Not much to say

I'm trying to post once a week, or so. However, lately it seems as if my life has not been very interesting. I mean, it's interesting to me, but 'nothing to write home about.' I wonder who originated that phrase. Maybe a military guy in some faraway place? I probably could Google it and find out the answer. Well, I did that and found out that it became popular during WWI, but originated earlier.

This AM was lovely and cool, but it's fast heating up. I read the newspaper outside and watched the finches devour the sunflower chips in my new squirrel proof feeder. It does seem to be squirrel and large-bird proof, which is good. However, the house finches who are larger and somewhat aggressive are there more than the goldfinches. I still see some goldfinches, but those house finches are big eaters and they are going through the entire feeder in just 2 days. I'm not sure I can afford to keep feeding them!

I just took a couple of pictures of my backyard and of a hibiscus blooming out front. Some photos are posted on Facebook, but I'll post them here as well - just to take up space! I am supposed to be cleaning my floors today. They do need it. Maybe after lunch? I slept in today - until 7:30 - so am behind on today's chores. Luckily, nobody else is around to fuss about housework not done. It's just me and my conscience.

Got my hair cut this week - VERY SHORT! I think it's what is called a pixie cut. Perhaps not as attractive as my usual cut, but it doesn't need gel or a hair dryer after shampooing. I HATE using the dryer in the summer. I'll let it grow out a bit this fall. Sorry, no photo of the haircut. (Maybe just as well!)

This gorgeous dark red flower is on a hibiscus bush growing out front. It's stuck in a very full flower bed, so isn't as large as it could be, but the blooms are spectacular.  The hibiscus dies down each winter (actually I cut it down in the fall) and comes back in the spring. 

The red blooms are on the crape myrtle in the corner.  It's not yet in full bloom.  There are some tall plants with pink/purple flowers - cleome.  They self-seed - EVERYWHERE!  I pulled up hundreds of little plants this spring, but left enough for some color this summer.  This year, I need to get rid of most of them BEFORE they release their seeds.  Otherwise, I'll be pulling up little plants again next spring.  As you can see, the backyard flowers are mostly pink and purple.   I enjoy looking down on them from my deck. 

The last photo shows the two painted 'poles' that are remainders of the evergreen tree I had out there.  It died one winter, and I cut most of the branches off.  Couldn't get my saw through these two , so I just painted them as a decoration.  There are more purple cleome in this photo as well as some yellow lilies.  I think the blue flowers at the bottom are balloon flower aka Chinese bell-flower.  Never mind the Latin name.  They are flopping all over the place because I didn't get the supports around them early enough.  And all the green leaves below the lilies and around the tree stumps are - you guessed it - more cleome!  I guess I need to pull up a few more.