SNIPPET 1

I read a lot. Always have. Which means that I (used to) go through a lot of bookmarks. After I decided that dog-earing the pages was not a good way to mark where I was. I have about 20 bookmarks similar to this one but all with different bird pictures. It fits over a page and is magnetized so that it doesn’t fall off. The reason why I have 20 is because I bought them at The Birdwatcher in Julian, about 80 miles from me round trip. I thought I’d go through them like other bookmarks. Nope. This thing is durable. Best. Bookmark. Ever.

SNIPPET 2

Comment on Facebook:

If [Twitler] had been US president in 1938, he would have sought to appease Hitler and compliment him as an “honorable man.”

SNIPPET 3

I have not had an Echinopsis cactus since 1973. Although their flowers are beautiful, their pokey pokey things are ouchy. Yesterday I just couldn’t resist buying this Echinopsis oxygona at Lowe’s because of the delicate pink/white flowers.

SNIPPET 4

Jim, Zoey the Cool Cat, and I moved to a new house in July 2017 without checking the USDA zone for the new place. Sadly, it’s virtually impossible to grow ferns here. Ha! Problem solved. Three different ferns, a sensitive plant, and a Hypoestes all quite happy in their terrarium home on the catio.

SNIPPET 5

Best Twitler meme from this past week:

SNIPPET 6

I’m going through old boxes and finding stuff from long ago.

These were the three bitches in my life ca. 1990, left to right, Penny, Kerrie, Sugar. Penny & Sugar were the better of the three.

Kerrie was a Southern Baptist religious nut. She had a personal relationship with her god, so personal that said god would tell Kerrie when to take a bath or a shower, what time to go into work even if she was late, when to take vacations, when to call in sick even if she was not sick, when to listen to music or watch television or go to the movies, when to come over to my house.

Late one Saturday night when I had a home word processing business, she was in my room with Penny & Sugar studying her Bible lesson for the next day. I decided to take a break so I went back to ask her if she wanted to take Penny & Sugar for a walk with me. She rolled over, looked at me ever so sweetly, and said, “No. The Lord hasn’t told me to take the dogs for a walk with you.” I did not see her on Sunday and broke up with her on Monday. I do hope she’s had a happy life.

SNIPPET 7

Hmmmmmm. My Fockea edulis has two seed pods on it. This plant is dioecious, which means that it needs pollen from a male plant in order to have progeny. I never saw the flowers on this plant, and the only way it could have had sex with another plant is at a cactus & succulent show, where it has been shown twice. Wonder how I track down the father.

SNIPPET 8

Best video from this past week. Because, small dogs need a friend their own size.

SNIPPET 9

When I was young I wanted to be an anesthesiologist because I could spell it. Then I found out how much schooling I would have to suffer through. Bye bye anesthesiologist!

SNIPPET 10

Because I have a degree in Forest Management from Texas A&M University, I always enjoy visiting the woodworking exhibit at the San Diego County Fair. This table is now #1 on my list of most expensive items in the exhibit over the years. A mere $11,500. Twenty years ago it would have gone home with me, no questions asked.

SNIPPET 11

Since I have eight of my plant displays on exhibit at the 2018 San Diego County Fair, I have an Exhibitor badge which gets me into the Fair free, every day, for as often as I want to visit. I also got three free tickets to give to others. So Jim and I went to the Fair last Thursday. Came home with lots of goodies, one of which was this map of San Diego. It’s laser-etched on pine. Looks great AND smells great!

SNIPPET 12

First and second place winners in Youth Robotics at the 2018 San Diego County Fair.

SNIPPET 13

Jim and I spent all day at the San Diego County Fair. I have been there several times this year to help set up the exhibit for the Palomar Cactus & Succulent Society, where I have eight plants on display, and water the little ones. I have had my eye on one of the plant vendors not too far from the Palomar display, and these are what I came home with. I understand why the one plant is named “prolifica”—I feel like a mamma rabbit there are so many babies.

Pachopodium lamerei (Madagascar palm)

Sedum ‘Purple Emperor’

Echeveria prolifica

Kalanchoe fedstchenkoi variegata

Crassula ‘Dianne’

SNIPPET 14

My favorite cactus picture. Pay no attention to the critter.

SNIPPET 15

Long-time readers know of my lifelong fascination with all things trains. I think I shall have to be in Utah around May 10, 2019. I will be driving, so if you’re between San Diego and Salt Lake City UT, let me know. I’ll stop by and say hello!

One of the World’s Largest Steam Locomotives
Is About to Make a Triumphant Return

SNIPPET 16

Sometimes the bed decorations don’t match the quilt. Oh well.

SNIPPET 17

MOVIE REVIEW—I can highly recommend “Overdrive” starring Scott Eastwood and Freddie Thorp.

Lots of awesome cars.

And Scott Eastwood (Clint Eastwood’s son) and Freddie Thorp.

Did I mention Scott Eastwood and Freddie Thorp?

Well, just in case I didn’t, it stars Scott Eastwood and Freddie Thorp.

Varoooooooooom……….

SNIPPET 18

Jim, Zoey the Cool Cat, and I have been in our new home for 11 months. We bought all new appliances when we moved in. Here’s my review of them:

Whirlpool Cabrio Washer – Sucks. 0 out of 10. Washers need an agitator. The cycles are too long, and since there’s no agitator, the soap falls from the soap dish into the washer, turns to paste, and never gets washed out of the clothes.

Whirlpool Cabrio Dryer – 5 out of 10. I like the Steam Refresh cycle.

Bosch Dishwasher – Sucks. 0 out of 10. Doesn’t dry the dishes even on the longest cycle because there is no heating element. Weird. The racks are installed backwards, almost as if a left-handed person built it.

Samsung Microwave – 5 out of 10. The functions are waaaaaaaaay to difficult to push. Needs to be a wee bit less sensitive.

Samsung Range – Sucks. 1 out of 10. The oven has a special vent that lets out all the heat and, if you’re cooking something, microscopic particles that cause the fire alarms to go off. EVERY. SINGLE. TIME. Our Toaster Oven is better, and that’s what I use. The griddle is awesome for pancakes. If I made pancakes thrice a day, 7 days a week, I’d give the Range a 10 out of 10.

LG Refrigerator – Awesome. 10 out of 10. Love the indoor water and ice, the controls for cubed ice or crushed ice, the temperature controls, the door within a door for the refrigerator. It helps that in front of the refrigerator is one of Zoey the Cool Cat’s favorite places to plop herself.

SNIPPET 19

My older brother once threatened to shoot me. I’m estranged from him, as well as 99.9% of my relatives, but I don’t hate my brother like Twitler seems to hate Obama, our allies, women, LGBTQ, blacks, children, the sick, the aged…………

SNIPPET 20

I felt so bad the afternoon and evening of June 10 because I ran over a squirrel while driving to Home Depot. The poor little thing never had a chance.

SNIPPET 21

I bought this as a 2-leaf plant at the San Diego Cactus & Succulent Society’s Winter Show & Sale on February 10. Since then it’s put out 2 more big, fat leaves, and one flower on it bloomed for 5 consecutive days, closing at night and reopening the next afternoon. It has another bud that should be opening in a couple of days.

Pleiospilos simulans