As we continue “Plumber’s Friend,” Janis seems to be catching on to what makes a truly invaluable assistant. I have things to do this morning, but I did want to drop off another episode of the plumbing series, and I’ll try to post another one or two Saturday. That’s tomorrow.
40 responses to ““Plumber’s Friend””
The one thing for which I made special trips to a Trader Joe’s was either of the fantastic Ghirardelli chocolate bars – milk or dark – in TEN pound slabs!! Been known to buy one of each on more than one occasion. Alas, TJ no longer carries same; probably just as well, given my diabetes. If memory serves, those 10 lbs. cost only $19.95.
Morphy, one thing I like about the Aldi’s stores is the selection of German foods. Good stuff there. And if you see a World Market store check it out. It’s a division of Bed, Bath, and Beyond which carries home decor items, but also imported wines, beers and foods.
I shopped Trader Joe when my daughter lived in St. Louis.
Had not seen them before but enjoyed them. She loved them.
When older daughter worked for Whole Food they trash talked TJ a lot and feared them. She was let go by WF so attitude may have changed.
The family who own Aldi also own Trader Joe’s but separate companies.
Completely off of all topics:
Am I the only person left in the United States who prefers natural lawns?
Lawns with clover and dandelions and other so-called undesirables?
Rick, I don’t think so: https://richsoil.com/lawn/god.jsp
I’ve found it to be an interesting commentary on USAmerican infrastructure and retail overhead, that Aldi’s has undercut so many brands without the usually seen drop in quality. Sometimes tradeoffs occur but overall it seems good. I’m still a creature of habit, but if Aldi’s were to build another store on my side of town, I would likely shop there more.
I first knew Trader Joe’s in San Francisco, visiting my sister. It was years before I learned the Aldi connection that had been a diversity play for that business. They are the ones responsible for the expansion craze of TJ from late 90’s onwards. They have an internal division in Europe that splits the geography. I had heard something in that arrangement had kept them out of the Americas for a while. By the time I started seeing them pop up I had forgotten which part was which.
Rick, I don’t mind clover and probably a few other types of ground cover. But dandelions for some reason bother me. That and crabgrass can ruin a nice roll on the lawn. Trying to treat for some with today’s treatments usually means eliminating most others as well.
I do remember the smell of clover, and the bees, from childhood. When my children were confused by the Trinity, I took a page from Patrick but did not have any shamrock around. The duplex I was renting at the time providentially had clover in the yard. So a small scale substitution filled the bill.
Back to my childhood, I remember afternoons spent looking for the elusive four-leaf, hearing Bugs Bunny singing in my head. Because he was the only one I had heard sing, “I’m looking over, a four-leafed clover, that I’ve overlooked before.”
This is my youngest girl, Trudi. She’s a German Shorthair Pointer mix and loves to go fishing with me. She gets really excited when the fish are close. Catfish are her favorite… don’t know why! This was taken in 2014, before I was walking much.
Teddy Bear is the black fellow that is only partially in the shot. He and his sister Taffy came to us as puppies in 2004. They are both still hanging on, though Teddy has lymphoma and Taffy has badly arthritic hips.
Trudi came as an adult in 2013. She’d been returned to a “kill” shelter because she was destructive. It seems she didn’t like being left alone in the back yard all day… she is too smart and it was very boring for her. Staying with me at home has been perfect for her.
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10152450508595659&set=pb.525915658.-2207520000.1497062807.&type=3&theater
I remember when white clover seed was included in the standard, “yard grass” seed mix. The clover helped improve the quality of the soil and fertilized the other grasses. When I was little I would catch the honeybees that were on the clover.
Here, we have the “Texas Dandelion” or “False Dandelion.” They are actually very pretty. I have very few of the common dandelion.
https://www.wildflower.org/gallery/species.php?id_plant=pypa4
David:
Site says the Texas dandelion is native. The common is not; it’s from the Middle East, and it [or most of them] are a triploid hybrid of two ME asters, and therefore sterile. The seeds develop asexually, but the flowers still contain nectar and attract bees. One of the world’s more successful weeds. Attended a ’65 NSF 3-week workshop where one of the lecturers was Herbert[?] Baker, a Brit. expert on weedy plants. When we were on theol. tour in Turkey, I did photos of scruffy dandelions in their native habitat. Fellows thought I was nuts, but Elaine understood. Fun.
Peace,
A visual pun. Wonder who will get it?
https://scontent-dft4-3.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/18951130_1699183827042112_3051169099169749349_n.jpg?oh=06871544d3d1beeda86ba49807424c45&oe=59A5A4EF
Hi, guys. Home from a few days visiting friends in Flagstaff. 84 there, 104 here in Tucson. I admit that’s definitely better this time of year! Speaking of Village dogs, remember we have one now too, as of four months ago. We took her with us up to Flag. And she is Lady— to go with Tramp now, I guess! A perfect name for her–she is truly a lady and just the dog we needed/wanted. All three of us were lucky that day.
http://www.gocomics.com/ballardstreet
Peace,
Mark, “… is frightening!”
EMB, thanks for the tidbit on the common dandelion. Never realized it was an invasive species. It certainly is prolific for being sterile! Interesting that most common dandelions are clones. I also learned that “Apomixis” is the term for cloning via seeds. So, that must mean that any variation in the species must be due to externally induced modification to the reproductive cells when producing the seeds?
I immediately wondered what purpose the pollen serves, since it isn’t used for reproduction. I found some information that suggests while the pollen is not useful to the individual, it is essential for the species. Here’s the abstract for one article/book chapter (I didn’t buy the full text). https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007%2F978-90-481-2770-2_22
Thanks again for the excursion.
I wish I could remember where I saw the article (and of course I can’t) but the early settlers to America were very upset that there were no dandelions in The New World. They were used to having this plant that had so many uses, both as food and as medicine, that they wrote back to have others bring plants with them. Nowadays we no longer see the dandelion as needful, but weedful. And yes, I am one of those people who like them, and let them grow. Of course, neither am I much of a “lush lawn” person. I’d as soon have vegetable gardens in the front yard. The funny part is, here on The Mountain, I don’t have much room for either.