I'm Just Wild About Harry!

I finished the book! If you understand which book, then you have also been eagerly awaiting HP/DH (aka: HP7), the final installment in the Harry Potter series by J. K. Rowling. If you said "what book?", well, nothing I'm going to say will make any sense, I suppose.

I had pre-ordered my copy 'way back in January from Barnes & Noble (http://www.bn.com/), although...in hindsight...I probably should have just gone to one of the Midnight HP Parties (held on Friday night) at a local bookstore. I had been relentlessly tracking my book on UPS online for 24 hours (after I had received an email from BN that it had shipped), while the UPS tracking message continued to say "Left for Final Destination (our house) at 11:47 a.m., Friday." Now, the UPS facility is only about 10-15 miles from my house, so I was beginning to think that it must be arriving by Slow Owl, as it didn't arrive...and it didn't arrive...and it still didn't arrive. I even tried "Accio, HP7 book!" That probably didn't work because, like all other Muggles, I don't have a wand. Bummer.

Then, I checked the mailbox after we made our Home Depot run on Saturday, only to find the book wedged inside...the figurative square peg in a round hole. I raced inside the house to get Thomas' assistance to come "free Harry Potter from the mailbox!" And, then I did something entirely strange: I fixed supper. I putzed around the kitchen, scrubbing potatoes for baking...marinating steaks for the grill...and washing vegetables for our salad. I started a load of laundry. I enjoyed a glass of wine on the deck with Thomas while the grill did its work. I did everything except read; in fact, I didn't start reading the book until nearly 11:00 p.m. Amazing! So very unlike me. I guess I must have been (in my own weird way) trying to savor the last time I'll get to read a brand new Harry Potter for the very first time.

Anyway...all this savoring meant that I ended up reading into the wee hours of the morning, not getting to bed until...well, actually, I ended up falling asleep on the sofa in the den. And, I'm not really sure that I slept; it was more like I replayed the scenes in the book the entire time. I took a break to fix brunch on Sunday, and then began the marathon to reach The End...crossing The Finish Line just before noon on Monday.

Of course, now I want to talk about it with someone, but can't say anything for fear of being a "spoiler" for Thomas or Maredith (Mom hasn't gotten hooked on Harry yet...but, it's only a matter of time, I reckon). I'm sending the book to Louisville this weekend, so maybe I'll soon have someone to discuss...no, I don't want to let anything slip, do I?! I'll say this much: I thoroughly enjoyed the book...it made me wish that there would, somehow, be one more...at least.

Oh well, while I waited until someone else finished HP7, I decided I could continue the connection by starting a project from the "Charmed Knits" book by Alison Hansel (button in the left column). I had already purchased my "Encore" yarn in Gryffindor House colors of scarlet and gold, so decided to start a 1st Year Hogwarts scarf that is knitted in stripes in the round (CO 55 stitches; 24 rounds of each color, for 19 stripes or more.) I also decided to let this be a "practice" for a new technique I'd read about in a book called "Socks Soar on Two Circular Needles," by Cat Bordi. No, I'm not knitting Gryffindor socks...yet...but I am knitting a tube...so I thought I could teach myself to manage two circular needles, using size US8's and Worsted Weight (4), easier than trying it out on US1's and sock yarn! And, guess what? It's working!! I've about got the technique of "knitting with one circular while the other one rests." My scarf is just flying off the needles...see the photo (above, right)!

Did you know, over on Alison's blog, there's a Harry Potter-themed knit-along going on through the end of August, in conjunction with her book Charmed Knits? For those who haven't heard about it, knitters are making house-colored hats that will be donated to Warm Woolies. She even has free patterns to get you started. BTW, Warm Woolies is an organization that gives hats, sweaters, vests, mittens, slippers and other warm things to children in orphanages. It was started in 2003 when a Colorado knitter and two of her friends decided to knit items for orphanages in Russia. In 2004 it became an official non-profit organization and a website was set up. Last year, 4,723 knit items were donated; this year their goal is 6,000. For 2007, they are focused on children in Russia, Kazakhstan, China, and Mongolia, as well as those living on the reservations of Rosebud and Pine Ridge in South Dakota. Check their website for further information: http://www.warmwoolies.org/

If truth be told, I imagine that I would not be sorted into Gryffindor House, though. Gryffindors are selected because of their courage, and all seem eager to take risks. That doesn't really sound like me. Maredith used the word "bookworm," to describe me, so I searched HP1/HP&SS to see which house description is a better fit. Since I do love to learn, I imagine that the Sorting Hat would have sent me to Ravenclaw, if you read the description:

"Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw
If you've a ready mind
Where those of wit and learning
Will always find their kind. "

So, I bought Ravenclaw's colors of blue and bronze, too...just to be sure! I'll start on another scarf just as soon as I fly through this one...knit a house hat or two for charity...and knit a matching beret for me...maybe even mittens. I just wish I could knit as magically fast as Molly Weasley does!

Meanwhile, I'd better stop blogging and start on supper...

100 Degrees in the Shade...But It's a Dry Heat!

Maredith and I just returned from a trip to Salt Lake City, Utah, where views of the Wasatch range of mountains like this (left) are at every turn. She was scheduled to attend a three-day course and then a three-day conference on E-Learning, held at the University of Utah, with a weekend in between, and had booked a double room at the Guest House. All she had to do was say "Mom, would you like to join me...?" Of course, you know me...I was almost finished packing before the words were out of her mouth! (I am my mother's daughter, after all.) This was Maredith's first visit to Salt Lake City, and I had not been to SLC since I was about 10, so everything looked new to me, too. We had a good time together, as we always do, in spite of having to battle some nasty respiratory problems that we blamed on the wood floor refinishing "fun" we'd experienced the week before at her house in Louisville. These were made worse by the high temperatures (100-104 daily...only bearable because of the lack of humidity), the smoke from the fires south of the City (they seemed to be worse in the afternoons...don't all the photos look a little hazy?), and the altitude...it's really tough to breathe with all that stacked against you! Still, we relied on the fantastic public transportation system on the weekdays (here's a photo of Maredith at the Fort Douglas/University of Utah Trax ticket station, above right), and a rental car for the weekend to see the sights and sample the food. We were typical tourists, snapping photos of Temple Square (left) and the Capitol in Downtown, and of the Olympic Park (left, below), Park City, and the Great Salt Lake (right).


Atypically, Yarnaholics that we are, we "hit" 4 yarn shops together, and I visited one on my own while Maredith was at her conference on Monday. Here's a photo (right) of one of our favorites, The Black Sheep Wool Co., where I got "three bags full" of cotton sock yarn...! Not really that much. But enough to keep me busy until Christmas, for sure. Follow the link (above) to their website where you will find a free sock pattern by Susan Lawrence of knittingasfastasican.com who has designed these fabulous socks to honor the last book of the Harry Potter Series. Susan wonders, "Is Harry's scar the last Horcrux?" If you are wild about Harry, that will make sense...if not, well, you gotta read the books to understand the reference. (But, you can still download the pattern without reading the HP series, just by clicking "pattern of the month".)

I also enjoyed the beautiful Red Butte Gardens, high above the historic Fort Douglas area (photo right). Then, in honor of my birthday, Maredith treated me to our favorite meal (Mozzarella Fritta for a starter, followed by Caesar Salad; then, she's Chicken Parmesan; I'm Chicken Scaloppine) at the Macaroni Grill, which was located in the lovely, renovated Peery Hotel, a 1920's historic landmark in downtown Salt Lake City.

Yes, it was a great trip. Maredith seemed pleased with the conference and her course, saying that she could apply a lot of what she learned back at work. It was another great Mother-Daughter Bonding experience, and I'm so glad she invited me to join her. Still, as the week came to a close, we were both glad to wheeze "adieu" to the high climes of SLC and return to our homes closer to sea level. Ah, it's good to be home!

Bountiful Harvest

You leave a garden for a week in the Summer and look what happens! As you can see in the photo (left), the tomatoes have started to come in, and the yellow and zucchini squash appear to be on steroids. Can you also see the purple Bell peppers, along with a couple of green ones? This is the first year that they have truly produced for us. You probably can't tell, but the Cayenne Peppers are starting to ripen, too, and the basil really needed a major haircut! Mom took a good deal of our bounty to share with her bridge buddies at O'Fallon Senior Center, but we still have a mountain of zucchini, waiting to be grated and frozen. It'll make fabulous zucchini bread, won't it? And, of course, what would a garden be without flowers? Can you see the red Mr. Lincoln roses and the Shasta daisies in the background?

Yes, we enjoy sharing our garden with others, especially those who no longer have access to home-grown produce. But, to be perfectly honest, I just melt when the tomatoes begin to come in...as you can see from this photo of my first tomato sandwich of the season. Simple pleasure...warm-from-the-vine slices of tomato, mayonnaise on white bread, some bacon, and lots of salt and pepper. Is there anything any better? (No lettuce...appears that the bunnies got there before me...again. No problem...it's all about the tomato!)

Speaking of flowers, we continue to enjoy our variety of daylilies. Here's a photo (right) of the latest to start blooming...the Chicago Comanche, planted at the mailbox. They are now in their third year, so we'll need to divide them this Fall. As you can see, they are a deep red-orange with yellow centers...and each bloom is plate-sized, too! Also blooming are the newest variety, Sir Mordred...which haven't even made it into the ground yet! They are still in their pots beside the water faucet in the back yard. As advertised, they are a deep marooney-red, with numerous blooms. Here's a photo to enjoy (below, left).

Sweat Equity

Happy Independence Day! Did you have a nice July Fourth Holiday? "Nice" might not precisely describe ours, but I can say that it was definitely productive. Thomas and I went to visit Maredith in Louisville on June 30 and just got back home late last night. What a labor-intensive “visit” that was!




As you can see in the photo to the right, Thomas and Maredith spent some time finishing the lattice privacy screens in her back yard. The screens were a welcome addition, but they had suffered in the wind without that "finish" board he's adding, which made the project look...well, finished! Please note that OSHA-approved scaffolding he, er...custom-designed for this project...patent is pending.



Before the major project began, we enjoyed meeting Terry and LaDonna for dinner at Max & Erma's at The Summit. There's always a lot of laughter when we get together...always so good to see them. I think we've seen more of them since they (and Maredith) moved to KY than when we all lived in GA!



Well, we couldn't postpone the really BIG project anymore. It was time to: (1) rip out the old carpet (living room, hall, and guest bedroom); and (2) refinish the hardwood floors that were hiding underneath (Maredith has wanted to do this ever since she bought this house a year ago). Here're the "before" photos (left) of the living room floor as the old carpet and padding has just come up (Charley says "yucky...I didn't do that!") and (right, below) of the guest bedroom floor with its strange, brown, Armstrong adhesive...can you read it in reverse? What a mess that was to remove! It took both machine and hand-sanding.


Thomas said he’d managed to make it through more than 30 years of marriage without having to refinish hardwood floors. Hopefully, it’ll be at least 30 more before we have to do that again. Almost everything we had read online had warned us what a monumental chore this was…most sites said “hire a professional.” Now I understand why!

Still, we are dedicated DIYers, aren't we? That means...Field Trip! Time to visit Lowe’s before we get started. Good thing we did, too, as we found they had the whole “system” for refinishing floors: you rent this whiz-bang rotating orbital sander (Varathane EZV), which has three replaceable, velcro pads; then you buy the replacement sandpaper pads which come in packs of three (convenient, eh?) in various grits of 36, 50, and 80, which you use to get a progressively smoother, sanded surface. Lowe's also had the Varathane stain, the clear finish, and all the applicators, etc. Sweet! I just love it when there is a “system” and a list of steps to follow!!

Then the work began in earnest. Thomas and Maredith spent the Fourth moving furniture and then ripping up the old carpet and padding. And, what they found underneath was both good and bad. The 50-year old flooring was sound and intact (good), but the carpeting had trapped 25+ years of cats and dogs and who knows what and had left some serious stains…SERIOUS stains (bad). Online suggestions to deal with the stains said use hydrogen peroxide…straight..so I headed to Walmart for several bottles of the largest size I could find. We used them all to attack the stains, doing a pretty decent job to many of them. Maredith took a vacation day (?) on Thursday, so they rented the sander then, bought all the supplies, and put me to work “mowing” the floors (that’s what it felt like…a really SLOW…HEAVY lawn mower…back and forth, up and down, over and over and over and over…). I bet I walked a couple of miles over three days! Meanwhile, they bagged up the old padding (really nasty stuff…REALLY nasty) for the next Trash Removal day…and set about “repurposing” (that’s seems to be the HGTV word of the year) the old carpet. It is now “resting in peace” under a deep layer of mulch, being used as the ultimate weed-blocker for Maredith’s new garden paths, in both front and back yards. Of course, all of this was done on the hottest day of the year (96 degrees…not a cloud in the sky)…and Maredith said that the inside of the house, where I was still sanding floors, was hotter than the outside (NOTE: the first step when sanding the floors: turn off the air conditioner, so you don’t spread the dust throughout the house).


Finally finished the sanding process on Saturday, with Thomas and Maredith using the hand sanders for the edges where the big sander couldn’t reach and filling the thousands of nail holes with wood putty…and while they returned the rental, I cleaned up the remaining dust…wiped down the floors with mineral spirits (smelly stuff!)…then, began the staining part (more smelly stuff!!). Boy, was that easy after the tedious sanding step! Thomas finished up the staining, and Maredith (after waiting for the stuff to dry for 24 hours) applied 4 coats of the clear finish (allowing two hours to dry in between coats), finishing at 2:30 a.m., Monday morning. Drum roll, please! Here are the "after" photos of the finished floor in the living room (left) and in the guest bedroom (right, below). What a difference!

One really great thing about Maredith’s house is that her basement is partially finished, so we were able to “escape” to a relatively calm, cool, and dust-free place…otherwise we would have had to retreat to a motel to save our sanity. Since the finish has to “cure” for at least 72 hours before any real use, it’s probably a good thing that “our” bedroom is in the basement, so Maredith has just packed up and moved there, now that we are gone. Charley Dog came home with us (to stay with the Drool Gang for a few weeks), so she doesn’t have to worry about his big feet and nails messing up the fresh surface. Of course, the main level of the house still looks like a bomb went off with all the furniture here and there and wherever it would fit (she has her TV armoire, coffee table, a bookcase, and a couple of side tables shoved in the kitchen; the chairs and ottoman, along with the sofa are crammed into her office; and, the mattress, box springs, and bed frame and furniture from the guest room are wedged into her bedroom)…you can barely squeeze between the furniture to reach the refrigerator and the coffee maker…and you can just forget using the stove! She's already asking: "now, when are y'all coming back to help me get all this furniture back in place?"

I think I might need a few weeks to recover...but, Charley's already looking a little sad...could be missing Maredith, don't you think?

Flower Power

Look what's blooming today! This photo (right) shows the largest bloom of our "Texas Choice" daylilies. Isn't it amazing? And, it has a lovely fragrance, too...which is unusual for such a large daylily. Thomas said this is definitely his favorite! It's planted under a platform bird feeder, in front of the fence on the side of our house...across from our bedroom window. We got these plants our second summer here (2004) from the Wine Country Gardens, aka "The Daylily Farm," in Defiance, MO (where Mom and I went this past week). In '04, we also bought a variety called "Chicago Comanche," which should be blooming very soon...it's planted by the mailbox, and I noticed yesterday that it was loaded with buds. I'll post pics of it, too.

Here is a photo (left) of one of our first purchases called "Dad's Best White." I had just watered this morning, so you can see the droplets. Isn't it a beauty? At present, it's in a temporary location, just off the deck...outside of the kitchen door. But, it seems to be happy, doesn't it?

And, this one (left) shows a beautiful bloom on what we assumed were Wayside Orange daylilies, (the ones that Thomas rescued from the creekbed behind our back fence and transplanted to the opposite side of our yard). Obviously, it's NOT the same as the other "rescues!" I've given it the name "Rescued Me" until I can figure out what it's true name is...

As you can tell, the flowers of Summer have arrived right along with the actual change of season this past week. It's already hot and humid on most days, making it difficult to work outside much past 10:00 or 11:00 a.m. for me. Thomas is a brave soul, though, as he is tackling rose and hedge trimming today. We had a brief (maybe...2 minutes, tops) rainshower earlier...less than an hour after I had finished watering, of course. And, the weather report calls for more rain to follow...we can use it, for sure, but that will probably make it even more humid. We're hoping for a respite this evening so that we can cook out on the grill and enjoy a fresh peach daiquiri on the deck...yum! At least, that's our current plan...

Here's one more shot of 3 beautiful "Texas Choice" blossoms...enjoy!

Kissin' Cousins

We had some visitors last week...Mom's first cousin, Jim and his wife Jo. Don't they all look wonderful?! We were so thrilled that they put us on their route, as we sometimes feel like we are so far out-of-the-way for friends and family to visit. It's just something about having to cross both the Mississippi and the Missouri rivers to find us...! We feel so remote from our Southeastern roots!

Mom said she felt like taking a little "day trip" this week, so we went to the Daylily Fest at the Wine Country Gardens in Defiance. We had such a lovely day! We strolled through the sales area, where most of the potted-up daylilies were in bloom...or getting there. Then, we had lunch on the Terrace, overlooking a lovely sloped area, planted in grapes. And, finally, we got one of the golf carts and zipped through the three acres of planted daylilies. Most of these had bloomed, but we enjoyed seeing some of the most interesting varieties still in full bloom, including the unusual "Firestorm." As my birthday is around the corner, Mom bought me 3 pots of a new variety called "Sir Mordred," which hasn't yet bloomed this year. The plant-tag picture shows a deep maroon/purple flower, which should look nice in the front flower bed, near the Japanese Maple tree. Can't wait for it to bloom!

Wine Country Gardens has been a destination for Thomas and me on my July birthday every year since we moved here. We have purchased 1-4 varieties each year and are now benefiting from those purchases. Last year, we bought one called "Christmas Is," which was in bloom this week at the Gardens when Mom and I visited. I hope it will bloom for us here soon! Here's a photo (right)of a variety called "Rose Emily" we bought and planted in 2004. It's in the back yard, located near the back fence, between a bird feeder on its right and a buddleia ("butterfly bush") on its left. This is its second year to bloom for us, and it is a beautiful rose color with lemon yellow centers.

Then, here's a photo (left) of one of our 2006 purchases, "Blanche Brown," which has just bloomed in its temporary location near the back door. It's a lovely light yellow with an unusual burgundy center, as you can see in the picture. I'm thinking it might go very well if paired with the new Sir Mordred...once I actually see Sir M's color, that is. BB is now blooming right along side one called "Dad's Best White," which was our first purchase from the Gardens back in 2003. It's a creamy white color, and we will probably divide and relocate the divisions in front of the tall "wayside" orange daylilies that Thomas rescued from the creekbed behind our fence last year, where they weren't receiving the proper amount of sunlight in order to spur blooming. They are now huge...and blooming profusely (as shown in the photo of our new footbridge), obviously happy where are now growing. What is the saying? "Bloom where you are planted." Appropriate, eh?

Wonderful Wednesday

Rolled outta bed at 6:13 this morning...feeling great! Ever had one of those mornings, when you've had a good night's sleep, and you can't wait to get going? Well, this was one of those!

First things first: coffee and cereal on the deck, where I enjoyed the birds and the squirrels. I'm on a mission to get a photo of this huge Blue Jay that partakes of our Bird Buffet several times each day. So I have my camera ready...but he's too quick/smart for me...and I take a lot of random pics. Can you tell what this photo is? We have one of those "face feeders" on the oak tree in the back yard, and I snapped this squirrel just after he (she?) had snatched a mouthful of seeds from the mouth of the Tree Feeder. Doesn't he look like he's saying "HEY?!"

After such a good start to my day, I really revved it up. I watered the front and back yards, and all the new plants that went into pots on-and-around the front porch over the weekend. The transplanted daylilies and irises around the new pond seem to be doing OK, but I can't say the same for the rose bush...it's looking "poorly." I made sure the rest of the roses got a good drenching with the soaker hose...and I just couldn't resist cutting a few (two Midas Touch buds, which are opening to the most beautiful golden yellow; several of the deep red buds; and, a couple of the First Prize pink buds), to join the first Shasta Daisies in a bud vase on the breakfast table. Is there anything more beautiful than roses and daisies together?

The garden got a good, long drink, too, which made it easy to plant a couple of eggplant (plants?)...by special request from Mom...and the remainder of the beans and lettuce...the first planting of both became bunny food, I guess. Pulled some weeds and then picked another round of yellow squash (does that make 15 so far?) and one more zucchini (still one shy of enough for zucchini bread). After that it was time to pot some more plants for the deck: Patio, cherry, and grape tomatoes...jalapeno, chili, and ornamental peppers...basil, oregano, and two varieties of parsley...all have new homes now. I'm using Bonnie Plants in the peat pots almost exclusively this year. I like the fact that you don't have a plastic pot to throw away, but the wrapper on the peat pot has a design flaw: it won't let go!

All of this before noon! Fortunately I had made up a big pitcher of iced tea 'cause I downed a quart after working outside all morning...ahhhh! A shower, some lunch, and I was ready to do some work in my office...inside...in the air conditioning, with a ceiling fan on "high." A trip to the P.O. and then the grocery this afternoon...a nice chicken salad for supper...the "indoor/outdoor" version of the game of "gimme that toy" with Gus and Elmo (of course, Duchess acts like she doesn't want to play...), and now I can relax with Baby Kimono #1, started last night.

What a wonderful Wednesday it has been!