Monday--

Tuesday--

We had clouds and rain most of yesterday. When that cleared up we had wind. I did walk out in the gardens to see how things are doing. A couple of weeks ago I put the little blueberry I had kept for the last two years as a house plant on the soil in one of the containers. I plan to sink the container into the ground and mulch it for the winter. I have managed to keep the plant alive but it needs a period of cold weather dormancy to thrive, bloom and (I hope) produce berries. However, keeping the soil pH at a good level for the plant has been a problem. I lost three plants over two years because of that. I hope that keeping it in its own pot that is then sunk into the larger container will give it a micro environment I can control better. Everything else weathered our frost a few days ago well. The seasonal changes haven't hit the gardens with full force yet but that is coming. You can almost feel it.

Wednesday--

Nineteen days till that day I refuse to mention again. My self imposed political fast is going pretty well. The benefits include two books (non-political) read, a large doily finished and another started (after I had to pull out all but the foundation ring because of an early mistake), blood pressure down (feels like it anyway), mood definitely improved. I skim the titles and comments on posts and article but I usually pass on to something else. I do make some (very few) exceptions like this one. Everyone needs some humor to lighten the mood.

Thursday--

It is getting near Halloween and this Buzz Feed piece is precious. Go, Girl, go!!!

Mauldin's Outside the Box column has an interesting analysis of the American socio/economic/political situation and it isn't pretty. I am ignoring the minutia of the political season but find some of the articles that cover the broad trends and implications for the future are often very interesting.

I may have to rethink my plan to keep the blueberry plant outside overwinter. I found vigorous new growth on it almost like it thought the season was early spring not the middle of autumn. I am afraid that leaving it outside might kill it.

Found this article on the "sharing economy" on Market Watch. I have said every since Uber and AirBnB came into existence that this has nothing to do with sharing (by any normal definition of the word) and everything to do with business. As I read the piece I recalled histories I read about the "putting out system" of the textile industry in England just before the industry moved to water powered looms and spinning jennies or spinning mules. The cloth merchant bought a quantity of fiber (wool, linen, cotton) and turned it over to a cottager who has a spinning wheel and collected the yarn when spun. Then he took the yarn to another cottager (or left it withe the same one) who had a loom and could weave it into cloth which he picked up later and sold for a nice profit. The only ones who got rich were the putting-out merchants. What does Uber do (or any of the others in this racket) but supply the owner of a car with information about the location of someone who wants to go somewhere so he can pick up that person and deliver them to where ever for a fee from which the company takes a cut. Replace information with "fiber" or "yarn" and car (or lodging) and car owner (or homeowner) with spinster or weaver and you have the same relationship. Where is the "sharing" in either arrangement? I don't see it.

Friday--

Nothing much of interest on the net today. My bread is rising and will be for another half hour to hour before I can bake it. See you Monday.