Some Time Later

The Hotshots went to their first fire in Southern California and are back already. I managed to break my toe at the lake and still suffer while walking. Apparently it’s going to be swollen for the long run.

My 60th birthday came and went without major disasters. I managed to dance and have lots of fun, but not enough visiting with friends. Perhaps I should not drink that much next time. Oh, wait, there will be no next time, 60 only comes around once.

The garden has been growing. Not as much as I would like, that would take serious fertilizing. I have neither green thumb nor green mind to really know what would make the veggies take off. Veggies and I seem to have a truce and try to get along. So far we have harvested a bunch of zucchini and are watching the tomatoes getting bigger but not redder. There is still lots of time and it’s just my impatience.

My Tomato Jungle
My Tomato Jungle

Look to the very left and you’ll see the tomatoes. Also notice that we’re not watering anything else but the veggies.

Yes, it’s because of the drought. Yet I believe all of us could water what we want in our gardens and it would have no negative effect on the water situation. What would make a difference is big agribusiness and their water use. Having been subsidized for decades they put in watering systems that make absolutely no sense in this state or world. Watering during daytime and over a big area, compared to drip irrigation or something similar, lots of water evaporates and puff, all gone. OK, whatever. The sooner this planet is without us, the better for it. So go use it up! Oil, water, whatever your heart desires.

I’m glad I took pictures of the garden a while ago, otherwise I would swear there was no difference. Obviously I can be wrong. It’s like knitting. You knit and knit and that damn thing does not grow. And all of a sudden, oops, you’ve got a few rows too many. Compare it to all the tomatoes that get ripe all of a sudden. You wished for them but now there are too many. OK, lame comparison.

Knit in Public Day went so-so. I loved sitting on the boardwalk and having some wonderful experiences. But the masses I was expecting to follow the treasure map through town were otherwise occupied. I need a world view adjustment. Most people don’t knit. They think it looks cool, or at least they say so, but will have nothing to do with it.

Does this mean I will give up? Noooooooooooo. Got to start on a younger crowd. When colors and sparkles are still fun and there is time for play. Perhaps I’ll sit outside and invite the younger generation.

Where did I sit? On what’s called the Boardwalk or Parklet. But parklet reminds me too much of piglet. Here is a picture that I found online, but I’ll give credit to Mr. Hart from The Union, a local paper.

dt.common.streams.StreamServer-1

Now imagine, what I consider to be the most beautiful part of town is considered an eyesore by others. They say this is not historical. Really? Are we not going to leave any history behind? Too busy protecting someone else’s history?  I therefore call this part of town the hysterical district instead of historical district.

It’s so appropriate, I have to show you another borrowed picture. Most likely from the same photographer, but I can’t guarantee that. A before and after picture. And believe it or not the history buffs in our town like the before. They are so angry with the lights across the street they had them removed.

1235303_10201775145114775_403827526_n

They are working on removing the wooden boardwalk too. They prefer parking spaces. Makes one speechless.

A little facebook rant and I’ll get out of your face for today. I’m not on facebook anymore; being a control freak, it did not suit my needs. Instead of getting happy birthday greetings directly, I got them through Stephen’s facebook page. I’ve not changed my email over a decade, so there is no excuse.

So what makes people take the time to write to Stephen to wish me a happy birthday instead of writing it to me? What’s the message?

A little knitting news. My birthday got me some yarn and lots of promises for yarn. People get it: I LOVE YARN AND FIBER!

I have not used up my birthday money. But I have been spending time online making plans. Big plans!

In the meantime I’m settling for another Hitchhiker with Wollmeise.

Oh, oh, a movie recommendation. It’s a documentary and fits right in with the World Cup. The name: The Two Escobars, streams through Netflix. It’s the story of Colombia and Soccer. I had no idea! I remember watching that particular World Cup, after all it was not all that long ago: 1994. But I had no idea! How could I have been so blind, so ignorant and downright dumb? Is that how evil happens in history? Obviously it helps to know.

That movie also reminded me how sanitized our media is now with images. And how real life and movies don’t share anything. I’m stunned and I had no idea!