At this time I must write some words concerning footwear. I spend hours and hours on my feet in the garden, and for years I have worn my trusty Birkenstock sandals that I originally purchased for sailing in 2000. The sandals were sized to comfortably allow me to wear not one but two pairs of wool socks with them. For years now, since no one wears two pairs of wool socks in Arbuckle in the summer, these sandals have flopped around on my feet. I’m not really sure how they stayed on, I guess I’m just used to flicking my feet here and there to keep the sandal underneath them. For at least a year I have been thinking about "getting a new pair of good sandals." Being busy, tending to procrastinate, and leaning toward frugality have all hindered the process. But finally, I went and did it. About a week ago I bought a pair of beautiful Italian sandals, Mephistos. They aren’t striking in appearance, but are really well constructed and about the most comfortable things I’ve ever worn. Sometimes one doesn’t notice how bad it is until the upgrade comes along….these are great for my feet and I wish I had bought them a long time ago. My Armenian frugality really had to get past the price tag, but it was all worth it. As I like to say, "if the tootsies aren’t happy, I’m not happy". They already have dirt on them, but that happens when shoes are worn in the garden. Who knows, maybe I’ll even buy a second pair……..
A gopher is ruining my patch of tromboncino squash. Out of the entire garden, I am fortunate that I am the least enamored with tromboncino squash, but the gopher’s days are numbered nevertheless.
Yesterday evening I went to look at one of my zinnia patches and saw clouds of color where a few days ago none was….. Big, bright pretty flowers in abundance just look so lovely. I know the people at the Farmer’s Market will like them…….
Our campaign to regain our house from the depths of bad housekeeping continues. This weekend I spent over two hours in our master bathroom. It was bad. I think about a hundred spiders met their maker, and a whole lotta dirt is not there anymore. I think our strategy is, keep cleaning the house and then go visit the neighbor, that way no one is in the house to get it dirty again….should have thought of this years ago…..tonight is the back porch’s turn.