Monday, July 29, 2013

Cool but sunny Monday. Garden update. Miscellaneous politics, economics, etc.

I had barely started a post yesterday--Sunday--but didn't get very far.  We had rain early which though light persisted for most of the morning and put a damper on any ambitions I had for gardening.  The day before I got my Christmas cactus, both lavenders and lemon verbena transplanted.  The cactus and one of the lavenders are recovering nicely.  The jury is still out on the other lavender and lemon verbena.  I am shifting the plants I want to keep over winter into clay pots.  I hope they will like that better and make the watering more consistent.  Sometimes I can't really tell how moist the plant really is.  At one point the bay felt moist on top but the lower level was dry.  I got it watered in time and it is now recovering.  A couple of plant were dry on top and very wet below.  I really need to get that more consistent.

I need to cut the sage--still.  I said that early last week.  I think I am in some kind of mid season funk.  There are things I should do but I simply haven't done them--or many of them.  We did enjoy the peppers and cherry tomatoes I picked last week in the last chef salad we had.  I don't know when we will have another.  The temperatures are more normal for mid to late September than late July.  I noticed the hyssop is beginning to bloom.  I haven't grown that before so I am interested in seeing just how it does.

This story isn't just an omen of Detroit's future but the future we all face.  I still remember a bit of testimony Bernanke gave about five years ago--just when the Great Recession was gaining steam.  Asked about where the money for government stimulus was going to come from with the mention of Social Security he said "That's where the money is."  What we have and what all people who have pensions really have is a promise to pay sometime in the future for our services today.  Or if we are already retired for the services we have already delivered.  And promises are worth their weight in gold.  The retiree who said he felt robbed is absolutely right.  He and his fellows have been robbed.  Legally.

Our Senior Circle group collects donations every month for a local "food pantry" and the most frequent request is for personal hygiene products and paper products including toilet p aper and diapers.  This gives you an explanation for the request.  The story did mention that there are few sources for non-food items.  Food banks don't often carry such (ours being an exception) and food stamps don't cover them.

As with anything else the devil in this concern the details.  Like what is the definition of a "spiritual faith."

Here we go again!!  If cattle don't gain weight fast enough simply slip them some drug to increase the final carcass weight.  And blame politics if major markets for U.S. beef refuse to accept the resulting beef.  It can't be that people have a real concern about the safety of what they are eating.

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