Today's Color is Purple

 It has been a very long day and I am hoping to make my list short tonight.  I have been mostly awake since 11 PM Wednesday and it is just after 8 PM Thursday. I say mostly because I did drift off to sleep for some very brief naps when I got home from work and possibly during Star Trek Voyager.  I believe that I will sleep well tonight.  That belief, and the following are my happy things for today:

• Keziah picked up a bottle of blueberry mead and it is really yummy.  

• Keziah made pork chops for dinner.  I don't like pork, but the rest of the family had them with applesauce.  This prompted me to search and find this clip from The Brady Bunch.
• While walking the dog I saw this purple vetch.  I thought they were done blooming a while ago.

☮

Currently reading: Mount Washington A Guide and Short History by Peter E. Randall.


Thank you for being part of my happy things. Stay safe.

Happy Michaelmas!

 The timeline beginning last night went something like this: 

1. Wake up randomly and look at my phone.  
2. See a message from work and read it.
3. Someone has Covid but their last day of work was September 27, my first day this week was the 28th.
4. I go back to sleep.
5. My alarm goes off at 11:00 PM and my nose is all stuffed up.  I've had an occasional scratchy throat that I figure was allergies for a few days.
6. After doing a few things to figure out my next steps I decide that taking a personal day is best.
7. Made an appointment for a rapid test at CVS for 9:50 AM.
8. Stay awake all night binge watching on Netflix.
9. After the appointment I drive around for about two hours, exploring, before going to the Oak Hill Fire Tower to get my steps in.
10. After about an hour wandering around, checking my messages about every ten minutes, I finally got the results-Negative.  Yay!

I must say that I really didn't think the test would be positive, I've been forgetting to take my allergy meds, but I feel a lot better having taken the test.  Other happy things for today:

• Part of the morning was spent driving around looking for the property from afar.  Eventually I found a spot, pulled over and took some pictures.

Somewhere on that distant hill is our property.
I expected it to be more noticable,
but things have grown this year.

• I walked past the fire tower initially and traveled on some of the trails to a scenic vista.

This is where I was when I got the negative results.

• The view from the top of the fire tower was beautiful, as usual.

Proof I was there.  😉

• There were the usual chipmunks, squirrels, sparrows, and large birds from afar that I couldn't identify.  I also saw three garter snakes on different parts of the trail.

Only a chipmunk stuck around long enough
for a picture.  I'm happy with
how close the camera zooms.

• My meal before bed included a small amount of a goose dish that Keziah picked up from some friends yesterday.  This fulfills my Michaelmas Day requirement.  I am thankful for friends.

☮

Currently reading: Mount Washington A Guide and Short History, by Peter E. Randall.

Thank you for being part of my happy things. Stay safe.

Silly Smiles

 It wasn't a good day at work.  I stumbled with boxes and missed them coming down the line and made a mess.  Eventually they had me swap places with the person who was down the line from me (they were trying to help me while I was having problems).  They fixed it all up and I had less items to deal with.  I am very grateful for all the help I got today at work.  I'm happy I only work a three day week!  Other things I am happy for:

• After lunch I started to drift off to sleep.  I tried not to, but the call was strong.  Gideon came and sat next to me on the couch and snuggled up.  He let me know it was okay if I fell asleep.  He doesn't know it, but he broke the spell and I couldn't get to sleep after that.  We snuggled for a bit and then I took pictures of us.  I love my grandson!

Smiles.

Tongue curling.

Silliness.

• From our spot on the couch in the living room, we had a clear view of Winston asleep in the dining room.  

He's so cute there!

• The SD card for the wildlife camera has finally made it back to the camera.  It accidentally went through the wash but seems to be working now.  Phew!  
• While taking the walk to replace the SD card, there were bees, so I had to take their picture. 

New England aster and a bee.

☮

Currently reading:  The backpacking book I have been reading has taken a hike and I finished this month's part of the homesteading book.  Instead I dusted off Mount Washington A Guide and Short History by Peter E. Randall.  It was published in 1983, so there won't be any recent history.  So far I have only read the pre-stuff part of the book.  

Thank you for being part of my happy things. Stay safe.  

Where is the Foliage?

 On days that I don't work and return to what some might consider a 'normal' sleep schedule, I get up real early.  This morning as I make my way downstairs I notice how bright the moon is by the shadows it is casting.  Sometime in the next few minutes I remember I have a new phone, with a new camera, and I could see how it performs in the night.  I step outside in my bathrobe and notice how amazingly fresh the air is and the constellation Orion.  Another step and there is the moon, above Orion.  I take a couple pictures and retreat back into the house before a car drives by.  

As with my last phone camera,
the moon seems to create another light.
Most of Orion is visible,
even with the waning gibbous moon.

Other things that I am happy for today:

• There was to much time spent down the internet rabbit hole this morning.  I was able to find a blog I keep forgetting to follow.  I am happy to have found again, Fabled Practice.
• Another thing I was able to do while in that rabbit hole was to update my Amazon wish list a little.
• Yesterday I finished clearing an area of rhizomes, tubers, and pips.  Today I replanted some.  They have room to grow and I have a bunch of rhizomes, tubers, and pips to plant in other places.  Hopefully this will happen before they go bad.

The irises in the back, then daylilies.
Closest are the lily-of-the-valley
 that are mostly underground.
I put the pitchfork there as
 a rough measurement.

Close up of a pip.

• Aesop, the dog, decided that eating snowberries would be a good thing.  He seems fine and probably didn't get any because the cone he is wearing makes it hard to reach somethings.  According to one website I saw the berries often pass through without the toxins being absorbed.  As far as I can tell, I cut down all the branches from the offending plant.  One less thing to worry about for now.

Snowberries.
They remain on the plant all winter.
Some animals and birds can eat them.

Snowberry flower.

This is the one quince on the bush that the
 snowberries seemed to be taking over.
It will need more work if we decide to try to save it.

• I forced myself out for a walk so I could get my step count.  I checked Facebook while I was out and in my memories was a picture of last year's foliage.  I went out and tried to match the spot to get another picture to compare.  I couldn't get the exact spot, but there is a big difference in foliage.

This is from last year,
September 27, 2020.

This was taken today-
September 27, 2021.

☮

Currently reading: The Backyard Homestead Seasonal Planner, by Ann Larkin Hansen.

Thank you for being part of my happy things. Stay safe.

Rhizomes and Tubers and Pips, Oh, My!

 There is a large-ish section by the driveway that has flowers growing there that I have wanted to thin.  The plants came in very crowded and I had no way of knowing when the last time they were thinned.  My plan was to do the section with the irises, daylilies, and lily-of-the-valley.  I haven't measured, but I'd guess around an eight by three or four foot section between the driveway, roses, wall, and shed.  I have managed to pull just about everything out of a section from the roses that is about two feet or so wide to the wall.  Things were VERY rootbound.  I'm thrilled that I got this much done and have decided that this section is enough for this year.  Here are some things I am happy about concerning the thinning:

• I learned a bit about rhizomes, tubers, and pips.  The rhizomes are parts of the irises and can be partially uncovered from the soil.  The daylillies have tubers that look vaguely like carrots.  The lily-of-the-valley have pips and they have so many roots that grow from them and tangle together.
• I set a limit as to how far to go with thinning.  I did this before becoming completely overwhelmed.  
• Once I set that limit as to how much to thin, I realized that if I totally mess up this thinning process, all is not lost, there is still the rest of the section that is overrun with rhizomes and tubers and pips, oh, my!

Rhizomes... and at least one pip.

Tubers

The cleared section.

Other things I am happy about today:

• Yesterday the case for my phone arrived and I put it on the phone.  Today after working in the dirt of the garden and being outside a bunch it was dirty.  It was the coolest thing to be able to take the phone in its case and rinse it off to remove the debri.  Waterproof phone case, yay!
• Plans are under way to invite people into our SCA household.  I hope they say yes.
• Turkeys in the yard!

☮

Currently reading: The Backyard Homestead Seasonal Planner, by Ann Larkin Hansen.


Thank you for being part of my happy things. Stay safe.

The Walk

 This morning some friends and I participated in the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention walk.  This was the third one of these since a dear friend died by suicide.  The cause is good, the reasons behind it are not.  I am very appreciative to the people who donated.  After I had a nice visit with my friend, Amy.  Some other parts of the day that I am happy for include:

• Many people showed up for the walk and the pre-walk ceremony.  

I need to work on taking group selfies.

• Amy and I went for another walk in the afternoon to get our step count in.  Foliage is still spotty, but it is making an appearance.

• I noticed this pretty flower in a wild part of the yard.  ⬇⬇  Lens thunks it is white campion but I don't agree.  For one thing, it is a very light pink color.  I'm pretty sure I saw it last year as well.  Too bad I can't remember what I thought it was then!  

• I tried to thin more of one of the flower garden.  Earlier in the week I pulled out some of the lily-of-the-valleys.  I was hoping to pull some of the iris out, but they didn't want to come.  I got quite a lot more of the lily-of-the-valley pips to transplant.

Before I started today.

After, the bag has the lily-of-the -valley pips.

☮

Currently reading: The Backyard Homestead Seasonal Planner, by Ann Larkin Hansen.

Thank you for being part of my happy things. Stay safe.

Minecraft

 For most people who work full-time, a forty hour work week is the norm.  My week is usually thirty hours scheduled.  Last week and this week my hours were closer to that forty hour mark and I am really tired.  The team I worked with was complimented and told we did a good job of keeping up and working together.  Other happy things for today:

• I actually got a small nap after work.
• Minecraft.  If you are a regular reader you know that Friday is Minecraft day.  My friend, TF, and I try to play every Friday night.  On rare occasions other family members join in, but it is usually just the two of us.  Recently there was an update which means that we might start a new world soon-that depends on the other players.  Anyhow, we are learning new things in this world, where we know the surroundings better.  Tonight, we were trying to build a 4-way rail intersection such as in this video.  We find ourselves frustrated with the videos and from that frustration comes laughter and how we could do it better.  We probably don't know enough about the game, but we could critique the people that do.  That they make things in ideal surroundings (creative mode with endless supplies) and we don't (monsters and we have to mine for resources) is just one small critique.  Ideas can be fun.

Here is our track in progress.
It is mostly done, but I was falling asleep.

☮

Currently reading: The Backyard Homestead Seasonal Planner, by Ann Larkin Hansen.

Thank you for being part of my happy things. Stay safe.

Innergize Day

Leaving for work tonight the moon appeared to be moving across a small section of sky. It wasn't, of course, there were clouds moving quickly that lent that appearance to my first quick glance upward. My initial thought was movie time lapse. Other happy things for today:

• During lunch after work, we had family time and watched Star Trek Deep Space 9. Zed is still not working as he heals from last week’s surgery. There were some curveballs that Gideon didn’t expect in this episode. I’m not sure what was going on when they originally aired, but we have reached the part of the series where I didn’t watch much and there are gaps for me too.  This one, I knew was going to happen, but I missed the episode when it did.
• There are spots of foliage out back. I hope to get out there more often so the paths will become more prominent.

• On the phone today with TF we were discussing that we should have some time on our schedule for self care or something similar.  Apparently today is a day for something like that, Innergize Day.  
• The new phone has three different camera options.  The following three pictures were taken from about the same distance and I just changed the settings.  I'm liking this option.

Aster.

• A statue appeared at the entryway to the garden. A pelican statue and surprise gift from Keziah. In the SCA, a Pelican is a high ranking service award and I have that award.

☮

Currently reading: The Backyard Homestead Seasonal Planner, by Ann Larkin Hansen.

Thank you for being part of my happy things. Stay safe.

Happy Autumn!

 It had been my intention to work outside today.  Mother Nature decided it was their turn to work outside and is busy watering the earth.  It looks like there will be off and on showers until Friday at which time it will just rain.  Since it is the first day of Autumn, I think the rain somehow seems fitting.  Other things I am happy for today:       

• One of the people at work complimented on my ability to do the job.  It is always good to hear stuff like that.
• Other than work, not much happened today so the pets in my life are the other happy things.

Aesop with his collar.

Winston napping.

Nanni moving around so the
camera wouldn't focus on her.

• One more thing... Imagine looking into a dark room with a child reading a book under the covers with a flashlight.  There is a glow from the light that is mottled from the blanket but everything else is dark.  That is how I am describing the moon that I saw heading to work this morning.

☮

Currently reading: The Backyard Homestead Seasonal Planner, by Ann Larkin Hansen.

Thank you for being part of my happy things. Stay safe.                           

New Phone

After a long morning at work I met the family at a mall to buy new cell phones and change our service provider. It can never go easy. The lady who worked with us was nice and in the end, we have our phones and they are shiny and pretty. I am happy with the smartphone, once I have re-signed into all the things I am sure I will be even more happy with it. Other happy things for today:

• Heading out the door this morning the mostly full moon was lovely and lit my path to the car.

• My new glasses were in and I picked them up. The best part is that I think they will stay on my face better than the old ones! My prescription didn’t change much, but the lenses are much clearer than the scuffed up older ones.

Not a good picture of me...
First photo with the new phone and new glasses.

• This may be a weird happy thing, but I am using it anyway.  Aesop was neutered today.  He is still rather sedated and not very happy.  When he is all healed up I will be a little more comfortable about him meeting with other dogs.

☮

Currently reading: The Backyard Homestead Seasonal Planner, by Ann Larkin Hansen.

Thank you for being part of my happy things. Stay safe.

Order

With many things there is an order of operations.  That was forgotten by me until I had another raised garden bed put together.  What should have happened before putting together the raised beds was for me to create the place where they are going to go.  I still put together more of the raised beds, but they are not at all complete. 

A pile of boxes on the first raised bed I put together.

Together, but not really complete.

Less boxes...
Always a good thing.

 I am happy with my plans for the raised beds, hopefully the execution of the plans will go well.  Other happy things for today:

• Part of preparing the spot for the raised beds is to remove the Egyptian walking onions.  I pulled a bunch out and I am storing them on the porch until the bed is prepared. 
• Since I had out the tools for pulling up plants, I pulled up some of the lily-of-the-valleys that are overcrowded.  Ideally, most of what is in that area will be pulled out and thinned before the end of the month.  At least I have it started.
• Aesop and I had a nice walk this morning on the road and through the property.  Thankfully I didn't fall this time!    

The sun is coming up.

He moved...

• Sometimes snippets are overheard.  The context is unknown, but I heard Zed stay, "Let's be realistic, we're pretty cool parents."
• I remembered to get the SD card from the wildlife camera.  Unfortunately, it went through the wash.  Fortunately, I had already downloaded the video.  I may buy a new card tomorrow.
• Bee.

☮

Currently reading: The Backyard Homestead Seasonal Planner, by Ann Larkin Hansen.


Thank you for being part of my happy things. Stay safe.