Why I Haven't Posted, etc.

1. No pictures: not that I haven't taken any or that my camera is on the blink. I lost the program on my computer that I used to download the pictures from my camera. I CAN do it another way, but it is more difficult and I don't like it. I guess I am getting old, because a lot of this is about not liking change.
2. Malfunctioning laptop: several months ago, maybe a year, the power cord on my laptop started shorting when I tried to recharge it. I finally got around to getting a new power cord. I hadn't had it for long when I picked up the computer, plugged into the power cord, and dropped it--not far and onto a soft surface, but it landed by chance right on the connection where it was plugged into the computer and broke it off, leaving the portion that plugs in stuck in the computer. I did find someone on the weekend in SLC who extracted the broken part--he thought the computer would work OK. It did for a while, but now the part that plugs into the computer doesn't connect properly and it only charges intermittently.
3. Decided that it was time for a new computer, and talked myself into a little netbook with a 10.2 inch screen. I think I mentioned I don't like change, and this was way too much change. It has Windows 7 "startup" and I don't even know what that means. Do I have to purchase Windows 7 to get the full program? The startup screen is confusing--I can't even tell when it is connected to the internet without attempting to get online. It is, I would say, skitzy, meaning that it is so jumpy that even when I am very careful it skips back to another line while I am typing and inserts, or even erases most of what I have just typed. And I really can't imagine why someone past 65 with eye surgeries in the past and future would think a 10 inch screen was a good idea.

Enough of that! Obstacles abound, and I haven't been energetic enough to overcome them. I think I have SAD--seasonal affective disorder. Every year as the days get shorter and the skies are dark and stormy, I kind of retreat into my shell and lose interest in life in general. I am a light seeking person and function best with lots of sunshine. I decided last week to try some St. John's Wort--an herb I had in my medicine cabinet which is supposed to help with depression. It said on the container to take one up to three times a day. I decided if one was good, I would just start with two. Who knew? Better than a shot of caffeine for me!! I was wired for a few hours and got a lot of stuff done. I have not since taken two at a time, but a couple a day seems to help stave off the winter blues.

One of the things that has delighted me was finding a set of measuring cups with a full complement of options. Imagine a picture here of this wonderful set: it has a quarter cup, third cup, half cup, two thirds cup, three fourths cup, and full cup. I discovered it browsing the isles of Hurst Ace Hardware in Cedar City--one of my favorite places. I used to have one from Tupperware that my mother-in-law gave me when I got married, but it has suffered the ravages of time. I don't do much baking these days, but that could change.

I have some Christmas cards sitting around along with a Christmas letter I typed up last year, duplicated, and never sent. If you don't get a Christmas card from me this year, and you are a friend or relative, please know that I am thinking of you and wishing you the best. Merry Christmas!

Landscaping

A major reason for installing a front yard at Summit was so the grandchildren would be able to go outside and play when they came to visit, and we were all anxiously awaiting the first visit after the completion of the project. Unfortunately, I didn't get pictures while they were visiting, but they spent precious little time in the lovely front yard on the grass and patio. Instead they gravitated to the leftover rock and sand piles in the very much not landscaped back yard, picture included. Kids!! I should have known. They did spend extra time in the bathtub this trip.

I've Been Busy

Not seeing a possibility of remodeling my Summit kitchen in the near future, I have been fortunate (blessed!) with a couple of solutions that make the space much more usable. First, my landscape expert is a very versatile person and installed a couple of can lights in my kitchen dark spot over my stove--changes the way we use the house!! Next, my very limited cabinet space was expanded by the discovery of a cabinet insert (actually three inserts, two of which were on clearance) at the SLC Lowe's. I was able to put much of my food/pantry supply in one lower cabinet, which is also now very accessible. While I don't have a picture to illustrate, I also put a closet organizer in my half of the master bedroom closet. All this happened last week while David was back East drumming up business. I'm very pleased with the outcome of my efforts.

Front Yard, Home Stretch

I took the pictures toward the middle of the day, and they aren't very good, but maybe you can get some idea of the finished look. The planting beds are pretty much empty, and I am debating how much to try to plant before next spring. I have to say the pictures do not do justice to the end result, which is very much what I had envisioned when we started with a few exceptions. We love it. Notice the dozing king of the castle who nodded off overlooking his domain. I might try again tomorrow for some better shots.

Front Yard Landscape, Installment 2

After a week more of work I have documented additional progress with these pictures. The flagstone patio and walkway are in, the front porch is expanded, and the curbing which separates various elements of the landscape--rock, grass, planting beds--is installed. They also got started on the storage shed in the back yard, which is part of this project and will hopefully free up the garage for use to park cars this winter. Enjoy! Hopefully the end of this week will bring more of the finishing touches.

Front Yard - at long last

Apologies for no posts for forever. No excuses. At some point, in desparation, after 7+ years of dirt and weeds, I took some graph paper and pasted it together, took rough measurements, and put some ideas down for a front yard. David was very concerned about drainage, so I started with dry creekbeds to control the runoff, kept budget in mind, and found someone to make it happen. We are about 3-4 days into the transformation, which consists of river rock, crushed rock, grass, planting beds, a flagstone patio with pathways, a place under the tree for a bench, a 5-foot curved bridge, 7 new trees, and desert plants nestled among the rocks. Here are some pictures of progress thus far. If you haven't seen the Summit house, it might not mean anything to you, but it promises to be a substantial transformation in the end.

Update

OK, my blueberry bushes aren't doing so well. I discovered huge black bugs crawling all over them. Checked the internet, and they are "weevils." I think of weevils as small white grubs that get into food, so it was a disconnect for me, but they target berry plants and the little ones eat the roots and around the base of the plant and kill them. So, there really isn't any insecticide for these critters. David and I were out there yesterday trying to capture them. They don't like water and they move slowly. With a small kitchen sieve we scooped them up as they floated in the water we flooded the plants with and put them in an empty food carton and stashed them in the trash. Time will tell whether or not the bushes survive, and I suppose we'll have to do another inspection next week to make sure we got them all. This is the yucky part of trying to grow things.

Much to my relief, the solar eclipse in May of 2012 is only a partial eclipse viewable in part of North America. The big one (full eclipse) is in November 2012, I believe, and the party will be in Australia. I will rest well tonight knowing that the small eclipse will be eclipsed by the large eclipse.

I still don't have a solution for my inability to post on a few select blogs. Yes, Julianne, I still love you--your blog just won't allow me to comment.