Yes, really nice of them. I better buy some cupcakes. I can't cook well enough to make cookies. lol More rain! Are you getting a lot too?
Yes, got a big rain this afternoon and more to come tonight. Been a long time since we had such a wet summer! I was out back pulling weeds and had to come inside because it started raining. Making the weeds happy! Went to Lowes today and the trees they have planted in the parking lot area are already changing colors! They must be Sugar Maples? Made me smile.....!
Haven't been loafing, any more than usual. It's just that I've started a bunch of jobs and none has gotten finished to report, for various reasons. These are 3 solid green Japanese Spindle bushes (Euonymus japonicus, one of the Five Awful Plants For The Front Of Your House) that have gotten out of hand again, but they are in the BACK of the house. They are there to hide a basement stone wall that leans and looks like it's going to collapse, but it isn't. One truckload of trimmings later revealed mildew on the side of the house. This is what happens in the humidity here when things don't get sunlight. They need to be cut down more, but I wanted to make sure I didn't kill them by taking off too much in the summer heat. Sure enough they started sprouting almost immediately. Dangling out the windows, I discovered that the mildew could be removed but the paint is worn off the shingles and the house needs painted. {sigh} I could paint the back side myself by reaching out those windows. I think I need some slower growers there instead, like boxwood, and move these somewhere else. If that's the case they need to be cut way down and moved this winter. Job postponed until cold weather. Then I discovered this---artificial boxwoods! Just bury the legs in the ground and hose off the dust occasionally. Yes!!! ...
Nancy, I have seen these artificial outside shrubs used in a commercial setting (gas station in urban setting) and around a swimming pool for privacy. No more dying bushes, and can be removed to mow grass. Not sure of the "life" of them regarding fading, or rusting. These could work on roof or balcony applications as well.
Seriously though, I would enjoy trimming hedge if I could ever get caught up with it. Probably should get the house painted first. But I really could paint the whole back myself easily. Even have a gallon of matching paint left over. It's the sides I can't do, but they don't need it so much. I may just do that! Thanks for making me think, Joe.
Just think of the possibilities with a whole row of these in the yard. You could store so much more stuff.
I have been researching for someone to come and pressure wash our house. It's vinyl siding and we had it done about 3 years ago but the girl and her boyfriend don't do it anymore (maybe they split up?). They were reasonable with their pricing and did an outstanding job. We did it ourselves years ago. We rented a lift from Home Depot and we have a pressure washer but I don't trust Mike or me on a ladder any more to do the back of this two story house!
If I get the house painted I want the mildew off first, and any powdery stuff. I suppose painters do that also? Could be someone specializing in pressure wash might do a better job. What kind of lift is that? Sounds interesting. One side of my house is by the driveway and would be easy. The other is sloped lawn. There really isn't that much to paint above the first floor. How is your husband doing with his back?
Main trunk of pear tree down today. Everything hauled off and raked clean. Wish I had done this years ago. My mother was always complaining about that tree. I understand why now. I may put a bird bath on top of that stump.
Nancy, it's a lift that you pull behind your truck if you have a trailer hitch. It's called a scissor lift and it has an enclosed bucket. Worked great on the driveway side of the house but we did not have good access to the back of the house. Mike's back is better or he has not complained about it much lately. Maybe it was because I told him he would not be able to go to the GA games if his back hurt that bad! Instant cure! LOL I must have been a doctor in my other life! Thanks for asking.
That's tempting. The two tall sides of the house still have asbestos shingles. They really hold paint well. The house was last painted in 1982 and the paint has only now washed off enough so you can see it in places. May only have to be painted one more time if it's a good job. It just affects the looks of the house, doesn't hurt it, so I'm not that worried about it. The well established painting and pressure washing people may refuse to do asbestos. Doesn't scare me.