Geek Moments and Multitasking

Yesterday, I had a moment of...culture shock? Future shock? I'm not sure there's a word in English to name what I felt. The closest I can get is that for a moment...I felt as if I were living in a science fiction novel I'd read as a child.

Why, Nancy, what would make you feel this way?

Well, you see, I need to preface this with the fact that our desk top computer is now refusing to read the data cards from the cameras.

Yesterday, I wanted to post about my plumeria, and the pictures were on the card the computer wouldn't read. (Yes, I know, it's about time we found a really good sale on another tower...but that ain't happening for a few months.) Being the resourceful critter I am, I batted not an eye and pulled out my little, tiny netbook sized laptop and hooked it up to the powerstrip, plugged in my tiny mouse and put it next to the big mouse on the mouse pad, powered up and connected, wirelessly to the home Wi-Fi.

Meanwhile, I'm still on the desktop, because I was in the middle of a couple of cross country IM chats with a friend in Ohio, and one in Los Angeles. (Confused yet?) So, I upload the pictures into my little machine and start to edit them a little. The pictures were taken during a bright part of the day and needed tweaking to bring out the colors that had been a little washed out because of the less than optimal light conditions.

Mind you, between pictures, I'm still holding a conversation.. well, two conversations with my friends. One conversation was about how much a child had grown (started school this year) and the other was about the trials and travails of having a house full of sick kids and adults. I was also starting to compose the post.

Let's bring it down: Me.. one desktop.. two conversations +Me on small laptop editing pictures and writing blog post.

Add in the fact that I'm also, between moments of the conversation and picture editing, playing a game on Facebook. I'd like to say it wasn't Mafia Wars, but I'm about honesty and I ain't gonna lie. I was pulling off jobs left and right.

Again: me on the desktop and two IM conversations +Me and one laptop and picture editing and writing the post +Me, playing a computer simulation game involving large amounts of cash that might or might not have once belonged to someone else....along with occasionally, accidentally, bringing a couple of other players game lives to a (brief and temporary) end while in pursuit of some extra points and the occasional bit of prime loot.

Now, add in further.....my cell phone. It beeps at me, with a text message from 'Pup regarding a flu shot we might need to get and a possible voucher from his company to pay for it. Back and forth texting goes on about whether we need the pneumonia shots (we've had them recently.. so probably not.. but 'Pup wants to check with the doc to find out... me saying she'll probably say we don't .. and yes, we have unlimited texting on our phones.)

Let's review: Me and the desktop with two IM conversations and an online game + Me and a small laptop and editing picutures and writing a blog post + Me and a cell phone holding a texting conversation, arguing with my husband about whether we need a pnuemonia shot. All. At. The. Same. Time.

Somewhere in the last bit of texting and IM'ing and whacking and picture editing and writing the post I get this feeling that WOOOOO, I may be doing just a few things too many. And I then become aware that I am, in effect, using three machines, each of which contain a computer in some form and each of which can connect to a global internet and that I'm dong so simultaneously. And that any of the three contain more data storage ability that was dreamed possible only 20 years ago. And, that I'm probably doing a whole lot of things a whole lot faster than my grandmother would ever have thought possible.. or preferable.

That's when I felt the feeling. The one that I was living in a science-fiction novel.. that I was living in a virtual reality, multi tasking to the extreme...that I was... hooked up directly to this web... I was LIVING in the computers.

It made me pause for a moment.

And then I went on line and bought two digital camera accessories kits from buy.com... one for me and one for 'Pup (DAMN cheap too!), using our paypal account. We both need a tripod, neither of us is good at stabilizing ourselves, much less a camera for macro shots, and we've two cameras that need cases.

Then, I had to leave for a private tutoring session at a Starbucks...in a grocery store... where we talked about the difference between Steinbeck and Hemingway as authors and how they approached life and death in very different ways in their stories. (Just for the record, I prefer Steinbeck, as he had the more... charitable view... of humanity and his works were very hooked into people relating to other people.. plus I prefer his more lyrical and sensuously rich descriptions of the settings in the stories.)

Then I went and taught some kids how to write better (using rules of composition I'm pretty much ignoring here), and how to speak English and how to write a clear sentence and how to read.

No wonder my brain hurts today. And I'm trying real hard to limit myself to one computer at a time, albeit with a couple of windows open .. and yeah, a conversation with my friend in L.A. 'cause she's still sick at home.

Must. Remember. To. Breathe.

I think I need some time outside weeding.. .just as soon as I finish the two things I have to get done....and the laundry.

Takin' Out the Grass

Why? 'Cause I don't have much time this morning, would love to do just this, and I helped my lawn guy and a helper weed a witch of a bed yesterday. Then, I'll have you know, we laid at least 4 inches of mulch on top...and may do more later.

At this point, it's not a question IF we'll be on water restrictions soon, but when. To that end, 'Pup and I are laying soaker hose (I know, not the latest tech--but cheap, and effective), where and when we can on a lot of the beds.

It's been so hot and so dry (esp for Houston), that I'm working just to keep things alive till it rains again..which it MIGHT do this week. We'll see.

Garden Blogger's Bloom Day, April 2009

I hardly know where to start with this month's Garden Blogger's Bloom Day. Carole at May Dreams Garden hosts this monthly tour around the world, looking at everything going on in our gardens.

The overwhelmingly predominant color this month is Green. Note: that is GREEN with capitals, 'cause ya'll...it's GREEN!

The nasturtiums kinda...exploded in size with a little more rain and a little fertilizer. And yet, that one, stubborn petunia from last spring is still hanging in there and blooming. Bless it's little heart.

I'm trying to grow squash in the front yard again, this time some patty pan, and they're growing in some pots, in hopes that it will lessen the chance of squash borer..

The morning glories are the only thing bluer than the sky today.

The Angel Wing Jasmine is blooming profusely and has a wonderful scent.


The day lilies are putting up scapes and it won't be long till they're all blooming. Yes, these are growing in the end of the bed that I've NOT been able to weed yet, and I'm dreading going there. But, it will need to be done. Soon.

In the other end of that same bed, I've got three bluebonnet plants growing. I bought them. I couldn't resist. Yes, I'm a plantaholic.

Another acquisition is three Indian Blanket plants...they'll be perennials.

'Pup picked out some dahlias at Wal*mart. We'll see how long it takes me to kill them. Dahlia's are one of those plants that don't seem to do well for me.

Is this not a glorious rose? Fragrance Delight is what the tag says it's called. It's just the shade of pink my niece and grandnieces adore.

I like this pink better. But both have a nice scent, and the Belinda's Dream is near a place I have to sit outside. Humm.. I'm going to have to do a post on sitting spots...


The Blue Eyes are blue.

The salvia is red, and the allysium is white. I'll have more flowers in that theme in that bed soon.

My little winter flowers (here), violas are perking up again after the nice deluges we have had recently.

A nice surprise is that the bougainvillea is blooming better than it's bloomed in years. Half of the stems have regressed to solid green, but as they're the ones that will bloom, I'll let them stay and it just looks like I have two plants there, one solid green leafed one and one variegated.

My citrus trees are blooming. They're all rather tiny trees as of yet. It will be a few years before they're of any size for any really good fruiting. Till then, I'll enjoy the flowers and the rare fruit I do get.

The tag on the plant below claims that it is an "Origami Columbine". I don't really know what it is, but it looks like something a hummingbird might be attracted to, so I snagged it as well.

Any ideas?

The Hyacinth bean is blooming, but growing very slowly. When I broke the main stem, I think it damaged the somewhat elderly vine's vigor. Still, my money is on the vine.

Behind it, you saw this canna. It's the first canna bloom of the season for me.

'Pup also picked out the New Guinea impatiens. I like them too...sigh...I hope it lives.

A few weeks ago, I woke up from a bad dream in which snails had eaten all my peas and beans. The next morning, I went outside to check and all was well. It didn't stay that way. But, look.. one little green bean. Time to plant some more in a sunnier spot. The pot of mesclun lettuce behind it was raided yesterday for a salad and looks a little sad.. but it will perk up again.

Some type of kolanche is blooming here, but dang if I know what it is...

The Citronella pelargonium is so pretty. The flowers are tiny, but perfect.

Viola odorata... I bought it because it promised to be a good shady ground cover, but I'm not ready to put it in the ground yet...oh well, it is pretty.

The Chenille plant is waking up from a winter's slumber and filling out slowly.

I have several of these Maid d'Orleans jasmine plants and they all have buds. I know they bloom, but like my four o'clocks (which have also come back this year! With Flowers!), I can't actually CATCH it with open blooms.

My sage is in bloom though! I've never had sage do so well. I think I finally found it's perfect spot.

This is actually a miniature rose, about the size of a dollar coin.

The hibiscus is still blooming, as it has all winter.

Another acquisition, one I couldn't resist. This is a "Songbird(?)" columbine.

AND the nicotiana hasn't died yet! Yeah, ME!

Those big, fat banana looking things are buds of the flower of the split leaved philodendron. It's the plant I call monster. It's about 6 1/2 feet tall now.

And hope is in bloom in my back yard and in the front yard as well.

The Pinata climbing rose is blooming, as is the climbing Golden Showers. The pink jasmine has finished it's bloom for this year. I miss it already.

I end this post with an update on the tomato plants that I overwintered. They are getting huge and have put on a heavy load of tomatoes.

The vines are bend from their weight, but seem able to support them so far.

I do not know why this plant is putting on such odd looking fruit. They seem to be doubled and tripled fruits. Is there a virus that causes this? They taste good when they get red, and that's all that matters. But I do seem to have a shot at ugliest tomatoes...

Now, I'm off to go travel around the world, looking at what's blooming!

Tomato Update

The tomatoes I overwintered are doing remarkably well. I've never had such success with tomatoes I've started in the fall. Usually, they peter out fairly quickly. This year, I think the difference was where they were and how well I protected them.

There are two ripening in the bright sun. That may be another difference. After Ike, the ash trees were pruned fairly heavily, leaving the tomatoes in full sun all day long (that's an exception, not the rule in my back yard.)

I also have several green tomatoes promising some bounty later on.

Oops.. do you see what I see?

Yep, looks like another tomato is mooning me.

I also have a volunteer that grew over the winter. It is in the pot that I have my dwarf Cavendish banana, and from the look of the tiny blooms, it may be a Mexican miniature from a couple of years ago. I hope it is, as the tomatoes are tiny, but intensely flavored. I've not found anyone selling seeds or sets of that variety, so I'll be saving seeds from this one.

There's more going on in the backyard, but I'm going to be sitting down (gingerly) for a while, as I fell down as I was working (alone). I had re potted a clivia, Orange Bush Lily, and planted a Bird of Paradise (both of them were bought end of the year and overwintered in my surround shelter. I was also able to re pot some begonias (also over wintered). More news later. I need to go find a pillow...

The Zone

With the weather nicer, and the ground softer, I've been weeding in the front yard. I can only do it for a little while at a time, but last night, in the evening just before dark, I got into the "zone".

Gardeners know that "zone". It's the I'm-almost-done-so-I'll-just-keep-going-for-a-little-while-longer feeling you get when you're making some good progress and you can aaallllmmooosttt see the end of a job coming up. But you've been working for a while, and you're getting tired, but you're in the ZONE! And that means... no stopping.

Sometimes, this results in some rather soul satisfying progress in some trouble area of your garden that you've been meaning to get to before, but hadn't.

And then there are the times when you go for just a few minutes more, and finish up two hours later. You still have the feeling of accomplishment, but there's another feeling or three that go with it.

Those feelings all start with OUCH! OOOFFF! ARRGHH! and WHAT the HADES was I THINKING! (when, of course, you weren't'... thinking, I mean... 'cause you were in the ZONE!).

The amount of pain you feel afterwards is in direct correlation to the amount of time you spent in the zone, plus the amount of time you'd worked before achieving the "zone", plus the amount of time it had been since you'd been in the "zone" last.

In other words: GROAN + MOAN + SCREECH = ice pack, band aids, hot tub soaking and copious complaining.

And no sympathy from your mate...who'd warned you that you were starting to look a little tired, and you ignored him.

Must. Remember. To. Stretch.

Where are the pain pills?

Spring Harvests

No, can't harvest cross vines, though they are kinda pretty...

they're not something that will feed anything but your soul.

Lemon grass, on the other hand,

tastes just fine. I could harvest this much about 10 times and I'd still have a respectable stand of lemon grass. Anyone need some lemon grass? I've been sharing it with some Vietnamese neighbors and my hairdresser, and a parent of one of the students I tutor.

Another tasty harvest.. some tomatoes. They aren't pretty, but they're not as ugly as some! And they tasted juuuuust fine, thank you.

Finally, I also did some more radish thinning. I'm developing a fondness for these sprouts. Nom, nom, nom.

The beets are up, as are the carrots, peas, beans and lettuce. I've not transplanted the tomatoes yet, but that's something I think I'll save for Friday when it's supposed to be a lot cooler (50's) and..and.. and...

IT'S GONNA RAIN!!