[gardeners] Somewhat in the garden
George Shirley (gardeners@globalgarden.com)
Mon, 21 Dec 1998 14:48:13 -0600
Went merrily off to the VA Clinic this morning. Made the nerve wracking
52 mile drive okay but my blood pressure was elevated when checked. It
was foggy enough you could only see about 2 car lengths and the other
idiots were driving in excess of 80 mph by my estimate. Scared the
fertilizer out of me several times, I must be getting to be an old fogey
as I drove 10 mph below the speed limit. Sixty mph was fast enough.
Got my scripts renewed, the old annual physical out of the way
(including the uncomfortable parts), made an appointment for next month
to double check my BP and blood glucose and the doc made an appointment
for me to see the opthamologist to see about getting a ripped vitreous
repaired in my right eye. It's not bothering me much but it's like car
headlights coming up on you from behind, bright flashes of light at
inopportune moments. Would rather get it fixed.
To keep this gardening related I will tell you that I just put up 3
pints of a citrus marmalade. Made with the peel and pulp of one very
large Ponderosa lemon, twenty kumquats sliced thin, and the peel and
pulp of a navel orange that was lying about doing nothing. Started the
procedure yesterday morning and boiled the peel and pulp twice and then
let it sit in the refrigerator until about 1 pm today when I finished
the process. Had about half an inch left in one pint jar so that became
the cooks portion, had it on crackers for our lunch. Not as good as my
grapefruit marmalade of 1997 but acceptable. Particularly as I grew the
lemon and the kumquats and purchased the orange. If I had thought I
would have included a single lime and a single tangerine I found in the
refrigerator just a few minutes ago.
Hope all are ready for whichever holiday you celebrate at the winter
solstice, Miz Anne done gone shopping again but I did mine weeks ago
except for her gifts. Got her a Chuckie watch and doll, the Chuckie from
Rugrats, not the evil mannequin of the horror films. Sleepy Dawg is
going to get a squeaky toy and the biggest dog treat I could find. I
have no idea what I'm getting but told Santa I wanted the Am. Herb
Society Encyclopaedia of Herbs. Even told Miz Santa where it could be
purchased and for how much and strongly hinted that the budget could
afford it. I've done my part, the rest is up to old Santa. <VBG>
Have a happy and safe holiday.
George, living the good life in hot, muggy, SW Louisiana