What a Difference A Year Can Make

I know, I know...it's been a while, but I have had a busy year adjusting to my new home and as most of you know, it takes a while. Tiny Castle is home. It feels good to be settled and on the second year in our house enjoying the improvements we made last year.

I am still determined to grow blue morning glories and have planted them in the ground this time instead of pots. Only a few look viable...but all you need is one! I can't wait for their blooms again. I am growing honeysuckle on the east side of my sun porch and put up window hayracks and planted them with who knows what. My garden is all one grand experiment that keeps me walking the yard each day to see who does what in the plant world.

I love my new job working as a special ed sub associate which means teacher's aide. And now I have the summer off to walk my yard. But like my yard, my summer is filling up too.

Our cat from the Animal Rescue league turned out to be a winner. His name is Sammy and he is huge orange cat with a great sense of humor. He adores us, especially Cal who has a lap big enought to support him. He's always interested in what we are doing and commenting on it.

The bikeride that started this blog is long over, but Cal and I are still enjoying that journey over and over again. It was life changing for both of us. Now we are following a young family on line who plan to spend a year on their bikes!

There's lot more going on (in fact, right now we are in the middle of a hail storm...Sammy is Concerned.) But I don't want to overwhelm you.

Love,

Mary

This, That, and The Other Thing.

The Morning Glories DID bloom nicely, but the picture does not tell all. The bottom of the vines are almost devoid of leaves and those that are left are yellow and bug ridden. It's been a hard summer here in Iowa. Too much water. Too much heat. Too tropical for much of the Iowa foliage. I just read that it will be the new norm. Of course, that also means more snow! Hot humid summers and warmer, snowier winters...hmmm. I wonder what will grow in that?

Ragbrai, Vacations, and Visiting all under our belts this summer, it is time to turn back to the House. We have met more neighbors and that makes it feel a little homier. The 13 year old next door has looked after our cat. We have shared tools and information, and commented on the weather. Doesn't get much better than that! My next job is to take out the old fence and prepare for a new one. My sister and my husband will be coming to help with that, although I don't know how much work Marcia and I will do. We both like to play.

I have spent my spare time making miniatures for my dollhouse and just bought a little maid doll to take care of it for me. It's quite the place. Another little girl dream come true.

Oh, by the way, I really enjoy fishing. Caught two nice bass. Who would have thunk it.

Inching along here in Des Moines.

Love you,
Mary

The Long Wait

Morning Glories at Tiny Castle

Oh! What a Wonderful Birthday!

Cal informed me that I am now 54 years old. I'm always off by a year so it's nice to have a husband who keeps track of such things. On my birthday, Cal made crepes with hazelnut chocolate and strawberries for breakfast and my sister-in-law and husband came for dinner and a visit to the horse track. The fireworks after the races were, to borrow a word from my sister, "Glorious." I have never seen fireworks like that.

My sister has been visiting me for the past week and we have had a SPLENDID time messing about, exploring Des Moines. I hope she enjoyed her visit as much as I did. I am now planning good times for the next sister who flies into Des Moines on the 21st.

Work on Tiny Castle has slowed for the summer for company, vacations, and hobbies. All good things. We have a tight roof and a functional house and a life to live. Sometimes the amount of work the house still needs can distress me...it's a pretty trick to keep motivated, thinking about how far we've come in 4 months and then how much is still needed. Deep sighs.

I have decided to look for a job this fall, after all the "sister visits" (I have two more sisters coming this summer) and vacations have ended. I am not sure what that will be...another adventure, I guess. I need to get back in an imposed routine. I am not good at being a kept woman for very long. :-)

And the morning glories have reached the light fixture above the front door.

Good times.

Love,
Mary

Today at Tiny Castle

Two years ago Cal and I were heading to Oregon to begin his Renewing Spirits bike Tour across the United States. It seems like a crazy idea now, but I am so glad we did it. We are still reaping the benefits of learning day by day living. Good Times!

My dad turned 92 yesterday. Happy Birthday, Dad! In 2007, He wrote about his life in a book called "My Story" and had it bound for each of his children. What a wonderful gift. I often think children think that their parents are part of THEIR story not realizing that moms and dads have stories of their own.

I inherited a handmade dollhouse, and even after removing an addition, could not fit it through Tiny Castles attic door. Right now it's serving as end table in the library.

It seems everything in the yard has a scale or a fungus or a very hungry caterpillar. This is why I hate gardening. Once I do the work of planting and weeding, I expect the growing to be done without my help. I keep hoping the plants will outgrow whatever is bugging them. Or maybe if it just stops raining....

Right now my favorite thing in the garden is watching the morning glories "twine." What a great word! A combination of twist and vine, which is exactly what they do. I hope they will flower too, but right now I am just enjoying the green creeping up my brick wall.

Projects in the house continue. Right now we are working on electrical stuff. Lights, ceiling fans. Someday... we will paint.

Two friends from Pella coming on Friday. Yea!
Well, the gutter guy is here. Soon we will have gutters...which with all this rain, is a good thing!

Love,
Mary