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Starting Over, Part 2
Earlier this month, I shared about losing the war with Blackbeard algae in my aquarium. Since that post, I’ve restocked the plants and added a few fish. To make the tank less attractive to BBA, I’ve reduced the number of hours the light is on every day and cut back on food. Aquarium Plants Factory…
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Pile Shifting–Again
Cataract surgery in late February significantly improved my vision. For the first time in years, I saw exactly how dirty my house was–especially the carpet. Seems my little dog had more “accidents” than I thought. “Accident” suggests she couldn’t help it. I’m sure that’s how Tootsie see it. She thinks going outside in inclement weather…
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Starting Over
Blackbeard Algae finally won the war in my aquarium. The outcome was inevitable. My choices created the ideal environment for the nasty stuff to thrive. Removing infected plants, washing equipment with peroxide, and replacing at least a fourth of the water every week kept the algae at bay for about three years. I knew it…
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Patience Rewarded
This year is the best yet for my indoor seed-starting operation. Rather than the end of December, I held off until February to start anything. Waiting made a big difference. On Groundhog’s Day, I started Gloriosa daisy–a double variety of Black-eyed Susan. Seedlings appeared a few days later and stayed under lights until big enough…
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Progress in the Garden
Since moving to this house in November 2012, I’ve removed more permanent plants from the yard than I’ve added. The removals had outgrown their allotted space–and then some. Committing to replacements has been a challenge. I decided to hold off before planting anything to study the space. I fixed drainage issues, improved the soil, and…
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Vision Upgrade
The Advanced Macular Degeneration I’ve had for more than seventeen years is stable. Vabysmo has enabled me to double the time between injections from four weeks to eight. I am beyond grateful. My optometrist told me I had cataracts in 2023 and suggested I ask my retina specialist about any concerns. I brought it up…
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Guppy Population Explosion
I added three pairs of red cobra guppies to my 29-gallon tank in May 2023. The original fish are gone, but lots of their offspring have survived and gone on to produce offspring of their own. The newest batch of babies is likely the fourth or fifth generation. The blurry photos are the best I…
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Happy Groundhog’s Day!
February 2 may well be my favorite day of the year. The groundhog definitely saw a shadow at my place. Whether he’s right or wrong, the possibility of an early spring lifts my spirits. I celebrate every year by planting something. Usually, I plant cool-season seeds and seedlings outside. I hadn’t planned to grow any…
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Planning for Planting
The 2025 garden season is here. Hope springs eternal. Visions of beautiful flowers and bountiful harvests dance through my head. This year will be the best yet! More often than not, each new season is better than the last–especially with plants that come back every year. Experience makes a difference too. Lessons learned in previous…
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Movie Time
Finally made it to the theater to see Wicked–first movie I’ve gone to see since Les Mis came out in 2012. Loved it. Seeing a movie alone is not an issue–or wasn’t before my vision deteriorated. Wicked’s long playtime (more than 2 1/2 hours) and a mid-afternoon first showing forced my hand. I don’t drive…
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Lowering the Bar
Jogging is about the only real exercise I get. Walks around the block with Tootsie don’t count for much and she’s not up for more. I haven’t set foot in a gym for a few years. Retiring enabled me to kick up my jogging regimen. Issues with my feet held me back until I discovered…
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Grateful
‘Tis the season for gratitude. I try to keep an attitude of gratitude all year. Focusing on the positive makes my life more enjoyable and a bit easier. I’ve done a lot of really stupid things. Sometimes, I didn’t know any better. Sometimes, I did, but didn’t care. Bad decisions mostly made my life more…
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Amazon Blues
The phone I ordered from Amazon for delivery 11/21 still hasn’t arrived. Although “Next Day Delivery” was my only selection criteria, the expected arrival date immediately changed to 11/25. On the 25th, it changed to the 29th. On the 29th, it changed to 12/5. On the 29th, I ordered the same phone from Walmart and…
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New Phone Blues
Some people lineup to be among the first to own the newest smartphone. Not me. I wait as long as possible to replace mine. Technology usually forces the change. My phone slows down or lacks the oomph for updated apps. When I’m frustrated enough, I contact my service provider for a new phone. I’ve dropped…
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The Y2K Phenomenon
I remember predictions about disaster striking at midnight, January 1 2000. Computers weren’t setup for years later than 1999. The world as we knew it would end at the stroke of midnight. Oops! False alarm. Everything went on as usual. Lots of people got all worked up about a disaster that never happened. When I…
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Tootsie Time
My little dog is more than a little spoiled. Daily playtime is mandatory. She came along after I retired and is used to having me at her beck and call. As far as she’s concerned, it’s always playtime. Like it or not, I play with her a lot. She makes it as easy as she…
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‘Tis the Season
I love college football. Well, not ALL college football. I’m partial to the SEC–especially Georgia and Kentucky. My interest in football started in grade school. A neighbor played in a recreation league. His parents showed up at every game with a carload of neighborhood kids to cheer him on. And cheer I did. My attention…
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Temporarily Perfect
The new fence and mulch mentioned in my Fresh Start post a few weeks ago have finally been installed. Thanks to Hurricane Helene, the wait for the fence ended up being closer to six weeks than the two promised by the contractor. The old fence still worked, so no harm done. My decision to focus…
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Precious Junk
I’m updating my will–finally. The current edition was generated from an online provider. No executor was named and Andy was the primary beneficiary. An attorney who specializes in elder law is working with me. My situation isn’t complicated. Things with beneficiaries, like life insurance policies and retirement accounts, bypass probate. A will covers the rest–in…
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Tea (Olive) Time!
Every fall, a delightful fragrance fills the air here in Athens. Tracking the scent to its source is a challenge. I don’t recall how long I’d lived here before a garden buddy told me it came from tea olives (Osmanthus fragrans). Tea olives are broad-leaved evergreens that bloom intermittently from fall to early spring. The…
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Winning…So Far
Blackbeard Algae (BBA) is a nasty aquarium pest with no redeeming qualities. Few scavengers eat it and none in sufficient quantity to make a difference. Unlike other algae, UV filters don’t kill the spores. Getting rid of it is next to impossible. There are several prevention strategies. Keeping the light on less would solve the…
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Fresh Start
After moving from an overwhelmingly large yard to something more manageable twelve year ago, my return to gardening has been gradual. There is no landscape design or grand vision for a garden. My flower beds were already here or evolved to make mowing easier. Limited growing space and a pages-long list of must-haves keep me…
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Vision Update
I was diagnosed with Advanced Macular Degeneration (AMD) more than fifteen years ago. Since then, my vision has slowly deteriorated. I’m not complaining. Without regular eye injections, I’d probably be blind. The injections aren’t as bad as they sound. It’s over in seconds. Numbing drops keep me from feeling anything. The speculum to keep my…
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My Summer Vacation
Public schools here in Athens opened the first week of August. Fall semester at UGA started last week. Where did the summer go? My “What I Did this Summer” essay would be brief and more than a little boring. I didn’t go anywhere or read any good books. I rarely left the house except to…
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Big Momma Molly
My love for black mollies started in grade school when I had to read aloud a short article about them. The accompanying picture of a sail-fin molly is etched in my memory. I’ve wanted the hard-to-find fish ever since. Last year, I finally had the opportunity to order two pairs. I’d registered to be notified…
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Tootsie Turns Two
We’re celebrating Tootsie’s second birthday today. The exact date is unknown. I went with the 9th because the shelter said her monthly flea pill was due on the 9th–a few days after I got her home–and June since she was eight weeks old. We’ve had our challenges. Several months of one-on-one training helped. The trainer…
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My Aquatic Garden
The aquarium runneth over with plants. Earlier this year, I ordered a grower’s choice selection of six varieties. USPS lost the package and customer service didn’t respond, so I ordered from another place. I ended up with the original order, the second order, and a replacement for the first order. All three packages included a…
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My Pot Garden
Quality growing space is in short supply in my little yard. Poor soil and too much or too little sun are the main issues. Container gardening solves both problems. My pots are a bit smaller than the half-whiskey barrels they resemble. After punching drainage holes in the bottoms, I filled all five with assorted bagged…
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Freaky Foxglove
Foxgloves are easily grown from seed and often volunteer in the garden. The tiny seedlings come up quickly and grow fast. I keep them in flats until they’re big enough to plant in the garden. All parts of the plant are toxic. Deer (aka rats with hooves) won’t touch them. They’re a mainstay in a…
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Still Running
MapMyRun says I’ve run more than 3,800 miles since downloading the app in 2012. More than 2,000 of those miles were added in the past 40 months. Retiring made a difference. I ran 572 miles in 2021, a whopping 1013 miles in 2022, 495 miles last year and only 80 miles so far this year.…
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Seed-starting Success
The Spring seed-starting season is over. I’m happy with the results. Lessons learned from previous seasons made a difference. Over-planting has long been a problem. Yeah, I plant too much–that’s just my style. I like mass plantings. Growing too much causes problems. I quickly run out of room under lights and in the coldframe. Planting…
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Fish Keeping, My Way
An employee at a local pet store often shares pictures of her pristine aquariums. They are lovely. She has three rules for success: No livebearers, no live plants, and no lights when she’s not looking at the tank. I’m happy for her, but no thanks. I’ve loved livebearers since grade school–especially guppies and mollies. Even…
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Never Bored
One of Mom’s friends recently asked her if I ever get bored. Mom laughed and said I have too many things I enjoy doing to get bored. It’s true. I haven’t been bored since my last faculty meeting. It’s a fair question. My life sounds pretty boring. I rarely leave home for more than a…
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Tootsie Time
The chiweenie puppy I adopted more than 18 months ago celebrates her second birthday in June. We’ve been together 24/7 pretty much since I brought her home. Getting used to all that togetherness continues to be a challenge. Training helped. She’s a big talker, which is great, until it’s not. The whining and ear-piercing bark…
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Treating my Spring Fever
Groundhog’s Day has come and gone. Shadow or not, the prospect of an early spring makes me want to garden. Unseasonably mild weather in recent weeks is testing my resolve to avoid planting too early. Digging up day lilies to expand my veggie garden scratched my itch for several days. They came from Dad’s garden…
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Retired Attire
For the second time since retiring, I have reorganized all my drawers, cabinets, and closets. I got rid of a lot two years ago, but had just retired and had no idea how my lifestyle would change. Now I know. This time, I was ruthless. I wear sweat pants, gym shorts or pajama bottoms just…
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Wishing Winter Away
The forecast for my neck of the woods calls for lows in the teens and twenties and highs barely into the forties for the rest of the week. Brr! Despite the chilly forecast, mild winters are my favorite thing about living in Athens. Once upon a time, snow days were gifts from God. I have…
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Guppy Rebound
At long last, my dream of a guppy tank is coming true. After months with no guppy babies, a few finally appeared. I watched in horror as the surviving platy adolescents hunted them down and ate them. Three hours later, my 29-gallon tank was finally platy-free. The last eight brought the total removed to more…
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Winter Garden Lessons Learned
Petunias can handle temperatures as low as 29 degrees (F)–a fact I’ve long applied to all cool season annuals. I recently checked cold tolerance for the specific varieties in my winter vegetable garden. Turns out, everything I’ve planted can handle temperatures as low as 20 with most surviving as low as 15. Talk about relieved.…
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Platy Problem Stalls Guppy Dreams
My vision of an aquarium chocked full of guppies has yet to materialize. Three pairs of guppies couldn’t keep up with two extremely prolific platy females. I’ve been trying to remove unwanted platies for months. Ridding the tank of platies has been surprisingly difficult. The smaller they are, the harder they are to catch–even after…
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Lessons Learned…Finally
My gardening style revolves around buying whatever catches my eye and finding a spot for it later. I could write a book about my mistakes. Like it or not, the key to success is planting the right plant in the right location. Many of my poor choices limped along for days, weeks or even months…
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My Best Gal
I have never experienced anything quite like Tootsie. Saying she wants to play all the time, while true, misses the point. It’s not about playing so much as having my attention. Adjusting has been a challenge. She tap-dances on my last nerve–a lot. A failure to communicate is often the problem. Working with the trainer…
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Countdown to Harvest
When I started seed for my fall garden last month, lingering summer heat and insufficient rain were concerns. High temperatures dropped into the 80s a few days after I planted everything. Rain, however, is still in short supply. My still unmet goal is a harvest-ready crop by the middle of December. Although seed got off…
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Most Prolific?
Keeping live-bearing tropical fish in has been fun and educational. At roughly the same time, I added two females of three different varieties to the tank. The most prolific variety surprised me. I expected red cobra guppies to run away with the competition. They had a head start of several weeks and a reputation for…
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Getting Ready for Fall
The last of the tomato plants went to the compost pile last week. Bell peppers are still producing, but the other summer veggies are gone. Time to start my fall/winter garden. Experience helps. Wisdom accumulates with each new season. Lessons learned last year resulted in a few changes this year. I need to plant fall…
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Suddenly Speedy
I’ve logged 3500+ miles in just over 1000 outings on MapMyRun since 2012. After every mile, a female voice announces the number of miles this time out, the average time per mile, and the time for the last mile. The free version saves these details, a map of the route, and tons of other information…
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Population Explosion
The population in my 29-gallon aquarium is growing exponentially. The momma fish keep having babies! Several will soon be grandmas. I have no idea how many guppy, platy and molly babies have been born. Given the chance, fry of all three varieties grow quickly. Hiding until they’re too big to be eaten by bigger fish…
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Veggie Delight
For me, gardening is mostly about flower. A sense of obligation and a desire for fresh tomatoes motivate me to plant a few every year. Harvesting just a few is typical. Some years, I don’t harvest a single fruit. Lessons learned last year led me to switch things up a little. Overcrowding is much less…
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Full Tank
Once the goldfish had to go, the vision for my 29-gallon aquarium shifted to guppies. The tank is too big for just guppies, so I expanded the vision to a community tank with mostly livebearers. Changing my mind all the time is a gift. The Red Cobra guppies are doing great. They’re always on the…
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Deer-Resistant Annuals
Outside of my fenced in backyard, deer are a problem. Trial and error has taught me a few lessons about what they will and won’t eat. The bottom line: Hungry deer will eat just about anything. Deer won’t touch toxic plants. Most are perennials, but a few can be grown as annuals including castor beans…
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High Drama in the Tank
All but one of the baby fish have disappeared. I suspect the swordtails, but can’t say for sure. Nonetheless, they were exiled to the outdoor pond. If they’re guilty, the baby population will rebound. If not, I was wrong. Time will tell. Banishment was contingent upon catching the trio without tearing up the well-planted tank.…
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Swordtail or Platy?
Maude has a new boyfriend. His name, of course, is Stanley. I’m happy to report the mismatched pair hit it off right away. It’s a May/September, mixed marriage. Maude, the cougar, comes from the ‘Brick Red’ clan. Stanley is a young green swordtail–like those found in the wild. Maude clearly enjoys a walk on the…
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Training Tootsie
Tootsie and I have had six-and-a-half hours of training with Bethany in ten visits. Tootsie adores her. The Training Game is fun, all about Tootsie, and chock-full of treats. What’s not to like? Sessions last sixty minutes or until Tootsie loses interest. She vastly prefers Cheerios over packaged training treats. Even so, she’s often too…
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A Proper Spring
Instead of skipping from winter to summer, the weather in Athens the past month or two has been unusually spring-like. More rain would have been nice, but temperatures have yet to hit 90 with highs mostly in the 70s. The delayed arrival of hot weather has given transplants a better chance to get settled in.…
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Guppy Love
When I “surrendered” the goldfish, I asked about special-ordering guppies. He took my name and number for the person responsible for ordering to call me. He still hasn’t called. I wanted three pairs and expected to pay $25 per pair, plush shipping. Special ordering via the pet store would likely reduce or eliminate shipping. Back…
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The Mystery of the Murky Water
The goldfish (Moesha and friends) have relocated to a spacious outdoor pond behind the pet store. The antibiotic treatment of my tank for fin and tail rot has run its course. Maude (the swordtail) and a little catfish had the tank to themselves when a new issue emerged: murky water. I noticed slightly greenish water…
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Missing Fish Case Closed
Two weeks ago, I noticed a sore on the tail of one of my goldfish. I didn’t know the cause, but suspected a fungus. I snapped a couple of pictures of the sick fish and went to the pet store. As luck would have it, the resident goldfish expert was there. He said it looked…
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No More “No”
When the dog training company mentioned in the previous post visited, I was surprised to learn they employed shock collars. I don’t know much about the devices, but the idea horrifies me–especially for a sweet little dog like Tootsie. The trainers reassured me. I finally agreed. Doubts plagued me. Feedback from friends was mixed, but…
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Troubles with Tootsie
No doubt, many of you saw it coming. My 10-month-old, eleven pound chi-weenie pup and I have some relationship issues. She’s crossed more than one red line. Something has to give. We’ve been together pretty much 24/7 since I brought her home last August. She believes my sole purpose is to play with her. Everything…
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Curbing My Enthusiasm
After a few months alone in a too-big house with a ginormous yard, I downsized. The new house was perfect. The small yard, absence of steps, and low-maintenance design were exactly what I wanted. More than ten years later, I still love this house. Space, however, is limited. There’s plenty of room–families with two or…
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Springing Forward
The eternal optimist in me believes a mid-March cold snap marked the end of freezing temperatures here in Athens. Locals say wait until Good Friday to plant tender annuals. Not me. I’m too impatient to wait any longer to jump into spring. The falling Mercury brought my seed-starting operation to a halt. I was out…
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The Case of the Missing Fish
In early 2021, I put five fantail goldfish (Larry, Curly, Moesha, Smokey and Bandit) into my little patio water feature. Early last summer, I added some platies (live-bearing tropical fish aka Moon fish). Last fall, four goldfish and a swordtail (Maude) were taken from th pond and moved indoors to an aquarium. Bandit and all…
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A Balmy Winter
I despise cold weather, but a move south isn’t in the cards. Living in an area with four distinct seasons is mandatory. Suffering through winter–my least-favorite season–enhances my appreciation for the other three. Fortunately, what passes for winter here is typically short and mild. Even so, spring can’t come soon enough for me. By January…
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Cold Snap Survivors
In late-December, the temperature here in Athens dropped to eight degrees (F) and stayed below freezing for several days. I figured the vegetables in my little garden were doomed, but took precautions anyway. After mulching with a thick layer of straw and covering everything with floating row cover, I crossed my fingers and hoped for…
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A New Look…?
I’m guessing you noticed the new look to my website. I finally bit the bullet and swapped my custom design for a free template. Everything is really mess up. To be honest, I write this post wondering if it will appear on my home page. None of the previous posts do. Longtime visitors may recall…
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Testing My Optimism
I suspect most — if not all — gardeners are optimists. They have to be. Planting a garden is an act of faith. Lots of stuff can go wrong. A pessimist wouldn’t waste time and money on near certain failure. Gardening is seasonal. In my old Kentucky home (USDA Hardiness Zone 6), the garden went…
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The Dog I Wanted
Adopting Tootsie was a fluke. I wanted (but couldn’t find) another long-haired Chihuahua like Toodles. Intrigued by Tootsie’s Chihuahua/dachshund parentage and fairly certain she’d already been adopted, I submitted my application. I heard back right away and went to meet her the next day. She looked like a short-haired dachshund, but I didn’t care. The…
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Fall Garden 3.0
My third serious attempt at a fall garden is in. This time, I started all the veggies from seed. Tootsie “helped.” Back in June, I started some Foxgloves and Canterbury bells inside. These beauties are biannual, blooming in the second year and then dying. I’m testing my hypothesis that going through winter triggers bloom —…
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10K Steps a Day?
Regulars know about my long-standing penchant for running. When I worked, weather and other commitments often got in the way. Retiring made running 3- to 6- miles a day much easier to fit into my schedule. Missing a day is rare. Missing two days in a row almost never happens. My goal is an “active”…
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Something Fishy
The water in my little fountain/pond turned green a few weeks ago — not slimy, mossy algae but particles suspended in the water. The algae bloom hid the fish from view. Something had to give. Wrapping the pump in filter media and stuffing it in a flower pot was semi-functional until changing the filter media…
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Two Months with Tootsie
Hard to believe Tootsie has been in my life for two months. Doesn’t seem that long. Time flies when you’re having fun. And Tootsie is fun — more fun than any pet I’ve ever had. It’s her personality. She wants to play all the time, with or without me. Her solitary play often revolves around…
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My Teeny Weenie
Things at home have changed since Tootsie rolled into my life three weeks ago. I still get up at 5 and go to bed early, but everything in between depends mostly on the puppy. I don’t mind. She’s adorable and — other than my run, chores, and the occasional errand — I’m home. A daily…
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Tootsie Rolls into my Heart
I’ve known I’d get another puppy after Toodles for years. My heart was set on another female long-haired Chihuahua puppy. I was going to name her Toodles II and call her Tutu (Too2). After looking online for a few days, I revised my criteria. Maybe I didn’t have to have a Chihuahua. After all, purebreds…
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RIP Toodles
My sweet little dog crossed the rainbow bridge Friday (July 29). Multiple health issues finally caught up with her. I’ve had her since she was five weeks old. We celebrated her 13th birthday in May. Six years ago, we discovered she had diabetes — most likely due to Cushing’s Disease. Between my vision issues and…
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May Flowers
Hard to believe nearly a month has passed since my last post. Funny how time flies when you’re retired. Just thinking about work is enough to stress me out, and blogging often feels like work. Running was the subject of my last post. Since then, I’ve logged 20-25 miles a week running three to six…
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Running Cold
Sticking to my running regimen has always been a challenge. Work, foot problems, and less-than-perfect weather too often keep me inside. Retiring solved the time issue. Skechers ArchFit shoes fixed the foot problems. Weather is beyond my control, but my preferences have changed to expand the window of opportunity. I can’t complain. The climate in…
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Wishful Thinking Disorder
Confession time. Wishful Thinking Disorder (WTD) has plagued me for as long as I can remember. WTD is essentially optimism on steroids. My glass isn’t just half-full — It’s going to run over any day now. This time of year is particularly difficult for WTD gardeners. Symptoms kick into high gear around Ground Hog’s Day.…
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Pond Tunes
The water feature in my backyard is coming up on a year old. Tending to its residents (five goldfish and a few snails) has been fun and little to no trouble. I especially enjoy the sound of water cascading between levels. When windows are open, the pond tune carries throughout the house. Winter was trouble-free…
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Nursery Update
My little seed-starting operation is going gangbusters. Some of everything I planted germinated — including several varieties that didn’t come up last year. This unprecedented success was a nice surprise that meant running out of room sooner than expected. I hit the max (eight flats) earlier this month and would have been in trouble had…
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Garden 2022: The Nursery
Since downsizing in 2012, I’ve chosen to fill my garden with annuals. They’re colorful, fast-growing, widely available, and easy to grow. Changing things up every year also appeals to me. Browsing garden centers is a related hobby. Impulse purchases are common. Last winter, I bought a timer, LED light and cold frame to grow plants…
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Hello 2022!
Hi, everyone! Long time, no see. I blame retirement for the extended absence. Contrary to expectations, blogging has not been a priority. My intentions were good. I bought WordPress for Dummies — a massive tome that combines multiple volumes on various topics into a comprehensive guide. Frankly, it’s more than a little overwhelming. Despite having…
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Cool Running
Weather has long determined if I go for a run or not. Preferred conditions include sunny skies with a temperature from 65- to 7degrees and a light breeze. There’s a little wiggle room, but anything beyond that is a deal breaker. An aversion to sweat is the issue. I don’t mind sweating so much these…
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Nine Months Later…
The end of September marks nine months of retirement. My new lifestyle is nothing like I expected. No surprise. Things rarely turn out as expected. I ain’t gonna lie. Not working agrees with me. Taking care of the homestead, Toodles, and myself are my only obligations. Aside from the occasional medical appointment, my schedule is…
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Slow as Molasses
I haven’t set foot in the gym since before the pandemic. Plantar fasciitis forced me to stop running last November. After months of foot exercises and tons of ibuprofen, I decided to try running again in April. The initial goal was three miles, every other day. After several pain-free weeks, I started walking four miles…
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Wall o’ Maters
My track record for growing tomatoes is decidedly mixed. Back in Kentucky years ago, a handful of plants routinely yielded tomatoes for me, my family, neighbors and coworkers. Since moving to Georgia, ripe tomatoes have been few and far between. The 2021 crop is shaping up to be an exception. This year’s plants are the…
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My Plant Babies
Growing flowers and vegetables from seed this year has been largely successful. Nearly everything came up and, along with garden center acquisitions, found a home in the garden. I love them all, but my home-grown babies hold a special place in my heart. Sweet alyssum was the first of my plant babies to bloom and…
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Running Man
I’m not one for regrets. For better or worse, my life is the product of the choices I’ve made. What if’ing different choices is a waste of time. What’s done is done. Celebrate the good, learn from the bad, and move on. That said, I wish my early experiences with running had been more positive.…
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Retirement Bliss
The first four months of my retirement were crazy busy. Remodeling projects kicked off the first week of January and continued well into April. I’m happy with the results and thrilled to have the near-constant disruption behind me. Having to work would have complicated things. Telecommuting would have been a challenge with all the noise…
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Plant Factory Update
The little seed-starting operation I set up in January has been a success. I’ve grown hundreds of flower and vegetable plants from seed and counting. The exact number or even a good estimate is unknown — I’ll keep better records next year. At least a few plants came up of everything I planted. Varieties include…
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Just Add Water
When I was young, Dad built a fountain with brick, ceramic tile, a recirculating pump, and a concrete mermaid. He bored a hole in the bottom of the statue for water to flow into the pond below. Unable to make the turn to reach her mouth, water gushed from the seated mermaid’s crotch. Despite the…
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Evolution of My Backyard
The realtor for my first house said I bought the yard and took whatever house went with it. That’s not entirely true, but garden potential has always been a big factor. An ugly lot with no potential is a deal-breaker. I loved my current home as soon as I walked in the door. The privacy…
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No More Waiting
Six months ago, I decided to do some remodeling around the house. I thought everything would be done by the end of December. Shows how much I know. Barring (another) unforeseen delay, the last project will be completed this week. In my defense, work didn’t start until the first week of January. The list of…
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Practically Perfect
The home renovation and remodeling projects I’ve been talking about since September are drawing to a close. The bathroom is done, the entire interior has been freshly painted, and the bedrooms have new carpet. I couldn’t be happier with the results. Everything in the house had to be moved — twice. Putting things back was…
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Late-winter Veggies
My second attempt at a winter vegetable garden has been more successful than the first. I can’t really take credit. Success came down to an unusually wet and cool September followed by months with only light freezes. The bar is admittedly low. Merely surviving the winter is a success. Months of root growth will pay…
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Crotchety Alert!
An ugly confluence of events has brought my inner crotchety out of hiding. Spring fever, pandemic fatigue, and renovation delays have had me on the brink. Disruptions to my nap routine pushed me over the edge. This time of year is always rough. Solar energy fuels my usually sunny disposition. Cold, dreary days suck the…
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Napping
Sleeping in didn’t make my list of retirement activities. Years ago, my internal clock eliminated the need for an alarm. Come five o’clock, I’m up. Getting up so early makes napping a necessity. Toodles is partially to blame for the early hour. She gets her insulin injection every twelve hours. We could do it just…
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Coming Soon: Drainage!
The company doing my bathroom renovation is more about solving moisture and mold issues than remodeling. I asked the project manager about drainage issues in my yard. His company doesn’t do that kind of work, but he knew someone who did. A downspout from my next door neighbor’s house runs into a plastic pipe buried…
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Antsy
Patience is not among my strengths. Never has been. Waiting for my COVID-19 vaccination, completion of the renovation, and the end of cold weather has me a bit antsy. Throughout my childhood and well into my teens, I didn’t sleep a wink on Christmas Eve. Anticipation built for weeks. By December 24th, sleep was impossible.…
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Gardening
Surprise! Gardening made my list of retirement activities. Like nobody saw that coming. Few things make me happier than puttering around in the garden. Starting a flat of seed, turning over ground for a new flower bed, or setting out plants provide instant gratification. The rewards keep coming too — for weeks, months and even…
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Happy Groundhog Day!
February 2nd has long been my favorite day of the year. Call me skeptical, but I couldn’t care less about some groundhog. Shadow or not, the possibility of spring weather being just six weeks away lifts my spirits. Cold weather and I fell out in college. The rift started in high school. Snow was fun…
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Purging
Although I live alone in a 1200 square-foot house, storage is an issue. There’s plenty of space, filled with stuff I rarely or never use. That’s why a massive purge made my list of retirement plans. The remodeling projects somewhat forced my hand. Between painting every room and replacing all the carpet, I have to…
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Mid-January in the Garden
Winter in Athens has been fairly mild so far. We’ve had frost on windshields many mornings, but only one when the mercury dropped below 25. I covered what I could and crossed my fingers. Everything survived — including plants I was not able to cover. Aside from scattered blossoms, annual flowers have hunkered down and…
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Blogging
Keeping my blog going is #2 on my list of retirement activities. Why keep blogging? Good question. My best answer is more excuse than justification. I enjoy writing. Blogging feels more constructive than journaling and is a lot easier than knocking out another novel. This blog and my reasons for keeping it have often changed.…
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Alternative Reality
I am not a Republican. Although registered as a Democrat, I’m not a dyed-in-the-wool supporter. I’m not big on identity politics and am not a single-issue voter, but freely admit support for gay issues often moves me to vote for Democrats. I believe in the party system. Leadership positions I’ve held have shown me the…
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Journaling
Writing in my journal tops my list of retirement activities. I’ve kept a journal for more than four decades and counting. Over the years, my reasons for writing and the frequency of entries have often varied. If there’s any pattern, it’s that I write when I must. A pen an ink journal is the only…
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Retirement Resolutions
As of January 1, I’m officially retired. Friends ask what I’m going to do. The short answer: Whatever the hell I want. Living my best life is the goal. Figuring out what that looks like is the challenge. Rarely leaving the house for most of 2020 was good practice, a learning experience, and a chance…
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After the Freeze
Planting a vegetable garden is a risky venture. Experience helps, but luck always plays a role. A winter garden is especially tricky. Sub-freezing temperatures can be fatal. A two-day cold snap this past week had me holding my breath. When it comes to winter weather in Athens, anything is possible. My first year here, the…
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My Little Plant Factory
Toodles surprised me this year with everything I need for my own seed-starting operation. I’m guessing my sweet little dog thinks her thoughtful gift will keep me at home. She knows me so well. I’ve mostly avoided planting anything permanent. There are many reasons, but the biggest is a deep and abiding affection for annuals.…
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Spot On with Spotify
The way buying and listening to music keeps changing has long pissed me off. I’ve gone through vinyl, 8-track tapes, cassette tapes, compact discs, MP3s and a variety of music players and streaming apps. With the possible exception of the awful 8–track, each has pros and cons. Spotify, however, tops them all and keeps me…
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My Bubble-mate
This week marks nine months of working from home. The residents of my bubble (me and Toodles) elected not to celebrate the holidays. We talked about a party but decided to follow expert advice and avoid social gatherings. To be totally honest, Toodles was never a fan of the party idea. Crowds aren’t really her…
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An Attitude of Gratitude
An early mentor was a big believer in the power of positive thinking. He’d thoroughly researched positivity, often spoke on the topic, and developed a program on the subject for the Kentucky extension service. His sage advice and practical suggestions for fostering a positive attitude have stayed with me and served me well over the…
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Winding Down
My thoughts about when to retire have changed many times over the years. Early on, saving for the golden years wasn’t a priority. Retiring before 75 or even 80 seemed unlikely. Saving enough seemed impossible — even after I finally started putting money into retirement accounts. For the longest time, quarterly statements confirmed I’d indeed…
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A Work in Progress
After downsizing in 2012, I decided to figure out what I wanted before doing much to the tiny yard. Changes since then have been obvious and mostly involve removing things to make mowing easier. The garden is still a work in progress, but what I want gets a little clearer every year. The rock edge…
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Seven Months Later…
COVID-19 has been with us for seven months. Millions of lives have been forever changed. My heart goes out to all who have lost loved ones, jobs, homes, or peace of mind. For me, the pandemic has so far been more inconvenience than hardship. I’m grateful, but take nothing for granted. I rarely leave home…
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My First Last Lecture
Monday was the last day for my big class. Meeting twice a week cut the time in half for this one-credit course. Despite being the largest class I’ve ever taught and the first never to meet face-to-face, they are the most fun group of students I’ve ever had. I launch the Zoom fifteen minutes early…
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Gardening is for Optimists
An unseasonably cool fall prompted a flurry of activity in the garden. I’ve spent a small fortune on dirt, mulch, and plants and followed by hours of manual labor. Visions of a bountiful harvest and beds teeming with colorful flowers keep me going until the work is done. Telling myself the coming season will be…
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My Winter Garden
Fall has arrived early in Athens. Summer heat typically persists through September and into October. Not this year. Aside from a few muggy days, September has been wet and unusually mild — perfect planting conditions for a fall/winter garden. High temperatures and dry conditions usually prevent me from planting anything before the middle of November.…
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Faking a Connection
Even with 45 students in one class, teaching twice a week has always been more or less all-consuming. This semester, I have four times as many students in two different courses. Time flies when you teach four days a week. I’m teaching from home via Zoom. A grad student sets it up so students see…
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Class without Exams
Two weeks into a most unusual fall semester, my classes are going surprisingly well. Bending over backwards to connect with students I’ll probably never see in person — all 180 of them — is paying off. They love me. Doing away with tests may be a factor. Students are great at memorizing things well enough…
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Sprinting for the Finish Line
It’s official. After more than thirty years in academia, I’m retiring at the end of the year. The paperwork was signed, sealed, and delivered earlier this month. Now I’m sprinting for the finish line. The original plan was to keep working for at least three more years. I agreed a while back to teach two…
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Zingy Zinnias
My father grew lots of zinnias every year. Vases of the colorful blossoms filled the house all summer. Anyone he visited (or who visited him) received one of his arrangements, often in a coffee can covered with aluminum foil. Cut-and-Come-Again is a common nickname for zinnias. The plants sole purpose in life is to make…
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Ten Pounds in Five Months
August 7th marks five months of staying at home. Beyond trips to the grocery, doctor appointments, and Zoom meetings, every day looks pretty much the same. Toodles has never been happier. The biggest change has been a dramatic decline in my activity level. I can’t go to the gym and haven’t been motivated to use…
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School Daze
When the fall semester begins in three weeks, I’m teaching two different classes. We’re planning for face-to-face instruction, but preparing to go online if necessary. Figuring out how to make things work either way has me dazed and confused. I’ve come a long way since March when UGA suspended classes for two weeks to enable…
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Growing Conditions
Success in the garden involves numerous factors. Some you can control, some you can’t. Rain, wind, and sun exposure are beyond your control. Choosing the right plant for the growing conditions is the difference between failure and success. “Growing conditions” covers a lot of ground. Every plant has different needs related to light, moisture, temperature,…
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Watering the Garden
It’s hot! Highs consistently into the 90s and triple-digit heat indexes are the new normal. The abundant rain we had earlier this summer has ceased. Watering has become an almost daily task. I’ve tried just about every type of watering device ever invented. By and large, the results have been disappointing. They’re flimsy, hard-to-control, wasteful,…
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Cooking for One
Single people have long-lamented the challenges of cooking for one. Family-size packaging is the norm. I ain’t gonna lie. A preference for anything but leftovers has meant a lot of perfectly good food ends up in the trash. Not anymore. Shortages, guilt, and a desire to minimize trips to the grocery have changed my wasteful…
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This Week in the Garden
Last week was plenty hot with high temperatures into the 90s. As summers go here in the Deep South, this one, so far, has otherwise been relatively mild. I’ve had to water a bit in between nice, soaking rains. Maybe ten percent of the zinnias have bloomed. So far, flowers have mostly been various shades…
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Pandemic Shopping
Some consider shopping to be a fun and enjoyable activity. I’m not one of those people. In the best of circumstances, shopping pushes my crotchety button. Grocery shopping is the worst. Before COVID-19, I ordered everything but perishables online, mostly from Walmart. Convenience, selection, low prices and free shipping keep me coming back. Aside from…
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Retirement Practice
A colleague has long been my retirement role model. Rather than quitting cold turkey, she transitioned out over three years. She dropped from full-time to 75% the first year, to half-time the next, and to 25% the year before she retired. She said easing in was good practice for life after work. Being home for…
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Mystery Tomato Identified
The wild and crazy Cherokee Purple tomato plant featured a couple of posts ago continues to grow much faster than my other tomatoes. The vines are twice as tall and extend beyond the top of the cage. The other three tomato plants don’t even come close. The giant plant is covered with clusters of fruit.…
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Social Anxiety
After more than fifteen weeks at home, leaving my little sanctuary makes me nervous. COVID-19 continues to spread like wild fire. Mixing with others hardly seems worth the risk. Trips to the garden center are my only nonessential outings. I wear a mask, stick to outside areas, and go early enough to avoid long checkout…
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This Week in the Garden
Today is the last full day of spring. Thanks to mild weather and abundant rain, new arrivals to the garden are well-established and off to a good start. So far, so good. Eye-catching color combos fill the back border this year. Whether “eye-catching” is a good or bad thing depends on your point of view.…
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This Week in the Garden: Tomatoes
Real estate is limited in my little garden. Location is everything. Demand is high for a limited supply of desirable spots. It doesn’t happen often, but plants that fail to meet expectations get evicted. Plant selection reduces evictions. Different plants have specific needs and tolerances for temperature, water, light, and soil chemistry. Selecting an appropriate…
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Working from Home
I’m a homebody. Even before COVID-19 restrictions, I rarely left the house other than for work, errands, or doctor appointments. Social distancing hasn’t changed my world all that much. Vision issues have limited my travel for years. The odometer in my 2015 VW has yet to hit 25,000 miles. Going to unfamiliar locations or anywhere…
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This Week in the Garden
Staying home for the past few months has meant more time in the garden. Compared to previous years, I got off to a late start. Took a while to work up the nerve to hit garden centers. Fortunately, mild temperatures and plenty of rain extended the planting season. Planting in the root zone of a…
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Dumped!
My retina specialist told me to find another doctor. That’s right. I’ve been fired as a patient. In truth, she didn’t tell me — she had someone else do her dirty work. Whatever. My regular eye doctor referred me to the clinic more than ten years ago. The retina specialist for most of that time…
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Stressed
My eleventh straight week at home is wrapping up. The first week I took off from work. Then the coronavirus hit the scene. I’ve been home pretty much ever since. I’m lucky and grateful. I still have a job, a regular paycheck, and everything I need. There’s no homeschooling at my house nor any children…
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Technical Issues
Technology surpassed my understanding years ago. I’ve been spoiled. At work, a tech support staff sets things up and fixes any problems. At home, Andy did the same thing. Since he died two years ago, I’ve been on my own for tech support — and it ain’t pretty. A box in my living room has…
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My Impulsive Garden
I’m an impulse gardener. Browsing catalogs and garden centers for additions that catch my eye makes me happy. Planning doesn’t suit my style and never works for me anyway. Limiting myself to annuals simplifies things and gives me the chance to start over with new plants every year. Skipping fall planting to improve the soil…
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My Online Learning Experience
The semester I’ll never forget is just about over. Switching from the classroom to the Internet during a two-week hiatus after spring break was a daunting challenge. Except for maybe graduating seniors, students and faculty alike are happy to see the semester end. Teaching online isn’t all bad. I see the potential. How to make…
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What I’m Watching
Even before the COVID-19 outbreak, when awake, my television is on pretty much all day. Mostly it’s on HGTV or Food Network for background noise. Serious television-watching is reserved for the evening hours. Netflix and cable are my only options. DVR is essential. Watching network TV without fast-forward is torture. Finding something to watch has…
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Creeping Toward the Apex
I don’t know about you, but I’ve lost all track of time. Not the date, day, and hour — they’re readily available on various devices. Distinguishing one day from the next is the challenge. Since March 7, I’ve lived in my own little world. My car hasn’t left the garage more than six times. Toodles…
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Teaching to the Grid
The two-week suspension of instruction to enable faculty to transition to online teaching ended a week ago Friday. Students returned to class Monday. My first class was Tuesday. It didn’t go well. For starters, students couldn’t hear me. I have to lean in close to see anything on my laptop. Students watched a closeup of…
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Three Down, so Far
I just wrapped up my third straight week at home. So far, so good. How much longer sheltering in place and social distancing will be the norm is anyone’s guess, but I don’t expect to return to business as usual any time soon. For the foreseeable future, staying at home is my new normal. The…
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The Best of a Bad Situation
The global corona virus pandemic is the most frightening situation I’ve ever experienced. The virus could but isn’t likely to kill me, but with no one to care for me should I fall ill, avoiding possible contagion is my top priority. Consequently, I’m homebound for the foreseeable future. Were I to get sick, friends would…
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Coronagedden
Long before corona arrived, Pandemic, a documentary series on Netflix, scared me so much I quit watching. According to the experts, a pandemic outbreak at some point is inevitable. Now we’re living it. Bad as the Covid19 outbreak is, we got off lucky. Some who get it will die, but the novel corona virus isn’t…
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Back to WW-ork
The Weight Watchers app is back on my phone. I lost nearly fifty pounds on the program more than ten years ago and have been thinking about giving it another go. Television ads about the new WW piqued my interest. An attractive sale sealed the deal. I haven’t exercised for months and eat way too…
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My Green Thumb
A knack for growing things is in my blood. The gift comes from Dad’s side of the family. I used to think growing plants successfully was a skill anyone could learn. Experience has taught me that’s not the case. Plant killers are everywhere. Nobody sets out to kill potted plants. Victims tend to be gifts.…
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Teaching Evaluations
Classes end this week. Finals are next week. Another semester is drawing to a close. How did I do? I’m optimistic, but the summary of my teaching evaluations won’t be available for a few more weeks. Figuring out what to teach, the order of the topics, and how much time to devote to each took…
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Granny
Dad’s mother — Granny to me — is the only grandparent I had the chance to know. She was an amazing woman — practically perfect as grandmothers go. I adored her. Granny was born in 1902 on a farm Hustonville, KY — a tiny town in Lincoln County just south of Stanford. She quit school…
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Hitting My Stride
I’ve devoted more than half of my life to developing consumer education resources and providing training to teachers, county extension agents, and community educators. I do the occasional presentation for the pubic, but my audience is primarily professional educators. Or was. Last year, I agreed to teach a one-credit overview of Family and Consumer Sciences…
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A Long, Hot Summer
Most years I complain about summer being too short. Not this year. Instead of June 21, my summer started when classes ended in early May. Though only psychological — I didn’t take off any more than usual — the difference was very much appreciated. Long, hot summers are the norm in Athens. Highs have bee…
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Third Time is the Charm
School starts back at UGA today. My class meets for the first time tomorrow. Having taught the same course twice before, I’m ready. My first time teaching the class was a hot mess. My biggest mistake was to follow the textbook, chapter and verse. Some of the content I hadn’t seen since my own college…
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My New Fitness Regimen
Sharing about backsliding on my diet and exercise program a few weeks ago prompted me to act. Changing up my exercise program was easier than dealing with my diet, so I started there. Baby steps, right? Some who read my Backsliding post suggested a personal trainer. Being accountable to someone helps, for sure. Direction about…
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Climate Change & My Garden
More than thirty days with little rain and highs above 90 degrees have taken a toll on my little garden. After much deliberation, debate, and a water bill three times the usual amount, I decided to withhold life support. Since pulling the plug, we’ve had some rain — not much, but enough to keep things…
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Backsliding
Eleven years ago, I got a wake up call about my health. The message: change my habits or die. I joined Weight Watchers, started exercising, and vowed to change my lifestyle. I counted WW points, hired a personal trainer, and started running. In time, I managed to lose nearly fifty pounds — enough to drop…
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LGBTQ History: Missing Pieces?
June 2019 was the best LGBTQ Pride Month ever. The level of media coverage was unprecedented, and several excellent shows were aired. All in all, I was blown away and thrilled for our history to be so widely shared. Coming out in 1979 sparked a life-long interest in gay history. I realized while doing the…
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The Birth of Gay Liberation
In 1969, a group of New York’s most disenfranchised citizens fought with police during a late June raid of the Stonewall Inn. John Lindsay was mayor and running for reelection. The raid was part of his campaign to clean up the city. State regulations in New York prohibited the sale of alcoholic beverages to homosexuals.…
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No More Garage Sales
Late last year, I set a goal to have a garage sale in April or May — before it got too hot. Setting the goal lit a fire under my butt to finish organizing closets, cabinets, and drawers, but the garage sale ain’t happening. In fact, I may never have another garage sale again. I…
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Time on My Hands
Teaching has kept me busy since before Andy passed last year. I’ve grieved plenty, but drowning in sorrow wasn’t an option. Between teaching, my regular day job duties, and taking care of myself and Toodles, I’ve had too much to do. I’m grateful, and not just for the distraction. Teaching a basic consumer course, while…
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Summer Vacation
Every year I complain about summer coming to an end too quickly. Teaching highlighted the cause of my angst. Relying on the solstice was the problem. Summer starts when the spring semester ends. Before I started teaching, my involvement with students has been limited to the occasional guest lecture. Whether classes were in session or…
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My Journalig Habit
Journaling satisfies my compulsion to write and keeps me sane. The first of 24 volumes dates back to 1979. It’s not exhaustive — I’ve sometimes gone weeks and even months without adding a word. Since Andy died, I’ve been writing at least two or three times a week. I’m not trying to document my life…
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I Love Annual Flowers
Fear of commitment has kept me from planting anything permanent in my garden. I have too many favorites and too little space. Before this year’s winter garden, nothing planted in the past seven years was suppoed to survive a hard freeze. Sticking to tender plants means starting over every year. Mostly. Some selections turned out…
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A Sad Anniversary
Hard to believe a year has passed since we lost Andy. My ex, the best friend I ever had, and the love of my life died a year ago today. Adjusting to a world without him has been quite a challenge. To know Andy was to love him. He was kind, generous, thoughtful, and always…
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Countdown to Retirement
Last week I celebrated my 61st birthday. Had to call 9-1-1 after my house filled up with smoke. Birthday candles were not involved. Somehow, I accidnetally closed thechimney flue when adding another log to the fire. Fortunately, the only damage was the lingering smell of smoke. Next year, retirement becomes an option. Barely. I’ll be…
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Spam-tastic?
Cooking for one without dying of boredom is a challenge. I get tired of fixing the same old stuff — a universal problem for anyone who cooks much. I’m always on the lookout for new things to try. Last week, I picked up a can of Spam. Not just any Spam, mind you. This was…
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Winter Garden Update
Mild weather has been the norm in Athens this winter. My garden experiment has turned out better than expected. We’ve had a few cold spells with below-freezing temperatures, but the polar vortex stayed well north of here. The coldest weather is behind us. Lows two or three degrees below freezing won’t hurt anything I planted.…
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Accidental Orchids
About this time last year, I decided to reclaim my kitchen table, home to the orchid collection I’ve nurtured since 2012. None of my orchids showed any sign of blooming. Some haven’t bloomed for years. Several didn’t look very healthy, and a couple appeared to have crossed to the other side. I wanted to throw…
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Teaching: Take Two
Teaching the consumer class again is a different exprience. A much better understanding of the purpose of the course and the shortcomings of the textbook led me to make quite a few changes. Students this semester are getting a new and improved version of the course. The class is smaller this semester. Instead of 48…
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Worth Watching?
I’ve been recording my favorite television shows to watch on my schedule for a long time. The ability to fastforward through commercials and boring parts of reality shows made DVR a much better option than OnDemand. Then I got Netflix. No commercials or waiting a week to find out what happens next. I still DVR…
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Forced Procrastination
Procrastination has never been my thing. Waiting until the last minute freaks me out. Being on time or early is a lot less stressful. I’ve been behind since a three-week bout with the flu last January. Losing Andy in March put me furher behind. Doing things at the last minute is my new normal. Most…
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Winter Garden Update
Last fall, the weather folks forecast a milder-than-average winter for North Georgia. Compared to Kentucky where I grew up, even tbe worst winters here in Athens are mild. I decided to take my chances on a winter garden. The results, so far, have exceeded my expectations. In previous years, I planted pansies and violas in…
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Down Time
Time off between Christmas and New Year’s Day is standard operating procedure at the day job. I add vacation days to either end to extend the break as long as possible. This year, I took off three full weeks. I brought home a ton of work. January is crazy busy. Class starts the 9th, a…
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A New Holiday Tradition
I had no plans for Christmas this year. Vision issues and my diabetic puppy make travel difficult. Dinner with Andy has been the extent of my holiday celebrations for more than a decade. This year would be different. I decided to cook rib roast for my Christmas dinner. It’s not the kind of thing one…