Still climate change.

Here where I am at in Texas, I have two Christmas cactus in hanging baskets.  I will normally take them in just before Thanksgiving in full bloom.  The last couple of years, that first cold snap has been coming in the end of October and the buds have not even set in the Christmas cactus.  So in they came because we have already had a freeze.  I have lived in this area for 40 years and only in the last 5 years have I seen a lot of snow, ice, early freezes.  And I am seeing many plants that used to thrive here in decline.  We are fast forwarding on climate change and nobody gives a freakin damn.  Humans are so stupid.  We will wait till after the point of no return, then jump on it and try to stop it.  People, it is quickly reaching that point of no return.  If you don't get on your government and force the issue, we as a species may very well be doomed.  Think of it this way.  Mother nature or the planet has billions of years to repair the damage.  Humans do not.  We will become an extinct species and it will be brutal.  Forget the rich. That money won't do them any good.  We are all in this together and we had better wake up and smell the stink.  But we won't. I won't be here to see the worst of it, but I feel so, so sorry for my children and grandchildren. 

Been thinking about climate change

I am an avid gardner.  I would be in the country if I could and I would have horses, cows, a donkey or two, chickens, ducks.  But I am stuck in town so I make the best of it.  Instead I have frogs, geckos, corn snakes, birds and squirrels.  And watching what is happening with climate change, we are going to be in a world of hurt.  My personal opinion, we have all better learn to grow our own food.  We have a recall alert on romine lettuce.  It contains E coli again, different strain this time.  Well, I gather my greens from my back yard.  I have dandelions growing.  I have swiss chard. I have purslane.  I also have Turks caps.  All but swiss chard are considered weeds.  However, they are very good in salads.  I have planted Swiss chard, lettuce, mustard greens, sugar snap peas.  If all goes well, I will have lots of greens that I know are safe.  And I am building raised beds to have a garden year around. 
Another thing, with global warming and if you garden,  stick with native plants.  I mentioned the Turks Caps.  Those are native to Texas.  They attract humming birds, butterflies and bees.  So what is not in vegetables in my yard, is planted in natives.  I am tired of trying to get non natives to grow.  Well, with the exception of roses.  Roses will grow anywhere.

My rescues

Ok, I have this thing.  I visit thrift stores looking for pyrex, corning ware, fire king, whatever strikes my fancy.  And I have begun to rescue single china plates.  I can't help it.  It strikes me as so sad that this generation does not value things.  When my kids were small, you would not have found a china plate in a thrift store.  Someone would have snapped it up to complete their set. Same with silver.  Now this generation doe not entertain and if they do,it is with solo cups and they hold parties to get wasted.  There is no more sitting around discussing the state of the country or the world.  There is no dignity.  No one has basic manners.  When I get the door held for me, it is by an older gentleman.  I have never had a young man hold the door for me.  I have had them go in front of me when I open the door for myself.  I really hate the loss of manners, the lose of decorum and most of all the loss of education.  I watched a couple of you tube videos last night.  Many of those citizens could not tell the interviewer how many stars are on our flag.  Could not tell what those stars represented.  One was ask what WW1 stood for and she did not have a clue.  That is a very sad reflection on not only our education system but on our parenting.  When you turn out stupid kids, it is on you.  Education starts at home and in order to have an educated child, the parent must have a level of education.  So it is willful stupidity.  Really disgusting.

Trash trees

Anyone in the states planning on planting trees or are having a builder put in trees in your new yard, do not let them nor do you plant Bradford Pear trees.  They are trash trees with a life of about 25 years if that lone.  They have surface roots and the fruit stinks.  The roots send out shoots all over under the tree.  And if it live 20 years it gets huge and puts out limbs that are brittle and prone to breaking.  If they blow over in a storm, it looks like a big pancake.  I have one in my back yard and have been putting off getting it taken out.  Sorry I did not have it taken out years ago.  One of the biggest headaches I have along with the box elder that came up on my neighbor's side of the fence.  It is also a trash tree and sends out surface roots.  Both are fast growing and that is why builders like them. And when small, they look cute.  So if you want 15-20 ft trees, opt for Crepe Myrtles.  And I am sure there are small trees in the north that you can use.  Here in Texas Crepe Myrtles, Mountain Laurel, Yaupon.  These are all small trees, relatively pest free and the mountain laurel and yaupon are native. 

I also have a big burr Oak in the back.  It is slow growing because it has a long root system that sinks down not out.  Hackberry grows really fast, but most consider it a trash tree.  I have seen them live to 35 years and still going strong when cut down.  So I am on the fence with that one.  I also have water oaks in the front.  I was told by a specialist that those would reach 120 feet.  Mine are around 45 feet.  They are doing well and this specialist told me that they are one of the best trees to have.  I have a 60 foot post oak beside the house and will have to drop around $1000 in the near future to get it taken out.  So my choice is water oak, hackberry, and crepe myrtles.  Those of you that live east of East Texas and south of the Ozarks can also grow Magnolias.  There is nothing more beautiful than a magnolia and nothing more infuriating than the dropped leaves of the magnolia.  But if I could grow one, I would.  That scent of the flowers is so wonderful.  It is worth the mess and if you let the branches stay near the ground, the mess is hidden and you can leave it and clean it out once a year. 

Sears

Finally found out what happened to Sears.  A hedge fund got hold of it.  And that, of course, meant that it was doomed.  If I owned a company, there is no way that I would take it public.  I would take no chance in a hedge fund getting into my company.  As soon as a hedge fund gets hold of a company, that spells the death knell for the acquired company.  It seems to me that it should be illegal the way they work, but with the present atmosphere in the country now, nothing is apparently illegal anymore unless it  is the poor and working class getting ahead. 

New stuff

I haven't been on here much because I don't tend to buy new stuff very often.  That being said, I bought a 2010 Mercury Milan 5 years ago.  It has 7 major recalls against it.  First, the throttle on the transmission was bad.  It quit in traffic.  Got that fixed.  Now I have a recall on the fuel pump, I think, the air bags, the seats, the wheels.  and there are some others.  Also the wiring has a short in it. 

Now for the rest.  The driver's side door latch broke.  Just broke within the door.  And the door won't lock.  However, if you get out of the car and do not hit lock, then when you open the door, the alarm is triggered.  So gotta get that fixed.  My next vehicle is going to be a 1999 Dodge Ram Van full size.  Of course, I will have to go inland to get it because I don't trust any used cars in Texas.  We are seeing cars that were flooded being sold now.  So yeah, I will get well away from Texas to get that van.  Saw one listed in Tennessee I love.  I may go for it.