One of These Things Doesn't Belong Here

...One of these things just isn't the same...

Snaps from this past weekend at the Mothership, with most from the lush Mother Garden.

1 - Loofah (apparently, it appeared out of nowhere, or, at least, surreptitiously; it had caught no one's eye until right before this photo was taken).

2 - Very happy basil (in contrast to my several failed attempts at the Jardin; although the latest cuttings seem to be establishing now, quite late into the season - so even the cuttings' good growth is nowhere near the size of these leaves, only two of which were more than enough for a full dish of leftover pasta).

3 - Spent dwarf sunflower, hopefully bearing some viable seeds, so that we can try for some next year without relying on the supermarket that sold us this one. [This could be the "one" that doesn't belong, being neither edible, nor vividly colored - though once it was.]

4,5,6,7 - Red amaranth, in all its various forms  (taking a cue from my pleasing past practice), including inside an omelette. Mama Hen was somewhat skeptical about the omelette; she seems to have missed out on spinach omelettes in her life. The little yellow grape tomatoes came from seeds that Mama Hen just casually tossed into a planter in Spring, and, of course, they thrived in her care. I saved seeds, since I don't know that mine will yield very much fruit.

8 - The reason for the visit - Lil' Bro's. [This is the other candidate for not belonging, being not of the Mother Garden, though the flan still sprang from the hands of Mama Hen.]

And also "not the same"? The weekend's activities. No watercraft; Lil' Bro was reluctantly willing, but the reluctance was clear. And it was HIS birthday, so it was only right that we should follow his lead and preferences - and for him, mini golf won. A fun outing overall, though surprisingly not much less mosquito-plagued than boating would have been.

Sissy expressed some pressure to boat regularly, too, to make the annual dues that I paid worthwhile. Sure, there are the fees - but it should still be fun, for everyone involved. I think part of the reason the fun has waned is the complex assembly routine. The kayak option that Papa Rooster, Mama Hen, and I went to explore last week alas doesn't quite work as is - the seat was lower than Papa Rooster's comfort level. There might be other options, but that would be more of an outlay. We'll see....

It's always the time versus the money. Feels like life shouldn't come down to that, but surprisingly often, decisions can be plotted out on those two axes. I am fortunate in that, for these things, I feel like I can disregard the cost element - nothing we do is oh so extravagant; I just want it to be fun and easy. But the expense part tends to weigh more on others - it's generally that the ones more lacking in a resource value it more. And so it is with me and time.