500 Words

How much can I write with 500 words?  I haven’t been blogging lately and I have been blaming anything and everything for my apparent loss of creativity.  What it really boils down to is that I am out of practice and need to blog more.  Shit – I can blog about anything as long as my mind is working properly.  So – I am making a commitment to blog at least 500 words every day for the next 104 days.  Why 104 days?  Well, I turn 40 in 104 days. 

Holy shit!  I turn 40 in 104 days.  Where has this year gone?  It has crept along steadily with me just riding the tide.  I still haven’t found my way out of the water but at least every time a rip current comes to suck me down and out to sea, I am able to escape it.

We attempted a huge painting project over the weekend.  After a late start on Saturday, we made great progress and almost completed our task.  This whole project was a ripple effect from putting installing wood floors in our living room. Yep, we decided to paint the walls to give the room an entirely new look.  I have to say, I am 100% please with the outcome.  I will wrap up the painting tonight, put everything away, and sleep well.  Here are some photos of our huge undertaking.

Heather using the Extended Roller

Homemade stabilizer for the 24' ladder

Looking down the roller extension

Looking up the roller extension

I haven’t seen a wild snake in a while.  This is not okay but for some reason, I am just not getting outside to find one anymore.  Today may be a good day to get out for a quick run to see what I can find at lunch. 

I have been spending a lot of time in my gardens though.  We have a pretty well established wildflower garden which is just incredible this time of year.  It is full of vibrant colors and alive with insects.  I love watching the bees and butterflies visit flowers but if you look closely, it is the other insects that dominant the garden.  There are tons of them – thousands really.  Most of them are too tiny to photograph but maybe I can find some time to get out my dslr camera and take macro photographs.

Love the colors of the wildflower garden

Purple Coneflower

Chocolate Coneflower

View from above

My goal this year was to expand and enhance a small area in the middle of the yard to create a more diverse and wild prairie situation.  It is coming along nicely and I even found a new species of wildflower growing in it yesterday.  So far, the “prairie” patch has been dominated by 2 plant species but yesterday I counted at least 6 different species of flowers.  The big surprise was finding lavender growing in the mix of clover and yarrow.  I am so pumped.  Lavender is an amazing plant that grows large and robust, smells incredible, and is a perennial so I know it will be there year after year.  I am adding a few plants to this garden this year that will hopefully make it a highlight of the backyard next summer.  I cannot wait.

the "Prairie"

So, there it is.  500 words or more.  Day 1 of 104 complete.  See you tomorrow.  J