Interesting afternoon

I am getting better at this long distance computer assistance. Phone call from Michigan-
We have a new camera and I want to get the pictures off my camera and on to my Chromebook but nothing happens. It took a bit for the rust to flake off . I signed into Chrome on the Chromebook . Butch has been using the Chromebook so I had not been on it in a while. His wifes account worked for them to bring in the pictures from the camera. After the fact I knew why that happened. When we set up her account we signed into Google photos and brought in a few pictures to briefly show her how it worked thus the computer recognized that when she hooked up the camera those pictures were to go into that spot. However we set up her husbands account later and we didn't introduce him personally.wink,wink. Once we opened Google photos while in his account and let it find the camera photos they came in and it will take care of itself in the future.
The other problem was more commonplace but often difficult to find. A friend was trying to send him emails and they were never getting to him. My first instinct was  either they were going into spam or the email address was wrong in some way. Checked spam and that wasn't it. So then we looked at the address.  Oftentimes someone will leave a space usually near the @ sign  so the email will look like this blank @gmail.com instead of blank@gmail.com. You can see how easy that might be to miss. But that was not the problem this time. Cue was the first word of the email address and his friend was using que. So that one letter was fouling up the works. How did I find this long distance? I know both fellows so I sent the friend the man's email address as I knew it to be and then asked him to send an email from the message I sent instead of from his contact list.  And that made it clear. And we all breathed a sigh of relief.

A while back a lady asked if Butch would paint her garage door. I assured her she didn't want him to but today he did a bit of painting in a potting shed and I wish I had taken a picture of him so I had proof. He was paint clear to his elbows and beyond. Thank god it was only a potting shed.

And now I will get the latest photos of todays work:

Shingles will be the job for tomorrow...whoohoo!!

Messed it up

When I mess something up, all of you who are signed on for automatic updates in your email do not see something when I fix it. Thus I am making out a new one of the messed up message and sending it as fresh so all my email followers will see it in all its fixedness.

"Tuck a strip of zinc beneath the ridge shingles at the top of every roofline on your house. You'll need to sneak in a nail every couple of feet; make sure shingles cover the nails. A zinc strip is a long-term solution for controlling moss, algae, and fungus growth. Every time it rains, the metal strip leaches away small amounts of fungistats, which kill the fungus and keep the shingles looking their best.
Note: If moss, algae, or fungus is already growing on your roof, kill it and remove any residual debris before placing the zinc strip."

In the future if you notice that I have made a booboo you can go to the website to see if I have caught it. 

I didn't know this till today.

Screwed this one up big time but now I have FIXED it!

Tuck a strip of zinc beneath the ridge shingles at the top of every roofline on your house. You'll need to sneak in a nail every couple of feet; make sure shingles cover the nails. A zinc strip is a long-term solution for controlling moss, algae, and fungus growth. Every time it rains, the metal strip leaches away small amounts of fungistats, which kill the fungus and keep the shingles looking their best.
Note: If moss, algae, or fungus is already growing on your roof, kill it and remove any residual debris before placing the zinc strip.

Monday, Monday

Strange day on the trail...As I approached the river bridge on my bike a car was coming toward me on the trail. It was a police car. Needless to say this has never happened before. The trail is wide enough for a car but barely so I pulled off and waited for them to go by. They waved and went on. I assume they were looking for someone because when I turned around and came back to town I saw them again slowly going by on a road parallel to the trail. And as I neared town I heard sirens for a long time. Do not know if the incidents are connected or not but this sort of activity is unusual in our small town.
 While I was on the river bridge I spotted a deer on the far side of the river. She was eating breakfast and I had to snap her picture.

And the progress on the room is moving right along.

Grampa Leo's first grandson-

Brady celebrated his second birthday. Yup, he's two!! Leaving babyhood behind!

RRVT trail treats

Rolled out of bed this morning feeling wishy washy about going for a bike ride. As it looked like a pretty morning I decided to suck it up and go. Down to the river and back I went but on the way back ,almost into town I spotted this sight.

Mama allowed me time to stop my bike get my phone out of my bike bag and get quite a few shots. Problem is when you have been riding and then suddenly stop and try to be still it is difficult. Your body has a natural vibration that takes a while to still itself. You have seen that commercial -" A body in motion tends to stay in  motion". It is very true. Thus there is more blur in this shot than I like.
By comparison this shot of the buzzards was taken while Colleen and I were walking. Much better clarity- despite the swarm of mosquitoes. The mosquitoes were not biting...I used the recipe liberally before I left home-but they were swarming around my head. I stayed focused enough to get this shot but we didn't stick around long

The weather is perfect this morning. Would love to see it stick around through next week!

Saturday

Friend Jack L. called to see if we would like to go see the movie "Jersey Boys", after going to Jerilynn and Petes for drinks then out to eat and we said yes.
Jersey Boys was a great movie! I enjoyed every minute of it. Then we gathered for drinks and conversation followed by a meal at Casa de Oro. It was a great day. Lots of fun with part of the Deja Vu group.

On Day 5...

It rained. Would have been wonderful if the rain had held off but it didn't. Rained a good portion of the morning. Russ came as soon as he was able and started right in.

So Friday put the progression on hold but will begin again on Monday. We are really wanting the roof on. We will have less angst when it rains once the roof is on. It is really taking shape and we are pleased.

At the end of day 4...

All 4 sides are up and he has started on the rafters. When finished there will be a total of 8 windows and one door on three sides. That is a lot of area to see out of! The last I heard the door was in at the lumberyard but the 8 windows were not. They were ordered 12 days ago. Hopefully they will be here by the time we are ready for them. Butch said it would happen fast once Russ started and I guess he was right. Sure glad the ol guy is right on occasion.

Rolling, rolling, rolling...

keep those doggies rolling ...ALONG!!!
The room is moving right along. We have possible storms this weekend so I would love to see at least a roof on it by then and by golly it looks like that may happen.
Here are the latest pictures:

Russ and Butch...They sure get a lot of conversation in, in a day.

Bug repellant results

I mixed up my first batch of bug repellant today. I think it will work but have not given it a good test yet. There is a BIG mosquito in my house named Butch that is repelled by it! 

He thought he needed to go outside due to the strong odor of the mixture. So you see why I think it will work! 

Leo's Ducks

Big Leo has a love of ducks. His duck order arrived today.

The rest of us do not love ducks as much as Leo. 

This Mornings Trail pics

Room with a view-Day 2

Walls are happening on day 2. We were able to open our west door in the living room and step out for a look standing on the floor of the new room. It is very strange looking at our back yard from a new perspective. I am sure we will love it and can hardly wait to see the finished project.
Here are photos of work in progress.

Russ

One wall up and two to go!

Russ and Butch

The work commences...

Russ came yesterday and placed the boards for the floor. Then Butch and I laid the moisture barrier in the bottom and then put in the insulation. Russ brought his grandson with him today to get the sub-floor down. I have a good view from my computer. I was just now watching Russ as he was waiting for his grandson to saw a piece of wood for him. Unknown to him Russ's hands were making the motions as his grandson was doing the work. Much like a mother works her mouth when feeding her baby. It made me smile. Grandson Tyson is a grown man but Grandpa Russ was mentally guiding him none the less.

Yesterday I tackled my hostas. They are on the north side of the house and have not been doing well. I thought perhaps they were getting too much competition from the grass so I cleaned them out and then placed some landscape fabric around them and laid down mulch. It was a big chore but they look nice now. I am hoping they will thrive. Also Butch will be able to tell more easily they are off limits for mower and weed eater.

Bugs for Breakfast

On my ride this morning I had to keep my mouth closed due to bugs. Not an easy feat  while biking. Also I had no desire to dilly dally at the bridge. I had sprayed myself with OFF! but that is limited in effectiveness. Then I read the magnolia blog and Kay V. had posted this recipe for bug repellant. A very timely recipe!
From Kay:

Mosquito repellant 

Citronella--60-70 drops

peppermint--30-40 drops

eucalyptus--20-30 drops

lemongrass--20-30 drops

1 Tablespoon of vinegar

water to fill rest of container.   Use a colored glass spray bottle size 4 ounce

I got my supplies from a health food store; total cost was around $28---sounds expensive, but I have enough to last the entire summer, and to make some for the kids too! After measuring out all those "drops"--the bottles have very little used.  It is easy to make, just turn the bottle upside down and count the drops!  Kay

More from me:

This morning I spotted a Baltimore oriole, a dead mouse and lots of baby bunnies. The baby bunnies can be a real hazard when they get all panicky. I have taken to ringing my tiny bell continuously from quite a distance to clear the trail of baby bunnies. I bet you did not know that baby bunnies could be a biking hazard.

The day after...

Awoke to a thunderstorm this morning so no walking with Colleen or biking to the river. I am disappointed. There are chores that need done here so I will get an early start on them. Load of laundry is in progress right now.
I keep thinking I should do some lesson planning for the computer classes but winging it seems to work down south so will probably find out how it works up north! I do have a few things in mind for a start.  You knew I would!

Books I have read most recently:
Mother Earth Father Sky (The Ivory Carver Trilogy ,1) by Sue Harrison
 A young woman fights for survival amid the brutality of the last Ice Age
It’s 7056 BC, a time before history. On the first day that Chagak’s womanhood is acknowledged within her Aleut tribe, she unexpectedly finds herself betrothed to Seal Stalker, the most promising young hunter in the village. A bright future lies ahead of Chagak—but in one violent moment, she loses her entire way of life. Left with her infant brother, Pup, and only a birdskin parka for warmth, Chagak sets out across the icy waters on a quest for survival and revenge.

This was a free book  with BookBub when I "purchased" it but I see it is no longer free. It hooked me enough to buy the other two.

Mother Earth Father Sky (The Ivory Carver Trilogy ,1) by Sue Harrison
My Sister the Moon (The Ivory Carver Trilogy,2)
Brother Wind (The Ivory Carver Trilogy, 3)



Always need to throw in a self help book now and then.
The Four Agreements: A Practical Guide to Personal Freedom..
Don Miguel Ruiz
In The Four Agreements, don Miguel Ruiz reveals the source of self-limiting beliefs that rob us of joy and create needless suffering. Based on ancient Toltec wisdom, The Four Agreements offer a powerful code of conduct that can rapidly transform our lives to a new experience of freedom, true happiness, and love.
 A New York Times bestseller for over 7 years

Raccoon River

4th of July!!

Keri joined me for a ride to the river and then we joined Colleen for a walk. We saw a deer in the school yard and then it walked across the road right in front of us. Later Butch and I went back to the river and we saw some mink playing on the rocks. That was a rare treat!
And then tonight Keri came in town and we walked to the bike trail with our lawn chairs for the fireworks display.

mink

Lennon and Maisy

Love these girls and their song!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0-Mr2pmuad4