Annual-ish Garden Tip, Reminder

This may become an annual announcement, reminder, or proclamation…

DO NOT USE DITCH DIRT IN YOUR FLOWER BEDS OR VEGETABLE GARDENS! 

End-ish May Check In

Well snap!  I don’t know where my mind was when I posted last time.  The day snuck up on me just like DS’s birthday did.  Anyway, I hope all had a good Mother’s Day.  Speaking of holiday – does anyone else keep wondering why the news & weather people keep talking about Memorial Day, then look at the calendar and think “Oh Crap!  That’s THIS weekend already!” ?    Anyway, I hope it will be a good holiday for all.

Early May Check In

I stayed home 4/25 through 5/8.  It was time to make a grocery run, and acquire tomato, pepper, and herb plants.  It seems the paper products are back on the shelves, however signs are still up for limit of 1 package per customer.  There were some spray disinfecting cleaners, but still no disinfecting concentrate or wipes.  The flour shelf was improved, no big bags but there were multiple small bags, mostly of smaller brands like Bob’s Red Mill.  So far no meat limit or outage at the grocery I went to.  The owner happened by while I was perusing the beef roasts and he said he’s expecting $8 a pound ground beef prices next week.  The selection of vegetable plants was pitiful.  Not many tomatoes or peppers (NO jalapeno peppers!), and far fewer varieties than in past.  The grocery did not put up their greenhouse this year.  The greenhouse had 1/3 to 1/2 of the vegetable plants the past owners had.  Thiesen’s had their greenhouse up as usual, so most of the plants were purchased there.

End of April Check-In

I stayed home 4/10 through 4/23, then made an excursion on 4/24.  Wearing the mask is certainly something that takes some getting used to.  Not so much the putting it on, as the breathing with it on.  At WM in Clinton, I saw at least one person wearing a mask over only their mouth     Most of the older shoppers had masks, as did most of the WM employees working out on the floor.  I don’t know about the checkers as I used self checkout, at that had it’s own issues with ringing up produce and coupons not ringing up and needing the attention of one of the register managers.

Mid-April Check-in

I stayed home 4/10 through today, I don’t plan on doing a supply run until next week sometime.  DH has been stopping on his way home to pick up a few things if needed, so that helps increase the time between my major runs.

I’ve noticed that the grocery store I usually go to has not had any weekly sale inserts in the local papers for about 3 weeks now.  The Wednesday HyVee ads have also been missing, along with the store inserts in the Sunday paper.  The ads for Menard’s, Theisen’s and Fleet Farm are about the only ones left now.  I did get a Joann flyer in the mail today.

It’s been all about the masks

I stayed home 3/27 through 4/8, then I had to do a supply run on 4/9.  Sunday 3/29, the Iowa Humane Alliance called and left a message that they were closing until mid-April.  Was I right in keeping the long scheduled appointments the last week of March?  I still waffle on that.  I know the tax filing & payment were delated by IRS, but I suspect that COVID-19 is yet to hit Iowa hard.  Will the Treasury delay again?  I suspect not.  Goober is 10-ish months old and his hormones are kicking in.  The longer neutering is delayed, the longer it takes to heal and de-hormone and the greater chances of his wandering off and doing tom cat things like fighting, making kittens, or getting hit on the highway.  The sewing/fabric store was very happy to get the Q-Zone boxes out of their storage area.  Maybe the taxes and Q-Zone pickup could have been delayed, not the neutering.

Grace Q-Zone is assembled

I finally got the Q-Zone frame put together.

I’m showing the box sizes for anyone who might think of ordering one.  The basic frame comes in 3 boxes, plus one box for the carriage.  I had 2 additional boxes – one for the adjustable arms, and one for the light.  I normally drive a Focus, there’s no way box 1 would fit, it did lay flat in the back of the Explorer after putting the back seat down.  I think I could have gotten box 2 into the Focus with some maneuvering of the front passenger seat.

End of March Check-In

This too shall pass.  Economically, we’ll be spewing vile ugliness, like an entire herd of toddlers with norovirus, but it will pass.  As of 3/27, Iowa is not yet totally shut down.  However every few days, more businesses are ordered shut down.  I truly wish Trump and his herd would just step back and let medical and science people take control of this.  We don’t need him spouting lies and half-assed information just to bolster his ego, and pander to the churchy types that think he’s some prize sent by God.

One thing I wonder about the death rate in China, vs. what it *may* happen here – China has a HUGE air pollution problem.  How many of those who died had compromised lung function due to that, making them even more susceptible to the pneumonia?  OTOH, I don’t *think* Italy has such severe pollution, and has been hit just as hard with fatalities.  And now after China relaxed their stay home orders, I see they’ve had an increase in new cases again.  IMHO, if Trump overrides advice to keep shelter in place and social distance orders just because of Easter, it WILL be a bigger disaster, medically and economically, than it already is.

Mid-March Check In

Yeah, about that COVID-19…  I’m doing the social distance thing, in truth I’ve been doing that since I retired.  Hand washing, check.  Face touching, mostly I’m getting better at not touching, at least when I’m out and about.  I can’t help but think the panic people are in would be much improved by getting 45 and his minions out of the information line.  Put the science and medical pandemic response team in charge and let them do their thing for the next months.  I don’t think it will be over in a month, maybe 3 months, IF everyone does the distancing thing and not too many decide that enough others are doing it, so they don’t need to, and re-start the transmission chain again.

Sewing & Needlework:

March Progress Report

I’m not sure I’m ready for March, but AM glad it’s not February!

Sewing & Needlework:

I changed the flame on the Statue of Liberty to golds, with a bit of metallic on top.  I’m not sure I’m happy with it.  The colors are fine, it’s the shape that looks like a lump, not a flame