Just for the Pun of It . . .

About a month ago, this picture (not mine, alas) was making the rounds of Facebook. I posted it on my page where it prompted a string of punny comments -- mainly between Martin of Square Sunshine and me.

 It was so much fun, I didn't want it to get lost so am posting it here -- with apologies to those of you who read it the first time. And if you're not a fan of truly bad puns, just keep moving -- nothing to see here.

It was Merry who started it....

• Merry Elrick - Lettuce make you smile!

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• Martin Hodges - Pepper to abandon ship!

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• Vicki Lane - But, alas, the captain was as cool as a cucumber and the doomed ship steamed on....

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• Martin Hodges - Everyone thought, now there's a man who knows his onions.

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• Vicki Lane - Only the cook knew that they were well and truly in the soup...

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• Martin Hodges -Yes, not even the seasoned travellers knew!

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• Vicki Lane - Blithely dancing the Mashed Potato on the afterdeck, the passengers seemed not to carrot all. 

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• Martin Hodges - Apparently, the loud crunching sound mint nothing at all to them.

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  Vicki Lane - 'Hello?' said the oiler, ' perhaps something will turnip.'

   

  Martin Hodges - And all the time, Leo and Kate were promising to beetroot to each other.

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• Vicki Lane - A ship of fools, a random collection of human beans, all unsuspecting ...

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• Martin Hodges - Look out! The fennel is about to collapse!

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• Vicki Lane - Corny though it was, the band continued to play...

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  Charles Mullen - I was going to participate. But mine are just too corny!

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• Martin Hodges  - Even though the crew had used the last rocket

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  Vicki Lane - ‎"Perhaps at last I'll get some peas,' thought the hen-pecked husband as he saw his nagging wife loaded into the last lifeboat.

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• Martin Hodges - Even though he knew he wouldn't see her again, he mustard up the courage to smile.

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• Vicki Lane - A rowdy gang of Swedes sang their national anthem as the waters enveloped them.

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• Martin Hodges - I saw one of them climb to the stern endive into the icy waters.

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• Vicki Lane - The rest chose to romaine where they were, swigging down the akavit and singing...

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• Martin Hodges - Then came the dreaded moment, and the bandleader cried, 'That's shallot!"

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• Vicki Lane - Barley a quarter of the passengers survived the chili waters.

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• Susan Jane Urbanski Best. String. Ever.

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• Martin Hodges - Spare a thought for those poor souls who remained, pumpkin out the water, until the last minute...

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• Vicki Lane - It was such a squash in the lifeboat that the countess had to sit beside a common tater.

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  Martin Hodges - He had escaped through a small fire, and was looking a little chard.

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• Vicki Lane ‎"Now I'm in a pickle,' he thought, 'but it's a dilly of a story.'

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• Martin Hodges - In fact, such a good story, if he survived, he might make it on to the Okra Winfrey Show.

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• Vicki Lane - Meanwhile, the countess was calling for her maid, 'Tara! Tara! Oh, bugger, where's Tarragon?'

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• Martin Hodges - Then the countess heard a voice crying weakly, "Here I yam, your ladyship."

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• Vicki Lane ‎(Martin, you're cracking me up.) Tara, who was one hot tomato, was snuggled between two handsome  passengers.

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• Martin Hodges - ‎(great fun, isn't it?) But Tara had also packed a bottle of scotch. She now had more than enough to salsify her.

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• Vicki Lane - Her nose was cherry red while her cheeks were aubergine.

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• Martin Hodges - She received many compliments, but they were wasted on her, as she was parsley deaf.

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• Vicki Lane - Her seat mate, a burly lad named Art, took a swallow of her scotch and began to cough. Pounding him on the back, Tara shouted, "Don't let Artichoke!"

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• Charles Mullen - Rosemary can't elope until the thyme is right.

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  Martin Hodges - But I thought her number one man was Alf...Alfalfa

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  Martin Hodges - Really enjoyed that, Vicki. Lovely way to pass the time. Cheap and chervil, too! (Sorry couldn't resist)

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• Vicki Lane - Good grief -- where does the time go! I must get out and pull some weeds. But before I leaf, I wanted to mention that though her hair was frisee and she was chilled to the marrow, Tara was recognized by a reporter on the rescue ship as RuPaul's infamous younger sister, Ru (wait for it) Barb.

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  Judi Dowlearn Alef - Such a shame the iceberg cutter didn't make it in tyme.

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• Vicki VanValkenburgh - They need a comment-thread Hall of Fame for stuff like this.

  
  

Unexpected

The redness of this rose I planted a few months ago -- as well as its constellation of buds . . .

Crimson or scarlet? I think scarlet -- with crimson buds . . .

An ARTICHOKE!  I planted several in 2010 and all but one died that winter. 
This one has persevered.
  

 We won't be eating the lone artichoke though -- I want to see it bloom.

I think this beauty is a Red Admiral (Vanessa atalanta) but if I'm wrong, please tell me.

There were sweet-smelling pinks and other flowers nearby
 but the creature was fascinated with John's boot . . .

 

 This protective mama spent the night in the refrigerator in a bag of greens I'd harvested.
Luckily I noticed her before plopping the collards into the stir fry. 
I relocated her and her egg sac to the clematis vine on the front porch.

I love these little surprises!

 

Tarragon Vinegar

The tarragon (far left atop the wall) was sprawling all over the place.

So I pruned it and jammed the branches into a gallon jar. I filled the jar with cider vinegar,

 and set it in the sun.  (If it had been rainy, I could have heated the vinegar a bit before putting it in the jar.).

After a few days, I strained the infused vinegar and poured it into bottles, in which I'd put a few peeled garlic cloves and a bit of fresh-picked tarragon for looks.

Tarragon vinegar is nice in a vinaigrette and works well in potato salad.

I plan to use it to make vinegar cheese. Check out the process HERE.

 

Memorial Day 2012

Honoring  all who served . . .

What if, instead of buying another paper poppy, we pushed to bring our troops home from Afghanistan . . . and thought long and hard before engaging in any more so-called "pre-emptive' wars?

What if?

Stereotypes

 

 

 

 

Station Gap Graveyard

I've passed this cemetery on my way to the grocery store ever since 1975. Yesterday I decided to turn up the narrow gravel road and have a look.

It's a beautiful, peaceful spot.

Some stones are hard to read. . .

Some have fallen over . . .

The road from Marshall to Hot Springs is just below . . .

As always, there are so many children . . . 

 A few brief months or years . . .

No name -- just Infant . . .


Bessie was three years old . . .

This below is just a piece of fieldstone -- but someone worked hard to carve a name and dates.
It's hard to decipher -
MARR
EDTOM ????
???
BORN ???
DIED OCTOBER 8 185?

 

 

 

 

 

So many stories . . .

 

(Im)Perfection