The hostas are blooming.
Not long after I ran outside to take this picture I was in the bathroom and saw a tick on my arm. Don came in and removed it. It had just started attaching itself to my body and I’m pretty sure it was a wood tick – too large for a deer tick. But come on! I walked outside, bent over to take these pictures and bam! A tick!
Later in the day, Don was stung by a bee.
And I mistakenly touched some poison ivy. Fingers crossed I don’t get it. I’ve already dealt with it once this summer.
What the heck???
It is absolutely gorgeous in the gardens right now. It may be the peak time for flowers. I have to drink this in. I spent a lot of time weeding the beds on the far side of the house yesterday, as I’d been ignoring them. I also cleared the beds in front of the shed. I’m late with a lot of the cleanup I’ve been doing over the past week because of “The Crazy Summer Weather of 2026.” It’s been much nicer for the past few days, so I’ve tried to take advantage of it.
We have rain coming tonight and tomorrow and maybe the next day, so I’m trying to decide whether I should mow the front lawn or just wait until this stretch of rain passes and do it then.
I bit the bullet and removed the exterior of that fireplace on the 3rd floor of the Beacon Hill. Decision made. Now, I’ll fill it in with some foam board so I can wallpaper over it. And I’ll spackle the holes left behind from the removal of the mantel. I repainted the yellow buffet, but today I’m not so sure I like it. I’ll rethink it today.
Stay safe.
Happy Monday.
a bee sting, a tick and exposure to poison ivy?!? too much, especially for one day! sorry those things happened. prayer said you don’t get poison ivy.
glad you have the flowers and beacon hill, among other things, to enjoy.
what color did you paint the (yellow) cupboard?
busy day here, but with good things … volunteering at church this morning, a one-time art class (making a linocut stamp) this afternoon, back to church tonight for a dedication, plus the other usual things. and needing extra time to spiff up after this morning’s walk as it was 80 degrees and very humid when we started and 87.9 when we finished. i am so ready for fall and winter! or a complete day of rain, or at least some solidly-overcast days.
happy, safe monday!
kathy
Very humid here, as well, and we ended up mowing the front lawn because of all the rain coming.
We’re very tired.
Stay safe.
Claudia,
Blooming flowers, dollhouse decorating. I know it will sound silly, but thank you for the oasis in the midst of the seriousness of life. Your post today brought a few breaths of peace.
Roneta
Oh, thank you, Roneta. It’s my pleasure and I’m so glad to have brought some peace to your day.
Stay safe.
Good morning Claudia! A few weeks back I experienced the same thing re:ticks. I noticed a tick climbing up my sweater after I had been outside for a short while. It freaked me out… has never happened in almost twenty years here! Also not a deer tick…. we always had plenty of wood ticks on our dog when we went to The Cape in my childhood so I knew what I was seeing. But yeah, it freaked me out. Around here the climate used to be less hospitable for the wood ticks (The Cape always has milder winters due to the ocean)… but the climate is changing, and not for the better.
As for the Beacon Hill… I love that view in that attic room with the deep window sill and the arched window! And I agree with your choice to “vanish” the fireplace…. it really did seem like a strange place and position for it! “Raised hearths” were never a thing until after the fireplace became mostly ornamental… if you are trying to heat the room with a fire, you want that fire to sit at the lowest level because the heat only goes up! The floor never ever gets warm with a raised hearth!
And your hostas look lovely! They have such an understated blossom… but so elegant in spite of the flashier leaves.
Thanks so much, Betsy.
We ended up mowing today and we’re bushed! But we know that rain is on the way and it will be here for a few days, so we mowed.
Stay safe.
Hosta flowers are beautiful. I forget to look closely sometimes.
Those ticks are a pain but you reminded me to get some bug spray for our trip to Maine.
I am excited to see the yellow buffet. Your attention to detail is amazing. No way could I do that fussy stuff.
Thanks so much, Kay.
Stay safe.