can't even blame the dogs

Really, you can't because it has nothing to do with dogs for the most part.



Lately when I 've been working in my gardens I've noticed patches of odd looking stuff. When I spray them with the hose nozzle a brown smokish substance emits from them. I figured they were some sort of mold or fungus. Come to find out it's what is called "dog vomit fungus". The patches aren't really a type of fungus, they are a type of slime mold. It's is more accurately called "dog vomit slime mold".



I am happy to learn it is harmless, if not scarey and will go away on its own. I'll probably still play with any patches I come across and spray them into oblivion.


You can see me spraying in the second photo, the glob of dog vomit slime mold the brown smokish stuff which is actually spores. Then the last photo is the end product that will hopefully just go away.

ring around the posey

Today I had my visit with the OBGYN, we'll call him Dr. B. First let me say it was kind of odd, because in the military OBGYN clinics/offices I've been to children are not allowed, but today moms strolled in with their wee ones in tow.

Anyway.

I sat there reading about the nervous system, you know that unit, the one I'll be lucky to test out of with a C! Then it was my turn and Dr. B took me back and I proceeded to fill him in on my woes of late. Long story, short: he's prescribed Ambien CR and NuvaRing, which I inserted and now I wont be taking OCPs. He gave it to me to insert on my own and then returned. He gloved his left hand telling me his left hand was for his GYN patients and his right is for his OB patients. Why yes, you better use your left hand then!!! Dr. B also wrote an order for a FSH test, so after my blood was drawn I promptly paid my co-pay and skeedaddled.

I'm quite proud to say I headed straight home. This might not seem to be quite a big deal, but let me fill you in on why it really is. Dr. B's office is amidst every store you could possibly want to spend money in, and I didn't want to spend money, so I left the area PDQ! It only took a little bit of effort.

I also wanted to share our latest addition to our backyard landscaping. It's coming along slowly, but surely. The mulch pile on the driveway still exists, but it is getting smaller. We planted in one side and Big B mulched it to his heart's contentment. The other side still has a couple of open spots, so it has yet to be completed with mulch. Big B was quite proud of his mulching job, as it was his first time throwing the woody bits. He did a mighty fine job!







The day lillies, salvia, achillea, coneflower and jacob's ladder were all brought around from the front yard, so they're in shock, and will hopefully make it through the transplant process ok. The larger day lillies are the ones that look the worst, although the salvia are just lying on the dirt rather than standing tall and proud as usual. I can't wait for the crape myrtle to bloom as it is a beautiful color, called "dynamite"! It's a brilliant, firecracker red.

Ho hum. It's time I get back to working on that C! The exam this time is in two parts. One is for lecture and the other is for lab. The lab exam is nothing more than labeling, which sounds easy, until you remember you are not that nervous system savvy! You know, there are some systems you get and some you don't get as much!

I did get approval for my community college to proctor my exams for A&P, so I don't have to drive up north, which wastes a lot of time. The exams are this Thursday. Wish me luck! Cs get the degrees! C=RN!

fun, fun friday

Just came in from working outside. I wanted to amend the soil in my flower pots so I dumped the contents of each into my wheelbarrow, along with a humus/manure mixture, and got to mixing. I planted some crimson colored Morning Glory seeds and some purple Petunia seeds. We'll see how well they do. That's one area of gardening I haven't mastered, but it usually has to do with the whole instant gratification thing. We don't have anywhere in our house to start seeds indoors, so that leaves it to be done straight outside.



I had to replace some cacti I had planted, last year, as they died over the winter.






Here you can see the lovely Dwarf Maple that is the focal point of this part of the garden.








The demise of my Rosemary bush left a large open space, now filled with Lavendar, Salvia, and a few other plants. More pictures to come as the gardens fill up and different flowers bloom.







Some of the more established plants coming up. We've had buckets upon buckets of rain here lately and all the vegetation is thriving wildly. Centered in the foreground you may see one of my Azalea bushes, trying hard to come back from last year when I added too much fertilizer. Brown thumb moments happen to me just like blonde moments do!






The slender, conical evergreen in the bottom right of the photo needs to be pruned. It's supposed to have a spiral shape. This intimidates me. Eventually I will get my pruners out and give it the old college try!





Speaking of college, tonight I'm headed out to celebrate with some of my classmates. We're convening at a local Mexican restaurant. It seems to be a popular place around here, and it is pretty good. After living in Texas and Colorado a good bit of my life it pales in comparison to some of the Mexican food I've had in the past. That being said I'm not really going for the food, I'm going for the company and some drinks. Many of us have gone to lunch together, amidst classes, but we've never, as a large group hit the town. Now that our first year is over we have some celebrating to do! Somehow I think I'll be able to write another post after tonight's events! There will be about 12 of my classmates who are women, and the one guy in the class is coming. He's bringing his wife. I can't say as if I blame him!! Can you imagine if he was out, solo amongst us women, and friends of his saw him!?

Until later!

Cheers!