Break Time Since Sunday

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Be back in a few weeks. 

Lazy Days

I was reading Disappearing Nightly by Laura Resnick and Little Cat decided to catch a few Zzzzs . 

 She startled me with her boldness.





As suddenly as she had deposited herself, she left.  
 I just do know know what to think about that. 

The blazing stars are here! 









Peppers!

I have several varieties. We use them with tomatoes and just about everything else.  I harvested five this weekend and they went into the sloppy joe mix. 

And here he is.  Casually standing under the rhubarb.  I finally asked my roommate if she had any information about the gnome.  She just smiled and said, "yes, that is curious." 

That is so rude

I saw this note a a local pub.  If you look really hard you can see the graffiti written in pencil on the pale yellow walls just above the note. 

The author of the note chastises the graffiti artist in permanent black marker 

It is rude to write on other people's walls. Now I have to paint this.  See.... "Everything I need to know, I learned in Kindergarten." 

I am thinking that he or she wants to make repainted the wall worth the effort. 

Blooming

Finally,
They are here.  I have been watching for my gladiolas for weeks. I planted 75 corns.  I could not locate any of my bulbs from last year.  I am beginning to wonder if I let them stay in the ground. 

 

These are a lovely color. 

I was excited to see more blooms.

Unfortunately, so was someone else.  There are a lot of little girls on my block.  That means that they like to pick flowers for their mothers.  I have found the only way to discourage them from picking flowers from my garden is to invite them over and permit them to select cuttings for themselves. I guess I was taking too long to extend an invitation because, I have less gladiolas each day when I return home from work.

This is the more of my sedum blooming. 
I swear one day I am going to kill off all the grass and replace it with sedum. 

The cucumbers are exploding out of their cage. 

This sage attracts lots of bees. 

This picture just makes me laugh.  He looks like he is watering the weeds. 

Back to basics

I went through my posts and realized that I have not dedicated any to the purpose of my blog.
To talk about my Frizzy Life armed with hooks and covered in cat hair.
A Crafty Update
I will be attending a convention in New Orleans in July.
I decided to knit my opening session outfit.  I selected a simple tank pattern from One Skein Projects to Knit or Crochet
Once I started on the third skein of yarn, I realized that this book exaggerated.  I felt that using four skeins or more on a simple tank top was not a good use of my talent.

I frogged it and began another project last week.

Using Ravelry's nifty pattern finder tool, I selected the China Doll pattern in my copy of Interweave Crochet spring 2008.  It is a design by one of my favorite crochet designers

Doris Chan.
 I have made a few of her designs.  I love them.

Unfortunately, I only have 8 skeins of the yarn that I want to use.  I didn't check before starting the project.  I am having a hell of a time finding more skeins of the yarn. 
I can crochet much faster than I can knit. This top will be completed, I just don't know how long it will be if I run out of yarn.

I am using a cotton/acrylic blend of sport weight yarn.  I think that Debbie Bliss Eco Baby will be a good substitute. 
Crossing my fingers
I have two weeks to complete this.  I am will be beginning the waist shaping tomorrow.

I need to complete this top for a friend.  Once again, I am running out of yarn. I was confident that I had two skeins when I began.  Sometimes, I think my house is inhabited by a yarn gremlin. Fortunately, I have enough yarn to finish it if I change my color design. 
Since, the convention is more important. She will have to wait for her summer top. 

Garden Gnome Watch

Today, he is guarding the rudibeckia.  Actually, he is in front of the garden itself. Do you see the wooden fence that the neighbors installed making sure that all the weeks and bothersome bushes (that will not die) were on my side of the fence?  The only think that fence keeps out is their dog. 
You can see the morning glory sprouts that I have to remove every few days and somewhere in there is a tomatilla sprout. Since I do not make green chili, I usually remove those as well. 
I will get into the garden sometime this week.  Wish me luck. 

Where is he today

He moved to stand near the Brandywine tomato plant yesterday

Now he is near the flower bed

Backyard Shenanigans

Edit:  To add pseudo names for my neighbors

This weekend was the holiday.  I spent two evenings with the Van Dames* watching their backyard fireworks.  It could be considered a bit much.  They are nice folks and they had beer.  What can I say?

I am glad that I left the party before the girl fights.  I knew it was a matter of time when the two women would stop drinking and begin fighting.  You can only do some many beer bongs.  After about 4 shots of whiskey, you really need to sit yourself down and be quiet.  Girl A did not bring her own liquor to the party, she took advantage of  Gir -(oops) I mean -Woman B's alcohol and beer bong. I should mention that Woman B's beer bong had been a mother's day present from her fiance.
Yes. It was that type of party.

Really, our friends, relatives and acquaintances come in all forms.  If there is a good time to be had by all , All will have a good time. I was happy to be there.

Woman A took it upon herself to assist Woman B in being hospitable. She cajoled me and Dude into taking whiskey shots and using the beer bong.  Some might call it peer pressure.......
I did it.  Two shots of whiskey one beer bong and then I was ready to get out of there.  The fireworks had been lit and there was nothing to do but watch the slight panic as the bonfire flames edged toward the firewood pile.  Heh. The bonfire was spectacular after the smoke and eye spots  from the sonic booms dissipated.  Yet, I could sense a girlfight.
So, I left.

The next day, the neighborhood fireworks display negated the need to attend the city's fireworks.  I haven't attended the downtown fireworks since I moved here.  I didn't experience it as a child or a young adult in my suburban neighborhoods.  I like this.
Kinda scary but mostly fun.  As a homeowner it behooved me to stand outside and observe the fireworks. I needed to know who to blame if anything were to happen. 

I asked my neighbor, Carlos* about his military status.  I noticed that he diligently places the American flag outside his home each federal holiday.  He shared with me that his son-in-law served in the Army. He died in Iraq.  Now, I will look at his flag and be reminded of the sacrifices that are made by our serviceman. 

Besides for being extra hot, I enjoyed the holiday weekend.  BTW, when it is 90 degrees, even a bike ride is hot. 

I forgot to mention the shenanigans of the Eastsideneighbors. I will not bother giving them a psuedonym.  If you know anything about the Eastside of any rustbelt city, you know enough.

My housemate Roseanne* took this pic of the eastside neighbors having a tailgate party in their driveway.  http://twitpic.com/20lbat
They have a backyard. I have seen it.  It is huge.  There is simply no reason to explain the things that they do. 

Time for a garden update.

They are here. The rudbeckia bloomed.

I have tons of it.  If you would like some, come on over.



I feed the birds. Sometimes, I get a sunflower for my troubles.









This little guy appeared among my collard plants on Sunday.  It is a mystery to how he got there.  I do not know what he is doing in the garden.  I hope he is stomping on slugs.  He gave me a fright when I first spied him in the foliage. 

Most of the coneflowers have bloomed.

 I have an ambulatory gnome!  Today, I found him guarding the tomato plants.    I think I will check for him everyday.  He is kinda cute.

Today's Garden Pics

I have echinecea or coneflower - whatever your pleasure

The neighbor's cat has claimed my garden as his personal space.  I hate that cat. 

I have found some huge slugs in the garden this year.
I am not sure why people continue to suggest that I use beer to catch and kill them. Why would I waste beer?  I heard that using cheap beer is no better than filtered fairy piss and it does not attract the slugs.
I am certainly not using good beer.

Just the other day I found myself on the way to Baskin Robbins to get my favorite sundae.  I realized that the cost of that sundae is just a dollar less than a 6-pack of beer.  I drove home instead.  I do not think I will ever go to Baskin Robbins again unless I have a coupon. 

Something is nibbling on my flowers and leafy vegetables. Whether it is the slugs or the damn cat, it needs to stop. 

The Rudbeckia should be blooming soon.
You can see the collard plants behind this one.  

My collards do not seem to be doing very well while my cuke vines are growing like crazy. I am going to tame them this weekend.  I have a few peppers growing and the tomato plants are blooming.  
Hopefully, I will have something to harvest next week.