Reflections of katlupe

Tuesday, June 05, 2012

Plants Showing Progress

Hobo supervising garden work!

We had some really hot days, then the weather turned rainy and cool. As I write this today, I am freezing. I do not want to start up our wood stove, so I just dress warmer. I started my garden, then was waiting for the plants to come up. Then it got so cool, I was thinking yesterday, that they probably won't come up. Surprise! Surprise! This morning they were showing their sleepy little heads!

Heirloom bush beans!

I am pretty far behind on starting seeds this year and having my raised beds ready to plant. Even if it is too cold to plant, usually my beds are ready to go by this time. Not this year! I am at the point in my life now where things are hurting and I have to put myself first. I will get the garden planted but I have time. Especially since it so cool. My son helped me out this morning by weeding my largest raised bed. That was a big help to me!

Heirloom cucumber seedlings coming along nicely!

My cucumber plants I started in the house and they can't go in the ground till I am sure it will be warm enough for them. I figured this way I will have a head start once I can put them in the ground. Most people do not start them in the house first, but if you have a short growing season it really makes sense to do it this way.

Peas

The peas I planted way back when I thought I'd start a cool weather garden. Well, the peas were the only ones who stuck around long enough out of those plants. The weather went from cool to freezing, to hot and now back to cool. There is only a handful of these plants but we can get some meals out of them. Were you able to get some of your plants started in the ground in your location?

Thursday, May 31, 2012

Another Order From Charge Back Scammer

Remember I recently wrote this post about the scoundrel who did a charge back on my website, String Baby? He accomplished the scam of stealing from my website in the US, all the way from the city of Perak in Malaysia. His credit card company assists him in stealing from online sellers by doing charge backs. If this was not the case, he'd be in jail. Would he not? How can a credit card company such as Visa not see the trend in these buyers doing charge backs within a month or two of every online transaction they do?

American Express allows their customers to do charge backs for items they purchase and sellers are not allowed to challenge it. Nice perk from American Express! We no longer will accept a payment from American Express cardholders either.

Now being a blogger and networking world wide, I find this fact of international citizens doing crimes a real shame. I have met many bloggers from Malaysia on a site I belong to called Bloggers. I am disappointed to have to be on edge over these people. If it was up to me, I would not be selling to anyone in a foreign country so I could avoid this situation.

"Attract Overseas Buyers

Going global? It's easier with our international selling guide."

From Paypal's front page today!

Paypal encourages you to accept international sales, then turns around and on the transaction page tells you that their seller's protection page will NOT protect YOU in case of a problem. Paypal tells you that it is the cost of doing business, meaning the charge backs are to be expected. If you are a buyer, well then you can do all the charge backs you desire. Hopefully, Paypal will be history for me soon!

Well this encik badrul placed another order yesterday! So it makes 3 orders he has placed. One is already in charge back status. One he has not done yet and now this new one. Paypal accepted this new order even though it should have been flagged in some way. I issued a refund this morning.

If you receive an order from this man, woman, child or whatever.........................

encik badrul

no 84, jalan bilis, taman lela 2b

taiping

taiping, 34600

perak, Malaysia

don't accept it! Refund the payment immediately. Otherwise, Paypal will charge you a $20. fee for their time of processing this charge back, even though.............they are the ones accepting the payment. Time to look for alternatives.........

Wednesday, May 30, 2012

My Husband's Grandparents

Monday, May 28, 2012

Remembering Our Veterans

Lucille and Robert Lupole 1942

Martial Duty

Just twenty-four years ago, my son,

I sent your daddy from me.

To fight for a cause, which all men said -

Which would make us free for Democracy.

You were only a baby, a bundle of love,

I remembered you pulled his hair.

Then he kissed us goodbye, and boarded the train,

To leave us waiting there.

Tho' I wanted to cry, I hugged you close,

And smiled as I waved your hand.

Yes- we waited son, but he never returned,

For he died in "no man's land."

Now, they have taken you away, my son,

And when you said goodbye to me,

I heard the same cry as long ago,

"To make us free for democracy."

But go, my son, and do your best,

For I know you'll return to me,

To take your place in a peaceful world,

As a man of men among the free.

Written by a soldier at Fort Hancock, NJ

February 1942

My Father, Michael Dran 1942

My Husband, Larry Lupole 1971

My Father-in-law, James Robert Lupole 1941

Sunday, May 27, 2012

Planting My 2012 Garden Today

I started my garden today. Planting it for the second time this year. In the spring I started it with cool weather plants and then we got freezing temperatures. I may have been able to save it if I had gone out and covered the beds up. I did not. I did find a row of peas growing among the weeds in one bed though! If you would like to read more and see more photos of what I did today, please check out my blog post, Gardening With Determination on my new Homesteading On The Internet website. Thanks!

Wednesday, May 23, 2012

Asking For My Readers' Help Today

I belong to a community on The Blogfrog, called The Redhead Riter's Community. Our group there is pretty close knit, and we support each other if we can, in many different ways. Sometimes it is just making each other laugh, or offering of advice, or a shoulder to cry on. If I need advice or support, that is the first place I head. None of our members there are the kind that put you down for anything you post. Sometimes we may not agree with each other, but we state our opinion nicely, not in a hurtful manner.

When it was brought to my attention, that Joan, of A Bad Marriage Is Fattening, and Rich Beyond My Wildest Dreams, was posting some desperate conversations yesterday, I had to take a look at them today. I hadn't been there much over the last couple of days. I was working on updating my eCook books and never had a chance to go there. I read the posts about trying to get our members to place a vote for Wendy, who is the owner of children's hair salon called Cool Kidz Cuts. It is located in Chico, CA.

Now The Redhead Riter has sent out a plea to everyone, to please vote for Wendy! Her salon is going to be moving to another location within the next year. That is expensive. Can you imagine moving her salon supplies and equipment? Not only is it expensive, but it a lot of work too! She is in a contest to win a $250,000 business grant from Chase and LivingSocial. They will award twelve individual grants to small businesses.

Now why does Wendy deserve our votes? She has worked hard to support her family after her husband suffered a very severe work related accident. I can only imagine how hard it was for her to get through this time! Let's all rally behind Wendy and help her win this grant.

Here are the detailed directions on how to place your vote, One Person Can Make A Difference! Follow the directions there and vote for Wendy. All the information you need is on Red's blog post. Then share it on your Facebook page and Tweet it. Try to share and tweet it at least once a day. You can only vote once so get your friends to vote too. She had 66 votes this morning, when I voted.

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