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Another week
I know–I’ve been scarce. Going to be scarcer. September should be better.
Trees and shrubs have been trimmed, by me and by actual pros with wood chippers and stump-grinders and such. Amazing how quickly two men and a wood chipper can get rid of a tree’s worth of, well, tree. This they did yesterday, at about 715am. Hella way to wake up, but I had to get up anyway, and by the time I got dressed they were gone. The backyard looks bigger and sunnier. Next month, I will have some repair work done on the deck, do some mulching and planting.
Tomatoes have been ripening. Yesterday, chopped up a few Black Crim and the single ripe Kellogg’s Breakfast–a pretty pale orange color–with a cucumber and a red onion. Sweet vinegar dressing–cider vinegar, sugar, salt/pepper, and a dash of olive oil. Had it last night with broiled salmon and couscous. Lovely summer dish.
Finally had some rain yesterday after two-three weeks without. Only a few tenths of an inch, but some wind came along for the ride and this morning city crews were out picking up fallen branches. A tree had fallen across the bike trail, so Gaby and I got to do a little up and over. But we’ve had our walk. Now she’s outside keeping the yard save from Invader Squirrel and his partners in crime. I’m inside, in the cool & dry, getting ready to work.
Below, the begonias in the front yard planter. They’re lovely now, full and bright–the photo doesn’t do them justice, but I wanted to post it anyway because.
Mirrored from Kristine Smith.
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I'm now officially selling my house in about 18 months, and we're starting the Fix It Up For Sale stage. You know, all those things one didn't get to because they weren't urgent? Replacing the patio cover/roof, painting the house (it could go another five or more years if we weren't selling, but as it is...), eventually refinishing the floors and replacing some flooring and carpet (entry hall and stairs is the only carpet and it's OLD) and then painting it all. I won't be moving far, just closer to downtown by half an hour or more. I'm already working out what and where and how I want to decorate, because that's the fun part.
I'm planning (as of now) on a one bedroom rental, with modular space-saving furniture customized to my requirements, so I can move it (actually, have it moved by younger and stronger people) fairly easily and reassembled likewise. Queen-sized Murphy bed in bedroom, another one (twin sized) sideways in the living room that acts as a spare couch when I want, and a sewing/quilting cabinet series and a writer space and lots of bookcases. Then I can close up the bed and have room for yoga, and can close up everything in the living room and have enough room for 12 people sitting down for dinner if I wish. Am possibly going to get doors on the bookcases with rods to hold fabric so I can "redecorate" when I wish. Huge difference between a blue and white toile and a vivid tropical print! I've never lived exactly as I wished before -- last time I lived alone I had no money for extras, so this could be fun.
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We might get a little rain over the weekend or early next week. I can hope.
I had lunch out beside the lily pond--none blooming, but there were little leopard frogs hanging in the water and watching me. They'd start from the big clump of water iris at the upstream end of the pool and float with the current until they found a water lily leaf to hold on to or perch on. (The water lilies have moved...probably the raccoons again--they get in there and redesign our planting layout trying to catch the frogs. I hope they get stung by whatever stings me when I'm cleaning out the clumps of wiry algae from the channel from "middle pool" to "lily pool.")
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I hear bullfrogs or leopard frogs when I walk with Gaby through the nature preserve. I've seen leopard frogs on the paths.