Kiss My Knits!

My husband’s hops are coming along nicely.

Holding on to a box while my daughter spray painted it wasn’t the smartest thing I’ve ever done.

Me: “Let’s see, we need some lettuce. ‘Lettuce’ go and get some!”
Em: “That’s a good one.”

Nice to know she’s learned the fine art of humoring her mother.

I’m bringing a little something home from TNNA.

We’ve got a couple of cukes growing. A few other baby veggies, too. And lots and lots of chili peppers.

Em: What are you doing this weekend?
Me: Oh, working in the garden some. I’ve really enjoyed it. How about you?
Em: I’m going to a Justin Bieber concert.
Me: Oh really?
Em: And I’m going to punch Justin Bieber in the mouth!

Cue maniacal laughter.

Evil League of Evil, we’re awaiting your invitation.

Physically, it’s been a crap couple of weeks.

There was the poison ivy which I wrote about a few days ago. It still itches like crazy and now it’s spread to my left hip and is in a few tiny spots on my left arm. I used weedkiller to rain down fiery death upon the poison ivy in the yard, but there’s still more that I didn’t notice during the first go-round. As a rule, I avoid herbicides and pesticides, but when the plants strike the first blow then the rule turns to “show no mercy!”

I’ve also developed some tendonitis in my right elbow. I suspect it’s a side effect of a drug I was taking for yet another temporary problem, now resolved.

Then a couple of days ago I was walking across a darkened room at work and slipped and fell on my butt. I tried to catch myself with my hand but just succeeded in screwing up my thumb. I wound up going to the doc on the company dime. Thankfully, it’s just really bruised. I’m wrapped up in an ace bandage and I still can’t touch my thumb to my pinky. The doctor says I should avoid lifting things heavier than 10 pounds for the next week.

Obviously, this is putting a major crimp in my Jayne hat knitting.

Fortunately, it’ll all be good in time for TNNA in Columbus in June. As injuries go, it’s not that bad. It’s just that it feels like one damn thing after another.

The sign at right, by the way, is tucked away in a corner of the warehouse at work, a relic of the days when the building was a woodworking shop. I feel like I’ve let the sign down somehow.

Oh well. I’ll try very hard not to accidentally injure myself any further. I don’t need any more drips in the Chinese water torture that is my life.

Vintage 1948 Colgate ad

We have quite a few basil volunteers in the garden this year. As usual, we’ll be giving some away. We only need a few big bushy ones – this many will just crowd each other out.

After we found the freaky tobacco hornworm chrysalis four days ago, we put it to the side. I don’t know why – maybe for later dissection. Its abdomen had stopped moving, so I guess I assumed it was dead and therefore not a danger to our garden.

What did they say in Jurassic Park? Nature finds a way?

Today after work I went to water the garden. I looked into the watering can before filling it. And there in the bottom of the can was this tobacco hornworm moth. And sure enough, the chrysalis which had been in a cardboard box several yards away was gone. The creature must have emerged and dragged itself to what it thought was the relative safety of the can before beginning to dry its wings.

It’s beautiful right now. It will probably be less so when our tomatoes are under attack.