MMGA - Make Me Great Again, Maybe...

Here I am, another start to the holiday season.  Happy Thanksgiving all.  I haven't written much of anything in a while.  I'd like to say I was busy, but just not motivated to put my fingers on the keyboard. Today marks the start of the holidays for me.  I have a rule, no Christmas movies, music, etc until Thanksgiving.  Why? Because for me, if I were to watch and listen to these items all year, it wouldn't hold the same feeling for me.  I look forward to this time every year and I have so much I can remember (I think I have written about this before).   When I was young, I really thought that the entire world took a deep breath and loved each other for just one day (see previous writings about how small our worlds are when we are young).  I still hold faith that someday we will cast aside greed and power to realize we can be great all at once.  I hold faith in you humanity. For me, I sit here listening to an old vinyl Christmas record, ...

Some of you may think, strange headline for such a pretty sunflower picture, but that is because like many my life is a dichotomy of items.  See, my summer is going as well as can be expected given the circumstances, but in the meantime, the country is going down the shitter, because freedom and 'merica? In case you didn't know it, you are all being sold a nostalgia poison pill.   You see, there are so many "back in the day" or "great again" nebulous bullshit items being thrown at the fan that is the American public and unfortunately, a lot of it stuck.  Creating an us vs. them so that we don't look behind the curtain (check), creating a morphing and nebulous enemy that requires a step toward federalization of police (unrest, crime, homelessness, evil immigrants - check), create distrust in staple institutions and science (check), etc. Honestly, you are all too fucking stupid to see that you have actually sold your independence and freedoms for a false s...

There are days that I get discouraged.  Seriously, in today's world, who doesn't.  However, it doesn't take long for me to turn around once I get outside.  I have been waiting for these tithonia diversifolia (Mexican sunflower) to show and I am not disappointed.  My picture doesn't do it any justice as the flower is a brilliant orange.  Now, I don't know if I would recommend growing these in warmer climates unless you are ok with them taking over, but here in upstate NY these little false sunflowers are annuals.  I have them in two different locations to see how they do, but the front garden looks to be the winner and the flowers are just gorgeous in the morning sun.  Oh, and yes, there is a rooster ornament in my front yard garden with lighting (yep, I am that guy). I am growing 7 different types of sunflower this year (counting the "false" varieties) and I am so pleased with it that next year (that's right damn it - next year) I will be adding even m...

Did you ever think that you are on a b-rate Truman Show knock off?  Seriously, in today's episode of the John Doe show, he wanders into the kitchen 10 times in 10 minutes.  And you know what?  He forgets why he went to the kitchen each time!  It is hilarious. Honestly, if I am a virtual avatar in a video game, my user sucks.   I did promise I would post some pictures here from time to time, the top picture with 3 pollinators on one flower was a pretty good shot. For now, I'm good (MMGA). - JJ  

Had to take the hoodie off - a little too hot with it, a little too chilly without. I really need to get to cleaning out this bed... It is crazy overgrown and no matter how much I neglect the cilantro, it just keeps coming back.  It's like a Trump supporter, no matter how many times he makes it clear he doesn't care about them or ignores them, they just keep coming back.  Seriously, if you all tell me you didn't care about Epstein, you're full of it.  Hell, this whole trafficking/pedophile thing is all you talk about!  I thought the was going to release all of that, end the war in Ukraine, make egg prices come down, stop all aggression in the mid-east... I think you get my point.   Begin rant... I need to tell you all something...  You're in an abusive relationship and your partner lies, deceives, and manipulates you.  You need to get out of it.  You know who you are and you know I am right.  You can hate certain social items, you can dislike...

  Dear John.  Oh, crap, I am writing myself a dear John letter.  Actually, I am telling myself not to write about my theory that my dogs have designated poop locations (DPLs) and as long as I pick it up every day, we are good.  Miss a day, and all bets are off!  Alas, I did somewhat write about it didn't I? I like growing sunflowers, they are such an exercise in patience.  Start them in late May (my birds plant them for me from the feeders as well - fringe benefit), wait all of June, quite a bit of July (for some variants), but mostly you are waiting until August.  I am growing 5 varieties this year (2 or 3 of each, I'm not insane - small gardening is much easier).  This was the first flower and this was started inside around Memorial Day (so it flowered quickly). I don't actually count the false sunflowers as a variety of sunflower, but I have two versions of false sunflowers going.  One is doing well, but I had to move the other as the bunn...