Oh Good Lord... here it is Thursday and I haven't gotten around to posting last Saturday night's radio show (with or without the usual weekly wordy ramble accompanied by visual materials). The memory does vaguely recall that there were two days in a row in which the weather politely suggested I stay out of the garden. Those days were so filled with awe and wonder that I have little awareness of what I did during them. It was reasonably peaceful - which means that the new neighbor, a nearly feral young man caught in the web of social services, wasn't banging himself or his supposed friends against the shared wall while screaming obscenities mixed with occasional threats of violence. I do catch myself day dreaming about acquiring my own home, with my garden just outside of my door - all located far enough outside of town that I won't have to deal too often with other people. I'm certainly not misanthropic, I just don't want to be bothered. I dare say a couple weeks of listening to little but crickets - and the ever present echoing whoosh of automobiles - will propel me back towards the unwelcoming arms of humanity after, oh, say, a decade or so.
The spring garden, with its visual perfume of peonies, iris, and the first blush of roses, has faded into memory. The flow of words and the mental image of the garden are ripped from my being by a telephone call - after moments of silence and static a young man with an Indo-Pakistani accent explains to me that he is calling from "Windows Technical Department". As this is the 5th such call I have picked up this week, I responded in a manner that was not entirely kind, and did not reflect any of the generosity of spirit to which I aspire. I glumly reflect that I should be thankful it wasn't another of the calls for a local Social Services Agency. My telephone number was previously held by an agency which contracts with the state to provide various services. They've been under fire for a $650,000.00 retirement payout last year to a previous executive, which was topped by the recent revelation of an attempt to hide a $1.8 Million Dollar loss operating group homes in another state. Somehow, for their information summary, Google picked a phone number which had been assigned to a social worker who left the concern a few years ago. I've had the number for close to three years now. Not long ago, I found out whose number it had been; amusingly enough, the gentleman in question sought out a show on the community radio station as an adjunct to the new position he took working with young fathers. I trained him. And his replacement. I believe the position has vanished due to budget cuts. I've complained many times about the problem, but no one seemed to know how to get Google to change their display. This has been the first week in months without calls for the agency. I looked them up using Google. Their number has finally been corrected. One down, and fourthousandthreehundredtwentysix to go.
Where was I? Oh, yes, I was about to devote a few words to the garden. As I've wasted this much time, I'll just post a few pictures instead.
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| The summer version od the garden begins to take shape. |
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| The trail to the 'back 40' shade portion of the garden. |
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| A visitor to one of the daylilies. |
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| This was a scrimp and save addition last year. There's a post here somewhere about a trip to the daylily garden. |
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| May was very dry and hot, requiring constant watering. June has been very wet and hot. A couple of rainstorms played havoc with the peas. On Sunday, I was able to harvest a handful - enough to put in that night's dinner. On Wednesday there were so may snow peas and sugar snaps that the large paper bag I brought was over 1/3 full when I finished picking. |
Saturday's radio show was again "off format", continuing the "summer series" of shows. This edition selected its playlist from records and broadcasts of the week's birthday celebrants, Billy Eckstine, Della Reese, Louis Jordan, Jimmy McHugh, Oscar Hammerstein II, and Dorothy Fields. Someone at the station changed a few settings on our equipment, which resulted in the show's recording being a tad over modulated. Luckily it's not too bad and is listenable. As always, I hope any listeners enjoy the show.
