C r e e p i n g C h u c k

The dilemma:  to eradicate, to extricate these pesty 
lawn plants to another locale, or to simply let them
be what they are.

Could it possibly be that - just maybe they thrive on attention?!

Perhaps to not be so harsh on them, would do the trick. After all,
they are part of the "wed of life."

Meanwhile, the Creeping Charlie plants live by stringing low
through the grass . . . sending out new roots at each and every
stem-joint.

And, they are in the mint family. This you can tell by their
beautiful blue florets, the minty odor, and the square stems. (A handy
rule of thumb mantra, could be:

            All mints have square stems . . . but not all plants
                         with square stems are mints.

Things could be worse . . . the stems could morph to be the size of
garden hoses, the flowers as big as bushel baskets, and the copiously
exuded odor of the crushed leaves and stems would necessitate
everyone in the neighborhood to don gas masks!

Now, that would be something for the national and local news!

I ONCE THOUGHT THAT I COULDN'T FIX THINGS

Guess what ?! I was just about ready to give one of my grandsons
a call for some consultation on how to get my computer back-on-track
and running again . . . (Every time I would go to write an e-mail, it
ran super slow and the letters and the cursor kept jerking around the
screen.)

It was then, I checked my moose. (Oops! mouse) Darn it anyway, I
hate it when the computer changes words on me . . . OK, back to the
issue at hand. I checked my mouse to see if it needed new batteries.
It didn't. (I remembered that I had put new ones in only two days before.)

Then, I happened to look on the bottom of the mouse - and there I found
a smeared smidgen of gunk (pizza or whatever?)

With great skill, I deftly flicked the stuff off from the mouse bottom and . . .
now it works !

                       That     means     that     I     fixed     it !

                                       WRIGHT ?

HOPEFULNESS

My prayers
are as wisps of
field stubble
blown across
open prairies.

Tumbleweeds
race with the wind,
lodging where
they are needed.

Seeds well scattered
are my prayers -
sown in hope of
being rooted.

YOUR GUESS IS AS GOOD AS MINE

This spring season is almost totally out of whack!
Some would say non-sensical. In the not-so-recent
past, a person could count on certain weather events
occurring in a sequential fashion. Yes - predictable.

Elizabeth and I so love gardening and can hardly wait
to begin! We have had the packets of veggies and
flower seeds for some time now. A normal spring
would see the first of the peas in the ground by the
first of March (at least in this part of Minnesota.) It is
well into the third week in April and we slipped them
into the cold soil just last week.

This morning's "exploration walk" braved the thick,
cold wind. The elderberry bushes have, just now,
pushed out their buds to greet the world. Normally,
they are among the first to bud out and flower.
Snowdrops did come up.

However, the joyous news is that our bougainvillea
vines are crawling all over the inside windows of our
"garden room". They cling to light fixtures and rungs
of the rocking chair for support. And they are blooming
in a profusion of pastel pinks and oranges. It is as if
they somehow know that this is the time for them to
escape to the outside to explore the fresh spring air.

Of course, the outside vincas and pachysandra peer out
from under last year's fall's dead leaves, waiting for
just enough warmth to launch their flowers for yet one
more season.

Meanwhile - the robins are caroling!

IN THESE DAYS - ONE HAS TO LOOK AHEAD

(One just never knows what lies ahead) Now that's a common
 saying I have often heard. And, who hasn't?   NOTE: The following essay on
 Abraham Lincoln is almost totally made up . . . other than Lincoln was assassinated
 on the 15th of April. (A true thing includes inventing the floating dry dock.)
                                        ).

                            *   *   *   *   *   *

    An Envelope Belonging to Abraham Lincoln?

 April, 3, 2011

 Dear Keepers of Official U.S. Documents, 

 I believe I have uncovered something of historic value and that it should
 be archived somewhere in Washington, DC. I can't believe what I am
 about to share with you.

 I found a very old envelope in a side pocked of an ancient storage trunk in
 Wanamingo, Minnesota.  I almost paid no heed to it. On the front of the
 envelope was a "to do" list which, at first, didn't catch my eye. That was . . .
 until I read it! 

 Does what I found have any value? What should I do with it?

 Respectfully submitted, 

         Clem J. Nagel

                              (The "To Do" List)
            
                                        To Do Soon
                         -Finish the speech of Gettysburg
                         -Give more thought to the idea of a floating dry dock
                         -Empty garbage as soon as I get home
                         -    ?  ?     (I was unable to decipher the 4th entry)
                         -Decide what to do about the problem in Mankato, Minnesota.

 What really triggered things for me were the words "Gettysburg", "dry dock"*, and
 "Mankato." It could only mean one thing. Abraham Lincoln must have scribbled the
 list on the envelope while somewhere away from home.

                        *(Note: This part about the dry dock is true). On 5/22/1849, Lincoln
                          received Patent No. 6469 for a device to lift boats over shoals. It was
                          an invention that never got manufactured.

 I then turned the envelope over and couldn't believe my eyes!  Whoever had written
 on the backside of the envelope was obviously confused in trying to come up with
 a phrase to begin some kind of a speech. There were crossed out words, here and there
 notations in parentheses, comments clearly added by someone else who must have
 known the writer. Just who was that ghost-writer traveling with Lincoln at the time?
 His wife? . . . or someone else? Mysteries abound! Fascinating, to say the least.

             (THE WRITING FOUND ON THE BACK OF THE ENVELOPE)

                                          The Talk at Gettysburg
                                  (years?)
                   Fourscore and seven days ago  (three score and 27 years ago?) our country . . . 
                   2 x 2 score and (fore?) four (4) years ago, our country . . . 

                           Abe, that doesn't add up. Just take my word for it!

                   OK.  Just possibly, use "A long time ago?"  (not sure)
                   31,755 days ago, our country . . .

                           Abe, do not use this ! ! !

                    One score, 7 years and 21,900 days ago, our country . . .

                           Abe Dear, keep it simple! Just use 87, believe me!  Love,  Mary

                     87 years ago (or maybe, just fourscore and seven years ago?) I'll have to
                     give it more consideration . . .

     It's a little early, but need to check with Mary to see if those tickets for the
                     theatre have arrived yet?
                   

An Envelope Belonging to Abraham Lincoln?

                Abraham Lincoln was assassinated mid-April                  

An Envelope Belonging to Abraham Lincoln

April 3, 2011

Dear Keepers of Official U.S. Documents,

I believe I have uncovered something of historic value and that it should
be archived somewhere in Washington, DC. I can't believe what I am
about to share with you.

I found a very old envelope in a side-pocket of an ancient storage trunk in
Wanamingo, MN.  I almost paid no heed to it. On the front of the envelope
was a "to do" list which, at first, didn't catch my eye. That was . . .
until I read it! 

Does what I found have any value? What should I do with it?

Respectfully, submitted, 

        Clem J. Nagel

                                    (THE "TO DO" LIST)

                                TO DO SOON

                                  -Finish the speech for Gettysburg
                                  -Give more thought to the idea of a floating dry dock
                                  -Empty garbage, as promised, as soon as I return home
                                  -    ?   ?    (I was unable to decipher the 4th entry)
                                  -Decide what to do with the problem in Mankato

What triggered things for me were the words "Gettysburg", "dry dock",* and
"Mankato".  It could only mean one thing. Lincoln must have scribbled the list
on the envelope while somewhere away from home.

           *Dry dock. On 5/22/1849, Abraham Lincoln received Patent No. 6469
              for a device to lift boats over shoals, an invention that never got manufactured.

I then turned the envelope over and couldn't believe my eyes! Whoever had written
on the back side of the envelope was obviously confused in trying to come up with
a phrase to begin some kind of a speech. There were crossed out words, notations in
parentheses here and there, comments clearly added by someone else who must have
known the writer. Just who was that ghost-rider traveling with Lincoln at the time?
His wife? . . . or someone else?   Mysteries abound!   Fascinating, to say the least.

       (THE WRITING FOUND ON THE BACK OF THE ENVELOPE)

                                 Gettysburg Address
                                  (years?)
   Fourscore and seven days ago  (3 score and 27 years ago?)  our country . . . 
   2 x 2 score and (fore?) four (4)  years ago, our country . . .

            Abe, that doesn't add up. Just take my word for it!

    Perhaps, just possibly, use "A long time ago?" (not sure)
    31,755 days ago, our country . . .

            Abe, do not use this ! ! !

     One score, 7 years and 21,900 days ago, our country . . . 

            Abe Dear, keep it simple! Just use 87, believe me!           Love, Mary

      87 years ago (or maybe, just fourscore and seven years ago?) I'll have
      to give it more consideration . . .  It's a little early, but need to remember
      to check with Mary to see if those tickets for the theatre 
                                                                             have arrived yet?

                       
                                             

TO IT

Not so sure
I'm up to it.
But,
I do bring
experience
to it.

When it comes down
to it,
I will just hold on
to it.
And then, do it
when I
get around
to it.

Nothing
to it.