September 13

Excuse us for taking some time away in September and October in order to attend to the needs of our elderly mothers. Progress on our house projects will not halt, but will slow to a pace that does not require frequent updates. Today's post may be the last for a little while. Sit back, relax, or go off and do your own thing!

Yesterday was kind of a hard day because we (actually, Bruce) cut down the ailing dogwood tree that has been a sentinel at our front walkway since before the house was ours. It was diagnosed with a dogwood disease that has "anthrax" somewhere in it, so it was only a matter of time. Rather than pull it out, we are trying the route of leaving several feet of the trunk in place and incorporate it into some type of yard art. The final look has yet to be conceived, but we are learning patience in this home restoration business.
We will miss our dogwood. It served the neighborhood birds in all seasons.

Here is the new look by the walkway entrance. We moved some rocks and then put in the plants that have been waiting since June. Some time soon the tops of the trunk will be refined.

I also finished creating the garden bed next to the driveway. Several of our dwarf cherry trees are not doing well. It may be a case of over-watering. We will fill in between the trees with several peony plants in the spring.

The bird feeder is now relocated in one of the japanese maples at the south end of the deck. The chickadees are visiting it, so we hope others will come too.