The gourd that ate my house...

From Sunday, August 5:

Tuesday, August 14:

The gourd that ate my house...

Three days since the last pictures. This isn't quite like watching a slab of cheese age online, but close!

It's heading over to my tree that is dying, I expect it will start climbing up it soon....

And it is starting to obscure the view out of my living room window!

The gourd that ate my house...

The neighbors are stopping by, the kids are intrigued with it, and it just keeps growing and growing!

The life of a cat

This is Mercedes taking one of her afternoon naps in her favorite "throne" of sorts. I think she sleeps 80 percent of her time and spends the other 20 percent being one of the oddest cats I have ever seen. She chases the laser light around the house, falls from the bookcase and the balcony. One evening I witnessed her trying to jump from the organ to the tv, a distance of less than a foot and she did a slow motion fall to the ground. What a silly girl. She loves her family, but she is not a very snuggly cat. You can maybe get a minute and a half of cuddle time before she slaps you across the face.

Another day in the life of a gigantic gourd plant

I awoke this morning to the sound of thunder cracking and I swear I could hear the vines on this thing creeping further around my house. I went out this afternoon and did some more redirecting and am amazed at the amount of gourds on this thing.

This is a group of the gourds that are hanging in the bush the vine is enveloping.

This one to the right is hanging from my front window. It was a blossom on Sunday, and this is Thursday so you can see how quickly they are growing!

I am really glad that AWB has talked me into journaling this little escapade. Hopefully you all will enjoy the progess of the "accidental gourd" too!

I cannot believe this

Tuesday, August 21st will be the first day of school for my kids. I took my two oldest to the high school for registration yesterday and registered my youngest one at the elementary school this morning. Summer is coming to a close and I've not yet ridden the jet skis. My oh my.

I was informed today at registration that the first day of school will be an early dismissal. You've got to be kidding me, talk about creating more chaos than necessary. I asked the reasoning behind this and it seems the school system installed new computer databases over the summer. They have offered training all summer long to the employees of the school system, but for various reasons, vacations, summer school, etc., not all were able to attend. SO.........Since attendance, grades, everything is kept on these computers, they have to complete the training the first day to get everyone up to speed. My opinion? Perhaps the teachers shoud have their first day of school on Monday, before school starts. Duh!

The accidental gourd

The accidental gourd is alive and doing quite well. The rains the last couple of nights are really helping it along. I am trying very hard to guide it off of the sidewalk, but it is now taking over another bush in the landscaping and getting so large that by week's end I will probably guide it into making the curve around the house.

My boys spent all of last week at their dad's and were very surprised at how large it had gotten when they returned Sunday evening. My youngest son is absolutely delighted and my oldest is exasperated. He does several mowing jobs in the neighborhood and I have stressed to him the importance of keeping our lawn looking nice because it basically is his business card. He feels this "accidental gourd" is a poor representation of his work and wants to tear it out. I have explained that it has now become quite entertaining for all of us, many of the neighbors included and we just have to see it through until this fall.

I don't know, we may even have to spend Halloween in our "gourd patch" and await the appearance of the "Great Gourd"!

No matter what, the blooms on this thing, and there are many, are very pretty in the early morning hours.

Finally

I finally made it out onto the lake this weekend for a moonlight cruise, but the moon decided to hide behind the clouds and it sprinkled on us just a little. It was still beautiful out on the lake and we found a home where they were having a party, they had a tent set up in the front yard with an awesome band playing music from the 70s. We thought perhaps it was the band "Nostalgia" but weren't certain. We just floated out front and listened for awhile.

The boat ride was beautiful, the wine was good and the company was my best friend in the whole world, who could ask for more?

The gourd that ate my house, part one...

Last fall when I had the kids clear away the pumpkins and gourds to make way for the Christmas stuff, apparently, a gourd was left behind. When we were out pulling weeds and discovered this little plant coming to life, my youngest son was sure it was a pumpkin vine and would not let me pull it out.

Now each time it rains, I swear you can stand at the door and watch it grow, each day, it just keeps stretching out further and further...it has overtaken the bush beside it and is climbing up the window. I reroute it quite frequently to keep it off the sidewalk somewhat and try to keep it out of the yard so my oldest son doesn't mow over it to tick off the youngest son.

The thing is, its gourds not pumpkin, upon close inspection this weekend it was discovered there are at least 19 gourds growing on this thing, hanging from the bush and my window too! Its turning into a monster, hehehe.

Thriller

Something for inmates to do in their "spare time"

Anyone know if this is true?

Two moons on 27 August 27th Aug the Whole World is waiting for............. Planet Mars will be the brightest in the night sky starting August. It will look as large as the full moon to the naked eye. This will cultivate on Aug. 27 when Mars comes within 34.65M miles of earth. Be sure to watch the sky on Aug. 27 at 12:30 am. It will look like the earth has 2 moons.The next time Mars may come this close is in 2287.

Doc Danny - I'll bring the wine, you bring the boat ;)

Comfort Food?

Everyone has a comfort food. Their favorite meal when not feeling well or at the end of a bad day. Mine has always been a grilled cheese sandwich and some vegetable soup. My youngest son also likes a grilled cheese but opts for tomato soup. My daughter craves ice cream and sprite when she is down or not feeling so well. My oldest son....well he has a stomach of steel it seems and its also bottomless, I am pretty sure his comfort food is steak! Just gotta love kids!