It's A Beautiful Day In The Neighborhood

 The tree tops look like they are on fire.  Early morning view. 

My friend Becky, started photography last year.

This was taken in our hometown Byron, on the Mill Pond.

She takes the most beautiful photos of flowers and birds and...nature.  If you'd like to see more, here is her link.  RJG Photography.

The, not so good, steps came down on Friday.

Considering the fact that this man is retired, after 50 years as a carpenter, the building of their deck and steps doesn't speak real well to his skills!!!

Things are looking better by Saturday.

We've had frost every night for the last 4, so it was time.  I hate to see my 7' Zinnia's go into the yard waste bag, but---time to clean up and put the gardens to rest.

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Another weird Merle thing happened.  He took two of my yard waste bags with him to the golf course, where he works, to dump them.  Friday evening, I was sitting in my chair, cross stitching and watching something on H2 channel, when there came a knock at my door--it opened and in walked Merle.  I was sort of startled.  I am used to Pearl or Dar walking in, but...Merle?

"I brought your bags back so you can use them again."

I started to get up out of my chair, as he walked farther into the living room.

"I put 'em on the porch."

"Oh.  Okay...thanks."

"I broke one of 'em.  Tore it.  Can't use it anymore."

"Oh--that's okay."

"Do you wanna spank me?"

<What?>

"Not hardly!   However, I do want to thank you for taking them."

and I quickly walked out onto the front porch.  I figured the stupidness would stop out on the porch where neighbor's might be watching.

He followed me out and showed me the ripped bag, which I picked up and wadded up and threw into the garbage pail.

"Thanks again," I said.

He walked down the steps and waved and got in his truck and drove home.

GEEZ!!!

I hate this sort of thing.  It makes me very uncomfortable.  Always has and I do not know what kind of vibe I am giving out that leads them to think they can make remarks like that to me!

I was at a party once, dancing with a friend's husband and he said, "Boy, you're tall."

"I know," I laughed.

"I'll bet if we were laying down...we'd be the same height."

OR--another dance--different friend's husband..

"C'mon and dance with me, Jude."

"I'm not a very good dancer."

"Oh--I know the secret.  I just tuck your left boob under my arm and you'll follow me anywhere."

OR--another dance--different friend's husband--very short man.

"Ya wanna dance, Judy?"

"Nah--I'm kind of tired."  because I did not really want to dance with him.

"Aw--come on, it's a slow one."

My husband nudged me to go, so, I got up and danced with the fool.

"Ah," he said, as he laid his head on my chest!

I was mortified.  Everyone laughed and said, "Oh look, Sarge is in his glory."

The worst time I think was when, dancing with my very best friend's husband, he whispered in my ear, "God--I have always wanted to play motor boat with those boobs of yours!"

What in the world was I suppose to do when faced with these situations?  Slap the guy and walk off the dance floor?  I certainly didn't want their wives to know how stupid they were.

The beer and alcohol was always flowing freely at these parties, so I just put it up to them being drunk and tried to forget about it.  I never told my husband because he worked and played golf with these guys.  Trouble was, I saw these friends just about every weekend.  It made me very uncomfortable to be around the guys.

Now-I've got this little twerp up the road!  I think I am going to have to start locking my door.  What if, when he walked in, I was in the bathroom or changing my clothes in the bedroom? 

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It was another perfect autumn day, so I got around to planting the 75 Tulip and Daffodil bulbs I ordered from Breck's last spring.  I looked around my front garden and the one by the porch and saw bare spots with no spring bulbs blooming.  I put a stick in those places last spring and today, planted the bulbs.

I saved the pink tulips Karen gave me last Easter.

I think they will do just fine.

Anxious to see if my long handeled trowel, that I bought

last spring just for this job, would work.

It did not.  

I needed my heavy duty pointed shovel. 

Pearl has given me two Greenland Tulips--pink with the green stripe--they were the puniest things I ever saw.  I planted them together in a hole and put a stick in so next spring, I can see how/if they grow.  She is FOREVER buying bulbs and plants from those places you see in the Sunday paper and when they don't grow, she gets mad.  My Greenland Tulip bulbs, that I got from Breck's, were four times the size of hers.  I figure, if I'm going to break my back planting the dang things, I want good stuff that will grow and multiply and grow for years.

I had a couple dozen left over.

I have no idea if Tulips and Daffs

will grow in a raised bed.

I guess I'll find out next April?

and...I can still plant my Zinnia's here as well.

Do you remember me telling you about John--with the dog named Maisey?  He's the one who told me his life story in 15 minutes the first time I met him?  Well--this is his place.  I can see his place from my back yard/shed.  He never, ever, opens his blinds!  I have walked down  his street and not a single window in his place ever has the blinds open.  How weird is that?  Who would want to live in all that dimness?

His kitchen is on the back of his house--and his house backs up to the wetland area.  Maybe he has those back windows open?  I can't very well walk back there to find out.  I don't think. :-)