: 124

food:

coffee, water
11:30: pbj sandwich on 647 bread
2pm: metformin (forgot to take at lunch time)
6pm: 2 large pieces of grilled bone-in chicken (leg and thigh) in a teriyaki marinade (a la Doug), 1/2 an avocado. Metformin+jardiance
9:30pm: shelled peanuts (giant bowl)