Not as much

Didn't get as much garden-work done as I hoped. (Still, I got about an hour's worth done - enough to clear up around and in the raised beds, and remove some mulberry shoots that were coming in).

Three things led to my stopping:

First, one of those big wasps (they call them "mahogany wasps" or "red wasps" around here) flew RIGHT UP NEXT TO MY EAR and buzzed me. Apparently it was just curious and was not in territory-defense mode, because it didn't sting me, even though I leapt up, gibbering with shock and surprise at the buzzing and something suddenly appearing in my peripheral vision.

Second, this is the first time I've really tried gardening while on the beta-blocker. Stooping down and straightening up is more exhausting (and towards the end, disorienting) than I remember it being. Or maybe I'm just not into condition yet. Hopefully it will get easier the more I do it.

But finally, getting cat-called (I think that was what it is, it was hard to hear what he was saying over his pickup truck motor) from the alleyway. Yeah, just what I want when I'm trying to garden. Forget law-enforcement drones; there are already threats out there to our "privacy" in our backyards. (For what it's worth: I have a high fence on the two sides, and a chain-link fence that is fairly heavily overgrown (but not enough, perhaps) with privet and Japanese quince bordering on the alleyway). I want quiet when I garden; I prefer not to talk to others.

If I had been thinking, I could have called out, "Sir, you seem to have the advantage of me!" (like in a Victorian novel) in the hopes he'd figure it out and introduce himself. (Then again, how many people know the phrase, "You have the advantage of me" these days?)

(And now I am hearing Rarity saying, in some kind of sticky situation, "Sir-ir, you have the adVANtage of meeee!")

I know I don't have to mention this to the gentlemen who read here, but: catcalling a lady is not a good or reliable way to gauge her interest in you. Most women I know will either ignore it (I mostly did, but I did wave apologetically and pretend to be slightly deaf; that seems to be less potentially crazy-poking than total icing-out) or will respond negatively. Much better is to get out of your car, introduce yourself, and talk to her...The ones who respond positively to cat-calling are probably not "ladies," but if that's what you're looking for, carry on.

(I would not respond negatively and probably would laugh - depending on situation - if a fellow I actually happened to already be dating did the old wolf-whistle or "Hey bay-bee!" at me - but if he was doing it to be funny, as a guy I once knew did).