Every Blooming THing: Mid-April 2023

As we shiver around here today.  Last week, we had four days with sun and temps in the 80s and higher.  This morning, woke up to about an inch of snow on the ground, snow flurries in the morning and temps in the upper 30s.  Like they say, if you don't like the weather around Chicago right now, wait a little bit.

Grass is green and I was smiling Saturday when the lawn tractor started right away.  Trees are budding out.

The Bradford pear trees are blooming big time white.  I have three of them.  The crabapples are budding out.

Plenty of twigs and limbs still to be moved from the ice storm a short time ago (we lost electricity for 17 hours).

Right now the daffodils and hyacinths are blooming and I have a lot of them.

--RoadFlower

Gas Gouge Getting Out of Control: May the Fourth Be With You, Donovan's Reef, Gas Gouge Shock

WEDNESDAY, MAY 4

How about this, 38 degrees this morning.  Welcome spring!  Bob Stroud did his Ten at Ten on Chicago's WDRV on "May the Fourth Be With You" for some reason.  Went to Donovan's Reef in Twin Lakes, Wisconsin, and played trivia with Uncle Jeffie and, of course, enjoyed those half price (plus 25 cents) drinks from 4 to 6 pm.

On the way home, I was shocked at the price of gasoline at Rock Corner at the intersection of Illinois 173 and Wilmot Road.  I think I saw it listed at $4.70.  We've got to do something with these GRBs at Big Oil.

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THURSDAY, MAY 5

I set two new records today.  I drove to Bristol, Wisconsin,, and met the Magee teachers at the Bristol 45 Diner (it's on US Highway 45).  Gas on the way was $4.60 ($4.59.9) at Rock Corner, so I had made a mistake yesterday when I thought it was $4.70 (a whole ten cents cheaper).  My excuse is that I was shocked.  Gas at the three stations in Wisconsin was $4.20.

On the way home, I bought gas for the Dodge Dakota for $4.20.  This set a record for the highest I'd ever paid for gas.  Thanks GRBs.  Later, I cut the grass for the first time this year and unfortunately ran out of gas, so had to go to the Mobil station in Spring Grove and paid $4.60 for it.  A new record for highest gas for me.

Two Records in One Day!  Lucky Ol' Me.  --RoadDog

JSS: Classic Cinemas Reopens-- Lawn Tractor Comes Home (Hopefully)-- Dandelions Anyone

JSS:  Just Some Stuff

1.  CLASSIC CINEMAS REOPENS--  Well, some good news today.  I received an e-mail from my main movie theater chain, Classic Cinemas, that all locations are reopen today, Thursday, April 15.  With the exception f one restart back last summer that was short-lived, they've been closed since March 2020.

I most often go to the theater in Fox Lake, Illinois, but also the one in Woodstock.  Most years I see between 40 and 80 movies at the theater and sure do miss it.  

The last one I saw was "Birds of Prey" back on February 28, 2020.

2.  LAWN TRACTOR COMES HOME (Hopefully)--  Hopefully my John Deere tractor/mower comes back home on Friday.  It is at the John Deere place getting summerized.  That grass is REALLY, REALLY growing fast.  Sure can't get behind on the grass in the spring growing season.

3.  DANDELIONS ANYONE--  Of course, along with the grass greening up, certain yellow objects have begun making their appearance.  The annual dandelion attack is underway.  Oh well, think of it this way, it is flowers in the yard.  I don't mind the yellow part of their lives, but don't particularly like the dried, tall, parachute phase.

Spring Has Sprung and Theaters Are Opening.  --RoadLion

TEENAGERS AND CATS:  No matter what you do for them, it is not enough.  Indeed. all human efforts are barely adequate to compensate for the privilege of waiting on them hand and foot.

Every Bloomin' THing: Early April 2021

Just like almost overnight, the green wave has hit the grass.  Boom, green.  Working in the flower beds, I have seen several small dandelions, of course.  I have been working on clearing out other people's leaves from my flowerbeds and I have a great supply of their extras.

I had the lawn tractor/mower picked up in the middle of March and it is not back yet.  I am hoping I get it back before that grass starts growing.

The jonquils, or do you call them daffodils are blooming and are the hyacinths.

Trees are budding out.  I noticed that our subdivision has a whole lot of redbud trees.  I planted one a couple years ago and am hoping it makes a go of it.  Two others that I've had in the past didn't make it.  I just don't have any luck with  them.

Rained off and on all day, but the last three days before that had temps in the upper 70s and plenty of sunshine so I got to have some breakfasts and coffee out on the front porch (FP) and a couple lunches on the deck (OD).  Eating outside means you know what is nearly here.

--RoadBud

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