Imposter Syndrome

Procrastination is something that I am good at. I somehow had a hard time falling asleep last night and so slept in this morning. I started well with preparing for this weekend. I was hoping for adventure. Then I think imposter syndrome set in. I had a hard time finding and organizing things to take with me. I had a list and would forget to look at it. Other things would distract me. The result is that I left too late to go where I had hoped to go. That said, I did leave, not as prepared as I would like, and set off. Other happy things for today:

• I walked around a little outside before leaving and watered some plants and such.  I also saw a cool butterfly.

According to Lens it is a little wood satyr.

• Before looking at the weather, I was hoping for three new fire towers this weekend. The weather may be very rainy and include thunderstorms. That changed my plan to just two. Then I left too late and so I am hoping for one new fire tower visit tomorrow. However, I did have time to hike to the Oak Hill Fire Tower that I have visited before. The views, per usual, were lovely.

• While atop the tower a young man (maybe a teen) came up. He had ridden his bicycle to the top. It was his first time up there and seemed happy to have made the trek.
• Although not what I hoped for, so far I am safe and doing well.

☮

Today I skipped reading my books, there were other things to do and I thought I would have time, but didn't.  I'm choosing to be okay with this.  

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

Ups and Downs

 For the second day in a row, the plants I potted seem untouched by critters.  Yay!  I tried and failed at sleeping this afternoon, boo.  I've been mostly awake for about twenty-two hours so this will be short.  Good thing it is the beginning of my weekend. There was family time this evening watching some Doctor Who.  Other happy things for today:

• I took a walk around the yard and found that Marjorie is getting heavy with peaches.  They still seem small, but there are quite a few of them.

Marjorie's branch is almost touching the ground.

• After seeing all the peaches, I decided to check on the apple trees.  We haven't named them.  There are apples, most likely crab apples.

This is smaller than it looks here.
It is probably the size of a small plum.

• A week or two ago I posted a picture of a flower, I think the bindweed, which had a sweat bee in it.  I think I found the home of the sweat bee.

There was a bee crawling into there and
I am fairly certain it was a sweat bee.
It was shy and wouldn't come out for a picture.

• The spruce tree ( I think spruce...) has quite a few cones.  There is a little grape vine growing there too.

☮

Currently reading: The Backyard Homestead, by Carleen Madigan.

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

Daylily

 It has been about 24 hours since I potted some plants and left them by the house-not in the garden-and so far they have not been eaten by the groundhog.  This makes me happy and hopeful.  Other things I am happy for today:

• My work hours are from 1:20 AM to 11:50 AM.  I realized that it is pretty much always appropriate to greet someone by saying, "Good morning."  🌞
• They got a dunk tank at work, like one might see at a carnival, so the employees could throw balls at the big red button and dump a manager into the water.  I missed, but at least four other people did not before I left for home.
• When I got out of the car at home I turned and looked at where the irises were earlier in the year.  There is a different colored daylily there that I don't think I remember from last year?  

Daylily, according to Lens.

• Keziah felt that Winston, the orange tabby, had been trying to tell her something today.  I don't know about that, but cute moments with Gideon did happen.

☮

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

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

Planters

 On my way out of work today a coworker made conversation with me.  I keep to myself, mostly.  I can't do small talk and work.  Breaks are spent in the car.  It was nice.  Other happy things for today:

• For lunch at work this week, I have salads.  Yay for a healthy choice.
• Since making the decision to embrace the groundhogs I haven't been out to the garden much.  It has also been raining a bunch.  All the plants I have inside still needed attention though.  I got some of them into pots and put them outside of the apartment at the back of the house.  Hopefully this is far enough away from the groundhogs.  There is still a possibility that the chipmunks are sharing in the garden destruction, but I hope not.

I planted a couple small tomato plants
that I started from seed.
There are more, for another day.

Three of the zinnia plants.

Some geranium, I may keep these potted regardless.

• There are blueberries ready to harvest.  I'm waiting until tomorrow to be sure.

Just a few ripe blueberries, so far.

☮

Currently reading: The Backyard Homestead, by Carleen Madigan.

    Yogurt recipes!

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

Food

 Since getting this job of picking things up and putting them down in a warehouse, eating well has become a challenge.  I just crave salt and carbs.  My healthy breakfast included a good cereal choice with blueberries.  Lunch was Taco Bell and Cinnabon though.  Taco Bell was okay.  Cinnabon was delicious!  I love cinnamon.  Other happy things for today:

• Keziah dropped me off at the mall so I could walk while she did some other errands.  I thought it was going to rain all day which made the mall a good choice.  It rained off and on and the mall meant Cinnabon.
• It was nice spending one on one time with Keziah.  We also got to briefly see her sister-in-law, who works at the mall.
• I took time this morning to make choices for retirement and arranged for some of my pay to go into a 401K.  I was procrastinating, but now it is done.  Yay!

The milkweed is entering the next stage
 as the flowers will become seeds.

☮

Currently reading: The Backyard Homestead, by Carleen Madigan.

    Learning about making cheese.  

Thanks for being part of my happy things.  Stay safe.

Good Chores

When I went downstairs this morning I realized that I forgot a happy thing from yesterday.  While I was off visiting friends Keziah and Zed cleaned up the kitchen.  It was nice to come home to that, as well as wake up to it, and I'm surprised I forgot when writing yesterday's blog.   Now on to things I am happy for today:

• One of my chores this morning was cleaning the bathroom and replacing the toilet seat.  I suppose this is a weird happy thing to post publicly, but the last toilet seat didn't like staying put and this slip sliding is no doubt part of why it finally cracked.  It is a nice improvement to the bathroom.
• For quite a few years myself and others have wanted to put together some kind of document that would be helpful to SCA people with running an event.  Today friends came over and we worked toward getting that accomplished.  We also had a nice visit, they brought burgers and hot dogs for a cookout, and of course we got ice cream!  
• In the evening Zed and I went for a walk.  I've hatched a plan to start to complete some of the things on my bucket list.  Zed is a great listener and supporter of many of my crazy ideas.

I noticed this St. John's wort behind
the compost/brush pile.

The hosta is blooming.

☮

Currently reading: The Backyard Homestead, by Carleen Madigan.

Thank you for reading.  Stay safe.

Embracing the Groundhog...Haha!

 Researching ways to get rid of a groundhog I had a sort of revelation.  I'm letting these animals get the best of me.  Today I have decided that my best plan of action is to embrace the groundhog.  I do not mean literally.  Even the figurative meaning is off a bit.  This year the garden is not going to produce much, again.  Part of the reason is the woodchuck/groundhog family.  Part of the reason is that I started with a bang but ran into things along the way that have derailed my efforts.  My hope is to concentrate on getting the fence where I want it to be to help keep out as many critters as I can while making the garden a place they might not want to be.  I also hope to do more prep work and research about the soil and other conditions and rent a tiller to get rid of some of the weeds.  If I can find a way to plant the things I have already started and keep them protected from the critters that want to eat them, I will.  My mindset needs to shift though.  Anyway, here are other happy things from today:

• Keziah has been helping some friends clean out their storage unit.  In the process, she has brought home a few things.

I'm not sure how long it has been there, but 
I noticed this statue by some of the wild sweet William.

• The bindweed and grapes are holding each other.

I really like the bindweed flower.
They are in the same family as morning glories
which I also like.

• The SCA household that I am a part of had a gathering today.  Six of us were able to attend.  It was so wonderful to see these friends.  I arrived early enough to walk with Anastasia and be greeted by her cat.  One of the friends we haven't seen in a few years and that helped to make the day even more special.  It was really fun getting to catch up with, and hug, this group of people.  I wish I had remembered to take a photo of us.

☮

Currently reading: The Backyard Homestead, by Carleen Madigan.

Thank you for reading, stay safe.