It’s May – the lovely month of May

Actually, here, May means summer has arrived.  And that’s fine.  At least summer didn’t arrive in March.  The days are in the mid to upper 80’s though the nights are still pretty cool (by that I mean it’s not 75° at 2am).  And, the humidity has settled in as have the mosquitoes, oh joy. 

Local businesses opened up this past week-end.  I didn’t venture out.  I had planned to do a couple things on Saturday though.  Help my sister with the yard work and start stripping a dresser.  So, I loaded up the car with all the things necessary for both jobs including loppers, clippers, leather gloves, stripping stuff and all the drawers (though not the main cabinet).  (My friend told me I could use one of her empty buildings downtown as a workshop.  A much better option than the garage where in dwell the Demon Duo.)  Got in the car, turned the key and . . . . . nothing.  Click, click, click sez the engine.  Aargh!  Dead battery – again.  I called the mechanic shop to make arrangements to get the damn car to them.  Called my sister – not coming – no car . . . again. 

The battery problem with the car has been ongoing for several months and has included replacing the battery, getting a new alternator, getting new battery hook-up cables, replacing the bolt assembly (has to do with belts and battery) and having someone jump start it 4 or 5 times.  Now the thought is that there is a problem with the electrical system and it is shorting out the battery.  Ugh.  Cars are one of the Great Mysteries of the Universe as far as I am concerned.  I feel very uneasy when it is not working since my knowledge is limited.  It went into the shop early Monday morning and, now, Tuesday afternoon, it’s still there.  I’m not sure if that’s good or bad.

All this means – I’m truly stuck at home.  And  . . . . . . I am really bored now.  It’s like when your computer goes out.  Everything you think to do requires the computer, well everything I think of to do

Make chicken stew – oops no carrots, peas, potatoes;

Make face masks – oops no bias tape/elastic, limited fabric;

Pot up things in the yard I want to take away with me – oops
no potting soil.

 involves a quick trip to the store for something vital.  Argh!

Okay – that’s all my whining.

I have a new ongoing cross stitch/embroidery project – quilt blocks. 

All together there will be about 20 different squares so it’s going to be large-ish.  Some of the squares I have patterns for and a couple I’ll have to make the pattern as the blocks are from quilts I have.

The yard is looking nice.  Herbs are growing.  And I have tomatoes!

Yay me!  Hey! it’s a big deal – I can grow beautiful huge tomato plants – they just don’t produce fruit for me. 

The shell ginger is blooming. 

So I thought to put in a short bit on growing ginger,

Plant shell ginger in a sheltered bed with full sun exposure in coastal areas and under partial shade in warm, dry inland areas. Amend the bed with a 6-inch-thick layer of compost to a depth of 15 inches to help regulate the moisture retention and nutrient content of the soil.

Spread a 3-inch-thick layer of mulch in a 10-inch radius around the base of the plant to help keep the soil surrounding the roots cool and moist. Remove the mulch in spring and replace it with a fresh layer to keep fungi from colonizing the roots.

except, I never do any of that.

The Althea (Rose of Sharon) is blooming. 

Here it pretty much grows like a weed and requires little or no hands-on care.  In the northlands – it will freeze.  In past days, it was used in cosmetic treatments as the roots and stem secrete a mucilage which is good to soften skin.  As a member of the hibiscus family, you can eat the young leaves and flowers.  It was also used in a honey-sweetened syrup for treatment of sore throat. 

And, my Blood Lily bloomed!  Last year I missed the bloom as it happened while I was out of town.

And, by the way, Happy Cinco de Mayo!

And, that’s all I know except there is ABSOLUTELY NOTHING GOOD ON TELEVISION!

5 May 2020