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

Garden Notes: April 1, 1975-through 14 1975 --- OVER THE HILL

Bollmann Blooms

 

 

If you’re going  over the hill anyway, isn’t it nice that there is something to do on the other side? Mrs. Bollmann not only went on April 3, but she kept going…again and again!

Bollmann -- B-o-l-l-m-a-n-n – Bollmann
This week I found a picture with this note on back:
“Tho’t you might like this picture that you look upon in the Fall at 3650 California. [signed] The Bollmanns”  2 N’s ---  who knew?

April 1 - April 14, 1975

Tuesday, April 1, 1975 - Temp 32 - 58

Beautiful. Sunny & cool. Went to vote then took bus to Edna’s father’s funeral in Florissant. Came home and ate. Went outside and worked till 6 PM. First day to ride bus without paying for transfers. Lovely ride.

Wednesday, April 2, 1975 - Temp 31 – 50

Partly cloudy AM. PM cloudy, rained & much colder.

Thursday, April 3, 1975 - Temp 22 - 45

Cold & sunny. Sent specks back, insured. ….found out our dear friend Dora Stein, in her 105^th year, died March 22. Private service. Went shopping AM, paying bills PM. Went over the hill and started to clean a little brush.

Friday, April 4 1975 - Temp 23 - 50

Cool & crispy. Went shopping AM. PM went over the hill again. Cleaned a lot. 37° at 10:30 PM.

Saturday, April 5, 1975 - Temp 29 - 54

Beautiful sunny day and crisp. Otto watered plants downstairs. I cleaned a little AM. PM we planted onions (peas, almost 4 rows), Beets & Carrots.

Sunday, April 6, 1975 - Temp 30 - 57

Beautiful Crisp Sunny day. Went to church, took Erna Buren. Stayed for coffee hour. Came home and picked up flowers and went to see Ruth at Alexian Bro. Hospital. Came home and ate turkey dinner. Read a little and stayed inside.

Monday, April 7, 1975 - Temp 32 - 57

Mostly sunny AM. Hazel & Arthur came after snowball bushes, etc. Cloudy PM., We cut a lot of weeds, planted baby onions by Red Raspberries. Otto hauled dirt to cover turnip bed. Really looks like rain. First Ball Game tonite.

Tuesday, April 8, 1975 - Temp 45 - 59

Mostly cloudy. We had a soft rain around dinner time. PM we went out to dig yucca for Ms. Carlisle on both ides of our walk, down the steps to sidewalk. Trimmed out dead limbs of snowball and Otto cleaned the hillside on north side of house.

Wednesday, April 9, 1975 - Temp 48 - 70

Cloudy for awhile AM & then sunny all day. Mary fixed bricks in front where Yucca were. Otto hoed weeds and I tied up Red Raspberries. Stopped at 5PM and ate. Carried away yucca trash with Honeysuckle and Mary saw the first Martin (Old Guard) we call it. Jennifer was here PM. Ran around the house for fun.

Thursday, April 10, 1975 - Temp 40 - 58

Partly cloudy. We tied up Red Raspberries and hoed the East patch by Otto. I went over the hill and cleaned a little and got a bucket of dirt. Very pleasant day.

Friday, April 11, 1975 - Temp 35 - 54

Very cloudy AM. (early) Sun came out but cool all day. Mrs. Carlisle came after the Yuccas and peach tree. Baked a cake and Otto hoed and looked at things.

Saturday, April 12, 1975 - Temp 35 - 58

Beautiful sunny day, Crisp. Cut Otto’s hair, cleaned house and weeded garden. Planted lettuce and tore a lot of honeysuckle out of Bridal Wreath.

Sunday, April 13, 1975 - Temp 38 - 61

Clear most of day. Went to church. Stayed for meeting. Came home to Chicken dinner and listened to Ball Game. Cardinals lost. Went to see Ruth at Alexian Brothers Hospital. Otto went outside all the while I was gone. Never read at all. Real cloudy at 6 PM.

Monday, April 14, 1975 - Temp 44 – 51 at 12:00 AM Midnight

Nice rains AM and at 6 PM raining again. I’ve got the runs but worked in the basement with Jar, Cans, etc.

This seems like a good place to stop, doesn’t it? So I shall bid you
a-doo-doo.  You may look for me over the hill…

...or Under the Blankies

Garden Notes March 22--March 31 1975 --- Planted Onion Sets & Radishes in Rose Bed

That Bird Really Gets Around

From my perspective, the years covered in the Bollmans’ notebook were not so long ago as to be considered the Distant Past or even the Olden Days. However, I will concede that is has been awhile. I am tempted to say life was simpler then, but I will resist and leave that phrase for someone who may need it. Mary and Otto led a simple life because they chose a simple and frugal path. Their days were centered around their house and all things pertaining thereto.  Damn legal background made me say that. Back to the real world:  They loved their Home and Garden and I do not mean their magazine subscription.

I am also tempted to say that they did not multi-task, that they were the embodiment of (yet another of) my Dad’s sayings “one thing at a time and that done well” or Don Fahey’s mantra “Let’s do one thing at a time, shall we?  We don’t want to get confused”.  For starters, nobody multi-tasked. Most of us juggled multiple tasks, especially the workforce and parents, whether working outside the home or not. We simply had not yet  invented a word for it.  Still and all – there is a good old south St. Louis saying for you – I stand by my statement that they attacked one task, finished it, moved to another, and if the first task needed tweaking they returned later and tweaked; or they split tasks 50/50. 

And yet…there are not many pages where Mary does not write: “I did this & that”… or  “I cleaned, etc.”.  Was she a secret multi-tasker?  We will never know.  What we do know is that she planted her onion sets & radishes in the rose bed – that Zany!

Garden Notes – March 22, 1975 –March 31, 1975
Planted Onion Sets & Radishes in Rose Bed

Saturday, March 22, 1975 - Temp 45 - 63

Sunny and Pleasant all day. Otto cleaned strawberries & a lot of weeds & I did too and finished for the Spring spading. Planted onion sets & Radishes in Rose Bed. Inspected the wall. We liked it, newly tuckpointed.  Johanna came over to say hello. No heat today.

Sunday, March 23, 1975 - Temp 47 - 76

No heat today. Lovely day. This evening it’s raining. Thank God we had it nice to go to church and back.  Heard a good sermon. Watered flowers and wrote a letter to Phil for her birthday. Had a tornado watch till 7 PM

Monday, March 24, 1975 - Temp 34 - 56

Windy all day. We got out and spaded and cut or trimmed Black Raspberries & cleared trash. Couldn’t plant seed as it was too breezy. Called Nationwide for roof.

Tuesday, March 25, 1975 - Temp 22 - 34

Mostly cloudy but breezy. Seemed very cold. Stayed inside and did this & that. Even baked some cookies. Had snow flurries. Roofer still coming down; they called

Wednesday, March 26, 1975 - Temp 20 - 46

Sunny mostly. Went shopping and got onion plants & sets & food. Otto planted the onion plants PM. I cut a few Black raspberries. The wind penetrated.

Thursday, March 27, 1975 - Temp 35 – 45

Rained all day. Decorated cookies & fixed bacon. Baked a turkey and bread. Went to see Mrs. Hardy. Took cookies and onions. Mr. Hardy came over to tell us our roofing was blowing off. No leaks so far at 6:30.

Friday, March 28, 1975 - Temp 38 - 47--- Good Friday

Rained through fog AM and rained most of day. Stayed home all day & did cleaning, etc.

Saturday, March 29, 1975 - Temp 30 - 36

Went shopping 9 AM between bread rising --- nice day.

Sunday, March 30, 1975 - Temp 24 – 44 --- Easter

Sunny all day. We spent the nice quiet Sunday at home. Had meatloaf dinner.

Monday, March 31, 1975 - Temp 31 - 64

Beautiful sunny day. Washed AM. After dinner worked outside. Planted Dutch onions & trimmed Blk. Raspberries a bit.

So it’s time for me to hit the hay early, due to exhaustion and body aches too numerous to mention.  This is the last time I read ahead in the notebook.  A couple nights ago I skipped to harvest time 1975 and came away feeling like  a real slacker. Bottom line, I have now planted 4 rows of snow peas, a few leaf lettuce, scallion and dwarf Pak Choy seeds, transplanted the volunteer lettuces, found and transplanted a volunteer sorrell(?), started marigold and moonflower seeds, pruned and re-potted the philodendron that wintered over in the basement, cut, pulled and cut the forest of dead morning-glory vines from the wishing well, pulled off dead honeysuckle vines from the flag pole, cut out the honeysuckle around the vine; it overpowered my hyacinth bean vines last year so it  must be destroyed. For my encore I seriously trimmed back the honeysuckle growing on the back fence.

Is it time yet to go to Carondelet Park, fill empty kitty litter buckets with free compost and lug them back to Tara?  Wait, am I getting a little disoriented?

  Be careful what you read.

Whoa....Where'd he go?

1975 Garden Notes March 6 - March 21 GOD'S GOOD SUNSHINE

March 6-through March 21, 1975 --- 1^st Day of Spring!!

Bollman's Bird Bath - and What a BIRD!

So much for my determination to keep up with the garden notes.  I said I was going to post the 1975 notes as they loosely coincide with the current week, didn’t I?  So here it is March 16, 2011 and I am a little behind.  All in all, it is better than being a big behind. And no smart talk outa youse guys, as we say in the City.

I am looking out my window at accumulated snow on sidewalks and cemetery headstones, don’t ask – and flying slush in the street as rush hour traffic speeds along Morganford Rd.  What am I saying?  All traffic speeds along Morganford, but that’s a story for another day.

Snow on March 14 is not all that uncommon but after the winter we have endured did we need this “surprise”? Yes, that was the caption to the news story this morning on Channel 5  - pasted across the screen - “Snow Surprise”. Apparently not the only surprise for local weathermen and the Missouri Dept. of Transportation…I’m thinking that somebody around there forgot to adjust their clocks to daylight savings time.  About 1:45 this afternoon a weather alert was issued that the snow would continue to accumulate till NOON then change to all rain.

Garden Notes – March 6 – March 21, 1975 – 1^st day of Spring!!!!

Activity in the Bollman Garden is still in low gear but preparations in the form of spading, digging, tying up raspberries and generally putting the winter to rest is ongoing.  Spring 1975 on California Ave. is on its way.  I know that, not because of the calendar date but because on March 10 the Bollmans “woke up to 8 inches of fairyland snow”.  And on March 16 Mary said “A lovely day, and did we enjoy it. Went to church….came home and stayed in God’s Good Sunshine”.  Sounds like a harbinger of Spring to me.

Thursday, March 6, 1975 - Temp 30 - 46

Mostly cloudy & cool. Went shopping A.M. Worked outside P.M. but it was cool. Fixed up Jamie’s wedding present, also wrote Blue Shield about check rec’d.  It was quite cool outside.

Friday, March 7, 1975 - Temp 33 – 57 at Midnite, 41 for High PM

Cloudy mostly. Otto took me to church to go to World Day of Prayer. Got home about noon. Otto was cooking dinner. Good Ham Hock & Sauerkraut & Potatoes.  Cleaned a little and froze meat bought yesterday. Otto sliced the bacon.

Saturday, March 8, 1975 - Temp 22 – 35

Lovely winter sunny day. We cleaned a little around, went shopping, wrote letters P.M.

Sunday, March 9, 1975 - Temp 19 - 34

A.M. partly cloudy, P.M. it started to snow about 5:30. Went to church, read Sunday paper late…it’s still snowing at 9:30 PM

Monday, March 10, 1975 - Temp 28 - 32

Woke up to see 8 inches of fairyland snow and we shoveled it this AM. Afternoon, washed windows in bathroom & put up clean green curtains. Otto shoveled more snow. Read paper and other things till Tillie called.

Tuesday, March 11, 1975 - Temp 30 – 38 --- 6:30 PM 34

Went shopping as we moved the car. Got things ready to take to church, Mizpah Bake Sale and to Evelyn R. her recipe I promised and a few others and washed my hair.  Raining this evening. Hope it doesn’t get slick.

Wednesday, March 12, 1975 - Temp 30 - 37

Cloudy all day. Otto and I washed kitchen windows and put up clean curtains. Signed contract with Excell for tuckpointing alley wall, etc. Otto made rain gauge. It rained about an inch and snow melted quite a lot.

Thursday, March 13, 1975 - Temp 19 – 30

Cold all day. Otto & I got Marie F. first boxes and took Marie & Mildred to Assoc. luncheon. About 60 people came to hear Celeste R________, policewoman from the Rape Squad of St. Louis. Very interesting. Stopped by Ruth’s as Mrs. Kurtz brought me that fan she was going to give her.

Friday, March 14, 1975 - Temp 26 - 42

Very Chilly but this PM beautiful & sunny. Went shopping this AM. Took Ruth along as she wanted to get Linoleum strips. She was sweet and had us to lunch. We came home and then went to Rausch’s to shop some more. It is 42° now at 6:45 PM – 41% humidity.

Saturday, March 15, 1975 - Temp 29 – 49

Very Chilly but sunny most of day. Watered flowers by Otto. Mary planted a few beans and we just did this and that. Went to Holy Cross fish fry for Carryout.  It was good.

Sunday, March 16, 1975 - Temp 36 – 57  52 at 6:30 PM

A lovely day and did we enjoy it.  Went to church, stayed for coffee hour by Circle #4 – came home and stayed in God’s sunshine.

Monday, March 17, 1975 - Temp 29 - 58

Cloudy AM. We washed and hung inside. Hung a few hand washables outside. Otto fixed the little Bird House & painted it.

Tuesday, March 18, 1975 - Temp 38 – 49

At 5:30 it’s 48° and raining. Otto raked strawberries & put on Crab Grass Killer between showers. Went shopping and got Anacin 300 for $2.70, also prunes 3 lb. $1.58. Got money order for Otto glasses & sent away to receive them. I ironed and now am patching.

Wednesday, March 19, 1975 - Temp 40 - 63

Beautiful day and we got our alley wall tuckpointed by Excell, 2654 Gravois. Also tuckpointed chimney and both sides of wall at end of alley at Winnebago. Mr. White [my Dad] helped Otto get Bird House down & we cleaned it and Otto started to paint it white. I tied up some Red Raspberries & folded the curtains. No heat today.

Thursday, March 20, 1975 - Temp 47 - 73

Beautiful day all day. We both were out spading, digging, tying up Red Rasp. No heat today.

Friday, March 21, 1975 - Temp 55 – 79
It is Spring and couldn’t be better.  Just beautiful. Went shopping and paid our tuckpointing bill. We are glad that’s off our mind! We spaded our garden and have a little more to finish and bits to plant and also have rasspberries to tie up and trim. No heat in house today. Our Jonquils and Crocuses are in bloom. Took wool coverlet off our bed.

at 5:30 it’s 48.

Well, it's time for me to give it a rest and go  out - in the pouring rain-sleet-or is it snow? -  and fill food dishes for the homeless hungry alley kitties.  Till next time....

60's Marilin with  Kenny, Laura,
that Great Purse that finally wore out
& a (relatively) Little Behind

 

ALWAYS REMEMBER AND NEVER FORGET

Always Remember and Never Forget

When You Bake Up the Dog Treats

Don't Leave 'em So Wet

Or...the Wearin' o' the Green

Sophie
Old Girl

                                  

 

OK, let’s say that some Sunday afternoon you make a double batch of natural-ingredient dog treats.  Let us also say that you slightly undercook them so they remain chewy (old dog).  Let us further say that after setting aside a few for your best friend, your grand-dog and his house guest, and some for the vet  you stash ALL THE REST in 70’s Tupperware with a tight-fitting lid.

DON’T.  Who knew that on the stroke of Day 7 the dog bones concocted of whole wheat flour, rolled oats, peanut butter, a splash of olive oil, a touch of honey and hints of homemade apple butter, garden mint and cinnamon would grow their own furry green coats? Not your average shade of Mold Green, either, but really quite a lovely shade. 

AND YET - I, the lover of all thing green, recoiled in horror.

I have yet to check with the vet but am so hoping he distributed them to his patients upon receipt. I believe the odds are in my favor because he was saying “Oh, these smell good!” as he exited the exam room.  My friend’s dogs ate them within hours.  Grand-dog and guest survived. 

And so I leave you with two words:  FRIDGE and FREEZER.

Begin Again Finnegan ---Garden Notes – February 22 through March 5, 1975

Bollman House

Try not to be too shocked by what I am about to tell you, but here’s the thing…I changed my mind. This is not similar to “of all the things I’ve lost I miss my mind the most”.  It’s more along the “nothing as constant as change” lines.

When I started the blog I vowed to keep the garden notes in the chronological order in which they were handwritten in Mary & Otto Bollman’s notebook, which began with March 1974.
  But I’m over that.  I am skipping ahead to February 1975 so I can post notes that [loosely] coincide with the current dates.

 

Meanwhile, Look what I found in my garden today. Not a great picture but look closely and you'll see my volunteer lettuces. They are among the volunteer dead leaves and volunteer “ground cover”.  I will concede that while the ground cover is not altogether unsightly, it is of the not-exactly-a-weed-but-not-exactly-what-I-wanted-to-grow-there species.  This is February 21, a cool day following several balmy days - preceded by a long, bitterly cold brutal winter.  Tonight the temperature is supposed to dip so we will see how long the lettuces last.

 Garden Notes – February 22 through March 5, 1975

Things are still pretty quiet in the Bollman garden but very few days go by without some prep work . On February 25 Otto planted tomatoes and peppers.  I think it's safe to assume this means seeds.  I remember they had a cold frame behind the back porch, handmade by Otto of course; that may be where seedlings were started in February.  I know they brought geraniums and other flowering plants indoors to winter over in the basement but so far haven't found any references to where or how they cared for seedlings before setting them out in the garden. On March 5 they dug 3 lbs. of carrots.  Reading back a few pages, they also dug carrots on December 10 but I don't know when the carrots were planted. Granted, some December & January pages are hard to read because they are written alternately in red or green ink, 2-sided on thin pages so the ink bled through. Planting had to be before the ground froze, but did they stay there all winter and not freeze? Did some freeze and these were the superior strain who survived? Let's hear it for the strained carrots!!!

Without further ado I will leave you with the March 1, 1975 words of Mary Bollman:

Real Lion’s Entrance for March- HA!
Weatherman said it would be nice, warm & sunny. HA!

Saturday, February 22, 1975 - Temp 35 - 55

Rained all day and very dark. Otto fixed the lamp and weeded flowers.  Did hand washing, etc. Gave Otto a hair cut. Thundered and lightning.

Sunday, February 23  - Temp 30 – 32

Dark & drizzle and at 6:30 it is freezing rain or very fine snow as it looks foggy & the cars and ground are getting white.

Monday, February 24  - Temp 25 – 30

Snowing  We shoveled this A.M. Cleaned book case with horses. Watered flowers. Got out boysenberries (frozen).

Tuesday, February 25  - Temp 28 – 45

Snow melting with the beautiful sunny day. Very windy. Moved the car and did a little hand washing. Otto pruned and planted all kinds of tomatoes and sweet hot peppers.

Wednesday, February 26  - Temp 29 – 43

Sunny all day mostly. Went to stay with Ruth while moving. Otto dug compost behind house.

Thursday, February 27  - Temp 44 – 22

Sunny most of day. Cleaned dresser & Otto cut down tree in flowering quince. At last he got to it!!

Friday, February 28 – Temp 33 – 27

Sunny & Cool. Went shopping and Otto fixed bench.  Broke up mulberry tree for beams.  I cleaned house & ice box.  He painted bench.

Saturday, March 1, 1975 – Temp 25 – 39

We awoke with snow covering the ground. Beautiful day it was. It was still snowing and had a little snow flower shower during P.M. Otto cleaned alley of leaves & Boysenberry vines. Lovely behind the wall.  Real Lion’s Entrance for March- HA! Weatherman said it would be nice, warm & sunny. HA!

Sunday, March 2 – Temp 18 – 30

Felt cold with the little breeze. Went to church. Came home to chicken dinner and stayed.

Monday, March 3 – Temp 16 – 30

Sunny but cool. We washed and hung in the basement. Excell-Avery & Mr. Kausch came for tuckpointing estimates.

Tuesday, March 4 – Temp 17 – 41

Sunny & cool most of day. In evening seemed warmer. Went to vote. Cleaned street and trying to fill holes on curb. Cleaned the car. Also on business we went. Dug up bricks, too. Raked along north side of gate.

Sunday, March 5 – Temp 28 – 59

Sunny most of the day. I dusted all the walls & ceilings. Otto washed dishes & got dinner. A.M. Otto & I got outside. He dug dirt & filled up places. I found part of the garden dry enough to start spading. Dug all carrots, about 3 lbs.

Time to turn in...again...Finnegan.  Nighty Nite.