This gives you an idea how long the grass was in the front yard. Don went out to tackle it because it had to be done. Now his shoulder is sore. We’re quite the pair.
You can see that there are still brown patches from the drought, but over all, it’s recovered nicely. Oh, forgot to tell you, I saw another monarch caterpillar on the milkweed about a week ago. We should be seeing a butterfly soon.
I’m itching to mow, but Don would stop me, I know. My back is still sore, but so much better that I’m feeling hopeful again. I actually worked on the puzzle for about 10 minutes yesterday. I’m reading Joe Country by Mick Herron and I’ve been reading it in big chunks, which makes me very happy.
What else? I finished a hat for the girls and then I made a tiny hat for the little girls, in this case, Lily. In keeping with my policy to limit overwhelming you with doll stuff, I’ll probably show that to you tomorrow or Tuesday.
There’s more grass to be cut, but I’m making Don take it easy today.
A somewhat brief post, but there’s not much else happening.
Stay safe.
Happy Sunday.
Love the photo…He is special…feel better prayers…
Thank you, Brenda.
Enjoy your Sunday.
Stay safe.
My…your grass was long. My son came over the other night to mow ours….thank goodness for his generosity.
I had to chuckle when you said “what a pair”, regarding Don’s shoulder. We know the feeling, and sometimes say to each other that “together we make one functioning person”. While it’s not funny…it sort of is. It’s all part of our ‘finding humor in getting older to best cope’ philosophy…lol.
Glad to hear your back is improving. Rest up and enjoy your day! ;)
Donnamae, I totally get “While it’s not funny…it sort of is”. Mr Wizard and I have been laughing, off and on about this very thing for well over two years, when he was diagnosed with cancer. Cuz…what else are you gonna do? May as well make the best of a bad situation and I’d much rather laugh than cry—and it flatters our aging faces much better!
True true! Gotta keep laughing. Hope your husband is doing well! ;)
same from me for you both, your families and everyone else here.
kathy
We joke about it all the time, too. But then again, we’re two people that like to make people laugh!
Stay safe, Donnamae.
Long or short, I always enjoy reading your blog first thing in the morning and I thank you for that.
Thank you for your kind words, Cathy.
Stay safe.
glad your back is getting better. hope that continues and don’s shoulder feels better soon, too!
i think your lawn looks great, especially for going through a drought.
hope you get to soon witness the monarch butterfly emerge and then fly free.
glad you’ve been able to read and crochet more. please post about the girls whenever you want!
some of my family and i went for a nice ride late yesterday afternoon. drove into a little bit of rain from the most beautiful indigo-colored clouds and a whole lot of lightning that continued for hours … loved it! also, in the middle of nowhere (a stand of trees on one side of the road and a cornfield on the other), we saw a huge turkey vulture slowly stroll across the otherwise very quiet road. on these rides into the countryside we’ve seen the expected (miles and miles of crops … green cornstalks turning pale brown and soybean leaves now bright yellow instead of green, lots of cows and horses, some small towns that are thriving and others that need help). also been able to see goats and sheep (including their even-sweeter babies), a person riding a horse along the side of a road, skydivers, a kite-flying party, hot air balloons and a peacock (all in different areas on different days). also an incredibly well-done large reproduction of grant wood’s famous “american gothic” painting on the side of a barn, a group of 40+ tractors being driven to a farmer’s funeral and a surprising number of orange vehicles. also a yard filled with (we’re estimating) 200+ bicycles that get repaired and given away to children in need. acres and acres of sunflowers. acres and acres of brown- or black-eyed susan flowers. a couple (different) huge swooping murmurations of starlings. lots and lots of american flags and very sweet unsupervised produce stands with honesty-boxes for the money to exchange for corn, beans, etc. all of it beautiful. even the turkey vulture.
also saw something that from a distance (driving into a small town) seemed creative … a house with a lawn full of art. up close, though, it was not. there were lots of scary-halloween-style masks, children’s toys and an old tricycle tied up in the trees and large random broken things filled the lawn. the house was black and all over it was painted some lyrics to the children’s song “this little light of mine, i’m going to let it shine” (liked that part, the song) and then someone added the words “and satan will put it out” (which was sad and very disturbing to me). i feel bad for whoever lives there and for their neighbors and pray for them. and hope the police have done a wellness check.
occasionally we also see an old “biden for president” sign/bumper sticker and moreso old “trump/pence” flags.
what a world.
anyway and every day, i am so grateful to be able to take those rides with members of my family (especially after two-plus years of following them in a separate car).
onward …
happy sunday to you all. stay safe.
kathy
Wow Kathy, just wow! You saw all that in one drive? Happy that you got to be with your family.
we take daily rides and go different routes each day. some are shorter (maybe 30 miles), some are 100 miles when we travel through four or five counties. on nearly every ride we see the crops, cows and horses. also orange cars and “dollar general” stores in the bigger small towns around here. the more unexpected things (like skydivers, the tractor cortege, starling murmurations, etc.) have been seen on occasional rides over many miles and on different days, typically just one unexpected thing per ride and not on every ride.
sorry for not being more clear.
and thank you. i am so grateful to be able to spend time with members of my family and won’t have to eat any more holiday meals alone in my car parked outside their homes. (i know everyone has to make their own choices, but i wish more people had been/would get vaccinated.)
how are you? hopefully feeling better and stronger every day and getting to spend time with your loved ones, too!
thanks again.
kathy
Kathy, thank you for sharing all the things you’ve seen on your rides in the country. I haven’t done that in years. It was fun to imagine all the sights you described.
Hope you’re having a good weekend.
hej, denise.
thank you!
these car rides with my family members have helped me so much … including when i followed them on weekends in my own car and we visited by speakers on our phones. better now, of course, for being in one car … and fun to see nature on a much bigger scale and baby animals (wish that could happen more often as they are so sweet) and enjoy some curvy, hilly roads together. :)
i live in des moines. it takes longer to get into the countryside when we head north or east, but it’s all worth it and recommended. hope you can do that some time, if you like!
also hope you and your loves are well and safe. happy sunday!
thanks again.
kathy
Thank you Kathy!
Sounds like a lovely family drive, Kathy. I’m glad you got to see and experience so much.
Stay safe!
thanks, claudia. :)
it’s always a lovely ride. :)
all those things i mentioned, though, were seen over months and many rides. the countryside and animals we see daily are wonderful and great on their own, but unexpected things like a peacock, hot air balloons and the copy of “american gothic” that someone painted on their barn sure do add their own coolness. :)
we will, however, never intentionally drive by that sad, creepy house again.
sorry i wasn’t more clear that those unusual things are seen only occasionally, not on every ride and definitely not all on one ride. iowa has many great things to offer, just usually not all on one day (which is fine). :)
hope you and don are having a nice easy day and feel better soon. stay safe.
thanks again.
kathy
That is a LOT of lawn to mow! Well, Sunday in our house means football. Tonight especially is the years long rivalry, Chicago Bears vs. Green Bay Packers! I am always divided because I grew up in Chicago but went to college in Wisconsin. Just want to see a good game. We are definitely cooling down. The nights and mornings are absolutely beautiful. Enjoy!
That’s only about a third of the lawn we have to mow. The rest we’ll have to do over the next week.
Enjoy football, Deb!
Stay safe.
Glad you’re feeling better, Claudia. Don looks so small mowing your large expanse of green. I’m glad he is pacing himself. I did a quick search for little boy Blythe dolls. There are a few but most look like girls with short hair. Not a lot of clothes out there either but then overalls are overalls and T-shirts are pretty gender neutral unless they have a motif. I’d like a boy because I have a twin brother who passed away last July. We were very close.
I just finished reading all your archived blogs. It was like reading a good book and feeling sad you finished it. Hugs, Elaine
Yes, that’s what I think, too. I’ve seen a few that look like boys, but most look like girsl.
I’m sorry to hear of your brother’s passing, Elaine.
Thank you so much for your kind words about the blog, Elaine. They’re much appreciated.
Stay safe.
hej, elaine…
i am sorry for the loss of your brother. i hope you find comfort in happy memories and God’s presence and promises of eternal life. i will be praying for you and your family.
sending a hug (if okay),
kathy (also a twin, with an identical sister)
Claudia, short or long I’m grateful that you post each day. I look forward to sitting down in the afternoon and reading about what you and Don have been doing. I’m glad your back is starting to feel better.
Blessings to you both.
It is. I actually vacuumed today! But I have to be careful not to push myself.
Thanks so much, Denise.
Stay safe.
same from me for you both, your families and everyone else here.
kathy
My grass is growing like weeds too (and growing weeds in it.) I don’t think we mowed the entire month of July or part of August and it didn’t need it. Now it’s hard to keep up (though we don’t have nearly so much to mow as you two.) I hope you’re both on the mend.
We are. I’m further along than Don.
Thanks, Jeanie.
Stay safe.