Plants

Got all the plants (the ones that survived the Great Shelf Disaster) into 6 inch pots. Except, of course, for the peppers … because they’re still too freakishly tiny to bother moving. I’m thinking that maybe the marigolds will be in still larger containers by the time the peppers are ready to upgrade … because otherwise I’m going to need more 6 inch pots. How can 32 of anything be inadequate? Anyway, they’re all out on the porch, about to spend their first night outdoors. Wish them luck. It’s live or die time in plant-land.

Spent an unexpected hour outside talking with my nice but loquacious neighbor. Turns out that he’s been laid off his job of, like 32 years. He’s a jeweler, and has been making jewelry for the same company, owned by the same family, for his entire professional life. The man is 58 … and it sounds like the owners made some poor decisions and now they’re shutting down operations in Providence. It sucks. I have no idea what to tell him. Further, his wife works at the same place … and she’s been cut back to half time. There’s hope that they may retain her as part of a tiny core that will keep the Providence site open, just a little bit. He’s considering all options, including driving a truck for the city. “I’ve had enough stress to last two careers,” he told me, “it doesn’t seem like a step down, anymore, to punch a clock and take home the dollars.”

Mowed the lawn for the first time of the year, today. Also observed the entire complement of birds that we get, including: Chickadees, House finches, Gold finches, Cardinals (including the cutest baby cardinal ever), the Downey woodpecker, the Northern Flicker, Pigeons, Morning(sp?) doves, Tufted titmice, and Nuthatches. I’ve got a good birdfeeder these days.