Clean slate gardening in Kentucky

Time for a fresh thread, as the season changes.

We had unexpected sunshine today, so T and I went out and surveyed. I had laid down old carpets where first gardens are planned. To the left of the front door, with morning sun, I’ve put in an old rose, some peonies and lilies of the valley. Also moved that small clump of snowdrops there, as they’d likely get chewed up when I dig that part of the lawn.

To the right of the front door, I envision a dense cottage garden. But when I laid carpet there last fall, it quickly grew wood fungi; and I learned there had been a huge tree there. I was pleasantly surprised today when I rolled it back and tried digging. Yes, I struck wood, but it readily shredded. I should be able to put shrubbery in there right away. That is, after I dig trenches for the downspout drains. Priorities!

T played hard in the back yard while I attended to some small projects on the deck. Late in the day, I invited her to share the porch swing. She stretched out, asked for a blanket and snacks, and relegated me to a nearby chair. Hmpf! I shoulda knowd better.

SIL noticed my vases of forsythia blooms yesterday and asked where they came from. My WV bushes. But his bush isn’t blooming yet! I guess he’s never forced them. Neighbor asked if I will add forsythia to this yard. I didn’t think so, but the color and availability for forcing is tempting.

The neighborhood is having a spring fling dance in someone’s front yard on Saturday. Should be interesting, masks and distancing and BYO.

Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

>2 2wonderY: I love forsythia, and when we moved to our house I planted some in the front yard, by the porch. Within a couple years I removed it, wrong location. It was spreading, crowding out the gardenia and hydrangea that had been there before.

I might try forsythia again, but not right away.

Right. The varieties with good clear color and long canes grow like crazy, and readily root for further expansion. There are some timid bush varieties that are not worth having.

I used the words “clean slate” with a bit of irony. You know of my basement water issues. It’s so significant, and yes house guttering is one of the problems, but so is hill runoff. It’s not a very big hill. There is a row of houses behind mine, but that street is the top of the hill. But digging here and my neighbor's yard (she’s got two teens digging a pond for her) I’m seeing slate. Now, in WV, there was an entire housing development built on similar land in the 70s and 80s where the foundations were swept out from under the new houses because of the pitched slate stopping water percolation and becoming a force to be reckoned with.
So building some swales into the backyard design is probably a smart move, as 100 year floods become every few years around here.

>5 2wonderY: would installing a French drain help? I've seen videos of them being installed on property that had a slope towards the house.

That would be almost impossible or at least very expensive, what with the deck, the paved driveway and carport. The seller indicated some drainage added in the backyard which might be that.
The basement has a fairly sophisticated drainage system at the foundation level on the inside. I just need to reduce the amounts of water that get dumped on the outside.

I’ll be burying downspout lines out front. But still will have above ground line on the west side because of the massive roots I’d expect from my neighbor's trees. It’s not worth fighting it.

>1 2wonderY: Many wood fungi are edible. The shelf fungi often lend themselves to drying well, and are lovely in soups and sauces later. It takes most wood about six years to stop robbing your soil of nitrogen, and actually putting nitrogen back into the mix. Consider planting Fabaceae or Leguminosae in such areas. They garner a majority of their nitrogen from the air, not the soil.

Daughter knows edible fungi to some extent but has shown no interest here, even though I’ve shown her pictures.

But I will consider your nitrogen advice!

Oh, hey, welcome to LT!

>8 smirks4u: glad you joined us here at LT!

BTW, howdy "neighbor". :)

We had marble-sized hail this afternoon. The weather kept changing so I just stayed inside and laid flooring in my attic crawl spaces and organized the storage that is going back there. Sure cleared what has been accumulating in that bedroom. Looks much better!

>11 2wonderY: and you have a metal roof, right? I imagine it was noisy.

I love organizing, things always look better once they're "tidied up"!

Yes; and that may be why daughter missed it; as their roof is asphalt shingles.

I’m refining shelving in the master bedroom closet this morning. Lowering the shoe shelves, for one, as I don’t have any high heels to accommodate. I’ll be adding a high shelf as well, for out of season stuff. And a 3-step ladder tucks nicely in here for general storage as well as easy reach for the new shelf.

>9 2wonderY: Thank you, kindly. I am an acquired taste blend of opinionism and balderdash. Occasional morsels of factual content are entirely unintentional, and do not reflect the opinions of this station or it's sponsors.

>13 2wonderY: I have two folding 2 or 3-step ladders, love 'em.

>10 fuzzi: Thank you very much. There are some really good people here. I appreciate the welcome, friend.

Before my eye doctor appointment yesterday, I had time to go around the corner and shop at Home Depot. They have many cheap options for gutter guards. Lowe’s has one expensive choice. So I bought a couple of samples to try in my gutters for proper fit and ease of installation. I also bought 50 feet of corrugated drainpipe and installed that this morning attached to the deck roof drainspout and carried it out past the house and to the front yard where I will trench it further out. There! One source of foundation water taken care of!

I also bought a small cordless circular saw. 3 3/8” blade. It works a whole lot better than other tools to cut away the paneling in the basement that has molded. At the moment, I’m only removing about 9” from the bottom. It won’t show behind storage units and will allow that space to dry out better.

Sunshine, so I’m headed back outside.

I went out to the ridgetop to take stock and sort wood and tools. The ice storms (was that just last month?) did serious damage to the trees up there. Lots of raw wood being cut up along the roads up there and looks like Joe was busy cleaning up the driveway. Wood piles everywhere. He did my section too. Bless him. Jody has added some good rugged gravel on the driveway, so I need to hunt her up and pay my portion. I need to plan a few days up there straight, so I can cut the brush and burn it and catch up from the missed mowings last year. Fig sapling didn’t make it. Not sure what else yet.

Dance party down the street this evening to celebrate the equinox. Met neighbors and introduced myself. Stashed a small notepad in my pocket and scribbled names, because I’m terrible at recalling them.
Even the teens came and joined the dancing. Everyone still masked and distancing, but nearly all the people my age have been vaccinated.

Charged up the battery of my new hobby sized circular saw. I had one of the first ones that Makita made in the 90s and loved it. This one is a bit more awkward to use and not as powerful as I’d expect for today. But it did the trick on the basement paneling. And yes, the wood stringers were still wet in places. So this was a necessary action.

I keep wandering back to the porch swing and appreciating the beautiful day.

>20 2wonderY: I'm so happy you have your porch swing. :)

It’s been nearly a week since T was here, but I saw her yesterday and we discussed plans. So this morning her dad reports she was already packed and out the door before he was ready; so he thought he’d better bring her over.

The milk is slightly off, so we made pudding with it. She came and reported that she’d stuck a finger in the cooling cups and sour milk was “just fine!” applied thus.

Worked so very hard on the front bank today, hauling lumber and rocks, spreading plastic, and even putting some plants in the ground.
Neighbor came out and we collaborated on projects, one mine, one hers. Hers was removing a tree. Quite tuckered physically, and then too much talking at me from a couple of directions; and then T hit her limit too. She cried on my shoulder on the short walk home; not mad, just exhausted.
When Rose picked her up from my house, I rushed away to the ridgetop to again switch out materials. Blessed peace!! Oh man, I had almost forgotten how precious that stillness is.

>23 2wonderY: how far is the ridgetop from your new place?

Ten miles.

>25 2wonderY: I didn't realize how close it was!

Hoping the work load starts balancing for the properties, but there is always more excitement for the new projects.

I’m in WV for the week; but no phone service here. Got daughter researching why. So parked at McDonald’s for the WiFi, but that gets old. Don’t expect messages till fixed. Just imagine me digging in the gardens.

Today’s forecast is 74F and partly sunny. I’m doing yard work, beginning with putting screen up along the back soffit to discourage the birds from nesting under there and pecking their way into the house itself.

Good Lord, I'm an idiot. I thought you just hadn't posted in a while.

I continue to be mystified by your industry. I feel better when I remind myself that you're, in fact, an android. Srsly, you are a force to be reckoned with.

>29 2wonderY: A former choirmaster entertained us with the story of his woodpecker.
His children and wife were constantly listening to a woodpecker hammering on the side of the house, making holes larger by the week.
One halcyon Sunday morning, they were all eating a happy breakfast when it happened.
Brrrat tat tat tat tat tat tat! He jumped from the table, grabbed his shotgun, stepped out the door and...
BLOWEY...blew a chunk out of the house it would have taken ten woodpeckers a month to excavate.

Good thing the weather forecast was wrong today. Instead of rain, it was a beautiful sunny day in the 70s. My car is full of lumber from the garage and plants from the gardens. Heading back to KY tomorrow.
I found almost complete skeletons of a possum and a rat in the garage. I know feral cats have been living in there, as I saw how they were getting in and blocked that hole. Pretty cool skeletons!

I can name five movies that would show you it's not feral cats but some misfit whose parents are both dead. We need a code word you can post when you say that everything is fine but you're actually in danger. 'Applesauce' is taken, as is 'Rambopantz'. Those are both long stories. Strangely, both 'cotton candy' and 'help' are available.

>33 SomeGuyInVirginia: Good point! I’ve been up all night thinking on this. ‘Butterball’ should do it. Don’t ask.

Ha! It's raining here today so I'm not going to even pretend I'm going to do anything other than read my new Christopher Fowler and sit in front of the fireplace waiting for it to get cold enough to light a fire. Tomorrow the high is supposed to be in the 40s with lows in the 20s at night. After several days of warm and sunny weather that's going to be hard to take.

Same weather here too. Dragged into Kentucky and I think my eyes were closed by the time I pulled onto the carport. Gonna sleep hard tonight, as I got a mattress pad for my discount mattress.

It turned cold again here, with nights in the 20s. With that and a day with T, nothing got put in the ground. Temps should improve over the weekend.

I did find three more wool blankets in the WV house. I count them as reserve riches. They’ll be in demand if/when the utilities go down. Two lighter ones; I forget the tags. The heavy one I brought back and used last night was made for Montgomery Ward.

My second eye doctor appointment was yesterday afternoon. It was just as stressful as the first, though not as much a physical ordeal. Was seen by a different doctor and got more information and a referral for the cataracts. Got home late afternoon and went straight to bed.

I had budgeted time before the appointment to stop at Hobby Lobby and have a mat cut so I could finally frame a beautiful silk print of ferns. This piece is done by a local WV artist, and now I can’t find any reference to him. I think it was a him. E. Estill is the signature. I’ll take a picture later.

I had my cataract surgery done years ago and my eyesight in that eye is still perfect. It almost seemed like a miracle, going from not being able to see hardly at all to having perfect eagle eye vision.

Ella Estill was a well known botanical artist, you've really got something. Pics please! It must be gorgeous!

Cataract surgery is easy, hardest part for me was the eye drops. And I can now see 20/25 when the eye had been 20/400 for years. Not needing glasses to drive is still a joy. I've put off getting the left eye done due to RL, but hopefully soon.

It was a beautiful blue sky day here. I began putting plants in the ground, but that wasn’t my focus. I started construction of a mini shed for the lawn mower and my bike. They don’t fit in the itty tool shed in the corner of the carport, and have been living on the back deck. I’d like to clean up the deck and make it entirely welcoming. But I am going to have to use it for projects. There’s just no way around that. But I can add pretty storage for potting and some carpentry. The evening sun is already reaching into the northern part of the western sky. The low shrubbery surrounding my yard is leafing out, but the big trees are still bare or just budding, so I got a lot of blue sky.

>41 2wonderY: are you building the shed from scratch?

Hoping to build it entirely from scavenged materials.

>43 2wonderY: impressive!

There is a shop (nearby now) that sells doors, windows and siding. For some reason, it all comes wrapped in wood. They pile the wood out front, free for the taking. It’s where I’ve gotten my raised beds for years, as one common piece of scrap is a rectangle of rough oak 3’x4’x6”.

>45 2wonderY: lucky you!

Rolled up some of the carpets out front along the house and laid the rest of the gathered fall leaves and covered them again. Not enough dead grass yet, but I will start digging tomorrow.

Finally took up the edge board on the deck that curved wonky, and trimmed it and flipped it over. Got it nearly snug; and it’s no longer a tripping hazard. One more egregious floor board needs taken up and kerfed to lie flat; but I don’t have a powerful enough saw for that job. I’ll see what SIL will lend me.

Confirmed that the obstruction my lawnmower hit last year is a grounding rod. Couldn’t budge it further into the earth; so I marked it for cut off or perhaps just planting a shrub there.

T rolled out of bed last evening and cracked her clavicle. She can’t travel for a while since the immobile arm won’t accommodate a car seat. So I’ve been at her house rocking her. She’s reached her limit and even daddy can’t comfort her at the moment.

Oh, poor baby! And at that age a few weeks is an eternity.

>48 2wonderY: What is it about kids and collarbones?! Nearly every kid I have a passing knowledge of has broken their collarbone. Granted, that's not a ton of children; but how common an injury is that for kids?

I broke mine the same way when I was 5 or 6.

I think my sister broke hers. It is a common injury in children, partly because the bone doesn't harden completely until about age 20.

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/broken-collarbone/symptoms-causes...

>48 2wonderY: Oh poor little thing! Hearing a child cry always breaks my heart.

T woke late today and made no attempt to get up and out of bed for four hours. She was in her parents bed, with a bolster under the fitted sheet to protect her from another fall. But she just laid there and talked and played with me. I read a lot of books and brought lots of her furry friends in to visit. It was fun.

She wasn’t interested in food till afternoon, and her dad helped her maneuver herself to the floor and able to sit at her little table and eat oatmeal. She wouldn’t allow anyone to pick her up in any fashion; so we had to work out ways for her to do everything herself. She’s smart! It was a good day.

Took a couple of hours later to begin planting stuff. The local Potting Shed is open this week and I’m panting to do some shopping.

>48 2wonderY: aw, poor baby. Sorry to hear she hurt herself. But at least she's got grandma...

>39 SomeGuyInVirginia: No, not Ella Estill. Here is my piece. I've asked for info from the local arts council.

>56 2wonderY: ::tears welling::

She’s feeling a lot better today. She was up for playing in her portable sand box on the porch while I dug dandelions and pussytoes out of Rose’s front yard. Better to get some gardening done; even if it’s not mine.

She started shade gardens under her maple trees last year. Ferns and hellebores doing well. Some irises and lily of the valley. She has a great patch of forget me nots, and she doesn’t appreciTe them. They may find a home with me.

Theia and I are into jigsaw puzzles. The Dollar Tree store sells a variety; and I’ve picked up several with 24 pieces and interesting pictures. Each one has its own flow, identifying the starting places and building on. She doesn’t understand edge pieces yet, but she is very good at joining colors and shapes in the picture. Each time, she has more confidence and can do parts completely on her own. And it’s a good one-handed, quiet activity as well.
It rained today, so we were inside.

The garden shop is open! I bought classic blue hydrangea, a red double day lily and a deep purple ground phlox. Also a foam flower for daughter’s shade garden.

Got the mower out and did the front yard. I already need to expand my planned beds. Mowing is a challenge, even on the mildly sloped parts.

I’ve been planting pachysandra on a very steep slope in the backyard. I think I’d better engineer a retaining wall there too.

Oh, I love those blue hydrangeas SO MUCH, and they just don't grow here. We can grow the Annabelles and the PeeGees and the Incrediballs, which are also quite nice. I have a couple of Quick Fire - waiting to see if they survived the winter...

I think I’ve got a Quick Fire dwarf, bought last year. And like you, I have to check on the ridgetop whether it made it through the winter.

Supposed to rain today; so a good day to plant if I’m willing to deal in mud.

>59 2wonderY: my elder granddaughter loves jigsaw puzzles. I've found simpler ones for her at yard sales.

>60 2wonderY: I've never been able to get phlox to thrive on my slope, so I planted junipers, the type that are no more than 4" tall and spread readily.

I wandered out back to decide how to spend the morning. Tried to make progress on the shed, but the saws I have aren’t powerful enough. Gotta borrow something from SIL. So it was the monster dandelions that won my attention. Entirely cleared the level around the deck and the first upslope. I think that’s all I’ll do in the backyard. Gotta focus on winter creepier at the edges.
So I went around front and cleared the steep slope at the sidewalk/street and then got a good swath of the front yard done before the rain got serious.
Came inside and toweled off and having a lie down on the heating pad (my good friend this year) and a mug of tea.

>63 fuzzi: I’ve never been able to grow creeping phlox either, but there is always hope. New conditions, and a lovely deep color. Couldn’t resist.

I was hoping to have daughter help me figure out the entire electrical layout; so I wouldn’t have to trek from basement to attic so many times. There are 24 spots in the circuit box, and most have breakers. But there is a small re-wiring job I’d like to get to.

There are two circuits that don’t seem to do anything (3 counting the dishwasher circuit I removed) and a couple of receptacles still not tracked. Oh, and I forgot to look at the furnace thermostat.

Back to the couch and hot pad. And this deserves chocolate.

Oh, dear. If someone has to figure out the wiring we did when we built our house, they will be very confused. Not so many circuits. But standard would be upstairs lights on one, upstairs plugs on another. We put the front lights and back plugs on one, and back lights and front plugs on the other. We figured we would be able to see if one circuit gave out. We were not thinking that we would sell the house long before the morgage was paid off.

That makes all kinds of sense. But this midlife upgrade probably was switched from an original 60 or 100 amp fuse box. So the entire back of the first floor is all one circuit, lights and receptacles. The living room is another. The kitchen and basement are parceled out all over the place. The attic is all one, except for a single receptacle that I can’t track.

Went back out to finish dandelion patrol and my neighbor came out to say hello. I asked if I could dig one huge specimen from her adjoining bed. She indicated that she is cultivating dandelions and pointed to her crop at the far corner of her yard. Well, differing outlooks! She did pull the one I had indicated for her supper greens. And she is offended by the spring violets that grow everywhere. I pointed out that it makes a nice ground cover. I should have mentioned that it, too, is edible.

We agreed on the problem of light pollution and will work together on that issue in the future. Need to dig out my references. I think they are still in WV.

I like dandelions, don't mind them in my yard.

But honeysuckle and Virginia creeper are a nuisance extraordinaire!

Well, I’ve already got a barrel and a half of yard waste and it’s loaded; going up to the ridgetop tomorrow to fill in some holes in the yard left by the electric company.

Of course, there are more dandelions obvious today. The ragged leaf blends in well with the rest of the lawn. Another sweep should do it.

I spent all of yesterday doing yard work. In town in the morning, ridgetop mowing and assessment in the afternoon. There is an awesome amount of wood trash to be cleared, even in the yard and meadow. The woods are so tangled, it’s difficult to walk through and the terrain is almost unrecognizable. Did find several flourishing colonies of ramps. No asparagus coming up. Fruit trees are finally flowering, peach, of course, but also finally apples and cherries too.

Today, I took it very easy. Started renovation of the table from daughter's house. I saw the legs of this table sticking out from piles at the town dump, and the attendant helped me pull it out. It has lived on Rose’s porch for a couple years, as a favor to me. It needs tlc. Today, I glued support blocks at each leg to make it less rickety. Will probably darken the legs and paint the top, or vice versa.

https://pics.cdn.librarything.com//picsizes/35/59/3559f6b7388bdf663756a4e7867415...

Took a bin of saved seeds and sorted it to finally plant all of them and be done with them. I’m setting aside one spot in the yard to sow them and if anything sprouts, I’ll be surprised and pleased.

After, took a long nap.

>72 2wonderY: I love that table! It's beautiful, even as it is.

I like your idea of planting and seeing what happens.

>73 fuzzi: I know. Who could be so callus to just toss it into the dump? There is nothing even broken off. I’ve bought furniture in worse condition. Other daughter has a smaller table with a broken finial in the center of the leg bracing. We found a fancy knob to glue on as a replacement.

>74 2wonderY: it might have been an elderly relative's table, as in getting rid of possessions when someone passes or goes into a nursing home.

Thing is, you put nearly anything at the curb here, and someone takes it away for re-use.

What a day! Got my second shot and then invited T over. She was ready! We spent part of the day gardening. I got several items in the ground and also kept her from climbing, swinging, etc. She still needs to take care, but is feeling so much better. We moved to the area around the playhouse and I resumed dandelion removal. Those suckers are bigger than dinner plate size; more serving platter dimensions. They will out-compete anything I plant if not removed.
We worked till I was exhausted and I lured her inside with cocoa. It was lightly drizzling and a titch cooler than I like. She found her best animal friends and had a reunion till dad came to get her. I’m spending the rest of the day on my couch.

Unexpected sunshine today, but the thermometer is hovering at 48F. I should take advantage of the day, but I’m achy and lethargic - blaming the vaccine. I’m poking at a clean out project, but not with much energy.
Bleh!

Spent yesterday in my jammies and mostly in bed until evening. Abruptly felt better. Started (finally!) decanting the 2020 blackberry cordial. I’ve offered to supply it for a baby shower next weekend. I feel like I finally have the technique and equipment right. It went smoothly and with much less mess than usual. Waiting to taste it with anyone who happens by.

I was going to ignore the rest of the dandelions, but they have come out in their true force - they are legion!!! Spent the morning ridding the upper yard, section by section. One last concentrated swath to do before I can mow.

Northwest corner of the house (facing the front) has three gutter drain lines needing dealt with. One is for half the front roof, another is for the entire rear roof, and the third drains the west side of the deck roof. It might be possible to combine two, but that’s a lot of water volume. I was contemplating trenching each one out to the middle of the front lawn, in this manner:

https://www.uswaterproofing.com/imager/uploads/images/blog/56/underground_downsp...

I’d need to do this before planting that area.

Today, I saw a pin that made me grin:

https://pics.cdn.librarything.com//picsizes/dd/cf/ddcf07dd32ff72c637472787867415...

Instead of burying, two could just scoot inside the bottom of a raised bed, and the third could water the bed.

Remember, I don’t want any water seeping down that foundation; so I would have to line the bed at the back and part of the bottom; probably with a pond liner.

That would also keep the mail deliverer from tramping through that section. She has already smashed a small rose I stuck in the ground there.

Mowed.

Obviously not going to be able to do it in future years; though it’s just strenuous now. Wintercreepier is more present than I thought, especially in the upper yard and around the playhouse.

>80 2wonderY: unfortunately your links open to a whole page of Google search, not sure which ones you were referring to.

I love this design:


We don't have gutters on our house, they're not common here, probably due to the rate of rainfall we get at times.

If I did have gutters, I'd probably do some sort of rain barrel, or a dry creek bed.

I’ve finally concluded I’ve damaged a tendon or some such in my left elbow. It has aches and complained for weeks. It quieted down after my day off; but that’s my lead arm. It’s just gonna have to continue aching. Not slowing down.

Took more dandelions out to the ridgetop this morning and saw signs for the college greenhouse spring sale. Stopped and bought a flat of random plants. Also pulled good brick and block out of a dumpster behind a school building renovation project. Valuable stuff! Can’t let it all go to the landfill. What a waste!

Picked up a few more pots of perennials at the farmers market. Prices are just too good. The pinks are gorgeous!!

Also went to the garden center with daughter. I’ve decided to put a peach tree in this front yard; plus I always buy myself a new rose for my birthday. That’s beginning to be a lot of holes to dig.

My peach tree is a 'blood' peach. The delicious fruits are dark red inside.

At one point most of the tree had died, but I was too lazy to take it out. Good thing! The dead parts are still there, but the small bit that was still alive has grown out into a much bigger tree.

That might be the variety being offered this year. I don’t think they are open Sunday, but I may go look again. Ended not buying more today. Collected leaves raked to the curb down the street for creating new beds here. Then went to daughters house and helped her plant what she bought. She has much less free time than I do. The work went efficiently with two of us, and she had a satisfying garden day. T followed us around and helped.

>83 2wonderY: sorry about your elbow. You might consider using an ace bandage on it when you have to use your left arm extensively, to give it some support.

I have gotten some nice plants at our local university greenhouse sales, but I've not seen it advertised this year. I did get several Pentas and Lantana plants at our local nursery yesterday, though.

Here is the downspout feature I wrote about yesterday:

https://pics.cdn.librarything.com//picsizes/dd/cf/ddcf07dd32ff72c637472787867415...

>87 2wonderY: nice!

Thanks for reposting the link, though I enjoyed looking at all the gutter designs.

I had a very definite schedule of activities planned for the day; all strenuous yard related tasks. Daughter asked me to take T for several hours. That wasn’t too bad. But my neighbor came over and a few minutes visit stretched to two hours.
So, I did not get anything planted.

I did start the day disassembling the old washing machine and hauling the parts up out of the basement. I get so tired waiting for someone else to act.
I laid big sheets of cardboard along the side fence and covered them with leaves. I went down the street and gathered the remaining leaves from neighbor’s pile.
I went back to that dumpster with a step ladder and pulled out a nice collection of stone, block and brick. Will establish a better place to stack it tomorrow when I unload.
I’m not done yet with the dandelions, but I made progress again.
I mowed most of the rest of the back yard, including the steepest part. Whew.

>89 2wonderY: I have found cardboard to be a great weed barrier, for at least one season. I get mine at the grocery store, the big sheets that separate the layers of bottled water cases.

There’s a furniture store nearby that regularly tosses cardboard cartons that held mattresses.

>91 2wonderY: ooh!

I thought I had water drainage issues. I walked up my neighbor’s concrete steps today to chat with her. I noticed chunks gone and daylight showing on the flight up from the street level and again at the porch steps. Oops. Looks like some serious failure happening from underground flow.

I’ve decided to get rid of the hot tub. It really doesn’t suit my habits and lifestyle. The bigger grands enjoyed it once last year, but I worried about it not being sanitary.

The salvage guy who came for the washer parts said he might know someone who would take it.

I will have to floor the hole in the deck it leaves; but oh! what a lot of floor space I will gain. Enough for a proper dining table, or perhaps a hanging bed.

>94 2wonderY: my thoughts, too.

Oh, wait, you could put in a pond? :)

Oh, right. That was on the list too. But I already have the start of one on the edge of the deck. Haven’t mentioned it yet, because it is slap-dash and may change.
A work mate in WV gave me an old metal mixing trough. It’s large and unwieldy, but got here in the UHaul truck load. I’m not sure; it might end up as a plant bed. Right now it has rainwater and possibly tadpoles. I threw the pachysandra in there to keep it alive till I can get it planted. Since yesterday, it has a fleet of plastic boats in it.

>94 2wonderY: I've never had a hot tub, but they really don't appeal. All that maintenance! Plus in my very cold climate they're not usable all year round. Well, I guess you can, but the energy costs would be a lot. And my husband refers to the contents as "people soup", which is a fairly gross image :)

I love the idea of a hanging bed! I can just imagine you and T having story time and naps on it. Although a dining table also has advantages :)

>96 2wonderY: Since yesterday, it has a fleet of plastic boats in it.

HAHAHAHA!!!

I don't think you have a choice. You get a water feature.

Well, yes, of course! But what form will it take? I’ve always wanted to build a mini river. When my oldest grand was T’s age, we built one in the side yard that offered several days of fun. (Same fleet, by the way.)

Because I wanted specific roses that sell out quicker, I stopped at the garden store yesterday on my way out of town. The proprietor, Michelle, allowed me to tag what I want, but took no money. They were busy moving everything into the greenhouses and planning to be closed the rest of the week because of freezing temps. I thought it odd they were protecting perennials that way. I guess overcautious about expensive stock.
I also tagged a peach tree, but again forgot to note the variety name.
Also bought the last of the pineapple sage for me and some thymes for daughter.

>100 2wonderY: how nice of Michelle to allow you to tag your choices!

I like to patronize establishments that offer that kind of customer service. :)

My packing plan changed because I found an antique bookcase at a price I couldn’t pass up.
It’s this model:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/373128819538

But I paid $100. Since it’s sectional, loading was easy and I had the right sized boxes to fit neatly into the shelves. It’s going into the attic bedroom and I will discard a smaller, inferior case.
I also managed to bring all the plants I wanted and then some. Tomorrow will be a furious project to find spots for everything. I do need to borrow daughter’s tiller!

A few of the species I brought:

Pat Austin rose:
https://c8.alamy.com/comp/CNWCKR/ornamental-rose-rosa-pat-austin-rosa-pat-austin...
Mine has never been this showy. Fewer blooms and they nod down. Perhaps I need to fertilize.

Spiderwort red cloud:
https://wgi-img.s3.amazonaws.com/VarietyImage/b650518c79767d790d14bd2ddd78902c.j...

Two or three foxgloves that should bloom this year.

Another clump of peonies, probably double whites. My old yard had clumps of white and clumps of deep pink.

Part of a blue hydrangea. The entire plant was too big to take at present, so I lopped off a section.

Scilla and grape hyacinth, still blooming.

A bleeding heart.

Oh, and a blue cornflower.

And a tiny pine sapling and an eastern red cedar. I’m going to try growing them in pots.

Trying to determine where the peach tree will go today. I was thinking front yard, but that might be awkward at this point. I have water, sewer and sump pump drain lines to consider; as well as planting beds not yet formed up.
Neighbor recommends higher on the slope and no morning sun. That means back yard somewhere. There I have unknown drain lines and a gas line yet to be flagged.
As I was chatting with her out front, a man was walking his dog. He asked about my sump line spilling onto the sidewalk. He says it’s a code violation. Appears he’s on some city board. Good to know. I’d already begun planning to cut through the sidewalk and channel the water into the gutter. But then we had a discussion about who owns the sidewalk. He admitted that was an unknown factor; not clear in his planning committee at all. Good person to know though. He lives at the house a block or so away that has an outstanding front yard garden.

My neighbor, who is a massage therapist, manipulated my elbow for a few seconds and put some salve on it. It is remarkably better. She says unknotting the tendon cords by rolling across them is the secret.

And I was able to unload a full box of books by tidying the living room shelves and double shelving these tattered novels. Was even able to face out several of the nicer covers.

>102 2wonderY: wow on your bargain bookcase!

>103 2wonderY: my spiderwort is a deep purple, volunteers in several areas of the backyard. That red cloud variety is gorgeous, though.

I've never tried peonies.

I had a peonie in a previous garden that did not flower. After waiting several years I finally dug it up and replanted it. It was just about to blossom when we moved out. Apparently they are very picky about the depth they are planted at. I really should try again here.

>106 fuzzi:. You can have some of that spiderwort next time you come through. It’s pretty hardy. Does your dark purple have green or chartruese leaves? I just bought one with chartruese, but would love a green leaved sample.
I too considered them more wild flowers way back.

>107 MarthaJeanne: Peonies are indeed depth sensitive. But there is generally a successful range. Mine were ancient, and planted fairly deep by a previous gardener. They would bloom a week or two after the neighbors, same varieties. What they don’t like is full shade; which has developed in my WV yard. So I’m rescuing them from the gloom.

>108 2wonderY: it has green leaves, and I'd love to see you again.

Just caught a hummingbird sipping from the pinks out front.

The hydrangea I bought got hit hard from the frost last week. Well, not devestated; but the upper leaves and flower buds are black. The natives know better, and haven’t yet put out many leaves. Hothouse upbringing has costs.

The forecast said rain today and tomorrow; so I mowed the front yard this morning. Now the sun is out. Gotta start digging some holes.

I opened the north end attic window to get a cross breeze. Mutually surprised by a swarm of ants, some of them winged. Mating season? There must be a nest inside that wall somewhere. Not seeing evidence at ground level outside; but there is not much exposed foundation on that side. Boric acid/sugar bait.

Lots of digging equipment at the end of the block today; improving storm drainage. So T and I took a walk. We went up around the loop too, since it’s such a pretty day. She can already name some trees and plants, and caresses the ones she can reach. She found an Easter egg left from someone’s hunt.

Then we got to work. Put all 4 rosebushes in and some of the smaller perennials as well. Haven’t quite decided on the spot for the peach tree, but circling in on it.

The front yard already looks much more settled. If you can ignore the slope at the front still swathed in plastic and wood.

There is a huge rotting tree stump part way up slope along the east fence line in the back yard. It’s kinda level with the ground on one side, but it’s a complex corner and not really mowable. So I’m planting bulbs around it to replace the grass. First I have to remove the clumps of grasses that are on the line, partly in my yard, partly in neighbor's yard. So I was struggling mightily when T announced she wanted to sit in my lap. An unusual request, so, of course I let her. Work bogged down at that point, but I did get some daffys and Scilla in.
Across the street neighbors had a whole family crew out renovating her flower beds. And her daughter’s pet pig was visiting. So we went across to offer a few new plants and scratch the pig on its snout and belly.

Later, ran to the next town to buy some potting soil and some pots. Some things just need to be in pots; and I don’t have much of a collection. Gonna do some veggies in pots this year because I think I have a critter that will frustrate any edible gardening in the ground.
Surprised a hornet on the underside of the car door latch. My wallet and change flew up and scattered everywhere, bills fluttering away. A bit of cussing and pacing and I finally found the $20 bill.
Swelling and itching already too far along to forestop, so calling it a day.
Tomorrow is supposed to be another gorgeous day.

The hand is okay today except for numb fingertips.

T is back, so we’re doing more her thing than mine. I dragged the remaining cardboard cartons out of the basement for more fence line blocking. But T claimed two of the best for her house of the day.

Ive been talking more with my eastern neighbor. She hasn’t gardened at all, but wants to do similar things to make mowing easier. She agrees that wintercreeper is the enemy. Good! We’’ll fight it from both sides of the fence. But the worst infestations are above us in those yards facing away. We don’t meet those neighbors very often at all.

Finally looked at the tags again. The peach is a Ruston Red, a sweet freestone variety. It has perhaps a dozen small fruit on it, so I may get to taste it this year.

The new roses are Cinco de Mayo ( which I’ve bought before), Sunorita and At Last. (Happy Birthday to me!) ( several weeks away)

We got a few more items in the ground and T enjoyed being the water boy.

Rose brought her tiller over and we cut a strip in the grass just above where I’ve laid out the future terracing and boxed beds where the yard slopes steeply down to the sidewalk and street. The slope is modest here, but not easy to mow, and certainly not easy to rototill. She did one side and plans to do the other side tomorrow. I will quick put in irises and day lilies because that’s what I can put hands on in quantity. The point is to fill that strip with anything that doesn’t need mowed.

Went to the ridgetop this morning. Cleared the limbs and brush that neighbor tossed into my main perennial garden bed when he was cutting down the ice storm losses.
Didn’t take time for a full inventory, as I was collecting materials for in-town projects. I promise I will spend more time there soon.
The old shed is still standing, though not for long. Still stuff inside worth salvaging. Bags of leaves, large cardboard and lumber.
My main mission was to collect plants to put in the tilled space in the front yard. I was planning on several species, but just digging up the irises wearied me. Took only the first foot at the front of the bed. But fighting brambles too, since that side yard wasn’t mowed last year or yet this spring. Harvested a HUGE tub and a half. Beautiful specimen. Light purple.
Will go out again later to dig more plants sometime in the next few days.

Planted six large bunches of iris along that narrow strip. I did it that way because they are so tall and already starting to bloom. To keep them erect, I put in temporary poles and gently tied them up. Once they’ve got their feet more firmly, the poles can be removed. I had a couple of bunches of day lilies, so interplanted them.
A neighbor down the street came by with her teen son and brought several hostas for me from her yard. She promises more, if I want them. I have irises left over, and offered them to several people, but no takers. So will find spots for them in the back yard today.

Found a gift pot of marigolds on my porch from the local Baptist church. Those will go in daughter’s yard.

Neighborhood email says someone is giving away raspberry starts. Will see if there are any still left.

We didn’t get the other side tilled; daughter had other obligations. Tiller is still resting in my spare bedroom.

Saturday, I took some spiderwort to the lady who sells plants at the farmers market. She let me choose a plant, and I brought a pretty white and red stripe mallow home.

Oh, the best news from the ridgetop is that Jody’s trailer is gone, and her cabin appears to have been straightened and on a better foundation. Electric is connected and she has water. Didn’t see anyone around though.
I was fearful the trailer would be a permanent feature.

I took my tea out and sat on the low wall along the driveway and enjoyed/reveled in the eastern sky. My street runs east-west, But only one block east, and there is a row of houses on the intersecting street. They are backed by a railroad line and the lots are wooded. So the horizon in that direction is all trees.
As the sky lightened, there were wispy clouds hurrying north as if they had somewhere to be. The songbirds chorused and the larger birds took their first cruises, slow and hovering. The dome looked to be clear, and lots of blue showed until a storm cloud crept up from behind me, rumbling and spitting.

It was a good way to start the day.

>119 2wonderY: one of the benefits of driving to work as early as I do is seeing the sunrise every morning. Today there were wispy clouds here, too, almost like mare's tails, almost an apricot/raspberry color. Really nice, camera just can't capture what I see.

I love hearing about you working on the slope, the neighbors, the flowers. I planted low junipers about ten years ago on my slope but the honeysuckle has taken over. Recently I worked a couple hours to weed it and didn't get even 20% cleared. Today it's going to be in the 90s, so there will be no weeding once I get home, too hot.

I moved my irises last year, not enough sun due to a live oak getting big. They're looking bigger and healthier, am waiting to see if they bloom.

My iris is about to bloom.

Show us when it does. I’ll try to take some pictures later. It turned into a dark wet and gloomy day.

T is here taken over the living room.
I’m trying to finish decanting cordial.

>120 fuzzi: when I worked, I was driving there before it was at all light. I’ve so missed sunrises.

Spent the morning on a ladder cleaning out gutters. Earlier in the week, I climbed up there after just a minor storm and there was 4” of still water sitting there. Eventually it percolated through the leaf and seed debris, but that’s not good enough. Someone placed hangers every foot along the 36 feet of house. So clean out is tedious and the deck roof is in the way, so I had to climb up on it.
Neighbor’s holly tree is the main culprit so scooping gingerly. Gloves would only be more bulky and annoying.
Think, think, think....

I’m beginning to conceive a system that breaks from the standard. The distance between house fascia and deck framing is 7.5” and enough rain falls from the gutter or the gap to puddle and stream across the floor boards. (some of the floor boards cup incorrectly, making it worse. I tried to take up one floor plank and was rewarded with broken off screws that refused to release.)
Anyway, traditional gutters and fasteners assume only one fastening surface when I could have two. They also assume visual appeal is needed; and this is not at issue here. I could bridge that gap in a variety of ways and incorporate the entire width for water collection. There is probably a local shop that can bend aluminum lengths to a simple and inexpensive rectangular profile.
Still thinking...

>124 2wonderY:


Is there some way to create a rain barrel collection system?

No room. No real need for it either. I don’t plant stuff that needs watered to any degree. If I put in veggie gardens they will be upslope from the house, and gravity fed won’t work.

>126 2wonderY: rain garden?

www.clemson.edu/extension/raingarden

Perhaps a small one in the front yard.

I’m expecting company this weekend - daughter and grands from Cinci. Haven’t seen them since December! So I’ve been cleaning house and yard and planning meals.
Was able to mow the entire yard in phases yesterday and noting more places at the top of the backyard that need perennials and shrubs rather than grass.
There is just never enough time to do everything I want to do!

Some quiet excitement here. I brought trash bags of collected leaves down from the ridgetop to add to my new flower beds. They’ve been sitting here for a few days, and as I dumped one of them, a black snake came out too. I didn’t want it to freak out neighbors or go out into the street, so I helped into one of the big plastic pots the roses came in, and wedged it with another pot. Took it to the top of the backyard where there is plenty of undergrowth and a patch of scrubby woods.
When I went back to finish emptying the bag, another, bigger black snake came out. Sheesh! I was already practiced, and caught this one in the same manner and sent it on it’s way. Should probably spread the contents of the bags with a rake rather than by hand, eh? Who knows what else is in there.

More excitement. Did I mention that a tree fell on daughter’s outbuilding? It’s the neighbor’s tree, but it appears he has no responsibility for taking care of it.
Several people in the business declined to take on the job. It’s rotten at the bottom and at least 60 feet tall maple.
SIL rented a lift and a chainsaw on a pole. Rose texted a video, and I headed right over to help. He didn’t even have anyone spotting him!! Shit! The neighbor was nowhere to be seen; daughter had the baby inside; his best friend had other plans.
He made a lot of progress before dark. He made it look easy; but admitted he was scared and tired. He’d been running a concrete saw today elsewhere. He’s such an impressive person.
I helped pull branches out of the way and stacked logs.

>131 2wonderY: people can be such jerks. Sorry your SIL is having to clean up, glad you could be his spotter.

Two black snakes! Beware, rodents...

Long beautiful day. Helped Nathan finish take down the tree; grocery shopped; threw several recipes together for supper before other daughter arrived with her crew plus one.
We took a looooong hike out at Anglin Falls; a local landmark I hadn’t been to yet. It is not an easy trail and we had a toddler and a dog not really broke to the leash. So many wildflowers! Pristine woods! It was wonderful; but we got back at dusk and put dishes in the oven and started the campfire for hot dogs and marshmallows. We were so enjoying each other’s company but finally all tuckered out.

In between morning and afternoon activities, Rose came, intending to till the strip on the west side of the front lawn. It was too wet, too steep and too thick with thatch to succeed. So she did some shovel work to begin the task. Bless her.
I think we’re planning a trip to Lexington today to visit an old greenhouse complex/local foods and brews cafe.

Because the weather stayed cool and wet, we decided to just hang at my house. It was the first full-on test of the space. We squeaked by on bed space because two teens slept on the trampoline. Breakfast was better organized than last evening, but still pushed the limits of the kitchen. Deck dining is what we’ll plan for as possible.
Daughters were able to sneak off and have a glass of wine and a catch-up gab fest. Rose was worried that T would get cranky. But she had devoted cousins catering to her every whim. She was in toddler heaven.
Plans are for frequent and soon trips back here .

>135 2wonderY: for a teenager sleeping on a trampoline was probably more of an adventure than an imposition!

Good morning. Work schedules changed. T delivered to my door at 6. I thought I’d be awake, but wasn’t. She is ready for the day. I need some tea!

>137 2wonderY: what a wonderful way to start your day, T and tea!

And it will be a long day. Her dad is working out of town, so she’ll be here 10 hours. It’s a day cousins would be very welcome; but they had to go back to school.

Today the sun was out early, so we got some gardening done. The big job was planting the peach tree. This weekend, daughter moved it around the yard while I stood down by the street, and then dropped a brick to mark the spot. This is the first time I’ve dug a square hole; but Pinterest thinks it’s a good idea.
T was my waterboy again. I don’t have a hose at the front yet, so we hauled plastic gallon jugs. I sent her inside ahead of me with the empties. By the time I followed, she had taken the initiative and was successfully filling one at the bathroom sink. That might not sound impressive, but it is.

Oh, and the nasturtiums that I thought got zapped by the frost are back and blooming.

>140 2wonderY: what a big helper!

I love nasturtiums. They don't "do" heat here, but I used to love growing them in Connecticut...

And they taste so good!

Do they? Like in a salad?

Yes, both the flowers and leaves are edible. They taste peppery, so I tend to chop the leaves fairly small before adding them to a salad. It's one thing to nibble on it in the garden, when you expect the bite, but quite another when you don't expect it in a salad.

You can also turn the seedpods into 'capers', but that has always been too fussy for me.

>121 MarthaJeanne: https://www.jerrybarton.eu/Miscellaneous/DailyPicks/i-6NzQ7ww"

The new pictures also include the thorns on the pepper tree.

I got lost in your album. So much beauty!

Tree trimmers have been busy up the street for two days. It looks like they severely cropped two huge silver maples and possibly removed a third entirely. I’m so glad their intention was not removal of all of them. The reduction in height of the first tree allows another street light or security light to shine in my front windows.
I do understand the need to cut and remove. These are small lots and silver maples are sly about rotting and falling.
T and I explored the “cave” under the trampoline today, and I discovered another huge tree stump under there. That makes five or six ancients removed from my own yard. The two remaining trees give plenty of heavy shade.

>146 2wonderY: Jerry was glad to see your comment.

I’ve been in WV and brought back some more of the yard. Some timbers, which I will use to frame a small above ground pool for T. Drainage pipe for my downspouts project. A hose! Bought at Sears decades ago and made of rubber, not plastic. I unearthed it in the undergrowth along the north side of the house.
Also brought two kinds of irises - a slender Siberian iris and a tiny blue eyed grass. Samples of other perennials that have been fading away because of the shade.
Tried to dig a piece of cherry tree, but I need a reciprocating saw to cut a section of root. Next trip.

Sitting out on the deck this morning, I’m struck by all the birdsong. I worry about what they eat because the sources aren’t obvious. I see very little insect life around here.
I know insect numbers worldwide are dropping. Was actually glad to see all the insect splatters on my windshield yesterday, as a sample of what’s in the air, but not really visible.

I have a patch of white clover here; and used to be you had to watch for the little native bees if you were barefoot. Haven’t seen them here yet.
I do have the huge bumbling carpenter bees that want to drill into the wood structures. Sigh.

Back in the 80s if we drove the Autobahn in either Austria or Germany we had to stop at least once an hour to clean the windscreen just to be able to see. Now our stops are set by our bladders, and we don't usually bother with cleaning the windscreen.

However, I have been pleased at how LOUD our flowering trees have been this year. We were getting all sizes of bees from teeny tinys up to great big bumblebees.

We were shopping at a farmer's shop this noon. Positive: they had asparagus and strawberries for Jerry, and the wholegrain band noodles I want for tonight's supper, as well as other odds and ends. Negative: he'd suggested the shop because he wanted duck breast for tomorrow night, but there was no duck at all. Double positive: The swallows were busy working at their nests under the eaves. That was lots of fun to watch. There were lots of them!

Here it's too cold and damp and no sun to make me want to sit outside.

>150 2wonderY: maybe the birds have already removed the insect life?

I use peanuts, peanut butter "balls", and suet in my feeders all year for the insect eating birds. I see warblers, bluebirds, and wrens at my feeders...until the warmth of approaching summer is here and the insect population increases. Then I see the birds sporadically, probably just when they need supplements, as their growing young require more food.

I love seeing the cardinals bringing their fledglings to the feeders.

We have the carpenter bees here, too, but I've partly foiled them by having vinyl siding installed, ha!

My milkweed is blooming and is covered with big buzzy bumble bees, no Monarchs yet.

>149 2wonderY: The other perennials I brought are:
Winter Aconite - this has spread successfully in the old yard, but it’s season is about over; so not sure it will be successful this year.
Perennial Pea - not sure yet where I will insert this. Perhaps on one of the backyard slope sections.
Leadwort Plumbago - will go into the beds in front of the house.
Aster - at the back of one of the front gardens. These don’t harmonize with my vision, but I’d hate to lose this late season pink and yellow cheerful plant.
Autumn Joy Sedum - didn’t know this was still in my gardens. It’s not a favorite, but came along with some other plants.

Don’t know what the calendar says, but it’s now summer here. Muggy on the covered deck and Too hot on the feet in the sun. Rose bought more bags of play sand than she used; so I took two of them. Though they were under cover, they absorbed a lot of moisture before I found a suitable container. So now it’s out in the sun, drying. Instead, T’s got a tub of water for her aquatic toys and her feet. But these long days (from 6am to 4pm) have got her a bit cranky and uncooperative. Usually, she’s fine here and terrible at home in the evenings. Today it’s leaking over, and she doesn’t stay occupied with anything for more than a few moments and wants to wallow on top of me.

>154 2wonderY: 'It's too darn hot!' Wallow in your own space!

Daughter and I went yardsaling yesterday to start my birthday. We found mostly toys for T. A whole herd of plastic horses. She is delighted with them. I have a three story wooden barn I must bring into town for her.

In the afternoon, we all went up to Lexington to an ancient greenhouse/nursery complex that has been reinvigorated with converting the back buildings into a cafe and then garden seating under a jungle of trees and mature plantings. The very back corner is a mountainous sand corner for the kids, with appropriate toys.

I found a yarrow that promises to be the orange of butterfly weed. And seeds to sow next year for love-in-a-mist.

https://www.michlers.com/

After supper, we split a bottle of wine and I got drunk!

Report on attic temperatures.
Earlier in the spring, it began getting stuffy upstairs, and I could even smell the heat build-up just a little bit. So I was on alert for any problems.
I’ve got both end windows open and screened and the skylights also open and screened. So far, the small bit of air circulation this creates has pretty much kept temperatures comfortable. The under eave crawl spaces are as well; so my insulation project is a resounding success.
Of course, we are just moving into summer. A window fan will probably be necessary at the west window. That side has some shade most of the day; with neighbor’s tree line right there.
I also have a portable AC just in case; but I truly doubt it will be needed.
Very pleased with my results.

>156 2wonderY: my children had a herd of plastic horses they called "neigh neighs". I was partial to the Breyer models myself.

>157 2wonderY: is there a door on the stairway upstairs?

A small AC running during the day on the lowest setting would probably keep things comfortable upstairs.

Remember I got rid of the two window ACs last fall. I’d rather not resort to that strategy, if other ways work. I did buy a delonghi wheeled AC when they went on sale this spring. Daughter is trying it in their upstairs bedrooms now. They just moved their bedrooms upstairs; again a cape cod layout. Right now, my heat pump has been quiescent for weeks and I’m playing with cross-breezes and ceiling fans on the main floor too.

Already a window fan blowing out might make a lot of difference to the whole house.

Gutter cleaning is going to be a constant chore for a while as I slowly replace and improve the system. I was up on a ladder yesterday cleaning more holly trash out; both leaves (that seem to fall year round), and flower mess. While I was up there I continued some trimming of that and a honeysuckle bush that is also dropping much trash into my little pond.
I did find out where the bees are. The upper reaches of the holly tree are alive with the hum of busy bees. Still did not see any!

Several weeks ago, when I did a thorough gutter clean, they were overflowing with holly leaves. I have found a gutter screen that seems well designed for my circumstances. But there are a few irksome places where the hangers (remember, placed every 12 inches) protrude and need to be modified. My ladder is still one I need to be very cautious about placement. It is light and slips easily.

Thinking about placement of a couple of small ornamental trees on the edge of the first slope up from the deck. Also, might start engineering terracing boxes there.

Neighbor invited me to the sunny side of the holly tree this afternoon. And while most of the action was towards the top of the tree, I did manage to capture a couple by the point, hope and click method:

https://pics.cdn.librarything.com//picsizes/f9/10/f910103a0574608637051657941415...

>159 2wonderY: it's too hot and humid here to use fans, even at night, unfortunately.

Groundhog. Came through the fence and sat on the stone wall a dozen feet from the deck and gazed at me. Then wandered back through the fence. And we thought moles would be the garden raiders.
Rose and I stopped at the farmers market to get the first tomatoes. Bill Best raises heirloom tomatoes and beans. Oh my! Delicious!
The plant lady was there too; so of course I stopped to see what she has. Couldn’t pass up a couple of Veronicas (Speedwell) - First Love, an intense pink, and a complementary purple, whose name had blue in it.

T figured out how to roll over and come down the slide on her belly; still feet first. But she was very pleased with herself.

It’s time to start pulling the basement back together from the winter flood. It’s been too cool down there besides it being gardening season.
But this evening, the coolness was a nice contrast to the warmer weather outside. Besides, I’m expecting guests in a couple of weeks. Need to tidy!

Filled wall spaces behind some of that damaged and trimmed paneling with panels of styrofoam insulation; tacked the sheet plastic back in place and re-nailed the paneling into place. This corner will have a permanent shelving unit installed; so this was the only opportunity to do this task. Now I can go ahead and install the shelving and put the other cupboards back in place.

The gas company sent a guy to post notices yesterday. They’ll be replacing main service lines soon. My neighbors say that was done three years ago, but not all the way up the street, apparently. So there will be some disruption of service. I’d been wanting the company to come out and mark just where the line is, as neither side neighbor bothered to do so. The line runs through the back yards, which is bizarre.
The guy did take my payment check, as I’ve been unable to drop it off during their business hours, because of T.

Across the street neighbor Hasn’t met a plant she dislikes and saves ALL the babies. She is feeling overwhelmed by her collection of potted palms and succulents on her patio. Most of them go inside for the winter, so I can see she’s feeling crowded. The patio is rather too full of plants to be useful for humans.
She called me over and kept adding to the pile she wants me to have. She also threw in pots and metal stands.
It’s more than I want but I will share and then toss.
She loves cacti too, but I passed on those.

>167 2wonderY: I have a porch that is half full of plants. Those blasted spider plants and peace lilies just keep growing...

Finally RAIN! A good steady downpour. May go to WV for the weekend.

ROOT! Wassap keedo? I spent most of the past couple months with my brother in the hospital or traveling. His recovery has been astounding, actually miraculous. A month ago he was in a coma and sometime next week he should be able to walk on his own.

Did I tell you that I have sunflowers? There's this bed of flowers at the foot of my garden but I figured it belonged to the lady who lived next door, but she told me that they're mine. I love me some sunflowers! They remind me of my grandmother and deep deep summer.

And of course you dislike cacti, because you are raised right.

>170 SomeGuyInVirginia: Oh, thank God!!! I was imagining the worst. Don’t do that Larry!!

I love the concept of you having a garden.

I am in WV, and the yard here is in full bloom; roses and peonies and yellow penstemone. But it is chilly and wet! Going down into the 40Fs for the next couple of nights.
Of course, I had turned off all the gas heaters last time and won’t re-light them. I do still have a few sweaters and blankets here; so I’ll be fine.
Now, what can I sort and pack? The new basement is nearly ready for taking some of what is left here.
And what can I dispose?

I am pleased and encouraged by how this house continues to absorb the books. The two cartons I brought got shelved with no difficulties. I need to work harder at weeding and disposing on both ends. There is still a significant collection in WV.

I don’t have T until Friday, so I can tackle the basement again. Still rainy, but I brought a couple of small cherry trees and more perennials that need to get in the ground. I found an old clump of coreopsis that I thought had died off. And a lovely deep red dianthus.

>173 2wonderY: I love my coreopsis! That's one tough perennial.

I'm guessing that T isn't one of the children whose vocabulary suffered from lockdowns. But just in case, I saw advice today on how to fix that.
---
The first suggestion is that you talk to the child. Have long conversations.

Second, read to the child. Lots of good vocabulary in books.

Do things with the child so s/he will have something to talk about, and will pick up the vocabulary needed for that activity.
---
I'm just wondering how else you would bring up a child.

Many years ago I was at a party at a friend's house. One of the other guests was a Moslem woman with a year old daughter. The little girl was running around and saying 'a la la, a la'. My friend and I said, 'Well you are already a good little Moslem, aren't you.' The mother was confused and said, 'She's just making sounds, she isn't saying Allah.' We replied that encouraging sounds that could mean something is a great way of leading children into language.

Her language skills are exceptional. She absorbs words and knowledge like nobody’s business. Especially concerning the natural world.

I sent this text to her mom last week:
T is muttering “Difficult, difficult,” while zooming through the hungry caterpillar puzzles.

What she lacks is knowing how to relate to other kids her approximate age.

Well, I'm quite sure you talk to her, read to her, and do various activities.

>172 2wonderY:. Correction : not yellow penstamon; yellow loosestrife.

https://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=https%3A%2F%2Fsusanrushtondotnet.files.word...

It actually is looking very prosperous in the growing shade in the WV gardens.

Calling a tentative success with temperature moderation in the attic. There has been a noticeable warming up there in the daytime and a nighttime cooling, just with window cross currents and skylights open. I finally located my box fan and set it up partially in front of the shaded window, drawing air out. It has run 24 hours now and it was sunny and 86F today.
The attic stayed very comfortable and I noted a couple of air currents. One is cool air from the first floor being drawn up the stairwell. The other is an evening breeze coming in from the opposite window.
Behind the knee walls, where you might expect it to get stuffy, temperatures stayed very similar to the rest of the attic.

I’m expecting company. Grandson tomorrow, for an extended visit; and lady friends next weekend. I can still fit an AC if needed, but I think we’ll be fine.

I’m glad I mowed yesteryear as it’s definitely going to storm today and perhaps the rest of the week.

Small strange happenings accumulate in this house involving mechanicals.
Several weeks ago an old music box played half a song on its own, in the middle of the night. I happened to be awake at the time.
This morning, before 6, I wasn’t. I woke to a thump and a strange “waw-waw” sound. I thought someone was coming in the house. I tracked the continuing sound to the guest bedroom and extricated a battery robot from the curtains behind the bed and shut him down. He had activated himself and fell or jumped from the shelf above the window. I did ask where he thought he was going, but I got no reply.

Eleven, nearly twelve year old grandson is here for an extended visit. He and T are both looking forward to tomorrow.

Today, he went out to the ridgetop with me and we started processing all the fallen wood from February’s ice storm. We saw a black snake in the grass and it wasn’t budging from the spot. It writhed quite nicely. I disturbed a Yellowjacket nest and got one sting. Daughter recommended a plantain poultice and it is the only thing that halted the swelling and itching. I ran some leaves through the blender and spread the resulting smoothie over the growing spot.

We brought some of the still blooming Easter lilies and peonies back for display, along with two kinds of roses.

Any plant in my lawn that requires more than a cheerful greeting has died from neglect. I really think I'm going to rip out everything around the house and plant sticker bushes.

I had my first serious homeowner shock when a pipe burst in the ceiling in the basement, and water poured out of the crack for about 10 minutes before I shut it off. The rug was soaked, the white tile ceiling is going to have to be replaced because they don't make that kind of tile anymore, and the wood paneling was soaked in a couple of spots. All in all though I was extremely fortunate. It's still unnerving to have something like that happen and I suppose my den is going to be torn up for a while with repairs. I really love that room and bought the house because of it so maybe it'll be even better after it's fixed.

>182 SomeGuyInVirginia: See! Attitude is 95%. And you’ve been initiated into the Wet Basement Society. Congratulations! Wine and cookies!

Playhouse is coming down! We unfastened the four bolts holding the balcony and tipped it to crash into pieces. Removed the climbing wall and put it on the slope where the slides have already been placed. T has more fun on these since she doesn’t have to climb the rickety ladder. (The first rung of which had already broken.). Callum started removing the roof from the inside 2nd floor. We’re curious what T will think of it today.
Callum wants to build something bigger and nicer, but isn’t yet familiar with the tools and materials. We shall see.

>183 2wonderY: And thank the water gods you were home when it happened! They smile upon you, with just the hint of a smirk.

Grandson discovered a water puddle in the basement where none was called for; not being anywhere near plumbing.
Tracked it down to a gallon plastic water jug stored under the stairs. It had sprung a pinhole leak.
Another case closed.

I had the same thing happen with a plastic jug of water. I'd store it under my bed and it had been there for many months maybe up to a year when it broke open and flooded the carpet. Two and a half gallons, very controlled, and frankly it had dried by the time I even noticed it. Now I always store jugs of water in a much larger plastic tub.

The best water I've ever tasted in my life is from a Virginia source called Amelia Springs. It's sold in a couple of iterations, but if you ever see Amelia Springs water where the logo is in stark black and white then buy a gallon and try it and let me know what you think.

Had the opportunity to go out and inspect the gutters today during a good rain. The rear gutter was again completely clogged with holly flowers and leaves. The flowers pack so tight that the inside of the pile was dry when I cleaned that corner last week. Adjacent deck gutter was still draining properly because I started installing gutter shield. This issue is solvable.

AND, possibly more significant, the sump pump hasn’t switched on because there is no water draining into the foundation.

>187 2wonderY: good news about the sump pump!

Yep.

I have to step back one from gloating about the attic temperatures. With company here, and the room occupied during days that got up to 90F, the attic did get stuffy. My siblings and I slept in the third floor attic with no insulation, no heat or cooling, and no cross breezes; just a box fan in the window. So my perception of comfort range may be slightly different than others.
But daughter wasn’t using the unit I bought this spring, so we recovered it and plugged it in last evening. The hose out to the window showed it was collecting the hot air efficiently. The room was almost chill this morning.

It takes an acceptable amount of floor space for the comfort it can offer to guests. And it certainly won’t need to run all the time like last year.

There is an incredible amount of truck traffic in front of my house this morning with the company improving storm water drainage parked right there and sending stuff down the manhole; trash pickup, school bus, gas line contractor. Somebody needs to be out there with a flag.
It’s the gas line guys I’m most interested in; and I caught ones attention. Mein gott! They are moving the main line and will be digging up every yard to re-route service lines. Very glad I asked, as I may be able to take advantage of the excavation for my drainage projects.

T isn’t here today and it’s alternating rain and broiling sun. So grandson and I have gone separate ways for amusements after lunch. Since the ladder and workbench were out at the playhouse ( which is 1/3 to 1/2 down) I decided to jump the fence. The back chainlink fence has wintercreeper growing up the other side as well as saplings that need stopped. I got permission last fall, but never did anything. I raked and clipped and pulled roots until the rain came back and drenched me and I was squelching in mud. I’ve got maybe a fifth of the length done. It goes surprisingly fast.

I'm probably just going to leave the tiles in the basement stained for now. I need to start socking away money to put toward the library and the spare room. I'm not even going to start on that until this housing boom has died down. I want to replace some two prong electrical outlets with three pronged grounded outlets, and I can't get an electrician to come out here.

Yeah, if it doesn’t bother you much, it can wait. It’s possible to just switch out the receptacles yourself if all you need them for is light duty stuff. I did that with the old receptacle behind the stove because the stove needed plugged in for lights and electronic ignition.

I’m prostrate on the couch; having gone out to the fence again. Grandson is bored and we’ve gotta do something for his last evening here.

I meandered up the street this morning to get a better understanding of the excavation works going on. It appears the gas line can be tunneled beneath driveways and even fences and garden beds. That should somewhat appease my neighbor across the street, who does have prized flowerbeds in the way of the new line.

I can’t tell yet what today’s weather plans to be. The sky yesterday changed character frequently too. June is major thunderstorm month in these parts.
I was nearly done on the back fence line yesterday; but my reciprocating saw battery was not charged up. There are two specimens that require that kind of removal.

Done with clearing the fence. That job has weighed on me since last fall. There is now a 2 foot gap between the mat of wintercreeper and the fence. I wonder if I should try planting the gap with something else. My neighbor, who owns the property, seems not at all concerned about this back part of his lot. It is wooded with pine trees and left to its own devices.
I can now plant my side of the fence with a fair certainty that my shrubs won’t be smothered and overwhelmed by the sneaky vine. That’s not to say the work is done. Wintercreeper doesn’t like to be mowed, but there are still lots of strings of it to be torn out of my lawn.

Grandson was picked up today and they are on the way south to visit his other grands. It’s frankly a relief to have the house to myself again. I do like the visiting; but some ages are more fun than others. He is in a phase of fascination with graphic crime shows and I endured detailed plot synopses. Oy!

The gas line guys just dig and find the odd water line or who knows what else. This morning they mangled a water supply line and the city guys came promptly and turned water service off and made repairs. When they opened a hydrant to flush the line, I took T across the street to play in the stream. The utility crew were amused and we came up with the idea of building a recirculating water feature at the park for running toy boats. I really really hope they follow through with the idea.
When we returned home, T went on and on about dragons setting my roof on fire and we can put it out with the garden hose.

>196 2wonderY: Good that T has a plan! Thinking ahead to dealing with dragons is important :)

I agree.

Do you (and T) know Tomi de Paola's The knight and the dragon? Not a recent book - my boys had a signed copy, but still available.

No! I’ll see whether the library has it.

Oh, dragons! You may as well move. Or stay and fight. Either. But seriously, dragons? What is this, the aughts?!

It's hot here in God's country, but the humidity is low. I'm on my deck reading silver age mysteries. Bliss. I'm going to put a hammock in the back yard, after which nobody should really expect to hear from me for a very long time. Me and hammocks and cheesy mysteries go waaayy back.

I love you guys! Who else would take us seriously?

A dear friend stopped by on her way through KY and spent a night. We got caught up on all the news and I sent her home with more plants.

Daughter had oral surgery yesterday and though T was sent to Mamaw’s, Rose thought she could handle the post-surgery all by herself. (husband is working out of town). But she had terrible nausea and couldn’t keep pain meds down. She despises retching at all times, but was also so scared to undo or harm the surgery. I was so glad to be available to spend the evening with her and help. Pain and misery is much harder to bear alone.

>202 2wonderY: Oy, someone should have prescribed an antiemetic considering the delicate nature of oral surgery! Hopefully, your daughter is feeling better.

PS, can T come over and protect my house from the neighborhood dragons?

>201 SomeGuyInVirginia: But if you can work together with the dragon you don't have to fight it. It's not right to assume that every dragon is a baddy.

>203 lesmel: Yes, and a pain patch rather than oral meds. I had pills for nausea, and we finally got one to stay down.

Not sure T is cleared for questing yet. Possibly only day trips.

<204 Have you read A Landscape with Dragons? O’Brien agrees with you.

I remembered that today is third Thursday, which is nominally the day of the month the city comes around and picks up yard debris. So, early, I started trimming the elm branches from my neighbor’s tree that are scraping up against my siding and roof. She came out and volunteered to climb and cut the largest branch. So that’s done. We also took out another volunteer tree down by the corner of her driveway. She expressed gratitude for a neighbor with the right tools and know-how.🙃
Since I was up on that corner of the house, I finished freeing myself from all old cable connections, and rolled up the two lengths that crossed the street.
As we stood chatting, Rhonda came over from across the street and we talked plants, pets, wildlife, gas line woes, and misc. other topics. Another lady from further up the street, pulled her car to the curb as well, and joined us for a few minutes. It was really nice! I may have to start scheduling morning coffees out front this summer.

Looks like a neighbor out back has beef inspired by my wintercreeper clearing, and has begun his own fence clearing. It’s not my direct back neighbor, but the corners of our lots touch in one spot. His lot is pie slice shaped. I’ll have to stop by and offer my recip saw for the short section he passed by with thick woody stems twining up the chainlink.

But now, there is a hole in my privacy screen, so I do need to decide on a shrub in that corner.

What are you trying to do? Upgrade the whole neighbourhood?

Funny you should say that. Alida, in the midst of our pruning, said it was her intention to make her property look overgrown and shabby, to keep the tax rate down.

And I’m all for overgrown. But clear the decks; I want it to be my overgrown.

And we agree on the street light - that it should not be allowed to shine into our bedroom windows or our backyards. We may get around to a presentation and proposal to city council about changing the type of fixture.

I got bad information at >190 2wonderY:. The gas line contractor has plans now and showed them to me. There will be no changes to the service lines on my side of the street. 😕 I was plotting my drainage in their trench. Oh well.

My neighbor asked over the fence today what our playhouse plans are. I said we're considering an A frame. She frowned and said she doesn’t like A frames and neither do children and chickens. I just raised my eyebrows.

I loved A frames as a child. Less enthusiastic since.

>209 2wonderY: And I’m all for overgrown. But clear the decks; I want it to be my overgrown

Agreed. We have honeysuckle everywhere, hard to eradicate.

>210 2wonderY: No, with chickens you want a neo-gothic structure. Chickens are so moody and contemplative they feel right at home with leaded glass windows and flying buttresses.

>213 SomeGuyInVirginia: hahaha!

I made a chicken coop out of a wooden welping box, the bantams seemed happy with it, and it kept them safe at night from predators!

Yes, but chickens are irrelevant. I think neighbor was commenting on some dark memory from childhood.

And then you have aliens stealing the chickens away:

https://odditymall.com/includes/content/this-guy-built-a-ufo-shaped-chicken-coop...

T had company yesterday! Neighbor to the east is minding her 5yo grand this week. Lakin was delighted to come and play. I had water squirters for them and glad to not be a target.

It stormed torrentially afternoon and evening, and I have not noted the sump pump having to work hard at all.

Plants bought last week:

Phlox, Fashionably Early Princess
Plumbago. I brought some from a diminished bed in WV and had the impression it was fading. When I looked, after bringing the new pot home, they had perked right up. That’s okay; always room for this deep blue pretty.
Egyptian Star Flower, Sunstar Red. I don’t usually buy annuals, but this got potted near the front steps.
Butterfly Bush, Miss Ruby. Not sure where this is going yet, but surely the back yard. Will get too big for the front.
I know there was one more...

Seriously?! Have you no shame?! You get more done in the morning than I do in 4 days. Are you sure you're not a cyborg? I mean even if you say you're not a cyborg, that's the kind of thing a cyborg would say. I'm going to go with you being a cyborg, rather than me being lazy. That's the way it is, deal with it.

Cyborg.

You know there is no one else to dredge out the dungeons and build the stairway to heaven. It’s gotta be me. And I’m on a schedule!

I remembered the last plant I bought - water lettuce.

Neighbor lady gave me a tiny pilea and a burro’s tail.

I climbed 12 feet up to the first crotch of the bigger maple tree, thinking there was a grapevine starting to root, and other things not identifiable from below. Instead, I found a maple sapling, some wintercreeper (of course) and a young eastern red cedar.

Imagine my surprise when I climbed the tree and found a coal scuttle, one perfect pearl, and my second husband, Henry, who said he couldn't figure out a way to get down.

Yepper. Anytime someone else says they've built you a stairway to heaven you can bet they're going to ask you for money.

Did you leave Henry up there? You do a terrible job of telling the rest of the story. Please review some Paul Harvey.

I’ve decided I need to remove the saplings and explore how to slow the rot happening there. Admittedly, it is probably happening too slowly to be my ultimate problem; but it is a magnificent tree. The west side of it sweeps up like Cthulhu.

I’ll be in WV for a few days, so I don’t want to put the rest of the plants in the ground yet. Forecast is sunny and hot.

I emptied my front door closet and started hammering at the exterior walls. Recall I was planning to insulate them. I found plaster and then drywall and then a weird packed down loose insulation. Hmmm.

That's because the rest of the story is the hard part!

Tomorrow I have to go and work on my basement. By that I mean I have to put a rug pad down, move furniture so that a little bit more of the rug pad can go down, move furniture again and put down a little bit more of the rug pad, and do that until it's done. Then I'll repeat the process on Monday when they deliver the rug from the drying warehouse. I would just like to say right now that my couch is very comfortable but it is also very freaking heavy. I've decided to live with the stained tiles in the ceiling, and I hope that the rug colors haven't run too much. But whatever. I just want my stuff back, so I can put my new TV up when it gets delivered, and then watch zombie movies.

I took the pearl because it's a pearl. I left Henry because I figured he would come down when he got hungry or fall down when he was dead, but either way he would be in my life again and in my way again, at least for a a little while and I wasn't relishing. Not that I'm bitter, but if you aren't a multimillionaire don't put that in your profile. That's all I'm saying. I left the coal scuttle up in the tree because I figured the original owners would come looking for it. Or a couple in Victorian cosplay. Although I have signage posted everywhere, 'No Victorian garb or civil war reenactors'. When the dew is 'pon the heather I actually have to pipe Van Halen into the garden to chase away the Janeites. Works on deer, too.

That last bit is good to know.

I moved the ladder around to the other side and found a Bush honeysuckle volunteering even further up in another crotch.

I’ve decided I don’t like bush honeysuckle at all and will be cutting down the specimen in my WV gardens tomorrow. It seeds everywhere.

Poor Henry. I know he’s a damned liar, but he is ornamental.

I’m back. It stayed hot and sunny yesterday. Although I travelled through several local blinding squalls on the road, it was hot and dry when I got here. The butterfly bush was in distress, so I gave it two waterings. Today is overcast and already sent a little rain. The butterfly bush leaves are fully recovered, though the floral spikes are ash.

T’s unsolicited comment on my haircut: “I’m gonna make your hair grow.”

I brought so much new stuff for play that T hasn’t even made a dent in it, but she is trying with all her might. I picked up a crap dollhouse off the curb that someone was throwing away. We washed it and put it back together and it’s “awesome!” I brought boxes of dollhouse furniture, “stuff,” and doll inhabitants. She ignores the humans and moved her pack of dogs in. Luxury! Also found a bunny and a guinea pig that were welcomed enthusiastically.

>229 2wonderY: I love kids...

We had torrential rains again yesterday; and the rear gutter overflowed again. But the basement sump stayed quiet, so at least a good portion of the water was successfully going where I want it to. I did buy enough gutter guards to cover that whole length and the deck roof section too.

Time to do some clean-up on the deck. SIL says he will bring a big cabinet shelf unit over tomorrow. It’s been on their deck forever and been a junk collector; but has been used as a buffet spread for parties of old.
I plan to use it to store gardening things and pots and vases, as well as for parties.

The hot tub is still in the way, so I have to strategize. There is lots of stuff that needs moved and a pile of salvaged lumber to tuck away.
I also plan to start working on the gutter cleaning and gutter guard installation.
Busy, busy!

The most annoying part of the gutter work is having to move the ladder. It’s a lightweight aluminum telescoping model, but still has some heft. I’m tired!
All the rear gutters have been power sprayed clean of debris and one section is covered with the leaf shields. With a bit of yanking, a kink in the gutter was corrected, and the screwed on shield acts as a brace to keep it correct. The last inch of gutter is covered with screening. I had to improvise.

The next section will require me climbing onto the deck roof. Sigh. Might as well get to it.

Ran out of hardware halfway across. Had one beer and it knocked me over. Enough for the day.

Happy 4th, Ruth! Good idea to not get up on the roof after a drink. That's right up in the 'hold my beer and watch this' category.

Thanks. Looks like we’re both gonna find out what kind of celebration our new towns put on. Have fun!

>233 2wonderY: this is when you need a second person. It wouldn't prevent all the trips up and down the ladder, but some help in moving it would be nice.

Finished the back of the house gutter shield. Now it’s obvious that the volume of water off that roof will bounce right off the shield and onto the deck. So the next step (and must be done soon!) Is to devise a counter-shield from the deck framing right back into the gutter area. It’s complicated by the varying elevations, and will have to be managed piecemeal. There is nothing on the market that addresses this particular design flaw, so I’m winging it.

And, Nathan and Rose finally delivered the cabinet from their deck to mine. Nathan is awesome, navigating the trailer up the drive and into the carport in reverse.

It’s huge. And filthy.

This is not where it will finally settle, but I couldn’t resist. This is exactly how I plan on using it. Like?

Like!

Like! Very chic!

>240 2wonderY: very nice!

>238 2wonderY: it came a brief but intense storm while I was working on the deck. And I climbed the ladder to observe up close. The gutter guard was doing fine. It’s the house roof that is responsible for most of the splatter. Those raindrops hit the fairly steep roof and bounce at an angle that jumps through the gaps and wets the inner quarter to third part of the deck. And if enough falls, they run down the boards to wet the whole floor.
I was planning a barrier to address that feature as well; though I hadn’t had such a nice front row seat to the action.

Are you a superhero? Well you only use your powers for good, or for things that are really, really fun?

I depend on a team of excellent scriptwriters.

>244 2wonderY: I showed that photo of your gutter to my dad, and he made some suggestions about extending the roof and using flashing.

I'm sure you'll figure out an excellent solution. :)

>247 fuzzi: The house roof appears to have the proper overhang at the back. Might not be so at the front, where water seeps down the back side of the gutter.

Japanese beetles.
They are eating my roses. It’s not too bad yet. Will keep an eye on them.
I recall this happened in Parkersburg the first year I planted roses. That was awful. And I set out traps which just seemed to attract more. But that invasion never happened again. Never, ever had another problem with them.

>248 2wonderY: my mother paid me a penny each to pick them off the flowers and shrubs. I made pretty good money, especially when I got the "coupled" ones.

We may go pick beetles today. Soapy water?

I need to move both coral bells to a shadier spot. They advertise as not caring, but mine are obviously unhappy where they are.
I have other gardening to do, but it’s still hot here. The real reason is I hate putting shoes on.

I went erranding last evening and found a fix for the annoying hose attachment under the deck.
I also picked up a few new toys for T. She has already found two of them; one was on a shelf above eye level. She’s good!

Family Dollar sells ice cube trays that have silicone bottoms, so the small cylinders of ice just pop out. There are trays on the kitchen table for her mom. T asked for ice cubes for breakfast. Now she’s making up play with the trays.

T says we're going to wash the beetles.

>250 2wonderY: my mother put kerosene in the glass jars, just about an inch or so deep. I'd drop the bugs in, they'd die instantly. I survived the experience.

I imagine soapy water would work, or how about using vinegar? I have switched over to using vinegar for most of my household cleaning: it does a thorough job, has no chemicals, and smells pretty good too. I have some in a spray bottle which comes in handy for unwanted six-legged intruders.

What's the hose fix? I'm curious.

Regarding T: I remember my mother had a serving tray with a metal rail that looked like fencing. It became a zoo/cage for my animals during play. I used our large braided rugs for my Matchbox cars: the black section was road, and the blue sections were rivers.

One of my hoses was missing a washer, so I went to the hardware store. (Had to buy a 10 pack, so I’ll be passing them out to neighbors.). But I consulted with the employee, and he sold me a 4 foot hose. It was much easier to get a good tight fit inside the deck hole; so no more leakage. It’s just the right length to tuck back in if I want to close it up. I know I’ve got a quick-connector somewhere, but it’s not strictly needed.

Did I say upthread that I found my rubber hoses buried in the shrubbery in WV? They were so caked in muck that I had to scrub them inch by inch with a scouting pad after soaking them in the pond. It removed half their weight and regained flexibility. So I have 50 foot lengths front and back and a 25 foot spare.

Oddly, the Japanese beetles are all gone. The evidence of their feasting is there, but none to harvest. Several ladybugs. You don’t think...

I am seeing a few more native bees on the white clover in the lawn. It’s a good excuse to delay mowing, eh?

I am pulling random weeds, mostly pokeweed. But T insisted on saving several not IDed; so they are potted and are now her babies. In one spot no bigger than my palm in a new garden, I just pulled three saplings - tulip poplar, redbud and elm. All natives.

>246 2wonderY: Nice one!

>253 2wonderY: good idea. We have a short 3-4' hose on the outside faucet by the side steps, and it's perfect for simple chores like rinsing out the feral cats' water dish, etc.

What a nice find! Hoses aren't cheap, especially good ones. My dad bought one for his RV last week and spent $20 on a cheap one.

Maybe the birds ate the beetles? Not ladybugs, they eat aphids.

What a lucky girl T is to have a grandma like you, potting up her baby weeds. :)

Note to self:
Falken Design acrylic 24”x60”x1/8” $62.75
Home Depot
Two panels will span the center 12 feet when cut to 20” height.

Funny you should mention... found her improvising as well:

https://pics.cdn.librarything.com//picsizes/6b/5d/6b5dad6e54f61e4637232437951415...

BTW, forgot to report yesterday’s hospital operations. We have had ten patients waiting for parts reattachments. We did six ears and eight limbs. T was surgeon’s assistant and nursing staff. Everyone went home today. The rabbit’s siblings all sat in the waiting room, and man! it was crowded! The snack machines were all empty of carrots too by the end of the day.

>257 2wonderY: LOVE IT!

I had some really nice big animal models as a child, still have some of them stored away.

I wonder what they were?

Aha! They were Britain's animals, and my elephant model is the one second from the right in this picture:

>258 2wonderY: what an imagination!!!!

>258 2wonderY: sorry about the carrots. I saw them in the vending machines taking the place of perfectly lovely Sun Chips so I took them out of the machine and then threw them out back.

Thank heaven tea was able to confine the pygmy rhinos before they wreak havoc! They're worse than ants when they get a foothold.

>261 SomeGuyInVirginia: I’ve never had them in the house before. Any advice?

I had the day off and decided to be lazy. I think I’m going to Cincinnati tomorrow and capture another grand.

We’ve had a fine busy day here in Cinci. First stop was the Apple store, as my phone had suddenly frazzled in a whole lot of ways. They handled it at the Genius Bar. Oh! That’s why the phones cost so much!

Second stop was Ikea to buy the last Kallax for the basement wall. Yeah, that ancient project. We always have a hard time walking through without looking at EVERYThING, but we tried. Added just a few impulse items.

We then headed over to EnterTRAINment Junction, where there just happened to be a dollhouse show and sale. Honest; it was a pure coincidence. Daughter Anne loves this sort of thing. I built her a cabin at one point, just small enough to carry with her to the babysitters house. We had so much fun, and the teenaged grands enjoyed it too.
We made several strategic purchases, and I can honestly say that I’m still downsizing.

I'm going to really miss IKEA, they don't even deliver to Lynchburg. One of these days in the fall I may rent a truck and run to the IKEA outside of DC to buy a bunch of billy bookcases. If I can swing the money I'd like to have a carpenter come in and build bookcases, but right now I can't even get anyone to return my phone calls construction is so busy in the area.

Oh I get it now! Downsizing!

I’m the catalyst for daughter Anne getting her big projects to completion. Nobody else in her household ever volunteers to help. So I volunteered them today. We did major furniture moving and then clean up. They have an enclosed front porch, which is where everything gets dropped. It’s awful. She’s been using half of that space as a potting shed and greenhouse, but it was so out of control. Dirt and pots everywhere and no work surfaces.
The other half of the porch was taken up by a gigantic breakfront china cabinet. She shops St. Vincent de Paul and finds the best deals. But it’s been sitting there just inside the front door waiting to be put somewhere. I helped her decide where. The back of the kitchen. Which meant first tearing that space apart and moving the cottage style green painted cabinet out to the porch as a potting bench. It has an enameled steel counter, a bit like a Hoosier cabinet, but cuter.
Before we could do that, we had to sweep all the mess up and used the front yard as staging for all the pots and plants.
We then moved the china cabinet into the kitchen.
The grands and I pulled the porch back together while Anne took a rest break. (She has fibromyalgia). It was all clean and arranged by the time she was able to come back; and she loved it and her kids got showered with good feelings of helping with a special project.

Took the 13 year old home with me today for a week’s visit.

I brought Fisher-Price toys back with me. T was immediately enchanted with the airplane, and loaded some animals to “take to the sky with the captain.” That’s a direct quote.
But she likes the school bus even more. It holds more animals. They are off on adventures.

>267 2wonderY: I love reading about T. What a delight.

How good of you to assist Anne with her projects. Sometimes all one needs is someone saying "how can I help?" to get something started.

It’s really not good of me. I can’t stand the chaos, so I crack the whip whenever I’m there. The grands don’t seem to mind.
But it’s been 18 or so months since I’ve been able to visit.

>269 2wonderY: it's KIND of you to help instead of just nagging?

My father said something about seeing a dust kitten (actually a clump of dog hair) that was under the coffee table. I said "I can get you the vacuum cleaner" and he laughed, and I joined in. He didn't take me up on the offer (he's 93 and unsteady on his feet) but I wasn't offended either. He got my point.

It's kind of fun to be able to have an ADULT relationship with a parent, as you seem to have with your daughter. One sees the person as a person, not just a family member, per se.

Am I making sense? :)

My parents rarely visited my brother or me after we moved out. Once, I was living on Capitol Hill in DC. It was a scheduled visit and I spent the three days before cleaning every square inch of every cabinet, window frame, rearranging the pantry and the closets, polishing furniture, etc. I scrubbed the bathroom and the kitchen to within an inch of their lives. The day of the visit I'm waiting outside to welcome them to the house, the van rolls up, and Dad says for me to get in because Mom has to go to the bathroom. I told him to come inside and Mom could use the bathroom. Dad says that your Mom wants to use the bathroom at the Smithsonian, where we were going to see an exhibit. I say that junkies and homeless people use that bathroom. Dad tells me to get in the vehicle. I got in the vehicle. It was a beautiful late spring day. Capitol Hill looks best in the spring because of all the flowering trees. It really does look like a Disney set the first of May.

>271 SomeGuyInVirginia: One of those recollections seared into memory. My dad specialized in those too. My mom was the opposite. Every child and grandchild believed they were her favorite; because they were.

Eh, that was my Mom's decision not Dad's, she really didn't even want to come in. Too bad, because the place was minty fresh.

Came up with a classy splash guard for the center 12 feet of the interior length. There is a beam that spans there at 18” above the top edge of the gutter. So I cut plexiglass 20” in height and installed it with a simple friction fit vinyl accessory strip screwed to that beam. The lower edges of the plexiglass rest inside the lip of the gutter guard and pegs hold it in place there. It’s almost invisible, and the sun still shines through.

Still working out the rest of it in my head and I brought some siding scraps to play with.

I did not enjoy going up on the roof, and my body tension left me sore and exhausted. Ellie and I did go out to the ridgetop this evening to survey the berry crop. Most are only half ripe, in the red stage. But there were some beautiful ripe ones too. We’re going out tomorrow morning hoping to pick a gallon.

In peach news, the youngest tree on the ridgetop didn’t make it through the winter. The oldest tree is full of fruit, but they are fungal rotting closest to the ground. The other tree has no fruit on it.

One of the three apple trees I planted finally has one apple on it. What a wasted investment.

The crap plum tree was cut down, but is throwing up babies everywhere from the root system.

>274 2wonderY: I don't mind heights, but not when my perch is precarious. But I like your fix!

>275 2wonderY: my dh grew a couple kumquat trees from seed, put lots of effort and years into them. Only one survived and it essentially died last winter. There are a few weak shoots coming up. Oh, and we never got any fruit...

>275 2wonderY: That's crummy news, I love peaches probably more than any other food on the planet. I have a fig tree that's just sprouted purple thingies and I suppose it's nearing... a birthing stage? Fruition? I am looking forward to some fresh figs.

So, Ruth. Suburban grandmothers don't write as beautifully as you do. What's your story?

You made me blush. Though I am a suburban grandma, I am many other labels too. Most of all, I have been a reader. I hope I’ve picked up some good practices.

We collected the first 2 quarts of blackberries. I spent most of my effort forging a path through the brush, pointing Ellie to rich patches. The fruit is just beginning to come on. Most is bright red yet.

A lady on my next door app just posted that she's asking that people with fig trees they don't know what to do with will let her come and pick the fruit. I've just posted to her request saying that she's welcome to come out this year and harvest my tree as long as she shows me what she's doing so that I'll know for next year. I'm really looking forward to hearing from her because I'd like to know how to harvest the fruit and herbs in my yard. I know there's a patch of mint, and there's sage which smells heavenly. I really had no time to focus on the gardening at all. It's a pity because I think that I would enjoy some aspects of a gardening, although others like mowing just drive me insane. I do think that I'd like to tend to things that bear fruit that I can use in the kitchen. Things require routine cosmetic maintenance I just fob off.

I associate figs with the Old Testament. I don’t know why… so arid desert like terrain. That said, they were pushed in KY rather hard in the last couple of years, so we planted a couple. Mine on the ridgetop didn’t make it through the first winter. Daughter’s did, nestled up against a white wall. But neither of us knows anything about them either. Do share what you learn please.

We celebrated T’s birthday today, a few days early. Other daughter (T calls her Uncle Anne) came down with her kids. We had a great time with balloons, bubbles and giggles.

Theia was at my house yesterday morning while her parents prepared for the party. I offered her some fresh blackberries and cream. Her response is worth sharing.

With wonder and astonishment:
“Blackberries!! Is it summer?!”

I'd never have associated figs with Virginia, either. Now that I think about it, I would have thought they were only to be found in arid regions, also.

Yes! It is now glorious summer!

I have a fig tree that grows figs every year, but I never get even one to eat...some critter eats them all before they ripen. I think it's raccoons.

A lot of people have them here in Vienna. I tried, but it dried up.

I picked nearly a gallon of blackberries this morning and quit because a wave of exhaustion hit me all of a sudden. I had to sit and rest twice before hiking back to the cabin. Uphill, of course. It surely was because I spent an hour or more beforehand cutting down the trees that have grown up in the side yard. Locusts do grow amazingly fast. Some were already 20 to 25 feet tall.

Because I was in the brambles later in the day than I normally am, I bumped into competitors. The tiny native bees challenged my right to be there. It was just annoying because they are not fierce at all. They would buzz my face and drop into the buckets to see my harvest. I tried to explain that there is plenty to go around. I was not stealing their share.

I’m resting on the couch for the rest of the day .

>285 2wonderY: I like your afternoon plans.

>285 2wonderY: I like your afternoon plans too. They sound perfectly civilized to me.

Huh! It’s not even noon yet. That second meal must have been a second breakfast. I got on a tear this morning and tore the living room apart, dusted, shined, swept and vacuumed. With T helping bigly.

That’s not like me. Do you suppose that Covid vaccination really did change me into a zombie?

>288 2wonderY: are you nesting? 😂

I went on cleaning binges while pregnant, only occasionally since.

>289 fuzzi: if I understand how that works, it’s unlikely.

>290 2wonderY: 🤣🤣🤣

Yes, yes the covid vaccine turned you into a zombie. Isn't it terrible to be one of the living undead and have an incessant hunger for human flesh? Actually, I'm not completely sure that the vaccine hasn't had any effect on me, but it hasn't had any effect on me that I've noticed. I also pushed a couple of old folks on walkers out of my way to be first in line to get the vaccine, so there's that. But that's me, I'm a people person.

It didn’t really feel like zombiefication; but I’m no expert. I was reminded more of The Stepford Wives.

I did another ridgetop morning. This time I walked down the lower road first, with the long handled clippers. Multiple trees have fallen across it, and I wanted to make it easier to walk. I may leave the trees in place so that no one can use it to drive down and steal timber. Left the clipper hanging on a tree down there and worked my way up the hill picking berries. That was a good plan. When the fatigue hit, I was much closer to the cabin this time. Barely made it to the couch with water and carbs.

I picked three quarts today, but only canned two. Gotta give my T some more summertime with whipped cream.

This may be the last week I have her. Daughter was offered a job in the same town her husband is now employed. They will be moving 2 hours away.

Those native bees are more likely syrphid flies. I looked closer and they have two wings, not four.

I brought a tub of kitchen toys back into town that I had forgotten were out there. T is washing them up out on the deck this morning and having a fine time of it.

City wide power outage this morning. Surprising how fast the inside temperature rises without circulation. Today we will experiment with opening windows for cross ventilation.

And finish the ice cream.

Good grief! Absolutely finish the ice cream, it's the only decent thing to do.

Why did the power go out?

An outside transmission line. The city owns the local electrical system and even has its own solar array. But it doesn’t produce all that’s needed, so they buy it.

I’m definitely going to try fig trees again. My neighbor’s tree is full and she offered me one. It was delicious!

If you liked that one and know it grows well where you are, it might be a good idea to ask your neighbor what the variety is and where it was bought. She may not know, and it may not still be available, but it would be a good starting place.

Well, I walked my property line. I had no idea, but there's some sort of poke out back, some really old and scary looking firewood, olive trees, and plants that even I recognized as some sort of herb but couldn't identify. Interesting.

If it’s this

https://pics.cdn.librarything.com//picsizes/44/6b/446b08e91c7c8a6637659427377415...

It is not olives, but an invasive pest tree.
Someone IDed it for me here, but I’ve lost the post.

Olive leaves look like this



Most years we get tiny fruit, but I don't see any this evening.

Oh man, this whole plant thing is really complicated! I'll have to check, but I seem to think that the leaves were pointed rather than rounded. I only knew it was an olive something because my next door neighbor said that it was an olive something and asked, very kindly, if I might not cut it back so it doesn't choke her burgeoning Cyprus thingie.

I think I'm going to use the garden as a gym and get back into some sort of shape after being sedentary for 15 months by sorting everything out. I mean, after the neighbor kid weeds everything out. I'm not a fanatic!

Okay, it’s possible that you have Mediterranean olives. Just make sure they aren’t Autumn olive or Russian olive, comrade!

Neighbor gave me a swath of agriculture fabric to wrap my little peach tree. It looks like a ghost. But there were a couple of birds keeping track of the ripeness of the fruit. Those two peaches are already claimed. One is mine and the other belongs to T. This morning there was a whole flock hovering around the tree.

>306 2wonderY: T and I inspected the fruit this afternoon. The first one is still slightly hard. But the second was at that perfect “eat me” stage. We waited till her mom got here and shared it out. AH! Sweet and complex and dribble down the chin good. The other should be just right Friday when T will be back. Tomorrow she is being evaluated for preschool readiness.

My only negative comment on the peach is it is a cling variety, which it wasn’t supposed to be.

I have the day off, and I should be picking blackberries. But it’s a hot one and I worry about fainting out there. I’m picking at small projects inside and out here in town. I hope this stamina problem is temporary. I would be really annoyed to have to slow down.

I'd hate to have you slow down, too. I mean, right now, you're my gauge. Get out there, Ruth! This isn't about you, it's about me!

I did go to the ridgetop late in the day. Examined the withered and fungal peaches and the few nasty scrawny apples.
Picked one quart of blackberries. I walked down to the bottom to retrieve my clippers, avoiding the rough middle way. I felt fine with the abbreviated hike.
There is too much work that the land needs. I may throw up my hands.

I’m back from WV. I’m not filling the car so full on the return trips, but did bring an old large IKEA bookcase that I disassembled. It is surprisingly sturdy for its age. I will install it in the basement and fill it with misc. and glassware for now.

I have lots of plant starts in small glass jars lining my windows in the kitchen. I was chagrined to see that a couple had used up all the water and died while I was gone. But it was the willow cuttings I started in the spring. Those appeared dead for a month before sprouting new leaves. So I just added water and will see what happens.

Most of what I planted in the front yard gardens have prospered. I have four rose bushes madly blooming again.
I’m poking at the front slope project. I need to buy some pressure treated wood, and just haven’t yet, hoping prices come down again. I did find an awfully nice hand tool at the Ace Hardware. It’s a short light mattock.

As MarthaJeanne suggested, I asked my neighbor about the origin of her fig tree. Recording it here for future reference.

Peaceful Heritage

https://peacefulheritage.com/

Good luck on rejuvenating the plants. That reminds me, I have to get somebody out to take up the roots from that fig tree that I had cut down. It has to be done because it's too close to the house, but it's also a shame because there's a patch of mint growing right next to it and I don't see how that could make it through the root extraction process.

Mint can survive most things, but if you are really worried, dig up a few roots and plant them out. I would cut the stems back at least 2/3, so the roots have a chance to grow without having to support too much top growth.

Seriously, though. It is very difficult to kill an established mint patch, as every bit of root tries to turn into a new plant.

>314 SomeGuyInVirginia: Look at you identifying your plants! Quite the gentleman farmer!

We’re having fierce heavy thunderstorms here. It gives me a chance to again critique my drainage improvements. I’m not done in the back, but it is much improved. The front gutters are still a disaster, but not contributing to basement moisture; so they can wait. In fact I’ve been working in the basement, and there is just a trickle of water from the foundation drains going to the sump hole.

I was considering taking down the box in the front hall that houses the front doorbell. It has never worked. And I have a framed “God Bless This Home” that could be hung there. Took off the box cover and noted disconnected wires. Aha! Pulled up a YouTube how-to and put the wires back in place. Appears the design has not changed much at all since the 1950s. Ding-dong!!!

I stopped at Home Depot yesterday and bought the timbers needed for the first garden terrace barrier. Prices seem to have dropped back closer to normal. I spent only $35 for 5 pieces of treated lumber 2x6x8’. When the weather clears, I can assemble and install and start filling with the composted leaves I still have in reserve.
That’s just the lowest tier. There will be two more, but different construction.

Well the weather cleared today. But I went outside to start projects and almost immediately started sweating buckets. Heat never bothered me before. Changing metabolism? It’s 85F at 10:30am. Forecast says there could be clouds today, but I don’t think so.
Hmm. Trying to adjust to life withou Theia.
I think I’ll go work in the basement.

>317 2wonderY: woo!

>319 2wonderY: the older I get, the less I am able to handle heat. I've had heat exhaustion several times in the last 40 years, so I know my limitations...and now I always wear a big hat!

I beat the heat this morning by going out early. Got nearly 2 hours work done. I’m thinking it is way too easy for me to turn a dial nowadays to suit my comfort and my body has already forgotten how to moderate.

Did I mention that daughter took a new job? The welding shop at the high school tech center is her new domain.

I'm guessing she would frown on anyone making a bong out of a '65 Thunderbird muffler? Asking for a friend.

>323 SomeGuyInVirginia: Only because of the unhealthy carbon buildup.

She all of a sudden looks highly respectable, eh? She wasn’t my wild child, but she did sport a foot high blue mohawk and an angry sneer in high school.

Hey, hey! I sold the hot tub!

Daughter finally put it on Facebook and got 11 responses within minutes. The first one who came to see it handed over the cash and will return tomorrow morning to haul it away.

This evening’s mission is to drain it and cut away parts of the deck. It’s dropped into the deck about one foot. Had no idea where the drain might be, so texted the seller. He came right over and after some deconstruction, found it and we’ve got a hose connected.

Yay!!!

It’s gone! Look at all the lovely space I have!

>326 2wonderY: After looking at the picture again, this is obviously a coded message from Q-Anon. The pattern in the gravel is significant.

Spent the morning helping Rose and Nathan fill vehicles with kitchen and bathroom stuff. Cleared all the cabinets. Man! What a lot of misc. stuff they accumulate in those two places! The rest of the house is fine; but those two are awful. I’m going down to their new place tomorrow to watch T for the week while they both are at work. I plan to ORGANIZE as we unpack.

I said I needed to mow my yard, but I’m resting my back first.

I not only mowed today, but concentrated on tidying the edges at the public sidewalk, pulling egregious weeds and clearing all the stupid stuff growing in the cracks. There. Some indication that I care about appearances. I’ve been preparing the trench where my first terrace elevation will install. Not next week, but possibly the one after that.

>327 2wonderY: Snort! You need to put down traps immediately, Q is harder to get rid of than ants.

What are you going to do with the space? I don't blame you, I wouldn't want to have a hot tub, either. Or a pool. A pool is like incense, it only works out perfectly in theory.

>329 SomeGuyInVirginia: Boy, ain’t that the truth! I need to insert flooring, I think, though it’s tempting to put a fire pit in the center and line it with cushions. I’m thinking either a dining table or a swing bed. Not sure which would get more use. Course I could install the bed to raise and lower at need.

What I really need is space for carpentry projects.

When the previous owner came over, he noticed the plexiglass panels. He admitted that the rain coming through had been a major annoyance for them too.

Well, I got my stuff gathered and packed in the car for the week; over atop the stuff Rose packed in my vehicle yesterday. I was just going to leave and saw that one of my tires was flat! Flat! I had just checked them yesterday.
Had to unpack almost everything to get the spare out. (That seems the only consistent condition required for me.). And then back out to the street to change the tire. A friend came by to help. Sunday. Walmart it is. Oh. The local Walmart auto center is closed. They are installing a new floor. Drove to the next town, and this Walmart has a three hour wait. Sigh. At least they think it’s a simple puncture. The culprit metal is visible and easily extracted.

It could be worse. The last time I had a flat - years ago - by the time the man from the auto club arrived I had two flats! The town had put in new curbs, the stone was sharp, and I had come too close trying to park. I had sliced the side walls.

To make matters even better, the tires needed changing to winter tires, and we needed new ones. Jerry had left earlier in the day to fly to Paris for duty travel. I needed to pick the kids up from school...

In the end the man from the auto club lent me his spare tire and told me which tire store to go to and then straight to his base to give the tire back. The tire store only had two choices for our car, one of which we had just gone through in the previous winter, so did NOT want again. I was able to reach neighbours who picked the boys up for me. It all worked out. But I got rather upset.

>332 MarthaJeanne: Yikes. That is worse. Reminds me of the VW station wagon I bought to get me to my first professional job several states away right after college. Didn’t know both rear tires were rotten and they blew half way there. Luckily I wasn’t alone. Future husband was there to handle it with me.

It's hard to imagine today how really bad tires could be back in 'the olden days'. And that we didn't have mobile phones. I was really lucky that the first tire gave out right next to a telephone box. I didn't have to hitchhike to make the calls, and then try to get back to my vehicle. That time.

On the one hand mobile phones make life easier and safer, on the other, there was more sense of community - people did stop and help total strangers. After all, tomorrow it could be me.

I’m glorying in daughter’s new home. It’s an old stone house drastically updated and upgraded without subtracting charm. It’s on the farm her husband grew up. Surrounded by woods and meadows.

We’re playing pre-school this week. T drives the plane there every morning. She makes sure our pretend masks are on correctly, even squeezing the nose piece a couple of times to make sure it fits well. We take regular potty breaks where we walk in line quietly to the bathroom. When it’s time for a new activity, toys are put away without tantrums. Snacks are regular, but not excessive. Nap time is strictly observed!

>335 2wonderY: picture?????

She asked at lunch how I made her sandwich. I told her “with care,” so she opened it looking for that ingredient.

>338 2wonderY: She's gotten so big!!

Well, Chiggers! I hadn’t thought to protect against them. The farm is not brushy or overgrown, like my ridgetop property. We walked in the meadow, cut almost to lawn height, and walked the woods along a clear path. But I’ve got a good case of them. I will bring my boots next time and follow scrub down procedure. Hoping T doesn’t wake to a case of the fierce itchies.

Oh my dear Lord, T is absolutely adorable!

As is the oak flooring and 20 ft ceilings full of windows. Is that your house?!?! Que bellisima!

>342 SomeGuyInVirginia: This is the house that Bill built. I was wrong that it’s an old house. SILs parents built it in the hippie 70s-80s, from local stone and cedar. The living room addition was built maybe a dozen years later. By Bill and the boys.
I can understand why they want to keep it in the family.
Daughter started her new job yesterday, after aggravating complications. She’s the new welding department at the high school tech center. I’m just here visiting till pre-school actually opens.

You want cute?

I figured out how to get you to my Instagram board without you having to have an account.

https://www.instagram.com/twowondery/

You can navigate around that annoying pop-up banner by using your back button and then going forward again.

>344 2wonderY: Vulcan mind-meld level adorb! Wow! She's beautiful on the inside and outside.

On a botanical note, we plucked a few twigs of swamp willow at daughter’s farm when we checked out the leaky pond. I explained that willow is rich in rooting hormone. We added them to a vase of basil slips that Rose hoped to root. As a refinement, I read up on it and the literature said the hormone was strongest at the very tips; so I inverted one stem in the water. She reports that rooting is well on the way.

They are in town for the weekend, packing and getting their house ready to list. I get to have T yesterday and today. Yay!

Willow certainly roots itself very well. One year we were at a cafe that had a nice Easter vase of pussy willow in clear glass. The whole water area was crowded with roots.

I've always really liked willows but when I was looking at houses if there was a willow on the property I just passed immediately because I always heard that willows were associated with water. Well, after a brief look inside mostly just to check out what they were reading. Or if they were reading; I saw bookshelves in far fewer than 10% of the houses. The houses that did have bookshelves were usually high-end or the owners where 20/30-somethings and seemed to be very active in a lot of pursuits. Young people, a drum set, and books seem to be a thing.

>338 2wonderY: awww.

>344 2wonderY: double awww.

Sorry about the chiggers!

>349 SomeGuyInVirginia: You really do need the right space for willows. They, along with a few other species, seek out and break water and sewer lines.

>350 fuzzi: I’m still scratching!

Eye surgery on Thursday so I’ve been talking to all the official people. The surgical billing office was having a hell of a time with my health insurer. First they claimed I had been dropped, then wouldn’t provide the required details. It took all day to wrestle that problem down.

I had T on the weekend days while her parents worked on clean out and packing. They’ve decided preschool won’t happen just yet, as a Covid shutdown in likely anyway. So I’ll trade weeks with her Mamaw at the farm. I love that I can be useful.

>351 2wonderY: I love that you can have quality and quantity time with your granddaughter.

And that seems to have changed again. They are going to start preschool next week. But I hope to see her again this weekend.
My other daughter came down from Cinci yesterday to escort me to eye surgery. I was first on the table this morning, and all seems to have gone well. The color blue is so so pretty! It is intense - the sky is neon blue, as seen from behind the shades, as my eye is still dilated. They poured so many medicine drops in my eye this morning that I could eventually taste them inside my mouth on that side.

Rurh! Sugar, what are you doing now that your daughter's moved out? You have regrets? I'm so sorry. You did the right thing.

One thing I learned saving my brother's life; no good deed goes on punished. Taken for what it's worth.

>354 SomeGuyInVirginia: I know. I am at a loss. Lounged in my jammies all day Monday. I’ll bounce out of it though.

Go to movies. I've always found going to the movies to be as cathartic as going to church.

Want!: Dewalt Shear attachment

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PBYTjIizDkw

About $60.

Cleared for work by the eye surgeon. I mowed the front yard yesterday and I’ve been pulling weeds and tidying beds ever since. Since they are full of seeds, they will be placed at the curb for city pick up. I finally went to Tractor Supply and bought a couple of bundles of paper bags. They don’t take stuff put in plastic, which I approve. Sunny mild weather here.

Fall sale at the plant nursery. I meant to shop for azaleas for the top of the yard, and bought two - a Gerard Crimson and an Encore specimen (crap, this one has no tag)

For the side edges of the back yard, a Hydrangea Fire Light and a Chokeberry Brilliantissima.

I hadn’t intended to buy a Holly, but was taken by the photo of the deciduous Holly Winter Red, full of berries. I was advised that it needs a particular mate for it to fruit. So came home with a Holly Southern Gentleman as well.

I went back this morning to identify the azalea. It’s name is Autumn Starburst. It’s not one of the spectacular colors, but is more affordable than found elsewhere.

Of course, my eye was attracted to the Miss Molly butterfly bush, so that one came home with me too. I’ve already got a purple Miss Ruby. This one is deep magenta.

I forgot to mention the bulbs I bought yesterday. Allium Purple Sensation and a pack of Siberian Squill. I’ve not tried these before. They will go in the front gardens. It’s time to get more work done out front.

Love vicarious gardening/landscaping with you!

Thanks! I’m having fun placing these shrubs with an eye for the view from the deck and keeping eventual sizes in mind. I’ve never had to consider slope before; and it’s a nice challenge.

I’m also planting with an eye to reducing the mowing chores - filling the spaces that give me grief. The first slope at the back of the carport was my first challenge. It is very steep, and was planted in grass. There was no way a mower would work, and I don’t do trimmer. The pachysandra is establishing adequately, and the forsythia looks happy too.

>362 2wonderY: I planted a very low creeping juniper on our front slope. It's spread nicely, but just has a bunch of honeysuckle and poison ivy vines all over that I need to remove, AGAIN.

>363 fuzzi: Right. I don’t need that chore. I needed something that would solidly root and choke out anything else.

>191 2wonderY: My upslope neighbor has established a mow zone along his back fence. That is such good news! I will still need to patrol, but not nearly as vigilantly. I was up there putting my azaleas and a Holly (the unremarkable male) in the ground.

>365 2wonderY: one less thing to worry about!

>364 2wonderY: unfortunately the honeysuckle will overcome anything I plant on the slope. A pox on the person who imported it to the US!

I’m still off my game without the proper glasses and with no Theia to brighten my days. Lounging this morning until a heavy rainstorm guaranteed I wouldn’t get more planted. We needed the rain. The holes I dug yesterday were dry, dry.

Looking around for an inside project.

The rain let up and I got all but one plant in the ground. I haven’t decided yet where to put the Fire Light Hydrangea. Must look up it’s eventual size. Such a beauty might need to go out front if it will fit.

Forgot to list a smaller perennial I picked up last week on clearance - Sidalcea candida Bianca. A new species for me. Prairie mallow.

Eye torture at the doctor’s office yesterday morning; so I spent the rest of the day in my dark bedroom.

The two pineapple sage bitties I planted at the front in the spring have grown to beautiful specimen size and are beginning to bloom vivid red. The hummingbirds are enjoying them.

I’ve mentioned buying plants from a vendor at the Farmers Market. Her name is Connie, for future reference. (I’m terrible with names.) Her prices are so much better than anywhere else. She had two hydrangeas today that I couldn’t pass up for $10 each. The Potting Shed prices theirs at $40, and other places are even higher.

Brought home hydrangea “Limelight” and “Minimauvette.”
Her smaller pots of perennials are $5. I bought a Phlox “Jeana” which has tiny flowers and two pots of Mallow “Zebrina.” I had the mallow earlier this year, and it bloomed and thrived until it browned and died. I will try them in another spot, not so near the house foundation where they might have not gotten enough moisture.

A neighborhood email went out yesterday offering strawberry plants. I stopped and knocked and met Cait. She said take the whole bucket as no one else had stopped. She’s got great plantings in her yard and I asked the names of a couple. Anemone in pink and an intensely blue Salvia. She invited me to come take seed when they are ready.

Was hoping daughter was coming in this weekend, but that’s not happening. Will drown my loneliness in the dirt.

Surgery on the left eye is scheduled for mid-October.

Got another neighborhood email for aloe giveaway.

The Mallow Zebrina:

“This is a short-lived perennial or biennial, often flowering itself to death in the first year, but coming back the next year from self-sown seedlings.”

>370 2wonderY: …Will drown my loneliness in the dirt. …

I'm sorry.

I noticed some powdery mildew on some surfaces in the basement last week. So I finally plugged in the dehumidifier the sellers had left. After cleaning, it didn’t look as nasty and ancient as I had thought at first.
Since I don’t use the dryer, and have improved overall drainage, I hadn’t thought humidity was an issue anymore. But I guess what was there, stayed. There is no active air circulation from there to anywhere else. Which might be something to consider. Anyway, running the dehumidifier has raised the temp down there a couple of degrees. Which is probably okay. It was too cool for comfort last winter and I was planning to plug in a delonghi heater this year.

I’ve got a couple of active craft projects going on down there, so I’ll be spending more time below.

I think I’m headed to WV today after I get those new plants in the ground.

>374 2wonderY: The humidity in our basement has varied a lot this summer. A little digital thermometer/hydrometer isn't expensive. Yes, the dehumidifiers do raise the temperature quite noticably.

>375 MarthaJeanne: I will look for one. Thanks!

Planting my new perennials today, I’ve seen tiny (3/4”) jade frogs.

Probably barking tree frogs.

I’m glad I got most of the new plants into the ground yesterday. It’s been drizzling all night; which wasn’t forecast till later in the week. I’ve got two hydrangeas and the bulbs left to plant. I’m almost ready to start planting in another spot in the front yard. These will probably go along the top of the sidewalk slope on the west side. Or, at the house bed on that side. That’s where I’m planning a raised bed; and it is forming up more firmly in my head.

I was too tired yesterday to get on the road; so I’m going to WV today. I’ve got a dinner date with my best friend.

>377 2wonderY: wishing you safe travels and a good visit!

Back to the Farmers Market today to see what Connie brought.

In the $5 pots, I decided to splurge on a Lavender “Phenomenal.”

I don’t like the tall flowering Sedum much, though I’ve planted what my neighbor gave me where it will thrive and eliminate mowing in a particularly tight spot. But she has “Blue Elf” Sedum, which is a ground hugger with a dark pink flower. That can spread all over the slope nearest the deck if it wants. The blue refers to leaf color.

Also, Caryopteris or Bluebeard “Dark Knight.” It will grow to 2 feet and produces purple sprays of flowers late summer into fall.

The item I’m very excited about is Spirea “Candy Corn.” It’s delicate and so lovely. It will also be a small shrub. The description:

low-growing hedge or compact border. Can be tucked into any favorite garden spot. Candy-apple-red foliage in spring, and then bright yellow foliage sports pumpkin-orange tips in summer. Wine purple flowers artfully mingle with the foliage colors.

Oooh, the spirea does well on slopes!

Jazz band was playing this evening at the top of the hill; so I walked over. Enjoyed it , but left at the break. I’m wearing a thermal top and a boiled wool sweater; but I wish I’d brought a shawl. 64F the gauge says.
My heat hasn’t kicked on though. The inside is hovering around 70F.

>380 2wonderY: sounds like your house has good insulation!

At our local farmer's market a group of musicians often play for an hour or so on Saturday morning. Donations added to their guitar case go to one of the shelters here in town. They don't play jazz, but a mix of bluegrass and other country songs.

Getting beds ready for perennials along the west fence line in the back yard. That means pulling up wintercreeper. I had a significant mound to drag down to the curb. A second trip was for all the Japanese stiltgrass I had pulled weeks ago. When I scooped up the piles there was so much seed left behind. Oy! Thank goodness it’s such an easy plant to pull.

I discovered several volunteer tree saplings just on Alida’s side of the fence, so got her permission to dig them up. One is a fig, so that will get re-planted.

We cooperated on projects again. I helped her move a pile of broken concrete from my daughter’s yard to hers. At the same time, we loaded several pieces of scaffolding so that I can set them up in the front yard and work on the gutters there in comfort.

Time for a hot soak and maybe an Aleve.

Spent the morning moving the rest of the rubble pile and a brush pile. Alida goes a bit further than I do in salvage. But it was also helping daughter with cleaning her yard. Since Alida’s yard is similarly sloped and narrow, it made most sense for her to pull up onto my carport and then wheelbarrow the materials across my front yard and into her back yard. We did several trips and I’m feeling tired, but not nearly as much as the other day.
We stopped at a yard sale and we each bought a metal side table to hold plants inside the house over the winter.
She has offered storage space in her basement, which has an outside entrance, for my scaffolding. That’ll be great, as I was stymied on that question. Hmmm. I guess I could hang it in my carport too.

Anyway, assembled the scaffolding and got up to examine the front guttering. Remember I cleared them this spring from a ladder. It was already overflowing with leaves and the fall season hasn’t really started.
Putting gutter guards on this side will need some problem solving. It’s a diy mess up there. And I need to figure why there is water draining behind the gutters. I think I will need to custom fashion flashing to close off that problem. Sigh.

Ran (drove, actually) to the next town on errands and struck out on half of the list. Spent an outrageous amount on a 1/4” ratchet wrench handle ($32!!!). But it was the only choice in Lowe’s so I soothed myself with an ice plant.

My back is complaining about the day.

I’m glad I went and sat on the east facing wall this morning before sunrise. What a great show! Crescent wet moon still up, and clouds at different elevations. The east half of the lower clouds were cotton candy pink, and I watched while the color bled across the entire sky and then bled away. A flock of birds zoomed by, possibly preparing for migration. Some of the clouds were knarled and complex, like in a Maxfield Parrish landscape. The blues were coming on complex and brazen.

On a similar theme, the night sky in my backyard was crystal clear the other night, with the major stars more obvious to me than usual. Is that one of the rewards of cataract surgery? I’ll take it!

Working in the yard, anticipating daughter’s visit. I miss her so much. Neighbors hailing me and last veggies showing up on my doorstep. A very purple cabbage, for one. Salad!

>385 2wonderY: yes, everything is SO much clearer after the eye heals! I loved being able to drive without wearing glasses, never was able to do that before.

I love sunrises and sunsets, but my camera can't capture what my mind sees.

I enjoyed your description!

I got a long row of irises in the ground and the fig tree and one hydrangea. I was doing the (hopefully) last mowing in the back yard and was nearly finished when Rose finally arrived. Leaving it all for later, we dashed off to clothes shop for T and have supper. Torrential rain can down on us driving home and I has to slog about in the yard putting equipment and buckets away. It has rained all night too, which I hadn’t noticed was the forecast. So my plans for today must evolve in another direction.
We had a wonderful gabfest last evening. Picking up T from her other grands today.

>388 2wonderY: wonderful! May you have a fun-filled day with your granddaughter.

Thanks. Looks like rain today, none tomorrow, but then rain again for the bulk of the week. I hope to finish the front gutter project tomorrow and perhaps go back to the farm with R & T for a couple of days.

R & T headed back home and I will follow for a couple of days. But instead of the gutter project, T and I dug a new garden bed this morning. Well, all she did was get dirty and wet.

I fell so much in love with the Candy Corn Spirea that I went back and bought four more. They will feature in the front yard, top of the first slope on the west side of the sidewalk and steps. They will be compact, 2’ tall, 3’ wide. I will interplant and layer. This was the strip that was too steep for Rose to till last spring, so I did it with shovel today. I’m so tired!

I’ve got lots of chores to do before I can get out of here.

>391 2wonderY: oh, that's pretty!

T and I have been ambling about the farm this morning. Her dad asked us to clear fallen branches along the woods line so that his last mowing will go smoother and quick. So we took a bow saw to use on the small trunks still rooted. We also stuck half a dozen forsythia starts in the ground along that wood line.

Now she’s picking at the piano as if she knows what she’s doing.

Back home, spent the morning deep cleaning the bathroom, and particularly finally scraping the awful messy silicon seal on the bathtub, where the shower doors have been added. That’s been bugging me for a year.

In the afternoon, struggled with the new flashing on the front gutter. A downpour immediately after showed that is not enough. Hoping skies clear tomorrow so I can work further on it. The gutters are full again.

I’ve got almost all of the gutter guard up. I have to cut the last piece and I ran out of screws. I hate when they bounce into the bushes! There is a container full of them somewhere in the house, but I can’t find it.
Resting on the couch considering what next.

>395 2wonderY: You can always try a strong magnet on a string in the bushes.

Good idea. I used the last Phillips head screws to drill the holes with the power drill and then used some old slotted sheet metal screws with a regular screwdriver.

Neighbor's SIL carried a potted yucca tree over on his shoulders and down into my basement for overwintering. Oh my!! I couldn’t budge it last week, and today the pot was even heavier with rain saturation.

While I was up there I took a closer look at the porch roof framing. It’s just U channel in a rectangle and the roof itself is a few pieces of corrugated metal. I took all the bolts out of the sheeting, except for one obnoxious bolt way in the back of a corner. Except for that, I could lift the roof sheets off now. I can put wood framing up inside the C channel and build a bigger roof. I will probably wait until spring to start that project.

Unexpected visit by T. They came to work on their house and I heard about it with half an hours notice. I missed putting everything away, and sure enough, something got broken. Ah well.
T packed a bag especially for us. It contained a 100 piece jigsaw puzzle, a hungry caterpillar, the inside guts of a pen, a toy loaf of bread and the bathtub drain plug from their house.

>399 2wonderY: love it.

I enjoy reading about your problem solving. Contemplation of an issue often yields a solution.

I live near a chemical weapons munitions dump. There are zones of danger and evacuation directions for all of the zones, in case of accidental release. The city sends out materials and directions to all households periodically. When I moved in, I got a roll of plastic sheeting and directions to go to the highest room in my house and seal all windows and doors till the all clear, from the public announcement beacon. The audio beacon is tested regularly. Nobody really seems concerned; there has never been a release. There are long term plans to destroy the chemicals; but that has been in the works for a decade or more.
Rose was cleaning out her house and discovered the radio they were issued at one point. I never got a radio! It’s plugged in here now, but I don’t know if it actually works.

My front gutter guards are doing a great job with the falling leaves. But there is still water seeping down the back of the gutters; even after I inserted flashing. I’ve determined it must be that the metal roof is just a fraction shorter than it should be. It was installed over the old asphalt shingles, and stops right where they do. The shingles hold water and even allow moss to grow along that edge. So I’ve got another solution. I’ve got a couple of pieces of vinyl siding and I cut it into 2” strips along the bottom edge, which has a lip. After I dry that edge with a hair dryer, this will be forced just under the metal, giving the rain just a bit more length to hit the gutter and not behind it.

Well, that didn’t make any difference. I’m going to have to give it up for now.
I did lift the porch roof, but I didn’t take it out of its frame, just forced it up with my head so I could clean out that internal gutter. I discovered another reason it overflows - access to the downspout is by 5 holes drilled in the C channel. Let a large leaf cover the holes (and there are leaves aplenty) and no water can get through. So I was up in the eaves on scaffold pounding a bigger hole. My neighbor wanders over and reads me a poem.
Scratching my head. She’s been acting slightly strange all day.

Daughter is here again this week because tomorrow is my second cataract surgery. We moved a few plants around in the flowerbeds and then I finally got the gutter installed next to the real gutter on the back of the house. This jiggered contraption is designed to catch the rain that bounces off the house roof and pours onto the deck in the 6” space between the two structures. And this is only for the last eight feet on the ends of the house, where the house and deck rooflines cross. Used the hose to simulate rain, and I think it’s gonna work.

>403 2wonderY: good news!

Here's hoping your surgery goes well. I'll be thinking of you.

The fig tree I had cut down to the ground has grown back, and now it's like Super Fig Tree! I did some research online and fig trees are not supposed to mess with housing foundations but they will mess with water pipes, if there are any. I'm going to let it grow for another year at least and, hopefully, next season have some very delightful figs! Yay,!

>406 SomeGuyInVirginia: I didn’t know I like fresh figs. They are delishious

Thanks for your prayers my dears.

>407 2wonderY: you've got them!

Cataract surgery went fine. This time I was much less intimidated, possibly less sedated. I recall most of the procedure. I think I was out for the incision and laser liquidation. But I was awake and talking to the surgeon as he inserted the new lens. Perhaps that’s not really a good moment to engage his attention.
It was an overcast day, so the sunglasses were not really needed.
My eyes are definitely working better together again.
So glad it’s done.

>409 2wonderY: I'm still holding off on the second eye. I'm not sure how I want it done, either close or far vision.

Glad it went well for you. I never was sedated enough to go to sleep, was awake for the whole procedure. No pain, worst part was the drops.

The discharge nurse on Tuesday was very emphatic to my daughter that I was not to garden for a week. So I had Anne do all the transplanting and watering that still needed to be done. She even scolded me for my tabletop work of repotting houseplants. She’s going home today, so I will have no supervision.

It's not a good time of year to not garden. Still you probably should protect your eyes. And a week might be bearable. Should we be nagging you from a distance?

When I had my carpal tunnel operation I was told that I should either totally drop, or at least greatly limit my fiber crafts. Umm. I had the operation because I could no longer feel the needle, so that I could stitch and crochet and knit... (back then I hadn't started spinning and weaving.) I do try not to do as much at a time as I used to, but I can't anyway, for other reasons. And I am very careful not to put weight on my wrists, which was the other thing she said. No more push ups. I can live with that. I don't lean on my walker, and hold my wrists straight.

>412 MarthaJeanne: What!? No more push ups? What a sacrifice!

I can't remember that I did a lot of them before the operation either.

I’m trying to be good; honest. But I’m restless. Doing some light clean-up in the basement.
It’s a beautiful sunny day here, but it has turned chilly.

>415 2wonderY: chilly here, too. Yesterday was in the mid 80s, today's forecast is for the mid 60s.

I decided to drive to WV yesterday, more to clean up the Berea household than anything else. I still truck my trash and recyclables back, as I’m still paying municipal fees in WV and not KY. And they still take glass and paper in WV; my largest recycling piles.

I’m without a really functional pair of glasses at the moment, just after surgery. But I am in a clearing out mood.

Ruth, my cataract surgery on my left eye was a complete game changer for me. I do have an uncorrected cataract in my right eye and I'm waiting until I get good insurance to take care of that, but right now it's just yellow and fuzzy. My left eye was brown and dark at noontime. I had the surgery done in Williamsburg and now I've got true color in my left eye and I can see a sparrow sitting on a branch 50 ft away. It's totally awesome. And this from a guy who would never even consider LASIK.

>418 SomeGuyInVirginia: it truly is a life-changing surgery. For the first time I was/am able to drive a car without glasses. The second eye needs to be done, but I put it off due to Covid.

>418 SomeGuyInVirginia: I had fun switching eyes this last month for comparison. The clear color and light on the corrected eye was more remarkable when I opened the left eye and it was so drab and nicotine washed. Almost sepia toned.

I have two pairs of glasses I’m carrying from task to task. One is a random pair of plastic frames that I found in a drawer that make driving doable. No idea where they originated. But they are less than useful for anything within 10 feet. They tend to slip off my nose anyway.
The other pair is my regular wire rims with the right lens replaced. Can’t wear them for long, as they now give me a headache as the left lens is so wrong.
Friday is my follow up appointment and the promise of a new pair of glasses. I can’t wait!!

I packed the van to capacity again; though I don’t know where this stuff will go. The main item is a cabinet Singer sewing machine. It was a pedal powered one, but is electrified. I can’t put it in the basement as planned, because of the moisture issues down there; which may never be fully solved. I’ll have to make room in my bedroom. It will be such a relief to have a machine again. Lots of projects stacking up.

Dang it all! I’ve lost my driving glasses. Lost them, found them and really really lost them now. Going through the house one more time.

From long experience, it is very hard to find your glasses, as you can't see them if you aren't wearing them.

Right. I’ve got the other pair on to help. These are correct on the right and almost painfully off on the left. It’s how I found the others the first time. It’s not working though and I may have to drive home with these on.
One more round.

Did you find them? If I had been in that situation I would probably have left them in the car.

Yep. I found them as I was unpacking the back of the vehicle. Stupidly, I had set them down between boxes.
So I had to use my prescription glasses driving home. The lens on the right has been replaced, but the one on the left is still the old Rx. The left eye has always been dominant, and it was hard until the last hour when the left eye gave up control.
Tomorrow is post-op testing on the left eye and I might have a new lens by the end of the day.

Nothing I brought back is necessary except for the sewing machine. Oh, and my Edna Ferber collection too.
I’ve got a week to stow it neatly, as I’m having girlfriends for the weekend, first visit.

>427 2wonderY: understand about the glasses. After my surgery I had the new eye lens of my glasses updated. However, I have to close one eye for computer work, the difference between eyes is too great and it makes me dizzy.

>428 fuzzi: Oddly, putting my open hand up along my nose helps to resolve some of the confusion. Try that.

>429 2wonderY: thanks, I will.

First real rain here since I added the custom guttering on the ends of the back of the house between the house and the deck. The eastern end is not as successful as I had hoped. There is still a significant puddle coming through on the last couple of feet; but only drips in front of the door. The western end is almost entirely successful. It appears entirely dry underneath except for the very end. But the edges of the deck are routinely wet. I can see I need to re-mount the gutter on the back of the carport. It sags away from its mounts at the corner of the deck where it receives the flow from the regular deck guttering.

The other issue is the leaf build-up behind the plexiglass barrier in the center of the deck. It’s not a flow problem yet, but leaf fall is just starting. That may end up being a regular chore.

The front house guttering is doing just fine. But that may be because it’s more of a medium drizzle and not a storm volume.

I’m expecting company this weekend, so I’m tackling piles and finding fresh ways to store things. Yes, I do already have piles; but they are fresh piles. The older they get, the harder it is to deal with them. So now is the time.
I’m also hoping that the weather clears before Friday so I can give the front yard a last mowing and tidy the gardens out front.
Then I have to consider what I’m feeding them. One is vegetarian, which I’m not used to.

I’ve been working in the basement all morning, so I just realized we’ve got blue skies and sunshine, getting better by the moment. Will keep a close eye on the grass for mowing because this weather is not supposed to last long.

I think that’s frost on my front yard! Weather channel says it’s 42F and didn’t get any colder. Nevertheless, I did get that mowing done yesterday and it looks pretty good.

One of my chores yesterday was to schedule a Covid booster, and they took me in right away. So I prepared with hot pad and pain meds last night. I did wake up early chilled and achy; but it’s not bad at all. Gotta plan meals for the weekend.

I'm going to get the booster but I'm not been able to schedule it yet. That's fine, case numbers are dropping in this part of Virginia and I'm not going to any concerts anytime soon. Although, my God, I do miss collective experiences. John Waters will be at the Birchmere in December and I am thinking about going up to catch his act. I also need to check out the bands that are hitting Charlottesville, I mean there has to be a ton, right? Lily white ivy league college town? Band Central! One of my all-time personal fave college bands won't come any closer to Charlottesville than Richmond - Angry Johnny and the Killbillies. Mad props to them for that!

Ruth, what should I plant around my 1950s ranch that's low maintenance and has at least some sort of curb appeal? The old owners have a bunch of different plants around that are high maintenance, several of them are highly toxic to cats so every time I go and deal with them I have to address in a white bunny suit, and I just want something that's going to need clipping a couple of times a year. I'm thinking of sticker bushes all the way around. Break up sidelines nicely and require little maintenance.

I do want to plant roses so they'll climb up the back wall of the sun porch, maybe 8 ft of brick? I'd also like to plant some Japanese maples around, not because I like Japanese maples, but because they do look spectacular in the fall. For about 12 minutes.

>435 SomeGuyInVirginia: I would need pictures and a plat!

The vaccine shot took me yesterday afternoon and shook me and wrung me out good. I’m still lazing, though I do feel lots better. I should probably eat something. It’s been two days.

What a relief to spend an evening with perfectly congenial people.!!!! These ladies have been my prayer team while raising teenage girls single-handedly. They have been godmothers in a real and particular way for my daughters.
We’ve all dispersed geographically in the last decade, but manage to reunite at least once a year. Here we are! Great pizza and lots of interesting beers and the best of catch up news in each of our lives. Weddings and babies and all the odd bits of life. Sigh. I love these women.

Okay. The last week had been very different than normal. I’m ready to get back to normal.
Yesterday the eye doctor and it’s aftereffects took the whole day. And then I spent a couple of hours at the clinic and pharmacy dealing with a UTI (very rare for me.)

It’s been rainy and cool here, and looks to continue thus, with temps dipping down to freezing each night.

Except for a local vote today, I’ll spend the day on basement projects. Last winter, the basement remained chilly and I was going to get a heater. But the dehumidifier has cured that.

Oh, and pacing my consumption of leftover Halloween candy.

One 'difficulty' here is not getting candy corn. But since I have trouble pacing myself on the rare occasions when I get it, that's probably good.

My son bought a bag of white chocolate/candy cane kisses for me. Forget pacing...

>438 2wonderY: good to hear the dehumidifier worked. I recently purchased a catalytic wave heater for power outages during the winter. It does not have a flame so is very safe inside without constant monitoring. My father has used one in his RV for years.

>439 MarthaJeanne: my first dog loved candy, and once ate a 2lb bag of candy corn. I found her lying behind the toilet, groaning. The vet reassured me that she'd probably survive. She survived, lived to age 15.

Yup, two pounds of candy corn will do that. Never eaten that much without regretting it. But did it stop me the next time?

I finally was able to spend an afternoon on the ridgetop. I took down more volunteer junk trees in the side yard and started another future burn pile. I use large loppers for taking these small trees apart; and I typically brace one side against my sternum as needed. Ow! I must have bruised it. Pain meds tonight. I keep trying to act as normal and keep getting pain twinges. Ow!

Neighbor Joe has someone interested in buying my place. He also wants to make sure I’m keeping up with my Bible studies.

It’s officially turtleneck season. I so declare it.

Rats! It’s leaf harvest time here. Several neighbors are piling and bagging. But I’m down with some serious sternum pain today. Could it be cracked? Nah! But it’s not a day for active movements. Took some Aleve but it s not making much of a difference. Back to trusty aspirin.

Older daughter took her family to WV today and they plan to camp out in my mostly empty house. We just FaceTimed so that I could walk her through lighting the heat stove in the dining room and powering up the hot water tank. She offered to have her kids mow the yard, so I had to show her where the garage key is and where to plug in the electric mower.

It’s not at all self explanatory in that old house.

>442 2wonderY: someone interested in buying your old WV house? Woo!

I brace the loppers just below my sternum.

>446 fuzzi: No, they’re just visiting old friends from high school and showing their teens a bit of where the parents grew up.

I intend to use the battery reciprocating saw for the rest of the season.

I think I’ve got all the tender potted plants inside. If not, it’s too late. The two anchor plants out front - pineapple sage - grew to bush size and put on a great late flowering show. But they are blackened now by the freeze.
I’d still like to finish my retaining wall out front. If my chest heals soon I will.
Introduced myself to a neighbor yesterday who was busy bagging up his leaves. He says yes, come take them today. It will save him a trip to the city dump. He must be OC. His lot is immaculate, if boring. Nice guy though. Single dad raising teen girls. (Conrad)

>448 2wonderY: I run the push mower over the leaves, chopping and bagging them in the process. It saves time, effort, and provides my gardens with composted mulch.

>449 fuzzi: I might do that this week. But these were nearly effort-free. They are mounded where next year’s vegetable garden will go. I still need to mulch my front flower gardens, so I returned the empty bags.

We’ve got brilliant sunshine today, so I mucked out my pond. I had a huge tub of irises still soaking their feet inside the pond. I will tuck them in just beside it.

I’ve still got aged leaves in various containers and bags waiting to be added to new beds out front. If the weather holds a few weeks, I may get that piece built too.

My pond's water pump died, so I purchased a new one and installed it on Friday. Then I cleaned out both pond filters.

The weather was nice, so I got inspired and started up my winter container gardens. I added well-composted grass clippings/leaves (from mowing the yard) and about an inch of potting soil on the top. I then planted carrots, Swiss chard, and snowpeas. I laid down sheets of cardboard and shredded leaves as mulch around the containers.

We'll see how they do.

>451 fuzzi: I went looking for your gardening thread - where is it?!!!

The Sunday workout (though I tried all my lazy tricks) really inflamed my chest pain. So I took a more powerful pain med that evening and took it much easier yesterday. Except that I tried finish assembling the last Kallax and pinched my finger underneath it. I’m back to a light aspirin regimen.
My neighbors across the street were informed the house is being yanked out from under them. Seems they trusted the wrong family member. They’re bitterness is being expressed by disassembling their gardens. It is so sad to watch.

>452 2wonderY: I didn't do a gardening thread this year, not enough gardening to post!

Sorry about your neighbors. People, especially family, can really be jerks.

Okay, I’m trying to move forward in the basement. That means finishing the last Kallax, which has been taking up a lot of floor space, and then lifting it up to its vertical position. I should have waited for assistance or for my chest to heal. I got stuck half way up. Finally was able to turn around and use my back muscles to push it the rest of the way. Going for the meds drawer.

I ended up not taking pain meds the other day except for a couple of aspirin at bedtime. Today is radically different. I’m pushing myself way beyond the pain threshold. Sorry, body. There are tasks that just have to get done today. I was going to spend the day cooking for a weekend party. But I stopped to examine the yard waste left by the curb on daughter’s street. Gold!! Mulched leaves. I keep bags in my car this time of year, so filled them and will empty them and go get more before someone else steals it.
The unfortunate neighbors tearing up their gardens deposited a rolled up mat of moss rose in my yard. More riches. I let them sit for a couple of days and was afraid they’d die from dehydration before I could deal with them. So today I’m dealing. Best place to install them is where I’ve got carpet smothering the slope. But first I let them soak in some water in the wheelbarrow. Meanwhile, I decided it was the best day for mowing the back yard one last time. The maple leaves are about half down. Yellow with a touch of orange. It’s a lovely path to mow. But before I could mow as completely as I want, I had to finish moving an entire row of rocks. So that’s done, only the last elevation still needs mowed, and the moss rose is mostly laid out, just needing a light cover.

Took a refreshment break and microwaved the heating pad.
First dish is in the oven and I need to go get some Graham cracker crumbs and put air in my tires.
I will sleep tonight. Hope I don’t pay an exorbitant price.

>455 2wonderY: whew. Good job.

Did you mean moss rose as in portulaca?

A neighbor of ours used to leave bags of leaves by the road, and I got permission to take them. However he started raking up not just leaves but trash, hard nut hulls, pine straw, and pine cones, so I don't bother bringing them back to my yard anymore. I have a live oak and a sycamore that blanket my driveway with leaves...so out comes the push mower!

>456 fuzzi: Yes.

I feel fine this morning, only very minor soreness. Got a few more kitchen tasks to do and then off to daughter's house. It’s her husband’s birthday and they are having a bonfire gathering tomorrow.

Loading and unloading the car aggravated my chest pain, which now comically radiates to my back. SIL reports that he suffered the same type of chest blow a couple of weeks ago, so he is living through the pain/healing too. We laughed about “taking it easy.”

I stopped in to the library today to sign up for instruction on their newish 3-D printer. Instead of a class, one of the tech guys (then two, and then three) gave me a full tutorial. Not so much hands on, because the machine was busy. But theory, materials, websites, design, processes, etc. I learned a ton of stuff. I encouraged them to form a group to share the knowledge and the fun.

I found out the tiniest new memory chips that tell the machine what to do are based on quantum probabilities. Seriously these are the size of my thumbnail, and Jacob carries 8 around in a card case for various purposes. This was science fiction just a short while ago!

Yesterday was spent cleaning and cooking for the evening celebration. T’s seven year old cousin came over and they had outside adventures till supper time and then took over the floor space in the living room for building projects and roughhousing. The men, except for a brief knosh standing in the kitchen, spent all their time in the garage. I hear they got a lot of sorting and organizing done, and look forward to seeing it today. It’s a huge, three bay garage; and before Nathan started filling it with their stuff, already contained a collection of motorcycles and off road vehicles, some still belonging to his brother.
Spent time with Rose’s SIL for the very first time. She is delightful.

We’re just in the next time zone and it’s disorienting. I’m ready for bed at 7:30.

A bonfire was planned, but no one wanted to stand around outside in the cold, so Nathan built the first fire of the season in the cast iron stove in the big living room. Wood heat is so wonderful.

>459 2wonderY: we had working fireplaces in the house of my childhood. I still love the feel, look, smell, and SOUND of a wood fire.

In Deutsch Wagram we had a wood stove. I would even cook on it in the right season, ie. before and after we had the furnace running. I would sometimes keep a big pot of spiced apple juice on it. I'd have to add water now and again. It was also the only place my big soapstone cooking griddle would fit, so it was time to make English Muffins. The stove is in storage, and we will never use it again. It has the three billy goats gruff and their troll on the sides.

Good times!

I’ve introduced Theia to apple cider and egg nog this weekend. She prefers her cider cold at this point, but we didn’t add any spices. She first turned nose up to the egg nog until she learned to pinch some nutmeg onto it. Then she had two drafts.

>462 2wonderY: you corruptor of youth! :)

>461 MarthaJeanne: sounds like a lovely old stove.

I’m having iPhone problems these last few days. Down to 1 or 2 bars in my neighborhood but that’s not it. Drove around town and not working in areas with 3 and 4 bars. Wi-fi at the library is the only way th phone is working. So annoying!

I am getting projects done. More closet upgrades. Basement organizing.

I’ve gathered up a few great books on garden sheds. That’ll be next summer’s project. I think it will resemble a greenhouse. I have a stash of old windows. And I’m trying to keep lots more indoor plants happy through the winter than ever before. Im not set up for this amount and their special needs.

Update on the phone issue. I went to the provider’s store - T-Mobile - and the first thing they claimed was the tower upgrades for 5G are not compatible with the hardware in the old phone. Recommend buying a new phone. I argued with them and had them talk to my tech savvy SIL. They finally offered to replace the SIM card. Well, fixed the problem right now. !!!! That kind of marketing and service is so wrong!

>465 2wonderY: shame on them! And good for you for holding your ground.

I sent out a neighborhood-wide email with the caution. Hoping it’s helpful information.

Stopped by daughters house this afternoon and noticed that neighbor has put out more mulched leaves. I had only one plastic bag left in the car, so filled it.
The other full bags were distributed around the yard at various gardens. Well, that motivated me to actually spread the leaves around and over the plants. There, that’s done, and I have a load of empty bags in the car again. I would have gone to fill them, but I missed my phone. Retraced my steps inside and couldn’t find it. Did I leave it in pants or jacket pocket and could it have fallen out in the mulch. S**t!! My neighbor who would call on her phone isn’t home. A thorough look around the gardens in case it’s visible. Will I have to rake it all away?!
One more look inside the house and there it is black case on a black bookcase, and not where I usually put it. Gremlins! That’s my story.

So, too late for another leaf run, but I’ll do it in the morning.
Happy Thanksgiving, my friends! We’re celebrating in Cinci tomorrow .

>468 2wonderY: hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving!

We did! First full relaxed gathering since 2019. I took video of my teenage grands helping with prep and cleanup in the kitchen without any arguing or shirking. It was beautiful!

>470 2wonderY: that's a lovely idea!

They were so impressive, I’m going to write them a letter. Their mom said they were doing it specially for me. The entire weekend, they pitched in without the first complaint, argument or dirty look. Lord, what a blessing!

Last eye checkup till next year yesterday. It was mild compared to other exams, but dilation on a sunny day is still not pleasant. Hoping to collect the last of the mulched leaves today. Besides, it’s supposed to be warmer - in the 50sF.

>473 2wonderY: they didn't dilate me last time, said the photo was good. I have to admit I didn't mind not having those nasty stingy drops.

The rest of the leaf pile was gone by the time I got back there. Oh well. I spread a bit more around in the yard and planted some spring bulbs and the last piece of the moss rose.

Today I went back to college. Signed up to audit a class beginning January. I need some structure in my weeks and outside stimulus. Plus a chance to meet people.
It’s a religion course titled Images of Jesus. I’m hoping it delivers something thoughtful.

I spent the afternoon finally organizing the potted plants dumped into the basement in October. There is a yucca tree in a massive pot that I’ve been stingy with water, because it drains out onto the floor. I finally found a shallow plastic tub that is big enough to contain it. I had to tip it and build supports to get it over the rim and then safely lowered again. I cannot pick the thing up myself. I built shelves with bricks and enameled metal slats and a long piece of tempered glass shelf. The smaller pots look much happier gathered there than just strewn all over the floor.

The neighbor who is moving out continues to disassemble their yard. They were taking a panel fence apart the other day and burning some rotted wood in their burn pit. Someone apparently called and complained, because a fire truck came by. Harumph!! That happened to me too in WV when we were having a campfire evening with all the neighborhood kids. I walked over to lend my support and build the fire bigger.
Yesterday, I saw them loading all the dogs (8 or so) in daughter’s van. I figured the final move is close. So I took their Christmas gift over. Blackberry cordial, of course. She gave me one of her many hanging bird feeders, which I hung on my front porch. No action yet there. But I did notice this morning how bird busy the puddle is at the bottom of my driveway.

Woo-hoo!! Oldest granddaughter just let me know she’s been accepted into the honors program at Ohio University.

>478 2wonderY: what wonderful news!

Kentucky, along with 4 or 5 other states got slammed by a super tornado cell last night. One huge mf was tracked at 230+ miles on the ground. Huge loss of life and mangled infrastructure and vehicles.
I was outside of the zone, but the warnings still blared beginning at around 4am. Because of a local man-made hazard (bio weapons depot), every household has been issued an emergency alarm radio. Mine is in a corner of the bedroom. If daughter hadn’t just texted me, I might have leaped to the ceiling when it went off. Air horn! I took a comfortable deck chair down to the basement just in case I’d be spending time down there. But the storm front seems to have dissipated just west of here. We got sprinkles and some lightning.
I should probably inquire about local disaster aid teams. It’s important to be linked in beforehand if one wants to help afterward.

>480 2wonderY: I read about this. So glad to know you weren't in the path!

At least you now know what the radio alarm sounds like. Maybe put it not quite in the bedroom if it would wake you up from the hall or the closet.

First bird at the bird feeder. A female cardinal. She’s nervous and only swoops in to grab a seed. I might need to change my typical seat so I wan observe better.
I’ve never put out suet before, but was at Rural King this week and found inexpensive cakes and a cage. So it is hung on the same hook, and is just above the seed house.

Granddaughter is coming down from Cinci today for an overnighter. She now works in the insect house at the zoo and was given permission to help herself to frozen specimens. She wants to mount them for Christmas presents and I happen to have accumulated multiple shadow boxes (for button display) and I will help her put these together. I should run out and get some spray adhesive and paint.

>480 2wonderY: glad you were spared. We don't get as many tornadoes here as where we lived in SC, but I still watch the weather when the watches go out.

>482 2wonderY: sounds like fun!

If you want to attract suet-eating birds I highly recommend WBU (Wild Birds Unlimited) products. Regular suet "melts" when we have our intermittent warm periods, so I buy their "no melt" variety. I get all sorts of woodpeckers, nuthatches, and even mockingbirds!

I look forward to seeing just which birds do come.

Now we get wind! Remember my work on the front porch roof? I removed all the screws holding the flashing strips that serve as roof. But I didn’t remove them from inside the U-channel. Couldn’t, without a lot of sweat, straining and cussing. Besides I’m not prepared to install a new design yet. Well, the wind is flexing those pieces now. I might not have to strain to remove it after all.

Also thinking who I might invite to my basement If we actually get a tornado in the future. Many homes are built on crawl spaces here. With enough chairs, we could have a party. I have lots of snacks, drinks and candles stored down there.

When you hear what sounds like a freight train…
It might just be a freight train.

Had a wonderful visit with oldest granddaughter. We’ve been simpatico since she was a baby. She is ambitious and a hard worker. And she loves order, which isn’t in much supply at home. So she just kind of mellowed into getting her project done here. We took it step by step, had work stations for each task, plenty of the correct supplies on hand, and we hummed along beautifully.

How did your homestead fare with the storms?

It’s east of here, so not touched at all. We got plenty of alarms , probably because of the intense violence the night before a bit west of here.*

I just looked. Mayfield is 300 miles west. Bowling Green is 130 miles west. Kentucky is a long state!

First hesitant chickadee at the feeder this morning. The neighbors have moved, but she’s still got half a dozen feeders around her front porch. We shall see how it progresses. One negative for me is there is still very little vegetation in my front yard for perching and scoping out the scene.

>489 2wonderY: do you have any of the "shepherd crooks" that are used to display hanging plants?



I have a couple close to my feeders, and the birds use them as perches.

I also have an older metal bathroom towel rack that I placed near my bird bath, and is utilized by vines and birds.

Kind of like this:

Good lord, Ruth, I didn't realize you were even close until I read your post. Holy cow!

Frozen, mounted bugs? Pics or it didn't happen!

😝 No pictures yet. Do you know what happens to bugs once you thaw them? They get harder and brittle. You need to be ready to pin them at the squishy phase. So we had to research how to condition them once more. Livy took a camping cooler home with moist warm environment. TMI?

We matched up the shadow boxes for size and recipient; sanded, painted, cut foamboard backers and cleaned glass.
And we visited. Warm fuzzies.

I texted my neighbor mid-morning because I had noticed her van side door was open. She came knocking on my door needing a jump start. She’d left it open since yesterday. She had to let it roll down her driveway and stop in the middle of the T intersection. With me pulling up, we had all three ways blocked. And then I couldn’t remember how to release the hood. Several neighbors came to our aid and none of us could find it. Pulled out the owners manual and it wasn’t simple there either. Once we did find it, it was just moments getting her van started.

The local laundromat has finally closed its doors. It’s been declining for years; more machines out of order than not. So I had to find one in the next town over. It’s run by and caters to Spanish speakers. ‘Caballeros’ on the restroom door. No huge washers, but I managed. Thinking about buying a washer again.

So when do thawing bugs reach the squishy phase? Is there a formula or do you just have to know? Were there spiders? If there were spiders I would never know when they achieved optimum squishiness because I would be in the next room. Spiders are the work of ogres and trolls.

I have never looked at a car manual that was in any way comprehensible. Now I just look up everything on YouTube.

Squishy phase. Here’s hoping it happens. Will keep you updated.

I’m at younger daughter’s house today for the weekend. She asked me plaintively to come Thursday rather than wait till Friday. I could see why when I arrived. A house in chaos phase. I was able to clean the kitchen and both living rooms before she got home. Had decorative candles burning on a cleared coffee table and hot tea to offer. Didn’t know how to operate the music system or I would have had something soothing on.
What she really needs is a housekeeper/nanny. That is not me, just for the record.
Now I’m invited to stay through Christmas, and I need to consider. I might dash back to Berea this morning and return more prepared.

>495 2wonderY: yippee, Grandma to the rescue!

Our grandmothers rarely came to our house when I was growing up: one didn't have a driver's license (it was a different age) and the other preferred to have everyone descend upon her home.

My grandmas were several states away, Wisconsin, and we lived near Pittsburgh. They would generally fly out to visit on week in the year and we would drive there for a week each summer. Not really one on one time at all. My mom treated each of her 34 (or so) grands as if they were her favorite.

We had a fun day decorating the windowsills, adding ornaments to the tree and just hanging out together. We made a couple of toys for the new kitten. Late in the afternoon T threw up all over her bedroom. Mama tried to clean it up but then she threw up too. So grandma stepped in.
T has no other bad symptoms, just seems to be purging her belly. I’m guessing her preschool holiday party yesterday was too much.

There was a mountain of bedclothes in the bathroom next to the laundry closet, so I deduced the purge continued through the night. T’s laughter this morning was a welcome wake-up. She’s all better. Mama is zonked. I’m tackling the mountain.

I'm zonked in the morning if I had to vomit once in the night. Even without dealing with someone else having trouble. If she had to deal with multiple instances, hers or T's, she ought to be zonked.

Yikes! Man, I hate to throw up.

Another rainy day but at least the temperatures are seasonal. Friday the high was 70° and drizzling, and the whole day felt like a fever.

Very quiet day here. Too quiet for my tastes. Mama and child took long naps. I got the laundry done and cuddled with the kitten. Kitten is barn-born and apparently left behind when mama cat sought a new nest. Kitty is now properly house happy. Found the right spot on the hearth when SIL lit a fire. Dog has been allowed back in and is being respectful of the cat space.

>501 2wonderY: same thing happened to us, a feral mother cat moved her kittens from our front porch but left behind a little calico. She rules the house, now :)

Well, I came down with the “preschool holiday party syndrome” last evening; so it will probably travel through the rest of the household. I’ll stay for another night or so, in case I’m needed.

Yep, it hit Rose last night.

And right on schedule, SIL spent the night retching.
I’m appreciating our isolation of the last year. No respiratory infections, no colds. I’ve now picked up the cold that both Rose and T have had all school year.

It used to be a race after every holiday season whether my husband or the boys would bring the newest bug home first. He worked at the UN, and they went to the school with lots of UN kids. Both in the summer and over Christmas, lots of people travelled home, and would bring back bugs that would circulate both at the office and at school. And of course by the time I got it, I knew fairly well how bad it was going to be.

>505 2wonderY: sorry to hear it.

I had the flu one year over the Christmas holidays, which prompted me to create new lyrics for "I'll Be Home for Christmas".

Hope you're feeling better, soon.

Ugh, no fun being sick at Christmas. Get well soon, my friend!

Merry Christmas, Ruth!

I’ve been very lazy the last couple of days back from daughter’s house; on cold medicines. But I brought back the ham bones in order to make a pot of pinto beans. It’s an Appalachian dish, particularly served with fresh cornbread. Lordy! It’s a heavenly dish when made right.
I shared with my neighbor, which cut my portion back to just enough for today and tomorrow.
Luckily, I have another hambone in reserve.

>510 2wonderY: I freeze my ham bones for future batches of soup.

Before I could afford hams, I used ham hocks.

How's the cold? I wish I had asked my mom about her cooking, she was probably the best cook I've ever known. What's your pinto bean recipe? Because it just so happens that I have pinto beans and a ham bone!

Recipe? Well, I’ll try. After soaking the beans, throw them in the crockpot with the meaty hambone and a chopped onion. Salt and pepper. Little salt, more pepper. Cook on low. You can add other veggies. I threw in some frozen cherry tomatoes I happened to still have. When the hambone is ready to dissolve (just kidding), smoosh the meat into little pieces and add back in. Give the dog the bone.
I keep it simple, letting the basic food speak.

I am feeling some better. No meds yet today. Thanks for asking.
I’m reveling in a good book on my iPad; which I finally got functional for this task.

My former neighbors are still removing items from the property. They’ve removed fencing and a garden shed along with most plantings. But today, I think they are veering into an area that may get them into legal trouble. They’ve removed the external heat pump component from the side of the house. Even if it was their money that installed it; it becomes a fixture.

>515 2wonderY: sounds like they're angry former neighbors...

>514 2wonderY: I've never made pinto beans. Do you just buy a bag at the grocery store? What size? How long do you soak the beans?

I got a super price on shank end ham, cooked one for Christmas, but have another one in the refrigerator...

Glad you're feeling better. My daughter came down with the flu and I can't go help with the grands, they're too far away.

They were paying a relative who held the deed and owed a mortgage. Only she wasn’t paying the mortgage with it and she filed for bankruptcy without notice to them.

Yes, a bag is 1 pound. Boil them for a couple of minutes and then let them soften for 4 to 6 hours before cooking them.

>515 2wonderY: They took plantings?! Holy cow, did they leave the flooring?!

So far…

>517 2wonderY: that really stinks, no wonder they're mad.

Thanks. One pound of beans for one ham bone?

Yeah, I'd be mad, too.

I can’t hang out with them this week, but I can share their beauty with my friends here. Older granddaughters:

>522 2wonderY: what lovely smiles!

Oh, Ruth! How beautiful!

We got somewhere between 8 and 10 inches of snow yesterday. It came down in a serious way. I went out three times to shovel my entrance walk and steps and laid out my special grippy towel where the sidewalk tips badly. Today I shoveled my driveway and the public walk. Just as I came back inside, a raccoon dashed down the drive and across the street and jumped around at the corner. I couldn’t figure what he was doing! A car went by and scared him into running through several more yards. I can’t think what he’s surviving on around here. Maybe just passing through; though he didn’t have any luggage.

It’s been raining all night and it’s 48F, so the pretty, sparkly snow is mostly gone. I have two shrubs from WV to get in the ground today. Though daytime temps will be above freezing, nights will still be in the teens.

It stopped raining for a few minutes and I got my planting done, with most of the mud staying on my barn boots. A swish in the pond got them mostly cleaned. Time for some cocoa.

I'm impressed that you are willing to do any planting in that weather. I'm a delicate little flower. LOL

>528 lesmel: Ditto.

>527 2wonderY: You have definitely earned the cocoa.

Today is brilliant sunshine, but below freezing. Yesterday was the better choice for digging. Just recording the plantings - one beautyberry bush on the first backyard slope and several clumps of snow berries planted below the eastern maple tree.

Cold day to take a hike. The face mask was a plus in this case. I parked at the city library and walked over to the college campus to get my ID card. Classes start tomorrow, mine on Wednesday, but they are remote this week. I hauled my laptop to the IT center and they helped me gain access to campus accounts. I’ve never done Zoom.
That office was right next to the library, and my new ID card worked to unlock the doors. So, Yay! Lola, at the information desk, helped me find my textbooks and gave me a tour of the library. Oy! It’s huge! And it is full of tattered era books. Heaven.

Then I had to trudge back with satchel and arms full. Time for a nap.

>531 2wonderY: What class? I kinda, sorta, maybe-not-really think about taking a class at one of the colleges around here. Now that I'm wfh permanently, it's more appealing. Previously, I had no motivation to be away from home for an extra 1-2 hours a week after working all day.

Are you a senior citizen? Some colleges offer very low cost classes. I’m paying $50.
I started trying to take Soil Science, but it wasn’t available in the spring so I found a religion course called Images of Jesus.
I could walk all the way to class from home, and might later in the year. Here’s hoping it switches to in-person.

It’s back to the IT department today. I can open my college email, but I can’t send an email to the prof. Also, that’s been disabled on my personal account, on my phone at least. Also can’t access the general college site for online class - the call it Moodle.

These trips to campus are exhausting. Again I got back home having forgotten to pick up milk. Tomorrow. Nap time. And then read all of the assignments beyond the textbooks that he posted online. This is going to be intense and challenging.

My college ID photo:



I forgot to put my glasses on. I’ve worn glasses for almost 60 years.

>534 2wonderY: Ooo! I didn't know Moodle was still it's own thing. It's been years since I used it.

My kids used it in high school. That's quite a while ago.

>536 2wonderY: I was so happy to ditch my glasses after cataract surgery. I'd had them for almost 50 years.

Now I have another pair of glasses, but ONLY for computer work. My "good eye" is not quite good enough (20/25) for the office work, and my "bad eye" (not yet operated on) is about 20/400. I have to slide them on top of my head when I need to use my phone!

I don’t pay much attention to the mirror when I’m washing up in the morning. I don’t do makeup, and my hair is too short to comb.
Today I did notice a red spot on the rim of my ear. No, make that two spots.
My sister has been urging me to see a dermatologist. She’s already had a melanoma removed, and she’s younger than me. She’s also a redhead.
Made an appointment today.

>540 2wonderY: good idea!

Earlier this year I was able to finally go to my first dermatologist appointment. Now I have a baseline examination, which made me feel better since there's a history of basal cell cancer in my family.

Are you sure that's what s/he meant?

We have checked. The bar that our shower head can move up and down on is very sturdy. If I need to I can grab it without worrying.

Pretty sure….

Daughter and family are planning to come to town to work on their house tomorrow. Can I watch Theia? Yeah, baby! And I will feed them too. Rose is not happy to be coming because her husband is hounding her about it, and also a big snowstorm is forecast.

I was successful getting into the Zoom meeting today, and participating, on my phone . The laptop is a complete fail. As I understand it, I need to replace the disk drive with a solid state drive. Hmpf.
At least two more weeks of remote classes. Double Hmpf.

T has learned to play on her own. She’s pulling out her favorites and talking to herself in a singsong voice. She decided to wear the skeleton costume I found for her two Halloweens ago. It was still on display upstairs. The pants are short, but the top fits perfectly. The skeleton is raised and puffy, and her first impression was she has titties.

House is a wreck, multiple broken items, I’m exhausted, but we had a grand time. They’ve gone home to beat the storm. Early to bed for me.

It started snowing here a few minutes ago. I checked the temperature and at 34F, I predicted it wouldn’t stick yet.
Boy, was I wrong. The flakes keep getting fatter and fluffier and more numerous. It’s taking very little time for the world to turn white.

Indeed, the city snowplows are already out attempting to keep the hilly streets clear.

And again I’m low on milk! Dang it!

>548 2wonderY: I bought several cans of evaporated milk for "emergencies". I don't drink milk, but it will come in handy for cooking.

Enjoy the snow, we got sleet mixed with freezing rain. 🙁
Eventually it turned into all rain but walking outside was treacherous for a while.

Six inches and still coming down, now granular snow. I’ve shoveled all the walks, so may be able to just sweep them. Will tackle the driveway in a little bit.

A couple more inches last night. Since I want to go out, I shoveled the driveway once more. As I did, I noticed my neighbor’s crawlspace hatch was pulled away; so I texted her. She says that raccoon has been getting in. Hoping that it’s not in residence (her dog would alert her of that) we put it back in place with rods driven into the ground and cinder blocks also holding it in place. It’s not raccoon-proof, but it’s better than it was, and possibly discouraging enough. If it gets torn up again, we shall try something else.

T is here for the day. She is working very hard to play with all ALL the toys she remembers from last year. Glorious wreckage!