Day 182 of 2024

One Big Adventure.

 

Day 181 of 2024

Fireball and I had some errands to run today. 

When we got home we found that our entry had been transformed 

into the shoe and accessory department of an upscale clothing store, 

complete with a checkout desk and the keys to the dressing room.

 

Day 180 of 2024

More office supplies. 

Different former owner. These belonged to Fireball's parents. 

They will find homes in the house in order to be used 

or will find their way into the donate box

 in order to find new owners.

 

Day 179 of 2024

Today I'm going through some long unopened boxes. 

This one is one of Mom's marked "top of desk." 

 

Day 178 of 2024

This downpour eliminated my need to water the plants and flowers today.

 

Day 177 of 2024

The  forever scarf is taking a step back again tonight. 

There is a hole in the work just above the black and silver needle, 

near the edge on the right, 

at which point I had dropped two stitches. 

I have torn the knitting back 4 1/2" to that needle. 

It would have been impossible to pick up two columns for that distance 

and lack of yarn for it to look acceptable. 

It will be going into time out for now, 

but I feel like I need to rename this project. 

I feel that if I keep calling it "forever" it will always be that. 

I'll let you know when it's out of time out 

and I have a new name and destiny for this scarf.

 

Day 176 of 2024

It was a pool party at the bird bath today.

 

Day 175 of 2024

I was wondering how long it would take the squirrels

 to try to reach the feeders via the new sun sculpture

 meant for bird perching. 

It took about a week. 

It took several tries which were quite comical

 before this one got there. 

I may have to move the sun before it gets broken.

 

Day 174 of 2024

It's hot here, really hot. 

GB#2 and GB#5 are ready for sprinkler games to begin.

 

Day 173 of 2024

I like to make the rounds and check on my plants. 

Today I checked on the hydrangea 

and found the tiniest flower buds on most of the stems I checked.

 

Day 172 of 2024

Well, this can't be good. 

Power washing will be happening tomorrow with a new hose.

I do like the water droplets I captured though. 

 

Day 171 of 2024

I'm gathering supplies for some intensive deck improvement.

 

Day 170 of 2024

Another recent transplant has decided to flower, 

and it looks like I'll have a few more in the next few days. 

This plant hadn't bloomed in several years in its former location.

 

Day 169 of 2024

I planted a couple coneflower plants next to my mailbox last summer. 

I had been checking to see if they would reappear this year. 

They did and I have recently begun checking for buds. 

Today I finally saw some. 

I'm so excited to see these in bloom again.

 

Day 168 of 2024

Happy Father's Day to Fireball.

Today we attended an art fair to round out the weekend. 

See yesterday's post for our other big adventure.

We both agree it was a great weekend. 

Happy Father's Day also to our sons and son-in-law 

who have become wonderful fathers for their own families.

 

Day 167 of 2024

Family outing. 

Nine of us went to a ball game. 

Despite the heat, we all had a good time. 

And the home team won.

 

Day 166 of 2024

These two. 

Cousins.

GB#5 and GB#3

 

Day 165 of 2024

This is not how we planned to spend part of our day today. 

The quick version goes like this: 

About three weeks ago, we had the flooring replaced in this area of the house. 

When the flooring was done the installer hooked the water back up

 but did not turn it back on. 

I discovered this the first time I tried to start laundry after he was gone. 

Fireball turned the water on. 

Fast forward to today. 

I started a load of laundry on cool water setting. 

I opened the washer to add one thing I forgot 

and almost burned my hand in the very hot water. 

I mentioned this weirdness to Fireball. 

I grabbed the two water supply lines and found the hot was very cold

 and the cold was very hot. 

The installer failed to check to see 

if he was hooking the water supply lines

 to the correct spots.

Fireball and I got ready to fix the problem. 

The turn offs are very hard to turn. 

It felt like they were off, but water kept spewing everywhere. 

The laundry room began to flood with water

 as Fireball and I each tried to turn the water off. 

In the end, we got the water to stop, switched the supply lines, 

turned the water back on

 and I was able to finish my laundry with the cool water that I desired. 

I ended up doing an extra load to wash all the towels 

we had to use to mop up all the water. 

I guess the quick version didn't turn out so quick. 

Congrats if you actually got to the end.

 

Day 164 of 2024

We had quite a variety of birds at the feeders today. 

This guy, red-bellied woodpecker, got my vote for picture of the day. 

I got a new bird bath last year which the birds couldn't seem to find. 

I have moved it closer to the feeders just off the deck 

and now all the critters are enjoying it. 

They seem to be getting more comfortable with humans 

sitting out on the deck and have been venturing closer. 

I'm hoping to get some bird bath pictures to share soon.

 

Day 163 of 2024

I recently read a book that suggested that one should plan

 One Little Adventure and One Big Adventure each week. 

While it's not always easy to do, I try to make a conscious effort. 

This week, tonight's concert definitely falls into 

the One Big Adventure category. 

The entire concert was fabulous, but 

 this was probably my favorite moment. 

After two encore songs, there was still time left 

so James Taylor and his son, Henry, 

who had been singing backup all night, 

sang a duet of one my favorites - "You Can Close Your Eyes."

 

Day 162 of 2024

The last of the sunlight illuminates

 the last few leaves and the deck railing.

 

Day 161 of 2024

I have been wanting to get something like this shallow shoe storage chest 

for some time for our laundry room, 

so when Fireball suggested we go take a look around IKEA, 

I thought it would be a great time to see what they had to offer.

I was really excited about the idea of this model until I got home 

and measured the space I have. 

It would be too tall for our space 

so I immediately started looking for woodworking plans 

to make my own to my specific dimensions.

 

Day 160 of 2024

You know the saying about things getting worse before they get better? 

Well, I hope that's what's happening here. 

The steps of the monument have never looked worse. 

Oh, and can you see the tiny white building in the background on the left? 

That's where we're headed tonight.

 

Day 159 of 2024

Evidently this is called Common Milkweed. 

I'm out and about. 

If you've been here a while do you want to guess where I am?

Where am I?

 

Day 158 of 2024

The ferns I transplanted a couple weeks ago

appear to be doing well 

as there are new fronds appearing as fiddleheads this week.

 

Day 157 of 2024

My LEGO orchid set is done. 

 

Day 156 of 2024

So my forever project is taking a few steps back tonight.

 Long story- feel free to skip to the end. 

About ten rows after I added the new balls of yarn

 indicated here by the markers, 

I learned a new technique I wanted to try. 

I started using it there and was exceptionally pleased

 with the ease of the actual making of each stitch. 

After almost 100 rows I could tell that this new way of working 

was distorting the work and giving me uneven, lumpy, crooked stitches. 

I switched back to my previous method. 

Things improved. 

You can see this improvement in the last few rows in the picture. 

So tonight I decided that since it is my forever project, 

I might as well tear out the bad part and then continue on. 

I tore it all back to about the middle of the orangey section

 and started up again. 

After a few rows, I realized that I should have taken it back even further. 

I think tomorrow I will be tearing out what I knit tonight

 and then even more, 

back to just a few rows up from the markers. 

I will be much happier with the project if I do.

 

Day 155 of 2024

More from the garden-

Daylily

 

Day 154 of 2024

There are yuccas on both sides of our driveway. 

They only bloom every couple years or so 

and rarely do they bloom one on each side in the same year. 

This year I have one that is blooming. 

I feel the need to document this.

 

Day 153 of 2024

Many moons ago on this day, this little one made me a mama. 

Happy birthday, Big D.