The Atlantis shuttle astronauts, Jim Reilly and Danny Oliva, will fix the defective heat blanket by using steel thread and a needle, while floating weightlessly 100 miles above the earth. They will use a cross-stitch to patch a peel in the fabric, the same technique their grandmothers used to do embroidery. Astonishing and comforting.

Several old friends still practice “brakeless” driving. They picked it up in late hippiedom during the aftermath of the 70s oil embargo. Obviously, it consists of driving with minimal braking, in order to conserve the extraordinary amount of gas that is wasted in “make up” traffic accelerations. The speed line is held by rolling along, while paying acute attention to the cars ahead. It’s maddening to other drivers, but very effective at fuel conservation. I wonder why it isn’t used in driver education. Also, it is remarkable how little time is lost by this technique, compared to the speeding and braking of the normally stressed-out driver.

One of the greatest value-added consumer products ever made: Stimudents.Someone should invent a luminous analog watch. I want to see the 12 hour period with the present moment in it—not the blank eye of “the now”.

Is our sun, as a star, particularly unique? Does it produce symbiotic effects on flowers and foliage through the quality of its light? Would scientists be able to “read” in plants unique or distinct qualities or properties of the sun’s light that would distinguish it from other stars in the galaxy? Are flowers and leaves “labs” containing secrets that might reveal cosmic information?

Hate to sound grumpy, but Philadelphia might think about doing a deal with Lysol. Let them use the downtown area for a promotion to demonstrate their cleaning products. It seems that every door, window, countertop, wall, sidewalk and street is dirty or smeared with grime. Besides being awful, it exudes a disconcerting sense of conscious neglect or “abandonment in place”. Perhaps public fountains and washbasins would help. An ancient Roman city effect. “Brought to you by Lysol.”

July will find me at the Bullfrog Marina below the Aquarius Plateau.

As an antidote to the offensive odors of the “sweetless” cultivars listed in the previous post-expressed to me by customers and employees alike—I offer the following classic Heronswood varieties, renowned for their delightful and heady floral perfumes:

Perennials

Cardiocrinum cordatum vars. cordatum HC 970641
Convallaria majalis ‘Bordeaux’
Crambe cordifolia
Crambe maritima Purple Blush Form
Crinum ‘Ellen Bosanquet’
Euphorbia stygiana
Galtonia candicans ‘Rising Sun’
Pachysandra axillaris
Speirantha convallarioides
Tiarella ‘Black Snowflake’ PP13684
Ypsilandra thibetica SEH 165

Shrubs

Abeliophyllum distichum
Abeliophyllum distichum ‘Roseum’
Azara microphylla
Buddleia ‘Ellen’s Blue’
Clethra alnifolia ‘Pink Spires’
Hydrangea paniculata ‘Kyushu’
Olearia virgata var. lineata ‘Dartonii’
Prunus lusitanica ‘Variegata’
Rosa ‘Bobbie James’
Rosa ‘Gloire de Dijon’
Skimmia japonica - male

Vines

Lonicera periclymenum ‘Graham Thomas’
Stauntonia purpurea BSWJ 3690

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