Friday Smiles 323, Flower bed update, May and June Calendar pages, AJJ, and update on jury duty

This may be the longest title I have ever written.  I'll start with once again joining Annie (at A Stitch in Time) and the ladies at Friday Smiles.  Since Annie is co-hosting the WOYWW crop this year with her sister, she may not have a Friday Smiles.  I'm still planning to visit, none-the-less.   But first, let me update you on my jury duty.

First, you enter a large room where others are already seated.  You show an I.D., like a driver's license or a passport, and show your jury summons.  Then you hurry up and wait.  And wait.  And wait.

We were divided into groups and it was finally my group's turn.  We were seated and briefly explained what the case was about.  No real specifics, just generalities.

Then I was asked a few questions, one of which was why I would not make a good juror (I'm paraphrasing).  I explained I am a blogger who posts every day and hosts two blogs.  I explained that although I realized I wouldn't be allowed to let anyone know if this was a civil or criminal case, or discuss it in any way, I had no way of controlling what questions and comments were left on my blog.  They thanked me and dismissed me. WHEW!!  I was thrilled, since I didn't want to be a part of that particular jury case.  Now on to bigger and better things.

Here are a few funnies I found in my office when I cleaned it last year.

Three guys are convicted of a very serious crime, and they're all sentenced to twenty years in solitary confinement. They're each allowed one thing to bring into the cell with them.
      
The first guy asks for a big stack of books. The second guy asks for his wife. And the third guy asks for two hundred cartons of cigarettes.
      
At the end of the twenty years, they open up the first guy's cell. He comes out and says, "I studied so hard. I'm so bright now, I could be a lawyer. It was terrific."
      
They open up the second guy's door. He comes out with his wife, and they've got five new kids. He says. "It was the greatest thing of my life. My wife and I have never been so close. I have a beautiful new family. I love it."
      
They open up the third guy's door, and he's slapping at his pockets, asking "Anybody got a match?"




One day at the entrance to heaven, St. Peter saw a New York street gang walk up to the Pearly Gates. This being a first, St. Peter ran to God and said, "God, there are some evil, thieving New Yorkers at the Pearly Gates. What do I do?"
      
God replied, "Just do what you normally do with that type. Re-direct them down to hell."
      
St. Peter went back to carry out the order and all of a sudden he comes running back yelling "God, God, they're gone, they're gone!"
      
"Who, the New Yorkers?"
      
"No, the Pearly Gates."




The local bar was so sure that its bartender was the strongest man around that they offered a standing $1000 bet.
      
The bartender would squeeze a lemon until all the juice ran into a glass, and hand the lemon to a patron. Anyone who could squeeze one more drop of juice out would win the money.
      
Many people had tried over time (weightlifters, longshoremen, etc.), but nobody could do it.
      
One day this scrawny little man came in, wearing thick glasses and a polyester suit, and said in a tiny, squeaky voice, "I'd like to try the bet."
      
After the laughter had died down, the bartender said OK, grabbed a lemon, and squeezed away. Then he handed the wrinkled remains of the rind to the little man.
      
But the crowd's laughter turned to total silence as the man clenched his fist around the lemon and six drops fell into the glass.
      
As the crowd cheered, the bartender paid the $1000, and asked the little man, "What do you do for a living? Are you a lumberjack, a weightlifter, or what?"
      
The man replied, "I work for the IRS." (For those of you living in other countries, think of your country's tax auditors and this joke may make more sense).


Now let's head to the Museum of World Treasures and a few slightly more pleasant images today than those I showed last week.

This shows how Americans served and accepted the war in Europe.  Although we in the states suffered losses in Hawaii, technically, it was not yet a state when Pearl Harbor was attacked.  Therefore, we felt the suffering of human (soldier) loss, but not the devastation of civilian, buildings, roads, and entire towns losses like those felt in Europe and Asia.

Puzzles made the world seem a bit smaller.

Children's books helped children better understand what was happening abroad, while they saved to buy war bonds and collect old tires that could be melted down and reused for rubber in vehicles being sent to Europe and the "front."

Everyone was doing their part to conserve.   Some people collected memorabilia, like the silver bracelet made from shrapnel, a German flag, and a Japanese banner.

A pram for babies born during that era was common in Europe, but is no longer used in the states.

Thanks as usual for joining me in the museum today.  I hope you found these photos less disturbing than the ones from last Friday.  Please don't forget to start your weekend off right by visiting Annie for a few Friday Smiles.  We would love to have you join, also.  And don't forget to look for some of the WOYWW crop photos Annie and her sister are hosting tomorrow as they start showing up on various blogs.

It's still raining in my flower bed.  You can see the mud in the street that's been carried by the rain and the "mole hills" of dirt left in the street. 

Note the water has now receded a bit, because it had been pushed into my driveway and yard, along with debris from the street.  This debris was left behind when the water eventually made its way to the swollen and clogged storm drain at the end of the block.

While checking on my flower bed, I noted the surprise lily/naked lady greenery has finally started to die back.

Imagine my surprise when I saw this first rose bud on the bush an aborist friend of mine cut back practically to the ground last year.

Mud was drying and water was standing in the street, while mosquitoes were and are growing like wildfires.  Note my compost bin has now started to overflow with saplings I removed on Monday.  However, I still have not decided on a place for all the rocks.

I took this photo from my porch.

Imagine how pleased I was to see my hosta I thought was dead, was actually coming out of its shock after being transplanted.  Don't see it?  It's right above the word "altered" in my watermark.

But this is what put a HUGE smile on my face.  Now the bud has fully bloomed and another bud has appeared.

It's a delight to see this bush come back to life.

I also wanted to share my completed May calendar, since it's the only day I'll be able to do that.

When I showed this blank May calendar at the beginning of the month, Erika suggested it fit her theme at Art Journal Journey.  I didn't think about it at the time, but decided it DID fit the In the air/In the sky theme.  Thanks, Erika.

This is my June calendar ready to be written in.  Whether you think the smoke coming out of the tug boat is "smoke," or "clouds," they both fit Erika's theme perfectly, too.  The overall theme for June was intended to be travel (now that school is out).

Please remember, my Saturday Afternoon at the Movies is on hiatus tomorrow so I can welcome June's Art Journal Journey guest host.  Don't forget your Second on the 2nd post and the ICAD annual challenge that starts tomorrow.

Once again, I appreciate you taking time out of your busy schedule to visit today.  I'll see you at Art Journal Journey and Friday Smiles.  On the other hand, this is the only place you usually see my calendar entries, except this month I'm sharing them with Art Journal Journey.

EDIT: I'm a little late with this request, but please click on Free Kibble today because you will be donating 5 times the normal amount of kibble to both cats and dogs.