July is Almost Over Already?!?! Did I Blink?

I am writing this to the sound of two things: Metallica's "Master of Puppets" and hammering. So guess what that means? We are STILL working to get our house listed.

I am sad to say our bid for House #1 didn't work out (yeah, not going to carry two mortgages if I can avoid it...). However, we viewed two new prospects on Saturday, and we love things about each one. I believe we will go for a second showing at one very soon.

You know, you never realize what a dump you live in, and how much useless shit you've accumulated, until you face the prospect of moving and selling.

Also, I'm pleased to present (drum roll .....): Monarch Ranching 2010!

I love these three little guys (or girls), all lined up in a row. I have 17 in two mesh cages right now, and they are eating, pooping machines. By the weekend, most should be in chrysalis form. I have been seeing Monarchs flying around the yard every day--yesterday two got into an impressive battle over rights to the milkweed patch. So, there are more eggs on deck! And here I was all worried I wouldn't see a single butterfly in my yard this summer.

Speaking of yards, the most impressive three clumps of flowers in this shot are all volunteers. That is, I didn't plant them there. I just left them because: a) I am lazy; and b) they looked purty.

More volunteers below. Goldfinches have been plucking seeds from the annual sunflower at left.

Aurora Peppers: hot, spicy, and floral. Last year I made hot apricot jelly with them.

So much other stuff has been happening beyond gardening and painting and priming and organizing that I don't even know where to begin: there has been frog-herding in Door County, grant-submitting, family-reunion/funeral-in-another-state-attending, mojito making, and fiction writing.

These tall gangly suckers are Cupplant. They are currently 10 feet tall.

I DID plant this sunflower.

(Now: "Shout at the Devil" and a bandsaw in the garage.)

I'll try to update again soon--there are baby robins in our front birch tree, and I'm hoping to snap a pic. They are homely and fuzzy and adorable with their giant clown mouths, and they're about five days from fledging. (Is it terrible of me to say I'm kind of relieved that our neighbor's outdoor cat/killing machine has a limp? Yes, it is terrible. Terrible and TRUE.)

PS: Thank you to Melissa's book club in Spring Green; you guys were great!