Home Ownership

or Alas, that's the way it goes.

Among other things, the exhaust pipe to our furnace has to be replaced.

When we first bought a house, I was overwhelmed with all of the things we needed to set up. I knew that we would need curtains and a few more pieces of furniture. However, I hadn't thought about all of the other things we would need like trash cans, rakes, a garden hose, a lawn mower, etc. I was annoyed that we had to buy all of these necessities that cost a lot of money so that there wasn't much left for fun house things. I would have rather been picking out a comforter for my new bedroom than to be picking out a new trashcan for the garage. But, alas, that's the way it goes when you own a home.

As I adjusted to spending money for boring, but necessary items, I had to adjust to spending money for repairs instead of fun house projects. For example, we had to spend money to fix the plumbing rather than  redo the kitchen. But, alas, that's the way it goes.


And this is how it went in home ownership this week. We found out that our furnace needed a couple of thousand dollars in repairs. I wasn't happy with the news because I had other ideas for that money-like maybe a nice vacation next summer. But once again, alas, that's the way it goes.

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Note:

• Ward might beg to differ about what is boring stuff and what's not. I think he much rather would have been shopping for a trashcan at Home Depot than shopping for a comforter in T. J. Maxx. 

• Also, I may be upset about the cost of the furnace repairs, but I'm the first to admit that I would rather have heat this winter than a big vacation next summer.

A Second Look--August 29, 2012

There is a hint of fall in the air even though the temperatures are still near 90. Only a few of the summer flowers are hanging on, and the fall blooms have just started with Autumn Joy Sedum being the first. In fact, I wouldn't have even noticed the sedum if it hadn't been for the bees buzzing around it. 

Also, the mushrooms and fungi are more common now. I don't know why that's a fall thing, but I noticed them more in the fall last year also. Now that I've done the Second Look for over year now, I'm starting to notice cycles that I've never noticed before. And I guess that's not really important in the grand scheme of things, except it makes me happy to figure this out. As I have mentioned before, "Sometimes it is the small stuff..."

Here's what I saw this week during a Second Look.

Bee on Autumn Joy Sedum

Do you see the grass skirt that Wally and I saw around this tree?

Coleus bloom

I don't know what kind of bird this fluffy, white feather came from.

Fungus on rotting tree stump

Bee on purple sage blossom

Autumn is coming.

Today

Today...

Look What I Found

or Sunflower Fields Forever

This is a crop for a local farmer.

 
Yesterday Ward and I visited the world-famous LeDew Gardens in Monkton, MD. Their claim to fame is topiairies with the most famous being a scene from a fox hunt.The day was overcast with the promise of thunderstorms which meant that we were practically by ourselves. We got an individual tour of Mr. Ladew's house and were alone most of the time while we wandered among the gardens. Did I mention that it was a perfect day? 

And do you know what topped it off? On the way home we found a large field of sunflowers. You may remember that we had a difficult hunt a couple of weeks ago for some sunflower fields. We eventually found them, and while they were pretty, they were engulfed with invasive vines.  The fields we found yesterday were very different. They were essentially void of weeds and were spectacular even in the rain that had just started to fall. 

You never know what you may find when you're not looking.

A Few of the Things We Saw at Ledew Gardens.

The hounds and riders of a fox hunting scene. If you look carefully, you will see one rider jumping over the fence and another to the side of him.

Passion vine flower

Terrace Garden leading up to house

Iris Garden. This is more colorful in the spring when the iris are blooming.

Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden

Swans riding waves in the Great Bowl Garden

Butterfly in the Pink Garden

Sculpture Garden

Thankful Sunday--August 26, 2012

I am thankful that peach season is still hanging on.

Wish you could smell this heavenly peach.