This and That

 AKA Speed Blogging or Stream of Consciousness 

When I last visited with you, I shared that we were "babysitting" monarch butterfly chrysalises for friends while they were out of town. We watched a total of 7 emerge over the week, and it never got old. As time went on, I learned to "read" the chrysalises and know when a hatching was imminent. When that happened, I checked on them every few minutes. I was a bit obsessed. 😊

We released each on flowers, so they would have ready nectar if they wanted it. They all had their own way with interacting with the world for the first time. Some flew into the sky immediately, and others hung around on the plant for several minutes before they went exploring. 

We have a fair number of swallowtail and skipper butterflies in the yard, but no monarchs. So when I saw a monarch fly by in the yard yesterday, I thought it was one of the babies. So exciting. I've had a smile practically all week watching these velvet-winged beauties.

I'm not sure what else has been going on except that the weather went back into the 90s this week with "feels like" temperatures in the 100s. I am so happy that we have AC. But the humidity is not a friend to my hair. Can you say Brillo pad? That's what my frizz reminds me of. But that's a small price to pay for being outside. Even in the heat, I like to spend a little time out there. But once again, I will say that I am happy to have AC to retreat to.

Not a monarch, but a hummingbird moth.

We've been working on plans for the next few months, including a couple of local trips. I'm a planner and always feel better when I have a plan. The next question is whether we're going to take a trip to celebrate our wedding anniversary at the end of November. 

Now that we're retired, we have more flexibility in our schedule to do these things. My older friends strongly advise me to travel now while we still have reasonable health. However, I've never been a big traveler for various reasons, so it often takes me out of my comfort zone. But that's good for me. 

There goes my timer, so that's it for now.

Until next time...

This and That Pictures

Here's a random group of pictures that don't tell any kind of story except maybe what I find interesting. Not all are great pictures, but they remind me of things I've seen. My father-in-law once said he didn't care much about a picture's quality if it was good enough to remind him of something, and I think that applies here. 

This was the first time I had seen a little free art gallery.

A mural advertising Sykesville Days.

We're harvesting a few pears these days. It's always a race against the critters and rot.

A new fence around a church we saw on our outing the other day. A bird has made quick work on one of the posts.

A restored steam engine tractor in Parkersburg, WV. Of course, Ward was very interested in figuring out how it worked.

The town where my father was born and the cemetery where we found the graves of my great-grandparents and great-uncles. My sister supplied some interesting stories about them. It is true that there have been moonshiners in WV. :)

These giant metal roosters seem to be a trend in the Parkersburg area.

When we visit somewhere, we usually collect magnets as our souvenirs. Thanks to Hannah at Squishy Tulips for the idea of displaying them. (Frames from a thrift store.)

This is a weevil that we found attached to the end of a roll of toilet paper. Somehow, we didn't get a picture for scale, but the actual insect was quite small, about 1/4" long. I took it outside, and it eventually disappeared. I can tell you I look more closely at the toilet paper before I use it now. :)

This is another of those things that's hard to discern in the picture. The trunk of this tree was little more than bark, yet it supported growth on top of it. 

That's 10 things, so I guess that's a good time to wind up today's gallery. 

Until next time...

This and That

 Otherwise known as Speed Blogging or a Check-In (with unrelated flower pictures from the yard)

Allium

Has anyone else been having this problem with Blogger? It used to be that the blogs I followed would show up in my reading list pretty much as soon as they were published. Now, they are hours or days late. Yesterday, I got notice of some posts that had been published four days earlier. And when I get notice for the late ones, they don't show up at the top of the list. They nest themselves in the list with the time they were published. All of this means that I am missing some posts and/or not commenting on them until days later. This is certainly a small problem in the grand scheme of things, but I find it annoying. You are my friends out there, and I like checking in with you. I guess I could do some research and see if there is a fix for this. But you know how it is; it's always easier to complain than to take action. 😀

The Japanese beetles have found the roses.

For the last month or so, I've been on a decluttering kick. In a few spots, it was because I was running out of room. However, in most places, it was time to open drawers and boxes and sort shelves that haven't been looked at in a couple of years or even decades. The work has been tedious, but I'm making progress. 

And so have the lantern fly nymphs.

First, I went through all of my clothes. I'm not a clothes horse by any shape, but I still found a lot to donate. Now that I don't have to worry about work clothes, I don't need as many options as before.

Next up was the family room. I went through every shelf and drawer in there and found more things to donate or recycle. I spent the most time going through old letters, emails I had printed, and notes from over the years. I guess you would call my papers a very large, unorganized journal. Much of it was recycled, especially emails that reminded me of some of the difficult times. I don't need to relive the details of them. Some of the letters and notes I saved with the idea that I would write up some of the stories about Wally and Theo's early years. They definitely exemplified the phrase, "Kids say the darndest things." But that will be a huge task for another day.

We aren't getting much action on our butterfly bush, but they seem to like the nearby coneflowers.

Next, I moved into our office. I started with a tall bookcase that is home to many more things than books. That has been sorted, including one of the important things: our gift card basket. We truly appreciate gift cards when we get them, but are not the best at using them. They go into the basket and are then out of sight and out of mind. We have inventoried them all and got balances on some of them. A few of them are old enough (no PIN) that we need to take them to the store to see their value. And unfortunately, a couple of the stores are no longer in business. I'm going to blame Ward for these because they were ones he got at the gym for winning some kind of contest. (Anyone remember Sports Authority?)

Balloon flower from Ward's grandmother. Yes, it's blooming in the middle of Lamb's Ear.

We are slowly starting to use them. We zeroed out a Domino's card and found out the store closest to us had moved several miles away. We didn't figure it out until we showed up at the old location to pick up our carryout. However, they moved in April, and I was a little surprised that we haven't ordered our pizza since then. 

Another day, we spent a Target gift card on some groceries. The card was a metal Star Wars-themed card that I think played music at one point. The young man who checked us out was totally fascinated by the card and loved it. I left the empty card with him, and he was very happy. Sometimes, it's so easy to make someone's day.

Well, my time is up. I need to go get ready for a line dance class at the gym.

Until next time...

This and That

Time seems to fly by without me getting around to a blog update, so I'm going to make it happen this morning. I think I'll do it mostly in pictures because we all know they're worth 1,000 words. 😀

Ward is back from the cruise he took with one of our line dance groups to the Bahamas. He had a great time. Too bad that I'm so prone to motion sickness, or I would have gone along. He was on the smaller ship.

The deer have enjoyed munching on various things.
They really liked this big pot of parsley.

The crows seem to prefer flowers. These were full of blooms until the crows had a meal.

I guess all of God's critters gotta eat, but Ward has built a fence around our garden to hopefully direct them elsewhere.  I have great plans for this enclosed space next year. And maybe this year, the deer won't eat all of our tomatoes. 

I'm hoping this little guy is eating some of the mosquitoes in the yard.

And speaking of the garden, it's zucchini time. Last night I tried some in the air fryer with a little seasoning and Parmesan cheese. It was delicious.

We had several days with temperatures of 100°F or more.
 Finally, we had a storm and rain that broke the heat. Yay!

The heat has kept me mostly inside, so I'm on a decluttering kick. I've gone through everything in the family room, starting with these shelves. Books are hard to get rid of, but we did manage to donate some. Now, I'm working in the office. Decluttering is never a fun job, and Ward hates it, but I will say he is cooperating nicely. 

Well, that's all the exciting news for today.

Until next time...

This and That

 I think it's time for a little speed blogging. 

So let's see. What's been happening around here lately? 

For the early part of the week, we had a heat wave with temperatures in the 90s. So each morning, we got up and out early to work outside before it got too hot. I have been continuing to plant flowers and veggies, and I think I have filled most of the beds and pots. Now, to keep everything watered until it becomes established. With the heat every day, that took a lot of watering.

Allium moly. This didn't need watering. It is well-established.

However, last night we had a storm and a cold front come through. I heard at exercise today that we are going to have 10 straight days of rain. I guess I don't have to worry about watering; I'll have to worry about things rotting. Once again, I'm glad that I'm not a farmer and at the mercy of the weather for my livelihood. I appreciate all the people who are.

I planted some old seeds I got at a seed swap. We'll see if any of them come up. They are all perennials, and I will move them around if I have any success.

And speaking of exercise, you may remember that one of my goals when I retired a year ago was to get more regular exercise. I reported on my progress here for a while as I was trying to establish routines. I am happy to report that I am still exercising about 4-5x/week, with a mix of aerobics, strength training, and stretching. I like the line dancing I do, but still consider the other things not fun. But I do like the social aspect of some of the classes. That makes up for some arduous exercises. 

There goes the timer. It's time to get up from the computer and move to a bigger screen--the TV and watch and old Doris Day and Cary Grant movie. A good wind-down to the evening.

Until next time...

This and That and the Weather

 I'm finding it harder to blog these days, so I thought it was time for some speed blogging. 

Here it goes. 

Protected from the outdoor weather, the cactus continues to bloom.

I was remembering a quote about the weather, so I went looking in an old blog post, and I found it.

Don't knock the weather; nine-tenths of the people couldn't start a conversation if it didn't change once in a while.  ~Kin Hubbard

This is so true. For me, anyway. I talk about the weather with my neighbors. I talk about the weather with Ward. I talk about the weather with Wally and Theo. I talk about the weather with my sisters. I talk about the weather at the gym. I talk about the weather on my blog and other blogs. Anyone I can get to listen, I will talk about the weather. The weather is the common denominator for all of us. Rich or poor. Big or little. Old or young. We all experience it, and it's the one thing we really don't have control over. So we talk about it as a way to connect with others, whether complaining or praising what is happening outside. And because I'm not so good at chitchat, the weather is a good conversation starter.

So guess what I'm going to talk about today? The weather. 

After the big ice snow storm finally melted and the rain stopped, I ventured into the backyard on Saturday to see if I could find any signs of spring. The birds were already feeling it. They were starting to sing and show off their bright mating colors.

Could the plants be far behind? Lo and behold, I found some green leaves poking their head above the ground. The pictures below don't look like much, but I was excited to find these green leaves among the brown.

The first thing I found was daffodil leaves. 

Next were the emerging surprise lilies. 

Then, I went around the corner and found some of the crocus bulbs I planted last fall. You may remember I did an impulse buy of 64 crocus bulbs from Costco. I didn't have a specific place to plant them, so I just placed them here and there. This spring will be like a treasure hunt as I find them all.

And look! Hiding under the fig tree were some actual blooms! That definitely got a big smile. 

Then on Sunday, the rain returned, and we had rain with occasional snowflakes mixed in all day. When we left for our 5 pm swing dance class, it was raining, and the roads were wet. When we left class an hour later, it was snowing hard and sticking. The drive home was tense. Amid heavy snow, fog, and darkness, we couldn't see much, including any road markings. But we made it home without an incident. Thank goodness. 

Monday morning snow. We were lucky that we were on the outer bands of the blizzard that hit New England, where they 2' or more of snow. We got about 7".

Two days later, the snow is still around, but the roads are clear and normal activities have resumed. However, winter fatigue is setting in with just about everyone I talk to. But we wouldn't appreciate spring if we didn't have winter. I am very happy to live in a place with four distinct seasons. I don't really like the very hot and cold weather, but I do appreciate the changes. When I lived along the Gulf Coast, the seasons were not so distinct, and I hadn't realized until then how important the changing seasons were in refreshing my mental outlook. And for that I am thankful.

Well, time's up. I had the time set for 11 minutes today, but I had to reset it.

Until next time...

This and That

 I think it's time for some speed blogging. The timer today is set at 14 minutes.  

We won't be putting up any Christmas decorations until after Thanksgiving.

Anne at Cooking and All That Jazz has been doing a countdown 'til Christmas for weeks (months?) now.  Reading her posts about what she has done toward the holidays makes me anxious every time I read them. But it isn't even Thanksgiving yet, I tell myself. However, I have several gifts ordered and am working on ideas for others. We don't have elaborate decorations, so I don't need to start too far ahead of time. The weekend after Thanksgiving, the fall wreath will come down, and the holiday one will go up. The outdoor lights go up then, too, if the weather cooperates. A weekend or two after that, the tree will go up. 

Recently, we had a tree taken down, but before that happened, we had to remove the rock pile we had around it. We have very rocky soil, so when we dig up rocks in our various flower beds, we add them to the pile. We have accumulated quite a few since we started doing this. As we were moving the rocks, I felt like I was working on a prison chain gang. But I like rocks, and I like my pile. Just because.

As we moved the rocks, we sorted them into small, medium, and large sizes. This helps when we go to the pile for a rock for a particular use.

And speaking of maintenance projects, we figured out this week that we have a leak around the bow window in our living room. The window is only a few years old and didn't appear to be compromised, so we surmised the likely culprit was cracked caulking in several places around the outside of the window. After some major bush trimming to be able to get ladders in place, Ward did the tedious job of recaulking. While he did that, I cleared the debris that had been cut. I hope this fixes things because leaks are so hard to figure out sometimes. At least we know it hasn't been going on for long, so there shouldn't be much damage to the wood around the window. Fingers crossed. 

Installing the bow window a few years ago. Ward recaulked the outside of it.

While I enjoy the company of others, I am an introvert, and new social situations are not easy for me. However, when I was asked to join a bowling league, I said, "Sure." Not because I was dying to go bowling, but because I thought it would be good for me to get out of my comfort zone. I have only bowled occasionally throughout my life, with years and years between games. I'm usually happy if fewer than half of my balls end up in the gutter. But this is a fun league, not competitive, so it was a good fit in that way. 

Last week, I went for my first time. Our local bowling alley does duckpin bowling, which uses smaller balls and pins, and you get three balls/frame. On the surface, that sounds easier than 10-pin bowling, but it has a set of challenges of its own. So, what did I think? The people were friendly and not too serious, but I'm not sure I like bowling. However, I'm going again this week. We'll see how I do.

My 14-minute timer is going off, so that's it for today. I'll set it again one more time to find some pictures to insert.

Until next ... 

This and That Check In

More mums are blooming in the yard.

I haven't done an exercise check in for a while, so I thought it was time. I continue to attend classes 4-5 times per week, unless there is something else on the schedule, such as a doctor's appointment. I like the line dance classes I go to and am becoming more comfortable each week. However, I wouldn't say that I like the rest of the classes. I go because they are good for me, and I don't seem to be able to push myself as hard as I need to when left to my own devices. I tried that for years, and an organized class is what I need. And now that I have the flexibility in my schedule since retirement, I can do them regularly.

However, in this morning's class, I pulled something in my groin and couldn't do some of the exercises. Hopefully, it will correct itself before too long, and I'll be back to my regular aches and pains.

Here are a few more things that have been happening around here recently.

Yesterday, Theo came over and we cooked a pot of split pea soup together. After having it for lunch, we each had a good amount to eat this week. The time before this, we made pizza beans (lima beans with a pizza twist). We still have some of those in the freezer.

After lunch, Theo casually mentioned that they were having
a family day at work, so off we went. They had lots of food and games,
but Ward was most interested in learning about the pallet jacks.

Last weekend, Ward and I volunteered to help with therapy dog certifications. The dogs and handlers have to go through a series of tests before they can go out into places like schools and hospitals. Our part was to help simulate the places they go to. For example, Ward was the grumpy old man with a walker, and I was a loud arguer. I loved watching how eager the dogs were to please. This was Zoe, a 9-year-old golden retriever who was being recertified. Recertification happens every two years.

On Friday, we planted a new crepe myrtle tree. It didn't look so big or heavy
in the nursery. I'm glad we paid for delivery, and Ward was able to dig
the planting hole where he had to cut through big roots and rocks. 

Another color of mum in bloom, along with pollinating visitors.

That's about all I can think of for now.

Until next time...

Hello, There!

 When we last spoke, I was telling you all about the local fair. But before that, I mentioned that Ward was going to Poland for almost three weeks. Two weeks down and a few more days to go. It's been an incredible trip for him, but he's getting tired. (I haven't taken any photos since the fair, so I'll include random pictures from Ward's trip.)

He went hiking in the Tatra Mountains.

I, on the other hand, miss him, but have been enjoying my time. Well, enjoying sounds like it's better when Ward's not around. That's not true at all, but when you don't have to coordinate with anyone else, time seems to expand.

Besides going wild and eating onions, raw and cooked to my heart's content (onions are not Ward's favorite), I have been getting around to some things that I've been thinking about for months (years?).

One of the first things I did was clean up my gardening area in the garage. It had become a dumping spot expanding beyond its shelves, and maneuvering around the cars was challenging at times. Well, it's all organized now, and I'm ready to plant those 60 crocus bulbs I bought at Costco on impulse. I love crocuses, but I'm not sure where I'm going to put them all. That's a problem for another day. :)

Poland's version of a city limits sign.

Next up was the craft room, which is really a misnomer because I don't do many crafts, but I have supplies in there if the mood decides to strike. There are also plants, a sewing machine and fabrics, photos, office supplies, linens, and anything else we're not sure where to put. It has been purged and organized, at least at a first level. I would actually leave the door open now if we had company. It should remain in pretty good shape until we start using it for wrapping Christmas presents. Then somehow entropy takes over again.

I have started, but not completed, a project in the basement. Last fall, we had a leak in the basement, and it ruined the carpet. We had a new floor put in, but first we had to move everything from the finished part to the unfinished part. The major furniture has been moved back, but not any of the rest of the stuff, including many shelves of photo albums and loose photos. I thought I would organize them before I put them back. The task is overwhelming and has prevented me from starting. 

So, I decided that I would just neaten them up and put them back on the shelves. I had photos organized well until Wally was about 10. Then it's all hit or miss. Photos are hard because there are so many memories that come with them. Nevertheless, I have made progress. The goal is to get the stuff moved that is in front of our holiday decorations before we need them.

He's been eating lots of pierogi. 

I'm happy to report that as a result of my various efforts, I donated five boxes of stuff and filled a big recycling bin and a trash bin. 

Also, for years, I've been saying that I need to go to bed earlier because I wake early without enough sleep. I have been successful in doing that these last couple of weeks, and it's helping. I'll see if I can get Ward on the program when he comes back. He's going to be all messed up from jet lag, so might as well reorient with the new schedule. 

And I've been keeping up my exercise and gardening, and I got to meet a brand new nephew. Today, I made pesto, and yesterday I cooked and froze turnip greens. Wild times here! 😁

Until next time...

This and That

The good weather of August has followed us into September with temperatures in the 70s. As Ward kept saying, "Best August ever!" August is often our hottest month with temperatures in the 90°Fs with humidity to match. Unfortunately, we haven't had any measurable rain with those good temperatures, but there is a promise of a thunderstorm this afternoon.

Turns out our surprise vine is a pumpkin plant. Unfortunately, this is next to Ward's shop, which was treated extensively for termites, and we can't eat anything grown here.
However, I plan to decorate with it. 

The summer vegetables gave up weeks ago, but the fall veggies are up to varying degrees. I planted turnips, rutabagas, beets, spinach, and lettuce. However, Uncle Billy has been sharing some of his harvest, and I'm presently eating tomatoes, peppers, and watermelon from him. 

And I say "I" instead of "we" because Ward is on a trip to Poland with his brother, and will be gone almost 3 weeks. Besides seeing the sights, they plan to do some genealogy research in the little town their great-grandfather immigrated from. It's been years since Ward has been away more than a night or two, so it's taking some adjusting on my part. But one of the first things I did was buy a big onion. Ward doesn't like onions, so we don't have them as often as I might otherwise. That's the wild living I'm doing while I'm on my own. :)

Ward spent his first night in this 1700s inn. 

I am continuing to do well with getting regular exercise. Recently, I've been trying some harder classes, both aerobically and strength-wise, and I am definitely challenged. I had planned to go to a class this morning, but I'm not feeling it. We'll see what happens. I still have time. Thursday is usually when I go to a line dance class, but I will be busy this afternoon when it is taught.

I am going to be helping with the local fair that I participate in every year. This is my first time being behind the scenes, and I will be helping to take in entries. But first, I have to get everything entered that we have, including a side table that Ward made. The hard part is always getting from the parking lot to the entry building with all the stuff. Cut flowers in water are always a challenge.  I will figure it out somehow. 

The beauty berries are starting to turn to this fun purple color.

But first, I need to do some fair entry prep here at home, so I'd better go.

Until next time...