Author: Julia

I am a retired software solutions architect. I have been married to my husband, Bruce, for over forty years. We have a 12-pound dog, Nox, who we love dearly. She has been with us since 2009. We went full-time RVing for 3.5 years and saw much of the United States. We bought a ranch house on a hill in the middle of five acres. We are working on creating our homestead. I love cooking and enjoy sharing recipes. I am also an artist and I’ll share my current projects. Reading is my favorite hobby.

A Major Mirror Mishap

August 21, 2025 On Tuesday, August 19, I took pictures of the garden featuring basil, mint, and various insects. Bruce was getting the mower, garden rake, and shovels while I was taking pictures. Bruce and I moved dirt into the new garden bed. It was hot and sweaty work. After a couple of cartloads of […]

Mulching the Blueberries with Chips from Pine Tree One and Pine Tree Three

August 19, 2025 On Friday (August 15), I got a package. I opened it to make sure it looked good and everything worked. I adjusted the straps. I am still not certain the straps are right. On Saturday (August 16), I took a picture to share of the package contents. I bought a garden apron! […]

Having Lunch with a New Friend

August 18, 2025 On Friday (August 15), Nox needed to go out at sunrise. It had just started to rain with big, heavy raindrops. Since Nox doesn’t mind getting a little wet, I carried her outside. Nox can no longer go down steps, so I had to carry her down the steps. The raindrops were […]

One Month Follow-up for Cataract Surgery

August 14, 2025 Updated August 17 to add Bruce mowing and sunset picture. Yesterday (Wednesday, August 13), Bruce drove me to my four week follow-up for my cataract surgery. Dark clouds loomed to the north as we drove along River Road. Once we crossed the Singing River Bridge, we could see a wall of water […]

Garden Work, Dermatologist Visit, and Picking Out Frame Materials for “Lion Cubs”

August 13, 2025 Tuesday (August 12), Nox got me up at a very early hour to go outside. I tried to get back to sleep and finally gave up on getting back to sleep. I headed outside to remove grass from between the blueberry bushes. As I stepped onto the patio, I realized the potted […]

Butterfly, Two Caterpillars, and Pupa

August 13, 2025 On Sunday evening (August 10), we had a beautiful sunset. On Monday (August 11), I was feeling a lot better. In the morning, I went out to battle the squash bugs. I turned over a squash leaf and squash bug nymphs ran away. Ugh! Time for death by soapy water! Bruce joined […]

Finished the Lion Cubs

August 11, 2025 I am feeling back to normal today, except for the vaccination spots on my left arm. The area is still sore and it is warm to the touch. I can now move my arm without it hurting. While the side effects have been unpleasant, I don’t want to risk lockjaw. Our property […]

Vaccines and Price Checking What New Glasses Cost

August 10, 3025 On Friday (August 8), after volunteering most of the morning, Bruce and I decided to get lunch at Mary Lee’s since we were down that way. I didn’t realize how dirty we had gotten until we were walking into the restaurant. Fortunately, while Mary Lee’s has outstanding food, they are very casual. […]

Volunteering at Cane Creek Canyon Nature Preserve

August 10, 2025 On Friday (August 8), Bruce and I left the house around 8:15 AM to get to the Cane Creek Canyon Nature Preserve by 9:00 AM. We enjoyed the drive through the small mountains on winding roads to get to the preserve. The last bit of the drive was a one-lane gravel driveway […]

Butterflies, Flowers, Eggs, and Progress on the Third Lion Cub

August 9, 2025 On Thursday (August 7), I worked in the garden. I killed four or five tomato hornworms and some armyworms that had been chowing down on my tomato leaves and green tomatoes. I sprayed squash bugs with soapy water and removed squash bug eggs. I got a nice harvest of cucumbers, squash, okra, […]