Terry has always loved lilacs and wanted to get some planted in the backyard, so when we were at Christopher’s Garden Nursery in Lakeside the other day, we bought three bushes. Since we are supposed to get some rain this weekend, I wanted to get them planted so we could take advantage of the added moisture.
The high yesterday was 90 degrees, but during the afternoon it was overcast and there was a nice breeze blowing, which made it fairly comfortable. So I decided to dig the holes necessary to plant them. That was not the easiest job I’ve ever taken on.
No matter where you are in the White Mountains, the ground is very rocky, and our yard is no exception. I started out with a post-hole digger, but that quickly got me nowhere. Neither did a shovel. The only way to do it was to use a pick to chop up the dirt and dislodge some rocks, then scoop everything out the hole and do it again. And again, and again, and again. Some of those rocks were bigger than a softball, and when I hit them with the pick, it resonated all the way down to my toes. At one point when I was working away, I felt like I was digging to China, but China would have to be very close because it was slow progress. It didn’t help that not long after I got started, the sun came out again and the breeze died down, adding to the fun.
I eventually got the holes dug, including one for a hosta plant. Then Terry put the lilacs in the ground, along with soil, fertilizer, and other things to help them grow, and we filled the holes back in. She watered them well when we were all done, and now we wait for the rain. If it doesn’t come, which is entirely possible, we’ll be back out today with the hose, making sure they get a good drink.
Speaking of digging to China, a couple of nights ago, we watched a movie of the same name starring Kevin Bacon, Evan Rachel Wood, and Mary Stuart Masterson. I have seen Kevin Bacon in several movies, and he was always one of those actors that I could take or leave. But he hit it out of the ballpark with this one. Bacon plays a man with mental disabilities who forms a friendship with a young girl with a vivid imagination, played by Wood. If anybody ever deserved an Oscar for a performance in a film, he should have for this one. It was amazing that every move, every gesture, every expression fit the role he was playing so very well. The movie is on Amazon Prime, and if you get a chance, watch it.
Be sure to enter our latest Free Drawing. This week’s prize is an autographed copy of Simply Dead, the first book in Pat Arneson’s Maguire mystery series. Pat was profiled in a recent Author Spotlight. Therapist Abby Maguire is no stranger to violence. After years of counseling killers and victims, she needs a break. Her new job doing equine-assisted therapy should have been a stroll in the countryside. But the beauty that soothes and delights her soon proves to hide dangerous secrets. The aftereffects of Abby’s career take a continuing toll, and as she helps a new coworker navigate his own combat-related PTSD, the destruction that unfolds around them exacerbates both. Seeking healing and finding violence, she finds herself overwhelmed by an environment turned harsh and demanding. She doesn’t trust easily, but when the killer’s sights land upon Abby herself, she doesn’t know if she can trust anyone at all.
To enter, click on this Free Drawing link or the tab at the top of this page and enter your name (first and last) in the comments section at the bottom of that page (not this one). Only one entry per person per drawing please, and you must enter with your real name. To prevent spam or multiple entries, the names of cartoon or movie characters are not allowed. The winner will be drawn Sunday evening. Note: Due to the high shipping cost of printed books and Amazon restrictions on e-books to foreign countries, only entries with US addresses and e-mail addresses are allowed. After 30 days, unclaimed prizes revert back to the drawing pool for a future contest.
And finally, here’s a chuckle to start your day from the collection of funny signs we see in our travels and that our readers share with us.
Thought For The Day – If the police handcuff a mute person, are they taking away their freedom of speech?
Nick Russell
World-Famous, New York Times Best Selling Author, and All-Around Nice Guy!
Nick, I am only a few years older than you and have really had to work these past five years to maintain my strength, flexibility and mobility. I made an agreement with myself. I would spend money to get assistance completing tasks that I knew would send my body into pain. And whenever possible I spend my energy and movement I work so hard to maintain on activities that bring me joy. I hear that gardening brings people joy, but there are younger folks that need the cash that can swing picks and shovels better than we can, and then we can get on with the art of gardening.