Tenacious Color

The garden/yard looks frightful !  It's that time of year .

But , don't say that to the pansies .  Aren't they fabulous ?

Look how nice the Oleander Hedge on the outside of the fence is growing .  It will be nice to have a little more privacy when it is taller . However , it has been nice when all the people that walk by give me a "hello" shout out .

The pansies even weathered through a little snow fall a few weeks ago . Like I say "quite tenacious" .

In all this bleak and drab look at all those bright and shiny faces .  All I have to do to them is to periodically cut off the dead blossoms.  So easy and so nice .  And , the bonus is that I see them from my dining room window !!!

If all goes well , on Monday a worker is coming to clean up all of the leaves so that another worker can come on Wednesday to apply some weed control on the areas that produce dense weeds in the spring time .  Especially on the outside of the fence around the Oleanders and the pathway where people like to walk .  I am fully aware of environmental selective herbicides . The roof will also be cleaned of all the leaves .  The gutters are not an issue because years ago I had Leaf Guard gutters installed . Smart decision and worth every "penny" spent .

Not certain about how much or if any gardening I will be able to do in the future but this will help keep the garden maintained and tidy .

Expecting some (not much) rain which we severely need .  Hopefully it will have cleared before the workers come .

My car is home from The Car Doctor and running nicely . It is sure nice to have the service so close to home .

Have a Good Weekend and Stay Healthy .  The death toll is hard to comprehend as well as the insecurities of food , shelter , medical care and employment .  Help your local food bank if you can . 💚 Praying for better times !

Mary  

What Happens If You Don't Drive Your Car Often

Well , you have to buy a new battery more often . 

In the last 10 days I have had to call AAA for battery jump because of a dead battery two times . I felt that it was because I left the lights on or didn't close the trunk lid completely .  Well , I can take away the blame because I have a dead-dead battery that needs to be replaced .

When the car isn't used very often , the battery does not keep a charge especially in the cold weather .  I have an older car (1998 Chrysler Convertible) and it sits outside.

The last time I bought a battery was in 2018 and the time before was 2016 .

I went out to the car this morning just to check the battery so I don't get caught with a dead battery when I have to go somewhere. And , it was a good thing because the battery was dead .  I called AAA to start the car and I took the car to the "Car Doctor" a couple blocks away .

Because of my very painful knees I was not able to walk home as I usually do .  Thankfully ,  my neighbor who lives across the street was able to come and pick me up from the Car Doctor .

As long as the car is there they will do an oil change for me . Also , the windshield cleaner tube from the reservoir needs repair so I can clean the windshield when need be . It will be so nice to get all of this taken care of .  It should be finished in a couple days . Glad I could get it into the shop .  It seems like it is getting so difficult to get these sort of things done since the onset of the pandemic .

It is always something - the computer - the car - the appliances . These things are starting to be more stressful for me .  Perhaps it is because of the constant pain I deal with day to day . In time it will be better !

Hope you are staying well even though the virus serge is horrendous!

Mary

What A Nice Surprise

After a full year (all of last summer) of no air conditioning in my car I was startled by the air conditioner working when I nonchalantly turned it on last Sunday when the weather was beautiful-warm and I was leaving the Garden Center after buying garden soil and a few new plants for the garden .

What a Delightful feeling of cool air !!!  

And, I do not have any idea of why it has started to work  properly.  Even with a refresher course on the Internet on how Automobile Air Conditioning works I still do not completely understand all the complexities of the systems .  To give you an idea --- "Air conditioning is the process by which air is cooled and dehumidified .  Basically, air conditioning systems operate on the principle of evaporation and condensation.  The principles of evaporation and condensation are utilized in your car's A/C system by a series of components the are connected by tubing and hoses.  There are six basic components :  Compressor -  Condenser - Receiver-Drier - Thermostatic Expansion Valve - Evaporator - Refrigerant ."

It is a mystery to me !  Let's hope it continues to work !

The weather has been wonderful - - - for the most part .  We have been having beautiful sunny days and then a day of rain .  Work days in the garden are kind of hit and miss .  The main thing I have to pay attention to is that I don't leave my garden tools outside and they get rained on .  I have been outside quite a lot pulling weeds and general clean up .  I am able to work for about two to three hours when I go out .  Everything is starting to look very nice .  With all the winter rains the plants are really flourishing .  And, the addition of soil amendments for the horrible clay soil is making a big difference and improvement .  I will post some photos when I have a chance to wander through the garden looking for photo ops .

Easter is upon us and the blogs are filled with beautiful photos and ideas for decorating and meal preparations .  Even though my limited physical endurance would make it challenging to prepare a nice Easter celebration I certainly miss the activity .

Happy Easter Week To All .

Mary

Quick Update - It is SPRINGTIME

What a beautiful Harbinger of Spring !  I patiently wait for this Forsythia plant to bloom each and every spring and especially this year following the historic winter weather .  I was on my way out to the garden and got side tracked and decided it was a priority to write a brief post .  It has been a while since I have stopped and updated my blog .  THE GARDEN IS ALIVE !

White Hydrangea .

 White Hollyhocks .

White "New Dawn" Climbing Rose .

 Lavender Lilac .

Outdoor Maintenance continues with successfully unplugging blockage in drain pipe .

During the recent past heavy rains the water flowed briskly down and out this drain .  Hooray for me and my success !

And - - - some random cooking .  Honey-Mustard Brussels Sprouts. The mustard and soy sauce give it just the right amount of tang .

Old fashioned Scalloped Potatoes .  As usual, very good .

White Beans with Bacon and Herbs .  Really good, especially with Pork Chops .

Now - are you ready for this ?   A little repair-replacement of some CAR PARTS .   The rear view mirror on my 1998 Chrysler Sebring Convertible had become very blurry and difficult to see clearly and the support lifts for the trunk lid were no longer holding the lid open .  Not good to have the lid fall on my head !!!

 OLD PARTS

 NEW INSTALLATION OF PARTS

Can you see the buttons on my shirt popping off !!  I have to admit that I am quite proud of myself .      I guess it is true that "When there is a Will, there is a WAY .  Internet shopping and all for less than $150.00 .  Labor priceless !!!

If you are a blogger,  you know there is no such thing as a quick post .  Even after almost ten years I have not discovered a way to "quickly post" .

The sun is bright and I am on my way out to the garden .

Have yourself a Wonderful Day .

Mary

Moving About Like A Wirlwind

I have been getting a lot of hard work done this week and it sure makes me happy .

With a house that has a large canopy of trees above it like mine , there is a lot of moss and mildew that builds up on the cement patio and sidewalk around the house .  So, today I did some power washing . It has been a few years since I have done it .  It is hard work and I can only do it for a couple hours at a time .  I don't expect to finish all of it this year . But, it is important to do as much as I can  because it can get very slippery in the winter time as well as it looks terrible when it is so dirty .

My car has been so dirty for so long that I was feeling embarrassed to drive it.  Taking it to the drive through car wash (touchless because of canvas top) was not doing much more than putting a hose to it.  It was time to get out the heavy duty brush and get to it .  I had forgotten how nice it would look .  And, I really like to have a nice clean car .  The car is 20 years old and drives like a new car .  It has never required expensive repair work and it is fairly low mileage .  However, there are many small issues that are starting to need attention .  But, that is a lot better than having to replace the car . I am thankful and besides that, it is also a lot of fun to drive !

There has been an area in the garden that has been almost shouting at me .  And that is because I had not been able to get 6 plants in the ground that I purchased the first week of July .  So last evening I was determined to get them planted .  I was pleasantly surprised because the ground did not have the usual amount of stones because other plants had been planted there in the past . Unfortunately , I have not been able to find anyone to help in the garden and/or a handyman .

I am very pleased with how the plants look .  And, once they fill out and get bigger I think the texture of the wispy blades of the grass will be a nice contrast with the harshness of the rock .  In the forefront you can see the chrysanthemum beginning to put out some color on the other side of the pathway .

What a contrast from two and a half years ago ?

And, finally, I have forced myself to tackle some DEEP house cleaning!  Hard work but it will be worth it . I will have more time when the garden doesn't need as much attention .

Hope you are having an Enjoyable Weekend .

Mary

Fireworks Plants Coming To Life And More Daylilies

Yes, Really ! Take a look - - -

That means that only two more plants have to show growth and we will be on our way.

This is the way they looked last fall before I cut them back before the winter.   What was I thinking! 

I wonder how long before I see something like this.     If ever !

A few more Daylilies are opening and showing their beautiful colors.

Today I was able to get my car serviced and all went well.  However, the air conditioning will have to be checked out by a Service Provider that can work on computer diagnostics.

Thank goodness the weather was a little cooler today.  Especially, since I had to walk to and from the local Auto Shop. Only a few blocks away.  But, if it had been like the last few days there is no way I could have walked.

I hope your week is off to a Good Start.

Mary