Project 365 at Catobear.com!

Working on the plumbing for the new tub.

Bathtub removed.

Today we started ripping out the bathroom.

I took today off work for the long weekend. Bob and I went looking at houses. This one is beautiful and has 13 acres, but people right close next door.

Bob wound up getting a flat of marigolds, and so I put those in where I had edged everything along the drive. They are bright. Flowers everywhere you look this year...I've gone crazy with the planting.

The past week at work has been filled with such sadness. Plus, we are worrying about a friend who is dealing with a very serious health issue.

Side shade garden. Saw two hummingbirds tonight as I was watering and putting Miracle Grow on all the plants. Still very, very hot outside!

It is hot, hot, hot! 90 degrees and sunny, with more of the same every day this week.

We now have two hummingbirds, a male and a female ruby throated. They arrive at different times. I got an early start this morning to make up some fresh nectar and get it out there before work.

Forget-me-nots in the shade side garden.

No photos for Sunday, May 23, but I saw my first hummingbird visit to the new feeder. I sat down on the front step for a few minnutes after watering, and there she was!

Side shade garden.

Everyone self-medicates with something or other. My nerves are shot, blood pressure is shockingly high, and the method of choice tonight is watching SHAG for the 200th time. "And don't let any of the other girls drive my car." "Yes, ma'am." "Other than that, have a good time!" This is the new coral bell in the side shade garden.

This is one of last year's hostas that I moved over to the new shade garden. Looks good, no? I think the blooms on hostas are incredibly ugly...but I love the giant leaves.

Two curry plants in the larger pot and a patchouli in the smaller pot. So far, I have all of the front annuals in and all of the side shade garden in. I still have to put in the front sun perennials, but I think I'm going to edge the entire area first. It was tough to decide what to do tonight...update the website, play some on my new tenor sax book or work on the gardens. Obviously, updating the site won out.

Bob offers Cato a piece of home-grown catnip.

Maxy rolling around on the front porch. How the cats love the warmer weather and time on the back porch. I wish we lived somewhere else for them...

In between "helping" Bob fix the tire on his truck, we went to an open house. The house was okay, the land was perfect...but it is much too close to the other houses. We never want to get in a situation like we're in now with neighbors too close.

Trough planter and hanging basket...plus the hummingbird feeder. Haven't seen any hummers yet this year, but today I did see a baltimore oriole!

Front step containers. They don't look like much now...almost sorry to post such puny little plants! But give it a month or so and I'll post the difference.

Front stoop plantings.

Front container and bed plantings.

Mom and I went to the Mother-Daughter Banquet at church today. We had a nice time.

After work, Bob and I went to look at this house with the realtor. It has potential if someone has a lot of time, ambition and money.

The new Molly and Friends cat scratching post came FedEx today. This is Cato, giving it a try. Both cats took to it immediately.

Even though I measured it, somehow it still turned out to be much bigger than I thought. It is very sturdy though, and the old one was in terrible shape and needed to be replaced.

Today I took off work so Mom and I could do our annual greenhouse run. The weather...44 degrees and raining continuously since before I got out of bed this morning...at least made it so we had both K Drive South and River Street Flowerland pretty much to ourselves.

I managed to pick up four flats of regular flowers, a flat of herbs and specialty plants, a flat of 3 inch pots with all sorts of weird odds and ends, a hosta and a ginormous hanging basket. If the weather ever clears, I will be able to get started planting and it should look quite nice this year! Mom and I had a good time, despite the cold and rain.

Still cool, heavy frost this morning, only 60 degrees this afternoon with a strong wind. My handsome Ridge.

Today was disappointing overall.

Mother's Day. We saw all of our families today, which is always excellent.

Although it was bright and sunny today, it was cold, around 46 degrees. There was a heavy frost last night, and there is supposed to be another tonight.

We did a walk around Kellogg Forest today, which was beautiful, so different than the last time we were out there. I've got all my plants covered, but I hope it's the last of the cold as Mom and I are going plant shopping on Tuesday!

More houses to look at today.

Spent the afternoon looking at houses, and wound up at Arlene's Truck Stop for dinner. Since the Michigan smoking ban has gone into effect, there are so many restaurants we can now visit!

It is a perfect evening...75 degrees and sunny. I should be out digging up the three astilbe and two hostas from last year and putting them in their new location, but I am simply too tired. I didn't sleep last night at all again.

After work, after dinner, Bob and I went to look at this house again. The search for a forever home continues :) We saw it last weekend.

My little side garden is looking good! I still have a bit to clean out and I am going to move those plants. Add in a few annuals when it's time, and I think it's going to be just what I imagined for this year's project.

Sunday, May 30, 2010

Working on the plumbing for the new tub.