Shrub of the Year

Fall reached out and grabbed me by the throat this week. Somehow, I have been drifting mindlessly thru life for the past few weeks. Yes, I knew it was October, then November, but somehow my eyes were shaded and my heart closed. But no more.

Over the weekend I spent part of three days pulling weeds and cutting perennials back and - my favorite - digging in the dirt! The feel of clean, gritty dirt under my nails. Who would think that I had missed that feeling? But having it back was luxurious.

Someone has painted all the trees red and yellow. I've waited too long to find the perfect tree, because it is raining today and beating the leaves down. The roads are littered with them and the trees are starting to look boldly bald. The yard looks like Midas has sprinkled big coins all over.

How I wish I had starting looking a week ago for the perfect tree. Brilliant reds and golden yellows everywhere make my heart ache. This fothagilla turns to flames in the afternoon sun - every day - like a gift wrapped package... just for me. So, I've chosen it as the perfect shrub this year.

And, there are surprises, too. Like this lovely iris that I planted in July. I don't know if it's confused or a true rebloomer. Either way, it has eight buds on three stalks and if we get a couple of warm sunny days may open before we leave for our Thanksgiving trip farther south - at least I hope they will.

Other plants are giving me one last flush of bloom. A miniature rose that came from my aunt's garden more than 10 years ago is covered with both blooms and buds, and the volunteer nandinas that I transplanted from all over the yard have finally started to make me a hedge. From twigs less than 12 inches tall, I now have three-foot tall shrubs covered with berries. Where in the world did they come from... and when?

The true answer - of course - is that they have been there all along. It was I who deserted the garden this year. First because it was so blasted hot this summer than I didn't want to venture out, and then later because Mother fell ill and I spent my days traveling from here to there, and finally spent weeks in a daze after her death.

At a time when nature is going to sleep, I am finally waking up. As a daughter of Demeter and a sister of Persephone, that's okay. I will take my winter's sleep in a month or two, but like the iris I am blooming out of season this year. The important part is that I am finally starting to bloom.

Garden mums are growing everywhere - filling the yard with lavender.

The "pacific daisies" [they're really mums, too] are also in full bloom.

This mini rose is predominently white, but some blooms have pink picot edging and
some are more streaked - like this one. It makes for a lovely flush of blooms.

Let's All Vote!

You voted last week - right? You hope your vote - whatever way you voted in whichever contest - will actually make a difference - right?

Well, I have another "election" for you and I guarantee that your vote - no matter which candidate - actually will make a difference ... to you, to me and to every tax payer in the country. A tall order, but I can deliver.

Most of us have had the experience of seeing something in our job site that could be changed, streamlined, or done a better way to save our boss/organization/agency either a lot of time or significant dollars - maybe both. Sometimes we can actually get that idea implemented, but probably more often we can't. Because, "we've always done it that way."

Apparently the President has had that experience, too. Last year, he asked Federal employees to send in ideas that would save either time or money for the Federal government - the SAVE Award. The goal was to produce ideas that would save money and improve the way that the government does business. In less that three weeks the ideas came pouring in - 38,000 of them. Twenty ideas were included in the 2011 Federal budget and others were used across the country to save money at Federal agencies.

The winning idea last year was to find a way to avoid throwing out bulk medicines used in VA hospitals. Apparently, when a patient is released from a VA hospital - or any other hospital for that matter - all the left over medications are thrown away. Eye drops and ointments are frequently only used a few times, so the idea is to find a way to safely reuse these items for other patients to avoid the cost of trashing them.

It's time to vote for the 2010 winner and here's where you come in. After 18,000 ideas were submitted, and after 164,000 Federal employees voted to choose the four finalists, now Uncle Sam needs you. The four finalists for this year are:

1) to post sales of assets seized by Homeland Security on the Internet, instead of buying advertising space in local newspapers.

2) t0 distribute the daily Federal Register to 8,000 Federal employees electronically instead of mailing them. When the public was offered electronic copies (with an opt in for paper) the number mailed dropped from 25,000 to 500.

3) To use regular ground service to return empty containers to USDA food inspectors rather than Express Delivery. Currently inspectors ship samples to the lab via Express Delivery and the empty containers are returned the same way.

4) To replace paper forms used by mine operators with online forms to reduce the cost of reproduction and mailing.

All of those sound like great ideas to me - altho I do have a favorite - and I suspect all four will end up in the 2012 budget along with many more.

Before you make your choice, you need to know what fabulous prize the winner gets. It's a trip to D.C. to present the winning idea to the President. No big money; just a trip (and probably a certificate). So there you have it. Go to the SAVE Award website and vote. You will make a difference and help reduce the cost of government for next year and perhaps years to come - I guarantee it!

Vote early, vote often - just kidding!

Sexy Shoe

Wow!

This is the 2010 winner of the Sexiest Shoe contest. Can't you just see Drew Barrymore wearing it? At $2,400 it's a bit out of my league and at 5.5 inches high it's way out of my comfort zone, but if you were looking for a little something to send me for Christmas... I'm a seven.

10-10-10

7 classes, -.5 pound. At least it's back in the right direction

Getting Out of the Rut...

of cooking, that is.

Do you find a good recipe- or maybe an old favorite - that you make and make and make? I certainly do that, even tho I read plenty of magazines with lots of good new choices. And, I have a pile a foot deep of things that sound good, but which I haven't gotten around to trying... yet.

So the past few weeks I have been really making an effort to make at least one new thing a week. I've even made shopping lists! Two weeks ago it was Southwestern Cream of Chicken Soup - delicious the first night, but too much cheese to reheat well. Last week I tried Pork and Mushroom Stew, which was delicious, and quickly disappeared.

This week's entry was Chicken Chilaquiles Casserole. It looked so good that I meant to take a photo, but since I didn't you will have to take my word that it looked almost like the photo from the magazine! The recipe for two made plenty for two meals, so we will reheat it with chips or something over the weekend.

The real problem was that the promised 40 minutes to prepare was really an hour plus, and I used half the pots and pans that I own. Mitchell gallantly did the dishes since I had been - literally - slaving over a hot stove for so long. I liked the flavors, so will try to find a way to re-create the taste without the long prep time.

I have one more recipe chosen for next week and then it will be time to fall back on some old favorites - Chicken Chili, anyone?

10-10-10

Four Jazzercise programs, +0.5 pounds. Frustration.