Quitters

 

Opening Day!

Yesterday was pool cover removal day, UGH!  So much anxiety with pool opening weekend worrying there are no issues with the cover removal, the liner or the pump and filter.

All went well with but the pool is awful green.  I shocked it last night and will backwash today, hoping this helps and it clears up nice.

Spread the cover in the driveway to clean and dry, then folded it and put away till fall -

And We're Off...

After hemming and hawing I finally decided to plant some veggies.

So, off I went to my favorite local farm stand and picked up some cucumbers, peppers and tomatoes. 

I got them all in the ground and nestled comfortably.  They seem to be loving the daily watering I've been providing, as well as this hot weather.  Hoping the critters leave them alone and that they do well this season.

My Emilie Is SO Sweet!

Best birthday gift ever!

I love it, THANKS Em!

More Spring Flowers

The neighbors Wisteria, both purple and white, have BIG beautiful flowers all over!

Even my Honeysuckle is flowering away.  This is very pleasing, as I thought it had died but thankfully one single strand survived and is looking good -

Very Perdy!

The Iris's are doing fantastic this season, with BIG beautiful blooms!

Here are some of what's flowering now at the olde homestead - 

Like A Glove

I help out an elderly old family friend with miscellaneous things around her house.  Primarily, I clean her gutters in the fall and then again in the spring, but also rake her yard and prune back the overgrowth in her yard.  

Her house is nestled among a canopy of oak and pine trees, which cover her house in shadows and dampness most of the time.  They also make a BIG mess with ALOT of clean up to do...

Her porch storm door was damaged and needed to be replaced. Reluctantly, I agreed to take this project on back in the fall. Being there was no rush and that I really didn't want to do it, I procrastinated some (Duh, I'm a Frye, so of course I did...).

Logistically, this was a challenge, as I had no way of picking up a new replacement storm door and getting it to her house.  In the end I had to call in a favor from my neighbor who has a truck.  He went with me to purchase the door, then to drop the door off and in the end, he also helped me get the door installed.  I would have been able to eventually get the door installed alone but having a second set of hands was super helpful!  

The porch is really in terrible condition, being in the shade and dampness all the time, but the new door looks great and fits in quite nicely -

 

Old porch door -

Replacement Andersen door, outside view - 

Replacement inside view - 

Bark Bark! Get It? Dogwood...

Our dogwood tree looked terrific this spring!  Full of beautiful pink blossoms!  I love this time of the year.

Slow Down!

FPD doesn't do speed control enforcement on our street nearly enough, so when I see them out and have someone pulled over it's great!  I got a front row seat for this show.

The speeds are too fast and easily, in my estimation, 10-15mphs over the posted limited.  That coupled with the aggressive drivers and distracted drivers, it's always welcome to see when the FPD is holding people accountable.

Um, Yum!

A Mocha chip ice cream sugar cone with chocolate Jimmies, SO scrumptious and SO worth it!

And Off It All Went!

Our town had their annual spring yard waste pick up day a couple weeks ago.  Their fall yard waste pick up was cancelled.  Apparently, the company picking up the waste was short staffed due to covid, alas.

Since there was no fall pickup I was forced to dump stuff in my backyard.  Since it was unsightly, I bagged it all up, (15) bags in all, and put out for spring pick up.

Sadly, my Redbud tree died. It was in tough condition last summer and had quite a bit of dead branches all through it, so I'm really not too surprised, rather bummed out.  It was nice looking tree with awesome flowers in the spring. 

Anyway, I took advantage of yard waste pick up day, and cut most of it up to fit in the green landscape barrel seen in the above pic and off it went!

I transplanted the flowers planted at the base of the tree, dug out around the base so I was below ground and cut the rest of the tree trunk down.  Looks odd with it gone, alas.

Pinus Rigida

Pitch Pine.

I thought these were cool looking, so snapped a couple photos and I'm now sharing them with you.

Honestly, not sure if these things eventually turn into pine cones but this tree was loaded with cones this past fall, so could be.

Into The City I Go

I went to our Boston office a couple weeks ago and spent the day on the 24th floor.

Here are a couple pics looing at the Charles River and State house.

I'm not sure if this is where the "Elf on the Shelf" spends his off season time but what's troubling is that he's sitting on a shelf in the men's room on the 24th floor in Boston!  I can't explain it.  I'm as puzzled and confused as you...

Clean As a Whistle

Trixie has her spa appointment the other afternoon, finally!  Perfect timing too, as we had a couple really hot and humid days, and now that she's older, they had an effect on her.

She looks like a different dog all clean and with her hair cut.  She smells nice too!

Before -

After - 

VERY Proud Dad!

It's official, Emilie has completed her sophomore year at URI!

She's all moved out of her dorm and waiting to receive her final exam grades, as well as her overall semester grades!

Next stop, summer job at the local Y!