Back Home For A Few Days

Hello!

Well, I am back from my visit with Brandy - Jim and I had a great time dogsitting with her. The weather was great - up until yesterday when the rain and heavy humidity returned - and the breeze and fresh air from the many windows and doors, eating meals and relaxing on the patio with Brandy and enjoying the huge yard with flowers and birds everywhere was lovely. Even with the return of the humidity in the morning yesterday, out there we had the wonderful central air! Set the thermostat down, shut the windows and doors, and cool air appears - like magic! :<) Returning to my little apartment with the two windows and small table fans was a big adjustment!

There are so many beautiful flowers in the yard at Brandy's home - but the purple climbing clematis is one of the most blossom-filled that I have ever seen. The one growing next to it is also very nice, but this one is exceptional in its beauty! Every summer it looks like this - truly amazing!

Then the second day we were there, the dreaded beetle returned - and with it came rapid mass destruction!

I could not believe how fast they multiplied and went to everything green and growing in the yard. When we first saw them, Jim went on a save-the-flowers mission and picked off over 280 of these nasty beetles, trying to keep ahead of them untill Brandy's owners returned and could spray them. But within a couple of days they had even spread to the side yard, the front yard and finally even on the Birch tree in the back. Last year there were so many they were even in the grass. This is what they can do to a flower blossom within a short time after it blooms and soon it is totally destroyed.

The vines were heavy with buds but every beautiful flower was soon destroyed after it bloomed. As hard as Jim worked to get them all - he was out there every day checkin all the bushes and flowers around the house - they soon became too many.

There were also beautiful red climbing roses on the trellis and they were totally attacked. When Jim discovered that the beetles were even on the Birch tree it was obvious that they were everywhere and too much for him to handle. Good try Jim, you worked very hard to save the flowers and how you picked those horrible things up is beyond me! Over 280 of those horrible beetles you destroyed - at least the damage they did was delayed some and there were still many leaves and buds on the trellis to be enjoyed when Brandy's owners returned.

But one good thing was that our friend brought home a floor fan from his workplace that I could have! It just needed a bit of cleaning and here is Jim busy at work replacing the screens after scrubbing the fan for me, with Brandy watching every move carefully. She was vigilant throughout the entire process - laying down from time to time - and never missed a move. :<) Those two are quite the pair and joined at the hip while we are there. She loved his summer haircut and would give him 'kisses' on his head. :<)

All in all - as you can see - it was a wonderfully relaxing time. We will be returning again later this week for a few days and look forward to it. The fan works great, but nothing beats either the open windows and doors and the lovely deck or the central air! :<)


I did not create many projects this time while there - only a few tea boxes - and I cut out doll patterns that I will be making. I sat on the deck with Jim and Brandy and played my hand held Solitare, read my library books in the evening and mostly helped Jim work on a free hand needlework on plastic mesh wall hanging for his room at the group home where he lives. We seldom watched TV but listened to the country western music that Jim loves while we worked on crafts. But I did make a few things which I will share this week plus I have my stationary box set for tomorrow's post. I also want to take some time to get to everyone's blogs to see what you have been creating this past week! :<)

Wishing you a great day today!

Barbara Diane