Trend Setter

I'm seeing a trend here, purple to the left, right, front, back.  I really prefer the French lavender for its perfume, but I won't turn down the Spanish lavender that grows behind the first shed or the potted one on the deck.  The Spanish is a bit of a showoff, blooming early with flashy topknot flowers.  It just doesn't smell as sweet.  Both lavenders are slow to settle into a new home and need a little TLC to get established.  After that, they are very low maintenance and are drought resistant, perfect for me and the current drought conditions here.  Their companion plants are grey and green santolinas, both of which have loads of little yellow flowers and neither need much water.  An added bonus is that deer do not appear to like either lavender or santolinas.

I've worked out a barter agreement with a young family.  They need milk for their feeder pigs and I like fresh vegetables.  I could just give them the surplus milk, but I explained to Nicole that past experience has taught me that which has no cost is not always appreciated.  Pick-up days and times were ignored as if they, and I, didn't matter.  I may not leave often and may have little to nothing on my agenda, but I do try to accommodate and maintain a schedule.  She was fine with my conditions and brought a box of veggies to trade yesterday.  Milk for pigs does not need to be refrigerated and they seem to prefer the sour milk.  In fact, I was just reading articles that state soured milk is actually easier for pigs to digest, and definitely eliminates the need for GMO-based grain.  That's a win-win.  It was fun to meet Nicole and her two little children.

Getting up early as I do, I had the opportunity to see the lunar eclipse this morning, the so-called "blood moon."  Stumbling around in the dark had me wondering why I was doing this thing, but it was worth it to see that red orb in the sky.  I made it back to the house without falling flat on my face, stepping into a squirrel hole, or running into anything.  When the full moon is eclipsed, it is very, very dark.  It was a good start to the day.