Terra, the Dragon Tamer

I had decorated this basket years ago and put my dragon statuette inside a few weeks ago. It was placed by the front door but I moved it before our friend Phoenix visited. With a prosthetic right leg, the last thing he needs is trip hazards.

Anyway, Terra snuggled into the basket with Bordeaux the dragon. I’ll share more about Phoenix’s visit, a bit of a funny tale.

How can this be comfortable?

Can you see Bordeaux? Do you want to know how he got the name?

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Unintentional Pumpkin Patch

In the fall of 2023 I purchased a pumpkin and carved a jack-o-lantern in the front yard. It didn’t occur to me that seeds discarded there might sprout within the lawn grass. I mowed down a few young plants in the spring of 2024 and thought nothing more of it.

This season, however, a single plant sprouted. Since mass produced pumpkins are hybrids, most of its energy went into growing foliage, ultimately about twelve feet of vines end to end. It was so beautiful I decided to see what would happen.

A total of eight small gourds came as a complete surprise. I enjoyed getting silly with them.

Should I try roasting the seeds? Or maybe even roasting the shells to see if the insides are good eating?

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Amusingly Misdirected

I recently drove my husband to a small, independently owned pub we always mean to revisit. Needless to say, it had been a while since our last visit. After placing our order, I went to wash my hands and found this awesome sign.

Of course I entered the “wrong room”. But our bartender later informed me that it didn’t matter. The proprietors decided to make both facilities unisex because the compact ladies’ room made wheelchair access extremely difficult.

And sure enough, washing my sticky hands before heading home, inside the smaller space I found a very different sign. This one advised men that the toilet was shorter than it appeared and to please stand close to the basin.

Isn’t the inexpensive solution clever? Why did I fail to understand the facilities were unisex?

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What?!

Polly is a gentle cat, for sure. And she is as goofy as they come, such as never failing to get drinking water drops on her nose. I wanted to photograph the cute phenomenon but this photo fail made me just as happy.

How do you great animal photographers get your subjects to cooperate?

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Rerouted

Our local communities are booming with new development, both commercial and residential. I don’t know what the future holds but the present is a bit crazy due to all the construction. On the way to an unexplored park last week, I passed signs mentioning nonexistent lane closures.

At the trailhead I hiked for a half hour. Now my return route displayed a newly installed detour sign. The closure must have been pending.

Right? Wrong.

A passing driver had waved his arm in warning. But I just had to see for myself. It was surreal. I regretted going all the way because the narrow pavement now meant inching my car back and forth more times than I cared to count.

So I backtracked to the detour sign only to encounter another road block. Surrounded by thick woods, I could not access maps on my phone, at least until it no longer mattered. I had finally meandered my way back onto the main road, where the following crew delayed me.

Why does it seem these oddball misadventures only occur when I’m alone? Should I have a permanent chaperone?

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Chugging Along

I’ve been busy in the kitchen these days. On Sunday I made shrimp and veggie spring rolls at lunchtime, adding homegrown Thai basil and my house-made peanut sauce. The leftover harvested basil leaves went into a tomato bisque.

And we had brought home a large piece of beef to make jerky. I thinly sliced the meat and added my (very) spicy marinade to soak overnight. My husband put it on our dehydrator and I dare say it won’t last long.

Monday was dedicated to yard work. Outside for hours in the blazing sunlight, I came inside exhausted but satisfied with my progress. And I discovered a cute surprise.

I didn’t remember having planted any fall blooming crocus bulbs. Yet that’s the only logical conclusion gathered from my chat with AI. In addition, it told me that the expensive spice saffron comes from types of autumn blooming crocus. I need to verify that and see if I can grow some.

Do you consult with artificial intelligence? If so, have you heard folks mention that the AI is ‘hallucinating’ when its answer is wrong?

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Dragging

I apologize for being absent. This summer heat and humidity have kept me indoors yet uninterested in doing much of anything. Who knew cabin fever could happen during the summer? I need to get up and exercise, especially since my YMCA membership isn't free.

Meanwhile, my vegetable garden is hit or miss, which many others have lamented. What can you do? As a local farmer told me, if farming was easy, everyone would be doing it. While I don't know about everyone doing it, it's definitely not easy.

I am crossing my fingers that we get some rain soon. Best wishes to all!

A Reality Recheck

While I’ve been meaning to blog more, both reading and writing, I’ve been hiding in escapism. Since time is much better spent wishing all living creatures the best and focusing on a positive mindset, here is some great personal news…

On Friday my husband received a call from his dialysis team. His kidney function has improved enough that he might be able to end this (quite literally) draining procedure, have the itchy temporary port removed, and once more take full showers.

And I am proud to announce that my courageous, chivalrous friend has been seeing a grief therapist after his dear lady’s passing. In decades past Scars might have let guilt, anger, or sheer bereavement overtake him.

Our dear friend Phoenix is also doing well. His employer grants every consideration regarding his leg amputation. I’m thankful he is valued and gets satisfaction from his work.

What’s your favorite way of avoiding reality? Or do you prefer charging headlong to forge a brighter future?