Just a feeling

Yes, the day is beginning breezy. Sunny and breezy. However, it will become blisteringly hot once again, and the AC unit nearly melted by the end of the day yesterday, so today we'll be putting out fires I'm sure! Admittedly the temperature will be an improvement over Monday (due to less humidity), but hot is hot, darn-it-all!!!!.

At the risk of repeating myself (for those who may recall), I am a hot weather pansy - I detest it! Give me that sweet spot in the weather window of temps from the upper forties to no more than 70-72*....MAX!

Yesterday was humid and horrible. Well into the 90s and abominable; and even though it seems pleasant for the moment, for some reason....today has all the earmarks of a bad day.

I don't know why. I can't explain it, but it feels off. Wrong. Dreadful.

Oooo!! The word I want is 'foreboding.'

[insert ominous music here]

I cleaned out the filters in the unit, vacuuming and rinsing them, then vacuumed the floor to eliminate the chance for immediate re-fur-ing. Moved the unit closer to the vent in the window to reduce the source of heat dispersing in the main room.

See, it is an air conditioner - a cooling unit - but it generates A LOT of heat doing the cooling thing, and all of that heat is STILL IN THE HOUSE, just concentrated closer to the venting window and the furniture in that area, and by the end of the day the room is only cool directly in front of the AC unit, and it appears as though I am shoveling dollars out the door to the electric company to cool the AC! It's ridiculous!

So, despite the obvious report of the current temp outdoors (81*F, indoors 76*), I am opting to run the attic fan until the heat becomes a tad more oppressive. The lovely little breeze has me hopeful, and had I a screen door on the front of the house, we would be treated to a wonderful full-on, robust cooling wind right now.

"Well then, Beth" what is so dreadful? Why the doom saying?" I hear you wondering.

I dunno....I said I couldn't explain it. I can't put my finger on it. The feeling is just there.

Made the stupid mistake of not cementing up the entryway to the former chipmunk condo once the activity died down, and now....that's right....you guessed it - we have another one or two inhabitants! Caught sight of at least one of them entering the hole by s-q-u-e-e-z-i-n-g in around the 4"x4" and bricks piled up in front of the gap. CRAP!

Brian has set three rat traps all around the perimeter of the opening and we have since seen two chipmunks approach several times but not enter. But since I am not into keeping vigil every minute all day long, I don't know if they've figured out a way past the gauntlet.

I am seriously considering just cementing the hole right now -- and I would, but I am afraid to pick up or move the traps for fear of setting them off and hurting myself in the process. So, I will do the cement-y deed when Bud gets home from work.

Found a cicada skin on the front stoop. It reminded me of years ago when the boys and I would head outdoors to scour the trees and bushes to find cocoons and abandoned critter skins. They are always neat to see and examine. Nature is cool!

Noticed the Butterfly Bush I have growing in the wrong spot (not enough sun) was actually more bush-like this year, even after blossoming. So there may be hope for it once I move it. However, also noticed (with some alarm), that many of the healthy (finally upright) stems were stripped of their leaves! This has never happened before. So I looked it over but could see nothing (from inside the house).

Several moments later, as I was peering out the window to spy on the chipmunk debacle/progress, I spotted three caterpillars partying down on two branches of the bush which still had foliage. Argh!

I grabbed a canister of insect killer and went to the aid of my beautiful bush only to find nine caterpillars overall having a grand time. NINE! I thought three was bad enough.

Needless to say, I am keeping a closer watch on the plant over the coming days - with my spray in my hand!

Had two rejection responses in my inbox from employment ads I had submitted to over three weeks ago. I guess no news is better than bad news, eh? It wrecked my day completely yesterday - the weather sh*t was simply frosting on a cow dung cake.

I was hesitant to open email today; not looking forward to more of the same. But, I guess it's par for the course.

Speaking of which, I really should get back to that job-hunting grind so that I can eventually get back to the quilting. More of whatever another time.

Stay cool.

Erstwhile pursuits

Last summer I chronicled my adventures helping out dear friends clear a section of their yard of a multitude of weeds, and then prep for, and install, a new lawn. In addition, I created a small berry bed at the top of their driveway (per their request) and transplanted a good number of the existing strawberries which had overgrown the original planting area, and all of the new runners that had sprouted in the weedy area.

It was incredibly satisfying, to say the least, to get back there several weeks later and see a beautiful nubile lawn growing from all of that seed and hard work!

[happy sigh]

This morning I found a comment posted to my blog entry about that event, advertising/boasting for some git from (of all places) Queensland, Australia, having done the work! Are you kidding me?

Buddy, you gotta pay me to advertise for you! Not to mention, you can't take credit for something you didn't do.

As the great Bugs Bunny would have said - "What a maroon!"

Somehow, this rube made me chuckle AND slap my forehead in exasperation.

Time well spent

Even though I have enough of my own stuff to attend to on this glorious spare day, I took a few hours to trim bushes and help Klaus and Erika get their landscaping in order for the end of the year.

They have a lot of specimen plants in their front yard, edging the walk and leading to the front door. A demonic rose bush, a face-slapping Althea and an unruly Weeping Cherry, who has extended well beyond the sidewalk edge and had become part of an ecclectic obstacle course.

Klaus and I worked together to make a fair dent in the appearance, and aside from not getting to two small agenda items, we did manage to knock out quite a bit of the most needful items on the list. His overgrown shrubs are thinned out and trimmed back, the cherry is under control and ready to make a spectacular comeback next spring, and his cherished rose bush - though much shorter and really thinned out - is also primed and ready to become a well-shaped bush next year.

He became quite anxious with my insistance to continue trimming and thinning, until finally he pleaded to stop. Poor fellow. But, I reassured him there was more than enough of the sturdy rose bush left from which he would see new growth next spring. He will see that the harsh pruning not only eliminated a lot of unhealthy criss-cross limbs, but opened the entire plant to receive light and airflow to the interior, and would keep it from becoming an over-tangled mess next year.

It was with a heavy sigh and a tight chest that he allowed me to trim, trim, trim.

Erika came out about three hours after the cutting had begun to see the work, and approved wholeheartedly of the changes. I have to say it looked pretty good, and there was a lot of improvement overall.

Next year we will see the fruits of our labor!

Post Script to the grass thing

So, it's raining (as predicted,) and Erika and Klaus's grass seed is now watered in.  Tah daaahhhhhhhhh! 

Grow, baby!  Grow!!

*Hhmmmm - wondering if the slope of that hill and the deluge from this storm were a bad combo for the seed.?*

Well, I guess we will see in a few weeks what the heavy rains doth wrought.

Back from putting in a new lawn

I spent the last part of the morning, and the first few hours of this afternoon at Klaus and Erika's, helping Klaus put in a lawn (where I had been weeding the last two weeks).

And now, the deed is done.  Hopefully, by the end of the summer (perhaps by the end of September) there should be something to show for the hard work and effort.  It took roughly twelve to thirteen hours to clean it out, prep it and get the seed and cover in to place.  Thankfully, Klaus and I worked together today to get the lawn down, or it could have been a very long day.

Now, we wait.  Very exciting!

Next, I think I will clean up and watch some paint dry.  Nooooo.......I am going to work on something from the sewing pile.  Wait!  I need to get to the grocery store first. 

Well, whatever I decide to do, you can bet it won't have anything to do with grass.

What a day

I had a very nice visit yesterday afternoon with my friends, the Ofenhitzers.  When I arrived at their home Klaus was out walking the dog, and that left Erika and me a chance to get caught up for a good long while.  We chatted and laughed a bit until 'the boys' arrived home.

This is the first time I have met Loki (which is [a] German word for 'mischief').  If you knew Klaus you would know how completely appropriate it is for that monniker on his dog!  Kaidra, their beautiful Dalmation (and their baby), died about two years ago. So being a good German, Klaus went out and found a German Shepherd to mend his broken heart.

The plan was for Klaus to cook - and I was looking forward to his bar-b-que - but appetites got the better of some of us, so we went out to dinner at one of their favorite haunts in Waterford instead.  It was busy and therefore very noisy.  Needless to say conversation was a little rough, but the company and delicious  meal was still worth it.

I noticed Erika's small garden area was overrun with weeds, so as we parted last night I offered to drop by and eradicate the problem for her/them, if they wanted and didn't mind.  See, Erika had had a stroke a year and one half ago, and hasn't been able to do those things she so loves doing.  I could easily identify with her situation in that following the surgery for my intestinal 'blowout', I was unable to bend for quite some time, and I watched my lovely beds become a haven for every manner of weed. 

It's definitely a blow to the psyche to see things happen and have no control of the situation or outcome.

They accepted my offer and I made plans to return the next morning to pull out the offensive mass of weeds.

I arrived at their home this morning about 10:15 or so and got right to work.  The weeds pulled out fairly easily and I managed to bag up four very full lawn refuse bags of green nastiness before I was dismissed for the day. ;)  Thankfully, there was a nice breeze to keep me company, and I was in the shade the entire time.  I arrived with a large cup of water, which Erika made sure Klaus kept filled as I worked, and by one-thirty I was ready to call it quits.  The temp began in the mid-eighties and had climbed to near ninety by one o'clock.

Still, it was a snap. 

A huge dent was made in a sort of medium-large area, and I will finish it up Wednesday morning once I return from a Michigan road trip.  More on that another time. 

For now, I need to clean up and get ready to head north - first, to Saginaw for one more Saginaw Eddy Band 'concert in the park,' and then on to Traverse City.  Fill you in later.  Try to keep cool and dry in the meanwhile.

Thanks again, for the rain, Mom!

I went outside to put out the trash and ended up 'round back pulling weeds and trying to right my topsy-turvy hibiscus. 

The amount of rain, or the rate at which it fell (ALL NIGHT LONG), seems to have messed with half of the plant's equalibrium.  At first, I thought if I shook off the excess water from the flopping branches it would be (pardon the expression) right as rain, but that didn't do the trick.  I am going to have to locate my twine and bundle it to the more rigid limbs for the next day or two and see if the bowing branches don't rejoin the pack.

It's understandable that the snowball-mounded hydrangea should have that problem, it's weighted down enough to begin with. There's a wonderous proliferation of flowerheads this year (and it is sorely drooping in all directions from the center because of the added weight of the rain).

That is another thing to have to deal with before the day is over (trimming out the dead wood and clipping off the older flowerheads - even though they are not spent or brown). For now I am content knowing I will not have to worry over the grass (which I usually don't, except when it needs mowing) or have to water the flowerbed today.

Thanks, Mom!

Gotta love nature

I've got a lot of white in my garden, and I never get tired of looking at it.

Hi!-biscus



Veronica - one of the rescued plants



Sadly, my beautiful wisteria will not be the original Chinese White I had (and lost), it will be a blue bloomer instead.  

The white wisteria was to be the focal point in the back bed, but you can't always get what you want, eh? I looked online for quite a while to find an ever-blooming white variety, and when I did finally find a vendor...they wanted eighty-plus dollars for it!

So, I have begun to add touches of deep purples to black variety blooms throughout the perennials to balance out the blue-ish wisteria blossoms to come. 

Next year I will be able to stand back and see how it all comes together, and then fill in those 'funny' spots as need be.

Of course, amongst the multitude of white there is color; predominantly pinks and yellows, but my beloved Green Envy echinacea and Limelight hydrangea are present throughout.  Next year I would love to add Green Envy zinnias and green pincushion flowers as well.

Good morning

Not certain, yet, how I feel this morning.  If I had to say anything at all about my mood, I would have to say I am somewhat ambivilant. Still feeling lost.

Watered the garden (which I should have done yesterday) and was roundly raspberried and booed by the plants. While tending to that chore, a Gold Finch landed on the telephone line where it crosses the patio.  I must have been still enough, because the little fellow then swooped down to a low branch on one of the hydrangea and proceeded to bob and weave - almost as if he was dancing to an internal Michael Jackson song.

The hibiscus and both remaining hydrangea are now flowering, as is the green ick, and I love the colors. Will have to find a better spot for the ick, though.

Flop and I shared a moment yesterday afternoon with a dusty little female cardinal.  She landed in the front flowerbed outside an open window, and spent some time fluttering and chirp-chipping around in the bed, hopping from the porch to the window sill to the ground and back again.  This caused Flop a lot of drooly moments while she tried to get the best view.  Each time the cardinal perched momentarily on the sill, Flop did her best to become invisible - poor thing - and the cardinal teased and flitted.

Once she flew off, Flop looked at me and mewed softly. I had to agree.

Currently, there is a rather industrious robin cleaning out the gutter just outside the library window.  There is all manner of loud shuffling, followed by the heaving of old leaf material propelled over the edge of the eave and past the window.  Guess I should get out there and join him.

Remember, all quilting posts and photos are now at: www.truenorthquilter.blogspot.com.  See you there!

Dripping

Actually, 'wringing' would have been a more appropriate description of my current state. I've just finished watering my lovelies in the garden and putting out the trash, and now I think I shall water myself!

Woof! These are not the "dog days of summer," these are the "camel days."

Once I am somewhat cleaned up, I will head to the store and grab three upright fans (towers) - one for each of the boys' rooms (ceiling fans are for crap), and one more for the lower level. At least the moving air will feel better than still, stagnant air.

Last night the temp outdoors only got as low as 78*F, and I could hear the boys tossing and turning in the heat. I was sticky and uncomfortable so I knew they had to be suffering, and for the longest time this morning I listened to the early news (and their weather weenie) and wondered: should I go up and turn on the attic fan and draw the air through, or just leave it alone?

Well, I tried drawing the air only through the boys' rooms and the bathroom, but the thermostat never dipped from the 81* mark. It was futile - although I do think the bulk of moving air did help a little for the boys' sake. After 25 minutes I turned it off!

I did not do the usual weeding because it is just too hot already. Even in the shade (and with the occasional breezes) I am opting out today, but I hope you enjoyed the few shots I added from the garden.

Home again, home again - higgedy jig!

At least, I think it's "higgedy-jig."

Returned home Sunday after a brief road trip with Jean and her daughter, Barb. We journeyed to Kalamazoo Saturday morning to visit another of her (accomplished and beautiful) girls after a July fourth concert in Saginaw the night before. It was a pleasant drive and the conversations were the usual - continuous, and filled with laughter and some introspection.

The daughter in K-zoo is an osteopathic doctor, performing her residency there. She has a lovely urban-funk-loft apartment in the downtown district, literally 'walking minutes' away from anything and everything, which is everything in today's economy. And even in Kalamazoo it can seem very chic and metropolitan to be able to walk to any one of a number of restaurants, entertainment spots, movie houses, the Farmer's Market, work, etc.

Dr. C is making me rethink what it is I want to do when I grow up, with her oh-so-cool abode and neat lifestyle!

Barb, Jean and I climbed back into "Louise" and headed east the next morning, but found it already hot and semi-sticky hours before noon! Thankfully, the AC worked well, and we made several fun stops on the way, too.

Thanks for including me in the family time, ladies.

While on the road I worried about the garden (no, not the boys), and called to be certain the boys were being smart about the fan and open windows versus the use of the AC and keeping cool. I won't even go into that debacle - it hurts too much to think of the wasted electricity!

On the other hand, Karl did water the plants and eat (and sort of do most of the other things he was assigned) - and the house was still standing - so it wasn't a complete horror returning home. I am only cringing a little.

Awoke this morning to silence and realized the air was very still. Very still. Turned on the TV to hear that there are several areas south of us without power; several thousands of folks without electricity, and I wondered if we were one of those households...until I remembered that I wouldn't have been able to turn on the morning news if we had had no power. [forehead smack]

I quickly ran upstairs and turned on the attic fan to draw the remainder of the cool morning air into/through the house. The heat of the day will arrive and bear down in a scant few hours, and I want the interior as cool to begin with as can be.

Can you blame me?

The thermostat said it was 76*F at 6AM, but currently (now 8:02AM) the temps have lowered about as far as they can with the sun over the horizon and climbing high. If the boys had left the fan on the entire night, the interior temp would be in the sixties right now, but the best we can do for today is 71*F as a starting point. Ah well....I will take it and be happy!

The garden is calling my name, so I am heading out there to finish the last of the grooming and replanting at the north end of the pergola. May have to trek to Lowe's for a few more bags of topsoil to get the job done - we'll see. And there are several die hard grass blades in that end that require pulling. Darn them! Oh, and those pavers to establish yet as the border for the last ten or eleven feet....but it is really so close to being completed that I can now concentrate on weed-pulling maintenance in the back, and head around to the front and begin my real work there. I am bound and determined to get this all done this year!

There will be a few photos tonight to show you the before and after of the perennial bed out back - there really is a BIG difference from the last couple of years to this. Being able to get out there and really work has been a Godsend - the last two summers of inactivity and "taking it easy" following the abdominal surgery were heartbreaking and maddening. I still have to be careful, but this has been liberating - and a load off of my mind - getting back into a normal routine in the yard.

Oh, crap! I left my hat in Jean's car!

Last day of June

Much earlier today I spent several hours (too many) in the garden. My forearms grew slightly pink, but I kept hydrated and accomplished a lot - so it balanced out.

Yesterday was a bit of a waste as I rose very early, did nothing in the yard before prepping and leaving for an interview with another headhunting firm (contracting house). I regretted not spending even an hour outside before heading off for the face-to-face meeting; and once I returned home I had a case of the sleepies, and sacked out for a nap in a chair. When I awoke, it was to the wrap of a solicitor's knock at the door. Damn cable salespeople!

After shaking the sleepmode out of my head, I found I had been joined by Cleo and Hobbes for the nap! I barely remember Cleo climbing onto my lap, but 'Beena' was perched on the arm of the large chair, and when our eyes met, she greeted me with her usual throaty "meyeah!" and a look that said 'get up, lady, you're in my spot.'

Oh....what's that you're saying?

Yup, I have another hook on the line, but I am keeping my expectations low. Afterall, the agency that was certain they could get me into VW as a Change Management contractor (back in April) hasn't returned my email or contacted me again since that attempt proved futile (VW had identified and hired someone from within the organization - and the submission of outside resumes/candidates was a ruse).

So why, I ask myself, should this bunch of hiring agents be any different from the last set?

This representative seems to think my Project Management background is a huge commodity, and that she will have no troubles getting me hired in....somewhere....some time....in....the future. She's got nothing for me now, but thinks it is only a matter of time.

Odd, isn't it, that one person sees my resume and interprets it as a CM gold mine, and another person (doing the same sort of work) reads it and sees PM! Well, I just think it is a little odd, but if it means somebody may be able to help me find a job down the line, then you can see what you want!

Anyhow, the end of May marked my fourth year of unemployment, save for the few temp/seasonal positions I've held (along with the film gigs that have dotted my work history these past three years). Here we are, looking at July, and I am only marginally closer to having a job "job."

It has become more difficult with each passing year to keep smiling and remain optomistic when I am really beginning to feel as though the words "something will turn up" are more hollow than I wanted to admit...even to myself. Even tougher to make myself sit at this keyboard and spend three hours (or more some days) looking through sites and replying to faceless email addresses, asking for a chance to meet and speak about a job they've posted.

"Here. Here's my resume and a reason or five you should meet me and find me perfect for this job you have within your company. You won't be sorry. Call me!"

I'm going back outside and dig up a huge crop of thistle. Maybe that'll give me a little satisfaction on this final day of June.

Always amazed

I am always amazed at each new day, when the sun comes up and makes the world look new and promising. After yesterday's showing of endless grey clouds (which I did not regret), today is a complete one-eighty.

At present, the rising sun makes the green trees glow and sparkle. The freshly turned earth looks like velvet, and the air smells of ocassional flowers and overnight rain.

I was grateful for the shade I worked in throughout the day on Monday, and was hopeful for the promise of rain to do my watering for me, but realized after the sun had gone down that we most likely were not going to get the sort of rain that was needed.

I had raced the clock to get as much done in the garden as I could throughout the afternoon and into the early evening. I debated a trip to pick up another helping of bagged topsoil until much too late. Even moved those last fourteen blocks around the house to the retaining wall in the back! All the while I kept an eye on the sky, praying and hoping the weather weenies weren't wrong about the rain.

Managed to transplant the Jackmanii from the front bed to its new home in the back on the south pergola upright, and happily turned loose an assortment of three leggy pincushion plants and one grand Veronica as its neighbors. The reclaimed Foxglove went back to a more permanent place in the weedfree garden, as did the path of stepping stones which span that seven foot portion of the perennial bed. A found Astilbe was also placed in the new grouping, and I left enough room for my beloved 'ick' (my Echinacea friends) to join the mix. Next year, when I have work - and income - I will add Cosmos and Petunias (and one or two other annuals) to fill in the spaces here and there, but for now I am glad to have the bulk of the cleaning work completed and the plants returning to a better way of life!

It gives me hope that the rest of my life will fall in to place when I see this ordered bit of beauty from my kitchen window.

[heavy sigh] Aahhhh...slightly less chaos.

There is still the matter of filling in the remainder of the bed and re-establishing those plants, but it is all going well (thank you, God). The repositioned Daylilys and Boxwood are doing fine, as are the heeled in plants still awaiting their homecomings. Oh, and I still have two Peonies to bring around from the front to the back, but that should be a quick process.

The remainder of this week will only get hotter day by day, but I am keeping my fingers crossed that I'll be able to keep up the pace and finish the back bed very soon, and then be able to move around to the front in short order.

Once it's all completed it will be far easier to keep up with (at least that's my theory).

By the way, there may be non-gardening 'news' to report, but it will have to wait just another day or two. Promise, though, you will know what's brewing l-o-n-g before I move around to the front perennial bed! Ha!

:^D

Time to get moving, Karl's MRS rep is due over around noon, so there are some inside chores to tend to beforehand. Make it a good day everyone!

P.S. Regarding Cleo - She had a fairly good day yesterday. Slow-paced, but up and moving, versus her Sunday off her feet once the stool passed. Tried to keep her drinking, short of literally putting it down her throat. I don't believe she poo'd yesterday, but I also didn't follow her around, so that is hard to swear to. This morning, she hit the box and had an issue with the bisquit completely exiting, so I think there is definitely a trip to the vet in her near future. Ah, pets.

Sorry to say

I dressed and went back out to get those items ticked off my list, and twelve minutes later Mother Nature decided to open up the skies and rain for much of the rest of the afternoon. By 7:30PM the skies were clear, but I had already showered and begun dinner, so needless to say I did nothing more towards accomplishing my listed tasks.

It's apparent this morning that it rained throughout the night, or at least, began again sometime in the early morning hours. The two bags of yard pickings still need to be set out with the rest of the trash, but I wasn't suitably 'smeared' to do battle with the mosquitoes, so that is something I need to get to before too much longer. Ah, that reminds me!

Add bug repellent to shopping list.

Less than two square feet

That's all that remains of the mess of weeds that once commanded my flowerbed.

I spent the morning pulling up that mess and de-thistling the yard (not everywhere, just about a three yard radius surrounding the retaining wall of the south end of the perennial bed - but that was enough). The last of the morning clouds burned off (or blew away) just before noon, and I made a decision to head inside before my medium rare pink turned into a nightmare of a sunburn. Besides, it was getting rather hot and I had finished my water - I needed a break!

3:45PM The raucous storm - which included hale - just ended. It lowered the temps from a toasty 85*F to a pleasant 73*F inside of thirteen minutes, and the last of those clouds have swept north/northeast.

By the end of the storm the outdoor temp had dropped to a LOVELY 68*F, but it's just started to climb again, and over the last forteen minutes the outside temp has climbed to 75*F! According to the weather radar, we are due for more rain inside the next 1.5 hours or so, so I guess I need to get outside and tidy up some loose ends.

My goal for the remainder of the afternoon is:

1) to move roughly 25 retaining wall blocks from the front of the house to the back bed wall;

2) and fill in the five inch lag;

3) AND replant the displaced lillies and boxwoods in the freshly reclaimed perennial bed.

I'm betting I can get it done. Wouldn't it be cool if I could also manage to trim a few bundles of privet branches to leave out for collection tomorrow?

Do you wanna see how it all comes out?

Huh

When it began to rain yesterday, I folded up shop and slipped indoors to weather it out. But, as soon as I slipped off my boots and changed out of my dirty coveralls, the rain stopped.

You guessed it...I went back outdoors, but that didn't last long - it began to sprinkle, again!

Instead of carrying on in that way, I decided to call it an afternoon and stayed inside. Didn't get much accomplished indoors though, and I was bored and restless to boot.

A-nnoyingly so.

This morning hasn't been any better, and I would be outside right now, except the frequent sprinkles rinse off the bug repellant, and then I am swarmed by voracious mosquitoes.

My time will come, I just have to keep myself busy until the weather cooperates and I can get back at it. Not that there isn't PLENTY to do, but all I can think of is what I want to be doing in the garden! Sad but true. [sigh]

Cleo has just wandered in and taken up residence at my feet. It's a part of our daily routine that (I think) we both count on every day. Some days she is needier than others, and I get the full-service begging from her; but most days are low key, prutting and cooing questions and a request for some attention before the snacky treats are doled out to the pack of feline sisters. After the treats, it's time for her hours-long cat nap on Brian's bed (or Karl's, if the boy doesn't rise early enough).

Today she may get more Cleo-time than she bargained for.

OK, time to peel myself away from this keyboard for a bit. Without a way to physically keep awake, the allergy pill I took is beginning to make me yawn non-stop, and I am becoming quite drowsy. Never type tired!

Have a good day.

Hot weather

The weather weenies say we are in for another spate of wretched, hot weather. Count me out!

I do not like it, Sam I am. I don't like weather that can melt ham.

[pseudo-apologies to Dr. Seuss]

Yesterday was a warm day, but not a scorcher. Even at it's hottest point, with the breeze that accompanied the day, it wasn't as uncomfortable as it could have been. So, thank you, God (and Mother Nature). Then, of course, it wasn't humid (at least, not so's you'd notice). Heat I can a-l-m-o-s-t tolerate...so long as the humidity is low, low, low, non-existent, low. I think you get my meaning.

Anyway........

I missed the weather report on last night's last newscast, and I have yet to turn on the TV this morning to see what sort of heat conditions are in store, but if the weather follows the predicted trend from last week, today and tomorrow are going to be - ugh - unbearable. I think I remember talk of rain for today, but I am not holding my breath. Every time they use the phrase "a chance of..." it's pretty clear they have no real idea of what's going on, and won't have a tinker's chance of getting anywhere near close on weather correctness, so why bother to predict.

Hold on - how old am I? Why am I going on about the weather?

Had a nice time watching/listening to Barb play in her summer gig with the Saginaw Eddy Orchestra (or is it "band"?) last night. It the was the group's maiden voyage for the 2011 season, and they provided a good mix of tunes for the evening performance.

The Saginaw Eddys are a lightweight equivalent to the Boston Pops, but in Saginaw, MI. It's an eclectic mix of old and young people, directed by two different conductors - each with their own style and speed - but the music was good and the players skilled in their craft. Thanks to Barb and Jean for including me!

Today will be a busy day of running around; picking up Karl's PC, my wheelbarrow, a few needed groceries, etc. Afterwards, it will be back to lightweight gardening stuff until I lose shade (or gain it) in either the front or the backyard. I have a few garden pets to plant that were moved (or have grown from seed) and now need to be in their permanent home(s) in the ground. There's the pruning of the peonies to finish, and many more hedges to trim up. Plus the remaining five-foot-square area of weeds in the back perennial bed to do away with.

If it rains after I get things in the ground, so much the better, so I am going to get moving...before I am sad I did nothing in the cool morning hours.

Just stuff

The garbage is out!

Well...all except for the cat box bag, but I will get to that in a moment.

There are three bags of regulation garbage, plus one additional box of toss-able household goods; a full container of recyclable plastic and cans, cardboard, etc., stacked alongside; and, six bags of yard waste! That's right, SIX! There would be seven, but the wheels on the dolly are shot, and it was a long hike up both hills from the back fence to the 'curb,' and my heart just wasn't in it.

It turns out that if you pay the additional $8.50 per month, WM will also haul away your yard stuff (which I always thought was a waste of money, but this year it will prove advantageous). Aaannd...you can put out as many as 20 bags or bundles of yard waste each week!! This month is going to be worth it - and the prospect of getting all of the weeding and privet trimming done and out of the yard completely is so going to keep me on schedule! One month - start your engines!

Oh, crap! Wait! I forgot to pile the bundles of last year's forsythia and shrub trimmings out!

[huff - puff - mopping brow]

I would have stayed outdoors and worked in the beds or trimmed the privets down a bit more, but between the rain and the mosquitoes, I figured I could get more done inside this morning. I will trek back outside in a few hours, with a healthy dose of sunscreen, bug repellent and my hat on, once the rain ends.

The birds are in a mood today. Chickadees and sparrows chirping, robins gabbing and lovely cardinals singing. Even my three clown buddies, the blue jays, are in evidence early on. They are happily diving into the flowerbed and gobbling up bugs now easily gotten to.

Earlier in the week I saw a flicker land on a fresh anthill in the greening yard and quickly devour dozens of the nasty little creatures in less than a minute's time. Go, bird, go! However, it also made me think I need to be careful how I spread the ant killer in the future.

[sigh] But, it was some silly bird taking a bath in my gutter who made me realize I have a good deal of extra cleaning to get done...and that I am not looking forward to. Ugh! The yard work is enough to handle and get caught up with. Aarrrgh!! Yikes - and the catbox still needs cleaning!

OK, enough for now. Time to dig in to something fun and necessary, or balance a checkbook or wash and fold laundry. ;) More stuff later.

Make it a great day.

Dividing the day

We all have things we want to do.

Then there are the things we must do. Seems as though there should be a third category, doesn't there - but I can't think of what it would be.

These stepping stones need reconfiguring now that the plants have matured.

Today began with an item at the top of each of column; I wanted to get back out into the garden (especially in this GORGEOUS weather), but it couldn't happen because there was an important meeting with the MRS 'people' for Karl right smack dab in the middle of prime gardening hours. And since Karl is more important, this morning was a loss for gardening.

That's OK, though. I will slather on a great deal of mosquito repellent and head outdoors when the house casts an afternoon shadow, and then will make a good stab at (hopefully) finishing the cleaning of the last of the existing bed. I already have plans to remove the small boxwoods to the front (not all, maybe three of the five), and to spread the daylillys out to fill in the gaps. Before week's end I plan (i.e.; 'hope') to have the pavers in the ground and/or to have finished the courses across the back bed and finished the tilling of the entire bed. That way, when I can manage a load of good fill soil, the bed area will be completely ready for it and the fill won't go to waste. [exclamation point]

I have designs on re-orging the front perennial bed - as I have mentioned in the past - and now that the poppies and peonies have blessed us with their show, I can finish transplanting one and all (including the hostas), and let them have their recuperation time over the rest of the summer. Next year will be glorious!

Currently, the gusting winds are blowing the intoxicating smell of the remaining blooms right into the house, and I am loving every fragrant second! Shortly, I will be outdoors with my shears, deadheading and cleaning up the once-beautiful mayhem. Until then, the heaven sent scent is all mine!

Weather prognosticators are posting weak promises for rain towards the end of the week. Of course, there will also be a rise in the temps, so I would love to have the majority of the work completed before temps go up. Guess we'll just have to wait and see.

In other news: No, I still have not heard from any of the four productions crewing up in MI for July/August. It is typical for a scripty to be one of the last members to sign on, so I am not letting myself become too dejected. Instead, the free time is appreciated and utilized, so when I do get the call (and have a job to eat up my time) everything else is not left lacking while I am unavailable to tackle the chores on a daily basis.

S-m-a-r-t. ;^)

On top of the gardening fun, and possible sewing, I am still working on a short video of photos I have been editing and compiling for my Grandmother's 100th birthday. With five weeks to go, it is looking pretty good (if I do say so myself).

Oh, and I had a brief text message from the Tweedles saying they edited and turned in the film challenge project on time, so now we wait to hear how it stands up against the other entries. If you can get to the DWIFF (Detroit Windsor International Film Festival), look for the film challenge entries. The DWIFF still has not added the bunch to their published schedule, but since there is a category for "audience favorite," I am assuming they must be shown during the festival...somewhere!

More another time. For now I am going to move some furniture, or do some laundry and hang it on the line.

Pleased to report

Ah yes. [happy sigh] I hope I am not jinxing things. [fingers crossed, prayers muttered]

When I stepped outside this morning to water my beautiful little wisteria (and all of the other plants), I inspected the foliage for the first time in over a week (a watched pot never....well, you know what I mean).

I am happy to report that there are two new growth buds on the main stem, so my fears for the demise of the Wisteria are not founded! It seems to be accepting of it's new home and has begun to grow!

Now, if I can just convince the new little Clematis to do the same thing.....

[rain dance on the deck at 4:30PM]