Garden Gnome

[fbhjr]

Today was a cool wet day.


So,for the most part we stayed at home. But, we did have a short adventure to Home Depot.


My wife wants to plant some flowers for her mother, and I decided to try our window box again. I get it into my head to do this about every 5 years. The squirrels love it as they regard it as an all you can eat buffet.
But, I’ll give it another shot.


I was surprised to see that the garden shop there had small tents for garden gnomes.


I think it’s cool they have gnome housing. But, a bit strange in a hardware store.

Knowing how weapons tend to develop, I suspect I have a different view of their garden implements then most folks.


But, I only needed a small spade for the window box.
I think it came out well enough.


We’ll see if the squirrel will let it be.


When we stopped at the market for dinner supplies I saw a strange sight.

People who don’t bring their cart back up, or at least put it in one of the return places really annoy me. And, there is a LOT of that in Shrewsbury. It seems to me that there are often more carts just drifting around the lot then actually in the store.
It is so bad that apparently the birds have started to try and move the carts around.
At least I think that is what the two birds on this cart were trying.


I hope it works. But, then we’ll probably have to pay them.

Sadly I found that my possessed door locks did indeed drain my car battery. So, it’s recharging tonight.

I did get in touch with the laser place today to see if anything has changed in the month since my interview.
“You’re not what we want, and we’re still looking,” I was told. “But, your very much in the running of people we don’t want.”
Great.
Top of the class in someone to settle for.

Comments

[palusbuteo.livejournal.com]

damn laser place. they SUCK.

I have found it interesting that despite over 1,900 someodd years, a modern Cutting Mattock is nearly identical to a Roman mattock; as well as a Roman Dolabra pickaxe and other entrenching tools. If it works, don't redesign it, right?

[fbhjr.livejournal.com]

No, they don't.
They were very up front when I interviewed there. They want someone who is an optic designer first, and mechanical designer second. I am a mechanical designer who has done some optics. Not at all the same, and I don't blame them for wanting what they want.
Now I can't lie and say I didn't hope they'd say "Frank, we've like what you've got so much we're going to change what we wanted." But, that isn't realistic.
I did hope they'd make a decision before now, just to get out of limbo. But, again, I'm not blaming them for that.

On the other subject, the mattock and similar tools have a history much longer than just to Roman times. Those basic tools were in development since before history started. It's not surprising that a good design was hit and kept since then. The only way I'd expect a big change is if there was a major shift in what its made from with some super alloy. But, we've been using the same metals since Rome. So, the same shape makes sense.

What *might* keep the squirrels away from your window box

[evrgreen.livejournal.com]

We have one of those artsy, flashy, multicolored plastic wind-thing-a-ma-jiggies... basically it is a glorified, vertical axis pinwheel that hangs from a swivel in one of our trees. The squirrels don't seem to like it or perhaps they think that it is a spinning "warning marker" from ST:TOS 'The corbomite maneuver" - in any case, the bird feeder in the tree is largely left along by them. The feeders in the other trees, well, they go after those with a vengeance..

Re: What *might* keep the squirrels away from your window box

[fbhjr.livejournal.com]

The ones we have are more like a squirrel street gang. They're tough and won't back down unless guns are involved.
I used to have a rubber band gut to shoot them and keep them away from the window box. Even with that, they wouldn't start to run until I opened the main door, opened the screen door and stuck the gun out onto the porch. Movement or noise alone would only make them look up. Without seeing the gun, they'd hold their ground.

Re: What *might* keep the squirrels away from your window box

[cissa.livejournal.com]

You do realize that we are working to evolve ever-cleverer squirrels...

Re: What *might* keep the squirrels away from your window box

[fbhjr.livejournal.com]

Yes.
I really want to make a squirrel training camp.

I've got ideas for other rodents too. But, my wife says I shouldn't implement them.

[morgan-lafaye.livejournal.com]

See, I'm working on the friendly, polite squirrel.BIG mind you but polite.