I was watching some of the D Day coverage this week. And it made me stop.
Which got me thinking. My family's experience is different from my husband. I've had a dad and uncles who served all during different war theaters. I've had cousins and cousins kids serve in the more recent and relatives far removed who served in the earlier wars, some from WWI who were medics and were overwhelmed by their experience. My husbands family had different experiences, later generations served, some lost their lives in WWII as Polish citizens ripped out of their homes and lined up one night in 1939 because they didn't fall in line with what was going on at the time.
I asked one of the kids in the area (not mine) if they knew what D day was and they looked at me like I was nuts. "You mean when I don't get an F?" Oh lord.
In years past I've always been enamored how the British have celebrated and remembered theirs lost in the WWI/Armistice day remembrance:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=...
Or their Armistice day 100 art - I feel this is quite a memory to sear in thought:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=...
They always remember their people lost so long ago in such a lovely way and still talk about it like it was yesterday. And I guess my point is if we forget we tend to repeat. I don't even find anyone with poppies or forget me nots anymore. A small reminder to remember our own lost.
I think sometimes art helps us understand, remember and have deeper feeling about what had happened. And remind us of the past so we don't repeat in the future. We are in the process of loosing those last few from the Greatest Generation. I was fortunate to have met one of these chaps in the last decade or so. He was proud of his service and prouder of his country. He passed at 100 years, his bright blue eyes had seen so very much and he was fond of saying don't forget ever
Don't forget, remember and such sacrifice these men and families gave.
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Today will find me and kid1 heading to town for 4H project stuff. We then will commence on projects this weekend. I hope! tomorrow I have prep for my test Monday. Yuck, so whatever I can help them start and get going on their own would be good while I'm otherwise tethered elsewhere.
Have I said I hate preventative screenings? This one in particular? Get yours done! Caught early and removed it's one less problem in life to contend with. It's just a super annoyance with diet and prep. A small thing when all is considered and easily dealt with if early.
Garden wise: dahlias are looking good. More rain today so we'll see what happens in the future. I may look for some bloom boost (I'm out) and see about adding that soon. They are heavy feeders as we get closer to bloom. Right now plants are still getting their feet under them I think. I haven't seen too many take off yet.
Weeds are growing. Too bad, maybe next week I'll have time and feeling better once I can take my med and not have constant inflammation, I'll start some weeding. Will see how that goes. Need to ask the hubs to take down the tall stuff with the whip that grew into monsters at some point.
When did that happen?!
Thank you for letting me remember the people who served.
Wishing you all well.
I ramble on here about my inflammation struggle and I'm sorry I do, I'd rather not have this curse! I have been asked to stop my Celebrex. OMG, this morning I have awaken and barely can use one foot, two thumbs and my hands work more as paddles then they should. I'm in terrible shape and will not be able to take my meds until the screening is done Monday. This is terrible! If I was in fighting spirit I'd call the doctor and say let me take my med! I can't function and I have a ton of stuff to get done.
Ok, enough about crappy health problems.
The corrals are up. Yes, I plant very tightly in my space available. Otherwise no variety! Kid1 helped me with it and I'm glad it's done. Now they can grow to their hearts content. I got them all pretty much tucked in the lowest corral line. There were a few still too short to stay in that position. With time I'd think they'd take off and I'll keep checking them and getting them tucked in as they grow.
I'm ready to see them get growing. With all the rain, I'm hoping they'll say let's go! Only 2 of them went in the ground without presprouting. These were replacements and had active eyes. As I moved the plants into their corral I noticed these had little green shoots and hope they don't get crowded out by their row mates. If they take off, great! If not, it's not like I'm short on dahlia plants.
That's funny. Short on dahlias. 
I'm definitely not short handed where those are concerned.
The rest of the garden is looking good. Getting hairy. The tomatoes are really enjoying the rain. The beans have gotten full and the rabbits so far have stayed out of my boxes since I dropped all the rabbit poo in them. One old trapper I know said rabbits don't like other rabbits poo. So I've got nice plants FINALLY not sheared off and that includes my teddy bear sunflowers.
What does anyone know about garlic? First time raising it and the tops are about 4-5 ft tall and starting to throw out that curly scape looking thing. What do you do with it? Is it something to be consumed? Do they need to be removed? Inquiring minds and all! I think they are to come off, but when and where do I clip it back if that's what I'm to do.
I'm enjoying the start of blooms here. The iris were great, even though yet again I had a lot that didn't bloom, at least I have the others marked so I know what some of them are and if I want to, can lift and whittle down my stash. I'll need to make some permanent markers to tuck with them. Still figuring that part out. They are beautiful but I really don't need 10 plants of one type in a color that isn't totally my fav.
And finally, today I should tag my rows. Then the dahlias are officially done and on their own. Less fertilizer and watching for bugs. I bought some bigger chiffon bags to cover larger blooms. I just need to box the corners. This gal was thinking! I made sure to buy the larger bags in a different color so I have a quick visual cue to grab the larger one if it's a larger bloom. Maybe I can also get those corners done. Will have to see if my hand paddles will let me do so.
So the gardens are off and growing. I'm glad to have more done and hope for the best. Time to start rocking the colors.
The daylight is working its way up. Slowly!
Today will find me trying to fix the soaker hose. I hope the Amazon hose ends work, stay on and let me repair the hose. If so, then I'll get it back in place and cover w straw once I know it works. Tomorrow hoping kid1 will help me string corrals. Today she's too busy w work.
I did a walk through and the plants look like they are holding their own. They aren't huge by any means but it looks like all of them are adjusting well. The stressed out ones look like they have sent some new on up.
Need to get the kids entered for fair this weekend as well. The kids do plan to take veg and flowers amongst their other projects. No, we don't show animals. The rest is enough. I'm hoping we have a good array of blooms to take in when the time comes.
I'm finding benefit to the compost I had made over fall/winter. Thus far the rabbit poo concoction seems to be of benefit. I don't see rabbits in my yard since I've got it all over in beds and gardens. Maybe that's what I needed! As long as it looks good and grows well! The one benefited area that has really taken off has been the garlic. It stands almost 4-5 feet tall. Never realized the tops would be that big. Makes me wonder what it's doing underground.
My irises are looking good.
I didn't order that last one, but it got sent to me. It's ok, it's not beautiful with what it's next to. Maybe if I moved it around to like tones I'd like it better. Problem is, I still have 3/4 of my iris w no blooms. I've got good sized plants, but not seeing new blooms. I specifically ordered early and mids, but no dice! Maybe I should go remove stalks today and do some cleanup of the spent ones.
They say rain today. That's fine. We still can use it and I'll welcome it, even if it cuts into my plans.
Happy day to you all! May your gardens look good!
My life of late: You know, when people don't know you, your skills, your background etc and then pontificate what you need to do, before they can help you without realizing you do know something, really quite irritates me. In all facets of my life this has been coming up. Instead of being a know it all, be quiet and listen and offer different ways of helping. Man do I find that often. I try to approach how to work with people without making them feel they know nothing without knowing their background. I try to say what do you know and we'll go from there. Unless short on time, but I think others learn without being told they know nothing in the eyes of the helper because everyone knows a little something to start. Tired of that approach. You know the old saying: if you don't have anything good to say then don't say anything at all. Story of my days of late! When did the world get so populated by this type of know it alls? And who died and left them in charge? Really, don't make the world a place where people can't ask for help in whatever manner they seek assistance. Sometimes it takes a lot for someone to say I don't get it.
As for the dahlias: looking good! Just ordered a part to see if I can fix the soaker hose as Menards doesn't carry the 1/2" to 3/4" type. Amazon is where I found it. If it allows me to fix the hose and get a few more years out of it would be a huge help!
Once the hose is back in place I'm hoping kid1 will help me put the corrals up and then the dahlias are done! Woohoo! Then it's shaking some preen and being really done w the exception of watering and fertilizing and hopefully picking blooms as the summer goes along.
Keeping an eye out for the iris and seeing what new ones might bloom yet. I wish I could find some answers to what I'm looking for. I ordered a book or two from the library to see if the answer is in there. I haven't been able to glean any info here for what I'm looking on.
The rest of the gardens are looking pretty ok. I'm happy w some of my baskets. They are really filling in and out right now. Hope they become heavy producers and look great all summer!
Hope everyone is well. May your gardens look great and your life be well.
Not a dahlia, but a strawflower at the greenhouse! Everyone needs a bit of pretty in their day!
Last week of school before summer break. Whew! So I couldn't sleep due to lots of worries. I got up, got laundry in and decided to make monkey bread again. But this time it's a dough with an egg in it. Which you may not realize, makes a better tasting dough. So surprise!
Today will find me trying to find an answer to my soaker hose. I've read I should soak it for days in vinegar. I'm going to see what it does w the end off and if it runs. And maybe it just needs more pressure. Unsure. Maybe too with it full open I can get all the folds worked out and no issues with that and it placed correctly as it snakes the plants.
Then later this week I hope kid1 will help me w the corrals. Or maybe I'll start them today. I don't want to let the dahlias go too long without being tied up. They can get sprawling if that is the case and just a giant pain in the rump if that happens. And that I don't want.
They say more rain today, I wonder when. Just checked - early afternoon. So I'm hoping I can get that maintenance completed and working.
Then next on the garden list is checking the iris and labeling those that are blooming or have bloomed. And I'm hoping some who haven't bloomed forever get going! Will I find a Gnus flash?! Will I find an inky black one? What lurks out there? My front bed ones are big fans of leaves but no bloom stalks. Of course those seem to not be there the day before and all of a sudden 40" in the air with buds. I've not yet figured out how that happens!
The good news is things have all settled into the dirt well and hopefully have taken off. Maybe we'll have flowers for summer sooner than not.
The monkey bread is delightful. How one can find joy in a sweet yeasty bread with cinnamon sugar … heavenly!
