Happy Halloween from Lord Roman Devil Dog

An eerie day, starting out in the high 70s and dropping to the 30s.  Tornado warnings until 11 pm. Lord Roman stayed wet all day.  Now enjoying the high winds bringing in the cold.  No biggie, we don't get trick or treaters anyway!

I Found My Lizards!

Last year I cleaned up the area that was full of old leaves and planted ferns.  This was the area where my lizards lived.  I thought they would like the ferns better, but they left.

With the high heat and humidity this summer, I thought they would be everywhere, but had not seen even one . . . until today!

There on the front of the house were at least a dozen and some others in the coleus.  

They were all watching me transplant iris.

Hopefully they have a warm place for the upcoming cold spell and rain.

Moved my huge sunflower stepping stone from the farmhouse to the front of my courtyard, and I like it here much better.  Doing a totally different path for the farmhouse and will show that when finished.

Yesterday and today I worked from sun up to sundown transplanting, cutting wood, pruning and cleaning up.  Rain then very cold temps this weekend, lows in the 30s.  Had to cancel guests at boathouse.  With no insulation, the wood stove just won't cut it.

In a way I would like a cold snap to bring an end to the coleus so I can plant my pansies.

Despite the drought, camellias came in strong.

My wash basin at the farmhouse is overflowing with striped marigolds.

On a sad note, my huge old evergreen is dying.  It was injured in the snow storm last winter, I repaired it, but I think the heat this summer took its toll.

The center had been cut out when it died, I planted a huge fern, but now the left side is brown and brittle.

So I will be looking at conifers to replace it.  It is a big area and probably means that the right side will eventually go, too.  I really loved this bush.

Planning on a trip to Mount Mitchell this weekend, and with the temps dipping, it will really be a nice change.  Need to see all the pretty leaves before they fall. 

PROJECTS

One project I have been trying to get to is my "dog chain" for the boathouse.  I have been asking guests to send me a photo of their dog at the lake, I send to the local print shop and have them laminated, then clip them to a wire in the bathroom, something for guests to look at while in there.

This was the main reason I stopped at IKEA on the way to the goat show, I needed more clips as we were getting more dogs and a $5 bag was going to cost $10 to ship, and I couldn't have that!

This is actually the fun part for me.

Someone posted these photos on the lake page, I copied them.  What a beautiful sunset, wish I would have seen it in person.

A beautiful fall day.

Shrooms in the wood pile.

So this is my "Strawberry Crown" pumpkin crop.  One got eaten by something before I got them out of the pasture.  Could have been that pesky bear, who is back!  Getting a trail cam!  They are supposed to be blue with a reddish crown, which as you can see did not happen, so they're just blue or gray is more like it.

Violas waiting to be planted.

Another languishing project has been the bathroom floor.  All the tile was up and it needed painting, but I was waiting until the AC was off and I could ventilate.  

I was trying to match the slate tile that I would really like for this floor, but no matter what we did at the paint store, I would get it home, it would look blue, so we finally gave up after many tries.

So I went in a completely different direction and got  the wall paint color about five shades lighter for the floor, and it looked pretty good.

It looks great with the Mercer tiles we have on the walls.  Second coat is waiting for my cold to be over, the paint smell was really bothering me.

Another project has been the afghan storage problem.  I had them all down at the farmhouse in the kitchen, and when the hurricanes were coming and my friends wanted to escape, I spent hours driving them up to the main house in the car.

What once used to be my office while I was reporting, is now the afghan room.  The computer and desk was moved to Bob's room, and I thought stacking the boxes would work, until an afghan was sold and was on the bottom and they all came tumbling down.  UGH!

My next idea was to fold each box under the afghan and stack, and so far this is working, and I get a nice visual every time I open the door. 

They're not all in here yet, but I'm getting closer to being finished.  A project I just don't want to do.

Bob also got me this neat device that takes off pills, and I spend hours a night doing this while watching TV.  Working on a silver gray throw for my friend Misha.

Halloween mantle done!

Mom, this is the ugly lamp of the month I was telling you about, and I have to admit, I like it and it is a keeper!

I've been sick the past 10 days with a nasty cold, didn't want to go to the post office, but had to.  Down the road someone hit a groundhog.  I went a different direction home because I didn't want to see it, and the church was having their sale!! WHAT?  I called weeks ago to make sure, and they weren't having it since they were building their thrift store, but then decided to have it.

The ladies actually saved afghans for me, and I found this big hunk of a lamp.  It has beveled glass and brass and with flickering light bulbs, this will be so pretty at Christmastime in the right spot.

Best part . . . only cost $2!

For the past month I have been working on Mr. Boss Man in Bossier City, Louisiana.  The group of rescue girls was getting nowhere, so I went on my own, found a "fake adopter" to go adopt this dog from the people that didn't want him, but wouldn't let him go to rescue.  

She lived 1 1/2 hrs. from where he was, so they thought she was a local girl and let her adopt him. I was shocked!!  He looks so stressed.

I started my fundraising and in two days got over $2000, and it's a good thing.  He went straight to a vet, had a horrible ear and eye infection, and fur was so matted that his back legs were stuck together.  They had to sedate him to clean and medicate his ears and shave him down.  

Two people have donated coats and sweaters, I just got two boxes in the mail today, and we have a T-shirt fundraiser to get him a bed and some medications.  He was sedated a second time this week and got neutered, xrays showing really bad hips and had four bad teeth removed.  He still will have to have heartworm treatment and entropion surgery, but I received enough donations to pay for all of it, including the $900 it will cost to get him to my friend Marcia in Drums, PA, where he will live out the rest of his life!

He came to the vet growling and snapping because of pain, and is now happy and wagging his tail at all times.  Another saved!