a little diversion...

Even though I was on the schedule to be at work at 6 am, I set my alarm clock for four, and got there about 4:45. Hoping to get in and get started on making salads. People are scheduled to be there at 4:00 most mornings, so I knew there were workers in the store. Getting them to come unlock the door is a different matter. Fortunately, my boss, with a key, had scheduled himself to be at work at 5, so he came along at just the right time.

I'd had an understanding with my manager that I could come in early to leave for a couple of hours and go up to Callaway Gardens for some volunteer training. I had hoped to walk out at 8:30, as I expected it would take nearly an hour to get to the classroom where the training would occur. I stopped along the road, and picked up a little box turtle that would surely be smooshed. It rode with me to Harris County. I sort of forgot it was in the car, in my hurry to get into the building for the 9:30 meeting. But remembered when I went back to my car, so I put it out in the mulch near the parking lot. I hope he will find a good home, in his new location, and possibly a mate to make lots of children, and live to be ripe old age with grandchildren who will come around to hear about that time he went on a great adventure.

Callaway Gardens is always a delight. There is always something blooming, every day of the year. When I went in the main entrance, drove through that open pasture land, along a winding road, the wildflowers were gorgeous. The area where they were blooming in abundance was either tilled for agriculture, or really a pasture for livestock, but occasionally mowed, and rife with color. Early enough in the norming that it was still sort of foggy, but brightly lit as the sun was burning the mist off. Lots of wild  purple verbena blooming. And some sort of bright yellow wildflower on tall stems. With a growth habit similar to yarrow, but something I have seen around, along the right of way blooming. The combination of the rich purple and brilliant yellow was a joy to see. Making that flying trip up there, to cruise through the Gardens well worth the effort.

The going and coming took longer than the being there at the Gardens. I was gone for nearly three hours. By the time I got finished with what I needed to do at work and cleaned up it was almost 4:30. I don't think I have ever come that close to working around the clock since I started that job over sixteen years ago.