What bugs me . . . No.2

These musk thistles were growing in a field in northern Linn County. (Photo by Roger Sims / Linn County Journal)

Country Notebook

By Rogene "Jeannie" McPherson

Journal columnist

Today was one of those days. I had an entire agenda mapped out including an exercise class

then Bible study, and home before noon. I began yardwork including mowing. At 4 p.m., I

showered to wash off any chemicals that missed the lawn and landed on me.

My late afternoon plan is often to take a little siesta until 5:30 when national news begins. With daylight longer than a few months ago, my short nap often gives me the energy to complete a few more tasks, especially outside.

Not today, I confess. There was still a body (mine) in the recliner after a couple of hours of

watching tv shows. I contemplated going to bed, but today was one of those I had promised

myself I would write for the Journal.

Perhaps it has been obvious I’ve taken a break from writing, due in part to problems finding an interesting challenge. I started a series a couple of weeks ago I called “What Bugs Me” or

WBM. When all was written and edited, I concluded it was more political than I intended. The

WBM topic was about the insensitivity of late-night television hosts. It was one of those days

including today, when I value the casual, conversational style of Johnny Carson’s Tonight Show.

His respect for people of all ages and their stories was a great way to end the day.

Most days I watch the local news from 10 to 10:30 p.m., turn off the television and hobble to

bed. No late-night television for me.

Since writing the unpublished political essay, I think about other WBM topics. Just when I have

what I think is a harmless WBM subject, I realize I have friends who may take offense. Freedom of speech is valued in our democracy, but should common sense dictate how, when, where and what we have to say?

Considering WBM No. 1 was my political outrage involving late-night hosts, the following will be labeled as WBM No. 2. Forgive me if there are those who don’t agree, but I think you will get over it.

I am thoroughly disgusted when I observe the pretty purple flower of a musk thistle growing on personal property or even governmental principalities. When ripe, the seeds can be carried for miles by birds or the wind. Some end up growing on my property making it a yearly project to check my native prairie. I usually find a few, but as of now I have been able to keep this thistle in check. Johnson grass is another form of vegetation that would like to take over. We need to work together to decrease the amount or number of plants.

I applaud the research being done to reduce the amount of dangerous chemicals used to

eradicate unwanted weeds. I just recently bought a bottle of spray with a vinegar base for

killing vegetation. So far, it appears to make an impact on some weed varieties. I must try it on

crabgrass, another WBM.

Some of my WBMs are likely because of the era in which I was raised. On a recent musical tv

award program, I had to ask myself why a woman finds it attractive to show off her belly-

button. Perhaps I am being sarcastic, but don’t most belly-buttons look about the same? So why would I want to look at someone else’s?

Perhaps my readers will tend to agree that I’m finding it hard to come up with some new topics.

Until Big Foot walks into my yard and rings my doorbell, I’ll resort to writing more WBMs. At

the rate I am writing, future topics will be a surprise even to me.