For the past four or five weeks I have been busy every single Saturday with one of the girls and volleyball. Great sport, yes, but gosh it is hard to get things done around the house in one day. It all feels very piecemeal. I did get to spend a few minutes in the yard today....When I was a kid the town in which I grew up in Iowa had more than its fair share of black walnut trees. My friends and I would take a brown paper grocery bag and pick them up and bring them home to our respective mom (not that our mom ever asked us to do this, we simply took it upon ourselves, thinking, I guess, that our mom would like them or appreciate them). These little green monsters turned our hands black as we touched one then another then another.
Two years ago I moved into my house and realized my first fall I was blessed with two sweet gum ball trees. (More on that in a future post.) I also had a couple of dead or dying trees. An arborist friend was good enough to stop by and confirm that yes, they should be removed. He also pointed out a black walnut. I had no idea! That first year I didn’t really
have many walnuts land in my yard. The second year I was so overwhelmed with sweet gum balls that I barely noticed a walnut. And of course, the dog run was in so most walnuts landed there or in the flower bed. Out of sight. Out of mind.
Not so this year. I have walnuts. I picked up round one today and they weighted down my lawn back pretty nicely. With walnuts dropping that lets me know that soon sweet gums will be dropping as well. Oh joy!
I’m also on to critters of a different sort and am trying to take care of these myself. Mice! In my basement. Will it never end? I set two mouse traps. A friend, a year ago, recommended those self-enclosed traps. I had never used them so set them and of course, after they were all set
realized I had forgotten the bait. I added bait, but then thought that maybe that wouldn’t work – adding it after the fact. So off I went to the hardware store this morning and purchased these two beauties. They are loaded with bait (i.e., peanut butter) and ready to do their job. The package said you can release the live mice, but somehow I think I’ll be more likely to throw the entire setup away!
My other hardware adventure is Great Stuff. I’m attempting to fill the gaps where the chipmunks are splashing leaves into my basement so I can at least, I hope, ensure that they don’t make their way inside.
Two years ago I moved into my house and realized my first fall I was blessed with two sweet gum ball trees. (More on that in a future post.) I also had a couple of dead or dying trees. An arborist friend was good enough to stop by and confirm that yes, they should be removed. He also pointed out a black walnut. I had no idea! That first year I didn’t really
have many walnuts land in my yard. The second year I was so overwhelmed with sweet gum balls that I barely noticed a walnut. And of course, the dog run was in so most walnuts landed there or in the flower bed. Out of sight. Out of mind.Not so this year. I have walnuts. I picked up round one today and they weighted down my lawn back pretty nicely. With walnuts dropping that lets me know that soon sweet gums will be dropping as well. Oh joy!
I’m also on to critters of a different sort and am trying to take care of these myself. Mice! In my basement. Will it never end? I set two mouse traps. A friend, a year ago, recommended those self-enclosed traps. I had never used them so set them and of course, after they were all set
realized I had forgotten the bait. I added bait, but then thought that maybe that wouldn’t work – adding it after the fact. So off I went to the hardware store this morning and purchased these two beauties. They are loaded with bait (i.e., peanut butter) and ready to do their job. The package said you can release the live mice, but somehow I think I’ll be more likely to throw the entire setup away!My other hardware adventure is Great Stuff. I’m attempting to fill the gaps where the chipmunks are splashing leaves into my basement so I can at least, I hope, ensure that they don’t make their way inside.
Last on my list is making pound cake, from scratch. Kind of having a craving and K definitely is. Plus she may go see H this weekend and if that is the case, she can deliver a sweet treat….provided we don’t eat two loaves!
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