Fall Gardening

It's about that time.
It is at least time to begin thinking about how I am going to approach re-working my fence line flowerbed. 
After learning (the hard way) that I replanted my irises wrong last fall, I am going to have to dig the road side of the fence up and replant them correctly. Even though they didn't produce flowers this year, they did multiply greatly. I will have an abundance of tubers to share if you are in the area and want some.

For the house side of the fence, I think I will try solarizing the bed to kill off the weeds that grew this year, as I neglected to keep up with it. 
My plan is to solarize this fall, cardboard and compost in March, sow zinnias in April.

My front yard bed is going to need some work also. 
I have a large Rugosa rose bush that needs to come out. I'm afraid the runners it leaves behind will be a nuisance for a long time. I think I will try to find a way to contain it and replant it where its thorny stems won't pose a problem and it can thrive. The flowers have a very pleasant aroma and other than its aggressive spreading, I really do like it.
I expect I could have a few plants available if anyone wants one. Just be aware -- it is an aggressive spreader and the runners can tunnel quite a distance before popping up unexpectedly (ask me how I know)!

I will wait until spring to thin my hostas, but should have some available. Maybe I need to get a boot at a local farmer's market and sell some plants. 
Ha! that sounds too much like a job! I'd much rather just share them with friends.

I'm going to save some seed pods from the moon flowers, but I haven't decided on where I want to plant them. I'm thinking about the backyard flowerbed so that I can enjoy them from the deck where I spend most evenings.

It will be a lot of work. 
However, I have found that gardening produces patience. So much of gardening is work now, reward later -- and often it's much later.

Today is going to be cooler with occasional rain, so I probably won't get much outside work done today. The thunder has been rolling through the clouds as I drink my coffee and plan the upcoming project. It is hard to believe that this week is already the end of August. 

Where has summer gone?
sigh

John

Monday Motivation

It is a beautiful Monday morning in the Ozarks of SWMO. The early sun is bright, but not yet too hot. The avian community is doing its noisy morning routine of feeding and chirping loudly as they go about their business. The traffic sounds from the nearby highway are man made background noises that rudely infiltrate the natural sound of birds, bugs, and the occasional sounds of horses or cows from the rural farmlands that are not too far away.
My coffee is good and life in the Ozarks is pretty sweet right now.

As I look out at the field that needs to be mowed soon, I am picking out an area to solarize for my native grasses and wildflowers area, 
The process of solarizing will involve measuring out a 40' by 100' (12 m x 30 m), cutting that area as low to the ground as I can, watering it heavily, and then covering it with clear plastic for the rest of the summer and let the sun heat and kill the existing non-native, invasive fescue grass. I need to have the area ready and hope that the rain in the forecast for later this week will be accurate.
The solarization process recommends burying the edges of the plastic to trap in the heat which adds a lot of work and I may find a work-around for that part.

I also have a smaller area that I need to solarize closer to the house. It's a plot that I had tilled a couple of years ago for flowers that is now full of Johnson grass and weeds. I was going to plant popcorn and sunflowers there this season, but it needs to be re-worked and I think solarization is going to be the way to go.

I'm not sure what motivates me to do this stuff. I definitely think a native meadow that doesn't need to be mowed and feeds the birds and pollinators is better than mowing the fescue pasture land that works nicely for grazing cows but pretty much sucks for anything else.
It will take some time to convert the field doing just 4,000 sq ft at a time, but it is doable and less expensive than doing a field kill and replant all at once. 

That's my next project and will pay my pool tax for the coming week. 
My weekend project was building this poolside table for drinks, snacks, phone, etc. As with most of my projects, it was made more difficult by the fact that I have no experience and don't really know what I'm doing. At least it will be functional.

All-in-all, it's Just another day in the life of John.
Happy Monday!
Here's to a grand week!

John

Home

It feels both weird and comforting to be back on the deck for my morning coffee and quiet time after spending a few days away. I pulled out the Chromebook just once on my short trip and didn't spend much time on it. I need to get used to spending less time on both the Chromebook and cell phone. I do realize that I will be spending some time on my phone over the next few days as I get to explore and get used to my new one. It came in while I was gone and I'll get it activated today.

Although I haven't actually spent any time watching any of the World Cup play, I am very grateful for the reminders of just how wonderful this country can be. It is a little distressing to be in the position that it took a bunch of visitors to point out our abundance and wonder. It is just too easy to focus on the distressing stuff -- and God knows we have plenty of that too!

I brought back a couple of new potted plants for the deck. My Mom's peace lilies  had become root bound and needed to be re-potted. She wanted to keep the original planters she had, so I divided them and made three new pots plus two reduced sized plants for her original pots. These flowers are from my Dad's funeral from February of 2020.
I chose small pots as peace lilies tend to do well in smaller pots and slightly root bound. I am a little concerned about having divided them rather than just moving them to a little bit larger pot. I am afraid that dividing the root system will be too traumatic.  I left the original two pots with Mom, brought two home, and left one for my younger sister. I hope they all survive. 

I also added a couple of outdoor plants for Mom and took care of her hummingbird feeders. 
I'm not sure how I got to be the gardener guy. I'm mostly just faking it and learning as I go. I am happy that Mom enjoys sitting outside and looking at her hostas and flowers.

Although I have plenty of gardening work to do at home today, it will need to be pushed back to another day. An unexpected trip to the dentist this morning and taking care of phones and other stuff this afternoon will take a significant portion of the day. It is nice to be retired and have lots of time to do whatever needs to be done -- including morning coffee and quiet time.

Remember -- Spend 20 minutes a day in nature, unless you're too busy. In that case, spend an hour.

John

Do you have a hobby?

Maybe I just think of a hobby as more than it is.
Is a hobby just something you do to bring you pleasure?
Is reading a hobby?
Is enjoying a cigar a hobby?
Or does a hobby need to be an activity?

If you were to ask me what my hobbies are, I would probably say that I don't have any hobbies.
And yet --
I do enjoy reading and have finished 27 books in the first five months of the year.

Enjoying a good cigar is more than just sitting and smoking.
I want to know my cigar. I want to know its origin. I want to taste the cigar and note the subtle changes during a smoke. I want to value the time that it takes to smoke a good cigar and honor the skilled craftsmen (or women) that rolled it. 
It's weird, but I find there is purpose to smoking a good cigar.

Maybe it is more like the practice of meditation, and less like a hobby.
I know -- it's not a healthy choice. 
That is something to consider.

Taking care of the yard and flower gardens is just something I do -- often a bit reluctantly and not very well.. I enjoy the results more than I enjoy the work that goes into it. The work part often feels like -- well, work! 
I suppose it is the closest thing to having a hobby that I can think of.

What are your hobbies?
What activities or projects have you made a regular part of your life and who you are?
Do hobbies serve a valuable function or are they overrated and unnecessary?

John

It's Friday! (but that's not a big deal for a retired guy)

It's coffee on the front porch this morning. It's cool and overcast and I am wondering what I might accomplish today. I don't think I'll get much done in the way of yard work/gardening today, but I do need to replant some nursery garden plants into their containers for my container garden experiment.
I also have some large flower pots that I need to get filled, and a few succulents that need re-potted.

While I do enjoy messing with plants --  especially flowers, I have to admit that my limited knowledge of gardening can be frustrating. One would think that the vast amount of information that is available would be an advantage to an amateur gardener, but there is so much conflicting information and everyone is a self-proclaimed expert with an opinion. Research can be time consuming and frustrating.
Gardening isn't supposed to be frustrating.

I am also disappointed in the poor base of the gravel portion of our driveway as grass and weeds growing through the gravel have been a constant issue. It is the one big complaint that I have with the construction of our home. I know that a concrete drive is expensive and I may look into the cost of an asphalt driveway. It's frustrating. Our home looks nice, but the driveway sucks.

I have almost finished my morning coffee and the battery on my Chromebook is getting low. I'll probably sit here for a little longer before I start procrastinating in earnest about the day's tasks. 
It's Friday and the beginning of a long weekend as we observe (not celebrate) Memorial Day.
I hope your day is a good one.

John

My Plans vs My Expectations

In a few hours, Chris and a friend will be on their way to visit the Colorado kids and I'll be left home alone for a week. In spite of the cool, rainy forecast, I hope to catch up on the gardening and unending yard work in which I seem to have fallen far behind already. 
I may go to barchurch tonight and I have a ticket for Monday evening's baseball game. I am not expecting any other people gatherings other than those encountered while running errands or something.
I may decide on a coffee shop morning at some point. Coffee and a little conversation might be a nice change. Hit me up if you're interested.

While I truly would like to get lots of work done, the cool, damp weather may end up being a convenient excuse for not doing much. Some days it is just difficult for me to get motivated to do much.
As with most readers, my reading list is longer than I can complete in a decade and still growing, so sitting with a book and a beverage is always an option. 

Even as I make the plans to work a bunch, my expectations are that I will work more than I might normally, but not accomplish near as much as planning John would like. In the end, I know that I will remain a happy boy. 
I do expect to fire up the smoker at some point. I have a new meat thermometer that I need to try and a pork butt that will be good for a test run. I may also throw a turkey breast on the smoker while I'm at it. 

Big plans, low expectations.
Slow mornings. 
Easy working afternoons.
Quiet evenings with a cigar and a beverage.
Just another day in the life of...

John.

Mind, Body, Spirit

I feel pretty good in two of the three -- mind and spirit.
That's not to say that they are completed projects. Like a garden, they need regular care and maintenance.

The body, however, is a wasteland of neglect. It's been fed crap and been sitting idle for far too long. My short bursts of activity are no substitute for regular exercise. Even a daily walk would be better than the nothing I have been doing.

Yesterday, I decided to combine the task of mowing with exercise and used the push mower to mow about half of the yard area near the house. I'm estimating it is about 1/2 to 2/3 of an acre. The plan is to finish it today.
I'm not going to lie -- I feel it this morning.

Wile it is true that some yard work/gardening is laborious and makes for good exercise, most of it is just activity. Activity is better than nothing, but I don't know that it is of great benefit to one's overall health and well being. Some time ago there was an old man that told me, "John, if I'd have known I was going to live this long I would have taken better care of myself."

I would like to stick around and enjoy a long life, but I don't want to be miserable and unable to get around or be on a ton of medication.

While Monday Meditation tends to focus on the mind and spirit, today's thoughts are more about bringing the physical body along for the ride.
Reading and puzzle solving games are good mental exercises that I get on just about a daily basis.
Regular meditation and awareness of the life and nature that is around me and within me takes care of the spiritual stuff.
Unfortunately, I really don't do anything for the body.
That needs to change -- not just for today me, but also for future me. 

I recently read that without knowing it, we often hurt the person we should love the most by the decisions we make today. That person is our future self.
Hmmm...
That's probably worth thinking about.

John

Nature's Ongoing Joke

Why are the weeds so proficient and yet I struggle to cultivate flowers or vegetables?
It seems that agriculture is man's constant war with nature. To produce abundant crops we use pesticides and herbicides and genetically modified seeds. Nature naturally (of course) spreads her seeds and plants grow!
It does seem kind of crazy, doesn't it?

We seem to spend a lot of time and energy fighting against nature when working with nature seems to be more beneficial. Currently, the US government is working against green energy like electricity generated from wind. It appears to be a personal battle rather than a scientific one, but there really isn't a surprise there. Empirical evidence and intellectual knowledge have little to do with anything our current administration does.

Although I rarely undertake household projects myself, adding some solar power on a smaller scale is one that I have considered in the past and may look into again. I'm not interested in trading an energy bill for a solar panel installation bill or I'd just hire somebody that does that. I definitely need to do some more research.

We did add an old energy saving device recently -- a clothesline! 
I can't say it uses solar power because it's on the shaded deck. At best it uses indirect sunlight, a little wind, and mostly just allows clothes to hang and dry naturally.
It is a retractable pair of lines so that it is out of the way when not in use.
While the deck prevents direct sunlight, it also screens line items from the devastating effects of birds that have been feasting on the nearby mulberry bushes! It is also much more convenient than carrying baskets of wet laundry down the steps to a line in the backyard. 
Chris wasted no time in using our newly installed air dryer and hung our freshly washed sheets and pillow cases out to dry shortly after I finished putting it up. I am certain that it will get plenty of use throughout the summer. It probably won't save a great deal in energy costs, but it is nice to do a little something that feels a little green and is better for some of our clothes.

I suppose it is time to figure out how I am going to work with and against nature today. There is always work to be done.

John 

Shhh...

One of the things that really stands out when returning home from time in Puerto Vallarta is the quiet.
Since it is a mere 40 (4C) degrees outside and I am enjoying my coffee inside, it seems especially quiet. I am looking forward to the quiet days and even quieter nights that my rural retirement allows me to enjoy.
With the exception of re-adapting to the cooler temperatures, settling back into the simple routine of an overweight retired guy living in the Midwest will come quite easily.

The yard definitely needs some attention and I think I will get right after it today. The afternoon promises to be sunny and warm, without the humidity that I've been experiencing in the tropical beach area around Puerto Vallarta. 
Sitting on the mower for a few hours seems like a fine way to ease back into the daily yard work routine. The weeding, tilling, and planting can wait for another day.

Another noticeable thing about returning home is how much greener it is than when I left just a few weeks ago. Perhaps the bright green is more noticeable because the tropics are at the end of the dry season and much of the vegetation is brown and anxiously waiting for the summer rains. 
The trees here are so green, the flowers are blooming, and the hummingbirds have returned. In spite of the cool nights, I am convinced that summer is on its way! 

While it is true that I would be happy living in a tropical ocean area, it is also true that I have an incredibly good life here, in the Ozarks of Southwest MO (SWMO).  I'm sure that adding a swimming pool and some kayaking to the mix will make this summer even better.

Just another day in the life of ...

John

 

Retirement does not suck.

It's just another day.
It has been some time that coming to Mexico doesn't really feel like vacation. In fact, any travel since I retired just feels like being retired someplace other than at home. I don't feel like I have a life that I need to get away from, so being away from home isn't like a necessary escape.

I managed to talk myself out of a 2+ mile walk this morning. I had an iced Americano at the coffee shop around the corner from the kids and read a chapter or two in my new Kindle book. I had initially planned a walk to A Page in the Sun bookstore/Cafe but decided to Uber here instead.

I'll enjoy a second Americano, this one hot, and spend some time on the Chromebook. I'll check out some of the shops here in the Romantic Zone and then meet a couple of friends for lunch. I have a late afternoon follow up appointment with my dentist and then Aaron has an evening softball game. If I am going to keep my pool day streak alive, it will have to be a nighttime swim -- and that is actually quite likely.

It is a little weird that I am thinking about the gardening work at home that isn't getting done. If my dental appointment goes as well as I am expecting it to, I may consider cutting my time here a little short and returning to the comfortable routine of home a few days early. I am sure that sounds a little weird, but I truly am a homebody and cherish my quiet and peaceful life. I will need to research getting a pool, though. A daily swim throughout the hot summer will be something to look forward to.

It's not quite the hot, humid rainy season just yet, but it is getting close. The tourist season is dying down and the local shops are gearing down for the "low" season.
We have hot and humid in SWMO but without the ocean. We do have lakes and rivers and plenty of humidity adding trees. I need to make use of my inflatable kayak this year. That would be a decent summer activity.

It's time to enjoy the sun and enjoy my day.
I hope yours is wonderful.

John

Lessons Learned while Gardening

It is true that I spend a fair amount of time thinking about living somewhere near a beach in Mexico. However, it is also true that on mornings like this one, it is hard to imagine life being better than it is right here at our home in SWMO.

It is warm enough to enjoy coffee on the deck in shorts and a t-shirt. 
The plants are back on the deck shelves from their winter spot next to the basement windows.
The trees along the treeline are beginning to bud and turn green.
The birds are being their loud and active selves on this sunny day.
And other than the distant traffic noises from the nearby highway, there isn't any human interference into my peaceful and serene start to my day.

After posting about short sleeping, I have to admit that I slept an additional cycle last night. It was a wonderful seven and a half hours of restful, restorative sleep. 
Some yard work is more strenuous than on other days, and yesterday was one of those days. I am working on restoring a flowerbed that was neglected last year and it will take several days at my retired-guy pace. Any garden work that includes shoveling soil in SWMO is work for this fat, old guy. As much as I generally hate getting started, it's really not bad work. Imagining how it will look in a month or so is good motivation.

Gardening and working in the soil has become a kind of meditative spiritual practice for me. The connection to the earth connects me to the Creator in a way that I really can't describe. Making that Creator connection while trying to figure out the nature of plants and what makes them grow is way more peaceful and fulfilling than trying to do that with people. 
But caring for the plants teaches me about dealing with people.

Different plants require different care.
Some require richer soil and some seem to thrive anywhere.
Some need lots of sunshine, while others need shade.
Some need plenty of water and others get by with very little.
Some do better with occasional pruning  and care and others are best if left alone.
Some grow best where they are planted. Others do well with a guarded start and transplanting.

Some plants are favorite foods for the birds and bugs.
Some provide food for people.
Some smell nice and are beautiful to look at.
Some are dangerous to touch.
Some are medicinal.
Some are deadly.

Do you see what I mean?
I think learning to deal with plants can teach us a lot about dealing with people.
But I am a slow learner, so I think I'll be spending lots of time in the garden.

I'm going to have another cup of coffee and then it will be time for the lessons to begin.
Be well, my friends.
I hope we all learn something today.

John

Summer(like) weather

The first two days of spring have made it to 90 (32c) degrees, and today will be similarly warm. Tomorrow will cool down to a high of 60 (15c), but that will only last for a couple of days before the unseasonably warmer temperatures return for a few more days. Our relatively mild winter and early warm spring has me wondering what kind of summer awaits us.

Scientists tell us that an El Niño shift is likely and it may even be a shift to an unusually warm Pacific event, making a super El Niño event. That will mean a hot, humid summer with lots of rain for the Midwest. On the plus side, it might mean a calmer hurricane season for the Atlantic side of the US.

I think I'm going to need a pool.
If you think I have been a non-productive, isolated, introverted recluse in the past, a pool and a super El Niño may make for a super El Viejo!
I may have to stock up on cigars and tequila!

Trust me.I am not complaining. I am merely looking at ways to adapt to living in an extremely hot and muggy SWMO summer.

I did plant some stuff yesterday and will work on starting some seeds indoors for early May transplanting. My tomato and pepper starts should be ready to transplant to pots in a couple of weeks. 
I need to start some annual flowers for a few decorative pots and hanging baskets. In another week or so I will bring the deck plants up from the basement and put them back on the deck.
I'm thinking I may find a place to plant some more moonflowers in the back of the house this year. Most people won't get to see them, but since I spend nearly every evening back here I will get to enjoy them more than I do the ones in the front.

The birds seem to be enjoying spring as much as I do. They are quite noisy and active this morning. The rising sun and loud birds woke me up from my deck bed at just past 7am. Listening to the morning sounds while sipping my coffee is such a wonderful way to begin the day. I really do love beginning and ending days listening to the sounds of nature.
I am thankful for this privilege.

John

Slow Starter

I am terrible about getting work done.
I am a slow starter in the morning -- mostly because I really like to enjoy my coffee and quiet time. 
I am going to have to get back to making the effort to start work earlier. Movement is motivation, right?

I managed a little bit of work each of the past two days, but really need to accomplish more on a regular basis. My boss (me) is too generous with late start times, frequent breaks, and early shoves. It's almost like I spent my career as an air traffic controller. 
It is a grand thing to be able to stop what I am doing and run an errand with Chris and then go out for an unexpected meal. Truly -- retirement does not suck.

I can't even say just how happy these warm, sunny days make me feel.
Beginning and ending yesterday sitting on the deck was glorious.
Having the doors and windows open throughout the day is wonderful. 
Sleeping on the deck is peaceful and restorative.

There are still a few 40 (4-5c) degree nights in the two week forecast, but I am hoping we won't have any more frosty nights. 
Life in the Ozarks is looking like spring and John is a happy boy!

John

Back to Work -- the good kind of work!

Tomorrow will be the first of four days with temperatures forecast to be in the low to mid 80s (27+ c)!
I am going to try to get an early start and get some garden work done. 
I need to get my cole crops (broccoli, cabbage, and kale) planted, and I may plant onions and potatoes even though they are a few weeks late. 

I have an area that I need to re-till. That will have pumpkins, popcorn, and some sunflowers. And I need to till a new area for more sunflowers because Chris wants some on the west side of the house as well. I am excited to be working outside. 
I also need to get some annuals started for the hanging baskets and porch plants.
And I think it is time to take down the winter plastic panels from the screened in deck.

Also, if you are in the area and interested -- I have hostas that need to be thinned out. Just let me know when you'd like to come and get some. 

I know that there is still the possibility of another frost. The early plants will do fine with a bit of cold weather and I will wait a few weeks to put my indoor starts outside. 
But I am getting the spring fever! 

And I have a thought on starting my native grasses/native wildflower meadow. I think I'll start small and try to add to it each year. It may take a number of years to convert just one acre, but I think it will be a good way to make the change. 

Have I mentioned that I am looking forward to spring?

John

Coffee time!

I enjoy -- not just like -- but really enjoy a good cup of coffee. 
There is a guy at our church that roasts and sells coffee as a side hustle. It has been a little while since I have bought coffee from him (mostly because I don't actually go to church very often). A week ago I saw his wife and asked if he was still roasting coffee and she responded by telling me that he was at home roasting as we were speaking. I said if he was roasting Ethiopian beans, I wanted some.

He was and Tuesday morning I picked up a double order. 
Yesterday, I finished the last of my bulk Ethiopian beans from Mama Jeans, and I am now enjoying my natural washed, freshly roasted, freshly brewed Ethiopian beans from my friend. 
If you haven't already figured it out -- yes, Ethiopian origin coffees are my favorites!

Good coffee makes me happy.
It's not a jump up and down, celebration kind of happy. It's more like a sip and enjoy, contented kind of happy. That's what I am feeling this morning.

It is a grand way to begin a day!
Plus today is the second of my scheduled conversations with religious leaders about deconstruction. I am looking forward to it. 

The sun is shining and the temperature should make it to the mid 60s (17-18c) today. 
I have a lunch meeting planned, I might get a little gardening work in this afternoon, and I might just make it to Barchurch this evening.
It is shaping up to be a pretty fine day in the life of John!

John
#40DaysofGoodShit

What is -- Living the good life?

In all honesty -- I have a good life.
It is simple; that is for sure.
I am not wealthy, but I have more than I need.
I have simple pleasures and often spend money on frivolous things like cigars, alcohol (bourbon and tequila), sodas, and candy bars.
We have two (older) cars, a hybrid truck, and a motorcycle.

Although I take some daily meds for high blood pressure, suffer from obstructive sleep apnea, and need to lose 80 pounds (36 kg), I am in otherwise decent health. I often say I'm pretty healthy for a fat guy. 

Being outside -- even just sitting outside -- makes me happy.
Planting flowers, seeing them bloom, watching the birds, bees, and butterflies enjoy them makes me happy.
Watching the sun set makes me happy.
Admiring the night sky and looking for familiar stars and constellations makes me happy.
Sitting on the covered deck and listening to a spring or summer rain shower makes me happy.
Sleeping outside makes me happy.
Seeing the beauty and wisdom of our Creator in all of creation makes me happy and brings joy and peace to my soul.

Like I said -- I have a good life.

What does a good life look like for you?
Seriously. I'd like to know.

John

February in the Ozarks!

Yesterday was coffee on the deck.  
Today I'm by the fireplace!
Must be February in the Ozarks!

No worries, though. Every day in February is a day closer to spring!
And I know there will be fewer freezing nights in the weeks to come.

I used the warmer days to do a little garden prep for some vegetables and sunflowers.
I also scattered some seeds from last year's cone flowers (Echinacea). I need to do some work in the flower beds -- cut back the Rugosa rose bush, clean out last year's zinnia stems. and re-rock and mulch the compass rose flower bed. There is plenty to do for the remaining days of February and for early March.

I have the recycling stuff loaded into the truck and will be making my way to Springfield to take it in. I have a little bit of glass and the center in Ozark doesn't take glass. Also, I need to make the Springfield run to pick up and drop off the shelter laundry anyway. I suppose it is good to have something to do on a day that's a little cool to be gardening.
It isn't really too cool to be gardening today. It's just too cool to be working outside in shorts and a t-shirt!

And I've been purposely people-ing --
Breakfast with a friend on Monday, dinner with small group tonight, Chaplain lunch meeting tomorrow and maybe Barchurch tomorrow evening. 
What is going on?

I ran across this quote for a little Wednesday Wisdom.
I wonder if you can be happy and be a philosopher.
Hmmm...?

John

February

It's February!
I am looking forward to some warmer temperatures, although I think the snow covered ground is keeping them a little cooler these first few days of the month. I think (hope) most of that will be melted away by the end of today. I realize that we are just at the mid point of winter and there is plenty of cold weather ahead, but I am ready for spring.

I got some fabric planting containers that were delivered yesterday. I am excited about that and ready to get started on gardening. 
I am looking forward to spring gardening as much as I have ever been. I don't know if it's because I'm looking to do more in the way of vegetables or if it's just that I am really tired of winter and ready to be doing something in the way of working outside. I am ready to stop with the sweatpants and long sleeved shirts and get back to shorts, t-shirts and bare feet!
I don't believe that I suffer from SADD, but the desire for longer days and warmer temperatures is real.

It's the third today
A bit late to begin now
I'll skip haiku month

John

Can We Just Skip Ahead to Spring?

January is finally coming to an end, but it looks like the disturbance in the polar vortex will continue to bring cold weather to the Midwest and beyond into early February.
Sacrebleu!

Although February is really in the very heart of winter, I always feel like spring is getting close. MLB teams are all in spring training camp by the end of week two, so it has to be close, right?

This stretch of cold weather has me a little out of sorts. I haven't even been reading much lately.
Maybe it has to do with the addition of snow cover that lasts for more than a few days. 
Maybe it is the extra nights of working.
Maybe I am getting too old for this cold weather crap and need to move to a warmer climate.
Maybe it's that SADD thing getting to me this season.

I'm not sure what it is, but I am ready for spring!

There is a part of me that wants to be present in the moment and appreciate the winter and what it accomplishes in the cycles of nature. But I am also very much looking forward to planting a garden and watching flowers grow. I don't like spending too much energy on the days ahead. It feels like I am cheating today by doing that. I can tend to my early plants and do things to prepare for the coming weeks rather than just wasting time thinking about it. 
I ordered some containers for tomatoes and have already started my tomato plants. I think I'll also grow peppers (also started) in containers and I bought some larger containers for potatoes and sweet potatoes. I'm wondering how that will go and also wondering how I will do on the crops that require more patience than some of the others.

This weekend marks eleven years since I hung up my headset and retired from the ATC gig. It is hard to believe that it's been that long. 
Talk about privilege! Wow!

Enjoy the remaining moments of January. 
Retirement in any month is better than going to work!

John

Too much to do!

Monday -- midday shelter work
Yesterday -- doctor's appointment.
Today -- early car appointment
Tomorrow -- morning shelter work

Whatever happened to my quiet, non-productive retired life?

Actually, the past couple of days have been decent days and I have managed to take advantage of the warm weather by getting a few things done around the house; nothing major, just a few things that needed to be done now are. 
There are plenty of things like that. Yesterday I spent a couple of hours tilling an area for spring planting. I may go over it again today and then once more before planting. Anyone that has tried tilling or plowing land in SWMO understands why there is no crop farming here. The ground is hard, mostly clay, and full of rocks. A couple of hours behind a tiller can beat you up. I'm a bit surprised that my hands and wrists aren't sore today.

Working outside in shorts and a t-shirt was nice for early January. We will have a couple more warm days before winter returns. I am looking forward to spring and planting my Christmas seeds -- pumpkins, sunflowers, and popcorn.
After working yesterday, I sat in the sun and enjoyed a cigar and a tequila and soda. I am looking forward to many similar days. I know that this simple life isn't for everyone, but I do enjoy it.

I hope you have a chance to enjoy whatever today holds for you. 
It's time for me to take a car to the shop.

John