I’m starting off Summer early with my new garden. I’ve been outside working on it nearly every day when it’s not been raining. I got my greenhouse back out again, too. My plantings are too numerous to list here and I’m always trying new things, but some of the highlights are tea (Camellia sinensis), tricyrtis (a type of lily that looks like a spotted orchid), nicotiana, and my favorite, plumeria. The garden is reserved for vegetables. I completed the fencing today to keep pesky little animals out. I’m not much of a hunter, but if something messes with my garden, it’s done for. A picture of my pre-fence garden is below, along with a shot of my Encyclia orchid, the one I got from Florida that was supposed to smell of chocolate. It had a really nice perfume, but it was sweeter than chocolate. I attempted to pollinate the flowers, but seeing as I only have one plant, I’m not sure if it will work out or not. If it produces seed pods (fruit), I will definitely post pics of them. That said, germinating orchid seeds is a whole other science I’m not sure I’m prepared to undertake.
I just got some new rollerblades with 90mm wheels – the Rollerblade Tempest 90. The large wheel size took some getting used to, but I’m glad I upgraded the size because they’re much smoother and faster. I got my little sister and some of her friends into it, too, and it seems we’re at Great Skates at least once or twice a week, if not skating the streets in the middle of the night (no traffic). Also getting into archery and should have some new PSE Optima bows in the mail very soon. Even with all this, I can’t wait to get back in the water for scuba diving this Summer, maybe a trip or two down to Florida this year. My little sister is getting her scuba certification this Summer so she’ll be able to come along.
I’m helping a local woman sell her fossil collection, too. Please visit my website, Paleogenetics.com Store, to view the collection and maybe find something you’d like to buy 
In between getting outside and occasionally working on iPhone programming (I’m gonna have some awesome apps coming out later this Summer!), I’ve been helping my mom out with her father (my grandfather). He hasn’t much time left due to cancer and my mom is caring for him almost 24/7. Like me, she is opposed to nursing homes. I’m glad I can be home to help with things like groceries and various errands, or just watching my grandfather so my mom can take a break, though we do have hospice assistance and typically a LOT of company during the day. My mom has asked me to prepare a photo/video presentation for when he’s gone, and I may post that here at some point, but for now we’re just trying to enjoy what little time we have left with him. We managed to find some small red celosia the other day, his favorite flower. Because they were small, I also picked out some mature red salvia, which has a similar appearance. Dar (my grandfather) and Punzo…
Other than that, I’ve been trying to exercise regularly – I’m down to 135 pounds with a goal of 125, the minimum healthy weight for someone my height. I’ve built some muscle, too – pics are in my Flickr photostream and other sites. I hate this recent “big is beautiful” campaign stuff lately. I would never condone harassment against someone who is overweight or obese, but that demographic describes over 68% of Americans now and it’s creating significant costs to our labor force and healthcare system, especially as diagnoses of diabetes skyrocket. The problem is comparable to tobacco use and I find little difference between Deb’s plus size ads and the Marlboro Man. For the most part, the magazine and other ad models accurately portray the body type and weight most of us should be striving for. A low body mass index and low body fat percent, while obtaining sufficient nutritional needs, is the ideal. Numerous studies continue to show that calorie restriction drastically improves overall health, decreases disease markers and risk, and improves longevity.
My court appeal is still pending with the Maine Supreme Court, but I’m hoping they’ll hear it, especially where my attorney testified under oath that, had he known about the evidence that the State illegally concealed, he would NOT have accepted the plea bargain and would have gone to trial. I likewise testified I never would have pled guilty had I known about much of this hidden evidence – that my ex had deliberately set me up for his father, who told police that it would be “the best time he spent in jail” if he killed me back in February 2007 when I defended myself against his attempts to murder me. That is only the tip of the iceberg in this case. Right now I’m still trying to get discovery (evidence) from my 2007 case. 5 1/2 years later and the State is still refusing to give me copies of an investigation against me that was completed in 2007. I’m not sure what it is they’re trying to hide, but it seems the State and DA are always trying to hide something in my case. It’s OK, I’m not one to give up. I won’t stop until I get the discovery, which I have a right to (since it’s my own case evidence!), and I’ll never give up until my appeals are resolved and justice is served. My family is 100% behind me. If you’d like to know more about my cases, refer to my blogs, Case Parts I, II, and III.
Also, in case you didn’t hear, President Obama finally announced his full support for marriage equality. As this is an important issue coming up this November in Maine, I hope his words will have some impact on our voters here. I am undecided as to whether I will get involved in this year’s campaign. I have so many other things going on and it’s also my belief that civil rights should not be subject to popular vote, but rather litigated in the high courts. It is the responsibility of the high courts, especially the US Supreme Court, to protect minority rights against mob rule. No civil right in American history has ever been won by popular vote.