A Much Better Week

      This week, everything has been back to normal. I've been pain free and it seems all has passed. I'm going to remain diligent though and keep my eyes and ears open for anything that might come up. I was also able to walk this week, and it wasn't the same dread that it had been, Maybe that was my mind telling me something was on the way. The lake trail was lonely as usual, with I think only two days I was out there, there were other people on the trail. I did walk every day as well, even though I hit goal of 50 km on Saturday. I just felt like I really needed to be out there, and today there was absolutely no one on the trail with me. I did only do one lap as opposed to my normal 2, and I was ok with that. I didn't have that same anxiety, like I should be doing more. It was refreshing unlike the weeks leading up to the kidney stones. Maybe that brief dance with pain gave me a different perspective on things.

     I got all but one of the plants in the ground, but I am not finished at all with the garden. The one I left out was the Desert Rose. A friend of mine told me that it likes shallow pots, this also adds up with what I read about it. You should treat it similar to a cactus. I could technically plant it in the ground, and it could thrive, if I keep it somewhat dry (that would not be in the garden), but I can keep the size down if I find the right pot for it, and maybe make it a highlight in the garden. I'm considering making a stand for the pot that I get, and raising it above the garden. I have to find the right pot first. This is what the garden looks like currently.

     It looks like a disaster, but it is truly a work in progress. That big open area is right for another one or two plants, and I have to figure out the right ones to go there. The nursery pots that are in there are the pots the plants came in, and until I make markers (or maybe not) I'm leaving those there so I know the names of each plant. I did take pictures of each pot with the plant it belongs to so I have a record of it, regardless of what I do. I'm planning on putting down mulch, but I'm not going to do that until everything is in the ground where it needs to be. This is a lesson I learned form the last time. It's a giant pain to scrape mulch away and then dig up a hole to plant, then try to get all the mulch back around the base. So the garden will look like trash until the time is right. I'll get those final shots when it's all done. Oh, that planter right in the front with the lush looking plant, is actually one of my peppers in a can. That is the caramel reaper. I finally transplanted it a few weeks ago, and it's looking really good. I just transplanted the berry cream that I also had in a can yesterday. Those were the only two cans that made it this far. I never got a pepper from either one of them, because they were just too small to produce anything. The great thing about using that can method, is that the root ball was amazing. Once the roots have a chance to spread out, the berry cream will grow like that caramel reaper. That caramel reaper tripled in size in the span of a week. I'm hoping the berry cream does the same.

     Speaking of reapers. I got the first reaper of the season from my plant this week. I'm planning on putting it on burgers tomorrow, which will probably not go very well, because my tolerance is way down. I'm planning on making two patties, but only putting the reaper on one. If I had it spread out on two, I may not be able to finish both burgers. No matter what anyone tells you, reapers are a whole other level of hot. There's hot, like ghosts and morugas and things like that, then there is a big gap and then there is the reaper. There are hotter peppers out there ( I haven't had them yet ), so that might be a whole other level above reapers. I'll get there eventually.

     If you remember, a few weeks ago I told you about how one of the YouTubers I follow had their channel hacked. Well, he has it back and has created this weeks Favorite Song of the Week. This is a bit of a rare video for him. He generally does videos targeting bad guitar players, and then giving them what he calls Shreddemption. Basically he puts their bad playing into a song and he plays over it with some epic skills. This week he did a cover with a singer and it is absolutely amazing. This video really highlights the skills that he has, that are truly above most mortals. I just want to mention that he does the entire backing track as well. Usually it's through a music program that he can program drums, synth, bass, and what not, then he plays his own guitar parts. Rhythm, lead, doubling, and all that good stuff. With all that in your head, I give you Stevie T, with the help of Anthony Vincent doing a cover of the new Billie Eilish song, "Your Power".

     I had to watch that video a second time immediately after watching it the first time. I would say that Stevie out did himself this time, but that would just not be true. The guy is rich with talent and skill when it comes to the guitar, and music in general. His talent also expands into his video skills as well. Up until recently, he did all the shooting and editing of his videos. He has someone to edit them now, which frees him up to play more guitar and do videos like that one above. I highly recommend checking his channel out. Most of his videos are musically themed with a good helping of comedy thrown in. I also recommend you look up the original song by Billie Eilish and you can decide which one you like better. Billie's is more simplistic with an acoustic guitar and her usually whispery vocals. To me, both are fantastic, and depending on my mood, I could like one above the other and then change my mind the next day. That's the beauty of music, there is something for everyone and it can always give you some kind of feeling. Peace in and goodnight.