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Recent Posts – Day 879

Posted on by Lisa Weikel Leave a comment
Lamprocapnos spectabilis – Photo: L. Weikel

Recent Posts

Bleeding Hearts

There are a couple of things I could write about tonight, but none of them are lighting my fingers on fire. Instead, I thought I might provide an update on a couple of recent posts because, you know: continuity.

About twelve days ago I wrote a post about the Lamprocapnos spectabilis (aka Dicentra spectabilis) that was sprouting in one of our gardens. Naturally, I took a photo of it and included it in the post (but also see below). I’ve taken another photo of the flourishing bleeding heart plant and provide that here for comparison (see above).

Twelve days ago – Photo: L. Weikel

In 12 short days, the nascent shoots just poking their heads through the dirt have been joined by several more – and all of them together are clamoring to reach the sun like a litter of kittens tumbling over themselves for a plate of milk.

While the growth has been dramatic, I’m starting to wonder about myself. Obviously I was bowled over the past couple of years when I would ‘suddenly’ realize the plant had flourished and was yielding gobs of blossoms. Equally as obvious is the fact that I must’ve been depressingly oblivious to my Lamprocapnos spectabilis to think they enjoyed some particularly rapid garden evolution.

It’s been 12 days after all. Yes, the plant is thriving. No, it’s not especially more compelling than the mad growth of everything right now, to be honest. Springtime is an extravaganza of growth bursting the seams of all the constructs, not just a few. Nevertheless, I’m asking the Bleeding Hearts to lead the way.

Mailbox Mayhem

While I have nothing to report as far as the apprehension of the person who vandalized our local police force’s pride and joy speed awareness tool, I can report some new about he who mowed down our mailbox.

And yes, it is a ‘he.’

Word on the street (more like the road, but we’ll go with the more common vernacular) is that ‘the guy was caught.’ While I’ve not independently verified the truth of this countryside gossip, it’s being said that the perpetrator was a young man who was extremely angry over his girlfriend breaking up with him. In fact, his anger was so great that he jumped into his truck and proceeded to smash at least 13 mailboxes all around our township.

Not only did he do thousands of dollars worth of damage to his truck, the scuttlebutt is that he’ll also be reimbursing each of us who lost a mailbox the sum of $75.  That adds up quickly.

It doesn’t reimburse us for the time and hassle we’re experiencing just in getting another hole dug and a new pole and box set and mounted. But I’ll admit to feeling a smidge of satisfaction that he’s going to have to pay us at least something in restitution. Then again – I’ll believe it when I see it.

I hope he gets some help learning to deal more productively with his feelings. It sure was an expensive lesson. He did make one thing abundantly clear: it seems likely his girlfriend was sound in her judgment.

(T-232)

Auspicious – Day 870

Posted on by Lisa Weikel Leave a comment
Turkey on 202 – Photo: L. Weikel

Auspicious

Balmy weather returned once again today and I admit to reveling in it. It’s amazing what an additional ten degrees can do to turn a chilly day into one that rivals perfection. And to top it off, I even encountered a turkey ‘crossing the road’ on Route 202 right in front of me. Given that she made it across four lanes of traffic and a concrete median unscathed, I’d give the day a solid 10 out of 10 on the Auspicious Scale.

The appearance of Turkey (capitalized because I am referencing it as an archetype, not just a single bird that happened to be crossing the road) tends to signify a gift or the act of giving to others selflessly (sometimes even of one’s self). Naturally, Karl and I felt especially lucky to have encountered a wild turkey hen in Doylestown of all places (including a gobbling commentary) as she trotted across the median and into oncoming lanes of traffic. Thankfully, she managed to get to the other side of those lanes of traffic before any too aggressively approached her.

I just wish you could hear the audio on the photo I’ve posted, above. It almost sounds like she’s talking to herself. She’s not engaging in indignant gobblings. It actually sounds more like she’s just mumbling to herself. Probably providing a commentary on stupid human drivers.

Even Fit In a Walk

We also managed to fit in a walk after our auspicious Turkey encounter. I’m pretty sure the stunning beauty of the evening was a big part of the ‘gift’ that this particular turkey was announcing in our lives.

I’m trying to figure out how to do justice to the pitched excitement of witnessing a battle between Crow nations that unfolded before our eyes on our walk this evening.

The photos just don’t do it justice.

So I’m going to end this post tonight with the gift of the sunset that graced us just as the policeman who investigated our smashed mailbox pulled up to us.

To be continued…

Sunset 30 March 2021 – Photo: L. Weikel

(T-241)

Crash and Bang – Day 856

Posted on by Lisa Weikel 2 Comments
Crash and Bang – Photo: L. Weikel

Crash and Bang

 I’m rushing to write my post tonight because our evening was interrupted by a terribly loud crash and bang just outside our door. Just about 90 minutes ago, Karl and I were winding down our evening. We raced to our front door, fearing what we’d see when we opened the door.

Two vehicles tore down our road, not stopping at the stop sign at the intersection with the larger thoroughfare. Something had been crashed into and we only hoped it wasn’t another vehicle.

Luckily, it was ‘only’ our mailbox.

But wow – what a number they did on it. That baby’s demolished. We can only imagine the damage to the car or truck’s front end. But after looking at the damage more closely, we’re wondering if it may have been a pick-up truck, since it’s doubtful a regular car could’ve driven away from the scene. And even if it had, it probably wouldn’t have gotten very far.

No, this was driven right over (there are even tire tracks visible along the entire post), so the body of the vehicle was probably extra high. (Sharing a characteristic with its driver, one wonders.)

Crushed – Photo: L. Weikel

Police Were Here

So after calling the police and having everything documented, the adrenalin is still running a bit high.

Of course, we’re beyond grateful that no one was hurt. No people were injured nor were any animals injured. Two HUGE pluses. The second tier of pluses is that no one’s car or home was damaged.

If the worst was the property damage to our (really cool) mailbox, then I guess we’re lucky.

It’s upsetting nevertheless.

Tire tracks – mowed right over – Photo: L. Weikel

(T-255)