Gray Day Musings

It is a very gray, dreary day here in Florida.  We are in the outer bands of Tropical Storm Lee and have been getting rain sporadically for the last 48 hours.  I'm sure more will be coming over the next 48 hours or so.  We need every drop we can get, for we were in somewhat of a drought.  Nowhere near the scope of Texas, but there are lots of places in the Southeast that need rain badly.  


I have been working regularly on the quilts for my siblings.  I have three of the tops done and am putting the sashing and borders on the other two.

I had never used black in a quilt before but it does add such a pop to the other colors.  

Can't say that I'm terribly fond of this one but perhaps it will grow on me over time.


I am so happy to report that the hummers are back!  We have only ruby throated hummingbirds around here but they are so amazing.  Even in the rain, they will dart in and out to the feeders.  The fall migration is underway and I'm hoping that the weather patterns will change so that it is more comfortable to be out and about watching birds.  Late last week Birdlady and I went over to the Naval Live Oaks area.  We had abysmal luck and nearly melted in the high humidity.  We cut our trip very short and will try again another day.

We're spent the entire summer home, except for that fated week when we tried to go to Asheville.  Turned out the elevation there (2200 ft.) caused some difficulties for Hubby, so we had to cancel those plans.  Since it was hot all over the south, there was nowhere else we chose to go and just came home.  


We have used the time to get some new hurricane shutters and to have some other storm remediation work done on our house.  The old shutters were wood and it would have been almost impossible for me to install them alone, should the need arise.  The new ones are metal and the panels are much smaller and lighter.  Hopefully, we'll never have to see how they work!!  Our house is now thirteen years old so its time for some things to be replaced or upgraded.  We dread the thought of a new roof, but this one has not lasted nearly as long as we anticipated.  That will be our next big expenditure.  


The grass in our yard is improving slowly.  Back in the early summer, we had soil tests done and it was sorely lacking.  We added the recommended items and can see a difference.  We still are looking at either sod or seeding St. Augustine a bit later to help fill in where the centipede just doesn't do well.  There's not much that's attractive to look at these days except this little area. 

We are contemplating removal of that huge sago palm.  Isn't it the way that what you'd like to die continues to thrive and what you want to thrive just up and dies on you?  

Y'all take care.