I Love This Little Fox

I just...can't...even.

This is best thing I have seen all day.

I think the dog took it fairly well...do you?

Evolution of an Adams Homes 2705 Craftsman Two-Story, 2008-2015

I was adding pictures to my most recent post, and I came across photos of our Florida home-building process.  

My husband had a blog that chronicled our building experience with photos, but it seems to have been lost in the nether of the internet.  

The clearing of our lot began in November/December of 2008.  We closed on our home in March of 2009.  

It is an Adams Builders Craftsman two-story plan.   This sketch was basically what I had to go on to get the gist of what it would look like.  There was no home like this in our town so I couldn't walk through it; ours was the first (and I think, still only) home to be built with these features.  

It would be fun, at some point (when my house is clean!) to do before and after photos of the interior.  

Clearing of the lot.  It is at the end of a cul-de-sac.

2009

Look at how much the area by the fence has filled in!

2009, Fall

2015, Spring

2015

2015

Palm Tree From Hell

The middle palm is the offender.  

I have been under the weather this past week.

Okay...well,  not really "under the weather."

More like I was attacked by the palm tree of death.

Do you know that palm trees can seriously f- you up?  I sure didn't.   I was blissfully ignorant of this danger.

Animals?

Yea, sure; we live in Florida.

We had a bobcat walk through our backyard several years ago.  I didn't notice it, but when my (then) three-year-old started yelling about the "lion in the backyard," I quickly took notice.

We have bears.  There are bear crossing signs everywhere here, as there are deer crossings in Minnesota.

Since moving into this home five years ago, we have had three cotton mouth snakes in our yard, one behemoth in our street and one baby (eek!) in our house.

I will save the "in the house" incident to discuss at a later time.

So, I was gardening ~ as I usually do ~ without gloves.

A sylvestris palm poked my thumb as I was cutting it, and a small fragment was left behind.   I tried to squeeze it out.  I used tweezers and a sewing needle to no avail.

You hear that your body will "push out" the offending foreign object.   I possessed that hope for several days, because seriously, who wants to go to the doctor for sliver?  I didn't.

It became infected.  Then,  I had some sort of reaction to whatever venom/bacteria/fungus the death trap possessed.

The first emergency room visit focused on the swelling and streak moving up my arm.   I was put on Bactrim.

The second emergency room visit was concerning the insane stinging pain in my hand and joint.  And honestly, I wasn't 100% confident in the weird, semi-unprofessional emergency room experience the day before.  (I really, really hope they send me a survey.)

I was put on a second antibiotic.

The THIRD emergency room visit was because the redness was spreading and it was seriously freaking me.  The heck.  Out.

I was afraid that I would be that "Florida-Weird" story of a girl who was injured doing mundane yard work, and who ended up with her hand amputated.

During that third visit, the doctor lanced the wound because by that time it was an abscess.  She cleaned the wound out with a syringe.

I walked into the hospital with a fever.

I walked out with a normal temperature, and twelve hours later the wound looked a million times better.

It was pretty amazing.

I took away several lessons from this entire incident:

1.)  I will wear gloves while doing yard work.
2.)  I will be more careful while doing yard work.
3.)  I (probably) will not wear flip flops while doing yard work.
4.)  Palm trees are pretty but can hurt you.
5.)  I will not be a wallflower about a sliver.
6.)  I will definitely be more appreciative of my health.  It is amazing how something so seemingly             silly took me down so completely.

I am hoping that this week will be much more uneventful; that was enough drama for me.

Adorable Little Buzz and the Dandelion, May Day and Bacon Facts

Happy May Day!  

I flipped over my bacon calendar this morning and learned that "males prefer bacon slightly more than females do."

I also learned that "starting the day with a high protein, high fat breakfast such as bacon and eggs improves the metabolism and further facilitates circulation and digestion."  

I have neither bacon nor eggs; I had two pieces of toast.  

I am probably screwed.  

I needed a pick-me-up today...feeling a little...meh.

Luckily, I found this adorable video that made me smile before I went for the leftover Mexican food in the fridge.  

Enjoy little Buzz.

Dirt, Sweat and Sunburns on a Lanai

Yesterday morning I looked out at our lanai and was completely repulsed.

We had let it go for much of a year.

The dogs had tracked in dirt and sand from the backyard.

The profuse inundation of pollen in late winter left a film of yellow dust on every surface.

I was tired of actively apologizing to visitors who had the misfortune of happening upon this sad excuse of an outdoor space.

It was that bad. 

And it was daunting; it was easier not to look.

So, as Kelly and Michael began their playful banter, I started sweeping.

I swept.  And swept.  And swept.  

And the sand/pollen that I couldn't sweep into the dustpan, I sucked up with  my little stick vac (which  could very well be the best spent $14.99 at Walmart).

When I realized that I couldn't really get into the corners unless I moved the furniture, I started moving everything to the lawn.

And I continued to sweep.  I was covered in dirt and smelled like something the cat dragged in.

Then I brought out the power washer.   I power washed the sh*& out of that space.  I power washed the furniture outside.  I power washed until I had earned a blister.  

Five hours later I had a lanai with a floor you could eat off of.  Well...not really.  But close.

And a sunburn.  I  have no idea how this happened.

As I brought the furniture back in, I rearranged to make more room.  

The lanai faces the east which is perfect because it gets the morning sun.  Even on the hottest of summer days you can feel a sea breeze.  

It is a nice place to be...when it isn't totally disgusting.

My husband also got a bee in his bonnet this week about painting our front columns.  Again, this is the sort of thing that you don't realize is is bad until you have guests over...or you take a moment to look objectively.

I took over the painting and finished  this after noon.

Just thought I would add some pics today of my past two days:

The hoya loves its south location

Another hoya and a cactus orchid plant.

Christmas cactus

Another hoya flower

I just think the hoya flowers are so cool.  

A night cereus

Before painting.  Some cracks were patched last year...

After...big difference.

The view from the ladder.  

More Sally Holmes flowers today.

Sally Holmes

This little skink came and hung out with me as I painted.  I wished he was the brilliant blue and purple color...they can be so pretty (for a lizard).

Mimosa tree has flowers!