Moon Shot

It was partly cloudy tonight but the moon did all it could to show itself in the sky. I love it when I can take so fantastic shots with the digital camera (especially when neighbors don't have their outdoor lights marring the viewscape.

Now I admit Jag or SisIggy has anything to worry about when it comes to all things photography. But now that I have found the sports feature on the camera and with a somewhat shake-less hand, one can sometimes get a neat shot:
This one is either telling me the Milky Way is out there somewhere or Minnie Mouse has a new moniker.

The Week in Review

This has been the most prolific week around Dirtmanland in a long time.

Monday, I got up early, found myself wanting caffeine and drank three cups of coffee (my usual consumption is one cup. Before I knew it, I had done eight loads of laundry (including putting it all away instead of dumping it on the sofa for SisIg to do. I also stripped the bed and remade it, dusted and vacuumed the entire house and shuffled the dogs in and out.

Tuesday I started working on the new gate for the chain-linked fence that John Boy and I had built last year. If you will recall, our landlord didn't buy a gate then and we had to resort to a temporary fix - using a portable dog pen to keep the terriers and aussies at bay.

After four hours of trying to get the cemented posts out so we could re-set them, I called in reinforcements (John Boy) for Wednesday.

Wednesday morning I picked veggies from the Victory Garden for the first time (Black-Seeded Simpson and Romaine lettuce, four white onions, two radish and one six-inch long banana pepper).

Once JB got here, we tackled the two posts (going from a five foot gate to an eight-footer). We finally extracted them, dug new holes and reset each in a Portland cement / sand mixture. We then waited a day for them to properly set and enjoyed the salad Sis made from the garden produce along with a very fine dinner.

On Thursday we finished re-stretching the chain link fence, installing the gate which, by the way was a section of a dog kennel our landlord had lying around his property. What's cool is it is now a gate within a gate. We can open the door or the gate, depending on what we need to move from one side to the other.

With the gate in place, Salt and Pode can now enjoy being outside in a secure shaded pen -- if we can live with the constant yapping that's so annoying to everyone around us.

Afterwards, we had another great meal.

Friday I worked in the garden trying to train the cucumbers onto the fence I had installed, tied up more tomato vines and, while waiting to get the neighbor's roto-tiller, I mowed the entire yard. Then I went shopping for food and supplies.

The tiller was finally available on Saturday morning and two hours later I headed to the shower to get cleaned up before Sis and I sojourned to Dark Garden and family for an excellent outing and cookout.

Thanks to Dark and the Mrs. for a lovely summer sojourne!

The week upcoming will also be busy. I need to dig a trench to bury the sump pump discharge line; I need to apply grass clippings on the garden now that it's tilled and I am hoping, beyond hope some real work will show up.

And I'm hoping your week will be fruitful too.

This Just In

Table game foe now endorses idea at racetrack

SHENANDOAH JUNCTION, W.Va. (AP) -- A West Virginia House of Delegates member once opposed to table games at Charles Town Races is now endorsing the idea.

During a public forum last week, Jefferson County Democrat John Doyle said it's time for county voters to endorse table games at the track.

Doyle says he changed his mind after lawmakers approved legislation during the recent special session that increased the amount of money going to counties where the games are played. Five cities would also receive an increased share from gambling proceeds.

Jefferson County voters rejected table games at the track in 2007, partly on Doyle's urging.

Track officials have yet to decide when they will go back to voters, but Doyle said he will endorse their efforts.

This press release (above) may not mean much to most, but for John Boy, it may mean the world.

I found this article (and before anyone accuses me of making it up, I can produce the newspaper I lifted it from) and immediately thought of our famed relative who's a recent honors graduate of the New Jersey School of Gaming.

What it means is John Boy might be able to land a job in the short term rather than long term if the fine citizens of Jefferson County, WV, vote favorably for table games in the next general election.

A key roadblock locally was the county wasn't going to get a very big chunk of the profits. Now, after recent legislation in the West Virginia Assembly, the pie got bigger and now the local delegate has reversed his position and favors table games.

So do we.

Numbers Aren't What They're All Cracked Up To Be

At one time I wanted to have high number of hits on my blog.

Not anymore.

I'll let SisIggy have that honor. She deserves it!

Veggie Tales

Gardeners, like fishermen, sometimes tell a whopper of a story about how big a vegetable has grown in his garden.

I remember back to when SisIggy and I were dating and how proud I was of a 24-inch long, eight-inch diameter zucchini I had grown in my chicken manure pile. I had been nurturing it for about a week, watering it every day.

Oh I was so proud.

Until Sis took it and tossed it in the trash.

Zucchini should never get more than six inches long, she told me.

Lesson learned.

So to my surprise yesterday when I ventured to the Victory Garden down in the west 40. I was there Monday and saw one onion that would be ready soon; two small green tomatoes and a lot of blooms on the tomato plants; several flowers on the zucchini and cucumber plants.

But no where was there anything on the peppers.

Then Tuesday I found this: A four-inch long sweet bananna pepper.

I got on the cell and called Sis, who was inside the house ranting about VDOT. I asked her to bring the camera to the fence so I could take a few shots proving we somehow managed a green thumb after all.

Sis wasn't content with that, however.

I've seen what you can do with Photoshop, Dirtymon, she said as she fought off the dogs long enough to slide through the barrier.

She arrived at the garden with me and saw for herself. Everyone else will have to see the pics below and trust they are originals and have not been altered.



Besides, would I ever tell a tale?

Goji's Are Berry-Berry Good

Several weeks ago Heir 2 was rooting around the pantry trying to find some fruit to put on top his trough of cereal. Shortly I heard him ask: What's a GojiBerry?

SisIggy explained it was a dried fruit I had found at the end of one of those display aisles at COSTCO last year. Dirtymon claims they taste like raisins, SisIggy exclaimed.

I was able to chime in that It tastes good with cereal and milk.

The Heir tried it, proclaiming he liked it too, the latter comment bringing a smirk to SisIg's face.

Heir 2 continued eating the berries for several days before reading the label's Best By Date.

These things are out of date, Heir 2 exclaimed as he tossed the remainder of the bag in the trash.

Fortunately, I was close at hand and retrieved said bag. If no one is going to eat them, I would offer them to the birds.

Later that week, when we were running out of suet cakes, I tossed a handful into the feeder. The woodpeckers and assorted other species quickly gobbled them up.

Today, out of cakes again, I filled the hopper and as I type this, I am anxiously awaiting for the first bird to grab a berry and proclaim the gold mine has once again opened.

My only regret is when it is gone, that feeder will be retired until the fall as the suet cakes are expensive and the birds go hog wild with them. The last 2 cakes lasted less than a day!

Dad 1, Vault 0

My father yesterday battled a 65-plus year-old vault and according to him, the vault had more of a dent than he did.

The vault, found in the bowels of John Handley High School in Winchester, housed priceless artwork from the Corcoran Museum of Art during World War II. It was remembered during the school's recent renovations and through a partnership of several local trusts and the Gallery, reproductions were authorized for a new local gallery to benefit local students and the community.

Dad was there with my mom, as she and her Class of 1949 celebrated its 60th reunion. The current principal gave the class a personal tour of the vault and dad somehow slipped and bashed his noggin on the door.

Several hours - and several interior stitches as well as 15 exterior ones later - dad was good as new and resting comfortable at home. Mom, meanwhile, went to her banquet last night ably assisted by SisIg, who volunteered her services.

Today, we understand, both are on the road attending the final festivities of the Class of 49.

Friday was Heir 2's Moment; Yesterday was Becca's

As everyone knows, Heir 2's big day was Friday, when he graduated high school.

Saturday, it was time for Sis Ig's and my granddaughter, Becca, who had her first schooling session. Becca will be the closest thing we have to a grandchild for quite some time. Right boys?

Heir 2, Caisee and Bon Voyage

There are times when others can say it best.

One final thought. Prior to Friday's graduation ceremony I admit I was just a little tiffed that Heir 2 was the only Strasburg High School National Honor Society member that was snubbed on the local scholarship presentations.

But it all became clear when the school presented the listing of all scholarships the graduates earned. Heir 2's acceptance of Roanoke College's prestigious Bittle Scholarship ($117,000 over four years) bested his closest classmate by $37,000 and most by $100,000 or more.

Not bad for an Italian-American / Heinz 57 prodigy who selected academics, senior-year hi jinks and a very talented girlfriend over major athletics, brown-nosing religious zealots and their parents.

We couldn't be more proud of both of you!

Nerdy Graduate

When all is said and done, this will probably be the least favorite photo in Heir 2's collection. He wanted a letter jacket, but didn't want it. He wouldn't wear it but then he did. For most of his high school career the school letter had more academic awards than athletic ones.

And that's how it should be as fewer people can provide a meal from athletic accomplishments than they can from academic endeavors.

And yet, when we went to the athletic banquet several nights ago, every senior letterperson had their photo taken and displayed against the backdrop of the bleachers. Afterwards, they took them home. For a majority, that night was the highlight of their life.

For Heir 2, it was just one of the final hurdles needed to exit life in Strasburg before heading off to a brand new and exciting world.

I'm proud of you Heir 2, even if it is a dorky, nerdy photo.

Rain, Rain Go Away

We've been watching the weather maps and rain gauges all week in anticipation of Heir 2's high school graduation tomorrow night. And it's beginning to look like his ceremony and party will both be indoors.*
And that's a shame - especially since SisIg and I have spent the bulk of the past two weeks sprucing up both the yard and the house for the multitudes.

I was hoping I would be able to mow one more time before the festivities began but the grass will just have to keep growing.

Since the last mowing - last Friday - we've had the following amounts of rain:

Saturday - trace
Sunday - 0.5 inches
Monday - none
Tuesday - 0.4 inches
Wedesday - 1.3 inches
Thursday - 1.5 inches

That's 3.7 inches and counting.

According to NOAA, we could have received between 1 and 3 inches Thursday night (we got 1.1 inches) and heavy rain is forecast all day Friday, which would put the already swollen Shenandoah River past flood stage.
Thursday Thursday
Afternoon: RAIN Night: HEAVY RAIN


Friday:
HEAVY RAIN

Which is why it's a good thing the school has a nice-sized gym to hold the ceremony - since the football field where the celebration normally is held could be under several feet of water (they built the darn thing within the FEMA 100-year flood zone.

*The school just called. The ceremony will be indoors, beginning at 7:30 pm. The doors open at 6:15 pm.