Author: thecapeblog

The giant arborvitae (2) in the front yard overpowered our house, discouraged other plants and made it difficult to mow and garden.

We tried to find an arborist who would move them, but there isn’t demand for arbor vitae. The multiple trunks made it especially difficult.

The final blow was from National Grid, our gas company. They advised us not to dig up the biggest set, on the right side, because they were growing right over the gas line.

So, after much thought, we had them cut down today.

We hope stump grinding will happen this week.

The yard looks really strange now, but I’m hoping once we get some grass down and spring growth happens, it’ll be better.

Meanwhile, Ron got his van back (hooray) and we took a stroll around the block this evening.

Heard from Cindy. Things are not good with her mother, but Jimmy is there and Julia is on her way. Cathy and I are relieved that she’s not by herself. Cathy’s doing great, she has a consult with a new doc on Wednesday

Grilled hamburgers for supper. Watched bats!

You don’t have to be rich to have a beautiful lunch!

 

 

Today’s harvest.

We never got our NY Times.  Did the laundry early, changed sheets, did the transfer station.  Ron drove Robert to and from work.

We took about a half-mile walk on State Beach.  Great evening for it.  Ice cream for supper!

In the 90’s again today, although the air is dry.

Collected weeds and pruned dead branches from the gardens this morning.

Cleaned up the beds by the fence and summer sweet in the “U”.

Ron watered the little corner garden and mowed the lawn.

Gardens are looking fine for August 1.

Ron put in the third A/C in the second bedroom yesterday, so the house is quite comfortable and we’re able to sleep.

I’ve installed the hard drive and caddy in the new Dell and am in the process of adding Windows 7.

Fingers crossed.

Checked out the Mashpee Summer Arts and Crafts Festival next to the library.  Lots of beautiful things, but non-essentials:  decorative objects, things to wear, gourmet food items.

The rest of Robert’s birthday gift arrived today.  Ron is dropping it off at iCape on his way to fetch beer.

I was able to install the empty hard disk AND Windows7 in the new Dell!

Picked up some great bargains yesterday at Mahoney’s, who were running a special for loyalty card-holders: spend $20, get a perennial worth up to $16.95. For $20.50, I got four perennials for the grass garden: two asters, a Rudbeckia (Little Goldstar) and a Blue Fortune Agastache.  Planted them today.

Shared some of our produce with Peter.

Stopped off at Walpole Woodworkers yesterday and Stonewood today to price outdoor shower kits.  Got a decent estimate from our plumber for the install.

Invoiced Jim.

Cape Cod Healthcare treated us to burgers and cold drinks at tonight’s Falmouth Commodores game as a thank you for being blood donors.  There were a lot of big hitters and almost perfect weather; great time.

Then we went to our last film of the Woods Hole Film Festival, “When the Ocean Met the Sky”.  The cinematographer, most of the cast and the writers took questions at the end.

I went to a soiree last evening with about 60 other people who are interested in or avid supporters of Bernie Sanders’ run for the Democratic nomination.

Earlier, I drove Ron to Hyannis to pick up his rental from GMC and to have the oil in my truck changed at Hyannis Toyota. It was a blessing to relax in their big recliners; I’m surprised I didn’t fall asleep.

I drove Robert to work and Ron picked him up in his Chevy Camaro convertible.

Brought newspapers to Laura. Her vegetable garden is looking great, especially since it’s been in for less than a month. The well people were at her house yesterday.

I dug up and planted hostas in the grass garden at Edgewater.

Ron has watered pretty much everything in the last 2 days.

Today, I uploaded new preowned detail files with web service results.

Drove Alpha to her therapist, but she hadn’t had an appointment.

Picked up a thumb drive at Best Buy and a hosta at Home Depot. Stopped by Rep. Keating’s office for help finding Marjorie’s service records. Stupidly, I’d forgotten that I received her discharge report in 2011.

We had lunch at Burger King. On the way home, we bought a white Phlox at someone’s house.

I planted the Phlox and the hosta in the grass garden. Asked James to water.

Ron drove Robert home and dropped off some “protein”.

We left around 8 to go to the second of our WH Film Festival selections.

Ron’s van left us stranded on the highway – again – this time, on 28, just before the Thomas Landers exit. It stalled and restarted a couple of times, then wouldn’t start at all. AAA sent a tow, and the driver was nice enough to drop us off at the house.

Robert’s cake is red velvet with strawberry ganache. Ron’s is lemon.

Planted a $3 Agastache Apricot Sprite (Hyssop) in the corner garden.

We didn’t buy any crafts, but Ron, much to his credit, picked up a Mashpee 9 t-shirt and we both purchased lunch.

Last day of the fair, and we got caught in traffic on the way home from the transfer station and Stop & Shop.

Did laundry, changed the sheets.

Grilled chicken and salad for supper.

We saw the first of our three WoodsHole Film Festival selections last night: Harry and Snowman. Terrific film.

Ron cleaned scatter rugs and the bird bath. I washed floors and shredded a pile of leaves.

Hummer feeding at the Bee Balm this morning. Fed the roses yesterday. Miracle-Gro feeding on the veggie, herb and front side gardens this morning.

This is the last day of the Fair for 2015!

Had some work and some fun today.

Brief rainstorm which didn’t amount to much.

Made a little progress on Jim’s project.

Dropped off Cathy’s mailbox key and returned the damaged Krosmaster set.

Helped Laura plant the new veggies.  Harvested a cuke and a couple of tomatoes from our garden.

Dig Safe, i.e., OnTarget, was here to mark off the electric and TV cables.  National Grid came yesterday to mark off the gas line.  They were ordered by the company that was going to remove the Arbor Vitae.  Turns out, the big clump is too close to the gas line.  The jerk from OnTarget refused to tell me how deep the lines go – “Liability ha ha”.

Went to Woods Hole to see Don Cross play at the Captain Kidd – nice set – and to pick up tix for the film festival.

Train wreck and stuffed cupcake squash for supper.  Watched a couple of episodes of Alfred Hitchcock Presents.