One year ago, Connor earned his purple belt and moved up into the intermediate group. This year, he earned his brown belt and moved into the advanced group. I am one proud mama!
Status: September 26, 2020 at 03:13PM
It always makes me so happy when the guys go out for a bike ride together — not because I get alone time, but because THEY do.
Garden Bloggers’ Bloom Day: September 2020
These photos were all taken on September 15th, although it took a bit longer than anticipated for me to actually sit down and post them.
The sedum I moved to this container a few years back really seems to like it here. 
This potted kalanchoe lives outside until it gets too chilly… which will be soon. 
I bought Zahara Coral Rose Zinnia seeds from Jung Seed some three years ago. This zinnia is my kind of annual — I fully intend to broaden my zinnia horizons in 2021. 
David Austin Heritage English Rose produced several bloom flushes this year, and is finally almost the size she was before the Polar Vortex of several years back. 
Maypop (aka passion flower vine) is crazy invasive, but so beautiful. 
I might have let the Maypop vines get a little out of hand this summer. 
Dortmund climbing rose is stalwart and steady, year after year. 
I regularly “edit” this stand of goldenrod, right up until autumn. Then, when they show their colors, I’m glad to have missed a few. 
The purple Rose of Sharon didn’t make it through this past winter. I was (sort of) pleased to see purplish volunteers popping up by the white one. Before long, I may need to start pruning these into a hedge. 
This No-ID miniature rose is a trooper. She always is the first and the last in bloom, and her flowers open pink and mature to white. 
Amur honeysuckle is fruiting. I really need to prune this bad boy. 
I bought some Mexican sunflower seeds from Nan Ondra’s Etsy shop earlier this year. A+ will grow again! Fuzzy bumbles and hummingbirds alike adore these bright pops of orange. 
This volunteer Zebra Mallow seems to like living next to September Charm anemone. 
The panicle hydrangea never fails to impress. 
To play off the colors of the dwarf Japanese maple by the sunroom, I started some nasturtiums — John Scheepers Bloody Mary mix. I think this is a winning combination.
Thanks as always to Carol Michel for hosting Garden Bloggers’ Bloom Day on the 15th of each month! As Elizabeth Lawrence said, “We can have flowers nearly every month of the year.”
Achievement Unlocked: Krav Maga Green Belt
I have successfully earned my green belt in Krav Maga… although I aggravated my already-injured right quad muscle during tonight’s test. Let’s just say I’m glad I’m done with class for the week.
Ten-Dollar Trombone
Picked this up at a garage sale this afternoon. Couldn’t believe it was a trombone and not just an empty case for ten bucks! I’m not a low-brass player — never have been — but I couldn’t pass that up.
I scrubbed all the nasties out of the mouthpiece and determined that the horn plays just fine, despite having a jammed slide lock and a few crumples here and there.
It’s not like I need another hobby, but… even just the basic warmups I pulled out of my brain from 15+ years ago reminded me how much I enjoyed playing brass.