Japan

19th century  painting by  Katsushita Hokusai

I've been reading news articles this morning, about the ongoing tragedy in Japan.  My husband spent many years there in the Navy, so it has been a worrisome time for him, attempting to contact old friends.

Snow Day! (sort of)

Snowball Bush (Viburnum)

We got our annual Late February Last Snow last night - I awoke to a light dusting - so beautiful before the traffic starts moving and the streets get ugly.  I sure wish it snowed here like it used to when I was a kid.

They keep saying Global Warming is a crock, but I know for sure it's warmer on average here in the Rogue Valley now, than it was 40 years ago.  We used to get at least a foot of snow

Food For Thought

A hypothetical situation for you:

You are out to dinner, or in a club, or in a store and someone mistakes you for an employee, and asks for your assistance, or other service.  Now you know that according to the "way things are", your "social standing" puts you far above anyone who would be employed as a waiter, waitress, or shop clerk.  How do you react?

Are you insulted, but don't say anything and just ignore the person?  Do you say something cutting or rude to them?  Or do you explain their mistake gently to them?  Or maybe even help them to find the item or person they need WHILE explaining you don't work there?

I found this to be a very well-written, thought-provoking article, and I'd like to think I'd behave as the Four-star General did:  Bob Greene's Opinion Piece

Work and Fun and Games

Clematis 'Nellie Moser'

Yes, it's been awhile since I posted here - I've gotten lots of work done, and had some fun, too!


I spent 3 days going thru my shop inventory, deleting some things, and adding a bunch of new things, while at the same time creating a database for my inventory.  The software for my website does not allow me to sort and print my inventory as I would like, so now I have it all on a thumb drive in a spreadsheet.  This will allow me to sort by distributor (I have 4 different ones), making it easier to check inventory.  Time well spent!

We have a real muddy area at the back of my side yard, and I cannot get any sort of ground cover to take root there, despite repeated attempts.

Ladybugs!

When is a ladybug not a bug?                 

Always, they are actually beetles!  (Coccinellidae)  A minor distinction, I know, but an entirely different order of insect.  Bugs have mouth-parts made to suck, and feed on fluids, beetles have biting mouth-parts, and tear their food.  The ladybug's proper name is actually the Ladybird Beetle.