Merry Christmas

Went to my daughter's last week (she is sheltering and it is about the only place we go). She showed me the amaryllis, 3 in fact that, she had planted and were blooming.  This above is just one and isn't it beautiful?  She is such a remarkable gardener.  I have never attempted to do this, but for Christmas it is just amazing!

We have been sheltering still, doing some small construction projects...well the Mr. is doing that and below you can see that Bogie crawled into one of those plastic shoe box size containers.  The Mr. had just a couple of small tools in it to assist in removing some old baseboards and the crazy cat thought it would be a great bed.  He doesn't realize that he is getting too big for these things.  Every morning the two of them play under the tree with  whatever treasures they find to hide there during the night.  They amuse us so much! 
I have been working on a quilt that needed to be finished still and baking some cookies, but this Christmas will be different for lots of folks, and we will not be traveling.  I did not even send cards this year for the first time since I have been married, but will answer some of those we receive.  We are blessed, but some of our family are struggling with illness and with the vaccine now on the near horizon, surely our new year will be a much better year for all of us.  My neighbor said it has been a year from hell and for some, that's a good description.  

Merry Christmas and a better New Year is our hope for all!
 

Sheltering still

It has been how long now since we began sheltering?  I find it difficult to find anything to blog about as each day seems to start and end just like the previous one.  We have opted not to send Christmas cards and I did mention in last year's letter that it might just be the last.  That was before the pandemic emerged with a vengeance.  We order nearly everything we can as so many others are doing and the strain on the delivery people is apparent.  So many of our orders arrive late in the evening and with the holiday upon us, the demand for delivery has increased.  We do everything we can to acknowledge the service workers and the health care workers who especially are becoming overworked.  Mail carriers have increased loads and postage is not really an essential for the most part.  We receive very little mail of any significance since we do most business on line.  I plan to communicate with friends though as time goes by.  

    That brings me to another important item.  At least it is important to me.  My friends know that I like to stay in touch, but we have had some dropped calls recently.  In fact..a lot. Not knowing exactly what the problem was and not getting a definite answer from my carrier, we opted to go with a new phone.  I really don't like to spend money on phones, but they are essential.  It seems now, that we simply have lousy service for some reason.  This issue became a burr under my saddle just recently as I never had a problem in the past year.  We have purchased a signal amplifier for cell phones and it arrived last night (delivery personnel again) ~ bless 'em.  That will be an adventure getting it installed and determining if it will improve things. Wish us luck!

In the past, I have written about our kittens, who have now become almost full grown cats.  At least they eat like cats!  They are so darned entertaining and above you can see that Bogie found a shoe insert in my closet, drug it down the hall and into the living room.  He will wrestle with it and pack it all over the house.  They love the Christmas tree skirt..not the tree especially, but they hide things under the tree skirt.  Then they literally get it bunched up and pulled away from the tree trying to find the treasures they hide.  I heard that cats don't like oranges but when I hid orange peel under the skirt, they just made a game of hunting for them and playing with them.  

With my new sewing machine, I am finally getting some of the quilts finished. This panel was purchased years ago, but it is getting quilted. And by the way, that machine is a big improvement over the old one which was pretty good actually.  Life is good, we are healthy and happy and getting pretty accustomed to a life of leisure since we have very little obligations now that staying home is the norm.  This will not last forever folks..mask up, social distance, wash your hands and don't be selfish in thinking this is an inconvenience for you. 

"To the world you just may be one person, but to one person you may be the world." ~ 

Josephine Billings
 

Christmas with kittens

I have had cats for years, mostly indoor/outdoor cats, but never two kittens.  Although they are about 7 months and nearly full-grown, they are still playful kittens.  The tree went up yesterday and I knew that I would not be able to have all of my beautiful glass ornaments and icicles on it.  I have had several trees at one time for Christmas in the past, so I have had a lot of different ornaments and culled a lot before we moved.  I did get plenty of unbreakable decorations on the tree and the cats love napping under it and trying to play with the lower ornaments.  No harm done!  But above I made a few new ones after getting instructions from a friend for the hats and I used batting for the mittens.

These kittens are a lot of fun though and they have been a blessing during this time of sheltering.  We had a lovely Thanksgiving, although I think the turkey got a little too done.  Erica and Jeffery came and we are all acutely aware of masks and sheltering.  So many are not taking precautions even now as we lose more people. 

I have had so many calls dropped from my phone this week..actually every call has dropped once or twice.  So, we did truck out safely to the Verizon store and I did get a new phone.  Turns out, the calls are still dropping.  So----it must be our provider.  But on the other hand, nearly everyone I have spoken to has had the same issue...perhaps not as often as me but it is so frustrating.  Covid?  I am sure that there are so many using all of our technology now that some systems just overload.  There are vaccines on the horizon and I will be in line for sure. I was about 10 when the polio vaccine was available.  My father had us in line for that as soon as it was being given.  My grandmother's neighbor had a daughter in an iron lung with polio and he would take me to look through her window to wave to her and tell me that I wouldn't have to be in one of those with the vaccination and we weren't allowed to play with her sister.  I have known several people who were affected with polio.  Some of the long term affects of Covid are now becoming apparent, and there may be more. 

We try to carry on as normally as we can, being aware of our actions, but staying vigilant.  When my phone allows, I stay in touch with friends and family who understand the situation.  Things will get better.

"Masquerading as a normal person day after day is exhausting." ~ Anonymous

 

Sheltering days

I have been quilting on a Janome straight stitch machine for about 10 years and have completed numerous quilts (too many to count or remember), and it finally began to give me some unwelcome issues.  I also had another much more complicated machine that I really didn't use much, but it wasn't designed for quilting the way that I needed.  Don't get me wrong, it was a really nice machine, but since I have been home most of the time, I researched some and the Mr. and I decided that I would get a new machine.  I gave my daughter the fancier machine, and actually, this one does everything that I need and it does a great job of replacing the old quilter as well as replacing the fancier stitching machine without the embroidery functions.  We did order it from Amazon and it arrived as expected even though it was delayed by a storm in Utah.  I am excited to use it and with all of the available videos on UTUBE, I have been able to get instructions.

 This is a quilt that I started in Wyoming and even before I could get a good picture, "Bogie" decided to check it out for comfort. I did quilt it with the machine above, but it was a learning experience and is just so-so.  The cats like it. I am saddened that our nation's residents are dying at rates so high at this time of the year.  In the past I have encouraged friends to wear masks, but encountered those at home in Wyoming who seemed to doubt the science.  Please, please, don't have large gatherings and take precautions.  Remember to thank the health care workers who are being pushed beyond limits and don't complain for the inconvenience of wearing a mask.  The life you save might be your own or a loved one.

Thanksgiving will come next year again, if we can survive the doubters and the misinformation.  This disease doesn't kill only the elderly or those with pre-existing conditions.

Quiet on the home front

 There is nothing much happening in my life and I am blessed for that.  Blogging while sheltering is pretty difficult. The election is over and I surely hope that we will all feel the need to be kinder, cease the violence and name calling and unite to end this drama and work together to control the epidemic.  With deaths mounting daily and cases increasing at a rate not seen since the beginning I hurt for the individuals infected because of the careless attitude of others.  

My pinecone did explode as I was told! I went to check it one morning last week and fall apart and when I tried to pick it up, it just fell apart.  The tree outside still has all of the cones on it still, but they are brown and I anticipate the explosions to begin anytime now.  Weird!

 I tried to count the number of quilts I have made with my tractor of a sewing machine and it is in excess of 45.  That includes the piecing and the quilting and tons of other sewing and mending.  It has begun to wear out I fear and it is only a straight stitch machine.  That means that I need another for any other stitching I want to do.  I do have a beautiful machine that does most anything including some embroidery.  However, I don't really use that feature and two machines require space that I really don't have since we downsized.  Although I am in a bedroom of a decent size, I really do not need two machines if I can do both with one.  The Mr. has ordered me another machine which will be here this week.  It has a larger throat, 10 1/2", and will sew through 8 layers of denim.  In addition, it has 170 decorative stitches and is the same brand of the machines I now have.  I like these Janome's and this one also has a metal body..not plastic.  It is similar to my straight stitch in that I can free motion with it. So since my other machine is in excellent condition and was serviced just before we moved, I am giving it to my daughter.  I have been ripping out stitches on the quilt I have been working so hopefully I will be able to finish it now.

"What you sew on Sunday, you rip on Monday" ~ (In my case...all week)

Sheltering

Sheltering at home does not give me a chance to get out much so not much is happening to post.  Everyday is pretty much like the next day and they are not eventful and I am not complaining.  We have been watching lots of television as there are so very many choices with all of the apps now available.  We are loving the British and Australian detective shows as well as the many Canadian series.  I told the Mr. that with these kittens, we have become those old "cat people" since we spend so much time with them.  Having them has been a lifesaver however as they are so funny and provide much entertainment.  I do walk when I can and the fall colors just give me so much to see in this wooded area.  I don't think we will have "trick or treating" kids, but people are sure decorating their yards.  There is always something new to see on our walks.  A few weeks ago I posted the cone below in it's green state with the sticky residue and above you can see the progress. The sweetener packet will give you an idea of the size.  The tree outside here is full of these cones and I am told that they virtually explode when they are ready to fall.

We have not had smoke for several weeks, but we are  having spectacular sunsets.  This is taken from my back door looking west toward the pacific out over our fence.  I thought that we had beautiful sunsets in Wyoming and we did, but without the benefit of smoke, this is still pretty. 

Yesterday morning I was out trimming my hydrangeas and my next door neighbor came home after walking his dogs.  I took take care of these dogs at night when they were gone so they know me.  I said "hello" and he asked me if I had time to give them a little love.  One of the dogs is very shy but the large mutt, Shelly, was tugging at the leash trying to get to me.  She loves to have her belly rubbed and I just couldn't give her enough.  She would have me spend much more time with her I am sure, but seemed to calm down after some "belly attention". I still miss my two little canines but these two kittens who are nearly 6 mos now are pretty special.   

Please remember to wear your mask and social distance.  Listen to the scientists as this virus can be so deadly and you may not know who has an underlying health issue.  

 

Rolling pins

 We have finally had some rain and it surely feels like fall now.  My neighbor and I walked this afternoon and the sun is out.  Although we usually don't have much wind here, we did have some today and a few of the branches from the fir trees 60 to 100 ft fell onto the roof.  They are not large limbs and they roll off onto the lawn. But the walk was really pretty.  The colors are so brilliant on all of the bushes and trees. The trees for the most part still have leaves on although some are beginning to fall.  Saturday, my neighbor and I went to the craft shop and then to our daughter's home.  Of course we stay in our little "bubble" of people we come in contact with and practice social distancing.  Covid is real.  I wear a mask to project you; please wear one to protect me and anyone who may be in a compromised position. It was such a great day.  Erica has a huge back yard and she is in the process of building raised gardens.  She will probably be working from home for a long time if she ever goes back to the building.  Back to the great day.  I have a small collection of rolling pins and my niece sent me a really unusual one.  That arrived on Saturday also.

The microwave above has been sitting on a shorter tea cart...my counter tops, except for the island are limited to space and the island isn't suitable for it.  Since the cart is table height and not counter height, it was difficult for us ol' folks to see the numbers and text so the Mr. built a small elevated stand from scrap pieces to raise it about 6" and that works great! The rolling pin got a place of honor just above it.  I love it!  

Garden and walks

 This past weekend my daughter went to another plant sale by invitation only and because she gets a discount, she was able to make a two cart haul.  It was amazing I guess and when she dropped by, her vehicle was packed.  She was kind enough to ask if I would like to have her get me anything and she scored 3 coral bells and a beautiful pink lace hydrangea. Thank you Erica!  I got them planted yesterday and today we planted two lilacs gifted to us by our neighbor.  I cannot begin to count the plants we have received by generous people. 

As my neighbor and I walked last week, we found these spectacular webs.

The spiders are out now...lots of 'em!  They are everywhere but aren't these webs intricate?

And this is that hydrangea! This is not where it got planted, but as it grows it will be beautiful. This fall where we are, we have so many conifers but there are also many, many other varieties of fruit and nut trees, maples and so many with which I am not familiar.  Those trees are beginning to lose their leaves and the colors are brilliant.  I am thrilled at the beauty and the walks always surprise me with something new. My flower gardens have been planted for spring so I have my fingers crossed.

"There is a kind of immortality in every garden." ~ Gladys Taber

Cats and Chickens

 We have had a couple of rainy days, the first in a long time, but the smoke is gone and we have so enjoyed those kittens.  I guess they are still kittens, as they are about 5 months old.  Bogey is so much bigger than Birdie and is growing fast.  They have voracious appetites.  I miss my little Coalette, but Bogey has such a similar personality and except for the little bit of white that she had, he looks so much like her.  Both are short haired though.  Birdie does not like to cuddle and she shows so many hunting qualities in addition to wanting to be outside.  She cannot ever be out though as that is the agreement we made and I don't want anything to happen to her.  We see lots of cats here and know that everyone protects them, but still?

They will sleep together and she is grooming him above, and below, she is helping me to paint these small birdhouses which I about ready to post in my next blog.  

I walked this morning with my neighbor, Vida and she had pictures of the "Chicken Gathering Aprons".  She has made a few, working on one also for her 3 year old grand daughter. 

This is a picture I took a few days ago when she brought one over for me to see.  They are turning out so cute. How I remember trying to gather eggs with my sister, Joan.  Those darn chickens loved to peck you when you tried to move them and get the eggs.  Joan would always keep the chickens away while I gathered the eggs, but how much fun would it have been to have one of these aprons with the individual pockets for each egg.  

"The chicken may cross the road, but nobody crosses the chicken." ~ ?

Guess what?

 Do you know what this is?  I had never heard of it either. I grew up with a lot of different farm animals.  Dad bought me a small inflatable pool for a birthday when I was small and some baby ducks.  Of course, I thought the pool was for wading, and I probably did do that, but I think he really thought it would be used more for the ducks.  It was I suspect, although I don't remember for sure.  We had a nanny goat who had a pair of twins and he built harnesses and put leashes of sorts on them which we paraded up and down the road.  I remember that.  Our dad was always doing something fun.  But this item, not a mask which we are all wearing now, is a chicken jacket or saddle as they are sometimes called.  I walk most mornings with my neighbor, Vida, and she asked me if I would be interested in making some chicken jackets.

I had to ask what they were and when she explained that they are to protect the chickens when they are pecked by other chickens.  I do remember that does happen.  Sometimes they will just pick on one chicken and bully them.  Anyway, her mom who lived in Louisiana has chickens and she is making them for her.  She bought the fabric above and I had some quilted fabric for the lining and the rope elastic.  I pulled a pattern from Pinterest and we have made a few.  The other thing she bought fabric for was "egg gathering aprons".  Now that is a brilliant idea.  The UTUBE video we watched has 12 pockets, one each for an egg. The fabric she bought was so cute--several different prints with chickens and even here, lots of people have chickens.  I am anxious to see her aprons. 

The air quality is back to normal now and we have had a few sprinkling rains at night so things are fresh and green.  

"If I didn't start painting, I would have raised chickens." ~ Grandma Moses

Walk About

 My neighbor and I walk nearly every morning.  She has lived here quite a while although she is from New Orleans.  Most days we take a different route and we are so lucky to be able to do that.  Yesterday we walked near Long Lake and the smoke from all of the forest fires left a pretty picture with the sunrise over the lake.  However, our state as well as the nation is suffering with these fires and so many evacuations are in order.  We have lost entire small towns almost.  

I feel like a kindergartener as I find so many things unfamiliar to me.  In the small island across the drive from me stands a very large conifer.  It is a Norwegian tree of sorts and this is a green cone.  They grow upright and with the sap glistening in the sunlight, remind me of ornaments on a tree.  I am told that when it matures the individual petal-like pieces come off the cone and are about 2" wide.  I will get some dried ones to post later.  I am fascinated by this tree.  We had a breeze yesterday and the yard, driveway, deck and streets are covered with fir cones.  As soon as the smoke diminishes, I will be raking.  The Mr. did get the blower and used it on the back deck and driveway.

This is a front yard snap of one we passed on our walk yesterday.  I want it!!! I have always wanted to do something like this.  I think it is adorable. For my girlfriends who spent years crafting with me for days at a time, I did not have any glass totems or yard art to bring with me, but my master gardener friend here knew I wanted to do a piece or two and brought me 6 cardboard boxes.  Yes...6 boxes.  Girls, remember when we scrounged the Goodwill, the flea markets and the yard sales?  It is overwhelming to say the least and I will have to get busy and use some if it.  I miss you guys.  While some of you are experiencing the cold weather snap, it is currently 90 degrees here.  Still we have had no rain.  I was told by some that I would have moss growing on my back.  I am just slathering sun screen and sitting in front of the fan.  We are expected to have a cool down though I think soon.

New Family members

Look at these babies!  We have been without fur babies since we lost our two little dogs, Spencer and Roger earlier this year.  Really, we have sheltered at home mostly like everyone else and have great neighbors with whom we get some socialization, but missed the critters. As long as we have been married, we usually have given homes to some sort of animal, but when the humans moved out as offspring do, canine and feline animal continued to fill our hearts.  At last, we decided it was time to shelter with a cat.  The animal shelters are really low on critters but there are lots of rescues in this area.  At the shop where I meet with a few others gals for a couple of hours on Fridays, my mentor gave me names of a couple with which I could check. I called last week and left my number. A call was returned on Saturday morning and after speaking with a woman named Jo, we were invited to come that afternoon.  Intending to come home possibly with one cat, we were introduced to several adult cats and waited for some kittens to arrive from a foster home. Soooooo----above you see the male black kitten Bogey, and his sister, Birdie who are 4 months old.  We fell in love with them and they came home with us.  A bag and cans of food, dishes, and litter were also included and they have been chipped, neutered, and vaccinated.  Immediately they have made themselves at home and they have been socialized as lap kitties already.  Playing with each other, napping, eating and spending human time with us after just a few hours leads us to believe that this is a perfect match for all of us.  

"There are two means of refuge from the misery of life--music and cats."~ Albert Schweitzer 

Yard update

I am still trying to figure out all of these new formats...Leave things alone.  I have said that I am not a fan of Facebook but have had to log back on after many years of absence in order to stay in touch with the events here during this pandemic.  I do not post normally and only check in about once a week with my journal group.  I will call some friends when I find time, but we stay really, really busy and are very content with our current situation.  I walk every morning with my neighbor and we are in a safe little bubble with our routines and friends and daughter-in-law here.  The weather has been wonderful!  I love it!  Yesterday our new refrigerator arrived!  Our old huge thing was a monster in this small kitchen and limped along for the week until the new one arrived.  Thank goodness for our freezer in the garage.  If I had gotten what I wanted exactly, I would have had to wait for 6 months as the factories are also affected by the virus.  I have been playing in the dirt.  For as long as I can remember, I have loved working in the yard and I especially like to terrace and work with stones and bricks.  Each yard has usually had a pond, but I am over that and with all of the trees, the upkeep would be too much.

The top picture shows the latest redo of the first idea below.  As I accumulate more plants, the design changes and I really like paths.

 We had our first rain in weeks two days ago.  It was getting dry here.  And our sprinkler system developed a mind of its' own.  The last time we watered, our street got a drenching as the sprinklers were going around in a circle.  Watering late evening, we did not notice it until dark.  The Mr. is spending the day on that. He had begun to tear out shelving in the storage shed in order to make it function better for us and he installed an outside water faucet for our daughter so needless to say, there were several trips to the home repair stores and some projects are in pause mode.  I had a crown to have done at the dentist and a Dr. visit and again, we stay really busy and safe!  I always intend to get back to this blog more often, but life gets in the way!  We are blessed!  

Yard evolving

 Above is the beautiful Hydrangea, a gift from my wonderful daughter.  We could not easily grow them in the high and cold climate of Wyoming, and I have always thought they were just beautiful.  Well, my yards are blank canvases and she now has joined a Master Gardener group and as such was eligible to shop at their sale.  She purchased a great many plants during the two sales so far and she picked this beauty as well as another limey hosta for me.  I pray that I can keep them alive!

These two pictures merged together and since I am and always will be a little tech challenged, bear with me.  In the first above, you can see where the Mr. installed a piece of lattice to the two remaining posts previously holding up the clubhouse.  It provides a little bit of privacy from the neighbor's yard.  They are wonderful people and although we are in an HOA, it is very liberal and 40 years of accumulated "stuff" in their yard was somewhat hidden by the elevated clubhouse.  The remaining lumber was taken to our daughter's home and she has begun building a potting bench with it.  She also has room which we lack to store it and there was a lot of valuable lumber there.  Then in the lower picture, my first "Hobbit" home has begun to take shape.  I am not sure what I will do with this in the future, but we have lots of trees and moss and rocks.  My buddies in Wyo and I spent time in our gardens and we did make some fairy gardens so this is the perfect yard for that too.  Other than working in the yard, we shelter at home, visit with our neighbors and I walk with another neighbor who happens to share a quilting interest with me.  It has been a blessing to have such a great neighborhood.  Everyone is so friendly and really our life has not been affected all that much from all that has been happening around us. 

"Rules are made for people who aren't willing to make up their own." ~ Chuck Yeager

 

Clubhouse update

Gee Whiz Blogger has updated it's site and this ol' lady struggled to figure out how to post again.  We have spent the better part of the last few days on the yard.  I say "we", but it has been mostly the Mr. with my bit of comment.  The roof of the clubhouse came off and as the disassembly began, the structure became a bit shaky.  There is a great deal of wood in this house of sorts and there was a little bit of remnants of what it has been to the neighbor children who are grown up now.  A piece of artwork on cardboard and an old planter in the shape of an owl and a few other pieces of a prior life were up there.  

Below, all that is left are the four posts, two in our yard and two in the neighbor's as the fence ran under the house.  Those will come down this week and the deck just to the lower right in this picture has half of the new paint on the base, so that also needs to get finished.  The structure above was nailed and screwed together, so the nails were more time consuming to remove than the screws, but it still has been labor intensive.

My neighbors, whose home you can see, own an accounting business.  With the delayed tax date and the virus and the economic stimulus issues, they have worked tirelessly until the first of this month.  So, they are taking a much needed vacation, camping at a lake with family.  The four furkids, two dogs and two cats are staying home.  One of their employees will come to feed and walk the dogs, but one dog needs meds at night and I am going to see to that.  I did go over last night to see how that was done and the critters are so friendly.  I have been around one of the dogs, who is overweight and loves to play, but the border collie has issues and is pretty aloof.  She is the one who needs a pill and eye drops.  She did let me do that last evening and I will do it again tonight and let them out before they retire for the night.  Frankly, I am glad to get a critter fix and still miss my fur babies and happy that I have been trusted to do this.

"Teach us delight in SIMPLE things."~Rudyard Kipling

Journal

It has been two weeks since I blogged and we are just really for the most part, staying home.  The unrest, the virus, and the unknown breaks my heart.  Baseball, which I love is finally being televised in some sort, and although they are doing their best to achieve some normalcy, the canned crowd noise just is not right.  I have been walking mornings with my neighbor. That along with my small journalling group, and my other neighbors and of course my daughter completes our socializing.  I have been on the phone to my dear friends back in the Rockies and like us, they are doing well.  Our family is also staying safe. 

Because we are staying home, there isn't much happening in my life to blog about, but I did finish a page for my "junk journal".  I have an "art journal" and a "memory journal".  These 3 and my sewing and gardening keep me busy and although the new normal is not necessarily to my liking, I am not complaining.  Saddened perhaps by some things with which I have no control, but blessed to have health, income, shelter and food.  We are able to laugh and stand upright.  The page above is continued documentation in the junk journal of our life since leaving Wyoming.  We got our two little rescue dogs in 2009 and they had been with us until a few months ago.  Roger had recurring bladder stones and Spencer's kidney's failed. Within a few weeks of each other we lost them and there is a void in our life.  

The Mr. is now starting to finish the deck boards now that the railing is done and it is looking so nice.  Tomorrow is our 6 mo dental check so we will have to venture out into the real world.
No news is good news but I will try to find something to put in the blog soon. 

"Masquerading as a normal person day after day is exhausting." ~
Anonymous

Summer

Finally, summer is here!  We have had such wonderful weather and the temperature has been so nice~~mostly in the 70's or high 60's and finally we are having 80 plus temps.  We are so spoiled.  I took the finished Quilt of Honor over to my neighbor on Sunday and had wanted to do something for him ever since we moved in. He was so touched and I was so glad to do it for him.  He entered the Viet Nam war in the Army the same year as the Mr. and was released the same year also.  But he and his wife own an accounting business and are still working.  They have been especially busy as the official tax deadline is upon us.  

Above the deck is coming along quite well and the Mr. as always is doing a beautiful job.  There is not a lot else to do so we are glad to have work.  Me....well I feel like even though we are in phase three, we are still staying home for the most part.  I have however another neighbor who has checked on me was able to come in to see the quilts I have finished and we walked together today.  So happy to spend some time with her as she is a quilter also.  And then there is my journalling group which is a small group, and we do practice with distance and masks, but the larger group has not yet been able to meet.  Socialization is so important and I am glad that I can pick up my phone and I can visit my daughter too. 

Mostly we are watching tv in the evenings and we are doing just fine.  Next week we are scheduled to have our new windows installed if all is on track.  They will be so nice.

As you can tell, not much is happening and I have little to write about so until next time.  Wash your hands. 

Art

 Finally, I have started to paint a little more for my art journal.  As I embark on the twilight years, I am using this time while the nation is being asked to "stay at home", to paint.  Because of the new cases of corona happening in most states again, our state has been issued an order by the Governor for all businesses to  refuse service to anyone not wearing a mask.  It allows me to spend more time reading and sewing and painting and I do not feel guilty if I just stay home now.  When you are obligated to go out, there are times when you may prefer to stay home, or just stay in bed a little longer.  Honestly, I am happy to have more "me" time.  So I paint or read or sew.  I found an old sheet music book years ago and I discovered the music to "The Butterfly" and it will be perfect for the background.  I first painted lots of colors on a sheet of paper, then drew the butterfly and painted the detail on it and cut it out. I haven't decided how I will address the background, but I will do that Friday when I can go to the shop.  That is the only thing which I have obligated for myself "schedule wise".

This little rose bush below is loaded with roses and the top branch has 13 buds on it which will open soon too.  It will be beautiful and it was a little rose in a pot that my daughter gave me last summer.  There is also a potato growing next to it.  Someone planted a potato there last year and I dug up one potato in the fall.  Must have missed one?

Be safe and wash your hands.

July

 The 2nd page of my art journal depicts another aspect of what is happening in our country as we approach the celebration of our country's Independence Day.  Covid ~19 and the racial unrest needs to be addressed.  I am only making notes for future reference...right or wrong.  

The Fourth of July when I was a child was a big day for our family.  There was a large parade in Greeley CO and my dad made sure that we always got to see it.  Then we would trek to my Aunt Dora's who was dad's older sister and she had hosted dinner every 4th as long as I can remember.  Other family gathered there too and then there were fireworks later that night where we watched from a hill in the family car.  My dad loved fireworks and we had sparklers and firecrackers and lots of fun.  This fourth will be quiet as most fireworks celebrations have been cancelled due to the pandemic.

Below you can see that the Mr. is staying busy getting the railing ready for the deck.  The posts have now been fitted and painted, but because today is cloudy and misty, what was planned for this installation has been put on hold.  

It is sad to see our nation in such a state now, but we are blessed to have our health and for us, life will go on.  2020 so far has been difficult for so many and I fear it is not over and we may not return to the normal as we know it. 

10 days

Ten days since I blogged so what does that mean?  Either have been really busy or ?.  Honestly, I feel like I cannot find time to write, but on the other hand, what have I done with my time?  I did get to go to meet with my other journal buddies on Friday and the lovely gal who runs the art and craft shop is so nice.  She had so much donated supplies!  In the hallway, she had tables with all sorts of items and books and fabric for $1.00 each.  But recently, I have been inspired to start painting again as I am attempting to communicate in my art journal what is happening with our country.  Referring to the Corona Virus and the BLM protests and the political crap (and I feel like that word describes it perfectly), there is much to relate for the future in a way to use art and text.  I am still working on the Quilt of Honor for my other neighbor and I am working in the back yard to make terraces for more plantings.  Right now it is mostly a blank canvas, but the Mr. is putting a railing on the existing back deck and all of these things take time.  When I do get in the mood to paint or quilt, I need to do it when the mood strikes me as the creative juices dictate how I spend my time.  Never have I felt the need to go to the computer to spend time.  It happens out of necessity, so FB and Blogging are far down the line. I am not a sitter. I need to be doing something.

Yesterday was the first time so far that we did yard sales.  Our state is in mandatory face mask wearing by order of the Governor and because we have done so well, we are in phase III of the recovery issue.  Our daughter went with us yesterday, but it also seemed that people are still social distancing as there weren't nearly as many sales as we had expected.  I did however get some stamps and a few other things for art journal supplies and the Mr. found a vise.  As we left on our adventure, the neighborhood Master Gardener was working on one of the common islands in our loop and she gave my gardener daughter some great information about a group she may join.  Also, she has lots of glass in the way of garden sculpture that she is willing to donate to me and invited me to come and see her garden which I have been told is spectacular.  Bonnie, I wish you were here by the way!

 Above is the page for my art journal that I painted and added several quotes regarding masks and it is nearly finished. This is a mixed media journal so there are layers of textures including the mask which is fabric and other items, even tea bag papers.  Below is an area I am working on when I find the time and mood.  Of course all of the new blocks will eventually weather and match, but so far the plants here were given to me by neighbors.

The second litter of baby squirrels are soon to be born and perhaps are already here so the mother
squirrels have been scarce but yesterday and this morning one of the females came begging for her peanuts.  Usually they just bury them for future use, but yesterday mamma squirrel sat and gobbled three in a row as I gave them to her.  She was hungry!

The sun is shining now after a morning of cloud covered sky and the area by the fence is a perfect place to read.  Recently I received a series of books from a friend in Saratoga WY and I find it difficult to tear myself away from them.  In addition to being sheltered (there is no wind here either), I love to listen to the many birds back there.

"Nature has been for me, for as long as I can remember, a source of solace, inspiration, adventure, and delight, a home, a teacher, a companion." ~ Lorraine Anderson

Quiet on the home front

 I have again had a lapse of posts as things have been very quiet.  I know there has been a lot on the news about the protests, but we are  staying home, staying busy here and our neighborhood carries on as usual.  Very quiet is our normal.  My backyard is my sanctuary and I have been watching a pair of wrens working to build a nest in the brown birdhouse above. They have worked on again off again, gathering moss and have built the mossy nest up to the opening.  I am confused about their activity as they will work together for a while in the afternoon and then perhaps in the evening but I will not see them for hours then.  They first were checking the purple house, in and out of both for a couple of days before choosing the lower one. 

 In another corner of the yard, where I have placed 3 lawn chairs is where I have been retreating to read.  Today was a beautiful sunny day and that area is totally shaded by the huge fir trees.  Actually, the canopy of branches does not allow the sun to shine through except for the blue patches of sky through the needles.  I sat and listened to so many birds.  We have identified several...the Juncos, finches, robins, woodpeckers and wrens and we do have crows.  I know that we have a few hummers, but there are so many blooms which they prefer that I haven't put out a feeder.  The squirrels and bunnies are plentiful this year and people say it is a bumper crop for them.  It is so much fun to watch the young squirrels play and chase each other.  I also keep watch for another possum.  Apparently they have been pretty scarce, but used to be quite a nuisance.

Below the Mr. is decked out to spray the moss.  He has nearly replanted all of the bare spots in our yard with grass, but there is some moss upon which he has declared war.  

In my little reading area, there is a carpet of moss which I really don't mind and it is green and doesn't need to be mowed.  I haven't seen a deer this week, but they too are pretty abundant.  

We have ordered new windows and they will be installed in about 4 weeks.  I haven't bothered to try to clean these as they are original to the house and are in poor condition. That should just about be the last upgrade for the house, and then we can do a little bit of work on the yard as it doesn't need much. 

Have a safe weekend and Happy Father's Day.

New Normal

 I finally got out to the shop last Friday.  Masks and sanitizer have become the new normal.  How long will this last?  I find it still difficult to have a conversation with someone and the social distancing has really put a damper on "MY NORMAL".  This little weathergram, which was made and given to me Friday by my motivator Kathy, helps to inspire me to paint.  The tulip on the front and the feather on the back as well as the message, were artfully done on brown paper bag.  I was instructed to hang it outdoors where the rain will fall on it.  There is no real damage from the wind and rain.  Amazing!  The message is "dance in the wind".  The wind rarely blows here and it has never blown anything like we had in Wyoming so far.  However it has blown a bit today and although I did not dance in the wind, I did walk in it.  The temperature was 63 degrees, wonderfully comfortable and the sun was shinning between the gentle sprinkles.  We also got to Hobby Lobby this morning with very few shoppers, I was able to get more art supplies.

I hung the weather gram from my ladder outside and it fluttered in the wind and rain.  If posts are less frequent, it is the new normal, staying home and going nowhere and having no social life.

"Nobody can be in good health if he does not have fresh air, sunshine and good water."  ~ 

Yard

 Nothing is happening as we begin to open up after the first wave of virus.  We are told another may happen and the question is...will this unrest be another beginning?  Hopefully not.  Because it is so very quiet on the home front here, there is no news to share although we stay busy.  Above are some "hens" that my neighbor forced on me and I am grateful to get new plants, especially if I don't have to buy them.  Erica was here so there were plenty to share with her.  These are much larger than what I have ever grown as the stones are at least a foot long, perhaps longer.  Below, the Mr. is putting edging on the stretch of yard  that I have deemed to be a path.  He has been planting grass, fertilizing, and weeding dandelions.  Actually, our front yard has NO visible blooms now and it's actually green.  

Squirrels are about ready to have the second batch of babies and the first litters are nearly grown.  They are a bit flighty, but my mama squirrel comes nearly every day for her ration of peanuts.  The thing is....she just buries them.  She may eat one occasionally, but it has become a sort of game for us. She comes and begs on her hind legs with her little paws tucked under her chin and waits for me to throw her two peanuts.  I am sorry that I don't have more to post, but really it is pretty dull around here.  Not complaining though, as I am loving my time to be just me and not have to look at the calendar to see if there are obligations. 

We are ready to replace the windows in the house and that will be happening before fall...maybe sooner, depending on the contractors.

"How important it is for us to recognize and celebrate our heroes and she-roes!" ~ Maya Angelou

More Iris

We have this Master Gardener living a block from me and she has stopped by to let us know that we have diseased boxwood or pest infested, I am not sure which. Apparently it is common and won't really hurt it, but did give us some information about what to do with it.  We did some research and found some oil....we will see what affect it has.  She has given us lots of praise with the progress we have made with the lawn, the dandelions and has been very gracious.  I mentioned the iris that I posted on Thursday and she told me she had lots to give away if I would like them.  Yesterday she delivered this box of iris and some asters.  She left some of the blooms on so I would know about the colors.  There is a beautiful root beer and some deep purple and I left the pink blossom on the one above so that I could get a picture before I trimmed them.  After separating them, I had so many that I had difficulty finding places to plant in this horrible rocky soil.  It does have good drainage and Iris grow just about any place.  She also does a lot of glass totems and flowers, etc. so she told me she had a box of glass that she would give me also.

Probably the only people who can understand the excitement I get from these garden additions are my few garden gurus, but by next year I hope to have a greatly improved yard.  

We are still staying home, but we have now opened up to stage 2 and I will be able to meet with my journaling friends again next Friday...donned with mask and equipped with hand sanitizer and of course the social distancing.  I am expecting a supply of paint which my daughter ordered in a couple of weeks and just being able to get to the shop for more supplies will be wonderful. 

I have been reading some of the series "The Cat Who" by Lillian Jackson Braun and I am loving this mystery series.  Thank you Ginger!