Sea holly with Shasta daisies and hydrangeas in the background.

29 June 2024

The potting table by streetlight.

28 June 2024

With friends, learning about bourbon, and sampling about 10 different kinds. Needless to say, what we learned at the beginning of the evening was forgotten by the end!

27 June 2024

I trapped the last groundhog to be ousted from the back garden. Hopefully, my nasturtiums can now grow again. And this guy was returned to the cemetery.

My new eye doctor looking at results regarding glaucoma. Luckily, it’s not an issue yet, although it runs in the family.

Met with friends for a pint tonight, and rode down in the heat, but it was great to be on the bike.

I had to get my annual bloodwork done this morning, and the lab had a spectacular wreath!

These ugly monstrosities, in Stephens City, just need some vinyl siding over that chipboard and plastic sheeting, and then they’ll sell for $500K. Note, there’s no windows on that side.

It took over an hour, with 2 other tree wardens, to clear a band of ivy from this mature black walnut tree. Within a few weeks, we’ll see how much has died and which vines we missed cutting.

The gang at the 70’s bash in town.

The whole of Lee St has now been dug up since the sinkhole appeared. Looks like it’s something to do with the water pipes.

Working our tree steward booth in town today, for the Juneteenth celebration.

I made friends with an 87 year old lady whose 20 year garden was on the tour. We spent the morning together and are now friends. The lillies at her house are glorious.

Tricksie Treat staying cool under the ceiling fan in the lounge. It’s the beginning of a very hot week.

After a day of groundhog stalking, after a parent and 2 young adults got in the garden, all entry points to the fence have been checked and blocked, the same with under the deck, except one that I’ve left open. I know the parent is outside the garden now, and I chased one of the youngsters out, which leaves one unaccounted for. So I’ll sit quietly on the deck to see if it appears at the only exit under the deck, and chase that one out of the slightly open gate that I’m watching. This photo is of the youngster that I chased out. Cute little chap, but there’s no free buffet in this garden.

The sign, by my steps, for the garden tour event, which actually, wasn’t very eventful.

Since planting 2 plants of salsify, 2 years ago, this has taken off in the garden. As well as pretty yellow flowers, the seed heads are intricately beautiful, plus the roots can be eaten, providing medicinal benefits, such as a cancer preventative and beneficial to hair growth.

I have a wild rat living nearby, likely somewhere in the garden. Not sure how I feel about it, but he’s a sweet little guy. 

A small sinkhole opened up in the road a couple of days ago. It’s turned into a major water pipe and road revamp since then, and not sure if it will be finished by the weekend.

11 June 2024

60 years of performing, and as fresh as their first day, The Rolling Stones rocked at Philadelphia tonight.

The cone flowers and milkweed are in full bloom, but no monarch caterpillars yet.

Nina and Willie, Front Royal’s ice cream experts, posing at the farmers market this morning.

This little terror breaks pots and ornaments, and rearranges the rocks in my pond. Hard to think he’d do any damage when he looks this cute.

Our little ladies crew down the tavern with ‘Pumpkin’ Mike.

I got these terracotta tiles today, about 550 of them that I had to load and unload in 2 trips. But they were free!

A wacky display in a local print shop with Stanley reflected in the window.

My lady and man busts peer at each other across the back deck.

Part of my lounge, bathed in early morning sun.

No birdsong from these in the garden, but they’re pretty. 

1 June 2024

Wooden boxes with mallets, that rang different notes, chimed through the ginkgo trees at Blandy, called a murmuration. A lengthier explanation will be on the lucentmoments.blogspot.com in a few days.