DOGGONE THE LUCK

Leonard (my Dad), Ed White (his Pop) & Baby Marvin

So said Leonard E, White, my Dad, and doubtless so said his Pop before him. Mom and Dad did not cuss. Or maybe they did, but never  in front of the family. Yet, when particularly agitated, Dad’s “Well, Doggone the Luck, Anyway” may as well have been profanity.  Although I’m thinking that may have had more to do with the reddening of his face than with his phraseology.

Mom & Dad, Aug. 1939, not Cussing
on Mississippi Ave. n/k/a Lafayette Square

 This blog post began as a rant against whatever Fate caused the demise of our local family-owned garden center/nursery, The Flower Box. Located at the corner of Morganford and Holly Hills in South St. Louis, this was the place to go for beautiful, healthy, fresh, plants. We could get good plants elsewhere, but elsewhere did  not provide friendly, expert advice, nor did it provide the personal attention given to each and every Flower Box customer. We were neighbors, not just customers, and that includes neighbors who drove the extra mile.

My first Flower Box treasure was the most beautiful Swedish Ivy I had ever seen. I wavered because left in my care, Swedish Ivy has never enjoyed long life. I am pleased to report that 3 years and counting, this one is not only alive and well but has endured some harsh winters in my basement and come back fighting each Spring. Left to my own devices I would have taken a few cuttings the first Fall and let the poor thing die alone in the yard; but as I said, I was given good advice.

Like my lettuces, the Swedish Ivy grows where it’s planted, even when it is hanging from a hook in the basement prior to beginning its first wintering-over in the Mold Room. I am going to say I use that term loosely,  to throw you off guard. Now you think that is my basement laboratory, don’t you?  Good.

I had “gotten it into my head” (as I type this I realize that is yet another expression that has gone the way of the dinosaurs) that as long as the little house was still on the property MAYBE The Flower Box would spring back to life. When Rachel and Scott brought me a gorgeous Canna in early Fall 2009 I intended to pick up a few a few more the following Spring. But by then Flower Box was gone and garish yellow “For Lease” signs  were posted   on the fences surrounding the property. BUT, the little blue house with white gingerbread trim, adorned with simple, brightly painted, wooden flowers and a sign “The Flower Box” was still standing. So my head and I held onto our fantasy that times are getting better, Hope Springs Eternal, and all that…. UNTIL YESTERDAY.  As I drove down Holly Hills I witnessed the remains of the little house being picked up by a big ugly machine and carted off. The greenhouse was still standing, the For Lease signs were still up, but that was yesterday.  I may avoid the area today.
 DOGGONE THE LUCK

Today the rant has taken a more personal turn.  No sooner had I decided that yes, I am interested in today's Royal Wedding, than I realized that no way  would I either stay awake or get up at 3:00 a.m.. That left me no alternative but to record the historic event. I will spare you the details, but times being what they [still] are, my only choice was to do this recording on an old VCR.  Yes, there still are such things walking the face of the earth. In this digital age it involves fooling the thing into believing that  digital media can indeed be recorded on tape. This despite the threats I got from my now defunct DVD recorder the first time I tried to tape a soap. The programming being done, I got my 40 winks, woke at a decent hour, watched TV highlights while slurping coffee. Eager to see the whole shindig, I grabbed a second cup and my tape. That is  when I realized that although I did an excellent job of programming, I had  set the VCR clock to PM not AM.
DOGGONE THE LUCK.

Every good rant should be offset by good news, should it not?  I have a whole list but will bore you with only one today:

         Rant: Microwave Oven - my 2^nd Target Red microwave bit the dust last week, the day after a big storm. The same thing that happened to my 1st Target Red microwave. Not too mysterious, since none of my outlets are grounded.  Digressing again.

Good News:  Target has kept the same price on this model as  4 years ago except now they granted it a $5 Price Cut, so I got one.  "Price Cut" is 21st Century Speak meaning "Sale".  2 syllables to replace 1?  Sure, that makes slightly more sense than replacing “secretary” with “administrative assistant”.  Back to ranting so better stop.

 Back in the 60's, I spent an inordinate amount of time moaning and groaning to the family doctor about whatever was plaguing my life that day.He waited for me to come up for air then told me that when he goes through hard times, no matter how hard, he always reminds himself that "this, too, shall pass".  He might have given me pills, but I believe he gave me something better.

Even so, sometimes it's best to just snuggle into your favorite - rug? - and tell the world to get lost till tomorrow.

Guess Who???
I really need to re-set the date of this camera.

.

Garden Notes: April 15-through April 30, 1975 --- SPRUNG A LEAK

Ye Olde Wishing Well (mine)
Wishing for Better Weather

 

Today is April 26, 2011. Easter came late this year (April 24) and Spring is later still. Alrighty then, if you must live by the calendar, and I know some of you must, it is true that Spring Has Sprung…a Leak.

Tabbing over from the Bollmanns’ garden notebook to my own, here’s what we have so far: Tornadoes followed by Heat followed by Snow/Sleet/Hail, bitter Cold, trailed by Warm Balmy Days pursued by Rain, Tornadoes, Rain, Devastating Tornadoes, Rain and Rain. Yes, ma’am, I do see the sun peeking through the clouds today, but I don’t trust it; I think it is a trick.

Don’t even get me started on the fate of those snow peas, pak choy, scallions, flowers, etc. I planted in March. Ironically, the only edible plants in my garden are the volunteer lettuces which planted themselves then grew where they were planted. There is probably a life lesson there.  “Live Like a Lettuce” may be the title of my first Great American Non-Novel. 

Garden Notes – April 15– April 30, 1975 –Were We Ever Glad!

Tuesday, April 15, 1975 - Temp 40 - 60

Clear, mostly.  Gas men put in new plastic pipe to our house and fixed our gas meter upstairs, which leaked.  Were we ever glad! We brought up Tomatoes and quite a lot of flowers to get used to the great outdoors. Plum tree is beautiful & white. Otto & I both worked outside with chickweed, etc.

Wednesday, April 16, 1975 - Temp 46 - 67

Rained a little AM and the sun shone the rest of day. Mowed the high spots in lawn & cleaned a lot of honeysuckle out and this & that. May cut dead orange tree off in container.

Thursday, April 17, 1975 - Temp 46 - 82

Beautiful day. Otto & I worked all day outside. Planted Canna Roots, Cabbage & Beans that were planted inside. Lynne called at 2:00 & we called Ruby at 6:15 I think and were so glad to talk to her. Ralph called, too, at 6 pm.  Mrs. Weiner stopped for a few minutes this PM.

Friday, April 18, 1975 - Temp 69 - 78

Cloudy mostly. We picked up R. Wright from Alexian Bros. Hospital, took her shopping and home.  She was tired, though.  [Otto & I] went to Loren’s funeral service at1:30 PM. We felt low but we kept busy to keep our minds off of the sadness.

Saturday, April 19, 1975 - Temp 42 – 62 - 30% humidity at 6:00 PM.

Put up Martin House with Mr. White’s help. We mowed the N.E. corner of yard and over the hill, on curb, a little by the Black Raspberries.  Edith called about 1 PM.

Sunday, April 20, 1975 - Temp 35 – 63 – 49° at 10:30 PM

A beautiful sunny crispy day. Went to church, came home, etc., read & wrote letters. Looked over the garden. Hazel and Arthur came around 5 PM & had call from Adele.

Monday, April 21, 1975 - Temp 39 - 73

Breezy sunny day. We washed & hung outside. Otto cut shrubs and weeds. I folded the wash and patched a little.

Tuesday, April 22, 1975 - Temp 47 - 79

Very pleasant day. Nationwide came and fixed the roof. Dormer tops west and south. Hope they will stay on now. Planted Geraniums and some Begonias & Prayer Plants.

Wednesday, April 23, 1975 - Temp 60 - 72

Rained real hard. Poured as we got home. Stayed in car for awhile. Came in. Otto cooked a chicken dinner. Luscious.  While I fixed up insurance money order and receipt, Otto planted Peppers this PM. I cleaned up strings &  wire on porch and put it away in closet. Had good chicken and gravy for supper.

Thursday, April 24, 1975 - Temp 59 - 72

Beautiful sunny day. Raining early until after breakfast. Did several things that needed to be done & cleaned some. Otto was cutting off grass with spade. We got out the power mower; it is ready to go.

Friday, April 25, 1975 - Temp 53 – 67 - 57 at 10 PM.

Went shopping, paid bills, paid Southside Journal $2.00. Came home & ate dinner. Otto & I owed the lawn with power mower for first time this year. Mostly cloudy, some sunshine.

Saturday, April 26, 1975 - Temp 50 - 67

Partly sunny and cool Otto cleaned lettuce, etc. I cleaned inside a little and went out PM to pull up Honeysuckle & Ivy.

Sunday, April 27, 1975 - Temp 58 to 81 at 6:30 PM

Went to church. Took Mrs. Buren & Weatherby. Virgil & Bernice. Came to dinner. Had a nice visit. They left a little after 4:00.  She brought us frozen pineapple.

Monday, April 28, 1975 - Temp 66 – 77

Partly cloudy. Worked outside all day. Planted Peruvian Daffodils & Dahlias and Otto planted Tomatoes, a few only.

Tuesday, April 29, 1975 - Temp 51 - 81

Mostly sunny. Otto took me to church to help with getting ready for salad luncheon. Otto put weed killer on grass. Also cultivated the onions, peas, etc. Alberta bro’t me home. Jennifer came over.

Wednesday, April 30, 1975 - Temp 57 – 75

Rained AM early. Sun came out. Otto took Tillie and me to church for Salad Luncheon and Book Review. Very enjoyable, enjoyed by all. Otto planted all the Tomato plants and dug a lot of dirt for Salvia hill. Mowed lawn for second time, mowed first time last Friday. Seems cooler this evening. 60° at 10 PM. May be down to 40.

That wraps up April, 1975 at the Bollmanns.  On May 1 Mary writes that they had their first lettuce & radishes. I had my first lettuce last week, on a meatloaf sandwich. Another reason to thank the lettuces who grew where they were self-planted! Theoretically I could have had it much earlier, but I didn’t have any meatloaf then, so no motivation. 

Off the Garden Path:

Inside the Bollmann’s notebook I found a “Craft Corner” article cut from the St. Louis Globe-Democrat – remember that?  Dated April 1, 1976 it could have been written yesterday. Hey, 1976 was just yesterday…wasn’t it?

Latch onto some ‘hooked’ art
by Judy Harper

The old needle arts of yesterday have suddenly become beautiful and valuable to our eyes, and we are seeking to re-create them. We’re pulling from trunks in the attic, with care and reverence, pieces we considered tacky only a few years ago. Fortunately, many of these pieces had sentimental value, and were not discarded, but merely were stored out of sight.

[Sorry, I don’t have a scanner for the illustration but it is a latch-hooked peacock]

The illustrated piece was found by one of my neighbors at the bottom of a trunk and was made many years ago by a long-deceased relative.

* * *

Everything old is new again – again. If you need proof, check out Etsy.com. I take comfort in the re-reappearance of old needle arts, but I take joy in the gorgeousness and creativity of the modern creations and their creators.

In the 70s we all turned into “crafters”. Good start, but in my humble (and I just heard Uncle Bert from the Great Beyond saying “Stumble Bum”) opinion, I think we are now looking at the offspring of the 70s crafters. They are the New & Improved version, rightfully known as Artists. 

You May Thank Us Later, and we do take Tips.

Murray (on left) & Seamus Feet