love 3 eg:/ Grieving Gardener

July 22, 2024February 4, 2026

Oy. Vey. What A Day!

This picture detects what I’ll look like when I finally get stung. It hasn’t happened yet, but I can’t say the same for poor HHH. Friday morning was one to forget, and quickly.

The Bee Lady and her fiend, Anti-Mite Man, came for a visit to our hives early Friday morning. Bees these days all suffer from an invasive mite that infects the bees and weakens the hive. Every few weeks during the summer, the Anti-Mite Man comes equipped with oxalic acid gas, which kills the Verona mites and any others hanging about.

Now, bees don’t think kindly to people inserting gas into their hive and then covering the opening with the wet towel for five minutes. Whether or not they remembered this man, I can’t say. All I know is that when the hive was opened, the bees became very unhappy. It could have also been caused by the fact that no smoke was used before opening the hive.

At any rate, I was raking a good distance from the hive when an angry bee tried to sting me. Thank goodness my long hair was in the way and I flew into the house, unscathed. But, HHH had been standing near the hive without his bee-keepers suit. Our usually kind, sweet, and docile bees went for him.

As he was swatting and asking them to back off, he accidentally knocked off one $2500 hearing aide into the tall bushes while making it to the back porch. By that time, he had been stung six times, once in the face above his eye.

After coming in to remove the stingers, HHH again tried to go outside and they were on him again, as he suffered through two more stings. At any point, this situation could’ve become deadly. I was glad the epi-pens were on the counter at the ready. Luckily, there was no immediate reaction.

As our friends were leaving, the bees were still on the attack, getting HHH two more times, at which point his very expensive Maui Jim Sunglasses fell to the pavement and shattered. Repair cost — $100.

Now, I have a very dejected husband with one good ear, no sunglasses, AND the possibility of and episode of anaphylactic shock. We both returned to the house wondering how this happened???? Our bees are so docile, they often settle on our hand and look around before they fly off. Well???? Wild animals are unpredictable. Today wasn’t the day to make them angry.

After going out to breakfast, we both decided it was a day to lay low and hope for a better Saturday. Watching TV while enjoying Chinese food, we were thankful things weren’t worse.

Now, having four younger brothers, he did something silly. He texted them with the news. They all found it very humorous, asking if they could view all existing videos. Somedays, there is no respect in this world. Especially from kid brothers!!!!

Whatever you do today, remember bees aren’t always docile. Even the quiet can become combative if you are in the wrong place at the wrong time. Bee keeping is a hobby that can kill. Rule #1. When handling bees, suit up. Thank goodness HHH lives on to tell the tale.

More tomorrow.

July 19, 2024February 4, 2026

The Coolest Early Birds

Even though I haven’t mentioned it in a few days, our desert days remain hot. Not just a little warm, but over the century mark every afternoon. Although I continue to love life here on the high desert plains of Northwestern Nevada, at times I wonder what I was thinking choosing to live in a summer furnace. Sometime before death, HHH and I hope to live somewhere green with constant temperatures of 75 degrees. Not sure when or where that will be, but we can dream.

For now, dealing with the hot weather makes me thankful to be wired as an early bird. Every morning, like clockwork, HHH and I awake before the dogs. By time the coffee finishes brewing, our day has already started with local news.

If you are at all like HHH and I, the news has been fascinating. It seems if you miss an hour, it might take you two more to catch up. Between hype for the Olympics starting next week, and the political news, there is something for everyone. This from a woman that preaches about staying unplugged.

Around 6:30, you’ll find HHH in the back yard doing something. From dead-heading the roses to watering, we are on a mission to finish our chores before it becomes too hot. That’s usually around 11 am.

The afternoons find us working on indoor projects. From fixing a leaky flapper valve on the toilet to organizing our financial affairs, there’s plenty to keep us busy until evening.

Yesterday, while working on Ancestry, (which is eating up more time than I’d like to admit), I found that HHH’s history goes all the way back to days of Lords and Lady’s. My mind is still stuck on the fact that I’m related to someone that was the #1 Bookie on the west coast, living at 2230 Hollyridge Drive (right near the Hollywood) sign in the 1930’s. Looking for more interesting facts, I’ll continue my fascinating journey back to learn more about my past.

Agua Caliente Casino, Resort, and Racetrack

Late afternoons at Winterpast find HHH looking through a large stash of recipes to find just the right meal for dinner. I’m beginning to love “Left-Over’s” nights. HHH is an exceptional cook, along with all his other amazing talents. Some of his best meals are even better the second day.

I doubt I’ll ever be one to burn the candle at both ends. Early to bed, early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise, or so they say. As the summer races by us, I’m trying to squeeze as many hours out of a day as possible.

It’s hard to believe that a year ago, HHH was thinking about proposing. Life has been full of amazing miracles since then. We are so blessed with happiness. Our home is filled with love, as it should be. We both deserve nothing less.

Whatever you do today, think about discovering what goes on outside an hour before sunrise. You might be surprised to find your back yard looks totally different in the early morning hours. There’s always something new to discover!

Have a wonderful weekend. I’ll be back Monday.

It’s going to be a great day!! Stay Calm and Carry On!!!!!

July 18, 2024February 4, 2026

Something Old

There is nothing better than getting sucked into a great book. As any teacher knows, our bookshelves can become crowded after years of collecting great reads. After many years, its necessary for me to empty some shelves. While doing this, I ran across a couple titles that I must read once more in my lifetime. The Wonderful Wizard of Oz is one of those stories.

One of the best things about this book, is that it unfolds in a completely different way than the movie we’ve all seen so many times in our lifetimes. From the opening scene, when Auntie Em runs down the ladder into the storm cellar without Dorothy, new details stand out.

There were enough fantastic details to give the movie makers a place from which to create the magical land of Oz. Every time I see the movie, it’s hard to remember than it was made in 1939. One of the all time greats.

The book explains why each character is seeking help. Of course, the scarecrow needs a brain, the tin-man needs a heart, the lion needs courage, and Dorothy just wants to go home. But the reasons behind their deficits are explained in a little more detail.

That this story was written in 1900 and yet is so readable is a bit surprising.

Lyman Frank Baum wrote about Oz and many other things. A prolific author, in addition to the 14 Oz books, Baum penned 41 other novels (not including four lost, unpublished novels), 83 short stories, over 200 poems, and at least 42 scripts ( according to Wikipedia).

After a lifetime of writing fabulous stories told with descriptive paragraphs creating stunning visual images, Baum suffered a stroke, slipped into a coma. He died the following day at the age of 62. His last words spoken to his wife during a brief period of lucidity: “Now we can cross the Shifting Sands.” In his books, the land of Oz is cut off from the rest of the world by impassable wastelands, including a desert called the Shifting Sands.

Enjoying this story more than a grown woman should, I suspect I’ll need to read the 39 books that came after this amazing story.

Whatever you do today, consider returning to a favorite book you may have placed on a shelf long ago. Books are a magical carpet ride taking the reader on adventures beyond the normal persons imagination. Please excuse me now, as I don’t want Dorothy and the gang to get too far ahead.

More tomorrow.

July 17, 2024February 4, 2026

The Day Big Boy Steamed Through

A few weeks ago, while watching the news, I learned something exciting was to happen in our town. On July 16th, one of the only working Union Pacific Big Boy engines would be steaming through our little town. Without knowing the exact time, I wrote an entry into my daily journal so we wouldn’t forget.

Yesterday, the early morning news reminded us again that the Big Boy was sitting at the biggest little city to the west and would soon roll east.

In our little town, we have a few parks. There’s Out-of-Town Park that is out of town. Then, there is the In-Town-Park, which is in town. Another stretch of empty land used to be the home of the Burning Man Artichoke. A thing of beauty made of flattened bottle caps.

This sculpture was a favorite of mine until the entire thing was removed. They didn’t ask our permission, but removed it quietly in the night, citing safety issues. Okay, there was a ladder to the second story and in today’s world, that could be a deadly feature. At any rate, it’s gone.

That piece of empty land is sandwiched between Main Street and the railroad track, so I’ll name that land Beside-the-Tracks Park. When HHH realized I would pester him until we were standing there waiting for the train to pass, he agreed that we’d go. Being a long time local, he knew exactly the place we’d park.

Well, one thing led to another and with some distractions, suddenly it was 10:03 and I hadn’t checked the Big Boy Locomotive tracker. The train was now speeding towards our town. We hoped we’d have time to make it to the tracks. On an earlier outing, HHH reported two cars next to the track, so neither of us were thinking many people would be there.

At this point, we had another 20 minutes to wait. We weren’t paying attention to the parking lot behind us as it quickly filled up. Hundreds of locals were all waiting to wave as the Union Pacific Big Boy Locomotive steamed by on its way to the next stop.

This engine is the biggest steam engine IN THE WORLD and it rolled right through the center of town. Right past senior citizens and babies alike. A historical day that saw all of us sweating through the desert heat to witness.

We could hear it before we could see it. And then, it was rolling through.

Just like that, the excitement was over. Please note the size of the engine compared to the small SUV to the side!!!!! It was truly worth the wait to see this coal driven engine steaming along our track. Something I’ll never forget.

The train is returning home to Cheyenne, Wyoming after its Westward Bound Tour.

Whatever you do today, watch the news. Perhaps there is something wonderful steaming through your town. Somethings only happen once in a lifetime. HHH and I are so lucky we experienced this!

More tomorrow.

July 16, 2024February 4, 2026

Don’t Mess With the Widow

There are some days life requires you to put on your big-girl pants and stand up for yourself. Sometimes, there isn’t another person that can take the wheel. That someday came last Friday. But, I’ll start from the beginning.

After months and months of dealing with a professional, my relationship with this person finally ended last week. Last fall, I needed a service and this person came highly recommended. The service needed was easily provided by this professional and we agreed on a price, although the final bill ended up being higher.

With details carefully discussed, I trusted this person would be true to his word. I wasn’t requesting brain surgery or anything quite so serious. Just a service that he’d provide for an agreed price. With a hand shake we were off.

After 9 months and four visits to retrieve, repair, retrieve, repair, and retrieve the project, it was finally corrected and finished. A professional project shouldn’t have taken this long. It wasn’t an oil painting or a lengthy novel. Two months later, when I needed the item, I realized, ANOTHER glaring error.

To get the project corrected and finished, I called upon inner strength, courage, intelligence, patience, and organizational skills. I had to negotiate for corrected results in a professional way. I researched government agencies that would help me if I didn’t find cooperation. Then, I went to work.

Snail-mail letters are highly effective when dealing with problems in life. If you have a keyboard and printer, take the time to write down facts about your problem in an organized way, avoiding feelings. One thing to remember about effective negotiations is that things go well when you leave out emotions like anger. Just the facts, Ma’am.

I was careful to remind the gentleman that taking advantage of a widow (which I most certainly was at the time) is a terrible thing to do. No one should EVER take advantage of a widow and expect to get away with it. The bible talks about that.

After receiving the letter, the professional corrected the project for the last time. After examining his work very carefully, I agreed to accept the finished project. It was then I quietly asked about the refund that I certainly deserved after nine months of nonsense.

I was offered a dinner and a show.

As a woman, always remember to consider all options before speaking. Know your bottom line. I did consider this offer for about 15 seconds before I replied, “That’s not going to work for me.”

In the next breath he offered me a complete refund that was gratefully and graciously accepted. With a hand shake, our story came to a close.

As a senior citizen, (perhaps widowed), remember that you have a voice. It’s not okay for younger, more professional or educated people to take advantage. Your time, energy, and frustration are all worth something. Right is right. No one will advocate for you better than YOU, but it’s up to you to speak your mind.

The professional and I shook hands on the deal and all’s well that ends well. My refund came in the mail yesterday, paid in full. Thank goodness there are still people that are honorable when things go wrong. No hard feelings. Sometimes you’re the windshield, sometimes your the bug. I wasn’t going to be the bug this time. Don’t ever accept victim status. Not healthy.

Whatever you do today, take care of loose ends. If you are in the middle of righting a wrong, take a deep breath and continue. The truth will prevail. Patience as you carry on.

More tomorrow.

July 15, 2024February 4, 2026

Saturday’s Grief

Somethings are best left unsaid while waiting for answers to explain the unthinkable. But, there are those that have a right to speak when their family has been the target of an attack. These are powerful words to consider written by a woman who came very close to becoming a widow on Saturday after at the hands of evil.

July 14, 2024

“I am thinking of you, now, my fellow Americans.

We have always been a unique union. America, the fabric of our gentle nation is tattered, but our courage and common sense must ascend and bring us back together as one.

While I watched that violent bullet strike my husband, Donald, I realized my life, and Barron’s life, were on the brink of devastating change. I am grateful to the brave secret service agents and law enforcement who risked their lives to protect my husband.

To the families of the innocent victims who are now suffering from this heinous act, I humbly offer my sincerest sympathy. Your need to summon your inner strength for such a terrible reason saddens me.

A monster who recognized my husband as an inhuman political machine attempted to ring out Donald’s passion – his laughter, ingenuity, love of music, and inspiration. The core facets of my husband’s life – his human side – were buried below the political machine. Donald, the generous and caring man who I have been with through the best and worst of times.

Let us not forget that differing opinions, policy, and political games are inferior to love. Our personal, structural, and life commitment – until death- is at serious risk. Political concepts are simple when compared to us, human beings.

We are all humans, and fundamentally, instinctively, we want to help one another. American politics are only one vehicle that can uplift our communities. Love, compassion, kindness, and empathy are necessities.

And, let us remember that when the time comes to look beyond the left and right, beyond the red and the blue, we all come from families with the passion to fight for a better life together, while we are here, in the earthly realm.

Dawn is here again. Let us reunite. Now.

This morning, ascend above the hate, the vitriol, and the simple-minded ideas that ignite violence. We all want a world where respect is paramount, family is first, and love transcends. We can realize this world again. Each of us must demand to get it back. We must insist that respect fills the cornerstone of our relationships again.

I am thinking of you, my fellow Americans.

The winds of change have arrived. For those of you who cry in support, I thank you. I commend those of you who have reached out beyond the political divide – thank you for remembering that every single politician is a man or a woman with a loving family.

Melania Trump

Take a little time today to think about her words. She’s not a politician. Just a wife that went through something horrible on Saturday. We could all learn something from her letter.

More tomorrow.

July 12, 2024February 4, 2026

Then And Now

Harvesting food and flowers from Winterpast, I can’t help but remember how the gardens have changed since I came here in April of 2020. Moving into a new home, I had no idea if I could even keep anything alive, yet alone help it to thrive. Alone and terrified of the responsibility, the need for greenery and my own space outweighed my fear.

During the first two years, I ran into some huge problems. The air conditioning unit died, causing an unexpected expense of huge proportions. There was no choice when living in the desert.

Then, there was the problem with the lift station for the sewer system. What a shocker it was when it stopped working. Even more eye opening when I was told a new unit would cost another $5,000. If not for the kindness of a neighbor, I would’ve never known the broken equipment was owned and maintained by my city.

At that point, I began to question the wisdom of owning a home as a widow. So many different things to understand, diagnose and fix. Many, many things I’d learned about while farming and doing renovations. For that information, I’ll be eternally grateful.

And then, there were continual problems with the very complicated irrigation system that’s grown Winterpast into the beautiful oasis she is. From split lines to the need for burrowing deep into the ground to find bigger leaks, a desert garden requires high intense maintenance.

The other day, I was looking through some pictures and was a bit shocked. They tell the tale of how things have changed around here. HHH and I are so blessed to enjoy this paradise that is our Winterpast.

With faith, hope, patience, and hard work, dreams do come true.

Whatever you choose to do this weekend, look closely at the path your life has taken throughout the past five summers. Although some changes might’ve been tough, try to focus on the beauty you’ve enjoyed along the way. Life is a blessing. Now, go enjoy your weekend.

July 11, 2024February 4, 2026

Latest on the Bees

Summer around here is extremely hot this year. At 5:00 this morning the temp was already 77 outside with an expected high of 108 today. The older I get, the more intolerant of extreme temperatures I become. 105 degrees is just about the hottest day I want to suffer through, even though I will forever love the desert and all she has to offer.

ilovethedesertilovethedesertilovethedesert

The plants in our garden are giving us mixed messages. Some love the hot summer and others have decided their growing season is over. We were so lucky to have enjoyed the lovely blooms as long as we have.

The Black-Eyed Susan’s grown from seeds don’t care a lick about the desert highs. They are putting on a beautiful show and the bees are thankful. These gorgeous flowers will bloom all summer and then go to sleep until next year. Next year they’ll come back from rhizomes they are creating now. A great choice for both us and the bees.

As for the bees, the news is better than it was last week. They are indeed storing honey away for the winter while producing more bees. Our queen continues doing her job in spite of the hot temperatures. The internal temperature of a hive must remain between 93 – 97 degrees in all seasons. They maintain this in a variety of ways, which is pretty amazing on its own. We may see some bearding in the afternoon when they come out near the entrance and fan their wings to create a draft inside.

The Bee Lady paid us a visit yesterday taking away some of our abundant apricot crop. She went home to can 28 quarts. Now, THAT is a lot of work on a hot summer day. Our tree is a magnificent producer, but with these extreme temps, much of the fruit has been lost to rot or ants. To find a friend that wants to take fruit is amazing. Apricot season will be finished by the weekend.

Next week, the plums will begin to ripen and we have a bumper crop of them, too. It seems the fruit hasn’t stopped since we picked the first cherry. Once the plums are done, we just might be picking our first “Hearts of Gold” cantaloupe. These sell out at the local festival for $10 each. Watermelon and pumpkins won’t be far after that.

The bees are now inhabiting two large brood chambers, one set on top of the other. That is their nursery, living space, and food storage. Our hive now has a smaller honey super on top, which will hold the honey we may or may not harvest in August. At least, for now, things are proceeding as they should.

Friday, The Bee Lady and her friend will treat our hive with vaporized Oxalic Acid (extremely dangerous for humans). This will knock down the Verona Mites, which are a plague to bee keepers everywhere.

As we talked today, she was marveling that bee-keepers of the 80’s would check their hives by driving by them. They wouldn’t think to stop and actually break the hive apart to check on the health of the bees. Well, now that she mentions it, that’s how I remember it so long ago when I had 40 hives. All of this intense bee wrangling is new to me, and so very necessary for a healthy hive. It was a lot easier back then.

We did find it necessary to put a queen barrier between the second large super and the smaller top super. It will allow the workers to move freely throughout the hive, while keeping the queen in her brood chamber down below to continue her constant egg laying.

That’s all the news from Winterpast for today. Retirement and honeymooning remain wonderful. Taking a break from genealogy, I’m still trying to absorb the facts I learned yesterday. Life is never dull around here! That’s for sure!!!!

More tomorrow.

July 10, 2024February 4, 2026

News on a Hot Summer Day

When there is nothing to do, try something new. Auntie TJ always told me boredom is a sign of a weak and lazy mind. I think Joni Mitchell sang about that, too. Not wanting to fall into that category, I was busy working on my ancestry yesterday.

Computerized genealogy is the best! I found some paper documents my mother had prepared in the 1900’s. Erasures. Arrows. Unknowns. Very limited in her access to records, she didn’t get further than the 1800’s before becoming frustrated. I’m impressed that she got as far as she did.

Yesterday, I had worked on my maternal side for some time and decided to turn my attention to my paternal ancestors.

Oy. Vey.

Never look to far into family history unless you’re ready to handle what you might find. Again, Oy. Vey.

One day, when I was a young girl, my father told me a story about the day his sister and her husband came from Los Angeles to visit in a Stuts Bearcat. This visit was quite shocking to a family that took their family cow with them to fish at the San Joaquin River. Quite a journey from Los Angeles to the Central Valley, as well.

A true status symbol, the young boy who would later grow up to be my dad couldn’t get over the beauty of the side lights. Probably the most exciting thing to happen to a sleepy little farming town in a very long, long time.

I wondered until yesterday how it was that one brother would be living a farmer’s life while raising eight children while his sister and her husband would be driving around California in a luxury car. I found my answer and it’s a shocker.

It turns out that this uncle was one of the most famous “bookies” on the west coast of America. His lovely wife raised and showed bulldogs as a hobby. They employed a Japanese housekeeper and lived the high life. Zeke and Helen Caress. Now, even as a writer with a great imagination, I couldn’t make up that name. Really? Of course, ZEKE would be a bookie.

Not just any bookie. They were part owners in Agua Caliente in Mexico. Huge racetrack and resort. There is a book written about the place I place to read soon. The bad guys I’d only heard about were doing business on a regular basis with my uncle. Go figure.

They were so wealthy that at one point, they were kidnapped for ransom along with their chauffeur. After a shootout with the police the kidnappers were found and arrested. My relatives went on their merry way, enjoying all the best Los Angeles had to offer, ending up buried in Vesperland at Forest Lawn Cemetery.

Now that I think of it, another Uncle was nicknamed “Slick”.

Oy. Vey. Oy. Vey. Oy. Vey.

Well. With all that information, I had to move on. I decided that HHH’s family might be more down to earth with a bunch of Nebraskan writers. And so, I worked there a little while.

I hadn’t gone very far when I made another shocking discovery. HHH has relatives that were also Germans from Russia. In fact, we both have the “Rudolph” family name in our lineage. You can’t even imagine what a shock that was to both of us!!!!! I guess HHH will need to read “The Last Green Valley”, as well.

Whatever you do today, you might want to take a little time to review your own roots. As Auntie TJ also reminds me often, “A Family is a Family is a Family.” We all have interesting stories just waiting to be discovered. I wonder what I’ll find next! Stay tuned.

More tomorrow.

July 9, 2024February 4, 2026

Good Timber

Good Timber by Douglas Malloch

The tree that never had to fight
For sun and sky and air and light,
But stood out in the open plain
And always got its share of rain,
Never became a forest king
But lived and died a scrubby thing.

The man who never had to toil
To gain and farm his patch of soil,
Who never had to win his share
Of sun and sky and light and air,
Never became a manly man
But lived and died as he began.

Good timber does not grow with ease,
The stronger wind, the stronger trees,
The further sky, the greater length,
The more the storm, the more the strength.
By sun and cold, by rain and snow,
In trees and men good timbers grow.

Where thickest lies the forest growth
We find the patriarchs of both.
And they hold counsel with the stars
Whose broken branches show the scars
Of many winds and much of strife.
This is the common law of life.

I hope that someday, when I’ve gone far away, someone compares me to Good Timber with deep roots and strong branches. You can fall for anything if you don’t stand for something. Standing for beliefs and values takes extra effort and courage at times. Doing the right thing isn’t always the easiest thing.

As I look through the decades at my ancestors, it’s obvious I came from an entire forest of strong timber. Life wasn’t handed to any of our fore fathers on a silver platter. They chose their own course in life and went for it, even when going for it was the toughest choice they could make.

Christoph and Anna Geringer — 50th Anniversary

When Christoph and a pregnant Anna (my great-grandparents) were deciding on a move to America, it would have made a lot more sense to stay put. The unknowns were deep and dark. Childbirth. Traveling through unknown and dangerous territory by foot. Depending on their faith and following their own Northern Star, they went for it. The courage and bravery of all the German’s from Russia that made the trek is awe inspiring.

Once here, they impressed upon their children the importance of education. Assimilation in the American culture was vital for success. Learning English, they became the Americans that helped build our country. They cherished the freedom that they had only read about while living under oppression in despair. In doing so, they found their own Last Green Valley.

Life in 1902 makes the troubles I faced in 2020 laughable. Too Cold? Turn up the heat. Too Hot? Turn down the AC. Hungry? Call “Door Dash” for a pizza. Just widowed? Order extra Kleenex from Amazon. The life of our forefathers made adults of children at an early age. What would they think of the state of things in 2024????????

Whatever you do today, think about being “Good Timber” in times of storms and strife. An easy life is promised to no one. In fact, if the truth be told, easy lives are a myth. With hard work and effort, some people are just good at making it look that way. So, buck up and carry on with one foot in front of the other. Life is beautiful and we are so blessed.