Saturday, July 2, 2016

The B Word

As in doggy bath!

A badly needed doggy bath after what transpired this morning. First off it has been stinking hot here lately, but when we went out this morning for Millie's front yard time, time that I use to drink my coffee and sometimes do a little crocheting, time that she uses to first run madly about the yard in search of cats that might be hiding under the daisy bushes, then a more calm walk around to sniff everything, then an even calmer lets lay in the grass and watch the world go by, it seemed a little cooler and much more pleasant outside. We do the front yard time every day and she knows what 'go outside' means and gets very excited waiting for me to open the front door. She has been really good about staying inside her boundaries but still likes to warn people off with a bark if they get to close to her front yard. Anyway, since it didn't seem quite so hot I decided today would be a good day to get some much needed yard work done.

I had been wanting to take out part of the star jasmine vine that has been growing alongside the garage for quite a few years, the star jasmine vine that will overnight sprout new tendrils that tend you grab you as you walk up the sidewalk, the star jasmine vine that started out as a very small plant and grew to cover two large trellises. It had gotten so heavy on the second trellis that it has been leaning way over and really annoying me. Because I like things straight. Pictures hanging crooked drive me nuts and so does a leaning over trellis.

So, lots of chopping and lopping and I got the trellis that didn't actually have a plant growing beneath it, just branches from the original plant, all cleaned up and the branches removed, then trimmed the actual plant on the other trellis way way back. No more grabbing at me when I least expect it!

Then I cleaned out the overgrown African daisies out of one side of the front flower bed, they were starting to look half dead and maybe it's time to freshen things up out there. The front flower bed is also always full of leaves from the camphor tree so a lot of raking was also done. I went into the back yard to get the broom and when I came back out Millie was enthusiastically digging a big hole in the nice damp dirt that my raking of leaves had uncovered. Her paws were covered in mud, so after an unsuccessful attempt to wipe the mud off decided that today would be bath day.

I did a little weed whacking of the small patch of grass (weeds) that grows near the street side flower bed, the rest of the yard being basically dead because we don't water those weeds, only the ones near the flower beds that get watered when we're doing the flowers, then brought Millie inside for her bath.

She looks much cleaner now, as does the yard. I have to be in the right mood to do yard work, sometimes I wish we lived in an apartment or someplace without a yard to take care of, but when I'm finished I do feel like I really accomplished something.
Front flower bed where the hole was dug.

And star jasmine and empty trellis.

I've been doing lots of crochet while sitting in the air conditioned house and am getting a little obsessed with it. It's very relaxing and I've been doing things that get finished quickly like blanket blocks and drink coasters. I was thinking about putting the coasters in my Etsy shop but still haven't decided for sure on that. I've looked around at some other crochet type shops and it doesn't seem like they sell all that well, but it might be worth a try. I haven't made anything new for my shop in a long time, I've almost gotten to where I don't really enjoy doing the shop all that much anymore. I do like the little bit of extra money though, so I'm hesitant to completely give it up.

I am not going to show you my most recent crochet since I'm working on Christmas gifts and if I showed you that would ruin the surprise.



1 comment:

Jacque Ojadidi said...
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