Archive for August, 2016

Bugs, baseball and art

August 29, 2016

Sort of a report from the last week or so.

There has been a lot of work going on. Carl’s last day with Sagan is Wednesday and then she is off to kindergarten. But it looks like time with Audrey and Dean is heating up.

Carl’s last regular season old guy game was yesterday. They won and are in second place for the season. I think this means a bye in the first round of playoffs. One sad note is their 80+ year old pitcher is moving to Arizona on Tuesday. Next year won’t be the same.

The wasps are on the decline. After three attempts at eradication, including removing the visible nest, we called in the pros.  They sprayed, fogged and puffed around the outside. Interesting reaction was an increase in mobile wasps into the house. 10-20 a day. But easily killed. Yesterday it was only a few, so we are hopeful they are gone.

Saturday I spent a few hours in the morning cleaning the big hunk of plastic play house that had graced our back yard for several years. It was donated by a friend who’s daughter had long outgrown its allure. (She is younger than our kids, so it was intended for Carl’s kids). ((The first wasp nest eradication I ever undertook was from this small house a few years ago.)) The playhouse was home to several spiders and green scum on the north side, and general dirt. It is now much clearer, and most parents would allow their kids inside. Once inside the kids would find a table they can stand up, two windows with shutters that open, and a telephone. A dial, wall- mounted princess style phone. A testament to this house’s age. It is now destined for the granddaughter of a neighbor.

Saturday afternoon we headed downtown for the Graphic Masters exhibit at the Seattle Art Museum. The entire Crumb book of Genesis was on display, Picasso and Goya. I found the Goya the most interesting, with so much symbolism contained in each piece. We did not see the earlier pieces as Carl started feeling poorly and we headed home.

On to the last week before school starts in earnest, and the traffic patterns of summer disappear.

 

fliers

August 15, 2016

I try to walk during lunch, and am successful at least a few times each week. Last week we walked to the closest high school and around one of their turf fields. There is an osprey family nesting on one of high field light standards.

This has led to some interesting field art or markings. (The white stuff)

There was also quite a selection of sticks at the base of the light pole, but someone had moved them all outside of the fence. I am sure they will be tolerated at least until the young have fledged.

Closer to home we need to evict some smaller flying creatures.

A few wasps even made it into the house.

sleepless in seattle

August 10, 2016

That’s 15 innings.

The game finally ended one minute after midnight.

I rather held Carl responsible since he caught Kyle Seager’s 8th inning home run that tied the game.

This followed a night with 2 hours sleep due to a stupid grill that looked like someone toed it to a less than vertical alignment. (Don’t ask, I need to sleep)