Preoccupied with the office visit, driving home down 539, I glimpsed an odd-looking roadside sign at a garden center and did a double take.

What made the marquee appear unusual to me?

I'm ashamed to say that I puzzled over it for a bit 'til I suddenly burst out loud laughing.

Laughing at the error and at my slowness. And at the prospect of - if I could keep a straight face - waltzin' into that garden shop and askin' to be shown the ...



Routine fertilizing would be optional, I'm sure.

I thought of Carolyn's crape myrtles¹ along her driveway ... how I usually only saw them in the winter, when they are just hacked back trucks.

Last spring I saw them; they just might be worth the trouble.

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¹ This past Monday, I noticed the sign was corrected. Management dug up another 'E'. Plastic letter sets usually come with plenty of those.