Paint my house

(BTW - "Pant my house" is a punch line to a joke... har har)

GREEN. Going to keep it green.
There's a lack of green houses in my hood.


Current
house
color:
Benjamin
Moore's
Kensington
Green (#710).



The block sitting on the window ledge is the actual color when the paint was new. I have a left over can of it in the basement from the previous owners who painted it this color. I'm not a big fan of Little Minty-Green Houses myself and I'm not sure which is uglier: the original shade or the faded shade.

The final three shades of green to choose from.
.
FINAL ANSWER!?
.
Just pick one all ready.

Old tulips

These tulips that show up every spring in the back yard are probably as old as the bumper stickers from yesterday's post.

I just can't seem to find a copyright date on them to prove it.

Maybe it's underground on the bulbs.

Garage time capsule

These stickers have been on the walls of my garage

since I moved in 10 1/3 years ago. Time does fly.

From the 1976 album "Destroyer": Detroit...









Detroit loves their baseball. The top one is copyright 1968.

Winners of the World Series Championship that year.












Also from 1968 ‘TWO YOU CAN TRUST’. Too bad they lost

to Nixon/Agnew... two others you can trust?

Avocado on the run - True love

... that line never works for me!

My spring

It's officially the start of spring for me today.
The itchy, burning, watery, red, itchy eyes are here.




(not my actual eye)

The predominant pollens at my place today are poplar, aspen, cottonwood, ash and birch with a total pollen count of about 9.3 (see graph). Monday's projection is 11.5! (That would be pollen grains per cubic metre of air averaged over 24 hours.) Ughhhh. Damn trees!

Luckily the Zyrtec I bought a couple of years ago doesn't expire until next month. I'll still give it at least another year and a half. I like to think the pharmaceutical companies wouldn't risk a lawsuit and double the expiration date. It's a better place in my little world.

Suddenly it's summer!

Today we jumped from the 50s to the 80s. Typical Michigan weather. A hot sunny summer day... and more to come! All the plants are waking up, the weeds are sprouting and the grass needs mowed. Summer always means more work.

The fuzzy
fiddleheads.
.
In the
shade.
.
Very
cool.
.
Many types of fiddleheads are eaten but most contain toxic compounds.
.
Anyone want to come over for dinner and try these ones out?

Avocado on the run - update

Earth Day 2009

Salad time! My lettuce has already sprouted...

.

A little leafy Earth Day celebration. But actually everyday should be Earth Day. All the wasteful idiots really need to wake up and take a look at what's happening to the planet. Go ahead and Google it and learn what you can do. Some of it is easy. Some takes a bit of discipline. Start with one or two and we'll go from there.

Reduce - Reuse - Recycle

Avocado on the run

This Mexican bilingual avocado is not happy in the IKEA bamboo fruit bowl that happens to be made in China. Who would be? What will become of him? Stay tuned...

There's always room for hand cuffs

Not what you expect to see in the Jell-O section...

.

(Cell phone picture... gotta love having a camera on you at all times!)

Random games

"Random Things"
#3 - I don't like to play games
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Why? Is it a phobia? I couldn't find a name for it at phobialist.com but I didn't look too hard. It seemed too much like a game. I loved games as a kid. My grandma and I played cards and board games all summer long (she always lived with us for the summer months). Our favorites were Canasta, Gin Rummy, Payday, Sorry and Yahtzee. Friends and I also played games all the time. The card and board games but also the Atari and Super Nintendo. Maybe I wore out my gaming welcome.
.
I have been touching a bit on the return to gaming with online Scrabble. This was one of my favorite ones played... since I actually WON. Maybe that's it. Maybe I don't like games because I'm a sore loser. HA!

Nudies

Now that I have your attention... these are the naked peeps that stand on top of the silver star I posted on January 1, 2009. It's "The Star Dream" by Marshall M. Fredericks and is down the street from me.

Bulbs Bloom

Not much to take pictures of today since I stayed home to do yard work. I should have shot a pic of the oil spill on my garage floor that happened while I was changing the lawnmower oil. I thought to put down paper or a tarp but then decided it wasn't necessary. Yea right. But the mower now has fresh oil, a new spark plug, a new air filter and a sharpened blade. I even adjusted the throttle and straightened the front wheel that was a tad bit cockeyed. I can be handy when I need to be.

.

But the bulbs are really blooming now... since it's in the 70's finally. Ahhhhhh...............................................................

Sunshine

I did not go blind. Taking pictures at the sun. Can I be that dumb?

Tax day gardens

Since I wasn't invited to any Tax Day Tea Parties I stayed home with my tea bags and started the veggie garden. Since the economic outlook of Detroit is not appearing to be getting any better I will have to survive on what I can grow. I started out with three bags of manure compost and half a bag of Espoma's Garden-tone for a natural organic gardening experience. Mmm! Well, until the bugs show up and then it's chemicals all the way!

.

But it is Michigan and it really could still snow again (ughh... but I doubt it) so only the "cool weather" crops were sown so far: spinach, mesclun (lettuces), cilantro, and a dill and a parsley plant. The pre-existing perennial herbs are doing good: chives, garlic chives, oregano, sage, tarragon, marjoram, lemon balm and lavender. Looks like the thyme has died (see Frozen in Thyme post). Not from being frozen but from me moving it twice all ready this spring. Sorry.

Taxes are taxing

Tomorrow: Tax Day.
Yesterday: Prepared my taxes, unhappy with results.
Today: Redid my taxes. Twice.
I have now used TaxAct, TurboTax and TaxCut.
They all had the same end result: unhappiness.


Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. (Albert Einstein)

Bad food

Last night I ate one of these.

Today I feel sad.

Can I blame McDonald's?

Big Mac meal has 31 grams of protein & 9 grams of fiber...

I look on the positive side.

Today I did my taxes.

I still feel sad.

.

.

My grandma loved Big Macs. Not sure about taxes.

Just a thought.

Easter. Happy Easter.

Today is the first Sunday following the first ecclesiastical full moon that occurs on or after the day of the vernal equinox (see March 21st) where this particular ecclesiastical full moon is the 14th day of a tabular lunation.

.

A.K.A. chocolate bunny and Peep day.

.

(Tomorrow is 50% off chocolate bunny and Peep Day!)

Pre Easter Doves

The Easter Chickens arrived in my yard a day early.

.

Okay, I know they're actually Mourning Doves but they are also the most widespread and abundant game bird in North America. Dove D'elegence calls for 12. Or you could try Spicy Grilled Dove Breast, Wild Doves in Wine, Dove Delicioso, Dove Enchilades, Dove Breast Appetizer, and the ever so popular Dove Shish-K-Bob. It's up to you to Google these recipes on your own.

(At no time in creating today's blog entry here at 'This is Eric's blog' did any Chickens, Mourning Doves or Easter Eggs get harmed. A few doves were merely inconvenienced with me chasing them around with a camera.)

Darn it's a good Friday

Not sure what to say about such a good day.


<----------------- I discovered that Hot Cross buns have long been a symbol of Good Friday. All this time I thought it was fish. Fish fry anyone?




Arthur Treacher's Triangle Fish & Chips & Hushpuppies, mmm
-------------------------------->

Garage sale in 9 steps

Spring can mean one of the worst things EVER... the garage sale.

.1. clean your house and go thru all your stuff
2. gather all the stuff you don't use and you think you can part with
3. drag all this stuff outside
4. put little stickers on all this stuff with prices written on them
5. wonder if that's a good price for your precious stuff
6. change the price on a bunch of stuff
7. sit and watch as people rummage thru your stuff and mumble things like "what the h&ll is this" and then ask "will you take 25 cents for this?"
8. cart all your stuff back inside.
9. count all your new monies and go spend it all at Taco Bell

(Note: this is not titled "Successful garage sale")

Earl of my sandwich

Yesterday's avocado, can of tuna, red onion, green chilies, mayo on whole wheat bread? Bad idea.
Johnsonville smoked turkey and cheddar cheese sausage with mustard, ketchup, relish, red onion, black olives on whole wheat bread? Bon appetite!

Why am I still hungry?

Today in fire history

Today in 1827 English chemist and druggist John Walker invented the wooden match.

.

Obviously leading to the roof being on fire in 1984.

.

Combine this with my proposed home business that is failing and this is what you get. Not sure where the espresso cup fits in. I'm sure it will all make sense some day.

Rose Colored Glasses

First of all: You would think I should post something about the NCAA Final Four at Ford Field in downtown Detroit tonight with Michigan State. But I'm not going to. Sorry to anyone who cares.
.
Also: I've been rambling about spring a lot (since I really hate winter and wonder why I live in Michigan) and I woke up today to about six inches of snow. I checked the calendar and yes it IS really April and the thoughts of spring weren't just a dream.
The real point of today is to consider what kind of glasses we look through. The lenses in our glasses are specific to our own life experiences. We all are effected differently by identical situations due to the lenses our lives have created for each of us. Should we try to better understand what we see through our own lenses or try to relate what we are experiencing to how others would perceive the same situation?

Happy Thoughts

Yesterday's spider post is still giving me the willies... and the sadness that someone commented on the fact that I may have killed her. Sad really. All good spiders go to heaven. The cold winter would have killed her anyway. There was the first little house spider of spring in my home office last night. Way up in the corner above my desk. I feared I would either break the desk or fall to the floor while standing on it to reach the crawly invader and squishing it with a couple of kleenex. Eww. Funny that only spiders are put to death. All the other bugs I find in the house are escorted out the door and into the yard. Even if it's 10 below. So I suppose that's death too. Sad. It's tough to be a bug.

Random spiders

"Random Things"
#2 - I hate spiders
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Yes... arachnophobia. This HUGE Black and Yellow Argiope lived in my backyard all last summer. She kept a web in the Dwarf Korean Lilacs alongside my garage. In the fall she moved to the Red Barberry outside my bedroom window where she decided to leave her egg sac full of a billion babies. I don't think SO!

Farmer part 2

The seeds are still in the pouches

and LOOK what was in the garden all ready!

Nom nom nom....

Farmer

Since the home business of avocado growing still hasn't sprouted (see March 8, 2009)
I think I'll be a veggie farmer. Seeds were 30% off so I'm already ahead! Or am I less behind?

Oberon day

Today is a good good day. One of my favorite days of spring.

The Oberon showed up in the local stores.

Now spring is truly in the air.
...and this is no April Fool.

My band

CD due out soon. Sign up for the CD release party!
To be honest... it's only the latest time waster I stumbled across know as Wikipedia Names Your Band. Have fun.

Random Pants

This new series is inspired by the

"25 Random Things About Me"

craze sweeping the social networks.

But here at This is Eric's Blog you may also get pics!

Enjoy.
(Besides, I'm tired of blogging wine. It's been giving me heart burn.)

----------------------------------------------------------------------

#1 - I tend to wear the same pair of jeans every single day.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

I can find a total of 6 pair in my dresser at the moment (top down: Tony Hawk, 2 Levi, Lucky Brand, & Calvin Klein). That's probably all I own but seems like 5 pair too many due to the above statement. Maybe you'll see them on eBay soon. Any bidders?

I have only worn this one pair (Urban Pipeline) since probably around the holidays. And YES they get washed... every so often.
Baggy is beautiful... or is it comfortable??

My horoscope for today

It varies so which one should I pick?
.
-I possess exceptional organisational abilities, which come to the fore at this time. I am full of positive, creative energy right now and can easily find solutions to problems in ways other people never thought were possible.
.
-Material and money matters are likely to dominate my day today, which is a pity, because the day, or the evening, holds so much potential on a social level. Listening to the advice of a trusted older relative, might enable me to concentrate a little more on my friends!
.
-I've got quite a lot on my mind right now, so it may be a good time for me to sit down somewhere quiet and really pore over my inner life. It's one of those days when big things can change.
.
-Today the pen is truly mightier than the sword. I'll find the words that will help me get my way with ease. I can talk My way through any situation. Friends may add fuel to my fire this week.
.
The day holds so many possibilities that I'm too exhausted thinking about them all to turn off the tele and get off the couch. *Sigh*

Springish

Preparing the garden in this almost spring like weather we are having made me remember last year's unfruitful gardening experience.

.

(unvegetable wouldn't pass spell check)

.

.

This year I'll use motivational posters.

(for the plants... not for me)

When I grow up

Had a visit with the state employment office yesterday. They gave me a list of what they say I can be when I grow up as long as I can prove that I can find employment in what I choose from the list. They made the list. Why do I have to show them that their list works? Government is so funny!

Pig Day?

While reading the Detroit Zoo web press releases yesterday I came across a celebration that I was unaware of and I have the need to spread the word. March 1st was (and is every year) National Pig Day. A day to "get piggy with it."

.

I guess I should be more aware of the holidays and celebrations since I have plenty of time on my hands. But then my house wouldn't be so dusty either, now would it? (See Tuesday's post.)

Google really needs to add this to their calendar.

Hump Day

This Detroit Zoo camel has two humps. It's a Bactrian camel.

Hump day is singular. It has only one hump so it's dromedary.

.

.

.

We've had an addition to the camel population since my visit.
I just don't know if this one here is Princess or Boris.
I will I will suggest they wear "Hello My Name Is ____" tags.

Dust

Speaking of allergic on Monday... this dusty house is killing me. Aaaaaaa-cho. Or might it be the mites? Where's the maid when you need her? But I see that a dust allergy is NOT a sign of a dirty house (just a sign of a dusty house I would assume.... har-har-har).

Energy

How much potential energy do I have? When will it be converted into some useful energy? Am I really the pinball waiting for the spring loaded plunger to be released? At least the plunger is now pulled back. That gives me some hope. And I'm told that I'm not crazy!

I'm not crazy.
You're the one who's crazy.
(Muir/Mayorga - Suicidal Tendencies)

Spring = Pollen

I'm not allergic. I'm not allergic. I'm not allergic. I'm not allergic. I'm not allergic. I'm not allergic. I'm not allergic. I'm not allergic. I'm not allergic. I'm not allergic. I'm not allergic. I'm not allergic. I'm not allergic. I'm not allergic. I'm not allergic. I'm not allergic. I'm not allergic. I'm not allergic. I'm not allergic. I'm not allergic. I'm not allergic. I'm not allergic. Actually I'm not allergic to these. Only to trees.

Damn them trees and their spring pollinating ritual!

BTW these are my neighbor's flowers. Don't tell her I was in her yard.

Contents May Be Hot

I took this pic back in February at the zoo.

It was quite warm that day for February in Michigan.You can never be too careful when handling frogs on a warm day!

Vernal Equinox

Finally spring is here (officially). Now all we need is some consistent warm weather. What wine goes well with the first day of spring? Well when it's still friggin' freezing out a South American Malbec is just zesty enough.

Use your head

According to a report brain injury is the #1 killer and disabler of people under 45.

SO for the next 24 weeks I'll be wearing a helmet... 24/7.

Spring's in the air

and there's moss

growing in my

$5k paver patio!!!

.

Where's the

Roundup®?

Erin Go Bragh Day

May your leprechaun be not overly mischievous today.