How About Them Apples!

Just wanted to show you some of the few apples that have grown on our favorite fruit tree. It is placed between our house and the neighbors home in a spot that receives the brunt of the winds that frequent our area. Living at the base of the mountain has offered us many days of heavy winds, that just whip down between our houses. So, this tree bends its branches to the West. Making for an unusual looking tree. But the apples it produces are wonderful. For the past several years, we have had a grandson help us in the harvesting of the fruit. This year, the apples are low and few, so probably I'll be able to do it my self. Looking forward to a couple of apple pies and apple crisps and some for just plain eating.

September is here

I love Fall. This time of year is so nice. The days are warm, sometimes hot, but mostly just right. The nights are fine with a light blanket or even just a sheet for sleeping. The yard work has slowed down, even the weeds seem kind of sleepy and slow to grow. This morning while the grass was being mowed by my older grandson, my younger grandson and I were clearing out some unwanted branches and flowers. The flowers have lost their color and freshness and are just plain unattractive now. My younger grandson, Cove, has learned this Summer about 'deadheading' flowers. He is doing well at this task, but the flower blossoms really have to be dry and brown before he feels okay about cutting them off. You see, they are still beautiful to him if there is color left on the blossoms. 

I have had some luck with the vegetables in the backyard. First time planting Eggplant and have harvested 2 of them. Cooked a pan of Eggplant Parmesan, we enjoyed it very much. Also have had green beans, cucumbers, zucchini, tomatoes (cherry), the big ones are not doing very well at producing. We had green peas in the late Spring Then there are fruits - peaches, raspberries and soon we will have some luscious apples. I knocked a couple off the tree this morning (by accident) and we enjoyed slices of apple for a morning snack and then had some apple in our salad at lunch. 

Saurday Morning

Today will just be a post concerning placing pictures in this blog. I received a tutorial concerning this subject on Thursday of this past week. Today will be the first try. Got it. May,2014, early morning picture of West mountains as viewed from my back deck. Microsoft wants to download something, so this is all for today.

That Silly Little Hummingbird

Several days ago I mentioned a Hummingbird that is in our yard and sometimes acts like a bumblebee, diving and flitting around me. Well, yesterday , after entering the garage, I exited my car( must mention that it is bright red) and saw that the Hummingbird was coming into the garage. It flew around and I looked to see if it was still in the garage. I could not find it, so I guess it had quickly flown out to the yard. Wonder if it really knows that it should just be going after the bright flowers and not me.

I also talked about the moon, how big and bright and beautiful it has been for the past few days. I took some pictures and will now try to put them with this blog. I am having trouble posting pictures. My son-in-law said that pictures are very important to a blog, so I will keep trying.  No luck. Maybe next time

Saturday Morning

I looked out to the West early this morning, it was still dark, and saw a full orange moon. There were some streaks of clouds across the lower half of the circle. I tried to take a  picture of it. Looked like a pretty good Halloween picture to me. The shots were not too good. It was too low and when I tried to bring it in, it would look blurry. I'll have to try again tomorrow morning, if I am awake early enough.

Myopic Hummingbird

I've seen Hummingbirds off and on in our backyard. I've seen them at feeders in friends kitchen windows. One time we drove to Moon Lake, just a day trip, to check out the camping areas. There was a small store and office where you could reserve a camping spot and I think there were some cabins too. Anyway, this little store had Hummingbird feeders on both porches. There were quite a few. We saw the coming and going and some fighting of these little birds. There were several kinds and several different colors. I watched from inside the store.

Well, about a week ago, I was walking in our front yard when I heard a sound, a kind of whooshing, and looked up to see a Hummingbird heading right for me. I was startled and flung out my arm and he darted away. I was wearing a bright pink T-shirt and maybe the color attracted him. Then, yesterday I was in the backyard, coming in from picking some tomatoes. I was carrying them in a bright yellow colander. The Hummingbird came at me again. This time I was still, watching to see how close he came. He darted and flitted around me for a few seconds and flew off. I looked up and saw a Robin, who seemed to be watching as he sat on the fence.

You never know what you will see when you go outside in the Summertime. I think that this little bird is myopic and thinks the colors of my pink T-shirt and my yellow colander indicated flowers full of nectar.

Things to do Today

Tuesday is a day saved each week, in warm weather, for the two 'yard boys' to come and work in the yard. One uses the mower to cut the grass, the younger one, uses clippers and shears, working with me, to trim and cut away dead flowers. This happens on Friday morning also. We have found that by mowing twice a week there is no need to use a catcher. The lawn trimmings are short enough to be left on the lawn. This activity is done early in the morning when the sun has not had a chance to heat things up too much. But we all do wear hats and gloves to this activity.

The boys are two of my grandsons. They come each time, willing to complete the chores that are awaiting them. I am so happy they live so close to me and want to come to help me. The lawn work is done in record time, done to the beat of music (listened to with the little ear buds). I haven't heard the music, but it seems to help the self propelled mower go fast. The dead heading is done carefully by the younger one. He wants to make sure that each blossom removed is really ready to go. He wants the "beautiful flowers" to stay on their respective plants until they are brown and no longer pretty. Once in a while one mistakenly gets cut off too early and that makes for a moment of regret on his part.

I read an article last Sunday about the wonders of grandchildren. The writer, Robert Kirby, said that they are the best reason for having children in the first place. He has a good point there I think.