Good day to you all.  We have a nice sunny Thursday with temperatures in the high 50s now and predicted to end up in the mid-70s.  I got two of my 5 gal buckets emptied and two refilled.  Those have tomatoes in them.  I also transplanted the new bee balm and basil after repositioning the pineapple sage to make room for them.  I plant to put in either the yardlong beans or the blue lake pole beans at the back of the container.  I still have three 5 gal buckets and one of the large round pots to empty and refill, and one of the largest containers to finish filling.  All of that is in addition to putting in various seedlings.  I just spent some time looking at the heights of some of the plants.  I think I will be putting the German chamomile in that round pot with zinia in front of then and something shorter on the edge.  The gardens are shaping up nicely.

Conversation #1:  At a drug store where we were considering which thermometer to buy having decided we really should have one in our first aid kit.  Mom:  Well, all of the digitals don't have any mercury.  Me: Neither does the old school model.  Mom: These are only 2 for $7.  Me:  We could get one of them and one of the traditional ones.  After all the batteries may be dead by the time we need to use it.  It is nice to have a back up.  Mom: Lets just get the old version.  Then we don't have to worry about either the battery dying or having the batteries we need for it on hand.  We went old school.  Sometimes high tech is not worth the trouble.

Conversation #2:  At our local Barnes & Noble store.  Clerk: Oh, yeah!  The new Dan Brown just came out today.  Me: Yes.  I thought about getting it on my Nook but I'm spending too much time each day in front of screens.  It is putting too much strain on my eyes.  I am trying to reduce my time on computer and e-reader. Clerk:  I have heard that frequently.  I don't have an e-reader though I have been tempted.  I am afraid it will take over my life.  Me: It can.  I am already at 75% storage capacity on both the machine and off-device.  Again--sometimes high tech isn't worth the trouble and doesn't provide as much convenience as promised.  By the way, the cost of the hard copy with my discounts was less than the price of the e-book.

This story tickled us.  Evidently the melting of ice sheets is causing the North Pole to shift position.  Never knew that was possible but then my science education was in biology not geology.

New entry in the insane and incomprehensible gas price saga.  Price here now is $4.09/gal.  What gives?