Bits and pieces.....

I have one peony...year before last it only had one or two blooms...last year, it almost died so had none.  This year it is going to have 7 blooms.  The above photo was taken on the 20th...

This one was taken yesterday ....

************
Sarah took a couple days off work, and came up yesterday to help me....I have been trying to remove some of the clutter from our garages for a while.  And was not getting anywhere.  But yesterday...we said bye-bye to a lot of stuff.  And if you walked in either garage, you wouldn't believe that three truckloads left this place.

One load of stuff was mainly stuff Sarah took to one of the guys at her work..  We piled a lot of stuff in one bay of the garage...plus I had stuff outside.  I called this one business to get a roll-off dumpster.  The owner asked me what I had...I was asking what was NOT allowed to be put in one.  So that is why he asked what I had to go in one, so I started naming all these odds and ends of items. 

He told me he knew a guy that would do a good job hauling it off and that I would not have to pay as much as I would for a dumpster.  So, this guy came right on time...the first guy told me he would come about 5:30.  So he was here, and I showed him all that was to go.  He got one load of old wood for the most part.  And old archery targets of Roger's. 

I thought I would feel really weird when he got the targets, but I didn't.  Roger has not used them but one time since his stroke, and that only because his buddy came over to use them.  Anyway that was one load....it was just a bit over what would be level full.  Then he came back and got the next load...and it was piled high.  He had to tie it down.

I am so glad to have this much done...there is still a lot needs to be decided on...but at least a start has been made.

************
I was too tired to blog last night.  I came in to fix Roger and Lorelei something to eat, in this case tacos.  Quick and easy.  Anyway, it was well after Jeopardy was over before I was able to sit down, and was simply too weary to blog or do anything. 

Lorelei was spending the night so we had to go to bed early....normally we try to get to bed at 9:00 when she is here, but was 10:00.... still, the night was over before it began.

I am busy right now trying to catch up with you guys.  I hope you are having a good night and have good days ahead. 

Good news

It was good news at the dermatologist....I wanted to share that good news and to thank you for your prayers.  She did freeze 3 or 4 places off, and one place we are going to keep an eye on. 

I have shown the tulip before, but it sprinkled this morn and I could not resist more shots...

These are so much darker in person.  I don't know why they photograph looking so purple.  Which they are purple, but they look almost black in most lights.

Again, taken by my phone.

*****
I was waiting for the insurance adjuster to come when I was taking these pics...he was coming to check our roof.  He came, but the roof was wet from the rain, and he said he just could not say for sure.  He was supposed to try to swing back by today, but if he did, we were gone to the dermatologist.

I cannot see any damage, but this roof is only two years old.  And the awnings have dents in them.  Honest to goodness, last Thursday when the hail hit the house, it sounded like someone throwing a baseball hard against the roof.

Anyway, just had to share the good news.....

from the yard

I mowed the yard today...well, I got most of it mowed before Roger realized I was mowing.  He insisted on mowing the rest....so I cut out some dead vine from my wisteria.  By the time I was done and had cleaned up my mess, he was done and we sat outside a few minutes.

It was 55ºF here today and cold breeze blowing....not quite off an iceberg but in that neighborhood.  After he cooled off, he got so cold we went in...but I had had my phone right inside, so had grabbed it and took a few pics from the yard before we headed inside.  I cannot tell how many irises I have of the above color.  They all came from one single bulb I bought at a yard sale.  I bought blind...she did not have their colors labeled.

It is a pretty iris but given a choice I would probably have picked another color.  But as many pretty flowers as I get I am not complaining.

Then we have this clematis...

It has  not grew up the trellis as much as usual...it only has two or three blooms up where they are easy to photograph.

The rest are hugging the ground, like the ones above.  I guess I normally train it up the trellis, but did not get it done this year.

And here we have the wisteria.  The wisteria my mom had had flower pods that were longer and looser?  I don't know how else to describe them.  I don't know if  these are so short and plump cause they are bred for a colder growing zone of what.

Either way, I think they are beautiful.

************
Tomorrow I go to the dermatologist.  Say a prayer that she can take care of everything.  And that none will be skin cancer.  I know most people don't think much about basal cell cancer, but if you had seen what my father-in-law went through with just plain old basal cell you would take it more serious.  I am not consumed with fear as I was the first time or two I went. 

If you are out in the sun a lot, wear sunscreen!    No one in my family had had skin cancer, so I never worried about it.  I just didn't take time to wear sunscreen, and working at the orchard, I was out in the sun almost every single day.  And even back in childhood, we were always outside playing, or doing something as we grew up.

Now I get up and before I head out the door, I put on my warpaint....most people consider make-up their warpaint, but I consider my sunscreen my warpaint. 

How I wish I had taken time to wear sunscreen.  I might have saved myself a lot of time and dread.