A Catch Up

I am very determined to write something today. The Universe is against me but I will write something even though all of the kids are awake and making themselves breakfast and playing video games. (They have the day off from school because it's Yom Kippur) There will be a fight soon. Any second. The dog is whining because it needs to go out, the cat is becoming violent because she is hungry. The dog and the cat will fight soon I'm sure. But I am determined to put a little something out there.

It is a very busy time of the year. Summer is crazy with the kids and their activities, then the long vacation and what unfolds there and then school and summer's end, with the cleaning and organizing chores. We also took a road trip to Chicago to see my brother and his family last week. And honey, I got some honey from my lovely bees slowly straining in a bucket in the kitchen as I write this. The fulfillment of 15 months, waiting and hoping.
I have a lot of things I want to write about here and share. I have a ton of catching up to do.

The garden was a struggle this year with the evil Groundhogs wreaking havoc. they are still there, get rid of one and another comes along. Here is the latest, the big Kahuna, the Devil's Marmot, mother of them all, skillfully hand caught by the ladies in the office at my garden:



Despite this glorious victory and all of the fencing we put up, and the cayenne pepper we liberally sprinkled all over the Goddamn place, we are still getting them. My kale is destroyed as are many tomatoes and a watermelon. That's just a few things. Next year, we are considering electric fencing and/or perhaps hiring a sniper. My daughter is interested in falconry, but that is a long way off.

Gardening is difficult and heartbreaking at times. You grow plants from seed, painstakingly raising them, watering, feeding, pruning. Then some fuzzy fucking lawnmower comes along and mows it all down. I wouldn't mind sharing a few things, but groundhogs just take it all.

There were times this year, especially after they got through my defenses again, that I wanted to throw in the towel and give up, but I kept on going, and will continue to do so. Here is a sample why, despite pests, diseases and weather, I will still garden at my spot in defiance of it all.







That sunflower was a small seedling that I grew in the garden at my house. A bird came along and snipped it off at the base. I found it before it wilted and put it in a glass of water. B put some hormone powder on it and we stuck it in a pot to see what would happen. That enormous sunflower happened.
It's still there too, standing tall, with it's head half eaten off and all of the seeds gone.I managed to get some of the seeds for myself, to plant next year.

So when I get down about the Kale and the Brussels Sprouts, I think of my sunflower, which came back after being struck down. I think to myself, "Fuck you Groundhog." and then plan for next year.

I have to go and find a small plastic alligator before my daughter loses her mind and walk the dog before he shits on the floor.