The weather has been perfect (well, sort of perfect) , and both Bobby and I have been out working in the yard for the last couple of days. I was in bed by 8:30 last night and probably sound asleep by 8:31. I am all done for the day, and had my shower, and now relaxing with a bowl of chips and my black bean and corn salsa, and a bottle of my apple kombucha. It will be another early to bed night. I want to move my hop plants that we got last spring. They didn’t do much the first year, but this year, they (all 3 of them) are coming back stronger, and I think that they might be spreading out some , too. We had them trellised up cords last year, but this year, I want to move them where they can trellis across the front porch, and maybe along the side fence. If we get hops flowers this year, I want to use them in my kombucha. Last year, i bought some hop pellets from Amazon and added them to a batch of kombucha and it turned out really delicious; so my next batch of kombucha, I am going to use more of the hops (from the ones I bought) to flavor the kombucha. Bobby ordered another back yard pool, which we always need to cool off with during the hot summer months, and the one we have had was just completely worn out, so it was time for a new one. I was not going to garden this year, but somehow, the gardening bug bit me (might have caught it from @Beth Gallagher ? ), and I now have the aerogardens started again. The oldest aerogarden was destined for the roadside, or the thrift store, because the pump was barely trickling; but Bobby decided to see if he could fix it, and ended up ordering another pump for it, and now Mr. Bobby has his very own aerogarden, with tomatoes and cucumbers started in it. My new aerogarden should be here on Tuesday, and then I ordered another seed pod grow kit that was 50% off. While I was finding that, I noticed they also had one of the faux-aerogardens for almost half price; so all of that will arrive on Wednesday…..
All of the aerogardens are full and producing baby plants, or at least trying to do that. The grow light on my old Sprout AG stopped working, and it is only sold in a set of 2 for $30+. I have had this aerogarden since 2016, so there is no way I will use up 2 more light bulbs for it in my lifetime; so I am not ordering 2 new grow lights. Instead, I have some rose cuttings in this AG, and have it sitting right next to my 9-pod AG, so it shares the light from that, and that seems to be working fine for the cuttings. These are just the small top cuttings, so it is hard to say whether they will eventually grow roots or just die, but it is not hurting anything by them being there, and the AG pump is working fine still. I have been going outside and working in the front yard, a little at a time, working (in my Gardening Chair) and then relaxing feet up on the front porch for a while, back and forth. Bobby has the swimming pool set up, and it is warming up, but we have not tried it yet this year. Still having a lot of rainy days, but getting hotter. I said I was not going to garden again this year, but the Gardening Bug bit me, so here I am weeding and planting and having fun in the yard. It won’t be too much longer and I can get Poodle’s Shark Suit out and we can be cooling off in the little backyard pool.
We have been having nice weather again the last few days, and I have been outside working in the garden and yard most of the day, and definitely worn out by bedtime. I have most of the weedeating caught up, and the little iris gardens cleaned out of weeds (a never-ending job) and all the flowers and shrubs have been watered. So far, my cuttings all seem to be doing okay. My DIL, Laura, took some of the fig cuttings I started for her along on her trip to visit her family in western Oregon. The weather there is similar to here, although not as hot and humid, so I think the figs should grow out there, too. I am looking forward to getting the Aronia cuttings and hoping that they will root, and by fall, I can set them up along the front of the lawn and make a low hedge with them eventually. We are getting into the heat of the day, so time for brunch, and relax for a while. I am enjoying the gardening weather ! I have been chatting with my son in Washington now, too, and sent him a quick snapshot of my “weedeating look”.
Spent most of the morning out working in the yard and iris gardens, and then it was just too hot and humid; so I came in and then made liver and onions for lunch. This afternoon, I went back out, and I weeded around the raspberry bushes, and now I am completely worn out, showered and clean, and relaxing inside for the rest of the day. We are talking about moving the raspberries to the little garden area out front, and I will be able to take care of them better out front, plus they should get better sunshine out there. If Bobby rototills the little area, then I will move the small new raspberries there and then I can put up some T-posts and wire to keep them upright and easy to pick; so next year, we will have berries there. We are moving into the hot days of summer, and once that happens, I will pretty much be done with doing outside stuff except early in the mornings, and I am enjoying being able to get outside and work in the garden while I still can do it.
I found a facebook group for plant exchanges in the Huntsville area and joined it. Today, there was a lady asking about comfrey, and so I write back and said I just divided a plant and have some new starts starting to come up from that. She said she has a butterfly pea vine to trade. I have never heard of a butterfly pea before, so I looked it up, and it is a beautiful vine and the flowers are used to make blue and purple tea. The peas are edible, but people grow it as an ornamental. However, I found a website that talks about medicinal benefits. I had to laugh when I read the Latin name for this plant and then looked at the picture of it. It is called a clitoria ternatea. Have you heard of this @Mary Stetler ? https://jerrysjungle.com/the-powerful-magic-of-butterfly-pea-flower/?v=7516fd43adaa
Save us some seeds! I have never seen that here. It looks fun! I am putting up self heal this week and can all summer for a lot of the health benefits.
Today, I tried doing the Brer Rabbit in the Briar Patch maneuver, and it did not go so well for me ! I was happily out in my gardening chair and weeding around the pink knockout roses by the driveway, which are on kind of a little knoll up from the driveway. I turned my chair around to prune back the wild rose that is also up there, and my chair was just enough off the level that it went over backwards, and sent me somersaulting through the knockout rose bush and upside down underneath the pickup and I was stuck there. Thankfully, falling in the chair,( I smashed the roses) but it was the chair that actually went into the roses or I would have not only been all stove up now, but also full of rose thorns. Anyway, I hollered for Bobby, but he was busy with the weedeater , couldn’t hear me, and could not see me underneath the pickup truck. The neighbor lady heard me, and she got Bobby, and I finally got turned around enough that Bobby could help me get up and out of there. My poor rose is squashed, but should come back okay. I hurt everywhere, but no real damage done. Interestingly, my Apple Watch did not even ask me if I fell. Bobby said it was probably because I was so actively moving all around before I fell, so it did not perceive it as a fall. If the neighbor lady had not come over, I could have also called Bobby on the Apple Watch, and he would have felt his buzzing on his wrist, even if he didn’t hear it. This is the “before” picture, and i was on the left side of the rose where the ground was fairly level, until I turned the chair around to trim the wild rose.
For the last couple of months we have had mostly those hot and humid summer days, and also mosquitoes. I have pretty much avoided doing any gardening, even the early morning, because it is still really humid. What we have been doing almost every day, is going out back and puddling around in the backyard pool, and getting a nice suntan. Being in the cool water really helps me to feel better, and I sleep better at night after being in the pool. The stray momma cat has gotten to the point where I can actually pet her a little bit. She doesn’t seem to care as long as it happens with a bologna treat, and she doesn’t run or hiss at me when I pet her now. She still moves away, but not like she is scared or in a panic like she used to do. Both she and the kittens will come to the porch now when I meow at them. Momma kitty still gives me a look like she thinks I have the worst meow ever, but she gives me E for Effort anyway. I was watching them on the sidewalk camera, and they were all playing out there on the ramp, so I meowed, and they came running up the ramp to the porch looking for treats. I was in the house, but the camera is one that carries sound as well as video, so they thought I was outside, too. This weekend, it has been cooler and even a nice breeze, so I went outside and worked in the yard a little. I was weeding the strawberry patch, and dumped over with the little gardening bench, and it takes me a while to get turned over and back up after doing that. So, we went to Walmart, and I got another one of the regular plastic lawn chairs like I use out front. Now, I can have one in the front yard and one for working out back. The 4 legs are much more stable than the little green bench, so I think this is a good plan. I picked a nice batch of fresh figs and made a fiber cake with them, and we have been enjoying that. I really love fresh figs, but the birds and squirrels love them, too. Bobby had to saw off one branch from the cedar tree that was extending all the way over to the fig tree. The squirrels were jumping from the roof into the cedar tree, and then out the branch and into the fig tree. Now, they would have to go down onto the ground to get to it, and take a change on the dogs or cats getting them when they were on the ground.
It seems like this month has gone really fast, and we have gone from 90+ swimming pool weather to having slippers on my feet in the early mornings and late evenings. It was in the 60’s this morning when I got up. Yesterday, I was weedeating and working in the yard and garden, and, boy, does my body grumble about that ! It has been way too hot for much yard work all of July and August, so the weeds in the out front flower gardens have been flourishing , and outgrowing the flowers. Yesterday, I got most of the pathway out to the drive cleared of weeds, and today, I am going to get the gardening chair and start work on weeding the flower beds under the trees in the front yard. The kitties are doing good, and I can actually pet the mommy cat now, and she seems to think that it is okay. They are all starting to get used to Poodle out on the front porch, and the kittens will even come up and eat with him when i put the canned food out in the mornings. Mommy kitty still growls at Poodle, so I keep him away when she is eating, just in case she takes a swipe at him with those sharp claws. But all in all, they are doing well together.
Since I have been reading up on how small doses of nicotine can help memory, and also prevent serious diseases like Parkinson’s, I have been taking a 3 mg dose of either the nicotine gum or one of the 4 mg nicotine wafers, and I can feel my mind working better almost as soon as I do this. The 4 mg seems like it was a little too much for me, so today I am back to the 3 mg gum. One of the things I discovered during my research of the subject was that Vanderbilt University in Nashville has a study called the MIND study, which gives participants low doses of nicotine to help their memory and to combat possible alzheimers. I messaged them to see if I could be in the study over the weekend, and today , they called me back. They already have enough people in the MIND study, but she said they have other studies ongoing, and asked if I was interested in seeing if I fit for any other studies. I said I was, so they sent me paperwork to fill out for background info, and she will call me on Thursday morning to talk more about any possible studies. I also have messaged my daughter in the Netherlands about this. She has MS, and has been having memory problems for several years now. I suggested trying a stick of the nicotine gum and see if it helps her. I do not know if she will or not, but hoping that if she does try it, that it will help her, too. I also suggested it to my son, and he said he has been using the lozenges or the pacs sometimes to try and help him stop smoking, so now he will watch to see if it helps his memory or not as well. I am still taking the clove buds first thing in the morning and adding some clove and cinnamon to my coffee. I am not sure if it is doing anything or not, but it is supposed to be good for me, so I am still doing it. The weather is starting to feel like fall here now, and I think that we are about done with being able to use the swimming pool for this year. With the cooler weather, I will be able to go out with the gardening chair and work in the yard and garden more now, so that is good, too.
We had a really nice day today, and both enjoyed it. Bobby had a chiropractor appointment this morning, and from there we drove to where the other fitness center is at, went in, looked around and made arrangements to make sure that our Silver Sneakers was transferred there. It is set up a little differently than the other gym was, but we will get used to that, and probably to the longer drive, too. We looked at the schedule for swimming, because they have water aerobics sometimes, and you can’t come in and swim then, but it looks like we can work around that, so we plan on going later this week, and then 2 times a week while we get back in exercise shape again. It has been since last spring that we have not gone because the gym where we went all these years closed. Then, we were going to check out a Cajun restaurant that showed up on the maps as being at the shopping center just down the road from us, because Bobby has been wanting a shrimp Po’Boy. After wandering around the mall for probably an hour and asking people for information, we finally discovered that this restaurant did not exist at this location. It either was here before and moved, or they are planning one there and haven’t done it yet. In any case, there was an Italian restaurant at the mall, so we went there for lunch instead. It was wonderful ! ! I had a lunch special of soup (Lentils and sausage), salad with nice veggies and Parmesan dressing, and fresh bread with olive oil and Italian seasonings in it. It was an all you could eat lunch, but just the one serving was perfect for me. Bobby had a chicken Parmesan sandwich that came with salad (a choice of sides), and we both enjoyed our lunch date. I made a new ice cream that we both really liked. One of my favorite pies was a sour cream raisin pie, and I thought that might make a good flavor for our Ninja Creami ice cream, so I made a vanilla base, and then soaked some raisins in DaVinci Butter Rum sugar-free syrup, and added that for the add-in cycle. It turned out just awesome, and one we will definitely have again. I am thinking of ordering a Bourbon Pecan SF syrup, and I think that would make a good ice cream , too. In other news, it is getting colder at night, and I added a warmer blanket on the bed.
Today was our first day at the new (to us) fitness center. It is run under the Huntsville Hospital umbrella, just like the other center was that closed down this last spring/summer. Even so, it is set up differently than the one we have been going to, so it will take us a little while to get use to the new facility, as well as the longer drive to get there. On the plus side, some of our friends from the other gym are now also going to this one, and it was good seeing people we knew when we were there. The hour of swimming totally wore me out ! ! Yeah, my body seriously said it was tired and ready to stop when Mr. Bobby came walking in to sit in the steam room, so I toddled up out of the swimming pool and into the hot tub while he steamed himself. Oohhh, that hot water on my tired back….. so good ! Barely could get my worn out legs into the truck afterwards, but overall, I feel GOOD, and I am glad that we are going back to the fitness center again. I made broccoli stirfry and brown rice for dinner after we got back home, and Butterscotch with Irish Cream ice cream for dessert. (I made it with yogurt, so actually it was a frozen yogurt ice cream) That Ninja Creami has totally spoiled us…..
Today, we went in for our second visit with the new doctor, and this one seemed to go really well. We also had fasted overnight, and had lab work done while we were there, and they do it right at the office, which is really nice. The results are already on my patient portal tonight, so that is really FAST ! ! Everything looks good to me, and my kidney function is still getting better, which makes me happy, and the thyroid results are excellent , too. We do not go back for another 6 months, which is fine with me; so I think that this doctor will work out okay after all. He didn’t try to push vaccinations for flu or anything else, and just kept me on the same medications that i have been on, no changes. I am thinking that the less I have to interact with doctors, the better i am liking it, as long as all the labs look okay like they did this time. I am really looking forward to some of the health changes that RFK wants to make, and it sounds like Trump is pretty much just going to turn him loose on revamping health here in America, so we can at least be as healthy as people in most other countries are. On the not-so-great side…… today, I got the little letter from the EBT people, tell me that our EBT amount will go up from $143 a month to $146 a month….. like that will keep up with inflation , or even make a difference if there was no inflation. And of course, as soon as my SS pittance goes up, then they will take that increase back out of the EBT, so we will probably end up with less next year than we have this year, even though we all know how much the cost of living and having food has gone up. I am trying not to grumble……honest.