Everyone in my family is now officially in the winter doldrums, including me.  There is the sense that spring is coming, and it never comes soon enough.  My son injured his back at work and is trying to get it straightened out with chiropractic adjustments and massage therapy, but is depressed and withdrawn.  My daughter and I almost got into an argument over religion, even though we are the same.  All of us are tense, irritable and feeling weird for reasons unknown to us. 

The only one who is unaffected, who is continually happy, is John, who goes out every day for several hours of snowshoeing or skate-skiing, followed by a sauna with a brisk jump in the lake through a hole in the ice.  He is even getting a tan, since the sun and wind are on his face daily.  The rest of us slugs are shivering, and waiting for warmer weather. 

Up early, 4:30 a.m. to check on water pipes, no freezing allowed, at least flush toilet, run 1 gal. water in kitchen sink.  I know, I'm just paranoid - it was -14 deg. below zero, but the dogs wanted out, and I let them run in the semi-darkness.  They actually love this cold weather.  As I pet my dogs and look at how they are built, they are perfect in every way, even having fur grow downwards between their toes to keep their pads warm and soften their footfalls.  I have always admired animals anyway.  Look how birds can puff their feathers out to increase air spaces between the feathers to keep themselves from freezing; and I've heard that they have a separate system in their feet, sort of an anti-freeze, so their feet don't freeze.  They can tuck their heads under their wing to keep their beaks and eyes from freezing, just as dogs can put their noses in their tails to create a warm breathing space. 

Then after I let the dogs back in, it was 7:00, and the sun had just come up, but it was colder still; -17 deg. below zero, so the sun had some work to do.  But it is a beautiful day in the 20's now, and I am cheered by the thought that we are in the last month of winter. 

I have been hearing something lately on TV, some people suggesting strongly that you can't believe the things that are written in the Bible.  That some of the stuff is just impossible.  But I believe everything in there; what do they think miracles are, anyway?  Or that God can't do this or that, because it's "impossible."   I suppose I could look up the definition of the word, miracle.  Right now, I think it means accomplishing something using power not readily available to Joe Blow.   Let's see if I'm close.   Webster's says - miracle:  an effect or extraordinary event in the physical world which surpasses all known human or natural powers and is ascribed to a supernatural cause. 

Well, I wasn't too far off, there.  I'm going to make venison chili today and go for a long walk.  But mostly, I feel like resting and taking it easy.  Yeah. 

I have made inquiries about getting more space for planting, and even though I would have to travel at least 15 miles one way, I could use a fenced in garden that is no longer being worked by anybody.  There, I could plant corn and squash, some beans.  I have spoken for this place, so hopefully, there will be no objection to my gardening there.  We shall see. 

It's snowing out today, so I spent all my time writing, or rewriting, my novel; then, I also went through more tiny things that need organizing and putting into the little drawers of my StackOn organizer.  Fun, eh?  We have entered the last month of winter, officially, although here it may take a couple of weeks longer, but...meantime, I'm just enjoying the peacefulness of winter--I keep telling myself.

I got 5 packages of free seeds from Shumways for ordering there.  So far, the seeds I have gotten are:  Beet, Crosby extra early Egyptian; Beet, Cylindra; Beet, early wonder; Bush Bean, Jacob's Cattle; Bush Bean, early bird; Bush Bean, hurricane; Pole Bean, Kentucky blue; Pole Bean, Kentucky wonder wax; Cauliflower, broccoverde; Sweet Corn, NK199 hybrid (elephant ear); Sweet Corn, miracle hybrid; Sweet Corn, golden midget; Sweet Corn, early bird; Seed inoculant for peas and beans; Greens, Oriental salad mix; Lettuce, bon vivant blend; Lettuce, chicken and rabbit blend; Parsley, dark green Italian; Pea, early bird garden; Tomato, sugar lump; Tomato, early bird big red; Tomato, delicious; and Zinnia, giant cactus flowered. 

All the early bird varieties are the free seeds they sent me, quite a nice selection.  Later, at planting time, they will send the Egyptian topset onion sets, Victoria rhubarb crowns; and all three varieties of asparagus, Mary Washington, purple sweet, and Barr's mammoth.  Should be an interesting growing season, as I anticipate the enormous amount of labor that usually goes into an asparagus bed.  But this year will not be as labor intensive, I keep telling myself.  Ha!

The sweet corn NK199 hybrid (elephant ear) is a variety I grew a long time ago, then it disappeared from the catalogs.  It was THE single most productive sweet corn I ever grew.  The ears were big and blocky, with many rows of tiny yellow kernels, which were very sweet and crisp.  We gave away a lot and still had corn in the freezer for 5 years!  And the last package, amazingly, tasted as good as the first.  It was unbelievable. 

I really do wish I had more room for gardening, as it is one of the main things in my life.  Maybe I should move out of this forest and onto a big field, where I could let my ambitions run as wild as a pumpkin vine. 

I am not at all discouraged about getting a rejection letter yesterday.  I know my novel needs work, so I am knuckling down and have rewritten over 40 pages so far.  I personally like the story, and I know that one does not become an overnight success in writing.  So it's back to work. 

The weather has become warmer again, and going for a walk is a joy to me.  Because I can breathe without my nose pinching together, and my teeth not hurting from the cold. 

Two things came in the mail today.  The publisher returned my manuscript with a brief note saying they had decided NOT to publish my wonderful story.  That was to be expected, I guess.  After reading it, the people I had let read it were not too impressed, either.  Oh well.  I am telling myself that I will not be discouraged by this, because I should have submitted a work long ago, been rejected, and then gotten on with my life.  So nothing has changed. 

The good news is that my seed order from Shumway came.  The plants will come later at planting time, the asparagus, rhubarb, strawberries, etc.  I saved the seeds (some of them anyway) from the giant squash and will plant those this spring. 

Yesterday, my daughter and I went shopping and I bought a Stack-On 27 drawer organizer for tiny screws, etc.,  and I should be playing with that for awhile.  

I am not in the dumps, I am not in the dumps, I am not....

One thing I do really well is give a scalp massage.  It's like a hynotic, magical relaxation device, and good for circulation to the head.  I start at the base of the skull, using the front side of my fingers and gently push up into the hair.  Then I turn my fingers up to their tips and continue up the scalp with the palm side of my fingers, almost to the crown.  By this time, the hair is divided between each of my fingers, and I hold my fingers together and gently pull up the hair, perpendicular to the scalp.  I continue all over the scalp in this way, gently pulling up the hair every time, and this pulling is very stimulating to the hair and scalp, aiding circulation.  I practice on my own head, and I know exactly how hard to pull the hair, how to get the hair between my fingers evenly, and I do it so gently that individual hairs don't get pulled to cause pain or get pulled out.  There is nobody who doesn't love this scalp massage.  I've been doing this most of my life, even on my own kids, and it has a very relaxing, soothing effect.

Another place that doesn't get enough rubbing (ha!) is the chest area, especially the sternum.  Here I lay my hand flat and spread the fingers out, and just use the finger tips to very gently massage the bony plate and soft tissue, letting the palm just ride along and push the skin and flesh with the fingertips doing most of the work.  Continuing into the shoulder area.....

                           Chicken Pasta Salad

  In small frying pan, heat 1 tblspn. canola oil.  Fry 1 large chicken breast, seasoning each side with salt, black pepper, paprika, cilantro or whatever you like.  Turn heat down very low, cover pan and let it cook for 1/2 hour or so.  To a large bowl, add 1/2 cup onion, diced; 1cup celery, diced; 1 medium tomato, diced; 1 red Rome apple, cored and chopped; 1 small can Mandarin oranges, drained; toss and spritz with lemon wedge.  Cook 1-1/2 cups macaroni or spiral pasta (rainbow rotini) until tender, drain and rinse in colander.  Dice the cooled chicken breast.  Add pasta and chicken to bowl.  Make the dressing with 1 cup mayonnaise, 2 tsps. apple cider vinegar, 1-1/2 tsps. salt and 1/2 tsp. black pepper (or less).  Add 1 tsp. mustard (your choice) and stir briskly.  Add to bowl, and using two large spoons, toss salad to coat.  Serve room temp. or chilled.  (I like it warmish.)

I finally attacked the giant squash Jill gave me for a Christmas present.  Cutting it in half was the biggest challenge.  Once that was done, I laid it on a shallow roasting pan, cut side up, salted it lightly, added 2 cups of water to the bottom of the pan, and covered the squash halves with foil.  Then I roasted them in a slow oven, about 275 degrees almost all afternoon.  Truth be told, I actually forgot about them until 6:30 p.m., but they were just fine.  I scraped the shells out, putting the meat into a big bowl.  We ate some for supper, but the rest was bagged, tagged and frozen right away.  I like my squash with a bit of butter, brown sugar, salt and pepper to taste.

I made chicken and rice soup, which I also forgot about, simmering away on the back burner, but that, too, was on such low heat, that it was just fine when I finally remembered.  I would say it was just seething, not even simmering, for a couple of hours, I guess.

I was working on my new novel all afternoon, that is why I forgot about the things that were cooking.  I have a headache, probably from eyestrain, because then I was awake most of the night, reading.

It has become all right for me to be home like this, not going anywhere, not being involved much in community or friends.  I had rushed around so much when I was young, getting into every kind of activity imaginable, and the fact is, I don't feel any need at all now to be involved.  I don't even go anywhere for weeks on end, and I am content and restful, rested.  I'm okay.   

I got up at 5:30 a.m., it was 27 deg. below zero, and I was worried about pipes freezing.  It was 60 degrees in the house still, but I had a bathroom door open so heat could flow into an unheated side room.  That side room contains a lot of plumbing for the washing machine, cold water tank, 2 hot water tanks.  One of the hot water tanks though, is the underfloor heating system tank, and is filled with a special antifreeze, which is heated with natural gas.  So that heat is what kept the room at 33 degrees.  I wet a clean corduroy shirt and put it in the dryer; it is vented not outdoors, but into the room, which also helps keep the room warm.   According to the Weather Channel, it won't get above the zero mark today.

I could probably write a book about all the frozen water lines I have had to endure.  Four years ago, I had a new well drilled and since then, I have not had a pipe freeze.  I don't want  one now, either.  The water from 75 feet down is excellent, 99.9 % pure, or just about.  Even so, there is some mineralization and even a trace of iron, but I guess that is good for the human system.   

I am heating up a large soup pot of water on the stove, not on high, but enough to put some moisture in the air and warm things up a bit.  Guess what, today is the day for baking, don't you think?  Maybe some pumpkin bars, why not bread.

It is below zero today, and tonight it's supposed to be colder still.  But it is clear out, and the sun was shining.  Pepper would not leave me alone, I kept telling her I wasn't going out today, but she kept getting her nose under my hand and throwing my hand up over her back.  So funny, I just had to put on coat and go walking, though not very far today.  And I really felt the cold through my coat.  Not so with her, she looks like a coffee table with all that fur. 

I am rewriting and editing my novel, since it's too cold to do much of anything.  My fingers got so cold, sitting here typing, that I had to do dishes just to warm them up.  Good thing I have that venison stew to heat up for my supper. 

After my walk with Pepper, I came in and made the best venison stew I have ever tasted.  The secret ingredient that makes all the difference - sweet potato.

                        Venison Stew

Fry 1/4 lb. bacon slowly until crisp in large frying pan.  Remove bacon from pan, save drippings in pan.  Cut venison into cubes or strips, about 2-3 lbs.  Turn up heat, add venison and brown the meat.  Add 1cup diced red onion; 2 carrots, peeled and chopped; 1-1/2 cups celery, trimmed and chopped; 1 large sweet potato, peeled and cubed.  Stir after each addition.  Add 3 potatoes, peeled and quartered lengthwise - lay these along the outer edges of the pan, do not stir; sprinkle all with 3 tsps. kosher salt, 1/3 tsp. fresh-ground black pepper, 1/2 tsp. paprika, 1/2 tsp. Mrs. Dash (original flavor), 1/4 tsp. rosemary.  Pour in 1 cup of water.  Cover and simmer on very low heat until veggies are tender.  Stir 2 cups of water into 1/2 cup flour, add to pan, let simmer, uncovered for 3-5 minutes, stirring gently from time to time.  Adjust salt level to suit, serve immediately. 

I went to visit my daughter yesterday and brought her a valentine, as she wasn't feeling well.  I had been sickly myself day before, spent the whole day in bed.  But I'm better now.

John brought me a bouquet of roses!  I wasn't expecting anything.  Glad it wasn't candy. 

I have decided to begin planting things, oh, I shouldn't....it's way too early.  If you plant too early, things come up, but then fall over and die before warm weather.  I suppose I should just stick with the program, and finish clearing out the attic.  Yeah.

I woke up this morning with a terrible head cold, I can't imagine where this came from.  I was feeling fine at 4:30 this a.m., almost decided to get up then, but didn't want coffee, so went back to sleep, and now I'm sick with this head cold.  I took a decongestant and I'm woozy now.

But I made myself place the seed orders online!  That is the first time I've ordered all my garden seeds that way; usually, I mail it in.  But I stuck to my plan, and the seed order (and plants) came to just around $100.00.  Now to figure out where all the seeds can be planted.  Sunlight and space are at a premium here.  I am going to be using that plan I thought of, to buy bags of soil and cut them open, lay them in a good spot, and plant the seeds right in the bag.  At least some things can be planted that way.  And the other thing is to trim back all the tree saplings that keep springing up here around the edges of the opening created just for the garden.  Hopefully, this will give me the space and sunlight I need. 

Well, it's back to bed for me, medicated as I am, I am very groggy.  Later...

This is the evening I settle down and make out the orders for seeds and plants for this year.  I am excited.  I think I WILL order the cranberry bush, who knows, it might be a good thing. 

I have spent the day organizing tools, tools, tools.  I can't believe how many tools and accessories I have!  I call accessories, things like gutter guards, caulk, things like that. 

And I can't believe how quickly things change, as far as my grandson is concerned.....he has already left, to return to his mom's in Minnesota.  We are all just a little disappointed.  Although there is no reason to be, really.  He got to spend three weeks with his real father, a very rare treat.  I would have put him in college here; now his stepdad is saying he will see that he goes to college there in Minnesota.  I hope so.  I hope for a lot of things, but at my age, I am not the head honcho anymore, so I can only make suggestions. 

But the house is clean, and my hair is up in curlers, though there is no reason for it to be, except that I like it when my hair feels curly and clean.  More glamorous-feeling, in spite of today's trend.   And so to settle down for the evening, seed catalogs in hand, and make out the orders, dreaming of little seedlings coming up. 

I have been in the process of organizing things that I have stored upstairs in the attic for some time now.  I have main categories - besides books, of which there is a huge collection.  My categories are stained glass tools and accessories, small hand tools and accessories, larger tools and accessories, arts and crafts items and their tools and accessories, camping/fishing/survival gear, electrical gear, and MISCELLANEOUS stuff.  It is the miscellaneous stuff that will end up in the yard sale, I think.  I will have to donate many books to the Univ. of Wis. Womens' Auxilliary(sp?).  They have a big book sale every end of July.  Because there are so many books I bought that turned out to be bogus, or at least a big disappointment. 

I got a letter from my publisher (ooh! that sounds so cool) saying they had received my manuscript and will get back to me....

Now my son and grandson have worked out whatever problems they had and he WON'T be coming to stay with me.  That's the latest word.  But I'm going to go ahead with the planned upstairs bedroom anyway.  Nature abhors a vacuum, so I'm sure...That reminds me.  I always used to fantasize about the perfect house, and I always planned to have a sojourner/wayfarer's room in the attic.  A spare bedroom tucked away, just in case someone needs a place to stay. 

I got the word last night that my grandson IS going to come to live with me, probably around Easter time.  It is so strange, we are laughing, because that is what I thought last November when he first came to live with us here in Wisconsin, that he should live with me, so he could go to college, and begin a life of his own.  But nobody would listen to me then, so I just had to wait and see.  Now my children are praising me for allowing him to live here. 

He wants a career in law enforcement.  I think he should be a nurse or EMT.  Actually, he could study all three things.  But this means I will have to step on it, to get that room built upstairs for him.  So far, I have been taking my time, bringing down a box or two every day or every other day, depending on how lively I feel, and going through the things packed away in there; making decisions about each item, where it will now be stored, washing each item, and gathering like things together.   My daughter and I are already planning to have another yard sale this summer. 

Additionally, I have taken on a commission to do a stained glass window for our American Indian friend, and Jill, his girlfriend.  I spoke to him this morning to find out what colors he would like to see in the window.  I'm planning an arrow window, still in the design stage. 

I broke down and had a bottle of beer last night, the Spotted Cow beer from New Glarus, WI and it was delicious, with kippered herring and crackers, all for a bedtime snack.  I awoke later with a migraine headache beginning with great fury.  Don't know why, haven't had one of those for years; naturally, I blamed the beer, but putting a cold washcloth on the back of my head brought instant relief, and eventually the pain subsided and I got a good night's sleep after all. 

So today, it's on with the unpacking of boxes from the upstairs.  I'm amazed and happy to be getting this chore done at last.  Then I'll go for a walk with Pepper, who knows the word "walk" and now won't leave me alone.   

                         Hamburger Soup

Brown l lb. ground beef in 2 tblspns. oil over medium to low heat in bottom of large soup pot.  While the meat is browning, add 1/2 of a red onion, chopped; 2 large carrots, peeled and chopped; 2 stalks of celery, trimmed and chopped; 2 cups chopped white cabbage; 1 large potato, peeled and diced; 1 tomato, chopped;  keep stirring pot after each addition; add 4 beef boullion cubes, 10 cups of water;  1 tsp. kosher salt, 1/2 tsp. fresh-ground black pepper, l tblspn. minced parsley, 1/4 tsp. cilantro leaves, 1 tblspn. capers, 1 tblspn. caper juice, 1 handful of barley, and 1 handful of orzo.  Cover and simmer on very low heat about 1 hour.   

In addition to the sudden onslaught of more weight gain with no explanation, I've also had some more heart trouble, the past couple of days.  Last evening, I had the strange sensation of "no legs" again, that I had when they diagnosed me with hyperthyroidism.  There is no way I am going back to them; seriously, I would rather die, and I've been thinking a lot about that lately.  Of course, I want to live longer, but....

I've been focused exclusively on diet and exercise, and I may have overdone the exercise thing lately.  I had chest pains while walking uphill yesterday, then the no legs sensation last night.  Today, after telling myself I wouldn't push it, I did 40 paces more than yesterday.  But I feel fine now.   I continue to count every calorie that goes into my mouth - okay, enough already.

I've been cleaning house today, dusting mostly.  The way I dust is to get a dishpan with some warmish water, and just a drop of dish soap, a sponge, and I wash everything that dust can fall on, plus the table tops, etc.  I have Pledge and all that furniture polish stuff, and sometimes, I will use the polish, but mostly, things look good when they're clean.  The polish lasts through a few washings. 

One thing that I notice when dusting, is that I NEED MORE BOOKCASES!  The books, the books, are stacking up again everywhere.  How does this happen?  I guess they are coming downstairs as I clean out the attic. 

That game had to be fixed.  I couldn't believe when the Seahawks scored that first touchdown, the refs said it was pass interference? on the receiver? and called it back, so they only got 3 points on the field goal.  Then when the Steelers q.b. ran it "in" for their touchdown, that ball never crossed  the goal line, until after the whistle blew it dead.  Only his helmet and shoulder got across.  I thought the ball had to cross the line, somehow.  But then, that's just me.  So, I figure the score should have been 14-14 at the end of the game.  I always liked Mike Holmgren, he used to be head coach of the Packers, I don't know why they replaced him.

And then there's me, L'il Hefty, gaining weight!  Trying to figure this out, I think I have to reassess my entire scheme of dieting.  I had heard years ago, that you need 17 calories per pound to sustain your current weight.  When I wanted to lose weight, I merely multiplied my weight by 17, subtracted 500, and that would be my calorie count for the day.  That way, I would safely lose one pound a week.  And it worked fine for me all those years.  But now, I'm older, and I heard that when you're older, you don't need as much food to sustain yourself.  So maybe that is where I'm going wrong now.  So today, I multiplied my weight by 10, not 17, and that gave me 1,860 calories.  I don't think I could subtract 500 calories from that, it would put me at 1,360 and that would be hard for me to do, but maybe that's what I need.  All right, I'll compromise, I'll make it 1,500 calories a day.  That I know I can do.   

So Friday was shopping day for me.  I went to the post office, I went to the bank, I went to Walmart, and I went to Aldi's.  I got my refund check, and while I was depositing it, I had the Living Trust papers notarized by bank personnel.  That was part of the Suze Orman kit.  Walmart is good for dogfood, but I had to buy the very large bag of lamb & rice formula, so that was a struggle getting it in to the house.  I spent $76.00 on dog food, so it also cost more.  John gave me $30.00 for Arnie's food.  I have always fed him along with my dogs. 

I also got CD/DVD sleeves.  They were colored, and they have a terrible smell.  I don't know what is in the ink they used, but my novel is now safely stashed on a CD.  I also get some of my groceries at Walmart, because Aldi's just doesn't have things like liver sausage, Splenda; and also, there are some brand names that I prefer, like Heinz chili sauce, Diet Rite cola.  But then on to Aldi's, and my favorite products there.  I got a lot of salad fixin's.  The different kinds of lettuces have different aromas, which I have only recently discovered. 

I had salad twice yesterday, unstuck my truck (again), went for a walk, vacuumed, mixed up the two dry dogfoods in the big tub container, and put all the groceries and dog food in their places. 

Then I woke up last night, and I was having a bad nosebleed.  I couldn't sleep after that, so I am very tired today.  I have had nosebleeds all my life, I think a blood vessel lies near the surface somewhere up in there, and just breaks, probably because of the dryness of the house in winter.  I'll boil some water today in a pan on the stove, yes. 

Must go now and let dogs in.  It is colder today, as yesterday, that is why I was able to get my truck going again.  When it's too warm, it gets mushy and soft, truck wheels just sit and spin.   

Today marks the one year anniversary of my mother's passing.  This morning, I was going through some papers and found this, that she had written before she died.

I need to know you are all right.  My adult life has been, is still, devoted to your well-being.  Oh yes, at times I stumbled along the way and longed for release from worry and care, but then, one look at your faces, shining in anticipation of a good life, I felt strength and hope returning.  There is no thing I would not give, or do, for you.  You give me love, and strength and hope in return.  I have watched and feared that you might stumble along the way, and thanked God when you found the strength and courage to go on against all odds.  Life may not always come up to expectations but usually, is as good as we struggle to make it.  It is a hard and  arduous climb, but the view at the top is the sum and substance of all your dreams come true, and so I need to know you'll be all right.

Several more inches have fallen, and we have got more than a foot of snow now.  The silence is holy.  My friend had to snowblow my driveway again, oh, why don't I just call him John, that's his name.  But today, I will sit down and write out bills, make a shopping list, and clean out the refrigerator.  The dogs have been hungry this month, and have eaten more than usual, so they are almost out of dry dog food, and one kind of treat is gone. 

There they are, at the door now, coming back from their early morning outing.  Now they get their breakfast and later, they'll go out again, but in the daytime, the boy dog will be tied up in the driveway. 

The pipes under the sink have been "fixed" again, so it isn't leaking, but I am leery of putting things back under the sink.  For now, I'm going to find another place to store the stuff.  Will go for a walk later, marvel at my black and white world (even the sky is white), there is snow stuck in big chunks everywhere on the trees.  

I totaled up my seed and plant order for this year, and it only comes to $101.90.  That is WITH shipping and handling.  I guess that's a reasonable amount, when I consider all the good food I will get later.   I am only ordering from two companies this year.  Last year from five, and the S&H charges add up fast when you count it up.   So this year the nod goes to Pinetree Seeds out of Maine (for at least the 20th year), and to Shumway's, right here in Wisconsin (first time order).  My only regret is that I am not a truck farmer.  And really, wouldn't that get old in a hurry.  No, better this way, contain yourself, woman!  But I have had those kinds of fantasies. 

I have been working on my seed list every night for at least a week now, trying to finalize it.  I have gotten it down to one page, and one page only, of seeds 'n things I'm going to order this year.  Here's the list, from A to Z:

Asparagus, Martha Washington; Asparagus, Purple Sweet; Asparagus, Barr's Mammoth, 10 roots each; Aster, Crego mix; Bean, Hurricane green bush; Jacob's Cattle Bean, bush; Scarlet Runner Bean, pole; Kentucky Blue, pole; Kentucky Wonder Wax, pole; Beet, Pinetree mix; Beet, Early Wonder; Beet, Cylindra; Beet, Crosby's Extra Early Egyptian; Broccoverde; Cabbage, Pinetree mix; Corn, NK 199 hybrid (Elephant Ear); Corn, Miracle hybrid; Corn, Golden Midget; Cucumber, Longfellow; Cucumber, Boothby's Blonde; Cranberry, Stevens American; Greens, Bon Vivant Mesclun mix; Greens, Oriental Salad mix; Inoculant for beans and peas, home garden size; Lettuce, Chicken mix; Lettuce, Pinetree Winter mix; Onion, Egyptian topset (walking onion); Parsley, Dark Green Italian; Rhubarb, Victoria, 2 roots; Squash, Delicata; Squash, Vegetable Spaghetti; Strawberry, Earliglow, 10 roots; Strawberry, Honeoye, 10 roots; Turnip, Golden Ball; Tomato, Delicious; Tomato, Sugar Lump; and Zinnia, Giant Cactus Flowered.

These, in addition to the seeds I've saved from last year, will be more than enough to keep me busy in the garden again this year.  And then there's my plan to do gardening in layers of compost.  Hopefully, this year, the weeds WILL be under control. 

The President spoke tonight, he sure sounded forceful and highly moral.  He said that it is up to us to spread democracy in the Middle East and around the world, aggressively, if need be.  He said we have to destroy tyranny, wherever it is found.  We must raise up, elevate these poor people.  Just when did America get into this business of spreading democracy?  Apparently, we've been at it for awhile, now.

Here in America, we have witnessed our own downgrading of the benefits we used to enjoy in "the richest nation in the world".  No Child Left Behind - underfunded.  At least five schools have closed in my county in 2005.  The poorest and blackest Hurricane Katrina victims are still crying out for help, but not getting it.  Veterans benefits are being cut.  The health care system has not changed, only gotten worse.  Social Security is under attack.  And now invasion of privacy.  The list of cut services, lost entitlements, shrinking civil liberties is long, I can't name them all. 

All this money is going to support the war in Iraq, and much of it is going to the contract industries that feed off war.  These are the people Bush refers to as his "base."  As our benefits and civil rights are being cut, oil industry profits are at a record, gluttonous high.  And we are supposed to do this, the Prez sez, so that his ideology can be spread around the world.  How do you like being used like that, giving your lives, your wealth, your civil rights, for an extremist right wing policy?  The spectacle of a corporate oil man in the presidency, getting richer and richer, while convincing you and me that his policies are morally superior and good for America is turning my stomach.  Why don't the oil companies give back some of their ill-gotten gains? 

Webster's Dictionary defines CRUSADE 3. any vigorous, aggressive movement for the defense or advancement of an idea or cause.  The very words President Bush used this evening to state his policy.   

As a side note - remember Iran?  They overthrew their hated leader in the 1950's, held a democratic election, and elected a new leader.  Our oil industry didn't like that leader, so they had the CIA murder him, and installed the Shah.  Remember?  The Iranians finally got rid of the Shah, and guess what?  They have been unfriendly to us ever since.  Now Bush is talking about what he is not going to allow the Iranians to do.  But then, we are the big bullies in the world, we can get away with this.  We have bombed the hell out of the world, killing and destroying anybody who gets in the way of our "addiction to oil."  I wonder how come Ford Motor Company is going bankrupt.  Is it because they built too many SUV's?  Why?  Is it because the oil companies want gas guzzlers, and the American public doesn't? 

Bush talked about alternative energy, but he has done that before.  Talk is cheap.  What percentage of Americans are neoconservative?  I heard an estimate of 10 percent.  Who knew, when Bush was praying for his "trifecta" so he could start the war with Iraq, that the REAL reason we invaded Iraq was to spread democracy?  And of course, somethingsomething about the oil.