Bits & Bobs

I worked for a few hours yesterday to clear the hundreds of desiccated poppy stalks off the back slope, but after too much smoke inhalation, compounded by the humidity, I had to give up.  At this rate it will take me until Halloween.  And though I water every night, my vegetables are crap this year.  So far I've only gotten two small zucchini and one squash--last year I was giving the zucchini away by the armload--and my tomatoes are just now turning red...all four of them.  Considering the brutal heat this Summer, I would have done better to plant habanero or jalapeño peppers.  Or cactus.

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Last night I was out stargazing and, being the moon child that I am, couldn't resist getting out my tripod and taking some telephoto shots of the half moon.  I posted my favorite on the Shot of the Week, so if you'd like to see it, just click on the camera to the right there.  Or here.

I dropped my camera the other day from a height of about three feet onto the stone path in the back yard.  I was sure I'd done serious damage, at the very least jarred the lens or delicate internal bits, but other than a scratch on one corner of the body, I haven't noticed any glaring irregularities in my photos.  Whew!

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Speaking of the camera, I had it with me this morning walking the boys at the soccer field park so I could take a photo of some beautiful flowers growing near the parking lot.

My favorite color...

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High school kids were having a big fundraising car wash for...something, by my grocery store this morning.  After the dog hike, I went shopping and whilst loading my stuff into the car, I took a good hard look at my car...my really, really dirty car.  So, I added to the high school kids' fund for...something, and got the Blazer sparkling clean.
 
In my change I got a fiver, with a Where's George stamp on it.  Now, I thought the whole point of Where's George was the George part: it had to be a one dollar bill.  I went online when I got home to register the serial number and it turns out any bill will do.

This one has been on the road for 4 years and 344 days.  It started in Pennsylvania, and I'm the first one to register it in all that time.  Too bad actually.  I wonder about the places it's been since 2008.  It's in surprisingly good shape, which made me think initially that it was new on the circuit.  Ah well, they say money talks, but not in this case.

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I also bought a book at the store, since they were having a big sale, and though I have a few more chores to do around the house, I'm going to sit down soon to head into the heart of a blizzard in the Michigan wilderness.

Anything that takes me away from heat, humidity and smoke works for me...