Out and About
Bring summer–skip the bloodsuckers
Summer is my season. I don’t mind the heat, as long as it doesn’t come with high humidity and inch toward the upper 90s. I love almost everything about summer—vacations, long days that allow me to enjoy the evenings outside, warm temps, summer flip-flops, reading by the pool, tropical iced tea, the flowers in bloom, and probably much more! Pretty much the only things I hate about summer are the bugs, mosquitoes, and spiders. Ugh. I’ve tried so many different ways to keep the mosquitoes away. Citronella candles make me sneeze. And I hate spraying chemicals on my skin or
Summer Heat Doesn’t Bother the Geese
I stopped in at the Green Hills Library on a hot afternoon this week, and noticed geese swimming in the reservoir next to the library. If you look closely, you can see their goslings. They know how to stay comfortable in the heat. How about you?
This is some cool cash!
We were out of town over Memorial Day weekend. Our son is getting married in about a week. And we have a trip to Europe coming up. So I spent all day yesterday running errands. By the time I got home, I was exhausted. But I have to say one of the errands was actually quite fun–I picked up the Euros we’ll be taking on our trip to Paris and Barcelona! For people who cross the pond regularly this is probably no big deal. But this is my first trip to Europe, so for me, it’s pretty cool. It’s starting
How About a Hike?
Not everyone agrees on the definition of “hiking”. When some people talk to me about going on a hike, they show me pictures of a park with an asphalt trail winding through it. To me, that’s just a long walk. A hike needs dirt and either woods or hills or both. You should have to watch where you step and you should be breathing hard by the time you’re finished. Maybe I’m in the minority, but I get excited when I find one that isn’t yet another walk through a suburban park. I really like this trail I found at
Time for the shade to shine
Our yard has a lot of big trees and that means a lot of shade. Sometimes, that’s nice. But it also means I have a hard time growing all the plants and flowers I love. Shady spots hide critters like rabbits, and trees house destructive varmints like squirrels. This is the time of year when the shade has its moment in the spotlight. The hostas are leafed out and looking great. The astilbe are about ready to bloom, and this part of the garden takes on a tranquil, soothing feel. I always add a few annuals to give more color.