Friday of MEA Weekend

Friday, October 17, 2025

MEA weekend. Considering I'm not working right now I'm considering all of October is MEA month. I've been working over time on this fern garden bordering Andrea's retaining wall. The above photo dates back to October 2 and was taken shortly after I cut back the dead fern leaves. 

I cut back the overgrowth and reset the garden stones. 

I think it looks pretty fantastic if I do say so myself. 

Leaf changing update: Most trees haven't started turning except a few that are in the early stages. 

There are some exceptions which have completely changed. 

Including this one in the yard across the alley from us. 

Lit up a cigar while Dale was on a bike ride. 

He joined me outside when he got home. He said it wasn't because of the cigar he was sitting away from me but that it was just more comfortable over there. Okay. Sure. Fine. 

                      

He eventually moved closer.

We both commented how beautiful it was outside. 

It really was. 

The State of Our Yard - Sunday Edition (With an Update on the Great Flower Thief)

 Sunday, September 21, 2025

Dale and I got home from church this morning and noticed that our celosia had been ripped from the pots which border our driveway. No other flowers were taken. The celosia planted closer to the house was untouched. At first I thought a squirrel or a rabbit may have done it but they would have made much more of a mess getting it out of the pots. All six stalks of it were completely gone with no mess left behind and there's no way small animals could have disappeared it so cleanly. 

Again, they only took from the pots which bordered the driveway so they didn't need to come into the yard. I moved two of the pots  closer to the garage so they're harder to see. Hopefully this was a one and done. 

UPDATE - On Tuesday, September 23, Dale and I made a trip to Bachman's to replace the flowers that were stolen. 

Ran into our next door neighbor, Andrea, who told us that on Sunday morning, while we would've been at church, her dog Marcia was barking at something near our driveway. 

Ran into our next door neighbor, Andrea, who told us that on Sunday morning, while we would've been at church, her dog Marcia was barking at something near our driveway. 

This was indeed confirmation that it was actually a person and not an animal but this made it even more baffling. I mean, a kid I understand might not know better but a full grown man? Rather sad. I think most people would agree that stealing flowers is rude, crude, and social unacceptable.  For realz.

Memorial Day Weekend - Bridal Wreath Spirea

Sunday, May 28, 2023

I'm still so shocked by how poorly Andrea's Bridal Wreath Spirea came back this year. Why the bush on the left is flowering and the others aren't I'm not sure. 

Memorial Day Weekend - Monday

Monday, May 30, 2022

Quite a bit of rain this morning and more is expected tonight. For the time being it's sunny and warm; a little muggy, but beautiful overall. 

Our new neighbor, Andrea, who's living in Jean's old house, has had her mom and a couple brothers staying with her this weekend to help get her yard in shape. The mom asked Dale how old our silver maple in the front and Andrea's silver maple in the back are. Dale responded that they're very close to, if not a hundred years old. It's funny because I was mentioning to Dale yesterday how much I'm going to miss these trees when they're gone.