Kylee loves her Kong Frisbee

Word of the Day

Tch - An expression of disagreement.

The weather has turned cooler and my wardrobe is lacking. So far, I haven't needed the jacket that I left at DD Daughter's house but I KNOW I'll need it before too long. However, I'm not complaining...too much. It actually snowed where #1 Son lives. I'm not sure if it snowed at The Lake. Hopefully, our handy-man has adjusted the rocks on either side of our driveway at The Lake because the township won't be too pleased if they wreck their plow on those rocks.

I spent the day with my friend. Lunch and a trip to Saver's. I bought some cool weather appropriate shirts. Goodbye capris and sandals, hello jeans and long-sleeve shirts, sweaters and sweatshirts. Afterwards, I stopped at Target...just because. There is no Target at The Lake so it's nice to just wander through and see what's what. I actually bought some of their box wines, something that I normally don't purchase. However, it's hard to argue with the savings. One box of Target wine = four bottles of wine. And right now, Target box wine costs $16. There's no way that I could purchase a bottle of wine for $4...and live through the experience. No, Target wine doesn't taste like $4 wine. Quite frankly, Target wine tastes a lot better than some wines that have set me back a lot more. Besides, I have boxes and boxes of empty wine bottles out in the garage which I can use when I get around to bottling my pomegranate wine.

Aside from my trip to Target, I stopped at PetSmart to pick up a treat pouch for Kylee's training sessions...and a bucket of treats that the instructor recommended. Her next lesson is in a week. I plan to be prepared. I also plan to work with Kylee on a daily basis...before the class. I wonder if I should take my Advil before next week's class?

Random Thought of the Day

At a movie theater which arm rest is yours?

Noteworthy Quote of the Day

Make hunger thy sauce, as a medicine for health.

- Thomas Tusser, 1524

Word of the Day

Taterfamilias - The head of the Potato Head family.

Last summer my sister inventoried her freezers at The Lake. Yesterday, I bought a frozen turkey for Thanksgiving. I barely found room for it in my freezer. The turkey was my last straw. It became more than apparent that there are LOTS of things in both the big, upright freezer in my laundry room AND the freezer part of my side-by-side refrigerator. Time to do an inventory. If you don't know what is in your freezer...or cupboards...you just end up running out to the grocery store for things that you already have, in abundance. However, having said that. The turkey I bought yesterday, is the only turkey that is currently residing in my freezer.

The inventory took me two LONG hours. I now have two printed pages of things that are in my upright freezer and one printed page of things that are in my side-by-side freezer. From the look of things, I've been preparing for The Great Famine. And I've been making those preparations since 2007, but I did find some blackberries that I'd vacuum-sealed in 2002. *sigh* I'm sure they'll be great in wine, but obviously, it's time to use some of this stuff up. I've already thrown away the mystery foods.

Mystery food? Apparently, someone (probably me), put some food in the freezer without bothering to identify it with the mistaken idea that I'd use it before having to label it. Wrong. I figure if you can't figure out what something is by looking at it, and you can't remember when you put it in the freezer, it's time to throw it out. I'm making a resolution to label things from now on. My memory isn't what it used to be. And NOTHING goes into the freezer before it has been entered into the inventory. What am I talking about?! NOTHING goes into the freezer until I whittle the inventory list down to ONE page.

As for vintage foods?...well, HTP and I are going to enjoy a couple of three year old "vintage" T-Bone steaks tonight. I'm hoping that the Fried Italian Peppers (also found in the freezer - Fall 2009, but vacuum-sealed) will help mask the freezer burn on the meat. I can say that the frozen burritos (2009?) that I cooked up for lunch tasted just fine.

Needless to say, no-one is going to be running out to the grocery store in the near future for any meat. We've got meat. Check the inventory. I suppose I should inventory my two pantries next. *sigh*

Thought of the Day Random

Why doesn't McDonald's sell hotdogs?

Noteworthy Quote of the Day

Dive into the sea of thought, and find there pearls beyond price.

- Moses Ibn Ezra, Shirat Yisrael

Finished Landscaping...for now.


There was a rock under that palm tree?


Word of the Day

Tarnation - The land flowing with tar. The majority of the world's tar is exported from this country.


Happy


Veteran's


Day!


Wow! It's been a whole month since I blogged...over a month? Well...I've been a bit busy and I've also been just plain old lazy about blogging. Let's see if I can catch you up.

1. I planted two tomato plants, some lettuce, and some zucchini.

I know. I'd just managed to harvest all the fruits from my summer gardens at The Lake but I couldn't resist the thought of fresh veggies here in Arizona. The tomatoes are doing quite well. I wish I could say the same for the lettuce and zucchini. I don't think the lettuce likes how dry things are here and since I planted the zucchini into my flower bed...I'm not sure it likes our soil.

2. I've got everything unpacked.

All the boxes and boxes of stuff that HTP and I brought home from The Lake have been unpacked and everything has been put away. Unpacked doesn't necessarily mean put away in my household so I thought I should clarify.

3. I played my clarinet at the church.

I had a wonderful time playing my clarinet with our original contemporary group at the church. A couple of the original group have moved to the high country and some have retired so it was wonderful to get together again.

4. I raced off to Nevada to clear and clean up my folks' house so it could be put up for sale.

It took me a week to get everything accomplished. On the day that I arrived, I discovered that garbage pick up was scheduled for the following morning. So, I ran around the house (room to room) and filled 12 HUGE black garbage bags with things that I KNEW I couldn't sell or donate. I also called Salvation Army to schedule a pick up...which...I eventually cancelled. On Day 2, I called a used furniture store to see if they'd like to buy some of the furniture that my folks had in their home. I also started calling and scheduling possible Realtors. Oh...and I called Vietnam Vets to pick up a load of things for donation which I'd started to box and bag up the previous night. And I had GE come in to fix my folks' dishwasher. The water pump was bad. The used furniture people came over and appraised the furniture that they wanted and then sent someone over to pick it up and pay me. The Vietnam Vets took a truckload of other stuff. Meanwhile, I interviewed the first realtor. On Day 3, I continued boxing up things for donation and I had someone come in to clean the carpets. I also interviewed two more Realtors....who ended up having to wear booties to protect the newly cleaned carpets. On Day 4, the boxing up of stuff continued and I interviewed the last of the Realtors...and hired said realtor. I hope he does a good job. I picked all the almonds from my folks' tree AND all the pomegranates. I also hired a landscaper to clean up the yard and scheduled a window cleaner to come out to clean all the windows. And...I bagged up and hauled a bunch more stuff out for garbage collection. Day 5, more packing up so stuff. I shipped out two boxes of stuff (including almonds and pomegranates) to my folks. The landscaper did a great job with the yard clean-up and hauled off stuff that the garbage people refused to take. I washed up the patio furniture and got it set up outside. My friend and her hubby came over for supper (no I didn't get rid of EVERYTHING)and we ate outside...I did get rid of the kitchen table and the dining room table. Someone came out and installed the For Sale sign. Day 6 was spent packing, cleaning and clearing out all the kitchen cabinets and the garage and anything that I missed. My friend's hubby took five loads of stuff to The Salvation Army for donation. AND he installed the part for my folks' kitchen sink...which I ordered earlier in the week...AND he replaced the two anti-siphon valves on the hose bibs outside. I've got the best friends EVER! My friend even helped clean the showers! And, they agreed to take lots of stuff over to their home (in Vegas)for a future garage sale and because some things I just wasn't willing to part with and I'd already jam-packed (Tetris-style), everything that I could into the Gator. Then the best friends ever, took me to a nearby casino for supper which I paid for because they are the best friends ever. Day 7, my friend's hubby came over in the morning to pick up the last of the things that they were going to keep and transport for me....and I gave the realtor my key. Day 8, did I tell you that all this time Kylee was with me? She did pretty good...other than when she chewed up the cord for my Kindle. Kylee and I piled into a VERY loaded car, locked up the house, and headed back home to Arizona.


5. I discovered that #1 Son is coming for Christmas and he wanted to go to Vegas for New Year's.

So...HTP and I discussed going to Vegas to celebrate New Year's....and then we discussed going to Vegas for Halloween...just for fun. So I called our casino hostess and made reservations for HTP and me for the end of October and for New Year's with an extra room for #1 Son and his girlfriend...but not before I made reservations at a local kennel for Kylee.

6. We had HTP's brother and his new wife over for dinner.

HTP's brother and his new wife bought a new home (a second home) in Arizona. They flew in for a few days to take care of things and buy stuff for their new home so, HTP and I had them over for dinner one night. Steaks on the grill. They told us that they'd be coming back to Arizona for Thanksgiving. Now, I'm wondering if I should be planning on having Thanksgiving dinner here with them...or over there at their new place...or a quiet meal for just HTP and me. Regardless, I plan to buy a whole turkey and have it thawing...just in case.

7. I picked the pomegranates - from my tree this time.

I ended up having to really prune back my pomegranate tree. It had completely overgrown my air-conditioner over the summer which caused the poor thing to croak (the AC unit, not the pomegranate tree). So, I combined the chore of pruning with picking. It took me a full day to clean and juice the pomegranates. I canned the juice and stored the pulp in the fridge until I could start making the wine...after HTP and I got back from Vegas.


8. HTP and I went to Vegas.

After dropping Kylee off at the kennel (she couldn't come with us), HTP and I drove to Vegas, crossing the new Boulder Dam bypass bridge. Wonderful! I thought I'd be a bit nervous crossing such a REALLY TALL bridge (after seeing the bridge under construction from below as we crossed the Dam) but you don't even notice how far you'd fall if you went over the edge because they have retainer walls on either side. No stopping on the bridge. However, HTP and I noted that there were people walking on the other side of the retainer walls. We think there must be an elevator that takes tourist up to see the bridge from the Dam. Interesting but I'm not sure that I would ever actually do that. *shudder* Anyway, we spent three nights in Vegas just eating, drinking and having fun. And, Kylee was excited to see us when we got back. I'd rather not leave Kylee at a kennel but everyone there seemed to love her and it's good to know that there's somewhere nearby where I can take Kylee should the need arise again...like for New Year's.

9. I started a double batch of Pomegranate Wine.

This last summer must have been a bad year for pomegranates. I was only able to pick half as many pomegranates as I had last year. But...oh well...I still had enough to make a double batch of Pomegranate wine. Seven days of bubble, bubble and I was able to air-lock two buckets of wine which I'll have to rack at the beginning of December.

10. I sold lots of stuff at a garage sale.

Remember all those boxes of stuff my friends helped me with in Vegas? Well, there was a neighborhood garage sale scheduled for the beginning of November at my friends' house in Arizona. So, we had a garage sale....a successful garage sale. No, I didn't sell EVERYTHING we had hoped to sell, but we sold enough that there wasn't too many things left over for donation or for our next garage sale. Yes, I kept some things for next time.

11. Kylee had her first obedience class.

*MOAN* Kylee was a complete hoyden! Actually, this may have been a good thing because I learned a few things...and Kylee did too. But, by the end of the hour long class, I had a headache that made me wonder if my eyes were bleeding. Kylee was so excited to see all the other dogs in the class and all these people who she wanted to play with her, she barked (such a shrill bark!), for almost the entirety of the class, making it almost impossible to hear the instructor. Needless to say, I'm going to be working with Kylee on the "calming" exercise that the instructor showed us all AND I need to work on ignoring my dog when she barks commandingly and in such a shrill manner. The latter is going to take some work.

12. I've packed up and mailed several boxes of stuff to my folks at The Lake and I packed up and mailed a couple of boxes of stuff to Sarge in Texas.

Yes, I still had more things to mail off to my folks from their Nevada home. Plus, I had to clear out my own cupboards to make room for some of the things that I'd brought back from my folks' place, stuff that I wanted to keep. So, I packed up a couple of boxes of stuff to send to Sarge. I'm really loving The UPS Store. I forgot to mention that I sent a couple of boxes of stuff to DD Daughter after I got back from Nevada (after clearing out my folks' place). I may end up using them again to ship out the spinning wheel that I want up at The Lake...not here in Arizona. It sure would save me from having to pack it into the Gator next spring.


13. We had one of our windows fixed.

The weather has been really nice here in Arizona since we've been back. We've been able to open windows to air things out and cool things down at night. Unfortunately, one of the windows in our guest room wasn't working too well. The spring had sprung. Thankfully, we have a lifetime warranty on our windows here so they sent someone out to fix the window...not immediately but within a week from when we called.


14. I've pruned all the plants and trees in my front yard with the help of my wonderful neighbor.

I have a wonderful neighbor! She's been helping me prune my overgrown landscaping in the front yard...every Wednesday (except when I was in Vegas). Thursday is when our garbage collection is scheduled. Yesterday, I think, we finished up with the pruning in the front yard. That Mediterranean fan palm out front was vicious! We both ended up with blood dripping down our arms by the time we'd finished. HTP will be taking the clippings to the dump. By the time we'd finished, I'd felt like I'd been in a fight. However, our front yard is looking really nice. I'd planned to do most of this pruning last spring but the best laid plans oft-time go awry.


So...now you're all caught up on all the doings here in Arizona. We discovered that the dump is closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays so HTP and I will be taking the palm tree clippings to the dump this afternoon. Grocery shopping is on the schedule...after.

Happy


Belated


Birthday


Bro!


It was my favorite brother's birthday yesterday. Of course, he's my only brother but.... It was also the birthday of the Marine Corps.



Ooorah!




Random Thought of the Day

Do astronauts change their clocks when they move over different time zones in space?

Noteworthy Quote of the Day

Oh sleep! It is a gentle thing,
Beloved from pole to pole.

- Samuel Taylor Coleridge (1772 - 1834)

Arizona Bark Scorpion

Word of the Day

Tarmac - A native of tarnation; tarmacs are almost always going somewhere, but make awful tour guides.

It's DD Daughter's birthday today!

Happy


Birthday


DD Daughter!


I hope you have a wonderful day!


Well, I found my first scorpion since we've been back here in Arizona. Last night. It was in my pantry. I reached into the pantry to grab an onion and a couple of potatoes for supper last night and there it was. Thankfully, it was dead. Regardless, dead or alive, those things give me the creeps. I keep wondering how many more scorpions are running around my house, very much alive, just waiting for me to find them....and how many scorpions did I just not see while I was out cleaning up the yard the other day? *shudder*

Random Thought of the Day

Why do we sing "Rock a bye baby" to lull a baby to sleep when the song is about putting your baby in a tree and letting the wind crash the cradle on the ground?

Noteworthy Quote of the Day

There is no shortage of good days. It is good lives that are hard to come by.

- Annie Dillard

Kylee discovered a pomegranate that had fallen off our pomegranate tree. She soon lost interest in this red "ball".

Word of the Day

Tar circles - Strange circles and other shapes found etched into a road that are sometimes believed to be created by flying saucers.

My goodness! We received more than two inches of rain in the last few days. That's a lot of rain for out here in the desert. All that rain flooded my back yard and made a mess of my patio. It also caused the GFI box where the electric for my fountain motor is plugged in to "trip". I had to wait for things to dry out before I could re-set it. At the risk of more rain, I swept and vacuumed my patio...again. The cushions on my patio furniture look like they've finally dried off but after sitting on one...for a second...I determined that they aren't "through and through" dry. However, I did find one dry chair to sit on (protected by the covered part of the patio) so I was able to enjoy sitting out with Kylee this morning after our morning walk.

Kylee and I took a training walk around the neighborhood this morning. She was excited to have the opportunity to explore a bit and got to meet and greet one of the neighbors. Unfortunately, she still has a problem with holding her bladder when she gets excited. *sigh* I'm sure that she'll eventually outgrow the problem. I hope.

Random Thought of the Day

If parents say, "Never take candy from strangers" then why do we celebrate Halloween?

Noteworthy Quote of the Day

Here's a message to the new borns, waiting to breathe: if you believe then you can achieve. Just look at me, against all odds 'though life is hard, we carry on, livin' in the projects, broke with no lights on. To all the seeds that follow me- protect your essence, born with less, but you still precious.

- Tupac Shakur, Smile

October 4, 2008 - GI Joe, DD Daughter and Ms. En

Word of the Day

Tapz - Really awkward or outlandish shoes; shoes thought to be on the cutting edge of new fashion industry.

Laundry Day. Being the first laundry day back here in Arizona since last February, I suppose it's excusable to have forgotten to turn the water back on to the washing machine. Dry cleaning? Oh well...I finally figured out why the washing machine wasn't doing its job and corrected the problem. Maybe I should start creating a list of things to do when we arrive back here in the fall.

The monsoon is still sending daily rain to Arizona. As soon as things dry off, I suppose I'll have to drag out the broom and vacuum again. Oh well...

Random Thought of the Day

Do the minutes on the movie boxes include the previews, credits, and special features, or just the movie itself?

Noteworthy Quote of the Day

We bear the world and we make it... There was never a great man who had not a great mother - it is hardly an exaggeration.

Olive Schreiner (1855 - 1920)

The Fountain is Running


Kylee Doesn't Mind the Rain

Word of the Day

Tape scrape - The act of clawing and scratching at a roll of scotch tape to pull up the end when the one who used it last let the tape adhere to itself.

We're Home! Home in Arizona. All our bags are unpacked....even the boxes. I'm not certain why it only takes me two days to unpack the things that took two weeks to pack but I guess that's the way things work with me. I hate leaving things in boxes. I hate leaving things undone.

On that theme, I swept and vacuumed the back patio so I could get the patio furniture set out. As long as I was sweeping, I figured I might as well clean out the fountain which was FILLED with leaves, dried oleander blossoms, and desert dirt. Have broom will sweep. But, I couldn't sweep the fountain debris out without trimming back all the foliage that decided to overgrow all over my fountain. Normally, you wouldn't prune things until spring but I had no choice. So, my fountain is now up and running. Kylee decided that my broom was worth herding...that and the vacuum cleaner so I finally had to speak severely to her.

Of course, no more than one hour after I'd exhausted myself with cleaning up the backyard, we ended up with a rain storm. Figures. Oh well, at least we didn't get a dust storm. Just rain. And it looks like I'll have to relocate my rain gauge. The Brazilian Pepper tree has filled in during the summer months and is acting as a very affective umbrella.

Random Thought of the Day

Is there ever a day that mattresses are not on sale?

Noteworthy Quote of the Day

Learn to value yourself, which means: to fight for your happiness.

- Ayn Rand (1905 - 1982)

Word of the Day

Tanggold - When two or more gold chains get tangled after one puts them on one's neck or wrist and does nothing else. Before one knows it, they're tanggold.

HTP and I are On the Road Again. We spent two nights with DD Daughter, GI Joe, Ms. En and Mr. T. It was great to spend time with them. When we arrived in Omaha we all met over at Valentino's for supper. GI Joe's folks (Happy Mom and Happy Dad) joined us there for an Italian Buffet Feast.


Ms. En Daintily Eatting Spaghetti


Happy Mom Like to Play with Balloons


Even Mr. T like Italian food

The next day, DD Daughter and I took Ms. En for a Girls Day Out at Vala's Pumpkin Patch and wore ourselves out. That place is HUGE! There's really no way that you can see and do everything on one day....but...we tried.


Ms. En Got a Better View of the Pumpkin Eating Dragon from DD Daughter's Shoulders


Vala's Rocks


Wow! Look at all the Corn!


After a Ride on the Train, Ms. En Got to be the conductor on the wooden train in one of the many play yards at Valas.


Sliding at Valas


Petting the Goats

We hit the road again the next morning, after a quick breakfast of apple pie...which we'd bought at Valas. Yummm!!!! HTP and I stopped in Denver for the night where we had a wonderful dinner with one of my best friends, my former room-mate from college. HTP and I had great fun introducing her to the sushi experience. While she refused any of the raw fish sushi, she did enjoy the cooked sushi. Yes, she DID eat sushi...and I think she liked it.

HTP and I will be hitting the road again after breakfast. Tonight's stop? Grant, New Mexico. Again...I won't promise to blog but I won't promise to not blog. Kylee has been a good little traveling companion. She gets a bit wired from spending so much time in her kennel but we're stopping at rest areas to let her out for short runs.

Random Thought of the Day

If Mars had earthquakes would they be called marsquakes?

Noteworthy Quote of the Day

It has been said that man is a rational animal. All my life I have been searching for evidence which could support this.

Bertrand Russell (1872 - 1970)

Kylee - Leashless in Wisconsin

Word of the Day

Tangentwoman - The feminine variant of tangentman.

Wow! I can't believe that it's been so long since I blogged last. It's been a busy summer. I've been spending a great deal of time with my new doctor (s). When I fell in July, I tore a ligament in my knee. Since then I've been having to wear a knee brace and endure a lot of physical therapy...which...I will have to continue this winter. This slowed me down when it came to doing anything else. There just didn't seem to be time for blogging.

In September HTP and I enjoyed a nice visit with DD Daughter, GI Joe, and our grandkids, Ms. En and Mr. T.


Happy Birthday GI Joe!


A Special Dinner for the Special Birthdays


Happy 1st Birthday Mr. T


Happy 3rd Birthday Ms. En


Birthday Cake!


Yumm!!!!


Raggedy Ann and Andy

All my tomatoes have been picked and canned. Instead of making piccallili relish this year I experimented with making some Green Tomato Salsa. I love it. I grew a lot of habanero peppers this year which worked well in the salsa...as soon as I figured out how REALLY hot the habanero peppers were. I made a lot of hot pepper jelly to use and give away. Raspberry/Habanero Jelly, Habanero Gold Jelly, and Blackberry/Habanero Jelly. I also made Habanero Hot Sauce. Waste not, want not. I ended up giving away a lot of the habanero peppers and in the end, they were all put to good use.

Sis and I bottled all our summer wine. Lots of wine. Keep in mind that we also bottled the winter wine this spring and a batch of Mulligan Berry Wine at the beginning of summer. I'll be bringing a lot of wine back to Arizona. We've discovered over the years that sometimes mistakes make the best wine. This year's mistake in wine-making has led us to a new, improved recipe for Rhubarb Wine. We also discovered a neat new tool which makes our bottling experience A LOT easier.


Buckets of Wine - Before


Empty Bottles Waiting to Be Filled


Bottles Filled and Ready for Labling


Sis and Me and the Summer 2010 Wine

HTP and I and our new dog Kylee will be hitting the road tomorrow morning. We'll be on our way to Arizona after a quick stop-over to see DD Daughter, GI Joe and the grandkids. Kylee, a Wisconsin native, will get her first real experience traveling cross-country. It'll be her first road trip. Then, she'll get to experience a fenced backyard and the more restrictive life-style of living in Arizona. Hopefully, she'll learn quickly not to mess with scorpions and black widow spiders....which I'll try real hard to keep out of said backyard.

I won't promise to blog in the coming days because it's really not easy to blog while traveling. However, I'll try to be better about blogging once we get back to Arizona.

Random Thought of the Day

Why do British people never sound British when they sing?

Noteworthy Quote of the Day

The problem with political jokes is they get elected.
Henry Cate VII

Tomatoes on the Deck - August 10, 2010

Word of the Day

Tangentman - Any individual prone to suddenly change the current subject of discussion without either warning or due cause. This is usually done to bring the discussion to a subject either close to the tangentman's heart, or to make the tangentman the centre of the discussion.

Woodtick Count - 30

The weather here at The Lake this week can be described using two words. Hot and Humid. With dew points in the 70's, it isn't uncommon to wake up to windows fogged up with condensation due to the indoor air-conditioning. It's not exactly like walking out into a huge steam bath but it's darn close. Actually, I wouldn't really mind it too much if it weren't for the mosquitoes.

I'm heading out this afternoon to see a guy about a couple of eyes. I haven't seen an ophthalmologist for three years. I think it's time to get my eyes checked...maybe get a new pair of glasses. These days you can't just walk into Walmart, hand them your glasses, and ask them to make up a pair of glasses with the same prescription. Why? If you're happy with the glasses you have and the only problem is that the ones you currently own are all scratched up or you broke the rims or something, why can't they just make up a new pair for you. It's not like they can't figure out what your prescription is by putting your glasses into one of their neato machines. But....it has been three years. I suppose I could go see the Walmart optometrist but I figures since it's been three years I'd better go see a guy who could identify any real problems that my eyes could be subject to because of my aging body. However, I may go over to Walmart when it comes to taking care of ordering new glasses. There really isn't too many choices when it comes to getting glasses here at The Lake. Or...maybe I can wait until I get to make a trip into The Big City. We'll see.

Random Thought of the Day

Why do people never say "it's only a game" when they're winning?

Noteworthy Quote of the Day

The truth is that there is nothing noble in being superior to somebody else. The only real nobility is in being superior to your former self.

- Whitney Young (1921 - 1971)

Wild Turkeys - August 8, 2010, Picture taken by T-Square

Word of the Day

Tangentalize - To go off on a tangent or bunny trail in a conversation.

Woodtick Count - 30

Turkeys! Several years back the powers that be decided to re-introduce wild turkeys to the area where we live. They've been very fruitful and have multiplied. It isn't uncommon to see rafters of turkey wandering up and down my driveway or hear them calling out in the woods.

The other day four large adult turkeys and all their off-spring came strutting out of the woods, heading straight for my tame raspberry bushes. It's fun to see them but I'm not going to let a rafter of wild turkeys come in and strip my tame raspberries bushes of all their fruit. Not happening. I went outside to chase them off and Kylee got her first experience with wild turkeys. She loved it. She chased and leaped and ran and grinned. She loved it. Me? Not so much. It was hard getting her to come back inside after all that fun and after I finally got her back inside, it was hard getting her to settle down. Since then, I've been a bit more cautious about letting Kylee outside when I see anything that she may decide to chase (herd). Unfortunately, Kylee is a lot better and seeing things than me.

Interestingly enough, Kylee doesn't bark when she's in pursuit of whatever she happens to see and want to chase. Sure enough, a few days later, I took Kylee outside for our morning "perimeter check" and off Kylee shot like a bullet. Some turkeys had decided to overnight in our backyard, in the wooded buffer-zone between our house and the lake. Off she ran, chasing and leaping, all four legs of the ground and grinning, tongue hanging out of the side of her mouth. *sigh* Thankfully, she does come back when she's called...eventually. Heaven help me if she actually manages to catch on of these wild turkeys. They're bigger than she is but so far they've flown away rather than face a 20# bundle of energy. Also, thankfully, Kylee hasn't learned to stalk her prey.

This morning, I was quietly sitting on the couch, watching TV and crocheting when Kylee stiffened up and sat at full alert. She bobs her head when she's on alert and makes this chuffing noise in her throat. It's weird. Anyway, she shot off the couch and raced to the window. Her head nodding while she chuffed. Sure enough. I looked outside to see a huge turkey pacing back and forth on my lawn. Meanwhile, Kylee raced back and forth between the windows and our front door to stare, nod her head and chuff. Needless to say, I didn't let her outside to "play".

Of course, as usual, I'm slow with my camera so missed any interesting shots of the turkeys. However, my folks had a visit from a rafter of turkeys this morning as well at their place across the lake. T-Square is a lot quicker than me when it comes to getting a Kodak moment shot. Most of the turkeys had escaped into the woods before Dad got his shot lined up but he caught three of them. Me? Zippo....again.

Random Thought of the Day

Why is it called a funny bone, when if you hit it, it's not funny at all?

Noteworthy Quote of the Day

I can't listen to that much Wagner. I start getting the urge to conquer Poland.

- Woody Allen (1935 - )

Ms. J and Kylee - July 2010

Word of the Day

Syntheticity - An object's state of being synthetic. To possess syntheticity is to be a synthetic thing. As opposed to organicity.

Woodtick Count - 30

There's so much to do these days. I really should go out and pull weeds...or spray them...but that would mean that I'd have to go outside and brave the mosquitoes again. *sigh* Oh well, I did spend a great deal of time outside yesterday despite the mosquitoes. I watered all my container plants. I dead-headed my geraniums and got rid of all the radishes that I'd tried to grow in my tomato pots. They didn't do. What a waste of time and effort! I can't grow radishes here in Wisconsin. I used to be able to grow wonderful radishes back in Arizona. Here? They all grow to tops with now bulb. I think I'll bring all my radish seed back to Arizona when HTP and I go back this fall. Waste not, want not. And besides, it won't take up that much space. Oh well....I digress. I picked all my tomatoes. Lots of cherry tomatoes. And then, I mixed up some fungicide and sprayed all the tomatoes and my zucchini plants. I've given up on my cucumber plants. Actually, nothing seems to want to grow in my dog kennel garden this year. *sigh* I did pick some beans but although HTP and I have enjoyed having them with meals, there haven't been enough to can for the winter.

I made squash blossoms and fried green tomatoes for breakfast...for me. HTP wanted a more traditional fried egg breakfast. Mom gave me some of squash blossoms from her garden and something (raccoon?) knocked a perfectly nice green tomato off one of my plants. Waste not, want not. Yummy! I probably won't be running out to pick green tomatoes to fry up on a daily basis...or ever...but the one I fried up this morning was wonderful.

So, today I'm going to can tomatoes because HTP and I can't eat them all fast enough. Plus, the reason I planted so many tomatoes is that I'm running out of my home-canned tomatoes and need to stock up again. Some for here, some for there. Some that will stay here in Wisconsin, and some to bring back to Arizona.

Random Thought of the Day

Do you yawn in your sleep?

Noteworthy Quote of the Day

Meetings are indispensable when you don't want to do anything.

- John Kenneth Galbraith (1908 - 2006)

Brewing Prickly Gooseberry Wine - D Buddy, Ms J (D Buddy's Daughter), and Me - July 2010

Word of the Day

Symbolify - The act of relating something to something else.

I haven't blogged in ages! Sorry about that. I just haven't felt like blogging. Blame it on the new Kindle that I bought. Every spare moment that I've had in the last few months has been spent reading.

Highlights for July? Sarge, D Buddy, and D Buddy's daughter came to visit over the 4th of July. Sarge and D Buddy hired a U-Haul and moved all the stuff that they'd been storing in our basement. D Buddy's daughter spent a lot of time playing with Kylee. She also picked out some yarn for an afghan which I've started to crotchet for her. I'm hoping to have it completed by Christmas. I hope.

We had fireworks off the dock. D Buddy, #1 Son, #1 Son's girlfriend, Sarge and D Buddy's daughter all participated. I sat in relative safety on the deck. The operative word in the last sentence was "relative". However, due to all the rain that we've had this year....nothing caught on fire. I've been picking up bits and pieces of fireworks that the wind blew all over our deck and yard since said firework display. We're going to have to be more careful when it comes to the direction the wind is blowing next time.

While D Buddy, Sarge and D Buddy's daughter were here, we went out to pick the wild gooseberries. I'd already picked and juiced the black currants and the red currants. I promised D Buddy's daughter (my step-grand-daughter) that I'd save a bottle of the gooseberry wine that we started while they were here...along with a bottle of each of the wines that Sis and I have started this year. It's tradition. I gifted bottles of wine for each of my grandchildren that Sis and I made during the year that they were born. I couldn't do that for D Buddy's daughter because Sis and I hadn't even started our little (growing out of hand) hobby at the time she was born. However, I decided that I could save a bottle of each of the wines that we brewed this summer for her (to be enjoyed on her 21st birthday)to commemorate the summer that HTP and I finally got to meet her.

My garden is NOT growing well. I've had a couple of meager picking of green beans and peas. The weather has been ideal for blight. I've been spraying my tomatoes on a semi-regular basis but I've lost a couple of my tomato plants to the blight. Some of my tomato plants have only produced tomatoes with blossom end rot. *sigh* For all the hassles of growing things out here, I've decided that the only tomato plant that really works out here is my First Lady tomato plants. Oh well...next year. Tomorrow I plan to spray all my tomato plants AND my zucchini plants for blight and mildew. Sadly, my zucchini plants have been suffering from the heat and humidity. I've harvested only two zucchini from my plants. Maybe I'll just have to buy zucchini at the farmer's market from now on. Ditto when it comes to cucumbers. I've got LOTS of cherry tomatoes but even those plants are suffering from the blight.

This summer has been a fungi summer. Lots and lots of wild mushrooms. Sis gave me a huge sack of wild oyster mushrooms which HTP and I have been enjoying. We also harvested a nice giant puffball. And today, Sis and I harvested six pounds of something they call, "Chicken of the Woods". Unfortunately, I'm afraid that I'm one of the few people who end up with gastric distress when they eat "Chicken of the Woods". So...after cooking up my share of the fungi, tasting it, and finding myself with gastric distress...I'm going to give Sis my portion of our find. Maybe she'll give me more of those wonderful oyster mushrooms that only seem to grow on her side of the lake.

Meanwhile, Sis and I racked and blended all the wines that we started this summer. We're collecting and recycling wine bottles so we'll be able to bottle Dandelion Wine, Rhubarb/Strawberry Wine, Rhubarb Wine, and Wild Gooseberry Wine. And...today...the UPS guy delivered my order of corks. We're set for years to come when it comes to corks.

Tomorrow? Tomorrow is another day. Will I blog? I'll try. Habits are a hard thing to break and a harder thing to form. I've got company coming to visit in a bit more than a week and I haven't made up the beds in the guest rooms.

Meanwhile, Kylee has finally learned (knock on wood) that it is better to "do her thing" outside. In other words, dare I say, Kylee has been housebroken. Knock on wood. She is one exhausting dog. She's been spayed. She's up to date on all her vaccinations. And...I've only had to dose her twice with hydrogen peroxide....so far. She weighs 21+ pounds. I think she's full grown, but she's a bundle of dynamo energy.


Random Thought of the Day

Do Chinese people get English sayings tattooed on their bodies?

Noteworthy Quote of the Day

And so faith is closing your eyes and following the breath of your soul down to the bottom of life, where existence and nonexistence have merged into irrelevance.

Word of the Day

Sydnocentric - Attitude peculiar to residents of Sydney that asserts that only events and objects based within Sydney have any cultural worth.

OK. I give up. I refuse to constantly dig up excuses why I haven't blogged. I'll blog when I blog. I'll try to blog on a daily basis. However, sometimes there just isn't anything worth blogging about. If I hear one more News Alert about the oil rig explosion and resultant ecological disaster in The Gulf, I may just puke. I'm sorry. I really am sorry. However, there's nothing that I can do about it right now. If that makes me a bad person...well...I'm sorry. I can't stop Iran from developing obtaining a nuclear weapon. I can't stop someone from bombing the Pentagon. I can't stop some stupid fanatic from blowing up a plane full of innocent travelers. I haven't discovered a cure for cancer or any other disease that plagues mankind or even those that plague members of my own family. I'm sorry. Crap! I haven't even been able to trap the raccoons that have been coming up on my deck each night or the chipmunks that keep digging up the bean seeds that I've planted out in the garden as soon as they've started to sprout. *sigh*

Sis and I took a fetter-less, free day on Saturday, away from spouses and parents, to enjoy what we originally thought was a used book sale but turned out to be an Arts & Craft Sale along with a used book sale which the local library sponsored. Sis and I both ended up purchased multiple bags of books. It may sound a bit childish but...Sis bought more books than I did. *sigh* She bought THREE big bags of books. I only ONE big bag of books. Then...after I got home, I discovered that I already owned four of the books that I'd bought. Oh well...it was for a good cause. I'll donate the surplus books to our local library here at The Lake. And then....Sis and I both enjoyed the Arts & Craft part of the SALE. I love Arts & Craft sales...especially when HTP or anyone else of sound mind isn't around to curb my impulsive need to spend money. Hey! I got some good stuff! So did Sis! I bought two new cutting boards...hand-crafted out of Corian. Beautiful! I may even gift one to Sarge...or DD Daughter...or #1 Son. *sigh* I really should have bought two more of those cutting boards. Then, I bought a couple of cute aprons for Ms. En, and a couple of bibs for Mr. T. Ms. En really loves to cook and you really can't have enough bibs on hand. Sis and I both decided that the coasters that this one guy made were a must....especially here at The Lake. We keep hoping that if we provide enough coasters, people will use them so our furniture won't end up having to be refinished after people thoughtlessly set their beer cans, sweating glasses, or whatever directly onto our fine wooden furniture. *sigh* Well...then, not moments after I unpacked and put out my new coasters, Kylee decided that they'd make a wonderful chew toy. *sigh* Oh well, at least Kylee didn't piddle when I yelled at her. Oh...but that isn't all. Sis and I both were astounded and pleased to find that someone had actually made quilted covers for Kitchen-Aid mixers. WOW!!!!! I've always wanted one of those. They always seem to make covers for everything BUT Kitchen-Aid Mixers. Sis and I both bought one. I might have bought the green one that Sis bought but...there was only one. So, I bought the one with the irises. Hey! It was pretty. Then...my major purchase....I bought two new coffee cups which I'll use for tea because I don't drink coffee anymore, but, can anyone have too many really wonderful coffee/tea cups? I love both of the new cups I bought. One reminds me of the moon painting that I've got hanging in my dining room in Arizona. I really love that painting...and my new mug.

So? What did HTP and I do today? After breakfast, HTP looked at the broken switch that controls the light over my cooktop. Then...we went out shopping for a new switch. Plus, the grocery store in the town, just north of us, was having some smoking good deals on meat. I ended up buying a rib-eye roast which they cut into some steaks and into a prime-rib roast. I bought some extra-lean hamburger and I bought some pork riblets (ala Applebee's riblets) Who can resist $1 per pound when it comes to pork riblets? I really wish I had a chest freezer. However, I did manage to package all the meat I bought and fit it into the freezer section of my fridge. Thank goodness for all the training that my years of Tetris provided me.

Anyway, I finished up my day with multiple walks for Kylee, waving at the departing week-enders, taking down and bringing my bird-feeders inside so the raccoons won't wreck them, making ribeye steak for HTP and me for supper, bilging the big boat and bailing the small boat, and...well...that's all folks. I figure I've done enough for one day, especially since I'm nursing a burnt pinky finger which I burned this morning while making the bacon for breakfast.

Random Thought of the Day

How come lemon washing up liquid contains real lemons, but lemon juice contains artificial flavorings?

Noteworthy Quote of the Day

All that matters is the little part you play in the vast drama.

- Real Live Preacher, reallivepreacher.com weblog, September 4, 2003

My Peonies are Starting to Bloom

Word of the Day

Swish-swash - The tendency to leave one's windshield wipers on even after the rain has stopped.


HTP left for The Big City right after breakfast this morning. In a bid to keep my mind occupied on something other than worrying about Kylee, I decided to paint/stain the four 8-foot trellises that I purchased a while ago. I found a bucket of the stain that was used on the siding of our house down in the basement. Spreading newspapers out on my driveway, I got right to work. After completing two of the trellises, I went back inside to call the vet at around 10 AM. Since the vet was busy and couldn't talk to me, with the promise that she'd call me back I took the phone outside so I could start on the other two trellises. After completing one side of one trellis and starting on one side of the last trellis, I was getting a bit concerned. However, the phone did finally ring. I was assured that Kylee made it through the operation (spay) just fine but her tummy was upset so they don't want me to pick Kylee up until tomorrow...after 10 AM. *sigh* Though I was relieved to hear that Kylee was doing just fine, the fact that she wasn't feeling well is a bit worrisome. *sigh* I'm sure she'll be fine but I miss the little stinker. I finished up the staining well after noon. I know this because I heard the town's noon whistle sound while I was finishing up on the third trellis.

Since the stain that I was using was in a REALLY rusty paint bucket, I transferred the remainder of the stain to an old margarine container before discarding the old bucket. Then, I hauled the first two trellises that I'd stained out to my deck and prepped an area so I could stain the rockers for the two rocking chairs on my deck. I figured that as long as I had the stain out there and the paint brush was already messed up, I might as well take care of the rockers that T-Square made for me last year. I've been using them unstained but wood lasts a lot longer out here if it has a nice coat of protective stain...besides...now the rockers match the rest of the rocking chair(s).

My four new trellises are all dry and installed where I want them out on my deck. My rocking chairs are once again rockable. The rain has held off so the stain has dried. I cleaned the paint brush and paint stirrer and put them away, cleaned up all the newspapers that I spread all over the place so that I wouldn't drip stain onto the deck, took the remaining stain down to the basement, threw away my paint-stained latex gloves, and decided to call it quits for the day...after I went into town to pick up the mail. Exhaustion! When HTP comes home tonight, there will be no evidence that I did anything today. Well...except for the new trellises. Do you think he'll notice. Probably not.

I re-set my Havahart trap again in hopes to catch the raccoon that has been plaguing us. He alluded the trap again last night. I set up some card-board boxes on either side of the trap this time. Maybe this will keep him from reaching in through the side of the trap and force him to enter the trap. We'll see. If this fails, I'm not sure what I can do. It's not like I can shoot the dang thing.

Random Thought of the Day

Do you wake up or open your eyes first?

Noteworthy Quote of the Day

Once you can laugh at your own weaknesses, you can move forward. Comedy breaks down walls. It opens up people. If you're good, you can fill up those openings with something positive. Maybe... combat some of the ugliness in the world.

- Goldie Hawn (1945 - )

Word of the Day

Sweave - To swerve and weave about.

A couple of days ago, I noted that the rug by my kitchen sink was wet. My first thought was that Kylee had found a new place to piddle. No animals...including Kylee...were punished for my wet rug. I reasoned out that Kylee hadn't had the opportunity to piddle on my kitchen sink rug. Actually, knock on wood, Kylee has been pretty good lately...when it comes to doing her thing outdoors rather than indoor. So...I checked under the sink and discovered that my cabinet under the sink was wet. *sigh* I unloaded everything from beneath the sink, cleaned everything off, and then notified HTP that we had a problem. Something was leaking and it wasn't Kylee. After drying everything off and turning on this faucet and that, I noted that there was a slow drip coming from the bottom of our garbage disposal. Being of sound mind, I placed an old dishpan under the area where things were leaking and tried to call a plumber. Unfortunately, the only time we have ever been able to get a hold of our plumber here at The Lake is before 7 AM. *sigh* And he doesn't have an answering machine. So...I called yesterday morning and was told that he'd come out to take a look...last night. Then...last night, after supper, he called to ask if it was OK if he could stop by in the morning...this morning. With no plumbing expertise, my suspicion was that there was something amiss with my garbage disposal. I guessed right. I wasn't here when the plumber came but HTP was told that we needed a new garbage disposal. Corrosion had eaten through the casing. HTP ordered a new garbage disposal...which will come next week. Then, we'll need to call the plumber again to schedule him to come out to install it. In the meantime, the leak is a slow leak, so I can use the sink AND the garbage disposal, AND the dishwasher...as long as that old dishpan is under the sink to catch the drips.

Meanwhile, I took Kylee to the vet this morning. The vet is going to spay her, install one of those microchip ID thingies, and cut her nails. I was told to bring her over to the animal hospital between 8 AM and 10 AM this morning. I was told that she wasn't supposed to have anything to eat after 10 PM last night. I followed directions. Only....I think she may have eaten a couple of her baby teeth this morning. That doesn't count...does it? Anyway, I picked Sis up at her place, and then I got Kylee to the hospital/clinic at around 10 AM.

After dropping Kylee off, Sis and I continued on to the city to do some grocery shopping because we needed a couple of lemons and a couple of oranges to make more rhubarb wine (oops-less rhubarb wine...knock on wood). As soon as we dropped Sis' groceries off at her place, we continued on to my place to work on the wine. Letting the steam-juicer do its thing, Sis and I sallied forth to dig a few perennials from my front gardens as well as some winter onions. She's still working on her landscaping. Landscaping can be a prolonged process.

The oops-less (knock on wood)rhubarb wine is sitting down in my basement, next to the air-locked oops-Rhubarb wine and the air-locked Dandelion wine. Actually, this new wine is a work in progress (kind of like landscaping). Right now it has to be stirred, once a day, for three days before I stain out the citrus fruit and I can add the pectic enzyme, sugar, and yeast. After that it has to sit for two more days before I add some gelatin (flavorless) and can put the cover on and air-lock it. At that point, Sis and I won't need to do anything with it until July....about the same time that Sarge and D Buddy and my step-grandchild Ms. Jay plan to come to visit. I've already got plans to put them all to work. July is when the prickly gooseberries need picking. July is when the strawberries need picking. July is when the currants need picking. July is when the Prickly Gooseberry Wine needs to be started. July is when the Strawberry wine needs to be started. July is when the Mulligan Berry Wine needs to be bottled. A lot goes on in July. I'm betting that my raspberries will need to be picked...not to mention my blueberries. And I'll also have to start making jam in July. July is a busy month. Oh...back to oops-wine. Sis and I tasted the oops-Prickly Gooseberry Wine that we made last summer. Wow! Wonderful! We plan to incorporate the oops back into the recipe this summer. Sometimes it pays to have an oops.

It's so darn quiet here tonight. Kylee isn't here. *sigh* She's a little stinker but she's MY little stinker.

Random Thought of the Day

Did Noah have woodpeckers on the ark? If he did, where did he keep them?

Noteworthy Quote of the Day

Every sweet has its sour; every evil its good.

- Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803 - 1882)

A Family Photo - May 22, 2010

L to R in photo provided by Sis -

HTP, Bro, Me, Mrs. Bro, Sis, Sis' HTP (Husband Type Person), T-Square (my Dad), and Ma


Word of the Day

Swankienda - An extremely nice house.

Woodtick Count - 23

With not much going on here at The Lake, I've been spending a lot of my free time reading. I'm re-visiting Shannon Drake/aka Heather Graham's Vampire series. Since I had all of these books already on my bookshelf, my Kindle has been getting a bit of a rest.

On Friday, I harvested, cleaned, and froze 4 pounds of rhubarb. Sis harvested, cleaned and froze 5 1/2 pounds of rhubarb. We've decided to make a double batch of oops-less rhubarb wine which we'll blend with strawberry wine. We're going to blend half of the oops-Rhubarb wine with strawberry wine but we're going to bottle the other half of the oops-Rhubarb wine as Rhubarb wine. Hey! It might be the best Rhubarb wine that we've ever made!

My brother came up to The Lake on Saturday to open up his cabin. Since he was here, Sis decided to have the family over for dinner/potluck on Sunday. Good food, good drink, good conversation. We celebrated a belated Mother's Day and an early Father's Day. We had baked ziti, King Ranch Casserole, Caesar salad, watercress salad, homegrown green onions (the first that we've harvested), radishes, and rhubarb cake with Cool-Whip. We ate and we ate and we talked and we talked. Kylee played with Tobey (Sis' dog). And we didn't get back home until it was nearly supper time. Needless to say, HTP and I decided to skip supper.

Although I've been attempting to capture the raccoons that visited my deck the other night, I haven't had much success. Although one raccoon tripped the trap, it did so by reaching in from the outside of the trap, through the side...which tripped the trap with him on the outside. Other than startling him a bit, he ate all the bait and dragged the trap around the deck, attempting to take it down the stairs with him. I fixed that problem but haven't had subsequent activity near the trap....which is OK because I really don't want raccoons up on the deck but I've been bringing my bird-feeders in each night and taking them back out in the morning. I haven't been doing this with the hummingbird feeders. Hopefully, the raccoons will leave those alone...or find the bait in the trap more tempting.

Random Thought of the Day

Why are builders afraid to have a 13th floor but book publishers aren't afraid to have a Chapter 11?

Noteworthy Quote of the Day

An expert is a person who avoids small error as he sweeps on to the grand fallacy.

- Benjamin Stolberg

Raccoon in a Trap - 2009

Word of the Day

Supposibly - Describing something that is supposedly possible.

Woodtick Count - 21

Almost a week has passed since the last time I blogged (confession?). Since then, #1 Son came to visit us, we had brats on the grill and belatedly celebrated #1 Son's birthday, #1 Son is now in New Orleans (roadtrip and vacation), Sarge and D Buddy have moved to a bigger rental home in Texas, DD Daughter has posted before and after pictures from the major/kick-ass workout program that she enlisted in...and then she decided to re-enlist...even though I'd LOVE to look like her before picture...*sigh*, I've added 5 woodticks to my woodtick count, Sis and I started the Rhubarb Wine and the Dandelion Wine (both recipes were changed due to a major screw up...MINE...but sometimes major screw ups turn into wondrous miracles (I hope, I hope)...so we've documented the...umm....recipe changes), and, today, Sis and I hiked down to the fresh water spring and harvested four bags of watercress. Sis took one bag, I took one bag, and we gave two bags to my Mom....because both Mom and Dad like watercress. Sis' hubby and HTP don't. Since then, I cleaned my share of the watercress and froze the less tender bits to use when Sis and I make our V-8 juice...when our tomato plants start producing more than we can actually eat. I've got 24 tomato plants growing here on my upper deck and down on my lower deck. According to The Square-Foot Gardener, I've planted way too many tomato plants...however, what does he know.

I had two unwelcome visitors come calling on my upper deck last night. Raccoons. Really big raccoons! I heard a couple of thunks and then one of my windchimes went crazy on a windless night. I dragged myself out of bed, turned on the deck light and there they were. Two masked marauders. I haven't been bringing my seed feeders in each night and the thieves were after the seed in my bird-feeders. My new bird-feeders are supposed to be squirrel-proof but I'm not too sure that they'll withstand an assault from raccoons. Plus, I noted that they seem to LOVE the egg-shells that I've been using in my tomato planters. Thankfully, they didn't manage to snap off any of my tomato plants but...it came really close. *sigh* If I'd had a gun...I would have gone all Beverly Hillbilly on them (raccoon ragu?) but...I don't....have a gun. I would really like to have a gun, but, Sis' hubby commented that he really didn't want to be hiking out in the woods...should I decide to buy one. However... Oh well...while Sis and I were out shopping this morning (buying supplies to rectify the wine screw up of yesterday), I purchased some canned cat food to use as bait in our Havahart trap. HTP told me that raccoons really LOVE cat food. My folks think I shouldn't set my trap on my deck but I'm afraid that I may catch something other than a raccoon in the trap if I set it anywhere else. I mean...what would I do if I caught a skunk? Ewww!!!!!

So, I find myself sitting out on the deck, under the shade of our deck umbrella (blocks the glare of the sun so I can actually see what is being written or read on my laptop screen ), blogging. My gardens are planted. Kylee is contently chewing on the bone that I bought her at Blaine's Farm and Fleet. I'm sipping on the Rhubarb/Strawberry wine that Sis and I made last summer. And...I'm thinking grilling up some burgers on the grill for tonight's supper....and maybe making a side watercress salad...for me.

Random Thought of the Day

If the FBI breaks your door down do they have to pay for it?

Noteworthy Quote of the Day

The only reason I made a commercial for American Express was to pay for my American Express bill.

Peter Ustinov (1921 - 2004)

My Gerbera Daisies - May 28, 2010


Word of the Day

Superfluswitch - The one or more light switches in every house with absolutely no purpose whatsoever.

Woodtick Count - 16

It doesn't seem fair that I got a woodtick this morning after vacuuming the deck. This one actually embedded itself in my back. My first embed. Stupid ticks! HTP had to remove it for me because I couldn't reach it. I suppose I picked it up one of the times that I went to dump the contents of the shop-vac onto the compost pile. Oh well...on the plus side...my deck is now free of all the seeds and stuff that has blown in off the trees that surround our house. I won't guarantee that we won't get more of the stuff but right now, my deck looks darn good. I even installed the umbrella so I could sit outside in partial shade. The temperature outside on my deck is 92 degrees, which isn't all that bad if you can find a bit of shade and the humidity isn't too high.

I finally screwed up my courage to get my hair cut this afternoon...to which HTP would say, "Which hair did you let them cut off?" When you have long hair, a loss of three inches in length isn't all that noticeable. Well, I notice but HTP wouldn't notice unless I came back home with something more dramatic like a boys' cut....which I did one time. I liked it, HTP didn't. Actually, I was feeling pretty good about the whole thing until I found out, after my hair-cut, that this was the last day of work for the gal who cut my hair. I hate that. Now I've got to develop a trust for a whole new person the next time I go in for a hair-cut...next month. *sigh*

Kylee and I relaxed a bit out on the deck (in the shade)this afternoon after I finished up my chores (vacuuming the deck, vacuuming the inside, watering all the plants, transplanting my gerbera daisy), and after my hair appointment. As I sipped on iced tea under the shade of the umbrella, Kylee munched on the ice cubes. She kept begging me for them...the ones in my iced tea. She crunching on ice cubes...so do I but it looks like I won't be doing much ice crunching anymore, not when Kylee is around.

I'm going to go fishing tonight. Wish me luck. HTP bought me some bait. Woohoo! Well...I'll probably only go fishing off the dock but it'll only be the second time that I've gone fishing this year.

Random Thought of the Day

In some books, why do they have blank pages at the very end?

Noteworthy Quote of the Day

Heirlooms we don't have in our family. But stories we've got.

- Rose Cherin

Vegetable Gardening at The Lake - May 2010

Word of the Day

Superflugraph - Meaningless pictures taken just to use up the end of the roll.

Woodtick Count - 14

It's #1 Son's birthday today! My baby is another year older. *sigh* Where has the time gone?


Happy


Birthday


#1 Son!



It's also my folks' anniversary today!



Happy


Anniversary


Mom and Dad!




Sis and I went over to my folks' place this morning to plant some rose bushes that we purchased for them earlier in the month. Sis' husband and Dad helped dig the holes where and while my Mom directed. Sis manned the water buckets. And wearing my oldest gardening gloves (the ones with the holes in the fingers), I got down on my hands and knees to do the actual planting. I hope the three bushes we planted will do well. The climate here at The Lake isn't exactly friendly toward rose bushes but...it was well worth the effort. As Sis' hubby removed one woodtick as it was crawling up my arm, I suspect that the two woodticks that have added to my woodtick count today came from my folks' place.

Although the temperatures remain pretty warm, the humidity level seems to be a bit lower today which makes things, like digging and planting, lots more pleasant outside. Unfortunately, we only received 0.02 inches of rain from the late afternoon storm that blew through yesterday. So...it's sprinkler dance time once again. I want to make sure my blueberry bushes on Blueberry Hill and my currant bushes get plenty of water and I've got some cucumber and zucchini plants that are looking really thirsty on the hill by my garage...not to mention my raspberry bushes.

Random Thought of the Day

Why can't donuts be square?

Noteworthy Quote of the Day

Too many people think only of their own profit. But business opportunity seldom knocks on the door of self-centered people. No customer ever goes to a store merely to please the storekeeper.

- Kazuo Inamori

Cooked Italian Pepper Plants - May 24, 2010

Word of the Day

's up - The question, "What's up?"

It's amazing how the cold virus can keep a person from doing much of anything...much less blogging. Eventually, I hope, someone...anyone...will come up with a cure to the common cold but until then one does one's best. Thankfully, my new Kindle has been helping to keep my "woe is me" feelings somewhat tamped down. I'm currently dealing with the coughing fit stage of my cold which isn't all that bad until I try to sleep through the night. Oh well, as an avowed insomniac, I'm used to sleepless nights.

We've been suffering a series of unseasonably HOT AND HUMID temperatures here at The Lake. HTP and I have been enjoying and depending upon our air-conditioning. I woke up this morning to 70 degrees. The rocks that support my the terraces holding the hill by my garage and supporting Blueberry Hill were sweating. Weird...really weird! The mosquitoes have been loving this atmosphere. Me? Not so much.

Regardless, HTP and I drove into The Big City on Saturday to visit with HTP's Mom and help HTP's Sis and Bro write Thank You notes to those who sent gifts and flowers for HTP's Dad's funeral. Afterwards, HTP and I attended an Open House at our nephew's house to celebrate our niece-in-law's MBA. And then...HTP and I and #1 Son enjoyed an All-You-Can-Eat Sushi dinner before HTP and I (and Kylee) headed on back to The Lake.

I was excited to receive my Burpee Italian Pepper plants on Monday but... Our unseasonably HOT temperatures cooked the plants. I'd ordered three Giant Marconi Italian pepper plants and three Godfather Italian pepper plants. *sigh* The three Godfather Italian pepper plants didn't make it. They arrived in a gooey, slimey, mushy state. The Giant Marconi peppers arrived...damaged. I'm not sure they'll make it or not. I called Burpee this morning and they promised to replace my plants but...they don't have any more of the Giant Marconi pepper plants. *sigh* However, they will ship out six Godfather pepper plants (because they don't have any more Giant Marconi available)...after Memorial Day. *sigh* OK. I went ahead and planted the three Giant Marconi pepper plants, knowing that they may not thrive...and I even planted one of the three Godfather pepper plants that didn't look quite as cooked as its brethren. If they grow, they grow...if not...oh well...at least I tried. I also planted the remainder of my container gardens. I still need to plant the Kaleidoscope carrot seeds (shipping pending), the garlic, the Swiss Chard and my six replacement pepper plants (after Memorial Day). I noted that my peas and some of my beans are starting to sprout. At least the hot and humid temperatures are good for something.

A late afternoon rain helped lower our temperatures dramatically. Before the rain...88 degrees...after the rain....70 degrees. Nice. 70 degrees with high humidity doesn't feel nearly as nasty as a humid 88 degrees....97 degrees on my south-facing deck. However, the mosquitoes...well...the mosquitoes are LOVING the humidity and are growing into enormous, man-eating, blood-sucking creatures. I started out the morning, wearing capris. I discovered that it was just too warm to wear capris so I changed into shorts (really brief short, shorts), and now...I've changed into sturdy jeans...with socks and shoes...because I'm not willing to expose that much bare skin to our local man-eating mosquitoes.

Random Thought of the Day

Why put a towel in the dirty clothes basket if when you get out of the shower you are clean?

Noteworthy Quote of the Day

Gratitude is merely the secret hope of further favors.

- Francois de La Rochefoucauld (1613 - 1680)

Ms. En

Word of the Day

Summer teeth - Teeth that do not grow in a uniform direction, such that some are here and some are there.

Woodtick Count - 12

Has it really been over a week since I've blogged? Well, sometimes things happen to make blogging impossible and irrelevant. HTP's father passed away on May 12th. We've known for quite some time that his passing was imminent but still....

DD Daughter, GI Joe, Ms. En, and Mr. T drove up on Thursday, May 13th, so they could be here for the visitation and funeral. Sarge and D Buddy drove up on Saturday, May 15th. #1 Son came to lend his support here at The Lake, at the visitation and at the funeral on Saturday and Sunday nights and on Monday, heroically spending a couple of uncomfortable nights on our basement couch because HTP and I only have limited space here at The Lake.

The visitation was held in The Big City, in Minnesota, on Sunday, May 16th. There was a brief visitation before the funeral mass and burial ceremony, held the following morning at the church which both HTP's Dad and Mom attended, in the small town in Wisconsin, where HTP's Dad and Mom were born, were married and spent most their lives. #1 Son, DD Daughter, Sarge, D Buddy, and one of HTP's nieces acted as pall-bearers at the funeral. The VFW turned out to give HTP's Dad (a WWII veteran) a final salute and farewell, complete with honor guard, a bugle playing taps and 21 gun salute.

Day is done, gone the sun,
From the lake, from the hills,
From the sky.
All is well, safely rest,
God is nigh.

Fades the light; And afar
Goeth day, And the stars
Shineth bright,
Fare thee well; Day has gone,
Night is on.

Thanks and praise, For our days,
'Neath the sun, Neath the stars,
'Neath the sky,
As we go, This we know,
God is nigh.


Sis and her husband saved my sanity by taking care of Kylee for us during all this. Kylee LOVES people and children but she's still a puppy and she doesn't quite understand the proper etiquette when it comes to children and company.

#1 Son headed back to The Big City on Monday afternoon. DD Daughter, GI Joe, Ms. En, and Mr. T. packed up and hit the road on Tuesday morning. Sarge and D Buddy packed up and hit the road on Tuesday afternoon.

And...life continues here at The Lake. HTP tilled my garden for me on Tuesday so...I planted my garden on Tuesday...so...I put off doing laundry until Wednesday...today. The weather has been warming up so much (upper 70's) that we actually had to resort to using the air-conditioner today. Snow at during the first week of the month and summer heat and humidity by the end of the month. Global warming? LOL.

Random Thought of the Day

What happens to an irresistible force when it hits an immovable object?

Noteworthy Quote of the Day

I know that there are people who do not love their fellow man, and I hate people like that!

- Tom Lehrer (1928 - )