leder legends

Alaska -- home to our daughters and four grandchildren. Alaska -- Covid 19 testing requirements for visitors. We leave late today and praying that the test results will get to us before that.  I learned how to record incoming calls on my phone in case that is the only way we will get the results. We shall see. In the meantime the yard looks good, 3 people are going to come and water, the last application of liquid fence (last night) and the mail has been stopped, and the house gets cleaned today. We will come back to a clean house and, if all goes well, a well watered yard.  I have decided to not worry...what happens, happens!  The forecast is for very hot and dry days. 90 plus degrees and no rain!

Alaska is keeping the number of cases of covid 19 low!  How?   Covid testing!  In order to avoid a 2 week mandatory quarantine, visitors must arrive with evidence of a negative test that is no more than 72 hrs old. That sounds simple, right? It seems Covid 19 testing is available but not for everyone. We were not able to go get a test without symptoms. While my doctor ordered a test, that didn't help me get an appointment.  Fortunately, the local health department held a free clinic yesterday for ANYONE who wanted a test. We went, stood in the 88 degree heat for 1/2 hour, filled out a simple form, got tested and left.  The kicker...it might take up to three days to get the result.  Here's hoping it will be sooner .

So many pretty flowers in the yard!

Chipmunks are dumber than they are cute. Chipmunks are greedy and reckless when it comes to a free meal. Chipmunks don't swim well and succumb quickly to gravity in water. Chipmunks don't float, at least not immediately, after they fail their swim test. Chipmunks don't sense danger and will join their companions in the same bucket. Chipmunks are prolific and the herd needs to be culled occasionally.  My defense?? The two rat traps have disappeared!  One is lost and one is broken and in the trash! The swimming pool! Do you see what I see??

For more than 10 years I used the beat up old Envoy as a work truck. It's hauled trailers full of debris on more than one occasion, it's been full of smelly yard waste, it's carried lots of drywall, cement and other building materials. It has served me well. Yesterday I spent around 4 hours gussying him up and he cleaned up well! By 9 PM, he was no longer ours! A bit sad but I am also relieved that there now only 3 vehicles at our house-  a newer Sorento in the garage,  a 1985 Buick on the driveway ( the hubby's hobby car) and a big old Ford pick-up truck.  I'm hoping the Buick will go next! I'm looking forward to driving the truck but it's been sitting in the driveway for weeks.  The DMV needs to open back up so we can get NEW PLATES!

The Deer Herd Before my hosta addiction started, we lived in a house with a shared driveway, sidewalks everywhere and occasionally the city bus was even diverted to our street. The wildlife was limited to squirrels and a few rabbits. In 1996 we moved to a neighborhood that was only 4 miles away but oh so different.  The houses are on big lots, the streets have no sidewalks and nothing shared except lots of space.  The wildlife here is varied: squirrels, chipmunks, rabbits. skunks, opossums, raccoons, voles, woodchucks and, of course, the deer. We love it here.  For 24 years w e have shared the space in harmony with all --except for the deer,  of course. All of the animals mentioned are pests in my yard.  Every season, I tolerate the ravaging of a plant or two. It's annoying and even frustrating  waking up to leaves chewed and buds eaten.  They usually kind enough to leave something for me to enjoy.  The deer have occasionally found the b...

We are enjoying a heatwave! Temperatures have been in the high 80's and low 90's.  That's hot!! Meteorologists have been encouraging us to embrace this because the humidity has been low! That is like saying the heat (100 plus) in Arizona is tolerable because it is "dry" heat!  Yup...right! Hot is hot folks! Add to that the fact that deer have found and are enjoying my yard front and back this year makes this a particularly difficult time for me!  They invaded the backyard for the first time in a long time and ate all the buds of the early day lilies, tops of the phlox and bee balm, and various hosta. I guess I should have expected it but it is depressing nonetheless!  At least the backyard is still green! MY therapy?? I bought 2 more hostas...Great Expectations and Queen Josephine!!