"TIME HAS COME TO TALK" OF CREPE MYRTLES AND PORTA-POTS

Pink & White Crepe Myrtle?

As many of you know I have a penchant for Lewis Carroll, so I often quote partially or wholly from his works-therefore my post today borrows half a line from The Walrus and the Carpenter, which I think is a part of Through the Looking Glass and What Alice Found There.

We have been busy organizing for our anticipated trip to South Dakota in September for a Moroccan Reunion Association gathering. The link provided is essentially under construction but several menu items are active. Highlights, to me, will be 4 days of touring, including Mt. Rushmore, Crazy Horse monument, Custer Park and the Badlands, plus several other sites.

Buses are provided; walking is kept to a minimum. I bought a walker called a rollator where I can sit down, if needed. I become breathless easily, walking; my gait is less reliable, since onset of heart problems. With artificial knees I am supposed to use a cane in unfamiliar terrain, according to my orthopedic surgeon. I ignored this, but it is more apparent I should heed this suggestion.

Pink & White Crepe Myrtle?

Today I have an assortment of photos. I accompanied my husband to a physician appointment. This Crepe Myrtle, if, indeed, that is what it is, was by our parking space. It looked to be a Crepe Myrtle; I know there are several kinds and colors, but I had never seen a bi-color or tri-color one. The flower heads on this bush had vivid pink and white petals with a tad of yellow mixed in which was probably the equivalent of most flower centers.

Lilac Crepe Myrtle -
Our Back Lot Line

The light pinkish lilac photos is one of  the mostly neglected Crepe Myrtle trio we planted at the back of our property near a ugly backyard and fence. One bush died.

Lilac Crepe Myrtle -
Our Back Lot Line

Sadly a manufactured home that existed before our moving here has been condemned. It was owned by  several reputable persons, and often remodeled. Its last owners inherited it, and used their savings to open a restaurant which was moderately successful. However, the wife developed breast cancer (as had her mother-previous occupant of the home); she had no insurance. Before she found assistance, the cancer metastasized; and in a short time she died. 

Her husband did not stay long. The restaurant failed. He left almost in the dark of night and only returned, in a similar fashion, to retrieve a few items. The house set for several years, slowly deteriorating. The 1000 year ice storm did it in, as a tree punctured the roof. Since then the demise has escalated until neighbors requested condemnation. Inspections found black mold, dead animals and evidence of illegal occupants, foul-smelling food left in the kitchen sink and refrigerator.

Old Manufactured Home Across Street
Condition Is So Severe It Will Require
HAZMAT Specialists to Remove the
Home and Salvage and Varmints,
Feral Cats, Groundhog, Armadillos,
Including a Dead Armadillo

The City Council voted for condemnation, but title research shows federal and a state liens against it, so we still may see no relief for quite awhile. It is being handled by the city's attorney.


It is a sad story. I know there was a lovely piano or organ still there which will never play a note again because of water damage. The couple had met as roller skaters. The husband was always a great cook and dreamed of a restaurant. Just as it seemed his dreams were being realized, the worst possible happened. Silence is all that remains.

Porta-Pot At Police Auxiliary
BBQ Pork Butt Fund Raiser

Photographers, be they amateur or professional, often have peculiar interests, maybe fetishes--one of mine is Porta-Pots. Since I clearly remember outhouses as a child, and there are still outhouses in remote areas of Arkansas, I am sure my curious mind find this somehow perversely amusing. There are Outhouse Races in connection with a Bean Festival in Mountain View, AR. I guess it garners the gaseous fumes of eating all those beans.

In my area there are two providers of Porta-Pots. Both seem to have adopted brighter paints than the older traditional, mundane, muted colors.

Bull Shoals Dam Blue Porta-Pot
One Way Lane and Traffic Light
(at far end) With Machinery

This year Bull Shoals Dam has undergone resurfacing  AR Highway 178 which crosses it, and required cleaning, replacing and renovation of various machinery, generators, lights, catwalks and other maintenance of a dam which generates electricity for three states.

This was one of the inspired(?) TARP projects, which generated few if any jobs in Arkansas as the Dam operation is by the Army Corp of Engineers, the contract of which went to firms outside Arkansas. I guess the Porta-Pot owners and employees were the only known local or state businesses garnering any TARP revenues for this particular project  which was already on the drawing board ["shovel ready"] before TARP had a name.

Yellow Porta-Pot at Bull Shoals Dam -
Still in Place - Paving Overlay
Not Yet Completed

Besides one way traffic maintained by solar generated traffic lights, a Porta-Port was placed in a convenient area on the Dam for workers. First it was Bright Blue and then it changed to Bright Yellow. I guess  different colors is the spice, Ur .. smell of life.

Then there were the Porta-Pots at a Civil War Enactment at a State Park near me.

I took the photo after the event was completed as I had a hilarious but somewhat Exhilarating experience at a similar enactment years ago.

My best friend and I created crafts for awhile for a little extra pin money. We had a booth at an event which included a Civil War enactment, mainly a big cannon.

Triplets at a Civil War Enactment

It was hot afternoon and we sipped on beverages to keep cool. At some point I headed to the Porta-Pot row for relief. Porta Pots remind me of a casket standing on end. There is little room inside to maneuver between the so-called seat and a very small lavatory. I was well seated when apparently it was time to fire the cannon. That Porta-Pot felt like it lifted off the ground, vibrating top, bottom and 4 sides. I thought for a moment I was being launched like a rocket into space. I staggered outside to our table and told my best friend that was a new experience, to say the least.

Dam Site Park Ramp Prota-Pot - Still There
Although Water Has Significantly Subsided;
Different Provider Than Others in This Post.

Then when the area Lakes were at flood level, and campgrounds around the lakes were flooded, the Corp apparently placed Porta-Ports at the more popular boat launch ramps. This one was at the Dam Site Park boat ramp in Bull Shoals.

Dan Site Park Porta-Pot

Finally, I leave with the slogan on all of the Smitty's Porta-Pots.

[All photos taken by Nitwit1]

WITHERING, STIFLING, SUFFOCATING HEAT

Today,  Aug.2, my yard usually would be filled with brazen naked ladies who parade about my yard, front and back with only a eye-catching trumpet flowered covered bonnet on their slender body of a single stem. [Picture from previous year.]

Naked Ladies in Our
Formerly Benign Neglected
Front Yard

Nor have I seen any Naked Ladies in my area to date. There is still time, but peak weeks in my area have always been last 2 weeks in July and first 2 weeks in August.

In a previous post I mentioned unusual turning of leaves of a ditch weed known a sumac (not poisonous variety), a common colorful bush-like weed that exists in a number of varieties throughout U.S. It usually turns yellow to orange to red with a rather large seed head in mid-to late September in my area. 

Sumac, 2009- -Notice varying 
shades of yellow, orange, red
and no seed head yet in sight.

Sumac is turning color now. I further checked several areas near me to see if there was some reason other than heat. In some areas it appears the Arkansas highway mowers may be spray killing some where the mowers cannot clear right-of-ways and intersections. However, I have seen sumac which appeared to be on private properties as well as some green sumac with fully formed seed heads.

Sadly, I am seeing many native trees dying or already dead.

It seems paradoxical to have had flood levels of rains two consecutive years, and at least this year, followed by severe heat and drought.

Meteorologists and other specialties that study atmosphere of the earth and nature's response to various conditions claim changes in temperatures of the oceans directly affect the conditions such as the U.S. Specifically, the warming or cooling of the southern Pacific Ocean near the equator cause conditions named La Nina or Lo Nino and determine more severe summers or severe winters. at higher or lower latitudes.

The same specialists along with geologists and archaeologists also bring into account global warming. In September we will be touring a couple of archeology sites where effects of climate show a different life form once in existence.

I remember a similar Arkansas summer when we moved to here in May 1980 from Texas. It was transitory moved in that at times we were in a Texas apartment and other times, in Arkansas, setting up our manufactured home, or in a local motel.

Snoopy (spayed female), our first German
Shepherd bought in Morocco.
I am not sure who took this photo nor
exactly where we were living, except
except it was NOT in Baltimore.

We had our first dog, an aging German Shepherd female, named Snoopy. Once, while we all were in the Texas small apartment, the temperature was 110 deg.--no idea what heat index was.

The entire complex's air conditioning system failed--not for a few hours--for a couple of days, All three of us, yes, dog included, laid on the floor with oscillating fans moving air across our bodies wrapped in wet towels, Needless to say we were scantily clad.

My husband was finishing his job as a mechanic at a marine business which was closing due to a divorce settlement, if I remember correctly.

I am no expert, only an observer for my tiny part of the world. However, I know all nature is cyclic. Even this concept is Biblical, such as the oft quoted Ecclesiastes 3 with which I now sign off:

A Time for Everything

Naked Lady bud before opening -2009

¹ There is a time for everything,
and a season for every activity under the heavens:
² a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot, ³ a time to kill and a time to heal,
a time to tear down and a time to build,
⁴ a time to weep and a time to laugh,    a time to mourn and a time to dance,
⁵ a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing,
⁶ a time to search and a time to give up,
a time to keep and a time to throw away,
⁷ a time to tear and a time to mend,
a time to be silent and a time to speak,
⁸ a time to love and a time to hate,
a time for war and a time for peace.

and further in the same chapter:
¹⁴ I know that everything God does will endure forever; nothing can be added to it and nothing taken from it. God does it so that people will fear him. ¹⁵ Whatever is has already been,
and what will be has been before;
and God will call the past to account.


I interpret "fear" to mean respect. Verse 15 to be the Biblical equivalent of "history repeats itself." Hence, 1980 and 2011 are easily included in this cyclic nature.

[Photos, except as noted, and opinions are mine, and only that, opinion.]

EASY TOUCH

My husband's water troughs and very large plant pots garden are producing tomatoes and green peppers as our water meter spins and spins. He uses very little critter killer powders or sprays so I have to do some carving on the tomatoes, but the green peppers are perfect if sometimes ill-shaped. But the crop is nearing its end,  as these varieties seem to mature by the end of July and taper off production. This year seems a tad early. There are still some cherry hot peppers to be harvested.

Sweet Green Peppers-2011

I carefully wash and dry them, using an easy touch of a soft towel, so as not to bruise them. We have shared with several people.

This week I made a call to the local food pantry to see if they accepted home grown garden produce, which is ungraded. Food pantries usually belong to a food bank which has its own set of regulations. However, I was delighted to find our local pantry does accept surplus home-grown garden produce.

In fact a local retiree is growing a good sized garden, all of which is being given to the local food pantry. He has asked for help with his water bill from local citizens. Due to the heat wave and drought in Arkansas [not nearly as severe as Texas] water bills for lawns and gardens are high and recent city needs, are going to make the bill still higher.

Should you have excess vegetables and fruits from your garden, check the food pantries, be they church or some other organizational structure. If the demand on these charities of basic necessity is anything like ours, the shelves are emptied every day. Ours is open only 3 hours per week, and is bare at the end of the day. It does not have to be bushels--even a small bag may be a meal for someone else. Or consider a monetary donation.

Earlier Tomato -Already Ripened and Eaten

But the title of my blog, EASY TOUCH, reminds me of a certain gullibility that sometimes is the side effect of those who have a propensity to help others.

When I was much younger, working as a pharmacist, I became calloused to not believing just about any story a customer espoused. This attitude developed long before I married. I also did not loan money as most personal friends never kept their commitment to return payment.

I soon learned to recognize forged prescriptions, There were customers who marched from physician to physician and pharmacy to pharmacy to gain the medication, usually narcotics, sedatives and certain other mind altering drugs. Then there were the persons who purchased certain legal drugs and ingredients to make illegal drugs; hence today, you probably cannot buy Sudafed (pseudoephedrine) or ephedrine anywhere, or with restrictions. Recently, I saw a sign in WalMart where  pseudoephedrine sales are suspended for the year. It was a very good decongestant. A legitimate need for this drug is denied by abusers.

Small Tomatoes
(example of  Macro where center
of focus should have been the
red tomato, but I missed a
smidge and it wasthe leaf in
front of the tomato! Macro
focusing is difficult because
of very narrow focus length.)

After I retired, these memories slowly faded; I had made several changes in my life and our overall financial condition was considerably improved. We were actively participating in church and charitable causes; the joy of helping others returned. We had loaned substantial funds to others and been repaid. We never signed papers and often exchanged services instead. My husband often initiated these efforts and led the way, as he knew what it was to be the recipient of others' kindness as a youth.

But there is always someone who perceives kindness and charity as opportunity for ill-gained advantage or profit with convincing pleas for some believable purpose. I call it "conning." The "conned" person is often described by the perpetrator as an "easy touch."

I've filled prescriptions later proved forged. I recently loaned money for a late electric bill which was misappropriated for illegal purchase of a prescription drug. My husband has loaned small amounts to persons who paid him back regularly, but at one point did not. It did not help to find out said person, too, was involved in illegal drug trafficking.

While on council I helped persons jump through hoops for building or other permits to find out they violated other regulations, by side-stepping procedural loopholes which are now being closed.

It only takes one such misappropriation to sour an attitude. I know it will not last long but I must remember to handle my judgement of merit decisions with more prudence. Being charitable is not being a fool.

Since we changed our personal idea of commercialized Christmas giving and other holiday and birthday excesses, we have tried to channel what we spent in these activities into giving to others, both formally and in other ways. It is a joy and lifted what over the years had become a burden. We had no children, so we had no prospects of grandchildren, etc.

Yet the true meaning of each holiday, has not changed, but I speak for myself. I have a few table decorations I put out a Christmas. The other holidays I simply observe quietly.

White Snail, or Is It a Snail?

Now for the hors d'oeuvres of a photo today. It is a sad one. This small little snail appeared in an area of my newly renovated front yard near the entry steps two days ago. The white pearlized snail lay atop the moist mulch near a small hedge bush; it never moved so it must be dead.

Where did it come from? Probably from nearby Bull Shoals Lake. IS a terrestial snail? Why did it choose to move here? The moist mulch upon which it apparently died contained chemicals to deter grass and weed growth which may have been toxic. Snails make errors in judgement, too.

It may not be a snail at all. I did not touch it. Nor have I ever seen snails on the property, but then they are some what shy creatures. I have seen slugs, one very old looking toad, small frogs, lizards and snakes.

The "green" fanatics will call me a murderer, I guess. Stay tuned for the trial.....