Happy Easter
Apr 24, 2011
Happy Easter
Apr 23, 2011
The other day I got out my SLR camera. A nice Nikon FM10 that Monte gave me a number of years ago. Everything on it is manual, and it’s a great camera for people to learn about the mechanics of taking photos. It was the only camera that we brought with us on our honeymoon and we got fantastic photos.
I took it in to get developed today. Here’s one pic from the roll.
Apr 22, 2011
Yesterday afternoon a truck stopped at the house, a guy rang the door bell and gave Monte a flyer for lawn maintenance services. The guy then got back into his truck and drove off… and did not stop at any other house on the street. So, you can understand that I was especially happy that my weed eater parts came in the mail a few days early so that I could get busy on the edging and border weed whacking last night. I couldn’t wait til work was over today to get out and mow the lawn, front and back. THAT’S how tired I was of looking at our messy yard.
Ok. So, I’m mowing in the back yard… turning a tight circle around a shepherd’s hook that’s holding some planters and a hummingbird feeder, and all of a sudden I noticed a couple bees flying around my arms. Whoa! Where did they come from?! Oh, I guess they’re with the rest of the hoard swarming the tip of the hummingbird feeder a foot from my head!!!!
That was a close call! I don’t know if I’m allergic to bees, because it’s been probably 30+ years since I’ve been stung. But, I’m REALLY glad I didn’t have to find out this evening.
You’d think I was happy to have gotten away unscathed the first time. But, I couldn’t resist the urge to get a picture. So, I dashed into the house, got my camera and went back in close for this shot. 🙂
Apr 21, 2011
Tomorrow is Earth Day. Yesterday at work they were giving away tree saplings to plant for the occasion. Monte brought home this Chinquipin Oak tree. This morning I put it in the earth. Hopefully it will be a keeper.
We have 4 or 5 cedar trees that have died from drought on our back property line. We need to take them down, but I hope we can plant some newbies in their place over the next few weeks.
Apr 20, 2011
When I was a kid, my family moved every 2 or 3 years. But wherever we lived, my dad always planted and tended a vegetable garden with an amazing variety of things including carrots, lettuce, cucumbers, tomatoes, zucchini, squash, chard, brussel sprouts, rhubarb, beets, onions, peas, beans, corn, spinach, potatoes, etc, etc.
My dad instilled in me a love to play in the dirt. I can’t say I spend a fraction of the time he did in the garden, or have nearly the variety of things that he planted. But I certainly do enjoy the little patches I have.
This is a shot part of my perennial herb bed, with sage, rosemary and oregano. Savory!
P.s. Yes, the lawn needs some edging work. My weed eater has lost its spring, so I’m waiting for Mr UPS man to bring me a package. Hopefully, before this weekend.
Apr 19, 2011
I posted a shot a week or so ago of several Morning Glory flowers all wrapped up. This is a shot of one of them open in all its glory.
The color of these flowers is amazing. I have not retouched this photo. The glow in the center of the flower makes the color so intense.
It’s hard to look away 🙂
Apr 18, 2011
Monte planted 4 tomato plants earlier this spring and they are doing great. Lots of tomatoes on the vine!
Apr 17, 2011
This was an absolutely beautiful weekend!
I fired up each zone of our sprinklers to find that 3 of them have leaks – likely a cracked or broken pipe from the freezes last winter. So, we have some manual sprinkler schlepping in our future this spring and summer. I don’t think we’ll get around to having the sprinker system repaired until we figure out what we plan on doing to redesign and relandscape our back patio area.
But with the hand watering the flower bed looks great. I planted a bunch of perennials 2 years ago, and nearly everything is coming back. I did lose 4 of my Penta plants.
This is a shot of the velvety flowers of the Mealycup sage, and in the background you can see the bright red flowers on the Salvia bush.
So pretty.
Apr 16, 2011
This is the weekend of the MS-150 ride from Houston to Austin. Each year up to 13,000 cyclists participate in this 2-day bike ride / fundraiser for multiple sclerosis. For 10 years, several friends of mine have done the ride.
I don’t ride, but I am proud to be a sherpa. 🙂 In the last few years, Irene has joined us and we are co-sherpa’s for friends Lori and Laura, and until the last 2 years Doray, too.
We have an annual ritual: we take off the afternoon the Friday before the ride, then everyone piles into one car with the bikes. We drive from Austin to Houston. Check into the hotel. Stop by the St. David’s team hospitality suite. Enjoy a lovely beverage. Go to dinner at Lomonte’s (delicious!). Then back to the hotel.
Up the next morning. Get the bikes and riders ready. Schlep the riders’ overnight gear to the trailer. Take the riders to their start and bid them adieu.
Then I drive back to Austin and am home Saturday morning before 10 AM.
The bike riders, however, get home Sunday evening.
I think I have the better deal. 🙂
Either way its a fun thing to do with friends…and it’s for a good cause.
Apr 15, 2011
The morning glory I planted from seed just 6 weeks ago has already climbed up the metal obelisque and is full of blooms. The flowers are amazing when they are open, but I think are also quite pretty when they are rolled up waiting for the next morning.
You be the judge.
Apr 14, 2011
For those that have been following the boat refurbishing project… Monte has been working diligently on it and it looks beautiful. All the mahogony trim and brightwork was sanded down to bare wood and has its many coats of varnish. The decks have been sanded and repainted with gritty bits for traction. He’s added fishing pole holders (YEAH!), some bronze bits, fixed the swim ladder mount, sanded and painted the cockpit floor (we know that get’s a lot of abuse), repainted the toe rails, etc etc.
The big thing we have to do before launching is to put on new bottom paint. We’ll work on the mast and spars after it’s back in the water. That way, we can at least play, even if we can’t sail yet.
This is a shot looking aft taken through the eye on the bowstrap where the mainstay attaches (when it is there).
It won’t be long now!
Apr 13, 2011
My favorite not-homemade-pizza is the Tuscan from Brick Oven. It has a mushroom pesto sauce, some small pieces of prosciutto, a little bit of mozzarella and asiago cheese sprinkled on it. After it comes out of the oven, it is topped with a pile of arugula leaves and drizzled with truffle oil (my mouth is watering just typing that).
I want to make this pizza. So… we planted some arugula in the garden a few weeks back. It’s taking hold and has sprouted a bunch of these little tiny arugula blossoms. They are edible as well.
When the time comes to make our own version of the Tuscan pizza, i will definitely post a pic 🙂
Apr 12, 2011
When I was in Seattle last week, several of my sisters were planting their fuschia hanging baskets. I love fuschias and have never found them down here in Texas. I have always assumed that the Central Texas climate was too unfriendly to fuschias.
I went to Home Depot this weekend to pick up a few things, and what did I spy on the racks of hanging baskets? One, lone, fuschia plant. The guy from the nursery was there stocking the shelves and said it should do ok if I keep it out of the really strong sun and shelter it later in the summer.
I scooped it up and brought it home. It now is hanging outside my back room so that I can keep an eye on it every day. So pretty!
Apr 11, 2011
When out back for a walk around, I saw this cardinal perched in the top of one of the 40-50′ tall pecan trees that have just started to leaf out.
He was getting tossed around by gusty winds, but that didn’t interfere with getting his song out.
This photo is grainy due to the 12x digital zoom i used. But I like the shot because of the red of the bird against the blue sky.
Sheila365 