Our portion of patchy fog has cleared. Guess July is getting us ready for August fog where we count the days for days of snow or inches of snow. I've heard both used but clearly in the eight years here, it has never been spot on. Extended forecasts are calling for a wet winter although I don't know if that means rain, icy rain, sleet or snow. Guess it is up to us to decide.
There is a tiny change in Willie, the youngest Feral Fam cat indoors. He is beginning to climb into our laps even when the chance of food is nil to none. Willie get his afternoon whipped cream faithfully on schedule and that little special attention has calmed him down as well as growing out of his cat teenaged years. Neither Mr Mo or GMoey care for the stuff. Willie is still quite the bully especially to Mr Mo. This time last year we were concerned because Mr Mo was such a bully to GMoey but then GMoey got bigger and suddenly all interest in bully type moves recessed into the distant past. Willie has the biggest head and he uses it to push away Mr Mo from the food dishes. He also uses his big head to get past me.
Berry picking the past few days has been quite fruitful. Oh and I know it's bad. We have been beating birds to the berries but somehow we are loosing the war with japanese beetles. We had a good clearing of them but their reinforcements entered the picture. Last night and will do so again tonight in the front yard, but I am carrying with me a bucket of Dawn and water, so dishwater to pick off bugs and put them in the bucket. In an all out offense, I trimmed back every rose bloom and any blackberries that do not look like they will produce. Scorch the earth policy. We also tackled the war against bagworms last night. We found the organic stuff to rid them from our firs, thanks Bev, and we began that battle in earnest. Also, with all the sunflowers in the side flowerbed and being just a few weeks away from all the sunflowers blooming in the front yard, I have been cutting off the heads of the spent blooms and putting them in the garage to dry out. I am leaving a majority of the seeds for the birds. I love watching the gold finches eat seed from the big heads. They are totally camouflaged by the yellow and the cats never spy them being relatively close. Also, breaking news on the plum trees that were mislabeled, he thinks they are cherry trees. So that would be two cherry trees and two plum trees. I think he is right cause the fruit sure looks like cherries. We will keep an eye on this breaking news. The beforementioned quince tree is really just a crab apple tree. Misidentification on the iPhone app. This gardening is such a wonder and we enjoy the serendipity of all we plant and grow. Some planned but most a happy ending.
Another chapter another week in Jeremiah. I love chapter 31 but I got so engrossed with verse 21 about the road signs to return and we also looked at Jeremiah 6:16 where the people are given the chance to choose at the crossroads which direction they will turn. They chose their choice but even in judgement God gave grace to them when about 50,000 returned back home after the exile. We stand at cross roads everyday, minor decisions, and we have those impact decisions, like choosing between CBS core group leader training although I would be in NC because of Roy's generous gift or the gift...I chose NC and I think in hindsight, it had to be a yes/no decision cause once I made that decision, no looking or turning back.
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I find Willie's stash of pinecones in a lot of places but this morning I found two small pinecones that had been put into a book. He usually puts them in my muck boots or hides them among pillows and such.
We spent the morning in Burnsville trying out Pig and Grits for breakfast and then for a quick trip to Lamp Post Vintage Market. Stopped at Publix on the way home. Pig and Grits did not disappoint. Breakfast was delicious. After a snack type lunch we went to Ducketts and Lou Lou had canned greasy beans. So beans, strawberry sauce, and blue lake green beans that Roy wanted to try.
They began work across the way placing the cinderblocks in place. Looks like hard and hot work. We are having a bit of higher than normal temps this week. July is the hottest month around here so August will be hot but not as hot as now.
Roy picked his first green pepper and a bucket of tomatoes. Some are green cause they are so big and too much for the plant as well as little buggies that think someone has prepared a feast for them. We still battle the japanese beetles but I find it so satisfying to knock them into a bucker of water with Dawn detergent in it. We have not won the war as of yet but we have the battles down to skirmishes.
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