to paint or not to paint

I bought paint yesterday - for the powder room and for living room doors and outside of front door. All the doors will be green, although the outside door will be a lighter color. Dark colors absorb way too much heat in Maryland summers, so I try to keep that door a pale color. The powder room will be a nice golden yellow. That will be quite a contrast from the present very colorful wallpaper. I have received conflicting advice about whether to remove the wallpaper or not. My friends say that removal is messy and unnecessary. The paint store guy says that the wallpaper may peel off, if I paint over it. Decisions, decisions. I think this is why I have put up with wallpaper I don't really like for 8 years now!


I'm still fighting with the ground hog, who I think is NOT in residence under my steps or bay window at the moment. Last night, I filled the holes back in, after saturating them with water. I thought the water would bring him/her out, but it didn't, so I'm thinking that the hole was empty. Anyway, I have added some concrete blocks to the stones blocking the hole and pounded metal poles into the ground in an attempt to keep the stones and blocks in front of the holes. Also used mothballs, as the critters seem to find them offensive. We'll see what happens next. I think that groundhogs dig several holes to use as emergency escapes. Probably there are other in the neighborhood with holes under their steps. This fall, I may mix up some concrete and fill the holes rather more permanently!

This has been a lovely week, weather-wise. Cool nights and sunny, warm (not hot) days. Temperatures are creeping up, but still pleasant. I should be outside doing some major trimming this weekend. My backyard is truly turning into a jungle this summer, thanks to the gourd and grape vines. It's going to require my tallest ladder to get those vines down. I can hardly wait - NOT! Photos show the vine coming up the steps (it has almost reached the landing); the vine growing atop bushes; and the other vine (wild grapevine?) taking over the top of an evergreen tree.