Almost Christmas: April 2022

Sunday, April 24, 2022

Ramzi and Siobhan (April 22-23, 2022)

We were so happy to have Ramzi and Siobhan over while they were in town for a wedding. On Saturday morning, we stopped for coffee and pastries at Upper Crust Bakery near our house.

At home (April 21-22, 2022)

Zephyr typically growls and hisses at Georgie, who might or might not be a stray. He regularly stops by for dinner, sometimes for breakfast. He must be or must have been somebody's boy. He's very friendly and tries to wander inside when the front door is open.

COVID test again, Day 5, the day Ramzi and Siobhan arrive. Tom and I are both negative. Yea! In the meantime, we got second boosters on Day 2.

In honor of Earth Day, I planted flowers. This one is in a 75-year-old pot from my childhood in Peru. I'll move it to the front porch on rainy days to protect the pot.

The bluebonnets are fading. I'll scatter the seeds in the back flower beds. The begonias will thrive through the summer as long as they're watered.

COVID tests (April 17, 2022)

Uh-oh! Amon and Fox weren't feeling well when they came over on Easter Day. I brought out the at-home COVID tests for the first time. They were both positive!

Tom and I tested after he got home from work at midnight. Both negative.

Kitchen window kittens (April 16, 2022)

Every cat we've had perches outside the kitchen window. Now the kittens have discovered the railing. They let us know when it's time to let them inside.

Micah working the power lines (April 11, 2022 plus)

Portland received the first measurable April snowfall since records have been kept on Monday, April 11. The snow caused tree limbs to fall on power lines, leaving at least 120,000 people without electricity. Enter Micah and the tree cutting crews! That's him in the bucket.

That's Micah in the bucket again. The last time he posted he had been at work for 23 hours. The crew is allowed to work up to 40 hours without a break. Then it's 6 hours off, 18 hours on, until power is restored. Kudos to Micah and the crews!

Micah at work. Meanwhile, Otis got a school "snow day." Snowfall ranged from an inch at the airport to 2" downtown to 5" just west of the city.

Another beehive (April 16, 2022)

We are starting year 3 of beekeeping. We must show a 5-year history of beekeeping and ultimately have 5 hives to qualify for an agricultural exemption when it comes to property taxes. Our first hive made it through 2020 (year 1) but didn't survive Winter Storm Uri in 2021. We got another hive in Spring 2021 (year 2). We added a second live hive this year. The obtained the nucleus through the Williamson County Area Beekeepers Association. We rely on the monthly member meetings to find out what to do next. Luckily bees are pretty self-reliant and seem to do best if we leave them alone.

We were happy to see so many bluebonnets at Cornerstone. We assume our existing hive has been collecting nectar and pollen from them.

The blackberries are blooming too.

Some berries are even making. We expect to pick thousands of berries in mid-May.

Papa delivered the nuc to its new home. We pried off the lid and placed the frames into an empty hive box.

Mya's Mardi Gras mask

Mya painted this Mardi Gras mask for me. Thanks, Mya! The canvas is now protected by glass and hanging in the Mardi Gras room. I'll be framing and hanging the watercolor of Delicate Arch (from Arches National Park) painted for Tom and me by Renee. Coming soon!

Billy Bob Thornton and the Boxmasters at Antone's (April 11, 2022)

Billy Bob delivered! We enjoyed him in the Goliath series on Amazon Prime. And who could forget Slingblade? We had to check out his band.

I have no idea how this photo of Papa came out so weird. Do you like his haircut? I've been his COVID haircutter since March 2020.

I think Billy Bob was living his teenage rock star dream. He told us about starting his first band in his home town of Hot Springs, Arkansas, when he was in middle school. The band masqueraded as mechanics, each with a moniker and star sign on their shirt. Notice Billy Bob is "Bud," with the Leo astrological sign, true to his August 4, 1955, birth date.

This woman next to us went crazy for the band. Billy Bob joined the drummer in a number then gave her the drumstick.

House of Light and Joy (April 11, 2022)

OK, this isn't Pinterest quality but it's my plaque in honor of our home. You'll see it on the kitchen wall next time you're here.

Kittens (April 7, 2022)

T.C. is a tall enough boy to check in with Gardenia the Hamster.

The kittens turned 7 months old on April 1. They are such buddies!

They frolic together! They groom each other! They nap cuddled together! I'm so glad we kept both of them.

Back home (Monday, April 4, 2022)

Allegiant Air back to the Austin was such an easy way to go. A little over 2 hours nonstop from Asheville. Amon worked late Monday so Fox spent the night. Always a treat to have her over!

Lake Julian Park (April 3, 2022)

Lake Julian Park is just 5 miles from home. Luckily I had quarters to buy duck food from the nearly empty dispensers. Opted not to use the quarter with the bats on it as it reminds me of Austin. It is the National Park of American Samoa quarter, featuring a mother fruit bat hanging in a tree with her pup. Now I want to go to the far flung National Park, some 2600 miles southwest of Hawaii.

The ducks know River is about to feed them.

The older siblings put Piper to work. I took turns pushing and riding. Too dizzying!

Gyroscoping, sort of

Asheville (April 2, 2022)

Not only did Piper's team win, but she was awarded a medal for being the top player on her team!

Neighbor JoJo came over after school. The Asheville Lewises were on Spring Break, but JoJo goes to a different school.

The kids pulled the inside out of bagels to make croutons and stuffed the hollowed-out bagels to make pizzas.

Mya's drawing of JoJo as a cat.

April Fools Day in Asheville (April 1, 2022)

Beautiful day for a bike ride to the nearby Town Square and ice cream shop.

With 10 pounds still to lose, I opted for Diet Coke.

Piper

We took the nature trail home. Mya's old bike was just the right size for me, as was Brandy's helmet.

Happy kids, no bear sightings, thank goodness.

Poor Banksy wears a cone due to surgery to remove a benign tumor from his leg.

Sunday, April 10, 2022

An afternoon at Claying Around (March 31, 2022)

We spent 5 hours perfecting our pottery. River painted a geometric fox; Mya drew Doug from "Up" on a dinner plate; and Piper painted a puppy bank. Fred, who works at Claying Around, kindly drew 1303 Alguno Road from a photo on my phone for me to paint.

I forgot to add Zephyr to the sidewalk. But I did remember Papa's tomato garden.

An afternoon with Mia (March 30, 2022)

Banksy is stopped at the Banksy gate. We could all step over it and Mylo the cat had no problem leaping over it.

We tried to go to the pinball museum but there was an hour wait. Instead, we went to Bee Charmer because we all love honeybees then stopped for pizza at Mellow Mushroom. Behind River is a store called Spare Chayng. Had to look up "chayng." No such word. Must have sprung from the hippie era "Got any spare change?"