The past few weeks

We like hosting visitors. It is a lot of fun to spend time with family and friends, it is a great excuse to visit that restaurant we always wanted to go to, and it is usually nice to play tourist in our own town. We have had visitors, in some form or another, for the past 4 weekends. It has been a lot of fun but unfortunately not much has progressed on the house. I don’t think we have even properly cleaned the place in 5 weeks – a somewhat scary thought.

All has not been lost though. I have made some strides in the yard work over the past few weeks. It is actually pretty easy to do work in the yard while people are visiting. I can get out early in the morning (usually between 5:30 and 6), before anyone is awake, and muddle around as much I like – as long as I don’t make too much noise. Since I have been able to spend a lot of time outside, and since it has rained quite a bit for the past few weeks, the yard is looking pretty good. The rain barrels are now both installed, the wildflowers are doing well in the front, and the vegetable and herb garden is planted and thriving. Another highlight is that it appears the first crop of raspberries is about a week or so away.

The installation of the second rain barrel went a little easier than the first. I partially credit the learning experience of installing the first one but more importantly, I credit the vinyl screen I used on the top in lieu of the metal one I used on the first. I typical HATE plastic on, in, or near the house but using the plastic screen made the installation so much easier because you could screw the top of the rain barrel right over it without it binding, tearing, or slipping out (like the metal one did).

We have the beginnings of a nice compost pile. I have layered stockpiled yard and kitchen waste with dirt and leaves. We are now composting just about anything within reason. I haven’t built a decent enclosure around it (that might make too much noise) but it seems to be doing well and has yet to spill over into the garden.

Our back porch has hopefully seen the last person trip on it. After much goading from just about everyone that has used it, the rear stair has had a major overhaul. Now we just need to get used to it NOT creaking when we walk down it.

After much anticipation and much publicity, the cicadas never came. I had hoped this would be a highlight of the blog for the past month but the few we had were eaten by our ravenous robins. I hear a faint call here and there but not the chorus that seems to be developing in the nearby forest preserve. Maybe we’ll have a better showing in another 17 years.

The inside of the home has not changed in about 6 weeks but this will hopefully change as we are not expecting our next visitor until the end of July.