Mish Mash

This sweet little girl finch has been eating on our deck rail for the last few days. 

She appears to be the only one that sees this bowl... it has nyger seed and some mixed seeds. 

I had cute, cute pictures of her stretching her wings yesterday... but I appear to have lost them. 

Sort of like how I lost my phone today. 

Yes, it's gone. 

I'm going to try to tough the next four days out, it takes that long to get another from the insurance company. 

(found 'em!  I could just hear her saying "Uhhhhhh" as she stretched.  She stretched both wings and both legs!) 

I made a cake from scratch this afternoon.  It was a butter-less cake, made with mayonnaise... it 

came out beautifully.  It is for a funeral tomorrow at church, for the after luncheon. 

I SIFTED for the first time in ten years!!!  I still have a sifter! 

Crushed oreos on top.  

I'm going to make another for us in a few weeks. 

Even though it's hot out now, Jester likes to lay on the porch off and on.  

As well as the bed in the spare bedroom! 

It's too bad the lilies have such a short life, but this week has just been wonderful for them. 

I have never, EVER seen as many dragonflies as I have this year. 

There were actually another six or so out of camera range... same wall. 

More were flitting around. 

I don't ever remember this many... I love to watch them.  Is it because of all the rain? 

These beautiful roses are blooming in a pasture down the street from us... wildings... and there are three big clumps.  

I had to back up and see these cosmos as I drove along today! 

I don't know how they got on the roadside, but WOW! 

There has been so much sadness in our world again today, after 

last night's terrible crimes in South Carolina.  I prayed all day for the 

families of the poor people killed, and also for the family of the 

young man, sick as he must be.  I hope everyone can remember

these people in their prayers tonight.  I am so blessed to not have anything like this 

in our lives. 

More Flowers and a Barbecue

The daylillies are quickly going by in the garden at the old place, but how beautiful they have been! 

I am hoping to move a few over here, but after much discussion, 

Keith and I have decided to have a water garden company do the planning 

(and possible making of) the water garden here.  We want it to 

be right, and we want it to NOT be a threat to our house, or our 

neighbor's properties. 

Last night was the VERY FIRST time we had barbecued at this house. 

Keith was at a loss, he had to look everywhere for all his tools, and the barbecue here, 

for the time being, is on the side patio, a very long way from the kitchen.  We hope at 

some point next year for Keith to build a newer, bigger deck on the back, and 

at that point, we will make a pad for a barbecue somewhere near that, not on it,  for safety. 

We had a very interested audience, and yes, she got her hamburger! 

Nice surroundings. 

And later on, a peaceful evening. 

Tonight, I am going to see Paul McCartney... what I think will 

probably be his last tour.  It will be a huge splurge for me... I got the tickets 3 months ago... 

but a fun evening, for sure, and yes, I'm still a confirmed Beatlemaniac.  

I'll pay for my "day off", and paint for the next two days at the old house. 

We are back to very hot summer temps next week, according to the weather this morning. 

Review of the concert tomorrow, and I'll have some phone pictures taken from the balconey! 

A Hot Day at the Old Place

It's D minus 1... 

Tomorrow is The Day. 

Here was the kitchen when I walked in this afternoon. 

And the living room, looking into the bathroom, and down the hall to the bedrooms.  That 

stained carpet will come up last.  The pale green walls will be white by this time tomorrow night. 

This is what I worked on today.  The unfinished deck on the side of the house allowed this mess to grow up the last three years.  

I had to get IN there to cut them all out with the big cutters, and we are going to spray more killer on them. 

I managed to stay unhurt until the very last time, and then I raked my leg, good. 

An hour later.  Yes, I still have a little bit of vines to pull down from the corner. 

The deck will be finished... a rail put up.  The frame you see will come down, and new 

siding. 

Here's a look from the gate, as I was going out.  

Keith had to rebuild the northwest corner of the house about 3 years ago, 

which is why it looks so crazy.  That frame will come down, and siding will be put on the sides and back of the house, and painted. 

We're getting closer!

There are no mice or snakes left in the old henhouse. 

Or in the new, where I did not take a picture. 

The henyard is like a green cathedral. 

And you can't even get around the duck house to get to the gate, for all the vegetation. 

I sat in my old beaten up plastic chair and in my mind, I could see the ducks, and all the chickens, large and small... the babies, the adults.... and yes, I did get teary-eyed.  I miss them. 

I also got eaten alive by mosquitos. 

The goat's climbing tree has become covered with vines. 

Mint is running amok in the garden... and I am going to have to attack it. Next week!

But I found these beautiful claret-colored daylilies blooming, and I am going to have to 

dig them up and bring them home with me. 

There were also yellows blooming, but the Stella D-Oros appear to be finished (they are out of sight in this picture). 

There are weeds growing EVERYWHERE, and yes, I got overwhelmed.  Next week is supposed to be very much cooler, and I can get some work done out there. 

This pear tree did not set any fruit this year.  These pears were small but very sweet last year. 

This one did... but not as many as last year.  I attribute this to the horrible winter, and the heavy freeze in March. 

But as I sat on the deck and took a break during my cutting .... I took a snap of the heavily laden apple tree. 

I had company. 

In the sky, and on the ground. 

I love how she lays with her legs crossed... Ranger did it, too. 

I leave you with a shot of Oscar's tree.  If you look just to the left, at the base of it... you will see some high grass.  That marks Oskie's grave, buried there seven years ago, now.  How Keith and I loved that little min pin, and how we hated losing him.  I have never cut the grass over his grave, and it grows back tall each year... and somehow, Troy knew not to cut it.  Maybe I told him, I don't remember. 

Our future tenants won't know about Oscar, or our other friends, buried in a circle around 

Beau's tree in the pasture... Hannah, Addie Mae the pugs, and Nickie and Gwen, the cats. 

Time moves on, and the land stays the same. 

And the start of another week.

I thought I might post some garden pictures tonight... I did a lot of work cleaning up around the yard in the heat of the afternoon yesterday, and a lucky thing... we actually had a very good thunderstorm last night late (or early this morning) and another at dawn... with at least an inch of rain.  We needed it so badly that the ground soaked it up.  It cooled things down, too.

This is the beautiful hemorocallis "South Seas" that I planted recently. 

And this, my friends, is the not so pretty Big Boy tomato in the hoop house.  Looks awful, doesn't it? 

Oddly enough, there is a worse.

And here it is, the pitiful Early Girl.  These two did DEFINITELY not like being grown indoors.

Never fear, we are getting tomatos.  There are two other plants doing well. We knew there would be a learning curve this year.

And the Mediterranean herb plants.. they are LOVING the extra heat the hoop house provides.

I'll say to you all though, that you MUST water almost daily, especially in the heat, or lose the plants.  I suspect that's what's happening to the two tomatoes that are struggling... the water going up and down too much.  Just guessing, though.  We need to either gravel the base, or apply (yikes) an herbicide to cut down on weed growth, too... and the cilantro planted separately from these herbs has already gone to seed and will be growing in one of the tomato barrels soon, since it's Homer Bucket overlooked a tomato.

I also note that it doesn't do to plant peppers in the smaller containers, they dry out much too quickly.  I think investing in a few more of the big whiskey barrels will be something for next year.  Live and learn, and that's what makes gardening so much fun!