Well, I'm back...

not that it's going to do us any good... now that my DSL is up and running, my camera has called it quits. Guess I'll drop by a pawn shop and see what's available for cheap.

just checking in...

on a friends computer... My DSL is down and out... it's entirely a pain in the ole ass, let me tell you. But I didn't want anybody thinking that I was ignoring them so I borrowed a computer to pay bills and check in with everybody.

Hope y'all are doing well, I should be back next week.

buzz buzz buzz

It's really bizarre when insects don't act like they're supposed to, isn't it? Life just isn't like they tell us it is in grade school science class...

Take these bees for instance. At the house of an older lady that lives down the block, these insects have been clustering every evening around her porch light...

Now, everybody learned in grade school that bees go home to the hive every night and re-emerge every morning to go about their business of polinating and nectar gathering...

My first thought was that they were somehow missing from their hive and were just clustering on the light for the warmth it puts out... but they've been there all summer. And our night temps don't drop that much in the summer... about 10 to 15 degrees. It's quite common for us to have temps in the upper 80's every evening, so I doubt warmth has much to do with it...

Whatever the reason, they are a menace. I've checked thoroughly, and there's no hive in the neighborhood. I don't know what they're doing. Except being a menace... you see, every morning there's a bunch of bees who have lost their purchase all over the sidewalk, yard and porch... ambling about in a lethargic manner and getting caught in the fur of Miss D's little dog... which brings them inside where they suddenly wake up and just aren't happy. It's quite a nuisance.

Miss D, a few days ago, sprayed some sort of insecticide on the poles and lights when no bees were present, and it seems to have been enough to repel them and keep them at bay... no more stung doggies or senior citizens... but I would like to know what was going on...

well, I promised I would try...

I promised I would try to find SOMETHING to blog about... and it was as good a day as any to do it... three... count them, three, whole deliveries today... to absolutely no place interesting. But, between deliveries... I pulled off to the side of the road to have a good pout and there was this unused cattle pasture there...

I saw some Snow-On-The-Mountain... which is some sort of Euphorbia. They're interesting plants... green except for the leaves around the tiny flowers. Here they grow wild, but in some parts of the country, people actually buy seeds and grow the things as annuals in the yard...

and the common burdock is putting out it's burrs... which are interesting when they're green but danged annoying when they dry and stick to you...

And this next plant I've always heard called ground cherry. There's several different varieties and colors... They're a close relative of the common ornamental Chinese Lanterns, and also Tomatillo, or husk tomato's that you buy in Mexican markets and are instrumental in making Salsa Verde.

As you can see, the 'cherries' on this variety are small and purplish black inside their lantern shaped husks... and these have a sweetish flavor... I understand that they make a very good preserve. The more common yellow ones, or at least the yellow ones in my area, are hideously bitter. I once experimentally tried one and spent the next 30 minutes spitting after the initial gag...

And that's about it.

Hope everybody out there is doing well... have a great day.

OK... it's been more than a month since I posted.

Not really sure how that happened, except to say that September is not my greatest month. This September held the 1st aniversary of my Mothers passing, the 7th aniversary of my fathers passing... those are the two biggies... but this September also held a few other fun days... Let's just say that it's not a good month for me.

That, and there's been absolutely nothing to photograph... which explains the total lack of photographs I suppose. Now you could, argue that there's plenty of things to photograph, it's just my mood... and I guess that's a pretty valid argument actually, but also, there's been no interesting destinations at work driving, no interesting things at the flea market, and, until the recent rains, nothing growing in the yard.

So, no matter what the reason... there's still a big ole lump of nothing...

The only thing I've done yesterday that's in any way, shape or form interesting is turn cheap silk flowers into pins that flower pins that I sell at the flea market... women buy them to pin on their hats or jackets. And, that's not really interesting... it's only vaugely craft-ish, and anyone who can run a hot glue gun can do it, it's just that nobody does...

As for other news... I ushered at church. Which consists of standing by the door, handing out bulletins and saying good morning. And passing a collection plate. No big deal...

But I was feeling all guilty that I hadn't posted, so I'm taking care of that now.

Now, in contrast... October tends to be a good month for me. So you should be seeing more of me... Later...

Nothing too impressive. Haven't really had anything to post about. Central Texas in August isn't exactly a garden site... Temps have been officially in the 100 to 104 range, but add all that concrete that I'm on constantly, and you're talking more like 105 to 109. Looks like the heat has finally broke though... only mid-90's today...

Here's a few random pics from the past few weeks. Normally, I would try to come up with interesting factoids. But the heat leeches most interest out of me... still...

this is the Rylie Cemetary. Rylie was a small town, and is still an area in South Dallas. The origional grave here dates to 1887, I think... there's about 400 graves on the site, and the cemetary is still in use.

And one day last week, I ended the day in Pittsburg. Not Pennsylvania of course, Texas, a mere 150 + miles from my house. Pittsburg is probably best known as the origional site of Pilgrims Pride Chicken. There is still a large poultry plant here. And this now multi million dollar industry all descended from this building... the origional Pilgrims Feed and Grain...

It's a good thing for the town. I've delivered to many small towns throughout Texas, and this is probably the first that still has a vibrant local economy with a viable downtown I've seen. That factory is keeping this town going.

Lots of churches. One on about every corner, actually... More different types of Baptists than you would think are absolutely neccesary. The most impressive church I was was the First Methodist, built in 1904-05, in what's called Prarie Style Architecture.

Love the stonework... around the rooflines...

Anyway... that's about the best I can do right now. But it's been a while and I had to do something.

nothing about plants... but anyway...

Well folks... it's been a while hasn't it?

Hope nobody was worried... I've just had a tough few weeks, and didn't have the energy required to put thoughts to paper. And what energy I did have was being sapped by Texas summer... it's hideous out there!

But today, at the end of a day of driving all over the Dallas Ft. Worth metroplex... I saw an Ice Cream store... and a little voice inside my head said, "I want ice cream."

I tried to ignore it.

Then the voice went, "PLEEEEEEEEEEEEESE.... I want some Ice cream please, please, please, please, pleeeeeeese..."

I kept ignoring it.

Then the voice stated quite firmly and with a surprisingly matter of fact tone... "If you don't give me an ice cream cone I'm going to throw a temper tantrum. And then you'll be sorry."

Your inner child should never be ignored. He needs occasional treats. Otherwise, you lose your sense of fun and happiness.

So that's how a mid forties, hot sweaty man ended up in the Braums Ice Cream Parlor leaning against the glass over the party colored flavors mumbling... "That looks good... no, I think I want that one... no wait, is that Rocky Road? Oh cool! Cookies and cream... and what's that one?"

I settled for cookies and cream, and mint chocolate chip.

And yeah, I'm sure they thought I was an escapee from the local mental asylum, but who gives a damn? I'm never gonna see those people again... Actually, the lady behind the counter, a fifty something Grandmotherly type, had a look on her face that said this isn't the first time a full grown man stood in front of that counter acting like an over excited 8 year old.

And not only did I get ice cream... I came out of it in a totally better mood.

Now, me and ice cream go way back... Mom and I used to go get ice cream about every week in the summer, usually on Sunday evening. It was one of our favorite minor rituals. Since Mom passed, I haven't been in an ice cream shop... I had no reason to go to one.

Now, I'm realizing that I was depriving myself. Not neccesarily of ice cream, although that would be bad enough, but more the sense of fun that ice cream evokes from my childhood. I don't know that I'll be going every week again... but I am going to make a point of giving my inner child an occasional treat.

gloriosa....

Gloriosa Lily is blooming! Actually, this is the second bloom... the first I snipped off and gave to someone down the street...

I love this plant, it's fire-hot blooms seem to be perfectly happy in our summer heat. I'm very interested to see how tall it gets... right now, it's climbing about 2 feet, but supposedly, it can get much, much taller... Thanks to Julie, over at A Succulent Life for sending me these wonderful plants...

Well, Hildy has up and done her thing again... looks like she'll be doing it tomorrow and the next day too...

This pic was taken with a cheap kodak. At 6 am. I am a bit past staying up until 1 am to take pics of cactus blooms in their full glory. I've done it before. Several times. The thrill is gone.

Seriously, if you look at past posts... you will see that I've stayed up till the wee hours of the morning, sometimes aiming my trucks headlights to light up a shot... on one memorable occasion even balancing a flashlight, umbrella and camera in the rain, all so I can produce a pic for my blog friends. No more... Love ya to death... But...

Besides, I get up at 5:30 am to get ready for work anyway. Which is really surprising to me. When I worked in bars, that's about the time I came home and crawled into my coffin.

Regardless, there's Hildy up there. Four blooms tonight, more over the next couple of days. Probably more blooms over the next couple of months too.

nothing at all...

no pics

Oh Well...

I've had one of THOSE weeks... although I have to admit that yesterday was the worst of it... so when I got home about 5 pm, I kinda collapsed into a comfy armchair and woke up about 10 pm because the neighbor was pounding on my door... but I'm getting ahead of myself.

So, Thursday... the worst day at work imaginable... Picked up at a church office. An envelope that's going 30 miles away... OK... picked up another order on the way, get to where the envelope is going and it's locked up tight, signs say appointment only, with a couple of phone numbers... I call the phone numbers which ring inside the empty office... call dispatch, he calls everyone he can think of... 45 minutes later and the other order in the truck is already late, so I go drop it off.

Then I go to the airport to pick up, sign all the papers, go through all the security carp, and the guys in the warehouse bring up 12 boxes. That were damaged in transit. Nice... so I demand, on the behalf of my customer, a damage report, call dispatch, so there's another 45 minutes of sitting in a warehouse... actually standing in a warehouse. There's a small square painted on the floor where you have to wait. No chairs. Security guy sitting in the only chair, staring at you. Whatever...

Finally get the reports, loaded up, take the reports to the office of the actual shipping company that I've been subcontracted through, then, on the way to dropping off the boxes... I'm exiting the freeway when some woman bashes into the back of my truck. I'm fine, she's fine, my truck is fine (big metal bumper back there has a couple of scratches) but her little KIA is not in good shape.

Another hour wasted while she tries to convince a cop that bashing into the back of my truck is all somehow MY fault... then I deliver 12 boxes, some of which are damaged, total weight of 250 lbs, to the 9th floor of a bank building.

Then I called dispatch and said... enough.

So today was actually rather uneventful.

I made deliveries... and that envelope from yesterday is still in my truck, no one will answer any phones at the pick-up or the delivery now... finally, ended the day by taking the envelope to my office and telling them it was their problem now, came home, collapsed in the comfy armchair, woke up because the senior citizen neighbor has a smoke alarm going off... turned out to be a dead battery alarm so I ran to the store, bought a nine-volt, changed the battery under the watchful eye of their guard dog... and haven't been able to even think about going to sleep since.

And that's my life.

Wee haw.