Rainy Wednesday

It's fine that it's raining.  I don't have to schlepp water to my poor deer-threatened flowers.  That darn lonely deer that thinks my garden was made for it, keeps coming around.  Yesterday I yelled at it, chased it into the woods in back, and it only ran a few steps as if to make fun of me.  Only when I threw sticks in its direction did it deign to move along.  I can't throw worth beans.  Or I can throw, but not hit anything.  So the deer was in no danger.
Yesterday it was there again.  And we played the same game.  I bought the expensive deer-off, since I'm tired of making my own and I want to see if this last longer.  According to the bottle, it's supposed to last three months.  I don't think so!  Don't plants grow in three months?  Won't there be new growth?  Not protected by the deer-off?

Anyway, I had this pretty new rose bush, with flowers already on it, I planted it, and the deer snacked on the flowers as if I had put a salad out for it.

It was great sleeping the last couple of nights.  Cool, cold even.  I have switched to the summer quilt with just a sheet, and I had to close the windows.  Rain now....

Sunday, Birthday with the family

Today was Jessica's family party.  It was lovely, we got together at her house, and we had New Jersey Sloppy Joes.  The sandwiches, not the ground beef kind.  Soooo good!   With ham, cheese, turkey or roast beef, shredded lettuce and rye bread.
The kids were totally happy, we first went to Matthew's baseball game, where Jackson was upset because he wanted to play too.  But he's not part of the team, and that's not easy to learn.

Just three innings, but a long time for a little guy. So we wandered over to the playground until it was over.

Hey, and that's cool, right?
Then over to the party, which was fun, relaxed and lovely.

With a totally happy 6-year old.

And look what else I found yesterday at the yard sales, besides some great unused kid books for 50 cents each - this was a little more, though:

It's Westerwald Pottery, from my home region.  I have lots of lovely pots, lots of them from a cousin, who was nice enough to help in a big way, some of them from my brother, and some of them I found myself.  This one is very old, it's a mug, maybe meant for beer, and very old. 

Unfortunately the handle is broken, glued together, but still.  I don't collect the beer mugs, but couldn't pass this one up.  I have it next to the big pot used for fruit punch, that I got from my mother.  I begged her for it.  It was a part of my childhood.  My mother kept home-made Christmas cookies in it.  She always talked about coming home at the end of the war (WW II), finding her home bombed out, and finding this pot in the ruins and taking it out, and I've loved it all that time:

the one behind the beer/whatever mug.
Sometimes my mother would keep Christmas cookies in that jar/punchbowl, and forget that there were cookies left, and find them sometime in the summer.  And they were still good, and she cheerfully served them.  The lid is a bit busted, but no matter. 

Back to today's party:  Jessica was particularly happy with her bunny slippers, which match the ones she got for her doll.  Aren't they cute?

Yard Sales, Party, Score!

This Saturday morning was devoted to local tag/garage/yard sales.  And I quit before 11 AM.  Enough!
I ended up with a new rug, and I like it a lot.  Since primary colors are my favorites, I just had to get it.

Pretty, right?  And I am throwing my first rug ever out, since it got wet a couple of times, doesn't seem to be colorfast, and has had it.
Then:

glass carafes - I started to collect them for my brother, but by now I think I'm doing well on my own.  Besides, he'll have to come get them.  No more than $2/piece, usually just one dollar.
And every one is different.  The one today has a sailing ship engraved in it.
Okay, this is the towel I'm giving Jessica:

Totally free hand, I cut out the letters without a pattern, just from left-over material.  The top is a 'bunny head', also just free-hand work.  I still have to embroider a face.
and:

Not a very good photo of the dress I'm made her.  I'll do better, when she's wearing it.
So, I'm snapping up the card for the camera, and then I'll be the photographer for the party.

Anyone have any idea what to do about ants?  I sprayed all around the house, but there is still one or two ants coming in and I just don't like it. 

Boat Covers and so on

Today we finished the new boat cover for Jim.  Just the original one, not the one to go over that.
he should be happy with that.
I am picking up the kids today.
Matthew has soccer.
I made a beautiful towel for Jessica, pictures when I get home, where my camera is.
I also made her a dress - see photos and camera.
Yes, I did go for my walk today, but a bit later.
The swans still have three cygnets.
I bought 'The girl with the dragon tattoo' again, because I want Erika to read it.
Tomorrow and Sunday I will be attending Jessica's birthday parties.
One for the friends, one for the family.
Now I'm having coffee!

Hot

.... and two weeks ago I was wearing a fleece.  And sorry I didn't have more clothes.

But it's not a complaint.

It's fine.

T-shirt and shorts for my walk this morning.

And still no bear, and the swans still have some babies.

I am worried about the swan babies, since I heard there is supposed to be a rather large snapping turtle in the pond (also read somewhere that every little pond in the Northeast has a snapper in it)

I have seen turtles at the pond.

I do see the blue heron.  

He doesn't have a girlfriend.

Oprah is done, coffee is gone,

I'm out of here!