Tree Removal Time

I have been waiting nearly 6 weeks since speaking to the man from the best rated tree service to come take down 4 trees that lean toward the house.  This is after visiting the city hall and the Pope County Courthouse to find out who owns them.  There is a 10-20 foot strip of land down the whole neighborhood fence line that no one seems to own.  So 1 of the trees is actually on this property, but 3 are not. Finally, the guys came.

Hard to see but it's a guy up in a bucket.

5 o'clock rolled around and they were out in a flash.  I got a call the next afternoon that 2 of the guys ended up in the hospital due to poison oak and that they would not be coming back to do any more than what has been done.  

Which leaves all the wood piled up directly behind the fence and 4 10 foot tall stumps just over the fence.  They are more obvious in person than what shows up in pictures.  The one in the yard was completely removed stump and all. ( A 4th behind the fence was taken because it was in the way to get to the 2 big oaks so that's why there are 4 stumps back there.)

I thought of putting a bird house on each for something interesting too look at, but instead I might make them into tall woodland people houses.  

Like this but much taller:

1st I'll have to do some major poison oak control.

Different seasons, but the 2 big oaks over our heads in the Christmas picture (leaning towards the living room and Canyon's room), a spindly one to the left (leaning towards my room and bathroom) and the gum tree on the right leaning directly over Canyon's room, are gone.

Now it looks like this (which actually looks like more because everything is leaved out!)

Will have to wait til winter and check it out again.

Hey, maybe I wont have so many leaves to rake too!

Sahara's New JOB

Sahara applied for a different position at the company she has been working for as her part time job for the last 5 years.  Her current position is as Canyon's waiver worker.  Her new position is full time in management and up in Rogers, Arkansas close to Fayetteville. She will have to give her 2 weeks notice at Perspectives (YaY) and also give up her wavier position which is a big bummer. This means Canyon will have a new person and it has just worked out so much better with a person we all know.  She will do training for the new job locally for about 2 weeks and then the rest of the training will be up there.  Jared has a couple of opportunities up there as well and his older brother and family live there.  So, big changes for us all in the next month!  Jared was on a bachelor party retreat for his cousin when she got the news, so I took her on a celebratory dinner.

Canyon's / Hall Bath

Finally got around to ripping that over-sized pallet shelf from the wall in this bathroom.

Doing so cause some wall damage as I knew it would.  The people before loved nails.

Plus I don't know what kind of paint they used, but it left streaks between the pallet slats.

So I bought a bamboo mat and hung it on the wall and then attached some decor.

I think it looks a lot better than that big pink shelf. It also gives 4-5 extra inches of space for hips and elbows when trying to towel dry or getting dressed.

Plant Craze

Maybe it's because I've done all I can do with the outside for now, but I have been gathering houseplants.

Sahara got me into succulents.

Unfortunately, this roller coaster cactus did not make it home in one piece.  I planted all 3 pieces anyway hoping they may root.  It was 7 inches tall with waves of different layers and about to bloom, but now the tallest part is only 2 inches tall and the bloom buds have all wilted.  :(

These 2 are new.

This one in my bedroom window almost got thrown out.  I've had it forever and just keep cutting all the length off over and over.  But I found a nifty cone hanging basket and gave it a new chance.

Also couldn't pass up Hobby Lobby's 50% off grape lights.

Did I say the outside was done?  Silly me!  I added 6 little Fire Power Bamboo bushes and trimmed up the holly to be more tree like.

And this little Marigold would not bloom in my windowsill.  I stuck it out here and basically forgot about it and it's as happy as can be.  It was an end of the school year gift.

Surgery was a no-go

Bright and early we headed to St. Mary's for hernia repair.

Once in the room he refused to get in the gown for 1 1/2 hours.

Finally, we were successful. In the bed and gowned!

However, no co-operation from him in the OR so the surgery was cancelled.  It will be rescheduled at Children's in the future.

Mom and Canyon Day

He had blood work done today, then we stopped off at The Alley for a selfie with the astronaut for the 50th anniversary of the moon landing.

Next was Taco Bell and then The Lion King.

Backyard Visitor

Looks like someone has figured out where to find food.

Sorry, all gone today!

Furniture Fun

I started with this piece, It is Sahara's birthday gift. Shhhhhh

Then Sahara and Jared painted their end table and coffee table. Jared picked the color to match what I did for her birthday,

Next, I found an old wooden office chair and did it red for work.

Then my floor lamp and end tables to match.

Kitchen table took 3 days. 1 to paint, 1 to seal, and 1 to wait to make sure it was completely dry.

It had some marks and needed help anyway.

It in no way turned out like what I had in my head, but it's funky and suits me.

Front door went from ashy-black to maize-distressed.  I'm not sure if I like it.  It will work for now and the Fall anyway.  :)

And the mailbox to match.  Sahara made the house numbers for me.