I mowed the back forty and the corral yesterday. It was at least 20 degrees cooler than it had been the day before, so it was a pleasant experience (except for allergies.) It looks much better out there!

I’m on hold with any further work on the dollhouse as I wait for the wallpaper I ordered, which is hung up in the mail. I contacted the seller because tracking shows that a label has been created as on lasts Monday, but it hasn’t moved since then. She responded and said she was sure it had shipped and that she would check into it. This was after the posts office had closed for the day, so we’ll see what I find out today. It’s frustrating. I don’t want to lose my mojo!

In the meantime, from my time outside mowing:

Wild phlox on the edge of the secret garden. I’ve never seen as much of it on the property as we have this year.

I love it.

Protecting The Dude, who is just beyond the phlox.

All of the black raspberries are in bloom.

I need to haul out the weed whacker soon, as well as yank lots of poison ivy. There are plenty of chores to keep me busy as I wait on the wallpaper shipment.

I have to cut this short as I have to help Don with a self-tape audition. Don’t get excited…it’s the kind of role that any actor of his age can do. He’s doesn’t even want to do it, but I talked him into it.

Okay, my friends.

Stay safe.

Happy Friday.

Monday morning – it’s lovely and cool, but we’ll hit the 90s today, tomorrow, and Wednesday. Too hot, too soon. I’ve been watering everything outside and doing any work that is necessary in the garden early in the morning. This hot weather will break on Wednesday/Thursday.

We still don’t have the A/C units in yet and we are fighting having to put them in this early. Our thinking is if we can get through this little patch, we can hold off a bit longer. Fingers crossed, but really hot weather makes me cranky, so let’s see if this plan works out or not.

Any work on the dollhouse will have to be done in the morning because we don’t have a window unit for that room and I really don’t want to invest in one. And let’s face it, the Beacon Hill is NOT portable.

Yarrow is popping up everywhere. I planted some when we first moved here. Just one plant. In the intervening years, it stopped growing where I planted it and proceeded to reseed in the corral and all around the funky patio. Can’t wait to see it in full bloom.

The catalpa tree, always the last to leaf out, looked especially bare this year and over the weekend I expressed a little worry that it “might be dead.” Within 24 hours, I saw little green leaf buds emerging everywhere. I should know better. It’s quite dependable. We have other catalpas on the property, but the one I usually mention is huge, kind of the “grand old catalpa.”

And the pansies are doing so well!

Don is singing and composing and recording his songs – he wants to create an archive. This is a hard time for my love. He hasn’t had any work in a long time and is worried that he won’t be hired again. And he turns 75 next month, which is a milestone that is very difficult for him to come to terms with. All I can do is be there for him, and I am, of course. And make him laugh, which is my specialty.

Stay safe.

Happy Monday.

This is my favorite time of year to photograph the dolls. The porch, the potted flowers, the natural light! It just makes the perfect background. This is little Miyoshi. Her face up just might be the most beautiful of all the girls.

Don mowed most of the front lawn yesterday. I offered to do the areas around the garden beds because I know he worries about that. So I ran outside to mow and ended up pulling some weeds in a couple of the beds, as well. I also pruned some of the rose bush (it’s not looking good at the moment and I’m wondering if it’s dying.) Long story short: I was sore and allergy ridden from the day before and I’m even more sore and allergy ridden today. But we mowed most everything on Thursday and Friday. The only part of the lawn we didn’t get to is the lilac side. Weed whacking begins next week.

It looks pretty and very green out there. Today, it’s raining.

I’m grateful for the rain because we need it, but also because it gives me permission to stay inside and rest. I’m going to clean up my work area in the studio so I can find things. It’s too cluttered at the moment.

We haven’t seen Phileas in several days. Don thinks he’s moved on. We had tree trimmers from the county doing work on our stretch of the road on Thursday and they were around for a long time and VERY LOUD. Maybe Phileas decided to vacate the premises?  I hope he comes back. Don had a sad note in his voice when he said “I think he left.” I’m sad, too.

Stay safe.

Happy Saturday.