Well, we carted all the plant pots inside for the night – I think there were 19 of them. Don carried the heavy pots from the secret garden. Anyway, it did go down to 31 degrees last night – or rather, this morning at 6 am. I’m glad we did it. That should be it until October. After I finish this post, I’ll start moving them back outside.
Some mowing today, I think. Certainly for the secret garden and the lilac side of the lawn. We are getting rain all day Saturday, which is very welcome, as there is a fire watch because it’s so dry. It amazes me how quickly things can change. It was only a few weeks ago that I was worried about trying to get all the grass mowed between endless rainfall. Don couldn’t do it because of his hand. The rivers were raging, there was flooding. And now, we’re too dry.
I miss my robins.
We finally got the ladder out and grabbed the trailer birdhouse for some cleaning. I dumped all of the old nest material and cleaned the inside. Don placed it back in its little niche in the big maple tree. Something is keeping the carolina wrens from moving back in, so maybe a clean house will help.
I gave Maeve a neck joint last year, but her head has always been a little loose, so I took it apart and tried to figure out the problem. Lo and behold, I think I did. It’s much better now. That called for a fresh outfit and some boots and late afternoon photo session on the porch.
Gosh, she’s photogenic.
That’s it, my friends. It’s cold right now, but it’s sunny.
Stay safe.
Happy Thursday.
Gosh, she sure is! Such cute boots, too. I find that style is very easy to put on and they seem to stay on. It’s apple pie day here. I was thinking when the peaches are in season, youcould make a peach pie using frozen peach concentrate. Wouldn’t that be delicious? Don’t overdo the mowing, Claudia. Hugs, Elaine
Thanks, Elaine.
Stay safe.
I was reading that clover makes a really nice lawn. And it doesn’t need mowing. Perhaps you could try planting clover in with your grass in an area and there would be less mowing in the future. Especially in something like your secret garden. It is supposed to be quite beneficial.
But I like mowing!
Stay safe, Jan.
Summer yard work can be a lot but the end results are very pretty.
Mortgages, insurance, food….you name it has sky rocketed in the past few years. I guess we make do with less and less to survive. I pray our leaders get something figured out.
Darlene I agree with you
I do, too, Darlene.
Stay safe.
I want boots just like those Maeve has on! I don’t know how you keep up with such a big property, but it certainly is beautiful!!
Me too! I love those boots.
Stay safe, Jenny.
sometimes things just seem to pile up, don’t they? like the other day. but yesterday sounded better for you, with a mix of productivity, enjoyment and sunshine and i’m glad and wish you more of the better, easier days.
hope you see the wrens soon, too.
running late (distractions, not sleeping well) here so will just add happy, safe thursday to everyone!
kathy
Thanks so much, Kathy.
Stay safe.
dear Claudia/Don — glad you got your plants inside — last nite got down into 40s and tonite into the low 40s–all of my shamrocks covered w/sheets seem to be fine but will cover again tonite and tomorrow nite — it is weird re rainfall — we had rain all winter but now just occasional shower — lots of wind which really takes moisture from the soil. love this red head w/blue-green eyes — seems like I say that every time, LOL!! hope you all stay healthy/safe
We’re going to get rain on Saturday. Thank goodness.
Stay safe, Linda.
Love Maeve’s red hair. I’m glad you rescued the plants and kept them from the cold. We’re due for rain over the weekend, maybe tomorrow. The grass just keeps growing like weeds. Of course, half of it IS weeds, so I guess I can’t complain! It’s not snow!
This time of year, the grass grows like crazy.
Stay safe.
Challenge for you two moving those heavy pots, both the hand and your backs!
Maeve sure is one pretty little girl; that hair; those eyes; those clothes; luv-luv-luv.
Good news; my husband just saw one of his abdominal surgeons from the March surgery and the surgeon declared my husband a success story and they’re done; no more appointments with this particular guy/doctor, and only one more appointment with the other surgeon. (The surgeon of today’s visit revealed that my husband’s surgery was much more complicated than even he, the doctor, had anticipated once my husband was on the operating table; gulp.) Is all a little early: Husband can go off the pureed foods and return as of TODAY to ‘real food’/solid food and whatever/however-much he can or wants to lift, when we’d thought we wouldn’t get an ‘all clear’ til June, so my husband is pretty happy and it’s nice to have some better news around here!
And my dearest-darling, out-of-state cousin who is akin to a little-bit older brother for me (if I’d had one), currently battling aggressive bladder cancer, got thru nine hours of chemo infusion in the hospital last Friday with nary any nausea and he’s not too weak; his niece (they’re only a dozen years apart in age) arrived yesterday from Pennsylvania and they’re going to have a grand time together because he’s not feeling poorly as was anticipated.
So, for as crummy a day as I had yesterday, today is like a whole ‘nuther universe and I AM SO GRATEFUL; thanks for letting me share something happy here on the blog, Claudia! I can’t contain my relief for these men in my life who mean so much to me.
Such happy news, Vicki, of course it had to be shared. Hugs, Elaine
Thanks, Elaine; I’m feeling the love here; you’re all such special readers and Claudia is the best blog owner/host.
Thanks for sharing such upbeat & happy news, Vicki!
Wishing you and those you care about love, laughter, less stress, and joy!
Stay safe & well.
Aren’t you a dear to comment; it means a lot to me; thank you Amy. Back atcha on staying safe, well and happy!
Vicky I am so happy for the wonderful news about your husband
Thank you for sharing😊
I’m overwhelmed by everyone’s kindness here. Thank you, Linda, for being happy for me and my family. It’s Friday now and I hope you have a wonderful weekend.
Such good news, Vicki! What did your husband choose for his first real food? Jen
Well, not that I was totally approving, just because I was over-cautious even though I’m not the doctor, but he got a burrito at Taco Bell. Of course it was vegetarian, mushed-up beans, and at least it was soft per se except that a flour tortilla can be chewy to swallow and he hasn’t even eaten a slice of bread yet (much less toast). But then (sorry to bring this up, Claudia; you and I feel the same way about meat), too much too soon, he ate a piece of fried chicken today from the deli at the grocery market and they make it ‘way too crisp. He’d gone into the store to buy me some lettuce but that hot-food counter had enticing aromas for him; he got tempted.
Claiming he only ate the meat and not the crispy skin of the poor chicken, it set him off into a fit of coughing to where he lost his voice. It was an alarming, LOUD, violent amount of unstoppable coughing to where I was thinking, oh wow, even though he doesn’t have heart trouble, isn’t that hard on the heart? He couldn’t stop the coughing; it was just staccato nonstop coughing, THAT hard and for THAT long. I was too frightened to show my frustration with him; although, if I didn’t love him so much, I nearly would have said, “Well, served you right!” (But of course I’d never say it! When things didn’t seem to get better, the only thing on my mind was that I’d better find the car keys and get him to the ER; like, I think I expected the next thing to be blood coming out of his mouth.)
Frankly, it scared us both silly but not silly-fun, silly-panicky. I scrambled to make him hot tea with lemon and honey; it’s what my mom always gave me when I’d be coughing too much from asthma as a kiddo. He got really quiet. I said, “Are you okay?” He said, “I’m just worried now; everything in the throat area feels really irritated.” I said, “Okay, then, this was a warning; you can’t just dive into a piece of fried chicken after almost two whole months of eating pureed food; what were you thinking?” He nodded his head, poor guy, and I immediately went online and bought some cough drops/soothing lozenges (they didn’t want him using those before now, so I wasn’t stocked at home; I got mild-mildest types; I hope it’s okay for him, we’ll see how tomorrow goes first; he’s going to put a call into the doctor and let them tell us); my order will be delivered tomorrow; I purchased several kinds; in the meantime, he has some good-quality lemon drops/hard candy and he said they have helped.
I couldn’t believe it, thinking OMG we just had a wonderful report and now this! I’m sure everything will be okay; he sees the second/other surgeon next week; so it’s a situation which will be monitored. I can guarantee my husband will NOT be eating a piece of fried chicken anytime soon if ever again, not after THIS. You know, that kind of coughing is exhausting; he couldn’t budge for a little while and, even now, he’s sitting on the sofa almost like he’s comatose but I’m keeping an eye out! We’re approaching the dinner hour (we’re a little late at 6:30pm; on delay because of the blip in the afternoon here!) and if he’s even hungry after such a time, the choice is some good, hot, nourishing, softest-veggies soup. I’m no cook but I can certainly warm up some soup as we have a big pot of it already made.
But thanks, Jen. Whew; all will be well. We live and learn!
Very happy to hear this, Vicki.
xo
Thank you, Claudia!
xo
A day late here…but I wanted to say how happy I am for you and your husband! Happy news is the best news!! Enjoy your day! ;)
Donnamae, so sweet of you to respond; I never expected the thoughtful comments from Claudia’s readers like this; you are all so terrific (including Claudia!). Have a great weekend; hope everything is going well there in beautiful Wisconsin. I just got an email from some kind of Chamber of Commerce or something from Door County and they’re speaking of cherry-blossom time. I want to go to Wisconsin a lot but not nearly as much as my husband who has fallen in love with your state although he’s never been there!
I feel like I spoke too soon of my husband getting the green-light-go (maybe you can see my new comment on this thread about how he reacted with a piece of fried chicken [NOT GOOD; BAD CHOICE TODAY!!]) but I know he’ll continue to be fine, just more careful as he becomes reacquainted with How To Eat 101 again!!
Thanks, Vicki.
Stay safe.
Hmm, do the Carolina wrens and the robinsnest at different times, so when one family vacates, you can clean out the trailer and the next family moves in? Just wondering. You are such good birdie landlords!
The Carolina wrens usually check out the birdhouse in early spring, so I doubt they’ll do it now, but always hopeful!
Stay safe, Wendy.
Maeve is one of my favorites. That hair and that face! It has been rainy and cool here today. I’ll enjoy it while I can.
I always wanted red hair, Linda! I guess I can experience it vicariously through Maeve.
Stay safe.
I almost loved my Midge more than my Barbie (growing up in the early 60s with those girls) because my particular Midge was a redhead (even though I know some Midges were blonde or brunette)! My best neighborhood friend (for my whole life from the time we were born til we were off to community college just after high school) had a gorgeous head of red hair and with soft wave to it … but she HATED her red hair. I always remember an outfit she got for I think start of sophomore year, age 15; went school-clothes shopping with her mom into The City (L.A. here in SoCalif). It was a tasteful mossy-green, wool-plaid skirt with palest rose-pink in the plaid (my mother would say, ‘did you ever know a redhead who didn’t like pink?’) and she got a solid green pullover, cashmere-y soft sweater to match; I thought it was one of the prettiest ensembles I’d ever seen at that age; imagine how beautiful that green looked on her with the natural, LOVELY, wavy red hair (perfect shade of red)! (Neither of her daughters got the red hair; the husband was blonde but both girls were brunettes. I’m hoping somewhere down the generations, somebody will pick up the red hair again in that family’s genes!)
Red hair is a wonderful thing.