Flowers come and go this time of year. The lilacs and butterfly bush are done, but other flowers are blooming. Here is a short photo tour of our yard as of June 6th. Please click on the image(s) to open a larger version in a new tab.
We are nearing the end of another project: Sidewalk renewal is nearly complete. We received and spread a load of dirt over the mess caused by the tearing up of the old sidewalk when replacing the water line. I put down some grass seed a few days ago and hope the new grass comes in OK.
A part of the same project included a reconfiguration of the dog run. Part of it had been removed to let the equipment have access to the old sidewalk, and the fencing had to be reinstalled. We decided to place the fencing and gate nearer to the back steps, granting easier access to the water hose and making the area a bit easier to mow.
This was a multi-day project as I needed to let the concrete set up around the posts before stringing the fence and hanging the gate. Pam had a section of temporary fence in place during this time.
It has been an active time since my last post, with work on the yard, planting flowers in baskets and hanging them, finishing the dog run, and doing other yard work. I received a new lawn blade sharpening fixture, pulled the blades off the rider and push mower, and sharpened them. (Previously I had sharpened them ‘freehand’ using an angle grinder.) Both units are now cutting very well and the yard is looking good; the recent rains helped keep everything green.
One other change affected my stereo system. My old Pioneer receiver had been having a channel cut out every now and then; it finally died altogether. I replaced it with a used Denon DRA-425R found on eBay. It is nice to have both channels back again, particularly on Saturday mornings (when I usually do my blog) with American Top 40 oldies playing on the radio in the background.
That’s it for now. Thanks for looking in!
Pam’s Penny
Grayce Update: Dare I say I think she may be toilet trained? Hard to say definitively, because she’s been spending so much time outside. I still don’t trust her to run free (unsupervised) in the house. Besides which, that pup is a destructive chewer; she could easily take out a few pieces of furniture left unattended. Grayce will be spayed this coming Tuesday.
Rock on.
Today’s Humor:
Jerry and Pam: John Warren from UW-Stout. Hopefully this finds you doing well. Just read some of your posts about your flowers. They sound like they are doing well. Jean is the flower girl for the house and hers always make the landscape beautiful. Have been in contact with a couple guys from the First Oetting. Dale Komarek, Dennis Grabow and Andy Anderson, Mike Cooper and Randy Welsch. Don’t know if you remember any of them, but we talk occasionally. Your ferns you gave us from Whitewater are doing fantastic in our back yard. We enjoy them very much and think of you often. My email is jandj947@gmail.com or cell 262-470-9878 or home 262-392-2904 if you would like to get a hold of me. Dennis Grabow always asks about you, I don’t know if he has contacted you.
John:
Good to reconnect with you. Thanks! I’ll be sending a separate e-mail to catch you up on a few things. Feel free to let anyone else know of this web site and blog.
FYI…
Left Pam a Email about a July 4th visit!!!!
Jerry,
Is there a parade in your town on the 4th of July??
If so, is there a time so we can plan around it…(if not too early!! 😉 )
See you July 4th!!!!!!
Pam,
Sassy Brunette, Auburn Jo, and Grayce.
Why just one name for the newest addition???
Grayce is (apparently) her middle name. Her first name could be considered “Amazing” — sometimes not amazing in a good way.
Brunette and Auburn Jo are rescue dogs. Bru’s rescue name was Sassy. Auburn’s rescue name was JoJo. Rescue names were combined with new names in both cases.
Re: July 4 parade in Elma, no, Elma Trail Days is the weekend of July 12/13. No parade for July 4.
The Elma Trail Days parade (honoring bike trail on old railroad grade) does come down Main Street in front of Heart House, but it’s frankly not very entertaining for a parade. Mainly fire trucks and tractors. I do miss high school marching bands in local parades; those music programs seem pretty nonexistent in the rural area of NE Iowa.