Dennis a turtle and Hannah

 Today marks 6 yeas since Denny passed. I could tell you that I miss his smile.  I could say I loved having him hold my hand. I miss a snuggle at night. Kisses.  Instead, I will tell you about why I loved him so much.

When we lived in Rhode Island, Denny made our backyard into a wonderful oasis of "rooms".  He loved his garden. It was beautiful with many flowers and ornaments hiding among the plants. He decided to make a corner pond. It was a lovely pond. (Sorry, I do not have pictures on this laptop....one day I shall dig them out.) Anyway, there were issues to solve...the neighbors outdoor cat...the raccoons and squirrels. With each problem he found a solution. We went to specialty Pond Gardens to purchase water lilies, water lettuce and tadpoles....and yes, Koi fish. While out one day, he said the pond need a turtle. Up until now I had convinced him it was not a good idea. We bought a pond turtle....a bit pricey I might add. The man at the pond garden told Dennis how to assure that the turtle would survive and not escape. The man assured us that from the picture of our pond that I showed him it would be safe. It was pretty...about 6 inches with nice markings...do not remember the name. All was ready and into the mix of Koi, tadpoles (which always matured into frogs) the turtle went.  Denny was so pleased with himself. In less than a week...you guessed it...the turtle went missing. Panic in the garden. We search everywhere. Gone. 

A couple of houses away from ours was a lovely elderly lady, Hannah. Hannah and her husband (she met at a relocation center) were victims of the Holocaust camps. Everyday she took her walk passing my house. Sometimes I would walk her back to her house...she had a cane that she just carried instead of using it! Anyway, this day..a few days after the incident at the pond, I met her and as we walked she began to tell me what happened "the other day".  

She began..." I saw a turtle walking down the street pass my house (her house). I didn't want anything to happen to it so I followed along to protect it with my cane. (Did I mention that a the long end of our road was a City park pond) It was pretty. Wonder were it came from."

Although I did not tell her, I did relay this story to Dennis that evening. I will never forget the look on his face! Needless to say we did not get another turtle except for a ceramic one that sat at the pond edge. Those tadpoles I mention...they would always leave our pond ( except on that remained for a long time) and I would like to think they made it to the city pond.

Denny and I had 48 years of love...of course there were those imperfect times but always a minor interruption. On May 24, 2017 through our tears as he lay in his hospital bed holding my hand Denny told me he wanted me to live a happy life. I could not imagine being happy without him. To be honest I m not really happy...but memories like this story do make me happy and I sit with a silly smile on my face and tears in my eyes.

Dennis Errol Horton   December 16, 1945 *****June 21, 2017

Demolition underway

A beautiful day today...not to warm (in the 60s) so Alan began

to remove the pond foundation. He bought a power hammer...like a jack hammer to make the job easier. What he discovered is that  when the pond was built those many years ago it was built very well.... totally reinforced. The task is not complete... it will take a few more days of drilling. Murphy is right there to pick up stones, weeds and dirt. Before Alan began the pond he had to fix a leak in the irrigation line...

Murphy was front and center then too. So, they spent a good part of the day working while I sat around. We seem to be having trouble resetting the irrigation timer so I will need to call someone in.ir
So often I see pictures of cats helping at the computer....now Murphy sits on me lap with the occasional  paw or nose onssss the keyboeard as he  is   nm now. See what I mean!  
I am happy to report that my heel is almost healed and that the pooches incision is healed. I am trying to remember just where I stored my hankies forf my quilt... obviously they are in the garage craft area.... I am sure of it. At the moment Alan and Lisa are preparing dinner....so off I go.  
Always so nice to chat with you. Thank you for your kind words and for your friendship.        .

Day 2 of the visit....

We had rain last night.... everything is really wet this morning. The irrigation just came on and I heard a lot of water noise. I looked out to the garden and behold there was a fountain shooting into the air! Can not blame Alan for this mishap (more about that later) because when we worked on the system yesterday I adjusted this particular bubbler and obviously had it too open and off the cap shot. After I ran out and got my impromptu shower and found the cap, all is well.
The flight out here was good but they were tired from a long day that stared very early.

The Brother Alan decided that yesterday was going to be garden day. First on the list was to trim the palm tree....nicely done. All of this is a learning experience for him and so far so good.
Then it was time to tackle the Yucca that I wanted removed. I severely cut it back months ago and it came back better than it was and that was not the idea. Too often as I am cleaning the area I got cut from the sharp edges of the plant as it was low to the ground.

Next was to give The Brother a pickaxe... this is where I started to worry.... a dangerous tool to begin with could be more so in his hands! That went really well.... no physical injuries to report. Then we decided to move the very large Rosemary bush to this spot. After we both severely trimmed it down to be manageable, that went in....

right next to the Orange Bells and leaving room for maybe something else. The garden smelled wonderful...like an Italian kitchen. Next irrigation lines needed to be added to the Pond Garden and to a couple of other plants in the area. Once he finished this task we tested the bubblers that were in. Oh no! we had a water break... a small flood began. Once I explained what happened, The Brother dug out the broken bubbler riser and drained the water with the wet vac so he could replace the riser. ( in the photo it is directly in front of the plant shovel) Now, I can not say for sure, but did something happen with that pickaxe?... in fairness, these risers, with the exception of a few are all originals.  Lucky for him I have learned a lot from Don when he helped me install the irrigation lines. I will not talk about the mud bath... it happened when Alan was going to take apart the vac to wash it out. When he removed the hose, mud shot up on him, the umbrella and the glider...lucky for him I was not in range. We won't mention that stepping in almost ankle deep mud would cover his sneakers.... they are outside drying off.

After using up the supplies on hand it was off to Lowes for more. If you are wondering about Lisa during this...she was comfortably sitting supervising before I took her to a hair salon for a couple hours of beauty time. We decided that the Pond Garden would have a fountain and a bed of rocks.... you can see the bags in the lower corner of the photo. We have selected plants to put into this area but it will have to wait until the fountain is assembled later today/tomorrow. Everything is very wet and The Brother Alan is off on unexpected business today. To say that we are enjoying being together is an understatement. He will be gone all day so it is just me and Lisa to relax. I did begin a new beading project but will be taking it apart as I am not liking how it is looking...first time doing this type of pattern. No big deal as it is a learning process. Glad you stopped by and hopefully tomorrow I maybe able to show you a bumble bee and more about our adventures.
Thank you for your kind words and welcome to Alan and Lisa. Thank you for your friendship.

Oh what a morning...

Seems it will be a partly cloudy morning but the temps are so comfortable. I wish I was! To start at the beginning....I woke at 1 am and still awake..... going to be a long day. But I will manage. Let's talk about yesterday. I decided to lay the drip line in the new pond garden.

Okay, it does not look like much but soon it will. Anyway, I could not remember how to activate the irrigation off time so I thought well tomorrow at 7am I will come out and see if it works. Out to the garden at 7 this morning I went but no water running anywhere! Now what? After a few minutes I discovered the system was unplugged. I want to know who did this...come on speak up! Then I hear what sounds like a faucet running  ...a line is disconnected from a post. I took an unplanned shower right there in the garden in my pajamas. Could not fix it so I shoved the line toward the garden wall. In the meantime did I mention that the 2 baby
Doves are now out of the nest? As usual, they like others in the past do not plan to leave the garden anytime soon. No, they prefer to hang around. They pop up at the least expected moment and then we all 3 are startled. I have informed them to stay out of the lanai...it is not for rent but they continue to enter then can not find their way out. Panic sets in and I have to go and escort them out. Now I know why the parents left them!

Yesterday I also decided it was time to slice and quarter and juice the lemons..... then into the freezer so I can zip lock bag them up. I waited until they were just getting soft to the touch...more juice that way. These are already bagged. A full gallon bag.

Look at how much juice from one of these giant lemons! One half cup full.... the glass juicer is from my childhood.... mom used to make orange juice using this. One day I asked her if she still had it and she gave it to me. Nice to use it.

Added to the freezer are cubes of juice about a tablespoon each and zest. Now for drinks or cooking I am prepared. I still have 5 more lemons to do. I will put the zest into snack bags and since they are in 1 tablespoon amounts it will be easy to use.

Ta Da... she is finished. Tossing her little yellow French knots around. I am pleased with how she looks. Still not sure why I made it in pinks. I really enjoyed doing simple embroidery again. I will be looking into my patterns this weekend for another project to do. My hand is so much better...I would say completely healed but it still gets sore. The back however is another story and I will be calling the doctor on Monday to try to see him. I have done really nothing this past week so it should feel better.

A  cloudy morning can not keep the bright Orange Bells from glowing and giving me sunshine in the garden.  I had this cut back severely last summer and it is coming back strong. The bees love it and the hummer sometimes stops by for a taste.  Well, guess I should do a few chores. Glad you stopped by today. Thank you for your kind words and for your friendship.

Oh the drama!

The days are starting to really warm up. We are heading for our first 90s day this weekend.
My pain management doctor did indeed give me injections on Monday along my lower back. I lost count at 5 as he chats with me to get my mind off it. A few hours after being home the numbing wore off and a different pain. But, that was almost gone yesterday... then I made the mistake of starting to open the soil and pour into the pond. I should have done it differently but lesson learned and it will be a few days before I touch the bags again.

If it  is not me causing an issue, now one of the young Doves decided to hop out of the nest and did not know what to do...of course. So he sat here for a short time and then finally tried to gain flight...

Finally he made it to the chair.... and cried a bit. While I was working at the pond I chatted to him and he was calmer. When I came into the house his parent came back and after a few minutes of convincing, the young Dove went back to the nest. Hopefully he will not do that again. So I will rest my back for a day or two as it is bothering me.  My hand which also is still healing but doing great is now a little sore. Need patience in my life.

Look how pink my geranium is..... this plant is from last year and sits at my front porch. I just read that I can root my Rosemary from cuttings...it needs to be cut back drastically. So I will offer it to my neighbors and dry some more for my kitchen. I also should cut the Oregano and dry that. Another plant from last year that is growing like a weed.
Today I will be going to lunch with a friend, Vickie, that I met on blogger. We commented on one another's blog and discovered that she lives not to far from me. After Denny passed she called me and we met for lunch and still keep in touch with our blogs. Small world.
That is  about it for now. So happy to have you visit with me. Thank you for your kind words and friendship.

Dismal morning

There does not seem to be any sunshine for the morning. The days are getting longer. Maybe rain again? No matter, I will be running one errand early and then back to the coziness of my home.

Yesterday, besides lots of swishing in the laundry area I made the first half of another Russian Leave earring. I like this pattern and plan to try a different size the next time. The color does not show up really well. Maybe the next time I will take it outside in natural light. It is called Matte Lustra Sage....it measures 1 1/2 inches without an ear wire. Hopefully I will get the second half finished today. The other beading tray has the makings of a Snow Globe Snowman waiting. My plan is to get some of my gift box projects done. Partly because once I see the hand specialist on the 25th, I am not sure of what I will be able to do for a while.
Phase one for the pond began...I removed the pump and tried to clean it out. I was concerned that I would fall...no water to drown in! but easy to still get hurt. Seems that I am more fearful of falling...or maybe just more aware of the consequences. Since we did have some rain, there is water in the well area and I was hoping for a dry spell to see if it would dry up on it's own. I will see this week. I may just use the sump pump. The garden really needs a little reconstruction.... plant upgrading and such. Thanks to Dennis it has good structure established. I found a pair of Doves poking around the other day...maybe they are thinking of moving back in the garden. With the pond closed there was no water for them at the ready...I spoiled them. I have a birdbath that they have visited so that may draw them back.
Well I am not getting anything done sitting here.... but it is nice when you visit. Thank you for your kind words and for your friendship. 

Can't believe it is Friday!

This week really has passed me by. Maybe it is the crazy weather here in Arizona. First we are in a freeze warning and the overnights were cold...then it warmed up then we actually had a day of 70. We had some rain and now they say we should have more this weekend. Why would I be surprised; it is winter after all and this is what is winter here. The high country had snow. Speaking of the high country... the end of December Shelly's post began with song lyrics and she asked who knew them and I was the first to comment and I won...yes, a gift certificate to 123 Stitch! What a surprise. I already took a look and found several Mill Hill beaded kits...now to make my selection. Shelly is one of those who is in the high country and gets snow. 
I also ordered the coating for my Russian Leave earrings. I plan to use it on other beaded projects that could be better if stiffer; my Santa earrings for example. Yesterday I began to get the garage straightened out. Amazing what the Holiday Faeries did out there. Trash pick up was today so that made it a good day to bag and toss. Some of the garden debris too. The Brother Alan and I have new plans for the pond. One of these days I will get to show you; that will be when he is back out here in a few months. I am sure looking forward to their return. I know they are eager to be here.
Do any of you follow Jenny's blog? She writes such a lovely blog and designs beautiful things. Her embroidery is so lovely. I always feel relaxed visiting Jenny. Stop over when you have a few minutes. 
Well it seems that the House Faeries are not coming to clean today so it will be my turn. It is always so nice to chat with you. Thank you for stopping by and for your kind words. Thank you for your friendship. If the Faeries are at your place please remind them to stop here!

Did you rememebr?

We do not change the clocks here in Arizona.... well, they do on the Navajo Nation which is the North East corner of the state.... then there is the Hopi Reservation within the Navajo area that does, confused? Just know that I do not change the time...hope all of you have remembered. There is now a 2 hour difference form my friends and family in Rhode Island. Now that we have that all settled.... yesterday was the Litchfield Faire and it is also today. Dianna was able to change her work schedule to a later time so she and I went and enjoyed a beautiful morning.

A new Woodland Man came home with me....now both entrances are protected. I love this artist's work. They are carved from one piece of tree branch; no two are alike because each piece of wood is different. I think I will be making a collection of these delightful men!

Of course I also had to bring another of Maryann's Twirling hangers home. Her metal work is really nice. This one had glass chili peppers. Then there was the dip sample...Cool as a Cucumber that was very good so I bought a package as well and some Kettle Corn freshly popped. I hope to attend the next Faire  and maybe get a few other things. Dianna bought a lovely Hummingbird feeder. A friend, beautiful weather and a Faire....a wonderful way to spend the morning.
My hand is feeling much better so the Santa Star will finally be finished. Did I mention that when I did finish the last section Santa's face did not line up?! I missed a row and I just took it apart and now will finish it today..? I hope. Then I need to swish some laundry and oh yes bake some bread...Honey White loaf. Sounds good so I will try it. Still leaving messages on machines with no one returning my calls. At this rate the pond will remain closed for some time. It is so frustrating as I know what has to be done but am not able to do it myself. I know, some of you are thinking I should just close it for good. However, I really enjoy the sound and how it looks in the garden. But…..the thought has crossed my mind. I could try returning it to a fountain instead of a waterfall...but … still thinking on it. I will try again with phone calls this week... not ready to give up yet. Okay, time to get to the  laundry and baking the bread. This may be a biscotti week too. Glad to chat with you. Thank you for your kind words and for your friendship. Have a good day.
Reindeer Food..... still making packets of anyone needs some. Just email me ….

Always something to do

Whether I want to or not, there is always something to do. Right now I need a plumber, a carpenter, an electrician and a "pond someone" and assistance from Cox? maybe. The pond definitely has a problem...hopefully an easy fix. At the moment it is empty of water and there is expected rains coming the beginning of the week so it will remain off to the dismay of several birds who thought their pond was back. This includes the bunny too. The kitchen light is not responding to the yard stick taps so I have half lighting. The last time I attempted to climb the step ladder to "fix" this I almost landed on the stove top. Happily there was nothing cooking. I see there is a ?shut off valve under the sink on the water dispenser, but will that be enough for me to try to disconnect the system??? I really do not need water running everywhere. The cable went out again yesterday as did my bathroom lights! Once I reset the lights at the electrical box the cable returned??!! Cox  was as confused as I was. So far cable is working today but I am still having them come out later today to discuss this issue. At least I was not the only customer  in the area calling them the last 2 days. As I was Swiffing around the TV in my bedroom yesterday I found

this frayed HDMI cable...you didn't know that I knew what it is called, right? I learned a lot from My Denny. Of course there was a replacement in the garage! Yes, he always had extras of this or that, remember the 4 drills??? It was an easy fix.
Thank goodness for going to lunch with Glenda yesterday to break the craziness around here.
I began putting together the beaded Rose Star and hope to share that over the weekend, but I will show you these.....

A gift from Lisa...lovely wire wrapped "beach glass" earrings....we both love the color purple/lavender! the picture does not do them justice but I think you can see they are delicate in style. She also gave me

A beautiful wrap bracelet....a silver formed piece with a piece of turquoise and silver beads....I love it. Thank you Lisa for being so thoughtful. The washer is swishing and I will walk the Bissell soon. Then back to trying to do nothing. At some point I should make breakfast and another cup of coffee. Glad you had time to visit with me.... thank you for your kind words and for your friendship. DebbieB if you are able to read this I hope you are enjoying yourself.... talk with you soon! Honey, AKA Keith, hope you are feeling good after your shoulder surgery. I am feeling better today, thank you Glenda for the special chat. Let's have a good day everyone.

The day that disappeared.....

Today was just one of those days. I am so glad it is almost over. First let me start with the pond...yes the pond again. I have it off as I think, well almost positive there is a leak and not sure where to look or how to fix it. I guess I will hunt to find someone who does ponds. Then there was cable...or not having cable. Cox was unable to fix and I had reset it 3 times with no luck so an appointment was made for Friday afternoon. So on to the computer to watch the Senate hearings. I felt I had to watch and because I did I found something that was important to me. For the first time ever I was able to write some words in regard to the issue on paper and then speak with my doctor. Years of feelings ….the start for me to face the issue.
Then the TV service resumed so the appointment has been cancelled. Onto the next issue...I know, what next was my very loud out loud comment. Actually I shouted! The bathroom lights would not work. After I reminded myself that I knew how to solve this---  I reset the switch in the electrical box. So my friends that was my morning. All by 1PM!

Look at this lovely book on dimensional beading..... the designer/author offered it for postage on one of the beading group pages that I belong to. I could not pass it up as I am enjoying my latest beading projects. I did make an additional contribution as well as the postage. While The Brother was here I did not work on my Rose Star and today was just not the day to even think about it. Hopefully this weekend it will be completed. Tomorrow is a lunch date with Glenda.

A short time ago I posted a partial picture....here is the finished sewing project...it came out so cute. Lisa saw this (I think on Pinterest) and sent me a picture awhile back and asked me to make it...so after hunting down the pattern I was also able to find the exact same fabric as in the picture she sent and she was pleased when she saw it.

Good morning Oliver...that is the name sis Lynowl gave him. Here he is coming out of his home in the grass next to the pond. This means that I will be careful when cleaning with the rake in that area from now on. So far he nibbles on the grass but then there are no flowers to munch on...yet. Not sure how long he will reside here, but if he behaves he can stay...no additional bunnies wanted!!!!
Thank you for the nice comments on my new home additions. I have eliminated comments for this post but welcome private comments for now. 

Changes......

Well, They are back in Rhode Island and I am missing them. My last text from Lisa was that they landed and it was raining..... While they were here the temps were hot but a couple of times comfortable enough to sit out in the lanai. We had a good time as always and saying goodbye was tearful. We definitely kept busy but had relaxing time also. I bet you are saying...right you did.  Really we did.
The new fridge finally arrived on Saturday

We need a little tweaking but it is in. Now I can refill with food. We did not starve by any means as we ate out several times … Alan did cook twice!
I had mentioned to The Brother that I thought moving the desk in to the living room (plenty of room) might be nice and as he agreed the move of furniture began. You know me, it will involve more than just one item.

The curio first then the bookcase oh and then the two bookcases had to move and finally the desk was in place. Alan then moved the computer to the table behind the desk and we now have it all set, an open office space. This then opened an area in the large kitchen/dining area. When I talked to them about this furniture move I mentioned my next idea which would eventually mean a new dining set and ….before long it was ordered

And it arrived Tuesday morning not long before they left. The work island will arrive soon and will be on the opposite side of the kitchen.  Eventually a rug will be under the table area.
Did I mention that the pond is working again?

Getting right in there and giving it a good cleaning. The wildlife is happy to have it back and the resident bunny is too. The bunny is living under the grass to the right of Alan next to the pond. I have not seen the second bunny....so maybe it is just the one...hope it is just the one and not a warren starting.
Well, I did not do any beading so I will get back to finishing my Rose Star soon.  Glad you stopped by for a visit and I will be around to visit with you soon. thank you for the kind words and for your friendship....
****DebbieB....I loved the card you sent! We will return to our daily emails real soon!

Missed storm

The weather alert came in on the phone...Dust storm warning and severe thunder storms in the area..... well, the sky did look threatening and the thunder did sound as well as a flash or two of lightening but not rain … no dust … no storm. I still sent myself to the bedroom! One thing about the storms, the scenery changes quickly and becomes dramatic. The glint of sunset against the tall palm tree fronds is lovely. I secured the garden tools left by the pond and scared a tiny lizard...he actually scared me. It was a quiet evening after all.

If you think it is a new smoke detector you are correct. Yes I did it. This is the one in the hallway outside my bedroom and the lowest one to install. The other two are going to require the higher step ladder and yesterday was not the day with my back still bothering me. They will have to wait... I believe they will require help. While I was finding things to do...like I do not have anything at the ready...I realized while playing music that the 2 wall mounted Polk speakers are not connected to the receiver so they are not needed. There is a Polk sub woofer that also does not work with the stereo...they were part of the home theater. So today they will be disconnected. They have been offered to the couple who will get the system. Remember the sweet little girl from Dianna...

her basil has dried and now looks perfect hanging down from her pot. I picked the piece of basil while it had flowered so the tiny blooms are in perfect proportion. Today I will think about the next bracelet to wrap. I also got the supplies for a tatted ornament ready.  No plans really for the day...except take Bissell for a walk around the place with Swiffer...they need the exercise. Well my friends right now I need breakfast so off I go to accomplish my tasks. Thank you for your kind words and of course for your friendship.

That's a wrap and some cables

Yesterday while plugging in a heating pad for my back...

I found these cables....they were part of the home theater projector set up and were still connected to my DVD player. Last year when I dis-connected the system I just left the cables connected to the player and receiver in case I was going to keep the set up. When I gave the projector away I forgot to find these. This is 3 cables the longest is about 25 feet....only Denny knew what he was doing! I did send a text to Dianna to let her cousin know not to buy anything until he checks with me for these to save money.
My back is a little better but I am not going to work outside as I am not feeling too good today. I did finish the wrap bracelet

I decided to make it a 2 wrap....and this is what I have....love the colors and the texture.

This is the button closure and the other end of the bracelet. Very nice to make and one of a kind. I never repeat a pattern so the next one will be different even using some of the same beads. I will also plan a single wrap style.

My plan to leave the pond for now gives me indoor time to maybe get this done later today. Smoke detectors! All this lightening causes me worry for fire. I do not want to wait until The Brother Alan arrives...remember he is coming! in September. He already has some tasks to do.

Looks like it should be easy....2 screws and attach...right. Got this far when I started not to feel well last evening so I thought a step ladder is off limits. I have 3 in the house. Laundry is swishing right now and the bed is made so at least something has gotten done. For now though it is feet up and try to feel well enough to get things done. Definitely the pond tomorrow no matter what. Off I go to gather supplies for the single wrap. Nice to chat with you as always. Thank you for your kind words and for your friendship. 

Monsoon storms

The winds always start first around here then the rain came with thunder and of course not long after, the lightening...… it was a loud storm. It lasted for a couple of hours. Early last evening around 6:30PM I decided to get the sump pump and drain the pond...easy and did not take long. Now that the pump[ is out I see where it came apart. Let's hope I can re-attach it with little difficulty. The final bit would be with the shop vac and that would wait until today... not. The rain has cause some real humidity this morning and everything is very wet out there. More importantly my back is aching and near impossible to apply the medicated gel.... need an extra set of hands. The heating pad was helping so maybe back with that today. I will take a couple of OTC pain meds. Too much yard work in one day. It is obvious that I pulled my back out in the last few days. I need a sign in the garden that reminds me that I am not superwoman.

Yesterday morning I returned to the bead shop and sat with them for a few hours … until my back just would not relax. My bracelet is about one third finished... I plan on a 3 wrap. I just love the colors and the process. Using the various beads gives nice texture. I see a few gifts in the making. I very much enjoyed sitting at the shop beading. Zina, the owner is such a great multi tasker... teaching a couple of ladies at another table to make another style bracelet  and helping others pick out supplies and still finding time to answer my questions all the while making sales. When the moment is quiet she tries to work on her own design for a peyote bracelet. I plan to go there for open beading at least once a week.  Vickie who also works there is so pleasant to be around.
Right now though it is time to enjoy my coffee and later to the pharmacy for my prescription refill. Then back to beading. I really need to change out the smoke detectors...but not sure if climbing the step ladder today is a good idea. The pond and garden will need to wait. All about relaxing today. Glad to chat with you. I thank you for your kind words and emails. Thank you also for your friendship.

A new beading project

The morning is starting much cooler than usual and there was rain wind and thunder last evening. More expected later today into the night. So glad that I decided to clean the garden of debris yesterday...less of a mess this morning after winds and rain. The pond water has lowered and I will definitely drain it tomorrow.

Yesterday afternoon as I sat I felt that I needed something to do. What? I have several projects at the ready! No, I wanted...more like needed to be out of the house... so off to the bead shop I travelled. These are the supplies for a wrap bracelet. I have never made one before and this is a really nice project. The owner of the shop, Zina helped me with the bead selection and showed me how to properly get this started.

Here is a close up of my project so far. My button for closure is a dragonfly...of course. I may go today to work on it there. The atmosphere is wonderful there and the owner is very welcoming.
I can see more of these in my future. A great way to use all those extra beads.
I really have been busy with the purging of my stash...

Look at these two old...old knit books! I have been knitting since a child so of course I would have old books. But these must go...as I have not used them since forever.

Here are some cross stitch that are leaving my stash....still more to sort through. Time for all these items to go. If I have not used them by now or already made something then it is time. I hardly ever stitch something twice. I found that I have the complete snowmen of the month collection by Cutis Bohringer. So much to sort yet.
Well, the sun has yet to shine this morning....very dull out there. This brightened my day....

Lisa sent me this picture of herself and the horse she rides...he is beautiful. Lisa loves horses and rides all the time back in RI and that is the one thing she must do each time she is out here. Her smile tells you everything. Speaking of Lisa...she and The Brother Alan will be here soon...39 days.... but who is counting.
Time to do a few household things before beading....I think I will go back to the bead store to work later this morning. Glad to have you stop by and thank you for the kind words and emails. Thank you most of all for your friendship.

A new girl in the house

What was I thinking...well I know what I was doing. Last evening we had another storm....winds ...rain...thunder and of course the lightening. So, I barricaded myself in the bedroom where I can almost completely block out the lightening. The winds rattled everything out in the garden that was not cemented down. So this morning I went out to find and organized the landscape. Filled another trash bag with debris and some tree clippings for pick up tomorrow. There, I feel better about that. I was thinking ...I know sometimes I do not...before going out so I wrapped an ice cold bandana around my neck, had a full cup of iced water and my phone in pocket. I keep a wet bandana or two in plastic sandwich bags in the refrigerator so that when it is hot they are at the ready. It came in handy yesterday when Dianna was here. We took apart the small gazebo and stuffed it into her Kia Soul...off to her back yard now. Then we took down the home theater screen from the living room. As hot as it was we did not feel too bad.

Look at this cutie. Dianna brought her to me and although she isn't really southwest, she is sitting on the shelf next to my computer where I am greeted by her each day. She is holding basil from my garden and when it dries it will hand down from the pot she is holding. Dianna has a duplicate of her....we do share several pieces of identical things. Dianna always thinks of me. We are sisters from different mothers!
Now about the pond. this is just a temporary set back. This pond is important to me and my garden. I probably did not re-attach the tubing tightly enough....the way Don did. I cannot and will not leave it empty...cannot take it apart as it is cemented, built into the ground and attached to the wall. I would not want to have an empty pond. When sitting outside it is a delightful sound listening to the waterfall trickle down. The birds and lizards depend upon it of their water and baths. I depend upon it for relaxing sounds. When we moved here 13 years ago Dennis put a lot of work into getting it operating... it was a thing of pride to him. Many nights The Brother Alan and Lisa enjoy sitting out there with a glass of wine and hearing the sounds.... I do too. So, yes it would be simple to just let it go, but no, I can not....I need it. Now that I can empty it in minutes since I found the sump pump! it is not difficult. Over the weekend I will get it back to running. Thank you for visiting...thank you for the kind words and for your friendship.

Two steps back....again

Another humid day with fairly decent morning temps. The expected temp will be around 103.... The sun is not so bright with the clouds overhead and that is fine with me. I just went out to open my back gate...and what do I find? First sign of trouble was not hearing the waterfall....as small as it is you can hear the water. The pump has disconnected from the waterfall connection...you do know what this means...yes, I will need to let the pond evaporate again or drain to re-connect.
Honestly it is easier to use the sump pump and drain it and then just do the job. Unfortunately for me with the humidity I am not sure that today is the day. Have no clue as to why this happened...maybe I did not connect it as well as I thought.

Sorry I am not too cheerful....just frustrated.

Yesterday Glenda and Don stopped by to check on the irrigation system and that at least I did do correctly and the blinking is not an issue. Don did change the length of time that it will run for me. Good friends and good neighbors. They will be moving in the near future...in the same neighborhood just not that Glenda and I will be walking to visit! Not sure what my day will hold now..... do I cave in and work on the pond since the temp will not be too hot? or do I wait until early tomorrow morning. I spent time going through cross stitch patterns and have removed a lot. If I have not stitched them by now …. so feeling good about that but I have so much to go through yet. Waiting for Dianna to stop by so off I go.

Thanks for listening...thank you too for your kind words and encouragement. Thank you for your friendship.

One down one to go.....

So, almost 6 am and when I went out to check the pond to see if the screening was still in place....

Yes indeed it is and working! I was able to get it in place yesterday evening and found 4 rocks to keep it from floating. It is 2 foot by 2 foot and did I mention it has sharp edges...not to worry I was careful and did not get cut. I did not even fall in....I allowed the pond to evaporate for a couple of days so I did not have to drain it. Around 3 am the winds were furious and the leaves were floating this morning. Easy to skim out. This means only monthly (maybe) I would have to wet vac the pump! I am pleased with this.
But...you knew there was a but.... the irrigation system is working but evidently I do not know how to program the start time correctly. Time to hire someone to do it and this time I will try to pay better attention with the how to part. I did what the instructions said but somehow it is not right. Yesterday the temps were around 115 and the same is expected for today. Just the few minutes I was outside "doing something" I could feel the heat ( temp is already 92) with my breathing. I keep telling everyone that I am delicate. While the leaves and such were blowing in the wind....makes me think of Bob Dylan... I also thought about the rain gutters....I probably need to check them for debris. I have yet to try to replace the smoke detectors...got my work cut out for me. In the meantime, glad we had a visit and thank you for your kind words and encouragement. Your friendship means so very much to me. 

Feeling accomplished

The irrigation seems to be back on track.  I did go to Ace Hardware and one of the guys suggested that I try hardware cloth...which is a galvanized mess for the pond. So the plan is to allow water to evaporate these next few days and with the heat is not difficult. The temp will be around 112 for a couple of days and then by Wednesday to the end of the week possible storms again. Ideally it would be good to get this mess in place before that. Again they say we are in a heat advisory...like we do not know this?! Once the water is low I should be able to get this in place..... without falling in.

The magazines eliminated from my collection are now up to 19.... this covers beading, quilting and cross stitch. I had already started on patterns and leaflets so this is an accomplishment for sure. Still have more to peruse. Problem is  that I start looking and then reading something and before I know it I have taken too much time.
I have a quick 2 errands then I hope to have need in hand or maybe the shuttle.... it has felt good not to think that I have to be doing something. Relaxing is good for the soul as well as the hand.
I do need to trim back the Firecracker and Memory bush but unless I can get out there at 6 am it is not going to happen. I borrowed Don's long handle trimmer. Saw one in Ace  that I may purchase. Dennis would just use the ladder and we know that I cannot nor will I get on the ladder. They have reached around 8 feet in height.  The winds have picked up as they seem to do each evening sounding the chimes and buoy bell. Too bad it is hot air. With that I will say adios. Nice to have a chat with you. Thank you for your kind words and for your friendship.
Are you keeping count? There are 44 days until The Brother Alan and Lisa are here..... 

Just me and the pond...again

Last night another monsoon storm rolled in....first the winds which were around 60- 80 miles per hour!, then thunder with rain and lightening. I once again put myself in my bedroom where I can hide from the lightening...maybe it should be sound proof too. The thunder felt like it was on my roof. I shut down all my electronics and kept the flash light at hand when the first flicker of the lights happened. Did not loose lights but the storm rattled on for some time. I really expected to have more debris in the garden but not so. Since it was just about 6 am when I went to check and the sun was not around yet....

I did find the morning moon so bright white against the blue sky. I thought well why not try the pond idea. I know you are saying~~~ "oh no" and you are right. Yesterday I went to Home Depot to get AC filters and the new smoke detectors and I bought a pond plant basket. I know it is not the right size but I just want to see if the idea works. I will check on line to order a larger one.

The idea is that it is covering the well area and will trap most of the larger debris so the pump does not clog and the perforated basket will allow the water to circulate. We shall see how this works. In the meantime.....I thought I should go back in and put a pair of shorts on and my garden sneakers....should not work on the pond in pajamas and my Nike slides. Of course I was right....I slipped at the pond edge...you thought something like this would happen didn't you? All the while a hummer was buzzing about and a few bees.

So, I took a one leg bath! The pond is very slanted from the edge to the center....I did know this. So, the pond is back on and I have showered and it is only 6:45 am. While I was visiting HD I looked at the refrigerators…. saw a couple that liked. My friend Bobby (Dianna's hubby) was working so helped me pick out the smoke detectors. Of course the mounting for the new ones is different than the ones up now. I think it will not be my task to climb a ladder and replace these. Not sure if the AC filters need to be replaced but I will check that today. 

My wind sock and the Dragonfly dangle are all caught up from the winds....the tomato plant broke and now is in the trash....but that is all and not bad to deal with. The temp will be back to 107-ish today and of course some humidity. We expect this with the monsoon season....June to September. I have no errands so I will be sitting inside keeping cool. I think today is a--- look at the craft books and magazines kind of day. I have had enough excitement for the day. Glad you stopped by and I thank you for your kind words and for your friendship. A cup of coffee would be nice...….