Easy Answers

It's that time of year.  Every morning is a challenge with spring's changeable weather.  How to dress?  Let me rephrase that; I do know how to dress myself, been doing it for years.  The question is what to put on.  Bibbies, of course, but what shirt goes under them on any given day?  Turtleneck, long- or short-sleeved T-shirt, or work shirt?  Cool enough for a jacket on the way to the barn, it's often too hot to wear on the slog back up the hill.  The house holds the nighttime chill for awhile, but when Bess and I go out to the deck to warm up, it's not long before we're baked and ready to go back inside.  Would that all of life's problems were so easily solved.

The little hardware store, one of the only two businesses in the downtown Fair Play mall, closed without notice some months back.  Doggone it, now I'll have to drive ten miles to get a hose fitting.  I discovered yesterday when I wanted to water the roses in the pig garden that at some time in the past I had cut one end off the hose, the end that goes to the water pipe.  I must have had a good reason, but it escapes me now.  The sprinkler is still attached to the useless piece so once I replace the fitting, I'll be good to go.  Another easy solution.

Some time back, I planted lettuce seeds in a pot on the deck.  Lettuce seeds are planted very shallow, and birds ate almost all before they had a chance.  However, two survived and had grown almost to the picking stage; "had" being the definitive word here.  I'm surprised that the ground squirrel who had obviously been casing the joint did not knock on the door and ask for a helping of vinaigrette to put on his salad.  I saw the culprit yesterday.  There are two nubs left in the pot.  I have no ready answer for this one.