a respite from the heat but not from the work that needs doing

I got all the Georgia peaches given away or put up, all the blueberries put up, tomato sauce made and put up. Adding all that to all the dewberries and corn that got put up and there isn't enough room in the freezer to slide a piece of paper in there so Thursday I made a trip to Lowe's for a small chest freezer cause now I have a big bag of potatoes I need to do something with. And then I didn't buy one because...covid-19. Who knew that besides toilet paper people were buying up freezers fast and furious! The guy in the appliance department at Lowe's says they get trucks in Monday and Wednesday mornings and on those days people start lining up soon after they open to be able to buy whatever small chest freezers that happen to be on the truck. There are no floor models, they aren't allowed to put anything on order because they can't guarantee an ETA, people get pissed, want their money back, yell at the managers. There were two Chinese models that I had never heard of but declined to get one of those. The guy said he didn't expect things to get back to some semblance of normal til mid July. I'll wait. Because I have the freezer compartment in our old refrigerator from the city house that's over at the shop that I can utilize in the meantime. It was nasty inside though since it's been unplugged for months so I spent yesterday afternoon cleaning the inside.

After those two brutally hot days we woke up Wednesday morning to delightfully cool air and low humidity so I got out there with the trimmer and did the yard and then around the gate to the shop yard and then around the rose bush and the banana trees and yellow bells and started on another area when I ran out of gas the second time and that was enough for the day. Today I trimmed all the way across the front of the shop (it was all about knee high) and started around the bunker but soon ran out of gas, me and the trimmer, and one tank of gas was all I had in me today (and of course no before picture because...me) (and I have once again amazed impressed the boys) but it looks really good now. I need to get out there and poison the fence line again, maybe later today, maybe tomorrow.

There's a sidewalk under there that I have yet to completely uncover.

Also Thursday Pam and I finally ventured out to an estate sale. This is the third in person one (the first one after she started up was virtual). It wasn't too crowded and 90% of the people were wearing masks but not the woman who runs them or any of her employees. It amazes me that people think the virus is over especially since we've had 32 new cases in our county in less than the past two weeks when it took months to get the first 50 or so. Anyway, we didn't stay long as there really wasn't anything of interest. From there we tried to get the freezer with no luck and then, because we were very close, we went to Caldwell's nursery where I picked up a couple of rudbeckias and Pam got the other half of my birthday present, the thing that goes in the Talavera pot she gave me, which is a yesterday, today, and tomorrow since none of the ones I tried to bring from the city house when we sold that property survived.

And the buds on the fig tree have turned into leaves and three new buds have appeared.

So what did I do this morning before I used the trimmer? Went and got more Fredericksburg peaches, though I did just get the small basket. They're small this year and have kind of a mottled and thick skin but I had one for lunch and it was the best peach I've eaten so far. So what did I do after lunch? Went and bought more tomatoes from a guy in Boling who comes to the Farmer's Market here on Saturday morning but I wanted first pick and since he also sells out of his house, I went there. Very pretty too. The tomatoes, not the house. Though the house is nice enough.

Tomorrow I deal with tomatoes. These and the ones in the refrigerator from last weekend and the ones my neighbor brought me a couple of days ago will get processed for freezing for use later in the year.

another day in the life

I took the day off Sunday from the fence. I had planned to anyway but the weather cooperated and it rained lightly off and on all day, thunder rolling in the distance keeping me in while I got an extreme weather alert on the iPad every two hours. I didn't do my yoga routine either. Saturday after I finished the section of fence, about 12 feet worth, and as I was finishing lunch, I could barely hold my arms up to finish my sandwich. And the arthritis in my hands zinged me all night. And the poison ivy itched.

I did kitchen duty all day instead. Made a peach dewberry pie

looks funky, I forgot the edge shields so they burned and I used frozen store bought pie crust that had been in the freezer for too long that I transferred over to my glass pie pan but it tasted great

and made shepherd's pie for dinner (another labor intensive and time consuming dish). We had everything but the mushrooms and peas from the recipe which I'm happy enough to leave out. Especially the peas which I substituted green beans for. Certainly wasn't making a special trip to the grocery store for mushrooms.

And washed the mountain of dishes (no picture but take my word for it).

Another hour on the fence today, another (less than) 10' but by the time I got out there it was already warming up and humid and I was sweating buckets. My cap was so wet it was just about dripping. Gonna have to start getting up earlier to get these last sections done. And I know you are just anxious to see another picture of another cleared section but tough titty kids, I didn't take one.

It's been a couple of days since I picked dewberries and the rain yesterday just plumped them right up and I got a full bowl just from the patch on the corner of the shop, big fat juicy sweet ones from the rain yesterday, didn't even check the fence or ditch. I'm thinking this is the best harvest we've ever had.

I scared up a little snake yesterday when I was pulling evening primrose and mistflower out of an area right next to the small pond that I put the parrot feather in having given up on water lilies. It couldn't have been more than about 16” long, black with very narrow vertical yellow stripes about an inch apart. I think it might have been a baby eastern kingsnake. Didn't have my phone on me though so no picture. But here's a picture of the area where I saw it.

The evening primrose are about done so I'll be trimming the big backyard soon. The pansies are stubbornly refusing to stop blooming even though I quit deadheading them and picked all the good blooms.

The easter lilies are blooming and their fragrance fills the house in the evenings.

that sweet little carved stone bird is another of my birthday presents to myself from UK artist Jennifer Tetlow (I love her aesthetic) 

The indigofera and lizard tail are blooming.

And now it's time for my evening cocktail.

another few days in the life...

We got some rain last night, maybe half an inch, as a cold front blew in. It was accompanied by lots of lightning though not much thunder but even so the little dog was in panic mode trying to dig through the blankets and pillows and mattress until I threw her off the bed a couple of times at which point she just laid next to me trembling and panting and there is no consoling her when she's like that. It had been overcast and windy and humid the last two days and I got out the ladder and cleaned out the gutter on the driveway side of the house Thursday and the one in the little backyard yesterday. Rocky is supposed to come by Monday and get that last downspout in and the gutter screens on. He was going to do it months ago but I put him off since I had dental work that needed doing and I've finally got around to calling him about it.

I went to the first watercolor class last Wednesday and all we did was this...

It's a chart of color combinations blending the main color with a different color. The circles were supposed to have just the right amount of water on them that the second color would migrate and display different variations of mixing. I was bent over my paper with my usual amount of meticulousness and had the top two rows done when I looked over at the other people at my table and other tables and everyone else was on the last two short rows and the teacher was calling up those who were finished to demonstrate the large rectangle of dense to light wash. Oops. Guess I need to hurry up a bit so I sped through the rest and did get done before the class was over but I think in my typical fashion I was probably the last one to finish.

Today the plan is to get the Seapot and Coral Cup packed up for the show at the gallery in Dallas that opens February 1^st and runs through March 1^st 

as well as the magnolia leaves set for an invitational exhibition at a gallery in California. 

The magnolia leaves are already boxed up since the gallery in Dallas had them and sent them to me which I haven't opened yet to make sure everything inside is intact. I'm sure it is but I should check just to make sure.

Other than that it's a nice winter day even if it's been spring like the last couple of weeks and the pansies have been liking it. 

I saw a blue jay in the yard this morning (picture taken through the window on high magnification). 

Haven't seen many of them since the Harvey flood.

the 'to do' list continued albeit with much less energy and a quiet day

Monday:

you can get up if you want but I'm staying in bed

  * Plant the peas

√ * Vacuum the rest of the house – I even beat the two small oriental rugs (cough cough) and then I ordered a robot vacuum cleaner

  * Mop the floor in my studio and kitchen

√ * Rake the Little Backyard - oof

yes, I know it doesn't look like I raked but you did see the 'before' picture, right?

  * Clean off the work table in the garage

  * Wash the car (now that all the windows are clean)

Stuff I did that wasn't on the list:

Morning yoga routine - yay, 2 days in a row!

Washed 3 days worth of dishes

Used the 4 long S hooks (previous estate sale find) to temporarily hang the 4 bird houses (also estate sale finds) I have accumulated (I had 5 but I used one for the present exchange at the garden club christmas party last week after I spiffed it up a bit), probably not where they will stay but at least they aren't on the work table in the garage anymore

two of the four

Went and picked up the gift for my sister that I had to order because I waited too long and they were sold out that finally arrived!

Walked the dog – the short walk today, very quiet in the neighborhood

Sat my butt on the couch and settled in for the evening

Tuesday:

A quiet overcast day with no expectations, stuff nothing to do, or places to be. It's a good thing too because the body is groaning.

Merry Christmas to all who celebrate.

the 'to do' list that has nothing 'to do' with christmas

Saturday I drove into the city and visited with my daughter while she and Jade wrapped presents then Jade and Robin went with me to run my errands, one of which was to add to the set of 24 colored pencils I have (I now have 48). We were going to have a late lunch but the place my vegan granddaughter wanted to eat at and the place she was willing to eat at were both closed so lunch was a bust as I was ready to head back.

Today I slept late, did my yoga, we had our late Sunday brunch and then I started on the chores that have been piling up around here.

√ * Clean out the gutter across the front of the house (the only one we have left) - had to drag out the big ladder and if I'm not covered with bruises later from banging that thing around it will be a miracle

√ * Climb on the roof and clear off the big branch, small branches, and leaves - did not fall off, big plus!

√ * Rake the leaves away from the foundation and off the concrete apron - fantasizing about a leaf blower

√ * Clean all the glass inside and out on the car and the coverings on the lights front and back - of course the entire rest of the car is dirty

  

  * Plant the peas

√ * Cut the small trees down growing next to the fence over at the shop - did 5 today but still several more and a butt load of wild grape, it's an ongoing job

√ * Vacuum the house - well, half of it anyway but I had to sweep the studio first

  

  * Mop the floor in my studio and kitchen

√ * Put the bird feeder up – I actually did this the other day

√ * Rearrange the shelving unit and bakery rack to get all the frit and powder off the floor - though now I think I should move the frit to the bottom two shelves

 

    

  * Rake the Little Backyard

√ * Walk the dog - it was even the long walk!

  * Clean off the work table in the garage

  * Wash the car (now that the windows are nice and clean)

Guess I'll work on the rest tomorrow. If I can get out of bed.