Out with the old...in with the new

The OLD in part of my blog post title?

A fence...

...the new?

We're still working on the hall bathroom, but slowly. I managed to get all the nail holes patched yesterday and preparing the walls for a couple coats of paint. Bud worked on making the vanity light fixture framed in wood. I've taken time out a bit to do a few other things, including adding texture and finishing on 12 more bird photos to add to my BIRD Sanctuary [dining room walls].

The birds on the left [top/across to bottom] are: Stilt Sandpiper - Black Tern . . Red Breasted Merganser - American Oystercatcher . . Long-billed Thrasher & Chipping Sparrow. The frame on the right, the birds are [top/across to bottom]: Hooded Oriole - Yellow Billed Cuckoo . . Swainson's Thrush - Wood Thrush . . Alder Flycatcher (aka Willow Flycatcher) & Dunlin. With these newly finished frames and photos the walls are now covered with 114 birds we've seen. My total count of different birds seen and photographed in Texas is up to 215 I believe. It's been a while since I've worked on my record charting.

The other night I completed the book Killing Jesus, by Bill O'Reilly. I'm not usually much on non-fiction. I think it has a lot to do with hating history when I was school age and a lot of reading was mandatory. Now-a-days I associate the back index in non-fiction as 'homework'...ugh!!! So, I tend to steer clear of most. This book was an exceptional read. All the way through, from beginning to end. I enjoyed the novelistic form in which the book was composed....it was like I was there in those times in Judea and Galilee. With Pontius Pilate, the Romans, the Jews, the Disciples. I could even taste the bitter land of the desert, and was tormented by 'my' betrayer, Judas. The last few chapters were notes by the author on the deaths of all of the other Biblical names, such as John, Matthew, Peter, and both Marys. He also brought into notations, the religion quotes of previous presidents, and noteworthy people. Very good. I highly recommend this book.

My NEW read for the Summer will be Pioneer Girl [Laura Ingalls Wilder] - An autobiography that has been a best selling book for several months now. I understand that the book is hard to keep on the shelves in stores. The South Dakota Historical Society published this book...after finding Ms. Wilder's hand written biography, hidden for decades!!! It's promised to give the reader a personal incite of the days of Little House on the Prairie with a few surprises. By the way, the girl, Melissa Gilbert, who played Laura in the television series, was the spittin' image of Irene...our daughter when she was Melissa's (Half Pint) age. In fact, as Ms. Gilbert aged, the two could be sisters [Melissa and our daughter]. AND my father and grandfather lived in South Dakota. In fact, my grandfather traveled to Nebraska [as a young man] in a covered wagon...just like the TV program depicts. Back to the book. It was delivered to our house a couple of days ago, and I haven't cracked the cover yet. I will tonight, tho. I can't wait. I'm hoping that this will be as good as the one I just finished and keep my interest. Only time will tell.

For the "new" Summer season, while we were out in the back doing some yard work before sunrise and the heat of the 'furnace' kicked into high gear, I noticed my plant was blooming!!! Again. Yep, it's an old plant, but the blossoms are new! And if you follow me at any point along the last 6 years, you may remember that this flower blooms only at night. So, I ran back indoors and grabbed the cellphone to take a photo. It's so pretty, but sadly the flower only lasts the night...by midmorning the beauty is gone---shriveled 'til next year... [there ARE a few more buds coming on....if I remember I'll get more photos]

Epiphyllum

One more thing...Bud and I are still watching the mini-series Texas Rising. The 4th episode was aired on the 8th of this week, we watched it the next day online. I must admit, the longer you watch this series, the better it gets!! I'm awaiting anxiously for the last installment!!