“Anyone who says sunshine brings happiness, has never danced in the rain.”
The workers showed up this morning to assess the situation. Don’t know if it was to see if their straw held the bank up, or to see if it was dry enough to run heavy equipment, but I believe they got the day off.
We got a little over an inch of rain with this storm. It sure makes things smell fresh again, and in this case has the added bonus of silencing the heavy equipment, and that incessant beeping noise the little dozer makes as it backs up while it runs back and forth all day long. No more diesel smell either. I’m happy. I guess for whoever’s project this is, that’s not really as good a news as I’ve considered it to be - but we have different perspectives.
Posted on November 3rd, 2008 by SmithorJones
Filed under: Around the House, Back Yard Project, Cathi | 1 Comment »
“Drawing on my fine command of the English language, I said nothing.” — Robert Benchley
We’ve been waiting. So far, autumn hasn’t made it up our driveway to our house quite yet. The neighbors just below us have a yardful of fallen leaves, but just like the other seasons, it’s taking a while before it gets all the way up our street, and we have only the slightest beginnings evident now. The rose - the one the deer cant reach! - is setting new buds for flowers, so it just might get one more flush before time to hibernate.
The park down the street is showing some pretty fall colors. We occasionally go down there to walk, and yesterday we saw this pretty vine growing up one of the little oak trees. Well, I guess they aren’t really “little” oak trees. The folks who have lived here in the foothills most of their lives think they’re big, but they’re puny little things compared to the ones on the coast so they appear little to me. It took me the longest time to remember that these little scrub oaks are really oak trees.
So, anyway, not much else new around the homestead. Same routine mostly. The backyard project is still in full swing. They’ve got pipe installed now for some type of utility, I guess either water or sewer. They even laid some coarse gravel last week for a “road” that they’re using. I assume eventually it will be an actual street.
Posted on October 28th, 2008 by SmithorJones
Filed under: Back Yard Project, Garden, weather | No Comments »
“The foolish man seeks happiness in the distance; the wise man grows it under his feet.” — James Oppenheim
Have you ever had one of those Mondays that was…you know…really a Tuesday?
We passed a quiet weekend this week. The weather was absolutely beautiful, events worked out to where things just went gently through their routines. I got a little sewing done, MP and I went out for Chinese food one of those days, we finished watching the John Adams (HBO Miniseries)
(2nd President of the United States), and before I knew it, it was Tuesday. And (just saying) if you’re in the least interested in US History, that is a fascinating miniseries to watch.
Today, the hummingbirds are busily making their feeder runs, and the back yard project continues.
Funny the things you can catch in a camera lens when you take a picture without your glasses on. I just thought I’d snap a picture of the progress this morning while the guys were out there working. That shovel is making quite a little mountain, and as they work the man with the water hose keeps the dust down. Click for big and you’ll get a better idea of the “stream of things” as it were.
So, yeah - lazy dog-days of summer happening around here - weather affording the construction guys more days of work in an otherwise troubled world economy, and life around the homestead quietly proceeding along to a gentle rhythm that occasionally lulls you into thinking it’s still the weekend - when it’s really Tuesday.
Posted on October 21st, 2008 by SmithorJones
Filed under: Around the House, Back Yard Project, Cathi, Gold Country, Movies, weather | 1 Comment »
“Wherever you are, it is your own friends who make your world.” — William James
Not sure…maybe it’s the neighbor “gal,” I’m not really sure yet, as we’re not quite that close. But this is our newest “friend.” He’s been hanging out at our house for a few weeks. Sometimes he’s in the garage waiting to come inside when we open the kitchen door to toss something in the trash, sometimes he’s hanging out on the porch admiring the hummingbird action above. He’s quite the lover, and wants nothing more than to talk and rub and purr…and if someone would pluck him one of those fine-feathered fluttery things, he likely wouldn’t be adverse to a little “schnack” occasionally too. But, really, he’s fine with just hanging around and stirring things up around the hummy feeders. It’s quite comical watching the hummers “hover” over him and eye him menacingly, and then fly off. He’s oblivious. (If you want to see the indiviual pics, click on the collage above, and it should take you to the set on Flickr.)
Posted on October 16th, 2008 by SmithorJones
Filed under: Around the House | 1 Comment »
Life got a little bit away from us there for a while. One of us ended up “less” one gallbladder - that would be the one who usually does the writing here. I’m starting to feel a little more back to my old self now, but still recuperating. So, the blog kind of submerged there for a while with folks dealing with not feeling well, and the likes. Hopefully, we will be surfacing and blogging again now. To get things started, this one will be sort of a “miscellaneous updates” of life in the fast lane post. One of those real “grippers”. Or not.
Read more…
Posted on October 2nd, 2008 by SmithorJones
Filed under: Back Yard Project, Cathi, Garden, Hummingbirds, Michael, Movies | 1 Comment »
