It's here!

It looks like autumn (fall) is here at last.  The temperature outside this morning at 8:30 was a chilly 46 degrees.  We've  had warm weather up until now which meant I couldn't work outside unless I got up at the crack of dawn.  My medication prevents me from being in the heat/sun for any length of time so my front landscaping looks like crap.  I finally got some of the bigger obnoxious weeds pulled and will be working on the rosemary plants which are trying to take over.  I'd dry the rosemary but the mulch I put down had a warning that plants should not be used as food since there was a weed killer in it.  Won't do that again.
We don't get much in the way of color down here.  Mostly russets, some yellow, very little red although more maples are being planted it seems.
This is not my favorite time of year since it symbolizes an ending.  I prefer Spring since it symbolizes new beginnings.  At least we have seasons here, although some say we only have two...hot and cold.
what's your favorite season?

Politics suck

I am so tired of all the political ads and will be so glad when elections are done and over with.  I know for whom I'm voting and know that the ads on TV contain innuendos (on both sides), some untruths, few actual facts.  Some candidates are backed with outside money, lots of it, and some struggle to pay for air time.  Whenever the ads come on I hit the mute button.  No one is perfect.  We all know that.  I don't discuss politics with friends, or anybody for that matter.  How many friendships have been broken up because both parties were on opposite sides politically?  I care about the person, not how he or she votes.

A Friend's Passing

I've seen this on numerous occasions and thought I would share it with you.  It is so disturbingly true.

Today we mourn the passing of a beloved old friend, Common Sense, who has been with us for many years.  No one knows for sure how old he was, since his birth records were long ago lost in bureaucratic red tape.  He will be remembered as having cultivated such valuable lessons as:

           - knowing when to come in out of the rain;
           - why the early bird gets the worm;
           - life isn't always fair;
           - and maybe it was my fault.

Common Sense lived by simple financial policies (don't spend more than you can earn) and reliable strategies (adults, not children, are in charge).
His health began to deteriorate when well-intentioned but overbearing regulations were set in place.  Reports of a 6-year old boy charged with sexual harassment for kissing a classmate; teens suspended from school for sing mouthwash after lunch; and a teacher fired for reprimanding an unruly student, only worsened his condition.
Common Sense lost ground when parents attacked teachers for doing the job they themselves had failed to do in disciplining unruly children.
He declined een fourth when schools were required to get parental consent to administer sun lotion or an aspirin to a student but could not inform parents when a student became pregnant and wanted to have an abortion.
Common Sense lost the will to live as the churches became businesses and criminals received better treatment than their victims.
Common Sense took a beating when you couldn't defend yourself from a burglar in your home and the burglar could sue you for assault.
He finally gave up the will to live after a woman failed to realize that a steaming cup of coffee was hot.  She spilled some in her lap and was promptly awarded a huge settlement.
Common Sense was preceded in death,
     -by his parents, Truth and Trust,
     - by his wife, Discretion,
     - by his daughter, Responsibility,
     - and by his son, Reason.
He is survived by his 5 stepbrothers;
     - I know My Rights,
     - I Want It Now
     - Someone Else Is To Blame,
     - I'm A Victim, and
     - Pay Me For Doing Nothing.
Not many attended the funeral because so few realized he was gone.

Bats

One of the gentlemen, a veteran, who attends the veterans' workshop at the Helen Art Center, makes bat houses.  I saw them at our Christmas in July event and bought one.  Yesterday morning he and his wife came by and installed it.  I can see it from the porch.  Now all I need are bats.  I'm told they'll come, just be patient.  My neighbor used to have them but closed off their access.  Maybe they'll make their way over here.  They'll certainly keep the mosquito population down and maybe some of the other bugs that hang around here also.  I don't know why some people are afraid of bats.  Maybe the horror movies about them?  Yes, I know they can carry disease but it's rare.
This same gentleman is going to start making bluebird houses.  I'll be getting some of those also.  The post holding the one I have finally gave up and crashed.  The bottom had rotted.  I had birds in there all the time so need to get that house up again.  This time on something that won't rot.

Visits

My sister arrives this Saturday.  Then Sunday we are driving to North Carolina to visit my brother and his wife for a few days. This month marks my brother's 80th birthday.  Hard to believe!  Once back here she and I will have a day together.  I don't get to see my brother or sister often.  I'm lucky if it's once a year.  And we've only begun to get together somewhat recently.  There's a large age gap between us.  There's a long story there which I won't go into.  Suffice it to say that my Dad had more than one wife.  It hasn't been until we all started to get much older that we've been visiting.  My sister ( half-sister, but who cares) is the one who started it really and I'm glad she did.  My brother was never really a part of my life.  Partly because of age difference and partly because he was never home.  First it was private schools, then it was the Air Force for him.  My sister is 11 years younger.  She lived in FL, I didn't.  And even when I did live there we didn't connect.  Sad, in a way, that's it's taken all these years but at least we're connecting, albeit sporadically, now.

Power

Had a generator installed yesterday.  And a propane tank.  I'm of the age where I don't want to have to try to start a gasoline powered generator.  It makes my daughter happy.  Maybe she thinks I can't survive without one.  I have to admit that it will be nice to have heat and lights if the power goes off during a storm but I know I can survive if I had to without the generator.  I've done so before even to the point of getting the wood stove up and going in the basement when I had pneumonia.  Should there be a severe ice storm at least my daughter and kids can come up and stay if she doesn't have power.  She has no other heat source than electricity.  Nor do some of my neighbors.  That could be interesting, 'cause I would let them know they could come over to shower and such.  Of course, I might not ever go through the 250 gallons of propane.  The power company is really good about restoring power as quickly as possible.
There are so many people nowadays that couldn't deal with going without power.  Or air conditioning or electric heat.  We have become a nation (world, actually) of wimps and, should the poo-poo hit the oscillator, the only ones who will survive are those who do without now and those who grew up when there was no such thing.
What do you think?
Y'all have a good day and remember:  a day without sunshine is like...night.

Not much

I don't write here very often because I don't believe I have that much to say.  And only very few make comments.  That being said, I'm going to ramble a bit this morning.
I don't watch national news because I don't believe it is news but rather opinion or, in the alternative, sensationalized.  The news stations spew what they have been fed whether true or totally exaggerated and skewed to whichever side that particular station leans.  It used to be that reporters checked stories for truth and fact before publishing or airing.  Nowadays, not so much.
I am all for limited numbers being allowed into this country.  As for those who enter unlawfully, send them home.  Maybe then those who are on the dole will finally get off the collective asses and go to work.  Get their hands dirty, take home a pay check or, in the least, get off the streets....although some of those who hold up the signs begging for money take in thousands a year (and don't pay taxes).  The population of this country is getting too large.  Pretty soon there will be no green space and we'll be taking pills for nutrition instead of food.  Remember the movie Soylent Green?
And maybe we should send those Americans who protest against the wall and limited immigration to try to sneak into Mexico and see what happens.
As for those actors and actresses who say they're going to leave if so and so is elected, why haven't they left?  And why do they think their opinions are so important?  Hell, these days I don't even know who they are.  The really great ones were in the past and many served this country during the wars.  They knew what patriotism is.  Take the male actors of today and put them through basic training and they'll cry like babies and want their mommies.
I have had jobs where I had to clean up after others (believe me, you learn a lot about people cleaning hotel/motel rooms).  Happily, I don't have to but would if I had to.  That being said, would you?
Okay, enough.  Y'all have a good day and remember.....work may be a four-letter word but so is wage.