Wow! It's been a long while since I updated this site! It's been a busy summer for us. We've been keeping busy with projects around the house and trying to have a bit of fun every now and again. We took a few short outings and a little trip camping on the Oregon Coast. We had some people over for dinner. We got out a little bit. Dan probably has earned a good citizenship award for his constant participation in his absinthe parties over in Seattle. :) It's been a good summer.
But now autumn is in full swing in our neck of the woods. The leaves have turned and most are on the ground or, like at our house, mulched up into piles to be used at a later date. The weather has turned wetter and colder and that always takes more than a little getting used to. I guess it's the California girl in me that can't accept how quickly things turn around here. They say November is the No-month, meaning no sunshine, no warmth, no dry days, etc. I guess that's probably true.
We finished off October with a project or two that still needed to be done. The biggest one was ripping out all the weeds and junk in this big bed that slopes down the east side of our back yard. We got everything out buy the poppies and mulched our brains out. Even carried the mulching up through the roses and azalea bed and into the bed where we do our tomatoes every year. (that's the empty bed with just the stepping stones) We even put a fresh layer of shredding bark around Dan's wormwood and hyssop plants along the side of the house. Phew! Hope it works this time. I really hate working in that bed as the angle of it hurts my back and we don't have spare funds to build a retaining wall and bring it up to level. Maybe next year. :)
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We also had a small casualty. I was outside on our front deck very late at night, listening to the wind whoosh around the house. It was really whistling and howling. I kept hearing all the trees around our house creak and moan in the wind. Then I heard a small crack-crack-crack.. and then a larger crack and then a crash and then a louder crash. I thought for sure that one of the big pieces of deadwood from the tree next door was going to crash through their roof or onto their car. But when morning came... turns out it was one of ours!
Our vine maple, between our common driveway and our front lawn gave way on one side. Took some pictures so you could see. Now instead of being around, it's more of a fan shape, but that's okay. Still one of my favorite trees on the property. I just hope there won't be a repeat performance next time there's a good blow!
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I guess now we move things inside for a few months. Good thing I have plenty of INSIDE projects for us to work on. :)