New Fixtures

Here's a sneak peek of the lighting that will soon be installed: pendant for stairwell and exterior fixtures that better suit the style of the house.

Porch Progress

The sides of the porch are all painted and look great. Next up: trim, ceiling, and floor.

Not My Critter

Good news! The trap works and I successfully baited and set it. Bad news! I did not catch the evil woodchuck. This little possum was in the trap this morning. He's uninvited, so I let him go.

Entrapment

I broke down and bought a trap. It's quite an investment at $47 but the guy at Home Depot says it worked for him--he's caught 4 raccoons with his this summer. I put some fresh beans (with jam on them), mozzarella cheese, and summer squash in there. Tasty! I also covered the trap with a rug so it feels more like a cave. Now we wait.

Home Under the Deck

I looked out the back window this evening and saw that our neighborhood woodchuck is back. I ran out there and he was so shocked to see me, that he ran over to the back of the garage (where he used to dig), back through the plants, and under the deck. I dismantled the steps to find the entrance to his home. Now what?

Swallowtail

Look who joined us at the butterfly bush today!

One is the Loneliest

I started about 20 sunflower seeds inside in May and carefully transplanted them along the back fence with visions of a row of brightness waving in the wind. They were eaten to stubs. I directly sowed three more packets of seeds in June, hoping for better results. The sad truth of the matter is that a single plant grew and blossomed. She's a beauty.

Susans

A took this bouquet to work today. The black-eyed susans are going crazy!

Wings of Beauty

There was a different butterfly at the bush tonight. I haven't identified it yet but it has very distinct coloring, so it shouldn't be too difficult.