Catching up

Hello friends, Several things have been going on the last few weeks.... I hope you can make sense of the pictures and text. I couldn't seem to get blogger to cooperate. Last Friday evening we had a big storm roll thru and drench us. There was water everywhere after that. Kaylee was with me, so after dinner she and I went wading in the puddles... it was her first time puddling... Kaylee and my feet in a large puddle.

The last weekend of April we spent the weekend in a pretty mountain top cabin near Townsend, TN. We had a family hike on Saturday. She drove thru Cades Cove and hiked Abram's Falls trail. The weather was perfect, the company great, and the trail a bit rough, but everyone made it out, and enjoyed the scenery. We came across a bear cub eating some leaves, who totally ignored us. He was adorable and only a few feet off the trail. We all stayed alert and looking for it's mother... luckily she didn't return while we were so close.

This is the view from the back deck.

The week before that I was in Virginia for work. It was a very good trip. We got a tour of the Norfolk port. There was so much going on there, its a wonder things run as smoothly as they do. I was fascinated with the huge cranes and equipment. Went to Virginia Beach on Thursday afternoon. It was chilly and very windy but I had to take off my shoes and walk in the sand. I've never been to a real beach before. The sand was warm beneath my feet, and I rolled up my pants and waded in the ocean. It was cool. We only stayed a couple hours and then had to head back toward Richmond and our hotel.

Saturday my daughter Rachel came over and helped me unload gravel, and she, Mark and I laid the stone we have been collecting for the floor of the cornzebo. I thought we had more than enough, but we barely had enough. I need to level several stones, cut some small pieces for the larger gaps, and then finish packing the cracks with gravel. While it's not the pretty circular patio I dreamed of, the only expense I have in it is gravel. The cornzebo is starting to look like a comfy spot. Older roses have covered the one side, and are getting ready to bloom. I have moved 3 roses to the cornzebo, and bought 10 bagged roses from Walmart and Big Lots. They were each under $5.00. They aren't the fancy english roses, but they'll be perfect for me.

This is the so called super moon peaking over my arbor. I couldn't tell a difference.

This is my and Kaylee's version of a bottle tree. It brings color to the flower bed when flowers aren't blooming. I know it's tacky, redneck and odd but Kaylee and I like it.

The weather is warm here and storms have been rumbling thru the last hour or so.... my newly planted roses can use a good drink to get them off to a good start. And who doesn't love to hear it rain??? Myra

Randomness

Hello,

It's been awhile since my last post. My desktop computer is running at turtle speed, and hubby and I fight over the laptop. This post is just some randomness to let you know I'm still alive.

Here's an update on the bed. As you saw in my last post about the bed the maple portion of the bed turned out very splotchy looking after hubby took the sander to it. I couldn't get it to take stain and even it out, so I had to come up with a new plan.

Here are a few pics of what we started with. Some old trim pieces I had picked up, a couple from my Mom's basement that she had been hanging onto, and some old quarter round trim with an old gold finish.

We tried to decide whether to center the trim, or mount it along the edge. We decided to center it.

I'm not really a shabby chic kind of girl, and didn't want to paint the old trim pieces after working so hard to refinish them, so I decided to paint the "splotchy part" flat black. I'm trying to decide whether to paint the cap black or leave as is. It's not my original vision, but I like it.

Hubby got a new ride recently and he looks good on it too :)

We have been working on an apartment we own with my siblings. It needed some updating and general clean up. So we had a painting party. Two of my daughters, and my sisters family showed up to help. We're almost done and hope to get it rented soon.

We have an eagle's nest about 3 miles from our house. We get lucky and see one occasionally. It seems so odd to see one. Growing up Eagle's weren't something you saw in central Ohio. You don't realize how massive these birds are until you see one up close. Here's a pic of their nest along the river. There used to be several Heron nests in these trees. But the eagle's ran them off. I don't know what's so special about these trees, but there must be something.

Hubby and I have been collecting stone for the floor of the corn-gazebo. I need some gravel for the base before we can begin laying the floor. I also hope to use a couple of the large pieces to create a new landing outside our kitchen door.

I've also been collecting some smaller rocks to build a wall around my 130 year old weeping willow tree.

Can you believe we've been having record high temps and now they're talking about a freeze warning? My 130 year old weeping willow is leafing out, and the redbuds are blooming. The weeds are growing like crazy and I feel overwhelmed by their agressiveness.

I hope you're enjoying the weather wherever you are.

Myra

US west

Hi,

My life is very boring so I haven't had much to post about. However Hubby and I are considering going out west sometime this year. We're looking at the Grand Canyon, Bryce Canyon, Mesa Verde, LA, The Meteor Crater, as options.

Has anyone been to any of these and have pointers, tips, little known attractions in the area they can recommend?

I would love to hear any feedback you have regarding the area.

Thanks,
Myra