New cameras and whatnot

I’ve upgraded to a new (new to me) camera after many years with my old reliable Sony DSC H1. I purchased a slightly used Canon PowerShot S100, and I’m still in the process of learning how to use it. I’m also teaching myself (with the help of “the Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 4 book for digital photographers“) how to use Lightroom 4, it helps you set up an efficient “work flow” system of managing and editing your photos. I’ve not used it enough yet to develop my own work flow, but I’m getting there.

The Sony served me well over the course of many years, and if not for the fact that I needed more pixels for printing large photos, I’d have kept using it until it broke. I went from 5 megapixels with the Sony to 12 with the Canon, which should allow me to make really nice quality 8×10 prints. But of course size isn’t everything; I gave up the Sony’s super cool 12x optical zoom for the Canon’s 5 power, but there’ll always be give and take for folks on a limited budget.

Other things that have either been upgraded or are waiting in line:

1. Wheel Horse riding mower* 
2. Living room suite
3. Kitchen appliances*
4. Kitchen makeover
5. Mobile phone(s)
6. Acoustic/electric guitar*
7. Vehicle(s)
8. Bedroom furniture*
9. Bathroom makeover
10. The Writer Gardener’s website

(*= 20 years old or older)

The above list is a work in progress, and it may even grow so large as to require a complete home makeover! (Note: talk of such an idea has been floating around.)

Floating around somewhere in Kentucky

ALL RISE!!

I had to go to court recently and it was quite interesting, here’s how it happened:

I drive a school bus, one of the smaller ones, and while I was stopped to let a kid off, with all the lights flashing red and the “Stop” arm extended and flashing red, a driver pulled out from behind me and passed my bus on the left. Luckily, the student wasn’t crossing the street in front of my bus, to the left, or she would have been hit by that careless driver.

This reckless incident happens quite often, but it  was the first time I was able to get the license plate number of the offender. I called the local police station and was instructed to write up an incident report and bring it to the station, which I did that very afternoon. A couple of weeks later I got a phone call (while I was at the Philly Flower Show with my wife) from the local sheriff  informing me that I had been summoned to court; that driver had decided to plead not guilty.

My court date has come and gone, the judge found the driver guilty, issued a fine and added 3 points onto the driving record of the offender (click here to read more about PA’s point system). The judge was exceptionally lenient in this instance, the statute reads:

Vehicle Code 3345(a): Failure to stop for school bus with flashing red lights. . . . 60-day suspension. . . . . . . .and. . . 5 points added.

My role in the entire proceeding was minimal. I was called to the stand, answered a few questions, and returned to my seat. One of the more interesting aspects of this procedure was the fact that the careless driver had an attorney, an attorney that appeared to me to be about as competent in his field as a race horse with three legs! The judge even scolded him once for “rolling his eyes” at the judge. I had to restrain myself from outwardly voicing a sigh in disgust at the lawyer’s attempt to justify why the driver didn’t stop – “your honor, the driver isn’t obligated to stop on her way home from work and help a homeless person.” I was in disbelief at such a comparison as that!

Do you think justice was served in this case? I think the driver received what amounted to be a hard slap on the wrist. She should have gotten the 60 day suspension and the full 5 points added to her driving record. I can only hope that she thinks twice the next time she sees a stopped school bus with flashing red lights; such carelessness is inexcusable.

To grow or not to grow, that is the question.

In all honesty, I’m not the one who starts seeds here at Conner Country Gardens, my wife has that chore. However, I do provide a certain amount of input.  How many tomato plants to start and what variety of heirlooms is about the gist of it. And I’m okay with that, it’s more important for me to make sure the grow light shelving is up and running rather than argue, I mean provide input, about needing more heirlooms.

We’ve been starting seeds indoors for the past 10 or 15 years. Ours is not a modern system either, no fancy store-bought shelving unit with gamma ray ultra violet XYZ  grow lights. Just a couple of planks sitting on cement blocks in the basement, a 3-tiered system that gives my wife enough room to plant six flats of seedlings, if she so desires.

We’ve cut back on the number of seedlings we grow, we’re a little older and don’t need the added work of having too many things to set out. We most always end up giving away a bunch of tomato plants, and for the past couple of years my wife has been starting extra seeds for a couple of her friends. Two or three flats is usually enough for our smallish veggie garden.

I suppose there are better systems out there; ones with heat mats, fancy shelving, some with special lights that simulate the sun’s “electromagnetic spectrum appropriate for photosynthesis.” And I’m not against anyone using such a set up. But know this – expensive equipment won’t grow better seedlings. As a matter of fact, all you really need is a sunny windowsill!

I’ll guest post on your blog, but only if it has 5 trillion followers!

There was a pretty good discussion recently on “The Business of Garden Writing” Facebook page about guest posting on someone’s blog. A link was posted to an article on the Business 2 Community website – 5 Reasons You Should Be Guest Posting Right Now (which offers some pretty good advice, if you’re into that kind of thing). I ventured the question: “Would you guest post on a blog that had only 3 followers and .003 comments?” Needless to say I discovered a few hortheads who wouldn’t dare. It should be noted that The Write Gardener’s blog probably qualifies as a “do not guest post” blog, but ask him about it and I think he’d probably say something along the lines of “I don’t give a rat’s patootie!”

There are two types of people – those that want to build themselves up, and those that don’t. Some would classify them into the haves and the have nots, or more politically divisible – liberals and conservatives. Create your own dichotomy, I don’t care. But there is one, and sometimes it rears its ugly head so much that it makes me want to use expletives! And I don’t mean mild ones!

It shouldn’t be called guest posting if your blog must meet certain high brow criteria in order for it to be considered, it should be called guest snooty posting!

 

Writing a novel (maybe)

I took the plunge, if you can call it that.

I started my first serious attempt at writing fiction. Chapter 1 is complete, and I’m almost at 2 pages on Chapter 2. I’ve not titled it yet, maybe something will come to me later. I have no idea how many pages should be in each chapter, and didn’t really know when Chapter 1 would be complete. I didn’t even know what I’d write about until I Googled “writing prompts.” I guess there’s really no set procedure, is there? Maybe I should get some pointers from my good friend LK Hunsaker who’s written several books, she’s the one I blame for putting this novel idea in my head!

And the ideas just keep coming. Here’s an excerpt from Chapter 1:

She always watched for Teewolfe as soon as she took to the air because she knew it would be searching for her. As she got more experience flying, it became harder for Teewolfe to get close to her and Lesley knew that if Teewolfe ever caught her she would be eaten. Chewed. Swallowed. Digested. Dead.

I’ve gotten several early reviews; my wife said it’s hard to follow but the writing’s good, my 19-year old son said he can’t wait to read more, and my 17-year old daughter said “interesting.” This encourages me to write more, even though the reviewers are probably a little biased.

The year in review

January 2012 – Master Gardener Winter Seminar

February 2012 – a slippery slope!

March 2012 – quince welcomes spring!

April 2012 – 21 years with the woman who’s never tried to change who I am!

May 2012 – 56 years young!

June 2012 – Hot time in Kentucky at Don’s birthday party!

July 2012 – Mom found Heaven!

August 2012 – Farmfest at Moonshine Mansion!

September 2012 – Me and Felder Rushing at his talk in Youngstown.

October 2012 – Maureen’s birthday at NCB with Max Schang.

November 2012 – My new foot tambourine, handcrafted by Steve Fazekas!

December 2012 – Merry Christmas!

All the best to all of you in 2013!!

“It’s not gardening season anyway.”

Yes folks, that’s what I was told when I asked why my gardening column wasn’t appearing in it’s regular spot in the local paper. I was also told that strict space limitation requirements were being put into place that would, figuratively speaking, shove my column out into the cold gray snowy and lonely winter landscape!

My column has appeared regularly for the past seven winters and even though some may think that “it’s not gardening season anyway” there are many interesting things to be said about the winter landscape. The simple explanation is this: the editor of the paper is pissed off at me and is getting revenge by not publishing my articles. I have upset someone and I think it’s caused them to omit my column. Of course proving such an accusation would be next to impossible. But it’s probably not an uncommon consequence when editors and their freelance writers get into a disagreement.

I suppose it’s time to move on, seven is my lucky number and the new year is only days away! My writing is good enough for any newspaper, gardening magazine, or book publisher and if it ceases to be included in my hometown newspaper, I’ll find a new home for it!