Well, it is officially spring here. Yes, I know Ostara, the Spring Equinox, the
official first day of spring was last Saturday.
I did put out my decorations for Ostera (or Easter – whichever works for
you).
Then, I went out and planted my herb garden – yes, in containers (I’m not ready for full blown flower beds). Let’s see – parsley, Mexican mint marigold (our substitute for tarragon), savory, 3 kinds of basil, borage, sage, marjoram, oregano, catnip, allspice, spearmint (can’t find peppermint yet) and something else I’m forgetting. Oh yes – rosemary (planted by the front stairs to keep yard and house safe). No, not all in these four little planters but also in pots all around the yard.
But, spring hadn’t actually sprung on the 21st.
However, yesterday I noticed the true harbinger of
spring. The pecan trees are are finally
budding out! They are always the last
thing to come out in the spring, waiting until the cold weather is done. Winter is over!
Today I planted lettuce. Took a page from Bobby’s “How to Grow Vegetables and be a Success!” book and, hopefully in a few weeks, I’ll have some nice crunchy fresh lettuce!
Also, my tomato plants have produced future tomatoes (the little yellow flowers).
Not claiming “Farmer” status yet but . . . .
I never seem to get any interesting mail. You know – just bills and ads. Nothing that makes me laugh out loud or feel terrible, annoying, irritated disgust. While at Bobby’s house earlier this week, he
shared with me a rather unusual piece of mail he received.
It’s from something called Saint Matthew’s Church. I mean – the envelop is eye catching all by itself! Inside was a letter with elaborate instructions, including requests for $$$, to ensure that god will answer your prayers. And, there are testimonials confirming it really works. Uh huh. There was also a paper “prayer rug” that they ask you to pray over and return to them (along with the $$$, of course).
And, yes, this is a huge scam. The leader is a former tent revivalist who has made millions preying on low-income and older people. If there is such a thing, people like this belong in the 8th and 9th circle of hell from Dante’s Devine Comedy.
What else – well, today is Pecan Day. On March 25,1775, a pecan tree was planted by George Washington at his Mount Vernon estate. That particular tree’s famous roots grow even deeper as the sapling was gifted to him by Thomas Jefferson, who had planted a few pecan trees from the southern US at his own estate in Monticello, VA. An interesting bit of trivia though I have to wonder who wrote that down and why.
And, since I haven’t mentioned many books lately . . . I’ve been reading (and in some cases
rereading) many of the Nero Wolfe books by Rex Stout. While they are a bit (ok, a lot) noir, I
really like them. They’re good
mysteries, entertaining, blood doesn’t drip off the pages. The first book was written in 1934,
Fer-de-Lance and the last one was written in 1985, Death Times Three. Something I noticed - Neither Nero, his #1
factotum Archie Goodwin, or anyone else involved with them (Fritz Brenner,
Theodore Horstmann, Saul Panzer, Inspector Cramer, Sergeant Purley Stebbins,
Lon Cohen, Lily Rowan, et al) NEVER AGE.
The books are all written in current time and do show changes to
landscape and society but no one ages. It works so very well.
Nada much else going on here. . . .
ps: I wrote this Thursday and planned to get it up
yesterday but I had a cat insisting he should sit on my arm, the keyboard, lap
and gave it up as “not happening”. So
here it is today.
25 Mar 2021
That's the great part about nero wolfe. I'm less fond of mysteries where the writer ages the characters. I don't need realism when I'm reading a rattlin good mysteries. Wolfe is also witty.
ReplyDeleteYour spring is a bit more advanced than here where a few daffodils are blooming, the lemon balm is sprouting at the roots, and I have the first chives and dandelion leaves. Pretty early still.
I'm so glad spring has sprung; winter was becoming quite a drag.
ReplyDeleteI love all those herbs and vegetables you're growing, my wife grows much the same.
As for catnip, it makes a great relaxing tea, I used to drink it often.
That mail sure sounds like a spam to me! Those blood sucking vampires!
I've never really read a mystery novel before, perhaps I'll start.
Sad to think that enough people must fall for that religious scam to make it worth their while to solicit more gullible people.
ReplyDeleteI read a lot of Nero Wolfe stories etc in my younger days! Maybe that's where I got my lifelong taste for Noir!
Your spring is so far advanced of ours. Nevertheless, I was thinking about putting seeds out in the pots.
ReplyDeleteSuch shocking and un-Christian behaviour from a 'church'. Makes me cross.
ReplyDeleteI only discovered pecans a few years and now I like them. Husband is the gardener in this house but after my success with carrots last year i am thinking bigger this year. Although I'm not sure what.
That scam annoys me SO MUCH! Ugh. I thought that spring had sprung here, but we're supposed to get into the TWENTIES next week. What the actual heck. I do live in NC now, right? I'm not still in Ohio?
ReplyDeleteGood luck with your garden. I'm giving it another go this year with hopes I don't kill everything again lol. That piece of mail - what a scam. I'm so amazed that some people actually believe that garbage!
ReplyDeleteI have a hard time thinking that people actually believe scam like the one you showed here. It makes me livid - and all in the name of God. Yeah right.
ReplyDeleteGood luck with your garden. I already spent so much time in the garden this year, I love digging and transplanting and cutting back... and all the stuff that needs to be done. Spring came early here, but we always have some cold spells in between. I wish we had more rain though.