I love autumn, it's gardening season

I admit again to being inspired by my blogging buddy, Z. She loves autumn like I do, and I don't think it is a coincidence that we both live in Southern California. For those of you who live in other areas, autumn may seem a bad omen of winter. For us it brings sweet relief from unrelenting heat, droning air conditioners and high electric bills. Honestly, if the A/C doesn't kick on for the next several months, I will be one happy lady. Cool nights mean that even if the days are warm, the artful opening and closing of windows during cool hours means that my home can keep cool and there will be a good supply of fresh breezes.

Autumn is also the very best gardening season in So CA.  Plant annuals or perennials in fall and your spring will bring a double bonus.  Since winter here is cool and rainy, the plants set a deep root system over the fall and winter, preparing to give a spring show that can't be beat.  Plant the same plant in the spring and it will be struggling to keep up.  Only stay away from delicate summer tropicals this time of year.  Other than that, have at it!  October is the best planting month because the heat waves are less likely to come and ruin the tender new plants. Here is my dream garden. You don't get this by waiting until spring to plant.

Hey, wait a minute (I can hear you say). I thought you were writing about fall. That picture looks like spring. And that is our secret here in Southern California. Fall here, with the exception of a few trees like Liquid Amber whose leaves turn color and actually drop off, looks very much like a mini spring. In fact, the early spring flowers in most climates do great here as fall/winter garden flowers.

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Social Justice versus Charity, what does God want?

When I was at synagogue this week, and the Rabbi did his usual thing before High Holidays (Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur).  He asked the congregation what was on its mind and let anyone who raised a hand talk for one minute.  Some comments had a leftist slant.

The one that bothered me the most had to do with the biblical admonition to leave the corners of one's field un-reaped, so as to allow passers-by to have food to eat.

Fine.  I understand this.  It's about charity, right?  The bible instructs us how to be charitable and provide for those less fortunate.  I don't have a problem with that.

What bothers me is when people take a passage like this and state that it stands for Social Justice, in the socialist/marxist sense.  That the state should take the goods of others by FORCE and redistribute it to others.  Wrong.  The bible does not say this, and I disagree that God is a Marxist.

I think God wants us to be our best selves.  And I stand with American Conservatives, who are among the kindest and most charitable people in the world.

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Solyndra sales pitch, via Misfit Politics, funny

Worthy of going viral, I think. I love a good laugh. Hat Tip Hillbuzz.

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I will never forget Robert David Peraza

And neither will his father, Robert Peraza, shown here at the September 11 memorial. Why belabor the point on September 17, 2011? Because some pictures are worth a second look.

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A Republican Wins Anthony Weiner's Vacated Seat

When I saw on the news that it was even a possibility, I smiled. Really? Z says that Dems had a 3 to 1 advantage on registration, and STILL elected a Republican.

This can't have anything to do with Obama, of course. No way this can be a referendum on his failed policies and failed presidency. No way the New York liberals can be expressing dissatisfaction with the activities of the Democratic Party.

Nothing to see here, folks. Move along, move along.

Dems just go on doing what you're doing.

Pssst! This is just for Republicans. Democrats please stop reading now. Hey guys, let's let the Dems think that this means nothing. That way they will be completely blindsided by the Tsunami election of 2012 that will literally sweep them off the map.

I can hear the Halleluyah chorus starting now....

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September 11, 2001

I got my kids dressed and drove them to school that morning as usual. Everything was so much as usual on that deceptively beautiful day. After the kids got out of the car, I turned on the car radio to listen to a local music station, but the disk jockeys were talking about Armageddon. They said smoke covered New York City and it seemed to take them forever to explain what had happened for listeners that just tuned in. I drove straight home and remained glued to my television for hours.

Multiple attacks.
It was on purpose.
Those bastards.

This past Friday there was a Patriot Day ceremony at the flag pole of my kids' elementary school. Is that what we are calling it now? Patriot Day? The ceremony involved a local Cub Scout pack, who assisted with the American Flag and led patriotic songs.

Refrain:
And I'm proud to be an American
Where at least I know I'm free.
And I won't forget the men who died
And gave that right to me
And I'll gladly stand up next to you
And defend her still today
For there ain't no doubt I love this land
God Bless the U.S.A.
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Petting sharks, kids get dose of climate change propaganda at Long Beach Aquarium of the Pacific

Little guy loved the shark petting.

My 6-y-o could not get enough of the shark and ray petting area. The 3-y-o decided to play it cautious and observe.
One display area that we skipped was "Arctic and Antarctic, our polar regions in peril". That was seriously the label hung on the wall to describe the display hall. The first chapter of the visitors guide goes on to say that "climate change, which is causing warmer ocean temperatures, melting ice, rising seas, and more, is posing a serious threat to these fragile ecosystems and ultimately people and animals across the globe." They go on to say "the scientific evidence is clear- Earth is warming" blaming the "warming" on burning of coal, oil, natural gas and deforestation. They claim sea levels could rise more than 3 feet by the end of this century.
Later in the booklet, they claim that while the kelp forests recover following the warm temperatires of El Nino conditions, they will not be able to adapt to permanent rises in ocean temps due to climate change.
They also say that sand temps in Florida have increased already, causing 90 percent of Loggerhead turtle hatchlings to become female.
Next, they claim that ocean acidification due to fossil fuel burning and increased CO2 in the water causes decreased availability of carbonate materials for shell creatures.
Only the Lorakeet forest remains unmolested by the ravages of climate change, apparently.

The portion at the end of the book about "what you can do" could have been written by Obama himself. It recommends conserving electricity and water in the home, switching to CFL and LED light bulbs, weatherizing windows, combining car trips, "purchase carbon credits from companies that provide them to offset the emissions that you cannot yourself eliminate", contact your representatives about climate change and talk to family, friends and neighbors about climate change.

Did these people never hear about Climate Gate?  I love the displays and animals at the aquarium, but it is dangerous to the minds of impressionable children.  Best to attend armed with skepticism and the latest research data to counteract the relentless propaganda spewed at the kids by the aquarium administration.

Humans mix it up with ocean creatures, up to 5 divers were in the tank entertaining young and old alike.

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Happy End of Summer

The last days are the best. The beach air and water temperatures are perfect.
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