Well, now I have done it.  I ordered 10 black raspberry plants from a home gardener in Ohio.  These are the berries I remember from when I was a kid ( I have a long memory).  We picked these wild but there was always enough everywhere.  Well, not in the city and I have tried to buy these in the store.  There are raspberries (red) and there are blackberries (dark purple almost black) but both are different berries than the one from when I was a kid.  ONCE when I was in Wisconsin, I found a few for sale.  I also found some on a bike trail near Rochester growing wild, of course. 

So, drastic measures are required.  I have to grow them myself now.  My knee is cooperating and I have just enough energy.  oh….I can’t wait to pick them ripe and warm from the sun.  I doubt if I will have enough for jams and jellies left over.

Sharon the gardener says:

We were given these plants as a gift when we first moved here in 1978. We never knew what variety they were. They are however, our favorite berry, ripening right after the strawberrys are done. They are about the size of a dime. We make raspberry vinegar and wine as well as can the juice and make jellys and syrup with them. We also dry the leaves for teas. They like semi- shade to produce best though will bear too in full sun . They need water when they are fruiting and like a good mulch . No insects or disease have ever bothered them It is best to grow them on a fence, though you can just let them grow into a thicket. We prune in March. They will last generations if you care for them.

I never talk on my personal cell when driving.  Once in a while I will answer my work cell if it is really important.  But there was a recent Oprah show where people told true stories of how their loved one got killed because of someone talking or texting while driving.  Summer saw it and said she was taking the oath to never talk (she never did text) while driving.  I said I would take the oath too.  So, we both pledged to never talk on the phone while driving.  That includes checking who is calling if it rings.  Done

I hope you will all consider doing the pledge too.  Make your car a no cell phone zone.

http://www.sundog.net/carolofthechins/flash/card.swf

click on the link above and put in a Christmas carol

Here are a few if you can’t think of any:

Twelve Days of Christmas

Silent Night

Away in a Manger

Deck the Halls

Do you hear what I hear

the first noel

Hark the heaald angels sing

joy to the world

little durmmer boy

o holy night

Little town of Bethlehem

Feliz Navidad (a must)

Please read this!

If you are an owner of a dog that belongs to a ‘dangerous breed’ category, and you also have a child, or there is a small child visiting, please take this as a warning.

Don’t leave your dog with a small child unattended under any circumstances!

Only one brief moment was enough for the following to happen.

See the photo below …

——

Yesterday, when I got up and walked downstairs…..I looked out the front window and thought my boulder was especially beautiful.

Then as we left for our coffee….Dunn Brothers Coffee today(BOGO)…our neighbors were raking their yard.

This was also especially nice since all those leave would blow into our  yard with the next big wind.  I like the ‘boss’ queen bee who is standing there with coffee while the worker bees rake and haul leaves.

Then I added the pic from a few days ago when we had snow.  Don’t you just love my green thumb to raise such nice sunflowers right on the lamp post?  Yes, that is a *Finally Franken time* sign in the window.  I had to put it on the inside since the last one was stolen.

Tonight when I was doing the dishes, Blips came in the kitchen and said,

“Your deal-e-bob is toast”

I said, “What?”

He repeated it a little louder….but the volume was not the problem.I had no clue what he was talking about and I am FROM here!He was speaking Minnesotan and/or American English.

To what do you think he was referring?

Trader Joe’s has some nice new dark mint chocolates that melt in yourmouthfor the one who gets the closest to the deal-e-bob.

Last week Blips was given tickets to a cruise down the Mississippi River.The day before, somebody decided to make it a Hawaiian shirt competition.Well, I work with a woman from Hawaii, so I called her up and asked her to dress me.She just had a new baby and all her Hawaiian shirts were dirty but she did bring me an original Hawaiian flower for my hair.It was a very busy day for both of us but we managed to meet up and she put the flower in my hair just as they wear them in Hawaii.Here I am with my friend, Kailua.I did get voted most authentic  flower at our table.The winner of the shirt contest wore a brown shirt with yellow pineapple slices (like the Dole can) all over it.He did deserve to win.It was awful.

The cruise was relaxing and so was the strawberry margarita that I was drinking.We had free drink tickets and left about 8 tickets on the table.We had to drive home and work the next day, so just a social drink for us.

My younger brother David retired.His first party was in a bar with all his friends and co-workers.

The second one was at the Casino in Hinkley, Mn in the amphitheater at a George Thorogood concert with Blips and me.We ate at the buffet which was wonderful.Chicken, pot roast, prime rib, b-b-q ribs, spaghetti, baked cod(only I ate that), salads, tons of veggies including the greenbean casserole, corn muffins, garlic breads….. There was a section for pizzas and for Chiniese and European Foods(lots of creams sauces over pasta.They must be thinking France) Then there were the deserts.Let’s see….Blips had pumpkin pie with whip cream, cheesecake, pecan pie(he had not yet found the whip cream).I had an oatmeal/peanutbutter bar topped with chocolate and blueberry pie with whip cream.David had the hot peach cobbler.Then after a great cup of coffee….we went to the outdoor concert.

David and I are fans of George Thorogood and went to a concert about 15 years ago.He was great then and great still.He and the Destroyers are the best party band ever.Blips is a new fan of George Thorogood. Every single seat was sold.Do we looked stuffed?

All I can say is……Get a haircut and get a real job!

Bad to the Bone: (you will recognize this one)

Taildragger: (great sound to see why he is the greatest rock&roll party band EVER)

http://www.georgethorogood.com/

Get a Haircut: (good thing his parents told him to get a real job)

I Drink Alone

McDonald’scorporation has more than 32,000 restaurants in 118 countries.That is a powerful brand name with global exposure.HOWEVER, 34% of revenue came from the US, and 42% came from Europe, and 18% from Asia, the Pacific region and the Middle East.

I am just plain surprised that Europe eats more of that junk than America does.

Any ideas of how that is happening?(I dont’ have an answer, just ran across the statistic and was surprised)

Bye bye Sarah Palin.Don’t let the door hit your ass on the way down and out. I don’t know what that thing is in the bottom right corner.Maybe it is the boot that was used to kick her butt out of office.hehehehhe