a fine and dreary day

[mellowtigger]

I woke up very early today and couldn't get back to sleep. I went walking around 9am.  I bundled up in long sleeves and a vest because the weather is cold and damp today. It hasn't been cold enough to bring frost here in the Twin Cities, but it's getting close.  The leaves are already beginning to turn colors. It still seems early to me, but there's no arguing with Mother Nature about such matters. Forecast  was for a long and wet winter this year because of La Niña conditions. It appears that the forecasters may be correct already.

I'm not the only one who thinks the cold weather arrived early this year. The local squirrels were out in force this morning, chomping away at all the food they could find. I noticed that none of them seemed fat enough to survive the winter. All of us were caught unprepared for this early chill. Here's a squirrel in front of the house that's still small enough to jump easily through the links in the yard fence.

This year, I tried one of those hanging tomato containers. It works okay, but only okay.  I grew cherry tomatoes, and I plucked many of them to eat while standing right there by the vine. It would work better, I think, if I maintained vigilance in keeping the soil moist. The instructions did insist that the owner water it every single day. I didn't, and I guess my lackadaisical gardening shows.  *laugh*

I let the plants languish this year, focusing instead on working with dirt and bricks. I've reached the point where the patio is finished enough for use. All I need now is a chiminea, and this would be a great place to sit out the chill weather while reading a book. I think I may look for an aluminum product. I think that clay would not handle the subfreezing weather here (causing the clay to shatter) and iron would not handle the salty air (rusting because of saltwater thrown into mist on all of our roadways). Aluminum seems the best bet for long life in local conditions.

Taking a hint from bitterlawngnome 's icon offering, I've cropped this image to use as my new "profile image" online. The scruffy neck seems to need a shave, but it doesn't show up as much when shrunk down to the usual icon size.  Plus, when websites automatically resize for icon usage, the face still comes out looking normal in either original-size or icon-size resolutions.

I drive out this afternoon for my first appointment with the neuro-muscular sub-specialist neurologist. I took the day off from work since the appointment was smack in the middle of my short work shift. I don't expect much to come of this meeting other than, "Hello, how are you? Care to schedule some tests?" We'll see what happens. Time to get a shower and figure out where I need to drive to meet the doctor.

It's nice to have a slow day for a walk, an appointment, and then a classic sci-fi movie at the theater.

Comments

:o)

[otterlover01.livejournal.com]

At the office and with some free time and I did like your posting so I decided to write something here. I have been waking up very early lately too, and weather has changed from last years here too; we used to have hot but dry late summers but now it has been unusually humid, something we are not used to locally. Plants in our communal garden seem to like it better than us humans who have to stand sticky clothes, their leaves have not dried at their tips as much as usual and the overall effect is that of unusual greenery.

Your garden looks really good and the work you did with the dirt and bricks looks really nice!

I like the photo btw, ... don´t worry bout me, I happen to like scruffy necks...! lol ;o)

Time to go to apply an exam to my 30 students, ARGH, I HATE to design them, I HATE to apply them and I HATE to grade them, but well... *sigh*

Thanks for the nice account of your day, enjoy the movie!
Hugs,
Luis.

Re: :o)

[mellowtigger]

Thanks. Hope the tests went well (for everyone). Yes, the movie was wonderful! I forgot that there was so much sexual innuendo in it. (And Robbie The Robot wandered off alone to give himself an oil job. *laugh*)

[pangolin.livejournal.com]

The patio looks good. Your new icon pick is also good, on which I've been meaning to comment.

[mellowtigger]

Thanks. bitterlawngnome deserves the credit for the icon, though. He selected the image and the framing for it. :)

[cosmomn.livejournal.com]

you are cute in any size icon

[mellowtigger]

Thanks. Shrink the pixel landscape small enough, and everyone eventually becomes just a pale dot. It's strange how certain pixel arrangements induce emotions that other pixel arrangements don't. It's almost enough to make an inquisitive person into an old-fashioned reductionist. *laugh*