Patty's butterfly bushes are so pretty right now!!!  She says they are easy to grow; just plant them and stand back.  Not high maintenance plants.

 

As we were walking by the other day, we saw Monarchs on them.  That makes me so happy.

 

I had a friend in Virginia Beach who worked inside the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel.  He said that when the Monarchs were migrating (this time of year) they would often fly THROUGH the tunnel.  I would LOVE to see that!!!

 

In the meantime, I'll just enjoy seeing them in our gardens.

 

HAPPY GARDENING!!!

 

Well, the Welcome Committee decided that we needed a new sign to announce happenings in the neighborhood.  Of course, I volunteered.  This is right up my alley.

 

In the middle of the night while I wasn't sleeping, I thought up a new sign.  We would use chalkboard paint on a wood board.  In the morning I told Jon about my idea, and the dimensions.  He went to the basement, and was back in 2 minutes with the table top that we saved from the old van.  See the nice frame?

 

We taped off the frame, and he sanded it and sprayed it with several coats of chalkboard paint.  Tada!!!  All that was left was to add eyebolts on the top, and hang it at the pavilion.

 

Now everybody coming and going can read about upcoming events.  I love it when a project comes together.

 

HAPPY FALL Y'ALL!!!

 

 

 

I love the forest, in all seasons.  It is peaceful, quiet, and calming.

 

I heard a cool phrase about the forest:  Forest Bathing.  It is the meditative practice of immersing oneself in the forest for no other reason than to be in the forest.  I love that!!!  I couldn't remember the proper spelling of the Japanese word, so I looked up forest bathing in Wikipedia.  The word is Shinrin-yoku.

 

Wikipedia has a pretty good page on forest bathing.  They describe it as an unscientific technique to improve health.  That's ok, it is still an interesting read.  Go to   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nature_therapy?wprov=sfti1   

 

Just reading about it is calming in itself;  better yet, take a walk in the woods for the real therapy.  We are so fortunate to be able to just step out the front door, and be in the woods.  Five Forks is such a great place to live.

 

HAPPY OCTOBER!!!

 

This is the sign that Mark made for me a few years ago.  The last time I showed it to you, I was bragging that I had written 463 blogs.  That was last year:  September 30, 2020.

 

Well, I just went over 800!!!  They are all right here on the Five Forks website.  You can go back through the archives and find blogs from July, 2017.  I've had so much fun, blathering on about things that interest me.  I'm glad you enjoy reading them.

 

HAPPY GARDENING!!!

 

 

 

Here it is:  our October haybale.  Jon and I painted it on Wednesday.  

 

We ran out of yellow paint, so I painted a wide black outer rim.  But then the bats didn't show up.  ACK!!!  We had to go get some more yellow.  Then when I painted yellow over the black, you know what I got?  GREEN!!!  

 

So we used the whole can of yellow spray paint to finish the full moon, then outlined it with a thin line of black.  Looks good though, doesn't it?  

 

I'm glad our neighbors let us do this.  We have SO much fun.  

 

HAPPY OCTOBER!!!

 

I was reading back through the archives on Sunday morning.  I don't want to repeat myself, so I check them occasionally.  Truth is, I enjoy reading back through older blog posts.  

 

I wrote about this tree back in 2017, and I said it is an Indian Trail Tree.  In that blog I hyperlinked The Trail Tree Project.  Well, I clicked on the link, and  The Trail Tree Project  is still a working site.  So I submitted this picture to them, and I got back a response that same afternoon.  Here's the response:

 

 

I kinda wish he had commented on my cool picture with the sunlight filtering through the trees, but...anyway,

 

I still find it very interesting, even though my original post was wrong.  We all get to learn something new every day, if we just ask the right questions.  

 

HAPPY GARDENING!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is Gizmo, and he loves to chase and catch flies, and anything else that moves.  He's using the sewing machine as a ladder to get to the critters.

 

When I was little, I was a climber too.  I wasn't after flies.  I was after cookies, and Momma kept them on the top shelf.  That was not a good plan, though, because I could just climb up on the kitchen counter to reach them.  Until the Sunday afternoon that I fell into the sink...hmmmm.  That didn't turn out too well, except that she never put the cookies out of my reach again.  I could always get to them, without having to climb.  

 

Well, I am still short, and I don't mind climbing to get what I'm after.  Home Depot, Walmart, wherever...  At home I use a kitchen stool to get stuff from the top cabinets.  You will be glad to know that I NEVER use a swivel chair as a climbing tool.  

 

I'm like Gizmo, I use steady things to help me climb.  

 

HAPPY TUESDAY!!!

 

 

 

The HOA got us a new haybale, and Patty and I went down on Friday, and transformed it into "Folk Art."   We tickle ourselves!!!  

 

This is just a temporary picture until Fall actually happens;  we couldn't just leave it undecorated for nearly two weeks.

 

Then we'll go all out for Autumn:  Scarecrows, pumpkins, and Halloween, and a surprise.

 

HAPPY DAYS IN FIVE FORKS!!!

 

Today is Jon's birthday.  He is 73.  This picture is from last year on his birthday.  He was up on a 28 foot ladder!!! 

 

Fortunately, the stain that he used is good for five years.  So, this is NOT how he will be spending this birthday.  We will do something less exciting.  Something a little safer than maneuvering a 28 foot ladder.  

 

I am hoping that the next time the house needs to be stained, we can get Tim to do it.  He's a lot younger than we are.  Maybe he will be available by then.

 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, JON!!!

 

We were walking in the Park on Saturday and my friend texted me that she and her husband are still suffering the effects of Covid-19. Her words were, "my skin hurts."  Oh dear, what can you say for gentle support?  "I'm sorry."

 

Just as I stopped to text back (I can't walk and do that) Jon noticed this sweet little wildflower blooming right on the ground at our feet.  So I sent her this picture.  She texted back that it made her smile.  My brand of medicine.  It works, if only for a moment.  

 

STAY WELL!!!