Category: Trella Diaries

Thursday, May 21, 2009
55° sunny 16% humidity
Dow Jones 8292
Breakfast with David on the deck. He tried to correct the wiring on the three way switch in the hall but no go. He mowed paths down in the woods. Left for Columbus at 10:15 a.m. I planted the variegated sage in last year’s pot of sage and rosemary and the lavender in bloom from Sue Harter in the perennial bed by lower drive. Watered everything.
Saw an indigo bunting in hawthorne and heard a Great Crested Fly Catcher across the river. Wrens singing by box on lamppost by upper driveway and by box outside greenhouse.
Royce cleaning- $50. After she left I cleaned the banisters, deacon’s bench and siding on the front porch. Jack Rose has not picked up the sealer cans nor re-piled the wood by the garage door. It’s blocking the steps. He is a liar and scam artist.
A new Embark modem delivered by Federal Express

Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Potted a long box with white petunias for Cemetery but too heavy for me to move. so planted a smaller one also. Weeded in bed along lower driveway.
Wrote two letters to Bill Laidlaw- director Ohio Historical Society- One to vote for Ken Davidson for 2009 Tiffin award recipient and one to thank him for information on the Ray Romine lepidoptera collection I donated to Ohio Historical Society.
House phone not working. Couldn’t find cell phone so drove to Harry Condry house on Brocklesby Road- new house back a long Lane to take the 25 tree markers for Terradise Nature Preserve and set up time to distribute them to the trees. We’ll meet Saturday at 9:30 a.m. here. He has tree swallows in his bird boxes.
David at Ohio Funeral Directors convention starting today. He will be here to spend night. Arrived about 7:00. Fixed the TV in my bedroom- converter box was unplugged and remote needed new batteries. Found my cell phone in pocket of jacket in the golf cart by calling it and following sound.

Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Called door guys and first one here by 10:30. Broken spring on garage door and he left to get a new one. About 1:30 another door guy Chad came and finished the repair and also serviced the north door $249. Jim Carpenter arrived at 9:30- he used weed eater under fence by road and the bank along lower driveway. Raked up the wind rows from mowing yesterday.
He emptied pots where things didn’t grow and mixed with peat and sifted into potting benches. I used it all potting up Sue’s gifts. Jim planted red morning glories by greenhouse and Heavenly Blue by side porch.
We had cleaned out the utility room around the water meter and the Ohio American water meter installer came about 1:30 and replaced old meter. Mandated every 15 years.
Loaded six pots of tomato plants into Prius and took to Heritage Hall to give to board members. Each pot had at least three plants and they were 5 to 10 in tal-. from seed in March. Betty White, Carol Robinson, Nancy Gracely and others got them. Jack Shaffer confirmed appointment to Phyllis Glascoe’s seat- expires 2011.

Monday, May 18, 2009
Mowed upper lawn including first time for new grass. And lower lawn around pond. Up at 7:30 did final review of notes for tonight’s talk to Central Ohio Native Plant Society. Unloaded plants from car and planned to drive car to upper driveway but garage door would not open. Moved table and desk away from front of car and drove tractor and golf cart outside and pulled red cart out thinking I could manouver between post and back out but not enough room.This took an hour! Called Kensel and he offered to pick me up. Changed in 15 minutes before he and Opal arrived. To Heritage Hall and picked up Gale. To the biology building on Kennear Road west OSU campus. Sharon—– in parking lot to get to greet us. Was Gale’s instructor at OSU and a classmate of Mary Hemmerly. I was greeted ‘Hello Trella’ by a stranger. Said he recognized me from picture in Perry Peskin’s book! Good potluck food. Virginia and Jim Wagner came late. Meeting included a business meeting and audience participation before I finally took podium at 8:30. Didn’t need my notes just used chronology in my head. Appreciation of my jokes. Lots of laughter and great applause. Had a question and answer session and more applause.
Gale drove Kensel’s car home because of his cataracts. Home by 10:30.
Received check for $50 for Terradise Nature Preserve.

Sunday, May 17, 2009
Thad’s 5th birthday party
To Urbana by 2:00. David greeted me. had just arrived among the about 22 guests. the Sapps, Haldeman’s, Josh and Caroline and Thad’s two nurses Barbara and Shirley and friend.
Dave Sapp grilled brats, fruit plate, corn on cob, chase green salad. I took a hanging basket for Dave and Sarah. left about five for Harters. drove through Marysville and Delaware. Shunning bypass. The Emmanuel and Lucy Sheneman house east of former Children’s Home has enclosed front entrance- white- well kept. Did Grandpa plant the lilac hedge along road?
At Harter’s from 6:00 to 7:30. Son in Tennessee has moved so Bob and Sue probably won’t move there. 17 cats and kittens. Some headed for animal shelter. All so healthy.
Out to their greenhouse. Sue specialty is herbs and scented geraniums. She loaded me down with morning glories- Heavenly Blue and red, moon vine, double rose geranium, large Lavender in bloom, lemongrass, Golden sage, Laura Bush petunias.
Home by 9:00.

Saturday, May 16, 2009
Rain 8:30-9:30 Temp 75
After an email from Jim Carpenter saying he would be here at 1:00 instead of 9:30 he appeared at 10:00 after the rain stopped. he planted the rest of the fibrous begonias in bed opposite Greenhouse door. planted three rows of nasturtiums east of lilies in patio bed, and a window box for the side porch railing. divided two hostas and replanted. planted three sickly azaleas from Aldi’s $5.95 near Bell pool. then to bed along lower driveway and sewed Cosmos seed. Doug some weeds. by then his cold was reactivated. took a quick jaunt to Terradise Nature Preserve. logs from Hackberry still in parking lot. signers of logs remarked area is messy. and it is!
early supper. red phone book to see how to contact Embark for lack of connection. Jim had got the connector back and phone is charging. as he was putting away the fancy desk in the wash stand by my bed he offered to trade three Tuesday’s work for 5 of the pieces. I kept one so for two Tuesdays about $80. Carnival Glass Deep Blue opalescent.
Gave Jim a hanging basket of white petunias.

Friday, May 15, 2009
Dow Jones 8268 down 40
Chrysler and GE [sic GM?] closing half their dealerships to avoid bankruptcy.
Black topping applied.
Melissa Tanner arrived at 9:30 instead of Glenn McNutt. Good worker. Fertilized new grass with starter formula- pruned sweet Autumn Clematis on pergola- planted tomatoes and peppers and white petunias and pergola beds and mulched them with the dehydrating grass.
Josh Rose (Henry?) stopped and offered to do both upper and lower driveways for $350. He ended up charging me $750. I’m outraged. Left soft tar along edges.
Emails from Nancy Harris. Cancer of breast has not metastasized so hopeful. Her family of boys- brothers and Sons supportive.
When I offered to pay Melissa she refused- said she and Glenn owed so much to me for keeping them in the home they love even when their rent payment is late.

Thursday, May 14, 2009
Rain AM ½ in. Sunny PM 73º
Solved a lot of problems today after I couldn’t find photos to illustrate my conservation projects and I mailed emailed David that he didn’t have to come to Columbus Monday to show them. Emailed Mac Hildreth that I found his sunglasses. Called Dave Matyac with an SOS to move the golf cart. He came over with his jack and lifted it off timber it was stuck on. Took his Lantana plant, put new control on nozzle to adjust water flow.
Took another HH bond to Ohio State Bank. Carolyn Hittenrauch is Bank officer who did the paperwork. $10,000 toward Landscaping by E E Johnson Property Services. Signed contract and mailed it. Shopped at Lowe’s for fertilizer and annuals seeds, potting soil, grass seed, and hose nozzle. To Aldi’s for groceries $36.66. Home and unloaded by 7:00.
called Glenn (Bordeaux) and he will come to work here tomorrow morning.

Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Rain late
Sowed alyssum seed by patio in front of ageratum and pink geraniums. Also in combo pots. Potted up pepper plant seeds from red sweet peppers. Also basil and parsley from seed. repotted lantana, lemon thyme and sage.
Downloaded contract for work on steps and walls signed ready to mail. $11,750 plus tax. Will need to cash another of Howard’s HH bonds for this and pay for the lot at 219 East Fairground $3,200.

Tuesday, May 12, 2009
65º Sunny
Set out fibrous begonias west of Bradford Pear and six of the Oriental Lilies from McClure and Zimmerman. Got golf cart stuck against pear tree. Two bicyclists stopped and asked permission to walk down in the woods -given.
To Dr Cloran for teeth cleaning $60. Have to have two fillings. Visited John Cottrell remembering so many MCHS projects together. He meets monthly at Trinity to roll bandages- personally done enough to fill a mile.
To Heritage hall. Called Clutters- they will go with Gale and me Monday to Columbus for my talk. Called Tracy at Johnson Properties and she will email the contract for work and steps and terrace walls and along patio.
Meeting with Jan Augenstein to select committee chairman at Executive Committee meeting then excused Gale and discussed her contract renewal. No raise but perks. Diane Mault will investigate Marion Area Chamber of Commerce for health insurance coverage.
Chessie fully recovered. Slept on my lap while I watched tv.
Still no telephone service.