I got some more weeds (mostly nettles) uprooted today, and dead-headed the rose bushes, mostly thanks to the mildness which lent me a bit of energy. The back back yard is looking pretty bad, though, what with so many of the weedy volunteers turning brown (as they are supposed to do.) But I doubt I'll get the energy to tackle that problem soon. I'm hoping for some help with the power mower, which I've never been good at running. Machinery of all sorts detests me, and gasoline powered machinery most of all. If I had one of those battery powered weed whackers I'd probably have had it taken care of by now. But idle fantasy.
But one of the non-weedy volunteers, the rose campion, is now blooming splendidly, and there are at least four dozen of the plants out there this year, having seeded themselves in several parts of the yard. The vivid red color of the blossoms is quite spicy, and makes me crave Fire Sticks, those cinnamon flavored suckers we used to buy when I was a kid. They don't make them anymore. You can't even find them at those web sites that specialize in nostalgic candies. I looked. I suppose they'd be bad for my aging teeth, anyway, but it's sad to know another bit of the past has vanished.
At least I can still get Necco wafers. The New England Confectionery Company was about to go under recently, but was saved by the same investor who revived the moribund Hostess Baking Company. The Internet erupted in trolling, of course, with thousands of Twitterers throwing shade about American's worst candy, and even mainstream media inevitably calling Neccos chalky.
Personally I'd love a chalky version of Neccos, as they are actually pretty hard. Having them disintegrate as easily as chalk would be an interesting way to experience their surprisingly intense flavors (except the chocolate, which is indeed rather bland and boring.) Maybe the new owner will come up with an actually chalky variant, and sell it in long, chalk-like pieces. I'm sure it would outlive Twitter.