Published on
January 23, 2005 in
Uncategorized.
I finally got Melinda’s package put together in the mail. It was a lot less expensive to send 3+ ounces to Japan than I thought. That is always nice.
I walked all the way to the post office in an effort to “step up” my training for the Breast Cancer 3-Day. Just under 1.5 miles (according to Yahoo Maps.) one way. I can’t tell it how to get there, so it had me “driving” from my house to the next street over and north from there. I am able to walk through the alley, so that took off a couple of yards. But, I’ll say 3 miles roundtrip.
I’ll have to stop by REI today and pick up a pedometer and a reflective vest. I wonder if they will have that cool reflective clothing that everyone was into a few years ago.
Published on
January 23, 2005 in
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My birthday was really nice. Some friends took me to dim sum on Saturday AM and we met up with a bunch of other people there and took over three tables with over 25 people! That evening I had dinner with a group of friends at our local Ethiopian restaurant (the one we went to on your birthday when you came to visit me) and enjoyed good friends and good food. All in all, a good day.
Published on
January 22, 2005 in
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and that there is an explanation for the way I garden:
http://www.ncpamd.com/gardening_with_ADD.htm
“Darwinian Gardening: Like everything else, gardening works best if you know yourself. If you are aware that you tend to be disorganized and inattentive, plan a garden that can accommodate this. Choose flowers that can survive a little abuse and neglect. If a flower can’t live where you planted it, it didn’t belong in your garden anyway.”
Published on
January 22, 2005 in
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I have to figure out how far it is if I walk around the entirety of Chandler Fashion Center. I chose today to start training for the Breast Cancer 3 Day walk. Plus I got in a bit of shopping. Or rather, window shopping, since I couldn’t find anything that I actually liked enough to buy.
What is up with all the pink that has been so popular for the last year or so?? I am really trying to get over my pink phobia, but it is hard when everything staring you in the face is pink!
Published on
January 21, 2005 in
Uncategorized.
I feel the need to have large quantities of plants. I keep getting catalogs, and they keep enabling me to buy all kinds of stuff. I have about 4 weeks to get all of this stuff planted, and I don’t think it can happen. I’ll have to buy another refrigerator…
Things on my list from dutchbulbs.com:
Cardiocrinum giganteum
Habenaria radiata
Bletilla striata (yellow)
Gloriaosa lutea
Gloriosa rothschildiana
Canna varigata ‘Stuttgart’
Canna sp. ‘Picasso’
Brodiaea laxa ‘Royal Blue’
Tradescantia ‘Blushing Bride’
Brodiaea ‘Blue Ocean Mix’
Crocosmiflora ‘Common Montbretias’
and there is more, but I left the list at work.
Published on
January 21, 2005 in
Uncategorized.
K came to visit me this weekend, and we had a great time. After getting delayed for a day because of mechanical problems on the plane, K finally made it to Phoenix on Saturday. Over the weekend we hit some good food places (But you know, there is just never enough time to go to ALL of the places you can think of in a weekend trip. And then there are so many places that I forgot about until after K left!) like Wildflower Bread Company, El Charro in Tucson, Pink Pepper, Xtreme Bean (for coffee). China Max was also on the list. China Max has food overall, but the sesame chicken was a bit over-breaded that night. I guess I shouldn’t complain since there are at least two decent Chinese restaurants that I know of now. It’s still not like home though.
We went to the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum on Sunday – the only “zoo” that I actually enjoy. How cute were the grey foxes!? I know they are not really “cute” – they are carnivorous hunters, but they were sleeping all cuddled together and they just looked so darned fuzzy and cute. Lots of plants too, and supposedly some desert tortises, but they were hiding/hibernating. The day was gorgeous, probably about 75º and not a cloud in the sky.
Lunch was at El Charro. Their tacos de carne seca rock! I have them every time I go there, which isn’t really that often, but it is certainly worth a trip. Carne seca means “dry meat” for you gringos out there. They dry marinated meat in a set up on their roof, which is cool on the one hand, and kind of gross on the other. I am sure that it is safe (they’ve passed with an “excellent” rating for the last several years, and you don’t end up as the “Nation’s Oldest Mexican Restaurant in continuous operation by the same family” if you are making people sick), but the idea of meat drying on the roof… mmmmmm… just don’t think to hard about it. 
K said that her food was good to. I didn’t try it, but it looked good.
Monday was the Desert Botanical Garden. LOTS of plants. There were quite a few wildflowers about, in addition to the wonderful regular plants. Everything was a bit frost bitten though. With the recent weather, it is not surprising.
Tuesday I took K to the airport and then went on to work. Sigh, such a great weekend and then I had to go back to work. 
Published on
January 12, 2005 in
Uncategorized.
In honor to my cousin M. who died on January 3rd, and in tribute to my two cousins who survived, I will be walking in the Breast Cancer 3-Day Walk in October. If you would like to support me in my walk, you can donate here.
Published on
January 11, 2005 in
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NOW I know what broccoli raab is!! I was reading my catalog from The Cook’s Garden and the description is as follows:
Broccoli raab is actually a form of turnip cultivated for its flowering shoots, which resemble sprouting broccoli. Thin plants to 4 inches in the row and harvest leaves for salad, or whole plants just as the florets open, steam briefly and garnish with a vinaigrette.
Hello!? Turnips? Now I understand why it never tasted anything like broccoli to me. I thought I was crazy. Everyone else pooh-poohed me when I said it didn’t taste like broccoli. We all thought it was broccoli that went to seed. HA! It’s turnips!
Published on
January 11, 2005 in
Uncategorized.
My compost tumbler came last night. Whee hooo!!!
Now WHERE is my camera so I can take pics of the funny “homemade” box that it came in?? I don’t think the camera has shipped yet. AND, I’m waiting for my rooting gel and my Knock Out Gnats! Grrrrrr!
Published on
January 11, 2005 in
Uncategorized.
The Yarn Harlot has a great idea: donate to Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF). Please note that you can donate to the general emergency relief fund that will allow your money to be used where it is most needed. There are local “chapters” of MSF in different countries. Once you get to the US website, you can navigate to the country you want.
