Too much time on my hands

   Here I sit. Waiting for dreaded winter to arrive. Seventeen windows have their plastic up and ready. Finished the last one in my bedroom at 1am. this morning. I guess it's probably only in my mind, but the room seemed warmer tonight. I even used less blankets. Oh how I long to play in the dirt with a flower or two. I got my first catalog yesterday. From a place I never heard of before. When they sell your name they don't mess around, do they?? So I checked it out, and found before I knew it I had several pages' corners folded over. My sign to myself that if I get the money tucked away there is an item on that page I might buy. I have lots of catalogs piled in a corner waiting to get my final approval. There were lots of seeds that I think would be great additions this spring. It's that "eyes bigger than my stomach" thing again. There was a book on growing gourds which caught my interest. I planted Birdhouse gourds too late and got four sickly looking gourds as a result. When they dry, they shrink! Maybe I can do it better next time, or the birds will leave my feeders for a better site. I had wooden birdhouses all painted pretty (that was for my benefit, they didn't care about the outside at all) a few years back and both had families of sparrows in them. Before Butch's arrival, neighborhood cats would come to visit. Not so much any more, so I think the birds would be safe. I still have the worry about skunks though. This spring Butch saw his first skunk and chased it as if it was a cat. Sprayed him right in the face!!! The poor guy came barreling in the house rubbing his nose everywhere. Boy did my house stink. So- out came the ketchup and shampoo. I don't care for tomato soup so it never makes it into my cupboards. We both had to take a shower to clean him off. My clothes smelled, my house smelled, he smelled. Two days later he got sprayed AGAIN! I hope that skunk has moved on to another neighbor's yard for this season.                                     Back to the gourds; there are many shapes I never noticed before. Maybe I can get it right this time. Crafting minds want to know. Maybe set up a little stand on the corner, selling assorted gourds, lemonade, and some baby plants from my garden! Ha Ha Ha I gave away dozens of ''slips" from plants this year to people walking by. Lots wanted to ask questions about what I had growing.            But really, that was a really great way I got to meet people this year. One lady wanted to know how to prune her grapevine that never had produced any fruit. Waiting to see if she comes back with results.                                     If only a nice animal loving, gardening, Christian, single middle-aged man could come by the same way I would be totally happy!! Time will tell...