Loving how established the back garden beds are looking this summer. Most plants only went in this year, yet the rain has really helped them get settled in.

A little sunburned, but a smashing day out with Elliott, Richard and Emily, at a steam show and finishing up at a farm shop, where we bought veggies and heaps of peaches.

This eyesore is being constructed very close to work. It will likely be the cause of even more heavy traffic once it’s completed, as though traffic on Rte 50 isn’t heavy enough already.

A beautiful sunrise as I drove to work this morning.

Rosie Lee on my desk as I worked from home, striking a pose, the same as the lamp behind her.

A bumble bee fast asleep in one of the cup flowers outside the kitchen window. Aaaw!

A lone leaf caught in a web on the cemetery gates as I locked up.

This was a surreal experience today. I went to the hospital to get free COVID test kits and the doors were locked with no staff at all in reception or on the main floor. I had to go to the Emergency entrance instead. I could only assume it was due to a lack of staff.

A lovely old Chevvy van parked downtown today.

Paint night down at The Studio in town, and one of the ladies brought a homemade blueberry pie and cream. Which was nice.

Over 3 weeks after bringing the hatch of my car down on the bridge of my nose, and I’ve been seeing white flashes in both eyes and having headaches. Thankfully, it’s only posterior vitreous detachment, PVD, where the gel in both eyes detached a bit from the retina. Hopefully, it will resolve itself over time.

Bee balm, black eyed Susan, and the cardinal flower blooming by the pond. All native plants m, loved by bees and butterflies.

So sad, the black walnut tree has gone. No more branches for the squirrels to run around or the woodpecker to hide his nuts. The birds will miss its leafy perches and we’ll miss watching the wildlife that used it daily, and the leaves rustling in the wind, and the thud of its nuts falling to the ground.

The storm brought down a large limb of the old black walnut tree across the road. It will be sad to see it go as I doubt they’ll leave the rest of it standing.

A Sunday afternoon in rural West Virginia.

We came across these on a short hike this morning on the Skyline Drive. Ghost Pipes are a native perennial that only flower once a year for a week, so we were lucky to see them. Named for their pale structure, since they don’t contain chlorophyll like most other plants that make them green.

I drove past these this evening. That’s a lot of bee hives!

After having this box of staples since the day I started at Emblemax, today they ran out. It was actually a bit sad throwing the box away.

And now we have leaf cutter bees laying eggs in the bee house. They chomped huge bites out of the redbud leaves in the front garden and brought them back here. 10 years ago, many of us uneducated gardeners would’ve lamented at our trees being munched, but today it’s a source of joy.

Driving into the storm. I left work with bright sunshine and a temperature of 93F. In Front Royal torrential rain, with thunder and lightning, brought the temperature down to 68F. I’m OK with that, and no watering required in the garden!

Spending some time enjoying nostalgia. Listening to a tape while darning jeans using my 50’s sewing basket.

We finally saw 2 monarchs in the garden, mating on the tree, while a bee looked on, so hopefully in a week’s time, we’ll have baby caterpillars on the milkweed.

I liked these 2 lamps in an antique store today, and thought they were easy to make. The coffee can was selling for $35!! It likely cost less than $10 to make.

Loving the rain, as I don’t have to water the garden. Daisies and coneflowers catching the raindrops.

I had to avoid weeding this area this evening, as a juvenile praying mantis was on the morning glory. Elliott spotted a smaller one a couple of days ago, so it’s great they’re loving the garden.

I ate this behemoth of an apple on the way home from work. Contrary to what many people may think, I actually had a problem trying to open my jaws wide enough to take a bite. It took me about 20 miles stuck in slow moving traffic to finish it. But it was very tasty and juicy.

The first job done on The Bug Out, putting in a pane of glass where the window was missing. Now the rain we’re getting for the rest of the week won’t get in.

As we left the diner at lunchtime, ‘The Cowboy’ arrived, with 4 dogs in the back of his truck. And they all stayed there while he had his meal.

3 July 2022

We got our camper!! Elliott hauled it home while I followed closely behind. We can now spend time revamping it, and by next spring it will have a new coat of paint, a cozy interior,  a trellis wall by it and be surrounded by rustic plants.

Elliott washing his bathroom mat on the driveway with a power washer because I didn’t want it in the washing machine. Hilarious and genius!

I was all set to have Subway for lunch today but an Emblemax credit card was held aloft and lunch was purchased from Red Robin. It was delicious!