Spring into Summer

I walked out onto the lanai this morning and had a hard time believing it was still April.  It feels like a summer morning out there.  I let Beau into the yard and then decided to get my cell phone and take a couple of pictures because the plumeria trees have really taken off and I needed to take another picture to document this stage of our pineapple.

First, the Plumeria.

The height of these older trees that span the southwestern corner of our lanai is probably about 12 feet now and their branches spread out a good 8 feet in diameter.  Butch keeps them pruned to prevent damage to the pool enclosure.  When he prunes, he tosses the piece he has cut over onto a table and lets them dry for a couple of months.  Then he sticks them in pots or directly into the ground where they will start a new tree.  As much as I love the scent of a rose, I love the plumeria even more.  There is nothing on earth that smells as heavenly to me.  I have brought them back from Kauai or Maui many times.  And when we see someone working in a yard that is home to a color we do not have, we will stop and ask them to call us when they prune the next time.  We've traded "sticks" with a number of other Plumeria lovers.

Now for the new love of our lives....our PINEAPPLE

That bloom I was so excited about a few weeks ago began the production of the most fascinating fruit we have ever grown.  We will definitely plant the top to this one after we harvest it.  It is not just fascinating.  It is also beautiful.  Each of those little blooms closes and others open as the fruit forms.  After months of nothing much going on (except for the growth of the huge foliage) it is so gratifying to see the fruit itself take off. This has been such fun -- and not much work at all.

The summer like temperatures we have had this week have caused these tropical plants to experience growth spurts.  So even though I would like to see it stay cooler a little longer, this early summer has its benefits.

Later this week I'll give you a tomato plant update!

What a day...

This is pretty much all I have seen of my hubby for the last couple of days.  Yep.  Except, he works barefoot and in shorts so I get a view of his mighty fine legs while he works.

And cusses.

Not bad, though.  Mostly "shit" and "damn" or "son of a ----" -- never the really bad stuff.  ;-)

We went out around 2 to shop for a new kitchen faucet and got back around five.  Lowe's had one we liked.  Things sure have changed in the last few years.  Thank goodness he is good at this stuff.  I just wish he didn't have to do it.

Had not felt like this in years

Almost everything I have touched this morning has been a problem.  I think it is because it is Monday and I was actually trying to do some work instead of easing into my day the way I normally do.  You see, I save Mondays for "me" time as much as possible.  But today, I had procrastinated about getting some paperwork prepared and submitted to continue the exemption for the FOL's property taxes.

I pulled out the application for exemption that I had completed in 2009 and was relieved to see that the application was almost identical.  I had made copies of all the attachments so all I had to do was change the dates and make a new copy for our files.

Then my husband said he was going out for a little while.

That meant I wouldn't have to make a run to the Post Office!

While he waited for me to address the big manila envelope, weigh it, and attach the stamps, I must have trashed six envelopes.  First, I addressed it to myself. WTH?  Obviously not enough caffeine.  Then, I addressed it to the County Courthouse street address instead of the mailing address.  Another fail.  Then misspelled the Property Appraiser's name.  A fourth attempt found me putting my personal info in return address. Okay, so it was only four trashed envelopes.  I got it right on the fifth try.

What I find interesting is that I was able to complete the form and attachments A through F with no problems, while simply addressing the envelope took me what seemed FOREVER.

Probably because I knew he was waiting to leave.

So now I have completed the one task I assigned myself for the day.

And I'm back to loving Mondays again.

Somebody Needs a Haircut

Beau's getting a little scruffy.  Not sure whether it's this week or next that Lee comes to groom him.

The Beach Sunflowers are in bloom at Howard Park Beach and Sunset Beach.  I really love these flowers.  They are perennials and bloom practically all year.

And the roses are blooming now, too.

I'm trying to decide what to do with these tiles I painted.  I'm thinking about framing and grouting them but cannot decide whether to put them in one large frame or to frame individually and hang as a group.

A small problem, really....

Lately I have been encountering a lot of negativity in posts from an individual on a message board I have been a member of for about 10 years now.  If I post something about what I like, etc., within a couple of hours, she'll post how she doesn't care for that.  If I mention I haven't done something, then she posts that she ALWAYS does it because etc., etc., etc.

I am trying not to take it personally but it seems pretty specific in response to things I have posted.  And it isn't just a point of view.  It is an attack on the thing/person I happen to enjoy.

I've stopped posting every day the way I used to and have noticed that other people are not posting either.  Maybe they are getting negative vibes, too?  Maybe I haven't noticed that she has done the same to others?

Oh well, if this is my biggest problem, I really don't have any problems at all, do I?  It's pretty easy to avoid a cyber acquaintance -- very easy really.  I'll just train my eye to skip over her posts and not read them at all.  That way I can still enjoy the others who post there the way I always have.

Happy Birthday to Me!

In addition to having a lovely day and evening, I had three great things happen on my birthday.

1)  A friend who is having medical issues got good news today.

2)  My favorite team, the Tampa Bay Rays won their season opener against the Blue Jays -- 9 to 2. Woot! Woot!

3)  The pineapple plant I have been trying to grow produced a flower so fruiting is not far off.

I think it is just beautiful!

Perfect day.  Really.