Southern Hospitality doesn't extend to the highways

Bless their hearts, but Tennesseans just can't seem to get their turn signals to work! I have seen people turn corners, change lanes at high speeds, exit the highway, and attempt to merge without so much as a blink from their blinkers. This is not an occasional incident, but daily and even mile-ly (as in, I see it once a mile), and I have seen a police car as the culprit.
As I understand it, hospitality is all about intentionally making someone feel welcome and comfortable. Unfortunately, it seems that Southern Hospitality doesn't extend to the highways-- I personally feel much more welcome and comfortable when the person who is pulling in front of me has at least warned me that he or she may be about to do so.

Why do Nashville drivers, bless their hearts, come to an almost-complete stop when they're turning right?  I don't mean at a red light-- I mean into a driveway, a side street, any time.  Of course, with no turn signal, the person behind these drivers have no idea what they're doing and just assume they're stopping in the middle of the road for no apparent reason.  It can appear to be sudden, causing the person behind the right-turning driver to slam brakes, not to mention the person behind him/her.  Then they turn.  Slowly.  It is not hospitable to the entire lane of traffic behind them to have held them up for a simple thing as a right turn.

Nashville drivers, bless their hearts, are also not good at merging.  FYI, the on-ramp is for gaining speed so that you can be going about the same rate as the traffic that is already on the highway. On the other hand, if you're driving on the highway already, and an on-ramp is about to merge into the highway, it is very polite to move into the lane on the left of you to let that person merge without fear for his or her life. It is about making that person feel welcome traveling the same highway as you, comfortable blending into the speed and direction of traffic.  It is about hospitality.

Changes

It's fall, which means that the trees are changing where we live.  The hay is baled in these big round wheels that line the fields I drive by as I head to and from work.  And I see what must be giant tillers, but they look like big razors taking down the stubble of what's left on the cornfields.  The season change means I can bear being outside again-- it had been way too hot for yard work! But Rob and I have planted some new stuff, hoping it will take root before the winter, mulching, and hoping for better luck in some of the flower beds where stuff died this summer because of the dryness and heat.

We have a new interim minister at work.  He brings a lot of energy and a fresh pair of eyes to the church, which has been helpful.  It's a different atmosphere in the office, and a positive change.

And, I'm pregnant.  My body is changing in different ways, some expected and some surprising.  I knew I'd get a bigger belly and that my back would ache, but I had no idea about the swollen sinuses and consequent runny nose.  The pregnancy means we're changing things around the house, too. We're cleaning out closets and bathroom cabinets to make room for baby stuff. We're picking paint colors for a nursery and trying to finish all those little projects that live in the garage right now, waiting for us to finish them.

Mostly all these changes are good.  But work and the baby are overwhelming sometimes (especially when you mix in the extra hormones), and so I'm glad I have the beautiful trees to calm my spirit, work in the yard to exercise my body, and cooler temperatures to keep me more comfortable.

And let's be honest, there are more accessory options in the fall-- gotta love that.

Farmer Tan

so apparently growing veggies (aka being outside in the sun) means i get a farmer tan.
note to self: sunscreen!

Coupons help...

I want to a local nursery for which I had a coupon the other day.  I got some new berry bushes to replace my blueberries that weren't surviving the transplant, 2 raspberry bushes, and two blackberry bushes!  We now have an area of the garden that will be a berry patch.  I just hope the birds stay away.

Because I seem to be addicted to buying seeds, I bought some chive and oregano seeds and sprinkled them on the ground.  If they grow, they grow.  If not, it was $1.79.  

I also got some cherry tomatoes, some strawberries (to replace the ones I killed), and some peppermint. I am pretty sure my garden is complete.  I do have one area that still doesn't have anything growing in it, so... any ideas?

Tulips

I went to Longwood Gardens w/ my mom over the weekend. Holy tulips!!