MMGA - Make Me Great Again, Maybe...

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...

 I know, every day you take a break when you sleep, but somedays you just have to tell yourself no - things that can wait, can wait.  You do you. Today will just be a picture dump as I am not much in the mood for writing today. Every year I think about digging up the oregano, but then I remember this: For now, I'm good (MMGA) - JJ

  These dogs...  They love the outdoor mornings as much, or maybe more, than I do.   Not a bad morning at all to be working outside.  The sun isn't shining, but that isn't always bad as it extends my ability to see my monitor(s) while I am in the outside office.  The view is nice: Oh, look this blog post is in the picture... :) My little gardens are coming along: Gardening truly is an exercise in patience and that is a good thing for me as I tend to be extremely impatient.  This is probably due to the fact that I spend all day working with technology that responds immediately to my requests.   As was the case the other day, I could complain (write with a strong opinion?) about the state of things, but I am not certain that my take on things could influence anyone all the same.   All I can say is, sometimes, we have to give people the ability to grow their own garden and that help (ability) can take a lot of different forms.  If we can't help ...

You know, hoodie weather is relative.  55 is now cold, it won't be next February :) As anyone that knows me would know, I play with technology.  I'd like to say that my playing always has a purpose, but sometimes it's just playing.  Today was one of those days.   I sat down in my father's teak rocker that needs a paint job badly, turned on the laptop to get to work.  ChatGPT just happened to be open in my browser. Side note: AI can be extremely useful when used appropriately.  To be honest, I was chatting with ChatGPT about a type of lady bug I hadn't seen before on my sunflower (image below).  It was an orange spotted lady beetle and ChatGPT was very helpful. I had been thinking about the passage of time this morning while walking through my garden (time, it seems, is something I am very concerned with now - slowing it down more than anything).  When I saw ChatGPT open, I decided to ask it what time it was where it "was".  Now, I knew i...

I know, no big hat :) As I was walking past an old wood pile today, I was thinking about nature. As I watch nature reclaim the location, I am just amazed at the resilience of nature and the dependencies that come along with it.  Not deliberately trying to be obtuse, so I will explain.  When I see flowers pop up where they weren't before, I know that they traveled via wind, animal, etc...  They need pollination (generally in the form of an insect), water, and some nutrients (some plants more than others).  I wouldn't be so bold as to say that nature is some Star Trekkie utopia of peace and cooperation.  But nature  does  find balance—except, it seems, when humans are involved.  I like to think about the lady bug, not just because they eat the aphids off my plants, but moreover, the question of why don't predator insects like the lady bug and the lacewing just decimate aphids to the point of extinction similar to what humans have done to many a spec...