I am 100% unpacked and cleaned up from the trip, camper is back in storage for a bit and even the laundry is done. Today, life returns to "normal"... although I am not really sure what normal is in this day and age. Maybe it is better to say life returns to my everyday routine.
I was out in the treetop garden before the sun broke the horizon, taking full advantage of the fact that it was only in the 70's and humidity was fairly mild. I got the garden weeded, watered and even did a bit of harvesting. The peas are still fighting on, so each morning I harvest whatever bounty they give and pop them into the freezer. It's amazing how much changed in just 4 days. My tomato plants are going crazy, although the squirrel managed to snatch the first Cherokee purple (I am not happy - at all) and he also killed the one I started from a sucker on another plant. Guess he wasn't thrilled with the location? Or he was taking full advantage of the puppies being out of town.
I applied liberal coffee grounds this morning and will be putting out a dish of water for him today. Most of the time when they are stealing tomatoes it isn't because they like tomatoes, it's because they are thirsty. And with this heat we are having I can definitely believe that!
Everywhere I looked the garden is filled with life and growth. I even have my first pickle! The pepper plants are bursting with buds and tiny peppers, the jalapeno's are simply growing like crazy (this is fantastic and the dragon loves jalapeno jelly).
Unfortunately, it doesn't look like my beautiful kale is going to survive the caterpillars and moths. It was flourishing when we left and now it's a bunch of stems. I will see if I can revive it. Today will involve doing some research into deterring and protecting my garden from little beasties.
I'll be honest, I needed those few moments in the garden this morning. My faith that life will endure is always renewed after a bit of time out there. While I was in Arkansas I checked out my sister's garden. I have to say, I am always a tad envious of her country paradise. She has far better restraint than I do, I'm pretty sure my garden would have grow to fill all available land, whether I had time to work it or not. Her's is great! Everything is nicely spaced and growing so beautifully. Her blueberry bush is what dreams are made of. It's as large and luscious as the ones that we picked from in the pacific northwest. It's absolutely covered in large green berries. Yep, super jealous of that one. Also equally super happy for her.
I even got to enjoy her little baby chickens. The pups didn't know what to think about them. Poor Belle was the most confused as she loves to chase birds, but those ones were quite a bit bigger than she expected. Neither of my babies is cut out for country life. They were terrified of the feral kittens, probably a good thing as their momma would have messed them up. And big bad Beau was a wreck when my brother in law came out of the camper in the dark and ended up plastered to me, shaking like crazy. They are big, but they are still babies. Although that didn't stop Hubs and my brother in law from teasing him and giving him a new nickname.
I'm holding tight to great things like this. Because coming home was a pure eye opener. When we left on Friday gas was stupid high at $4.49. I was unbelievably stunned when we hit small towns south of us where gas is usually lower and discovered that it was $4.69 down there. So you can imagine how sick I was to my stomach as we returned home on Monday to gas being $4.89. Our trip south ran us just over $85 in gas, not terrible. Trip home, same distance and mileage $128. There is a reality check for you.
I was hurrying to get my dishes washed and a load of laundry done before the higher energy usage costs of mid-day kicked in. As Ameren keeps warning me it will all be more expensive now. I will modify my daily plans to get things done during non-peak times and save those times for things that don't draw as much on the utilities.
As much as I want to get busy with my canning chores, this morning I need to get into my sewing room. I need to get the curtains shortened to put in the kitchen windows to block out the heat of the day. Our deck takes a direct beating during the hottest part of the day, we used to have the gazebo that blocked out a sufficient amount of sunlight, with that gone, I need to get busy. I'm pulling down all the blinds and closing all the shutters. I will miss the sunlight, I will not miss the unbearable heat. I loathe heat. I will remove the tie-backs from my drapes and move into dungeon world to avoid being overheated.
I was browsing the book this morning and noticed multiple friends are starting to say the very things I have been thinking, feeling, and finally saying for a long time. Questioning what the heck is going on.
While down in the country the radio station Hubs had on started the day with a farm report. Did you know the beef industry in this country is booming (according to them) that we are exporting the largest amount of beef in our entire recorded history? That we are sending the bulk of it to China to lift up their economy. If that farm report was done in the exciting grab your attention manner that the daily news is, would more people realize what they are talking about? Instead of the monotone, soft spoken announcer reading a running list of facts, luring everyone except farmers to sleep.
I'm very happy for the farmers that are making a profit, or at least I hope they are, these humans are keeping our country fed. And I don't for a moment believe the farmers are the ones doing this. I believe it is our government, ya know all those folks that are making an obscene amount of money on a public servants wage?
I have to say I was struggling with that news all day yesterday. It brought to mind a multitude of questions. Starting with why do we appear to have a shortage in this country if we can export so much? Have you seen the prices on meat? Steaks are unreal. If we have so much that we can export the largest amount of all time, why are we being told at the grocery store that the reason the prices are so high is because there is a shortage of meat.... you know Covid, worker shortage at the processing plants, etc...
Moving on to why are American's being encouraged to eat fake meat? The standard talking point is that cows are bad for the environment, etc. Now I completely agree that factory farms are bad for the environment, the cows and the consumer, but not all meat is from factory farms. But it seems we have plenty of extra beef to send to other parts of the world, I guess it's only bad if it is for folks in this country?
I am definitely perplexed by what I am hearing, reading and seeing with my own two eyes. I also have read in multiple places now that Smithfield is closing their western US processing plants. They are owned by a Chinese company and simply aren't making the profit they want. This is concerning also. Again, not because giant agricultural plants are good for any of us, but where is the safety net for the American people. Where is the plan B? Did you know Utah has declared an economic/agricultural state of emergency ahead of these closures? Many people will lose their jobs and because for decades farmers have been driven to supply only to these large companies there is a shortage of processing plants to switch to.
At what point do people wake up and question the true state of what is going on? I'm completely over the comedy hour the J6 committee is throwing. Stop it! All of these distractions are just that, DISTRACTIONS! Turn off the television, vote the idiots out, clean up our election system, court system and education system and lets get back to living. I am seriously over it all.
While folks are focusing hard on the latest distraction, currently the J6 bull crap, we are being handed our bottoms. Gas is skyrocketing, food is becoming scarce (did you really believe the baby formula bull - at what point do you question that plenty of places in the world have an abundance yet we don't?), utilities are approaching the stupid level. When do we wake up and call it for what it is?
Have you tried to have your vehicle repaired? Buy an appliance? Furniture? Seriously people, wake up!
I'm super tired of the folks that are like oh, the gas is high because Putin went into Ukraine, no... gas was already on an upward trend before that, a sharp upward trend. It is freaking smoke and mirrors. They are hoping they have you too distracted by working insane hours, watching the predictive programming that is television, gaslighting you by repeating lies over and over again, and in such poor health from all the crap they are putting in food that you don't realize you are an active participant in your own countries destruction.
When do we realize we are in a very abusive relationship and it isn't going to end well for us? We aren't crazy, we aren't imagining it. It's very real? Need a reality check, go fill up your gas tank and go for a "Sunday drive"...
I'm sorry if this isn't the happy go lucky blog posting some were expecting. I'm sorry if it sounds like I am a doomsayer. Ironically, I believe that we will eventually all come together, I believe that we will see that damn light and realize it is an on-coming train wreck and work together to over-come the damage. It isn't just in this country, this is not an American problem. This is a global problem. And no I don't believe it is the fault of any country. Frankly, I feel it is the fault of people being lured into a false sense of security, being willing to trade freedom for things. Becoming lured into a passive state and afraid to say no, this is wrong and you need to go. That applies to many countries, not just our own.
I'm weary, I'm frustrated, I am concerned. But you know what else I am? I'm determined, I'm hopeful, I am confident and I am amazed at the ingenuity and wisdom of people as they are opening their eyes and looking at the real root of the challenges we have been facing and the greater challenges that I fear we are getting ready to face.
We've been warned throughout history. When do we pay attention?
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| Beau has some questions... |
Well... this crazy woman, has a great deal to accomplish today. Taking off four days was a bit reckless, even if it was a much needed mental and emotional break. I want to get those curtains up before the sun gets too high on the horizon.
Please take a moment to just consider what I've written, to think about it from a completely neutral space, to consider the impact that all of this is having on you and your loved ones. Choose to become part of the solution, not part of the problem.
love and peace everyone...
Good one! 381+
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