Petunias and potatoes may be carnivorous

This is why as an act of self-defense I mash and mix miilk and butter with all potatoes whenever I encounter them.

But be warned, I do have petunias guarding my front door.

I encountered a new movie trailer while watching the Phillies game the other night, so...
WTF? When did Sherlock Holmes become a bare-chested badass street-fightin' man?

Can't you kids with your chronic ADD leave any classic literary heroes alone?
Do you have to pollute everything with bad CGI and video game violence?

For anyone whose social life is so inept they might be tempted to Google Image bare-breasted Robert Downey Jr as Sherlock Holmes allow me to save you the time. He looks okay for a 40-something crack addict who apparently went on a kind of Keith Richards takes steroids workout regimen.

Flickr

Just in time for the holiday, and earlier than I thought, the first sunflowers are blooming.

 

Persian Shield

 

Gingrich, Ensign and now, Sanford. It's getting to the point where the only potential 2012 Republican Presidential candidate who hasn't slept with another woman while married is Sarah Palin. But hey, we can only hope that Sarah will get out there and take one for the team (softball team, most likely).

The AP was quick to gather reactions:

Senator Arlen Spector: "See, this is why I had to leave the Republican Party. I mean, the last member of my ho train died back in the 80's."

Former NJ Govenor Jim McGreevey: "It's shocking to think that a man holding the esteemed office of Governor would attempt to live such a lie."

Senator Robert Byrd: "Huh? Wha? Is nap time over already?"

Chastity Bono: "Do you think it's too soon to call his wife?"

Bill Clinton: "He went all the way to Argentina? Damn, I usually get mine delivered."  

Memorial Day around the Estate Of Restivemind means plenty of shrub roses in full bloom and a stand of foxglove that attracts the attention of the neighborhood walkers. Most people don't grow foxglove because it is a biennial that requires some work to grow from seed, and to purchase it as plants isn't cheap. But with a bit of effort you can have quite a show for a couple of weeks each spring.

As always, there's more shots on the Flickr. 

      
  
 

I haven't updated in a while since I work way too much to feel like writing. In an effort to put something up I have decided to try to maintain a photographic garden journal. Even if you are not as interested in growing things in nature as I am, maybe you'll at least not mind what I hope will be pretty pictures. Anyway, I know there is at least one gardener on my f-list.

Today we will start with not very floriferous pictures of a gardening project. What's the best thing to do when you don't have enough time as it is and already have more garden space than is sane? Why,  you build another garden, of course. And then you let the project grow way out of hand. 

I wanted to cover a bare area of my side yard and the soil there is terrible Jersey clay so I decided to build a raised bed.
I started digging and it just kind of grew into a 20' by 20' plot. a foot high. For those of you keeping score that's over 270 cubic feet of new soil I put in the bed by hand on top of several yards of old soil I excavated and used as border and sectional dividers. My arms are still mad at me.

Trying to keep costs down I devised a bed frame of ceramic tile supported by PVC pipe that ended up costing only about $1.50 per linear foot, well below what stone block or wood or synthetic board would cost.. Yeah, I should have thought to use black pipe, but otherwise I think it turned out nicely.

Various stages of construction can be seen on the Flickr

Planting and results pics will be added to the journal and Flickr as the season progresses.

  

 
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               

 I've been so busy that this post is several weeks late, but my main rose garden turned out so well this year that I thought I would share pictures from the peak of the season. As always, there are more pics on the Flickr account.

 
 
 

Need a quick infusion of spring? Well, then come with me to the Philadelphia Flower Show. It was held about a month ago in the city's convention center and is, I believe, the largest indoor flower show in the country.

The displays range from the massive... to the whimsical.

   
    
  

And I know I have at least one orchid fanatic on my f-list. So, go ahead, visit the Flickr. 284 pictures means it's just like being there; except, you know, without the crowds, the $26 entrance fee and the tired feet.