The Project

We have paved a section of our terrace. Pavers are on the sand, which is on the weed block, which is on the gravel, in the deep, deep hole.
Well, we have just thirty-five pavers so far. There will be almost two hundred. So we are making progress. It was hot yesterday, so we waited until things had cooled a bit and paved. It's a group project, between hauling sand from the driveway, bringing the pavers from the stacks, smoothing the sand and keeping it level.
When I was little and the street by our dwelling was re-cobbled I spend a lot of time sitting and watching the men work. Golly, it's finally payed off.
We also found a way to keep Alani out of the way while we are on the job. We turn the Rainbird sprinkler on, and she's happy, and wet, for quite a while.

Kids Say the Darndest Things

I was looking after Suzanne's youngster today. Oh, what to do? On the way to Sam's I thought to stop by at a friend's house. Since she didn't answer her phone we just went unannounced. We chatted, picked fruit, looked for chickens, webbed the windows. I only did the first two, but the youngster went country. She even had a tractor ride .
Back home we decided to have mashed potatoes with the rotisserie chicken. I'd made little fruit tarts for dessert.
No, she'd never peeled potatoes, sure she'll do it. "And don't forget to put salt in them"! "Turn up the music, please! I work better with music!" I added the milk, butter and let her beat them. We ate, she rated the meal very high. Good for me.
Later she says:" I'll tell you how to make mashed potatoes now! First you put milk and water in a pot, add butter, pepper and salt. Then you open the package, pour the little pieces of potatoes in and stir. And, voila, you have mashed potatoes. That's how you really make them!"
Voila!?
I told her what we did was called "cooking"!

Tree Killer, Again

So here I was, a week or so ago, reading in my backyard. The dogs were lounging nearby. There was only a slight breeze. I heard a noise in the liquid amber tree. Thinking it was my neighbor I called his name. He didn't answer, and I kept on reading. Louder noise still.
I looked over in time to see a large branch hit the ground, sharp end first. That was a surprise. So we looked the tree over yesterday, noticed several dead branches. Those will come down with or without our help.
So today the tree man, Big "T" gave an estimate for its removal. We can't take a chance with a self destructing tree like that. The neighbors have dog and kids and cars, so it has to go.
On the bright side, we no longer need to avoid stepping on the sharp seedpods which is impossible anyway. Also, the tree's root system is very invasive and is sure to cause serious problems soon.
It was another poor choice to plant there.
And yes, we still have more trees on the property, never fear.

Harry Potter

I'm coming!
I'm ready to delve into the last book of this series, but, I only have two hundred pages to go on "The Fatal Shores". It is too important to interrupt, even for H. P.
Sorry!

Creating outdoor spaces

Yesterday was a hard day. It was hot.
I worked on the hole that will be the terrace. It's nearly level and ready for the weed block and gravel.
Suzanne asked me to help her refresh the garden bed near the front door, to update the curb appeal. So I went there in the afternoon, waiting for that area to be shady. Dug out what we can use and is worth keeping. Those plants filled two large buckets and some large trash bags. I also hauled two pots home to replant there. Round-Up is my best friend for this project.
I put all the salvaged plants into a large tub here to recuperate in the shade until we know where to plant them again. I replanted the two pots with salvage and new plants, adding fresh soil, then soaking them well. Meanwhile I'd come inside to make dinner. Yes, the cutest dog in the world found the new plants bringing two of then to the back door to show us. Needless to say I didn't see her or would have taken them away before she had shaken the soil several feet up the stucco wall, into the washroom, into the washer. We saved the plants which I later planted.
Then I went to bed, reading. Michelle found yet another plant by the door. So Alani'd uprooted it, gnawed it some. I replaced it , again, and we moved the pots into the driveway, outside of the gate. We decided that perhaps the plant had been marked in Suzanne's yard by a cat, and the dog didn't like the smell. She was so persistent, not her usual way to do things.
So today, I dug some more on my hole, perhaps by the weekend we will be graveling, sanding and paving.
I'm looking forward to just sitting down and having no big projects waiting.

Quinceanera

In all the years I've lived here I had never had the opportunity to attend a quinceanera. A fifteen year birthday party/Coming Out/Confirmation all rolled into one.
The Catholic church was filled for the two hour service. The young lady was seated before the altar, the seventeen sets of younger escorts sat in the front pews. The Father spoke of respect for self, family and Church. A choir sang lovely Latin songs, quite well I might add. She received gifts (symbolizing adult hood) and had symbolically stepped out of childhood. It was solemn, yet very sweet. Those who had been to confession were invited to receive communion. Then the honoree and her court exited.
Here comes the fun part! Invited guests proceeded to a Moose Lodge, and there must have been three hundred, for food and drink and very loud music. It was a lot of fun. Foods was yummy, drinks were cold.
So many of the people there had been former students at my last school and it's so nice to catch up with their doings. Even chatted with one of Mosker's class mates.
The dancing started and it was all over for me. I'm sure that party is still going on now.
What an amazing day for that young lady.

Waterfall

On a hot day it's great to play in the sprinklers. Or, being a grown-up, I move a sprinkler and accidentally get wet and cooled.
These pictures were taken on a hot day. This gulch in the Bavarian Alps is really awesome. All along its length the water bounces off the rock face and sprays the viewer. It is very cool and refreshing all along the path, well worth the hike.

Jumping for ?

About ten years ago I built a six-hundred gallon fish pond. I stacked three layers of railroad ties, lined it with heavy pond liner. The height makes it easy to maintain and the edge is a seat all around.
Over the years I've lost a number of fish and pretty much stock goldfish now. Michelle has bought me three Koi. One is silver with black, one is tri colored and one is a rich gold.
For some reason Gold jumped out. There he was, laying on the ground beside his home. I have no clue how he got that much lift and over the side, the water level is down about eight inches. I suppose he landed on the bench and wiggled, in the wrong direction.
As luck would have it, Michelle was up extra early that day and had wandered out to the pond, saw him and flipped Gold back in.
I hope he learned his lesson and doesn't do that again.

70 and Counting

Well, yes, I pre-ordered the last Harry Potter book and it should be here in about seventy hours.

But what will I do? I'm in the middle of "The Fatal Shore" which was on Mosker's reading list and is a fascinating recount of Australia's founding. Which will I put off? (Probably Harry)

Rain in July and Peach Festival

This is so strange. It's late July and we had rain. Yes, measurable rain.
I won't need to sprinkle the patches where I'm trying to fill in with grass.
On comparing our temperature with KC, I noticed that we are lower, with much higher humidity. That's a change.
Now, on the down side is that this could be bad for the tree crops. Peaches, plums, nuts (and tomatoes) have not been harvested and no one wants those things if they are not pretty, have spots. Hopefully a good wind will dry them out soon. Our local economy is heavily dependent on agriculture.
So let's go out and enjoy this weekends festival in Marysville.

Horse of a Different Color

Idon't know why this horse stands right in the middle of town, but it sure adds color and interest while one strolls about.

Good Bye, or, Idaho Here She Comes

On Friday some ladies got together for a send off lunch for a friend.
She has sold her house, packed up her belongings, crated the cats, and is moving to Idaho. Needless to say it's come as a surprise to some of us. She will be missed.
On the bright side though, she has bought a newer, larger home that sounds just right for her. She is looking forward to the new phase in her life, in a new part of the country.
Who knows, we might just have to drive to Idaho one of these days and visit her.
We wish her well.

Busy Birthday Weekend

I've been on hiatus for a couple of days.

Wanted to catch up on The Tour. Plenty of falls, serious injuries to cause racers to drop out.

Baked a nice cake for my birthday. White cake with raspberries and chocolaty, fluffy filling. Not too bad. Suzanne came out with the child. She and I spend an hour in the water with her new water toys. She's getting quite the good swimmer, says she's half fish now. Cute. She painted a birdhouse for me. It will join others that are screwed to the fence. I couldn't buy a better one, this is the one I like.

Finished the small paving project. I had to relay seventy pavers that I'd put down twenty years ago. They had become uneven, because I didn't do it well the first time. I didn't want anyone to trip, as it was, there was a good chance for that to happen. (The big paving project awaits, that will be about two hundred pavers.)

Then today, lunch with about thirty of my friends, a monthly event.

And it's gotten cool and breezy this evening, quite a change.

What The? #2

Seen in Europe.
"Smart Car" is its name. Carries two people and a couple of bags of whatever. We saw them used as delivery cars for bakeries. (We know how necessary those fresh rolls are in the morning.)
You can squeeze them in any small space to park. Daimler/Chrysler is losing money on this model.
Perhaps a little too small for our needs here.

Losing My Mind?

I feed the birds that come through my yard. Not that they need me to, but I like having them around.
Thistle seed for the yellow finches, then the jays eat what they want, and I put peanuts out also. Mixed seeds for the red finches and whoever wants it. That's the menu for this time of year.
The mixed seed feeder holds several pounds of feed, and I know I filled it yesterday. So this morning, not a seed left in it.
Yesterday I felt the same, wondering if I had remembered to fill it the day before. So now I wonder are these critters eating so very much or am I losing my mind and only filling the feeders in my mind?

Those Never Ending Projects

All I said to Michelle was, help me go through this cupboard and discard old stuff. Working together it should take us ten minutes.
Flash forward, more than thirty hours later and I'm about to put what's left, back into the cabinet. She pulled things out, we discussed, we pitched. We took out the shelves, fresh sticky paper was put on. Then she said, how about painting the inside, its due. So, primer and two coats of shiny white were put on. It was an awful place to paint. Twenty-four inches deep and only fifteen inches wide, yuck.
The lovely clean shelves are back in and the items are wanting to follow, but gee, I'm not in the mood anymore.
Maybe I'll save this till morning, go outside and mess around on my paver project instead.

Tour de France

A few years ago, while I was visiting in Spain, the Tour de France was in full swing. People were really wrapped up in the event, so that's when I began to follow the race.
In 2005 the race began in my hometown in Germany. It's a pricey deal, towns compete for the privilege, hoping to recoup the output of money by getting their name mentioned internationally, attracting tourists.
I missed the start of the race this year, since I usually bypass network news. We are now on day four. It should be interesting this year since there is no proclaimed favorite racer.

And just as Kansas City had its decorated cattle, Pforzheim has their fiberglass riders.

What The?

So, what is it?
This conveyance was parked on a sidewalk in Germany.
I don't remember if that is a BMW logo on the fender above the front tire. I suppose the cover provides a little protection from wind and rain. We never saw any of these on the road, being driven. I bet it's economical on gas.

Gardening is for the Birds

This is the first time in all my years as a gardener that I've had success with these flowers. I know them as Crocosmia. I'd tried to grow them before, either there wasn't the correct soil, they became bug bothered, I didn't water enough, too much, in other words, they went away.

Last year Suzanne gave me a bag of bulbs which I planted in an untried spot. They grew to about thirty inches and produced a few sparse flowers. I chalked it up to my previous failures and let them be. The soil is good there, watered regularly, fertilized too, and look what happened the second year. They grew to about four feet tall, with a profusion of blossoms, which have lasted more than a month. They are petering out now, but still there is plenty to attract the hummingbirds. It's a feeding station at its best. The birds don't seem to mind when I sit nearby and observe them, they keep on coming.

So, if you want hummingbirds in the summer, plant these.

Bad Wildbad, Spa town Extraordinaire

More pictures of our travels! I rode on this mountain train once before. I was less than ten years old then.
This is how it works. There are two trolleys, one one each end of a cable. They pull each other up, there is only a break system, no engine. Halfway up there is a stretch where the track doubles and then becomes single again. To keep the riders level, the cars are built on an angle. One enters into a compartment, there is no way to go up or down within the trolley car. Pretty cool system, still working after many years.
Above the old spa town of Bad Wildbad, in the Black Forest, are wonderful hiking trails. Some lead to the moors which I remember from my first visit. But we didn't walk that far on this, for Germany, hot day.
We came across a chair lift for bikers. Works somewhat like a ski lift, no seat, however. Suspended on this cable is a hook, somewhat like an upside down "T" that is hooked under the thighs of the cyclist and up the hill he rides.
After all the walking we did on this day, we were rewarded with a stop at a hill top cafe and we ate more Black Forest Cherry Torte. Of course!

She Makes Me Laugh

A baby gate is up across the back door, high enough for the dachshund and cat to get out, but pretty much keeping the big girls out. This puppy has a fondness for the cat, nay, I think, adoration for her. The cat likes to hang out in this room, it's a great spot for bird watching. So the dog slithers her great head low, under the gate and watches, and moans, and sighs. The cat does her cat thing and watches the dog from her perch on the bed. Periodically she takes a break and does puppy things, like tearing up something in the yard.
She comes back regularly to check on Cat, who sometimes allows herself to be sniffed, and that's as good as it gets in the dog world.

Happy Fourth of July

I hope everyone had a great fourth of July holiday!
I had Suzanne here, so the youngster could swim for a bit showing off her water skills. That was fun. Then I was able to feed them, since I like to cook and don't get that much chance to do it for others.
Later I went to a neighborhood BBQ, played cards. Everyone put in $1 and, yours truly, walked off with the pot. So I got payed to eat a burger. Sweet deal.
By then the weather was cooling and it was nice to be out. Fireworks finished off the celebration.
There is something comforting about a traditional family celebration, with cats, dogs, kids, grandparents, food, drink, and just walking home when it's over. Nice!

My Money Pit

There is always something to do, repair, rearrange in my house. Probably in everyones house. I have to replace one more Rainbird Sprinkler. Which means digging it out and, blah, blah, blah, you know the drill!
When I don't know how to do something I check with DIY, Wiki how, and my new favorite, the Money Pit . I listen to their two hour radio show on Saturday mornings on kuba radio. (AM1600)
Well, in any case, my house is in better shape than the (gun) powder tower at Heidelberg Castle. One day, its side blew off, and now bushes grow from it.

Learning to link

Don spent a lot of time on the computers, and I didn't (I was working so that I could, one day, retire.) Now, I've become a bona fide blogger, and it's time for me to learn to do web links. To celebrate, I'll add links to a couple of blogs that I enjoy, but which are not listed at right.

Knitting Cybrarian likes to knit as do I, but is so much better at it.

This amazing landscape deserves a second look.

One more link,so I can come out of the Stone Age.

Pierre

I don't care!
So ,we went to IKEA today. I don't care! It's only about thirty miles to our store. I don't care! The youngster decided to ride with Grandma in the van, which was fine with grandma. But there isn't room for lots of people and lots of stuff in boxes, so we drove two cars. I don't care!
On the way back, I heard the standard, how long, how much further, boring, when will we be back home, who will drive me home, will you read me a story, and more. I don't care!
After years with young kids in school I have learned to listen, when to respond or not. I don't care!
Wouldn't you know it, I got a wonderful rendition of "Pierre". After a slow start, she really got into the song and remembered many of the lyrics. Really quite wonderful what she remembered after hearing the song just a few times.
Five more miles and we were home.
Yes, I care!