A Patch of Earth

This house I’m renting comes with a yard. I hacked the rosemary growing over the stairs and it nearly filled the recycle bin. Don’t worry. There’s plenty left.

I decided that all I needed was a weedeater to deal with this patch of grass in the back:

This is maybe 10 feet across at the widest spot.

So I got the smallest battery operated one they had (not everything will fit in a T-bird, FYI).

This looks like a bunch of junk in a garage, but it’s really several objects artfully grouped together to provide perspective.

It’s the Easy-Bake Oven of lawn-care implements. But better. It only came with 4 screws and I didn’t need to supply my own lightbulb. Plus it cut the grass. 

Next on my list is put on a HazMat suit to deal with the raised boxes full of some kind of stinging plant that bit Lyle when he was here.

Whatever this is, it made Lyle break out in a rash immediately upon touching it. It’s about 6 inches higher now than it was when this photo was taken.

My hammock came in this week. I’ve got to put that together tomorrow, and then I’m gonna put it on the ‘sunny’ brick patio so I can listen to the wind chimes.

It’s nice to have a little plot of earth to fiddle around with and I’m sure I’ll figure out what kinds of plants grow here. So far it looks like rosemary, lavender and garlic are the top products.

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21st Day in Monterey

3 weeks it’s been since Lyle and I drove up, up, up the hill to my rental in Monterey.

This is what Monterey Bay (aka Big Ben) looks like from Skyline Forest Drive, which is very near my house.

I can get to and from the office, Big Sur, and Safeway without any help from Sacagawea, which is what Lyle named the Apple maps guide.

The warer really does have different colors right next to each other. Lyle said he thought it was something about the ocygen.

Sacagawea’s pretty smart, but she doesn’t update for things like the Tuesday afternoon Old Monterey farmers’ market on Alvarado street (there’s not a Pioneer chicken stand– I’ve checked), which is relevant.

So far, I’m enjoying all of the new things that cooler temperatures combined with abundant hiking trails offer for as long as the Advil lasts.

My Christmas Wishlist includes a new pair of certified, organic knees at the market, a six-pack of Tony Chachere’s, and some andoille sausage.

2/3 ain’t bad, I guess.

King Mountain

King Mountain. That’s what Monte Rey means in Spanish. What moving to Monterey means is that even though I’ve moved from one end of the El Camino Real to another, I’m still on the same damn road.

Caminos Real Map. Source: https://bacafamily.org/camino-real-de-tierra-adentro/

While the weather and terrain are different, much is familiar. The Minor Basilica of the Immaculate Conception is the proto-Cathedral, and located on Church Street in Natchitoches, LA.  The San Carlos Cathedral is the oldest Catholic Church in California, and is located on Church Street in Monterey, CA.

San Carlos Cathedral in Monterey, CA

St. John the Baptist Catholic Church, Many, LA

Both the San Carlos Cathedral and St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in Many, LA are of the Spanish Mission Style, which isn’t surprising since they were established by Spanish missionaries.

There’s nothing quite like moving across the country to verify that plus ca change, plus c’est meme chose.

Continental Divide

To make a long blog short, I’d have never done this crazy cross-country move in a covered wagon hitched to a pair of mules, especially with kids in tow. (Although I suspect that a couple hundred years ago the roads through New Mexico might have been in better condition, there were also bandits and buffalo and other impediments to travel.)

Credit: http://oldphotoarchive.com/stories/inside-a-pioneer-covered-wagon

How bad was life that people sought out a “better life” out west? What kind of steel backbone would it take to survive the trip? Most of us today will never know that particular kind of hardship, but we still have difficult challenges that require grit and determination.

As Lyle reminded me last night, everyone has a story– each as unique and interesting as our own.  Perhaps we can remember to honor their stories, their lights. To see ourselves in others is the key to bridging the divide that is widening in our country.

Namaste, y’all.

Become a Lauritarian!

I’ve started my own political party and I’m running a grassroots campaign for POTUS.

I have a single platform plank: STOP MOVING THE DAMN TIME!! Once elected, my goal is to split the difference between Daylight Savings Time & Standard Time and:

We have electricity and lights now– let’s stop pretending that a human clock can tell the sun what to do. 

This modest goal (control over time) seems achievable. I’d like to make promises about the economy or foreign policy or infrastructure, but it seems like politicians get nothing done and always need just one more term to achieve any of their goals.

And in the immortal words of the great philosophizer and bro-country superstar:

Kenny was talking about some chick and tequila, but I think it applies to career politicians.

In the interest of transparency about funds & where they came from, and in keeping with my “time” theme, I plan to sell the naming rights to the months of the year, as well as the days of the week. TacoBell will probably want to snatch Tuesday right up. Poulan Weed-Eater will probably want to give up sponsoring the Independence Bowl for every Saturday in July.

I may go full-on Mayan Calendar and sell specific day’s of the week. I’m looking at you Kentucky Fried Derby Day.

I’m also considering taking advantage of the tax-free status claimed by religious organizations, so I may also be organizing as a church– then your contributions would be tax deductible! This is the thinking person’s party!!!

Sincerely,

The Dalai Laura, PhD

Grassroots Candidate for President of the United States

 

P.S. As a federal employee, I probably can’t run for POTUS, but share this post anyway and maybe we could get Dr. Mark Swanstrom to run in my stead. He’s got that presidential look down!!

I Accept

I follow this site called The Drabble  it’s very short stories or poems.  They are all very good, but sometimes one grabs you by the feels and won’t let go.  I Accept is one of those for me today  

 

I Accept

https://thedrabble.wordpress.com/2019/05/11/i-accept/
— Read on thedrabble.wordpress.com/2019/05/11/i-accept/

Something Good

I was waiting in the dentist’s office trying to think of something good to say, but was hampered by the loud news broadcast.

Being the resourceful person that I regularly impersonate, I got my Bose noise-cancelling earbuds out of their special protective case and was rewarded with silence.

No foolish Tooks shall pass!

Blessed relief.

And that’s about all the good I know right now, cause I’m about to get these holes in my head filled

Or my feet— they fell asleep from being higher than my head for all of eternity.