Don't Ask Don't Think

I'm commenting, of course, on the recent news about our military's backassward policy on gays, but also on my inability to focus. Maybe it's hormones. Or lack of...something.



I keep seeing these smiley faces on my drive to work. I'm not sure what it's all about, but I kind of like them. I'll post another one I managed to shoot while driving on the face blog. That is to say, I took the picture while driving, but I wasn't driving on the face blog. That would be silly.

As for the title of today's post...
O.
M.
G.

It's possible this post may contain profanity. You've been warned.

What is UP with John Fuckwad McCain?! Seriously. How is it possible that 80% of the country can be in favor (or at least indifferent) about something and not only do 60%of our so-called elected representatives NOT vote accordingly, but one certifiable idiot (hi, I graduated 894 of 899 in my class...) can alter the whole process? Oh yeah...it's an election year. So it's necessary to make an important issue POLITICAL, even though it's got nothing to do with being a career politician and everything to do with ... what's that things called? The constitution? And what's right vs. what's popular? Yeah, that.

Wonder what would happen if the thousands of gay service people just up and "told" and took a discharge. And, while we're at it, let's have every homo withdraw their funds from the economy. Maybe buy some property in Canada and shop on Amazon.com.uk. Grrr.

I should stop thinking about how backwards puritan idiocy is ruining everything it touches and turning the United States into a worldwide joke ... dwelling on such things might drive me to drink...more.

Further nosegays of September! The first one shows off the half-assed vanity in my downstairs powder room a little bit. There should be a law against retarded people engaging in DIY projects around the home. Thank you former owners. My house is such a case in point.



This one comes with a bonus boule!



Close up...



On a slightly lighter note, I just noticed recently that just about every label you read contains a warning that the item you're about to consume was made/processed/fondled in a facility that handles tree nuts. Do we really eat that many nuts? Interesting.

Yesterday I wore my slippers to work. By accident of course.

This will probably be my second to last harvest.



There are only a few tomatoes and some beets left. But lots of basil and wicked hot peppers, which I'll never eat. I may grind them up and add some to my super soaker, which is my main defense against the raccoons. Or maybe I'll eat some, poop, and then send a bag of flaming pepper poo to that senile pygmy hypocrite in the senate.

Also, I think I've also got another skunk living under the shed. Definitely republican.

Brotherly Love

Odie came home for Labor Day weekend and his birthday, and labor we did. He helped me wash my windows while Hoops supervised. I think she's very excited about her new smudge-free views and is being extra careful not to leave her little nose prints on the glass. We'll see how long that lasts though. Anyway, it's good to have a big brother who protects you AND does windows.

(Note, I find it both rewarding and less tiring to document the labor of others)




We also went for a swift bike ride and a relaxing paddle with Roland and Amy; Lenore joined us at the dam for an abbreviated trip, which accommodated her short attention span.





This is one of the few decent egret photos I've taken while paddling.



Odie was checking out a new summer home, but it doesn't have cable.



Lenore and I also made a buttload of tomato sauce to freeze, using 97% of the ingredients from my garden. It involved peeling about 30 tomatoes and roasting them with chopped up onion, green pepper, zucchini (from Lenore's garden), fresh herbs, garlic, balsamic vinegar and salt/pepper. I have since picked about 50 more tomatoes and made a second batch. Spaghetti anyone?

Here's most of the bounty pre and post prep.




After roasting, I roughly pureed the mixture in my blender with some tomato paste and Parmesan cheese. I forgot to document the finished product. Stay tuned.

I would be remiss if I didn't highlight the largest pepper I've ever grown. It's now part of the sauce.



Lenore gave Odie a cool Blackhawks pen that has a little projector light on one end. Sweet! This first one is what ET would look like if he were a Hawks fan.




I do love a four-day weekend...though age is catching up to me, because I can't remember what else we did. Other than farmer's marketing, the usual mundane weekend choors (laundry, etc.) and lots of eating.

So, this is as good a time as any to present the first of the September nosegays! Notice the purple and orange.




The tiny sunflowers that grew up orange are about 10 feet tall now, and they are producing prodigious amounts of bright orange blossoms. Even the hummingbirds are impressed (I've never seen a hummingbird in my yard before)!