(no subject)

The sunchokes, Jerusalem artichokes, are blooming. Helianthus tuberosus -- a sunflower i can grow successfully. And now i know why the okra near by are stunted: not because they were shaded out. Sunchokes emit a allopathic chemical that, apparently, affects okra. I'll need to be careful with the foliage disposal. Apparently to promote tuber growth one should cut the plant back to prompt tuber growth over flowers, which is exactly what i did in trying to get the okra some sun. There's at least six good weeks of growing weather: maybe i can transplant those two okra plants.

It's nice enough this morning to sit on the back porch and work. Or "work." I have been procrastinating, particularly by diddling around with some data analysis. ... and today with thinking about perennial gardening. I have found a place that sells Viola odorata plants! I've spent about the same in trying to start seeds. Given the pressure from the local violet -- it grows everywhere -- i can't just toss the seeds out (because i will get confused with all the other violets). This way i can establish some plants and weed out the native violets. I wonder if they will co exist with sunchokes? That could be a great pairing, if it works.

I got distracted because i ran across something called Turkish Rocket, a perennial brassica that one eats in a form like broccoli rabe and that reportedly doesn't suffer from insect pressure (or deer pressure). https://scottishforestgarden.wordpress.com/2012/07/01/turkish-rocket/

Weird Week

Sunday: the message at meeting went well, but weighed heavily on me. After, i worked in the yard. Christine went up for her radio show.

Monday: Christine had a client interaction that triggered elephants[1]. I mowed more after work.

Tuesday and Wednesday confuse me. I know i forgot my antidepressant on Tuesday and planted brassica and lettuce seedlings in the garden then. And there's been drizzle since then. I know we grocery shopped on Wednesday evening. Wednesday morning the insurance adjuster came by, letting us know we had hail and wind damage all over the roof, so they will cover a new roof (amazing!). And later that day we had the outdoor engine folks come collect the generator and the chipper for repairs and tune ups. But there was drizzle when the insurance adjuster checked... oh, i *did* record rain yesterday morning.

We've been talking about future dogs and having my sister's dogs over. We aren't in agreement: i think there may be some pressure from Christine's friends to adopt more, and her heart certainly wants to rescue as many animals as she can. I am more concerned about energy and emotional balance in the household. The 20 lb limit on a new dog works well for me in envisioning Carrie's position not being threatened. She's a happy dog and yet there's something -- a skittishness? -- such as when readjusts feet when sitting she will jump up and leave the room. I'd love her to become more confident that she can stay where she is before we disrupt her. I worry another dog would happily fill in any gap she creates.

I haven't seen my parents either -- and just the whole beginning of the week felt turned upside down - -but there's no objective reason why. The weather has changed though, and so perhaps that was disconcerting enough? I'm going over today at lunch to work from their house. Dad called on .. Wednesday? and reported on Mom not knowing where they were suddenly. I talked to her and her voice sounded terribly congested: possibly due to the fluid surrounding her lungs? I am happy to get to see them. And i'll go over on Saturday morning early to help Dad with computer stuff.

Looks like we are "let go" at 3 pm for the long weekend. We'll see. I need to make significant progress today so i have momentum after the break. I need to take some vacation and need to make documented progress before i do.

Yesterday was better, although elephants still wander and make themselves known. I worked on filling out time cards that were long over due and the ... mendacity of the exercise probably weighed heavily to make it seem longer. Months and months of skipped reports. I thought it was much later -- the shortening days have something to do with that as we race to the equinox -- and could have done more in the yard if i had realized the time. I forget what i did inside.

Anyhow, i sit again on the deck this morning, enjoying the coolness (65°F!) and relatively low humidity. (I say that but the dew point is increasing with the temperature and the relative humidity has gone up a few percent. The forecast is optimistic though.)

Here's hoping for a long weekend where i feel connected back with my parents (even if Mom's cognition slipped a few cogs this week? We'll see), i feel progress on the stilt grass and the garden, Christine and i ease into consensus on dawgs.

[1] Elephants as in "elephants in the room." I have to talk about how Christine's issues impact me, but i don't really want to share her issues. She works hard at resolving them, and if anything my heart breaks over how hard it is for her.