Microfiction Tuesday

I'm trying my first microfiction today - some people blog this on Mondays because it's "Microfiction Mondays" - but I think its okay to do a "Microfiction Tuesday". I got the idea from Granny Sue, and she got it from Stony River. So here's the idea: You take a picture (this one from Stony River's blog) and you write a story about it using 140 words or less. Here goes:

"Wow!" thought Jane (clutching her now too-large dress), "That weight loss drink works fast!"

Manic Monday - Summertime Memories

Here are some photos of the summer so far, since it's flying by so fast - and like a Monday it will be Autumn before you know it! These are all things that I've done/seen so far this summer but have not had time to write about.

Julius, a.k.a. Helper Kitty, laying on some 2x6's on the front porch. He likes to help build around the house.

The gatehouse of Berkeley Castle in Berkeley Springs, WV.

South Mill Creek Lake in Grant County near Dorcas, WV.

Franklin, who has done something - but I'm afraid to ask what.

My great-grandparent's cellar (now in ruins, and has been since the 1985 flood).

A buckeye blooming in Berkeley Springs, WV.

Patio Project

Hello again! It's the height of summer and the July heat is baking the world to a crisp! At least, it is here in Morgantown. My garden has been getting regular waterings, but the cucumbers have fried on the vine - its that hot!

Prior to this heatwave, I did manage to get a few projects done outside - and this is one of them! I had wanted a patio with a firepit in the backyard since I bought the house, and now I have one!


The bricks for the firepit came from the old chimney that I tore out of the kitchen - it was only a shaft of brick in the wall, not decorative or functional. The rocks for the wall came from a friend's property near town, and the pea gravel came from Lowe's. The big concrete slabs were already there, just overgrown with grass and covered in black gunk - it may have been mildew. But now its been weeded and power washed.


We've already had the inagural marshmallow roast and bonfire, and it works great. I even got patio furniture - something I've NEVER had in my life - and a grill. The green plastic chairs functioned well for a while, but now they are starting to crack and sag, so I replaced them with chairs I found for $20 and a table that was given to me by a friend. I painted it all to match, and you can't tell it's not a set.


However, until this heat and humidity subside, the backyard activities are on hold except for watering plants and short trips. This heat is insane!