What I don’t understand...this week.

While I believe in second chances in some cases, I cannot in any way support the Philadelphia Eagles’ decision to hire Michael Vick. The man bankrolled a major dog fighting ring and I have my doubts about his change of heart. I hope I’m wrong. Any dogs who lost their lives as a result of his actions will never get a second chance, so I hope Mr. Vick appreciates what he has.

From the Garden

I spent a couple of hours this morning puttering in the garden beds, doling out TLC to the flowers and veggies that have been neglected of late. We dug out the stump of the Mugo Pine I lopped into oblivion a couple of weeks ago. (It deserved it!) Then I dead-headed and pruned my way around the front yard. It’s been a stellar year for the Hostas and the Daylillies. Most years my Daylillies have come and gone by the beginning of August but the cloudy, wet weather delayed and prolonged their bloom this year and that is just fine with me! I also whacked back the Spring pansy pots and will transplant them into the window box that formerly held the lettuce, which has bolted and is now compost. The pumpkin seems to have succumbed to the wet leaving the Hubbard Squash to fend for itself in the back. The tomatoes were sprawling way beyond the support I had provided so I tied them to the shed. I harvested 4 SunGolds the day we returned from New York and there are several more about ready.

So far, the deer seem to have only eaten the tops off the raspberries, an annual rite of summer. We had a brood of turkeys march through on Saturday, but they don’t disturb much other than the peace, which is how I knew they were out there! The skunks are doing a number on the SO’s precious lawn, another expected but disturbing rite of summer.

I find the older I get the more selective I must be about the weather when I attempt a gardening project. Gone are the days when I can work in high heat or humidity..I just wilt like last night’s salad! And I can’t devote an entire day to any one project. Oh, that I could! Then, perhaps, my raspberries would be weed-free and well contained. My asparagus and rhubarb would be well-fertilized with Rainbow Valley Farm compost. That bed by the telephone pole by the road would be long renovated and the Hostas and Daylillies currently residing there would have found homes elsewhere. And the bed in the back would also be weed-free and well mulched. But I figure no matter how much I do in the yard, there will always be things added to the end of the list. We are dealing with living things here!

Rochester, ElderMares, Malls, and Massachusetts

I just returned this week from a trip to upstate New York. (Yes, ANOTHER one. I’m ready for my “Frequent Driver” miles rewards from the Mass. Pike!) This was a trip to attend the wedding of the SO’s niece in Rochester. While there, we took in the Saturday races at Finger Lakes. My last trip to this track was many moons ago when I was barely a teenager and the track was fairly new. Things have changed since then...slots, simulcasting, many more claiming races. But my love of watching the horses has not changed. For me, racing is still about the horse. Do I bet? Sometimes. (Do I win? Seldom.) I was struck again this time, like my April trip to Tampa Bay Downs, how many people attend races just for the betting aspect. And it was very evident that New York needs to revamp their system to increase purses. Payouts were abysmal, fields were short.

One of the bittersweet high points of the day was seeing one of my ElderMares (mares 10+ years who are still racing) win the 3rd race. Congratulations to Ava Marisa! I hope your connections realize you have earned your retirement soon. One of my other ElderMares, Prospectforme, was a scratch in the same race. I only hope it was because she has finally found her forever home as she has been listed on the Trainer’s Listings from the Finger Lakes Thoroughbred Adoption Center. This wonderful organization has been the model for retirement programs at tracks around the country. I am an irregular supporter of theirs, simply by virtue of geography. Having grown up with Finger Lakes as the closest track to Ithaca, I consider them “local”, even though I no longer live in Ithaca.

My other entertainment for the weekend, while the SO was golfing, was shopping. Sounds silly, I know, and I am usually not much of a recreational shopper here at home, but put me in the vicinity of a great mall and stand back! Rochester is blessed with 2 such centers of commerce and consumption. I spent time at Greece Ridge Mall and while I did not spend much money, I was impressed. A few observations:
Larger city mall stores have more space but seemingly the same amount of merchandise, making the shopping experience less frustrating. You can actually SEE the merchandise!
How many athletic shoe stores does anyone need?
Marshall’s and TJMaxx really are the same store, yes?
Memo to Mallwalkers--a circuit around the mall does not benefit you if you then buy all the crap food at the food court.

Our drive to Rochester was accomplished in one 10-hour marathon stretch. Our return was very pleasantly broken up by an overnight stay in North central Massachusetts with my college roommate at their weekend house. Old cape-style house by a pond and mill stream, old trees and just very comfortable. Thanks for the hospitality and a big hello to Petey, the best watchdog in the state!