Welcome to the Jungle

On days when I am not working, I am spending time at the house we bought.  One of the hardest parts of fixing up the house has been the landscaping.  The prior owners didn't do much yard work, so I am learning how to work new pieces of equipment like weed-eaters, chainsaws and tractors.  Today I decided to tackle this front part of the yard where an overgrown rhododendron was surrounded by ferns, blackberry bushes and overgrown grass.

No sooner did I start to trim around the rhododendron when I found a fountain... kinda simple, and I haven't lifted it to see if there's a pump or plumbing, but still a nice find.

Then I slowly started working my way through the brambles behind the rhododendron, and I found what I thought was a piece of plywood.  But, then it got bigger and bigger.  Then it seemed like two pieces.  And this is what I found...

It's a bench, and it seems to be from the root base of a redwood.  It's lovely and subtle in its design.  It's also very well preserved for having been buried in brambles.  That's what makes me think it's made out of redwood.  And then there's this...

Did you see the face in the above picture?  Look again, you'll see it this time.  I didn't even know it was there until I cleared more of the vegetation.  I can't wait to completely clean this bench and plant some flowers and put a border around it.  It's on a small hill overlooking the house and has a great view.

I also found this.  Another fountain.  Will have to see if there is any plumbing connected to this one.

Despite being totally exhausted from the work-out I got with the weed-eater, I am totally excited by the finds today... and even more excited to make this house more of a home that I can be proud of...

Nice and cleaned up... 

Playing Indiana Jones

So it's been almost a month since my last post, and we have been spending most of our free time at our new house.  The home was originally built in 1980, and the previous owners had it for the last 16 years.  No real clean-up or landscaping has been done over the last 10 years, so there's been a lot of work to be done.

My hubby and I have spent a lot of time with the weed-eater.  In some ways, it's been like an archeological dig.  It's interesting to find little things here and there....

Like this kerosene lamp we found under the outside front stairs... the mechanism works, it seems to be aluminum or some other light metal, with a glass lantern, and the base is heavy and painted.  Going to clean it up and hang it outside.

We've been collecting the things we've found in the overgrowth surrounding the barn:  some old cutters, a weathervane, and a bird house.

We also found an old pan... maybe something to feed the chickens with once we get some...

We also found a ton of oyster shells... archeologists in another time will wonder what feasts were held here involving all these oysters shells.... I think they just used to give them to the chickens... 

and then, there's this lovely collection of objects d'art that I've been finding here and there... 

myPod Shuffle #31 - California Dreamin'

How could I possibly end this month of songs without putting on the basis for the title of this blog?

I had heard this song many times before, but I never thought much of it until I went to medical school in Wisconsin and experienced my first winter.  I was fascinated by the change in seasons to fall.  I loved fall.  So different from Southern California.  Then the first snowfall.  It was so exciting.  About a month into winter having to dig out of the snow and sliding all over the road I was over it.  Then came spring.

No one prepared me for how depressing spring could be.  All of the leftover snow is dirty brown or grey.  The trees are brown.  The muddy patches are brown.  All the leaves are.... well, you get the gist of it.

I hope you enjoyed this month... I enjoyed shuffling the iPod each day to see what song would come next and what memories the song would bring.  As my birthday month comes to a close, a new chapter starts in my life as we begin the move and remodel on our new home... so many stories still to be told.  Thank you for reading and coming along with me on this wondrous journey.

myPod Shuffle #30 - No One Lives Forever

Oingo Boingo was one of those groups I fell in love with in college.  I think I first heard about them in 1985 when I heard "Dead Man's Party" for the first time.  Then I slowly started collecting their albums.  Their music was so new and provocative to me.  I know I've mentioned "Dead Man's Party" in another post, especially as a theme song for some of my medical milestones.  "No One Lives Forever" is another favorite song.  I love the beat.  I love the frenetic rhythm.  I love the lyrics.  Enjoy this song...!

I found this video which I liked because it includes some of my favorites... and a scene with Mickey!

myPod Shuffle #29 - Winner Takes It All

I found out that CDZ got married by reading it in a newspaper.  We had dated and been close friends for many years.  He was always supposed to be "the one."  We had sort of lost touch at the end of college, but we were from the same area, and I always expected that we would end up together again.

I can still remember that day in September when I picked up that newspaper.  I looked at it absent-mindedly.  I wasn't even going to flip it over but just did so to look "below the fold."  And then there was his name.  You know how you see something familiar and it pulls you to it?  That's what the article did for me.  I had an almost visceral reaction once I read about the wedding.  

It wasn't possible.  It couldn't be over.  But, it was.

Suddenly it was like that line from "When Harry Met Sally"... 

"... you'll have to spend the rest of your life knowing that somebody else is married to your husband..."

myPod Shuffle #28 - Friend Like Me

I love Disney.  I love Mickey.

Classic, pre-1940's, pie-eyed Mickey is my favorite.

This song is from the movie "Aladdin."  I have a lot of movie soundtracks on my iPod.  This song is memorable for New Year's in Cancun with my best friend from college.  She hadn't seen the movie yet, and our first night on the beach I practically sang the whole movie soundtrack to her while we watched the sun go down and relished the view at the beginning of a week's vacation.  We were exhausted from having spent the entire night awake celebrating New Year's Eve in Vegas like you can only do in Vegas... and what happens in Vegas.... well, we had an awesome time, and a great week's vacation in Cancun following.

myPod Shuffle #27 - Good Things

So many memories....

Medical School

Milwaukee

Summerfest

Leinenkugel's

The Bodeans

Love this song.....