Little Black Raincloud

What's next?

Officially I have been banned from asking that question, but seriously... what's the next storm on our horizon? I need to ask so that I can be prepared. As if...

To recap: I was just getting to where I didn't cry at every passing thought of Momma when I took that unplanned shortcut down the stairs in January. Finally, finally...come mid-May, and I was feeling much better and on top of both my back problems and my positional vertigo nemesis. Getting back in my garden brought joy to my sore soul. Hooray! Then...

Missy M fell and broke her foot and possibly damaged the tendon, putting her on crutches and out of commission for a minimum of 6-8 weeks. So we throw a few things in the Endeavor...including the 3 dogs...and head to KY for the duration. Well, the dogs and I are here for the long-haul; Mr. T has to keep the pedal to the metal, driving back and forth, to and fro, hither and yon.

And then...

Major rainstorm gathered and dumped gallons of water...flowing right into her basement. Two dehumidifiers, a rather large squeegee, and a box fan eventually helped handle that problem.

And then...

The hot water heater here gave up the ghost. Lots of research via the Internet pointed us in the right direction, but Mr. T still had to go to Lowe's to purchase and sign the forms. It seems that Jefferson County is one of the few places on Earth that requires a permit to install a hot water heater, broken foot or not. Sigh.

OK. So got that taken care of. New one installed last Monday. Ain't she a beaut? And churning out lots of lovely hot water. Ahhhh...

And then...

The central AC stopped conditioning any air. Of course this happened on a very warm day...and Missy M is uncomfortable enough dealing with that heavy (warm) cast. Thank goodness, she had two window units from Bro T and SIL LaD stored in her basement. Yea, Bro T!!! Mr. T installed these jewels before he left, and the weather cooperated by turning a tad cooler.

And then...

Gus got sick. He's probably the oldest of the 5 dogs...possibly nearing 14 or 15; not sure of his age when we adopted him 9 years ago yesterday. He has severe arthritis and congestive heart problems, but he keeps on keeping on. But then he kept on throwing up. For a whole day. Possibly a bad stomach reaction to his meds? Not sure, but he seems better now. Still, Missy M was trying to care for him while I was out getting her prescription refilled when she took a tumble off her crutches and onto the floor. She's OK...a bit battered for her efforts...and permanently banned from helping again.

And then...

Duche$$ got sick. She's got more of those cysts that she's had surgery for in the past...and of course, one has opened. Got her on antibiotics. Fingers crossed.

And then...

The guy who came out yesterday to repair the AC says the fan motor is shot ($750...for the second time in 5 years), and she's probably better off buying a whole new central unit. He's sending an estimator to check it out and give us the bad news today.

Any bets on what happens next? It's a bright and shiny...and warm...day here in Derby Town, but is that little black Raincloud still hovering above? We shall see.

[Thank you for allowing me to vent. I know that these are not major problems, only life's little annoyances...well, except for Missy M's foot...and we will deal with them, each in its own fashion. I just needed to capture all that was happening, because we'll need a good laugh in the future...:)]

If It Ain't Broke...

Oh, but it IS broken. Took Missy M to the foot doc yesterday, and he confirmed what was suspected on her trip to the ER last Sunday: her right foot is broken. He told her "6 to 8 weeks" for the bone to heal...and because he's concerned about the tendon on the outside of her foot, he ordered a full cast...toes to just under her knee...as you can see in the picture...not the walking boot she'd hoped for. So, no weight on the foot yet, which means she's still on crutches. And no driving, which means I'm her new best friend.

Also, he tried to tell her "no work," at least until after her next appointment on June 7th...tried to get her to accept the written excuse so generously offered. Of course, she's genetically predisposed to thinking she can do anything she puts her mind to (now, where could that have come from?), so she blew that suggestion off (as well as any concerns her new BFF shared...:), and we headed her car to The Big White House (KFC's headquarters...in the picture below, along with the Colonel...:). She had to be in a meeting.

Now, don't get me wrong. She's a whiz on these crutches. I honestly don't know how she manages them so well. But, between the steps in the front of the building and general accessibility issues (you cannot just drive up to the front door and hop outta the car), and the heavy backpack (with her computer, etc.) she was carrying, and the extended period of having to sit and contribute coherently (read that: w/o enough pain medication) without having her foot properly elevated...well, maybe that doctor (and her BFF and Mom) weren't so wrong after all. Her director told her "to work from home as much as possible," and she ended up wagging home another pack of stuff to support that suggestion. By the time she got in her house, she was beyond exhausted...and more than ready for a rest.

So, it looks like I'm going to be Driving Miss Maredith for the next few weeks. And running the errands...in an unfamiliar city. I got lost twice yesterday going to the Super Target to pick up her new prescription and get our groceries...and I had the GPS map to get me there. This should be interesting.

Mr. T, on the other hand, is traveling further afield. He had to make a work-related dash back to NC on Wednesday so he could be in Charlotte on Thursday. Not all bad, though, as he is checking on our house, watering the garden, etc. He emailed me that fab picture of the first blooms of the year on the Buddleja 'Black Knight' butterfly bush in our back yard and this wonderful shot of the Kitchen Garden...looking toward the house...where you can see the beans and tomatoes in full-growth mode. Does my heart so much good! I wonder if that early Early Girl tomato will ripen while I'm away?

Meanwhile, he's picking up a few necessities we left behind in our rush to get on the road on Monday. He'll probably make more such down-and-backs between now and ...? West Virginia should be pleased, as their toll receipts will show an increase over the next month or so.

As I said, this should be interesting.

The Merrie Month of May

My goodness...it's the third week of May already? I started this post on the 16th...but here it is the wee hours of the 23rd before I am finally finishing it. We're just zipping right along through 2012, aren't we? Well, maybe limping along might be a better description for this year. More on that in a minute.

Yes, our Adventures have had some limitations this year...and the great casualty of the evil-twin combo of my back issues and positional vertigo has been any ability to make plans and follow through on commitments. Still, we are trying to do things we enjoy...whenever we can.

One particular thing we have enjoyed is getting our baseball fix by going to Greensboro Grasshoppers games. It's great!! Lots of fun...especially with the mascot, Miss Babe Ruth...shown in the picture below, acting as batgirl...:) And so very convenient, too!

Let's compare...

A Braves game in Atlanta? Drive for 5+ hours to get there (to the general area.) Spend the night. Drive an hour or more to get to a prepaid ($12) parking space that's still 1/4 mile from Turner Field...with more steps to go to arrive at your seat. Enjoy the game...but know that you have to reverse the process to get home...happy, but exhausted...and a good bit lighter in the wallet.

A 'Hoppers game? Leave home 30-45 minutes before game time (depending on whether you need to make any stops along the route). Easy drive down Wendover to Market to downtown Greensboro. Pay $4 to park a block away in the Grace UMC parking lot. Leisurely stroll to NewBridge Bank Park and arrive at our seats behind home plate with plenty of time to spare before the National Anthem. Enjoy the game...and usually fireworks...knowing that you will be sleeping in your own bed tonight...with dollars to spare.

OK, so maybe the calibre of play isn't as great, but the enjoyment factor is far greater in Greensboro. And I find I'm liking the Braves on our big screen TV just dandy...:). Ahem.

Anyway...back to not being able to make plans and keep commitments. I had made plans to attend the state conference of the North Carolina Master Gardener Volunteer Association this week in Asheville. Had even volunteered to help with registration...way back last Fall when I first signed up for it, and before I took that shortcut down the stairs in January. Who knew the Winter and early Spring would be so difficult? Not I.

So I reluctantly cancelled my plans for Asheville for this week because I realized it probably wasn't prudent for me to make that trip alone, much less sit for 4 hours at the Registration Table. Then we had to cancel our plans for Memorial Day/Anniversary in Atlanta because our dog sitter would be at the beach when we were to have been at the Braves. Sigh.

'All things happen for a reason,' "they" say. Of course, "they" are usually right, aren't "they?"

After a real pace-setter weekend, when we had worked like stevedores on our new Rose Garden in the Way Back...and even taking a timeout on Saturday night for a 'Hoppers game and fireworks...we were cleaning up the remains of our hamburgers-on-the-grill-&-veggies-from-the-garden Sunday supper when a call came through on my iPad. "Never a good sign when it rings after nine." That's something else "they" say.

"Mom, I think I may have sprained my ankle," said Missy M. Through the wonders of technology, she flipped the camera and showed me her swollen right foot, and I knew she was probably underestimating the damage.

Seems she had taken her dogs with her on her supper-run to Wendy's. When they got back home, Ella Rae...her little part-dachshund, part-gazelle...made a dash out of the car, still wearing her leash. Missy M gave chase, even though flip flops would not be classified as track shoes in any catalog. She stepped on the wrist-handle of the leash, rolled her foot, lost her balance...and wound up driving herself to the ER shortly after our chat.

Long story short: xrays showed avulsion fracture of the fifth metatarsal with the ankle sprain. Temporary stirrup cast, until she sees the specialist on Thursday. Currently on crutches...and dire warnings about "no weight on that foot." In short, she was in a bit of a pickle. Here's a picture she took in the ER of said pickle.

And so, that's how we found ourselves...with all our dogs (no sitter, remember?)...in Louisville. We drove up Monday after packing in record time. I harvested as much of the garden greens (photo below) as I could before we headed the car toward the mountains and the Parkway.

We aren't certain how long we will be here to help. Mr. T may even have to make another round trip there-and-back before all is said and done, probably sooner rather than later.

Still, it feels good to be able to keep a commitment. One that we made when we became parents 30+ years ago.

===================
Bear with me. I'm posting on my iPad with all its limitations re: attaching/sizing/captioning photos. I have loads of great pics of the new roses blooming in the new Rose Garden...and I'll post them when I get back to my trusty ol' Toshiba. Promise.

Walking in Sunshine

Yesterday was a special day for Mr. T and me.  We headed the car down Westchester Drive to Hospice Home of High Point to attend the Dedication Ceremony for the 74 newest additions to their Tribute Brick Walkway...one of which has Momma's name on it.

To be honest, I had mixed emotions about going.  It was a beautiful afternoon...abundant sunshine with Carolina blue skies, mid-70's with low humidity...you couldn't ask for more perfect weather for an outdoor function.  But, I still have a difficult time in making that drive, even after 10 months...and even after some "practice" in the past few weeks.  My neurologist's office is in the building across the street from the Hospice Home entrance, and I feel this heavy weight on my shoulders whenever I've had to keep an appointment with him.  Well, heavier than if I was just bothered by having to keep an appointment with a neurologist about my back, shall we say?

Anyway, I could feel the lump coming into my throat as we pulled into the parking lot.  Now, where is my little purse pack of tissues when I need it?

We were met by a staff person carrying a basket of daisies, and we each took one.  Then we joined the small crowd gathered at the beginning of the walk, located to the right of the front entrance to the building.  Thom Gill, the talented volunteer who played guitar and sang softly in the center of the facility (where the two main halls intersect), was playing and singing...and I was so happy to see him again.  We greeted the sweet, gentle chaplain, who was there to give the Invocation, the Rev. Jeanette Robertson, and she remembered visiting Momma when I pointed out the window to "her" room.  It made me feel surrounded by love again.

We could see a daisy here-and-there, that a loved one had tucked in the join on a tribute brick in the path...but I really didn't begin to look for Momma's name until we were inside the walled Serenity Garden, which is located at the end of the path and just outside of the Chapel.  Somehow, I just knew her brick would be in there.  And...it was.  As I posted to Facebook when I checked in, "Momma's brick is front-and-center in the garden.  She'd be pleased."

And I do believe she would be.

Just Because You Think You Can...

From Dictionary.com:

set·back:
[set-bak]
- noun
1. a check to progress

=============================================
As long as I can remember, I've been told "girl, you can do anything you put your mind to." Papaw told me that whenever I would get discouraged about math problems, especially those story problems, where I would always want to know why anyone would need to know how fast two different trains from different directions were going when you can only ride on one train at a time. Ahem.

Daddy told me that whenever I dared to utter those forbidden words "I just can't do it" (whatever "it" might be at the moment). Giving up was never an option. If I've heard Winston Churchill's speech once, I've heard it 10,000 times...both the real one and the one that is often misquoted...:)

So, naturally I grew up believing I could, in fact, do whatever I put my mind to. And I'm a believer in the concept that sheer will and determination will gain you ground when everything and everyone around you are saying you are done for. Remember: put one foot in front of the other, and move forward.

But I have run into that immovable object that no amount of irresistible forcing will bend: my body. It seems that I can do what I put my mind to, only IF my body is working properly.

My mind was determined to make significant progress on our Way Back Garden in April. Well, as any gardener will attest, there's a mountain of chores on the To Do List for the first full month of Spring. And we have even more items on our lists because this is the first year of our newly revised WBG Plan, with the four gardens in play: the Orchard, the Berry Patch, the Kitchen Garden, and the Rose garden.

Things have been rolling right along, with lots of progress in all the gardens. Then, last weekend, I eagerly tackled the planting checklist for the Kitchen Garden, following the average last frost date for our area (typically quoted as being April 15). Since we had experienced a later than usual frost, I had held off on getting many of the transplants and seeds in the ground (although I had to make a mad dash one evening to cover some tender plants when I heard the weather forecast).

I'm happy to report that I got eight tomato transplants in, along with seven pepper plants. In the tomato row, I planted a German Johnson, a Marglobe, a Bush Goliath, two Early Girls, a Lemon Boy, a Bonnie Select, and a Rutgers. In the pepper row, I planted four sweet green bell peppers, a yellow bell, an early bell (which matures to red), and a Cubanelle. I still have seedlings of Better Boys, Jet Stars, Romas, and Juliets under grow lamps, along with Fish Peppers. These will all be ready to go into the garden in a couple of weeks, about the same time I plant the next four rows of corn.

I also got seeds planted for pole beans, bush beans, okra, yellow and zucchini squash, cantaloupes, watermelons, and cucumbers. I've interplanted herbs and flowers, such as basil and marigolds in the tomato row and nasturtiums with the squash...attempting to add some natural pest control. (I already have sage and onions planted with the cabbages and the broccoli.)

The blueberries and the blackberries have already flowered and are fruiting up nicely in the Berry Patch.  We knew if we wanted to have any fruit this year, we'd better get the bird nets up, so we did.  We also are seeing lots of strawberries, even though we probably should have removed all the flowers this year to let them take root...as this is a new bed from the runners of the old bed (formerly in the space now occupied by the Rose Garden)...but I ask you, who can remove the pretty flowers?  Not I.

And I'm proud to report Mr. T put the last three trees in the Orchard, and got the last order of the English roses planted in the Rose Garden. We have three more hybrid teas on order, and that should do it for planting for this year...except for the perennials and annuals for accents, of course. There is ALWAYS an "except for...," isn't there?

All was going swimmingly, until Sunday. I was wrangling the soaker hoses, trying to test them for major leaks and then place them for maximum coverage. We have to get them pinned in place before we can put the mulch down, especially in the Rose Garden. Well, after rearranging one length of hose for the third time, my head truly began to swim...and I had to yield the day to vertigo.

A day in bed to get rid of the spinning symptoms brought on my back problems again. I'm beginning to believe they are in cahoots.

Anyway, I'm taking another little break while I deal with these setbacks. These "checks to my progress." And deal with them, I shall.

Because, as anyone knows, you can do anything you put your mind to...right?

Winston would approve heartily of this plaque
from Missy M, don't you think?

We're Back in the Swing of Spring!

The Rhododendron is in the Swing of Spring!

OK, folks. Enough of this sickly, invalid business. I'm ready to get the party started again!

Yes, I feel better. Back issues subsiding. Vertigo lessening. And I'm sorely tired of gabbing about health problems. (Probably not nearly as tired as you are about having to read said gabbing...:)  Let's put the adventures back in The Adsit Adventure, how 'bout it?

Anyway, we have stepped it up a notch around Casa 3917 in the last couple of weeks. To start Mr T's vacation week off right, we took in our first Greensboro Grasshoppers game on the 6th, enjoying a double-header with the Lexington Legends, hot dogs and mustard, our great seats, and excellent fireworks.

We then donned our finery...including a hat for me (see photo, below)...to celebrate Easter Sunday, ending with brunch in style at Graylyn in Winston-Salem.  Question:  doesn't anyone wear a hat for Easter anymore?  I saw only three others the whole day...and two of those were on children, one on a little boy! I do NOT wear hats myself (for good reason, as you can plainly see...:), but I make an exception at Easter.

Desserts...and fab coffee
at Graylyn's excellent
Easter Brunch

In my Easter bonnet...
at brunch in Winston-Salem

Second order of bare root roses from David Austin arrived...
6 hours, soaking in the tub before going in the garden

Where we have been planning and prepping the new Rose Garden in the Way Back, we now have planted 34 new rose bushes [28 so-called English roses (left) from David Austin; 6 hybrid teas from Roses Unlimited]. By "we," of course I mean Mr. T.  He digs the hole, then uses the Mantis(tm) tiller to break up our rock-hard clay soil (photo, below)...incorporating lovely leaf mold (from all those leaves we salvaged from neighbors' curbs last Fall and composted all winter...:) and  Moo-Nure^® . I come along to add what we call the Secret Sauce: a mixture of bone meal and Epson Salts (which aren't really a salt at all, but magnesium sulfate...great for growing strong stems)...and water 'em in. We then add another layer of leaves as mulch around each bush. We have 6 more roses just arrived from DA in a box on the front porch to go in this weekend, weather willing (as well as three more crabapple trees going into the Orchard). Three more hybrid teas are coming from RU in early May. And that should be that for the roses and the fruit trees. (All who believe that, stand on your ear, as Momma would have said...:)

Mr. T with the Mantis in the Rose Garden.
(See the ones from Order #1, planted in the foreground.)

Paver patio at 10'x4' in Rose Garden...we're half way done!
(See the beginnings of the
Bluebird Bistro in the center.)

Finished: 10'x8'!  Now, must cure
for 72 hours.

Let's go to Atlanta!

Momma Bluebird bringing home breakfast
to the babies.

More importantly, we finished the new paver patio in the Rose Garden (photos above) last week when Mr. T was "on vacation." (Right. More about that in a sec.) Anyway, after a day of grueling construction work (done almost entirely by him, with me bringing up the rear of measuring, staking, sweeping and finishing with the polymeric sand), and waiting the required 72 hours to allow the sand to set between the pavers, he hauled the new teak glider out of the garage where he'd assembled and stained/sealed it, and we immediately found our new favorite spot on our property. We relocated one of the birdbaths and a hook with two feeders to a spot in front of the new patio, planted some perennials like delphiniums, yarrow, and thrift, along with some Spanish lavender (hey...I've tried English lavender without success in the Way Back...trying something new)...and we christened the spot The Bluebird Bistro, as it's about 15 feet from the fence with two active bluebird houses (photo, above/left). I cannot begin to describe how happy I feel when I'm there. It's like Mr. Bluebird is on my shoulder. It's the truth...it's actual...everything is satisfactual!  Zip-pa-dee-doo-dah!

"And that one is outta here..."
Go-ahead homer puts the Braves in the lead!
Tomahawk Chop!!!

I'm also happy to report that this vacation hasn't been all work and no play. Missy M also took the week off work, motoring down to NC on Easter Sunday. She took charge of the meals, keeping us yardeners happy. While she was here we got a sitter for ALL FIVE DOGS (God bless Miss Jan!) and headed the car down I-85 to Atlanta for a couple of days. Mr. T and I (and 50,000 of our closest friends...including President and Mrs. Carter, too...:) had tix to Opening Day for the Braves on Friday the 13th (photo, right)...which proved to be a lucky number for them, as they beat the Brewers in a battle to the last inning. Then, before we left town on Saturday, we managed to take in Ikea, Nordstrom Rack (can you say "new shoes?"), and a fav knittery in Duluth called Rare Purls. Well, M and I enjoyed that last one...:)


Yes, better health is contributing to more happiness in my universe. But I would not be telling the whole truth if I left out the tears that fell last week as well.

As I have said, this past week was looming as a mountain for me. So many milestones, so many memories. Daddy's birthday was April 11th...he would have been 89, if he hadn't passed away on April 12, 1990...and he was buried on Easter Sunday. Momma was also an Aries, and she would have celebrated her 92nd on April 14. As this was my first year without her, I imagine you will understand when I admit to having shed more tears on Saturday than on the other days of that week.

Sidney's Memorial Mimosa (in the cage)...
and a yellow iris (flag)

Of course, I can't really think of either of my parents with sadness for too many minutes...and I'm guessing that's progress on my part. In memory of Daddy, we transplanted a volunteer Mimosa sapling to a spot behind the new paver patio...right next to a bright yellow iris. A mimosa, you ask? Who plants a mimosa? It's an inside joke: Daddy...raised in the city and never the green thumb that Momma was...called EVERY tree a mimosa 'cause that was what he used to park under in our back yard in Henning. And the iris? Well, he used the old-fashioned name for it, calling them "flags." And, you guessed it...every tall flowering plant was a "flag."

And what better way to celebrate Momma's birthday than to go to a Braves game...and cheer them on to victory?! She was smiling on us that day...:)

Yes, everything is coming up roses...and mimosas and flags...here again. Swing, batter, batter...swing!


======>>>>======NOTE=======>>>>=======:

I have added a bar on each post that allows readers to SHARE the post on Facebook, etc. See it, right there below this info? (I have no control over the size of the tiny things...at least, none that I can discover...:)

Also, there is now a blue, Facebook LIKE button for the entire blog...see it there on the upper right column?

Hang on, folks...we're moving forward with a bullet!

In Like a Lion...Out Like a Baby Lamb

March, which blew in on a rainy, blustery Thursday, is headed...meek-and-mild...out the door this coming Saturday. We are paused to turn the page over to April, but before that occurs, I thought I'd post a pic or two of Casa 3917.

Iris blooming at the mailbox:
"Rock Star"

Spring arrived way before the calendar told us it should.  The Weather Wonks tell us that's due to La Nina, a weather phenomenon where the Eastern Central Pacific ocean temperatures affect our NC Winter. Most people in general are thankful that this winter was so mild.  Most gardeners, on the other hand, are of mixed emotions.

True, Mr. T was able to check a big item off his list when he finished re-mulching the garden paths and the Rondel (the oval shape in the center of our Way Back garden), thanks to an abundance of mild March weather. Mulch makes it all seem so well-tended.

The dogwood and the azaleas (photo, right) are beginning to bloom, just as the forsythia, the daffodils and the hyacinths are finishing. The iris (photo, left) and the candy tuft in the front are even beginning to flower.

Azalea...after the rain...

I welcome the warmth, as every seed and every transplant I plant switches into hyper-grow the minute the soil is back in place. In the Kitchen Garden in the Way Back, the lettuces and spinach are green and lush.  The cabbages and broccoli are tall and strong.  The asparagus (on its second Spring) is producing lovely spears for the first time. The potatoes and the onions are both growing ahead of schedule. Only the carrots haven't made an appearance...which is more due to the crusty, clay soil than to the weather.

In the Way Back Orchard, all 11 of the newest fruit trees are leafing out, and all except one of the other apple trees (planted last Spring) have shown signs of life.  We will be fertilizing them and adding mulch-rings this weekend, if the weather stays as gloriously beautiful as it is today.  We purchased a swing on our last Tractor Supply run and plan to install it here soon...a perfect spot to rest while working in the Way Back.

In the Berry Patch, the blueberries are all abloom, and the blackberries have leafed out spectacularly.  The grapes along the fence are even breaking bud (which isn't necessarily a great thing, since we had wanted to relocate these guys...that will now have to wait until they go dormant next Winter). The new strawberry bed (created by transplanting runners from the old bed) is not only showing the signs of growth on the new plants...there are also flowers on many!  I'll need to get some straw on them soon.

And, in the newest addition to the Way Back, our Rose Garden, all 12 of the new David Austin English Roses have growth.  Woo hoo!  Mr. T got these guys in the ground as soon as he could after we received our shipment, even finishing by flashlight.  We have 9 hybrid teas coming from Roses Unlimited in South Carolina next month, along with another DA order of 14, for which we will be digging holes this weekend.  We have outlined the path through the Rose Garden, and Mr. T has assembled and stained the new teak glider that will be placed on a stone pad (to be installed...:) soon...a perfect spot to enjoy our morning coffee.  We will be moving a feeder and the concrete bird bath to that location so that the bluebirds who have moved into the newest bluebird house on the fence will have a bistro to call their own.

So, what's not to love about this, you ask? Well, a mild winter...and this has been one of the mildest on record...means (1) we will be battling an abundance of bugs come summer-time...and (2) an earlier appearance of my least favorite gardening cohorts, the snakes. Yes, I saw my first snake the other day...and happily lived to tell the tale.

It was a "good back" day for me, and I finally tackled a chore that has been on my To Do list for months: get the "new" strawberry bed planted.  [Mr. T had already tilled the new row...and tilled it again...and tilled it a third time to create a wide, raised bed over the Winter.]  I  had worked in the "old" strawberry bed (which was slated to be tilled under and become a part of the new Rose Garden) for several hours, digging up and removing runners to go to the new bed.  For this chore,  I used my handy-dandy new (purple!) kneeler that I'd ordered from Gardener's Supply...and which I pronounced "GREAT!"

After we planted the new bed (finishing in the rain, I might add...), we had so many runners left over I decided to keep them and plant them in containers:  a strawberry jar that I used previously for herbs; several hanging baskets; and many, many pots here and there.   The next day, as I was finishing putting the last 2 runners in my last empty basket, I thought it needed one or two more to fill it out...and Mr. T had not tilled the bed under just yet.  So I grabbed my trowel (but not my kneeler) and dropped down on my hands and knees amongst what remained of the old strawberry bed for "just two more."  I stabbed the trowel into the straw around a promising runner...and the straw moved.  Well, slithered actually.

You can probably guess what happened next.  I screamed...got up and outta the strawberry bed faster than I thought I could move (what bad back?)...and made it to the garden gate (like that's home base...:) in record time. Mr. T came a'runnin' to see what was wrong.  Of course, he started asking all those pertinent questions: what color was it?  How long was it? Where did it go?  Like I had loitered long enough to know the answer to any of those queries...

The next thing that happened is news-worthy.  Instead of retreating from the Way Back for a week (like I did the last time I saw a snake in the garden)...or, telling him to "sell the house" (like I did 32 years ago, when I saw a water moccasin in our back yard in Cordova)...I said "I need those strawberry runners to finish my basket."  No, I didn't return to the scene of the sighting myself, but I stood nearby giving encouragement and great directions to Mr. T...who recovered both the runners and the trowel without seeing said snake. He also complimented me on how much I have matured in my snake phobia...and I beamed with pride.

"Old dog...new trick" comes to mind...:)