The Obsessive Neurotic Gardener

Tag Archives: Facebook

Surgery, sadness and hot sauce

Posted on by Posted in My garden .

A little bit of everything this week.

 

Stop and smell the roses

That is my literal plan on the morning of September 19th. Well maybe not that exact date, depending on my recovery, but a day or few after that. Actually, let’s call it no later than September 26th.

I’m finally doing it. I’ve scheduled septoplasty surgery and it will be on September 18th.

It’s been a long time coming and I’m super excited. I’m ready to be able to smell for the first time in a long time. I’m ready to be able to breathe through my nose while running. I’m ready to, fingers crossed, be able to sleep more comfortably and snore a whole lot less.

So if it all pans out, you’re going to read a lot about my enjoyment of smelling flowers for the first time.

 

The spit is the least of my concerns

One of the plants I’ve been touting a ton this spring/summer was this newly planted willow-leaved sunflower (Helianthus salicifolius).

I’m in love with the texture and would be happy even if it never bloomed.

But one morning this past week I noticed this all over all of the leaves.

I’d seen it before many times on other plants but never did anything about it. It never seemed to cause the plants any harm.

But this was excessive and it made me panic. So I did my research and I’m proud to say that I’m now educated on the spittlebug. And if I’m interpreting what I read accurately, there is little reason to worry about long term damage.

Bullet dodged temporarily though.

This plant has begun to flop and it hasn’t even bloomed yet. I couldn’t get a good photo of the collapse but just know it isn’t pretty.

My dreams have been crushed.

 

It’s getting hot in here

Contrary to what you may think, I do grow plants that one can actually eat. I have a bunch of tomato plants grown in containers on my deck where I can keep them away from the deer. While I don’t eat tomatoes (please don’t judge), my wife happily consumes them and I at least think they’re pretty.

This year I’m growing a habanero pepper that I think will be in regular rotation moving forward. It’s called Cheiro Roxa and she is beautiful.

While not exactly a chef in the kitchen, I do have plans to use these peppers to make my very first hot sauce. I’m thinking this one.

The peppers can be harvested once they transform from black/chocolate to a light pink which a few are at now.

To top it all off, the foliage of these plants is killer. Check this out.

 

Add this grass

I mentioned it last week and I’ll do so again.

I love Molinia (moor grass) more and more each year as they continue to mature in my garden.

This one is ‘Skyracer‘ and it’s majestic right now. This is the view off of my deck.

And from around the corner (top middle of the photo).

Am I right?

 

Facebook anyone?

Many of you have told me that you shun the Facebook. If you fall in that camp, please ignore the following request.

I’ve created a “John Markowski – Author” FB page and I’d love for you to throw it a “like” if you’re so inclined. You can access it here.

It’s becoming a place where I can share my non-gardening writing as I continue to pursue that option moving forward.

Thank you in advance.

Not thankful for the following

Posted on by Posted in Comedy .

Here is what I am not thankful for this year:

Large kid themed shopping carts – I am proud of the fact that we never allowed our children to spend even one second in one of these awful vehicles. The turn radius alone guarantees at least one display will be toppled over each visit. Not to mention the aisle clog factor is way upped when these are involved.

Nip the whiny-kid-thing in the bud early and make them ride in a standard cart under all circumstances. Life isn’t always fun kiddo and being pushed around while eating animal crackers ain’t a bad way to go through life.

supermarket_cart

 

The Property Brothers – Dude. Enough already. They’ve been around for like a decade already right? 15 minutes ain’t over?

Twins weird me out in the first place and these two Stepford Husbands just make me never want to put on HGTV ever again. Admittedly, I’ve only watched a few episodes but that was enough to draw a definitive conclusion. Home rehab is never as easy as they make it seem and you should never knock down a wall looking that good/creepy.

You know the long play here is to make it into TV/Movies (their father was an actor/director … yes I do my research) and in fact, Drew made it into one of my holiday flicks which made me delete it immediately. I have more integrity than that.

Kudos though to some fantastic facial hair.

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My facial hair – no lie, that is like 4-5 days worth of growth. I’m an embarrassment to middle aged men everywhere.

not thankful for

 

Food Network programming – I was a huge fan of the Food Network back in the day when it was all about the cooking and none of the showmanship. I blame Emeril for the inevitable downfall into celebrity and style and no substance.

But it is at an all time low right now with all of the game shows and 97 different versions of Chopped where 8 year olds are making appetizers out of gum and duck bills. And I don’t need to watch contestants try to cook while holding a bowling ball in their pocket. Thank God Ina Garten is still around to keep some of the original integrity.

cutthroat kitchen

 

Canker sores – If you are a sufferer of canker sores, you know how damn frustrating they are. No truly known cause and they come in waves. Eating becomes miserable as does talking. If I tune out my family, they immediately know why.

This year they’ve been worse than ever and I’ve had enough. C’mon scientists, give me a root cause already. If it means I have to eat upside down, I’ll friggin do it.

canker

 

The word “frankly” – The definition is:

In an honest and direct manner

This term is way overused and IMHO, misused as well.

“Quite frankly John, I’m going to lunch now.”

“To be completely frank, I’m totally not sure.”

Frankly_650

 

The loose definition of eminent domain – The definition as I understood it (same goes for Merriam-Webster):

A right of a government to take private property for public use

Never in a million years did I know a private company could do the same all in the name of the almighty dollar. The ultimate wake-up call of 2015. We’re fighting it, will be fighting it for the foreseeable but already, there are good signs for us.

Check this out:

Cracks are beginning to show

eminentdomain

 

Round-up still being used – I’m no scientist, but I’ve read/seen enough to know this stuff is bad. I don’t need to see any more. European countries have banned it as a known carcinogen and it’s high time we consider doing the same. Just pull the weeds or put up with some already won’t you?

That is coming from a rehabbed obsessive and neurotic gardener.

Roundup-Monsanto

 

Facebook know-it-alls – I know I just dedicated an entire post to all that is Facebook, but with the recent events in Paris and the subsequent refugee discussion, so called layperson experts have emerged from both sides of the political spectrum. And damn if people aren’t downright nasty and aggressive about it. I didn’t realize how many people gathered all the facts in such a short period of time and have drawn definitive conclusions already. The days of civil discussion are done.

cat

 

Facebook hate explained

Posted on by Posted in Comedy .

My Facebook hate … here we go.

If you are friends with me on Facebook, chances are I’ve completely stalked you by now.

Before you contact the authorities, let me clarify.

When I say “stalk”, I mean not in a creepy looking-through- your-window-at-night kind of way, but more like I’ve enjoyed your pics, investigated your “likes” and browsed your Wall (if it’s even called that anymore). We all expect that right? We put it all out there realizing this is going on regularly, right? I know I do.

I find people fascinating. I find the mundane fascinating. I find both ends of the political spectrum fascinating. I find sad stories fascinating. I find baby pigs fascinating. And guess where you can find all of those things in one nice and tidy location? You nailed it, The Facebook.

I suffer from Facebook hate because I can’t pull myself away from it. And it has been like this since 2008, when I joined FB. I don’t think this is normal for a 43 year old man but it’s me. I made a pledge to myself when I started this blog to be completely transparent and that is what I am doing here. I’m not proud of it, but it feeds the curiosity gene in me.

Just a few of my favorite things on FB:

POLITICAL ANGER – I have my share of friends (and subsequently their friends’ friends) who fall to the left and to the right. And are they ever convinced that they have it all figured out. Never mind the fact that they only seek out information from sources that feed their existing beliefs (like www.liberalssuckbigtime.com or www.everyconservativeisabigot.org).

Once they post said information and others of the same ilk chime in, it is like friggin bedlam. A snowball rolling down hill fast. Anger and hatred that I would have never thought they were capable of displaying.

So much for the “gray”.

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THE VAGUE COMMENTER – We all know who these people are. And while most of you dismiss their narcissism, I can’t get enough.

“A very good thing might be happening to someone at some time.”

Wow, count me in. I cannot wait for the follow-up. This is a better cliffhanger than an episode of Breaking Bad. We don’t know who, what, when or why, but damn if I don’t need to find out how it all works out.

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CUTE ANIMAL STUFF – True confession, I hate cats and they hate me. I have no idea how to handle them and I don’t get their eccentricities. But give me a dog or a pig or even a panda and I’ll cry all day.

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THE IRRESISTIBLE LINKS – You know what I’m talking about.

“Top ten worst dressed soap actresses.”

“Ten child actors that became like real ugly.”

“Ten harrowing photos of people right before they were attacked by zoo animals.”

You know you shouldn’t but you click it any way. And then you get stuck in the whirlwind that is other links and fake “next” buttons and before you know it, you have 13 windows opened and cannot remember how you got there.

 

NON-CONTROVERSY CONTROVERSY – While I rarely comment on such things, I find it to be a great study in humanity after reading the 571 comments about why Starbucks is the devil.

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UNDESERVED CELEBRITY – The Kardashian’s come to mind. Ignore them and they will eventually go away, right? Probably, but I can’t. But I justify it by believing I am an amateur sociologist and I need to understand what makes them tick.

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ALLOWING REAL LIFE DRAMA TO PLAY OUT ON SOCIAL MEDIA – This can be either heartbreaking or awkward or funny and once I’ve been pulled in, I cannot jump ship. There is a real human side to this in many instances and I do believe it helps people cope by putting it out there to an audience. Would I do it? Not a chance, but that doesn’t mean that I’m not fascinated by it.

 

THE GOOD – No matter your opinion on social media, and the notion that there is a lot of hatred and nonsense on Facebook, there is still so much good to glean from others all over the world.

Tolerance

Compassion

Shared tragedies

Exposure to those we don’t encounter in our daily lives

And on a personal level, I’ve formed friendships with many over the past few months who are dealing with the same fight we are fighting against. FB has allowed us to easily communicate, share important links and just think together in a closed, yet open forum.

That kicks ass.

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