6-29-2011

I am starting to fall behind posting here again. I keep putting it off and then find out that I have forgotten much of what I have done the past couple weeks. Oh well, I guess what I forgot could not have been too important.

I have just been busy with the endless amount of projects I always seem to have. On the homefront I have been making a LOT of jam. Fruit has been great and inexpensive, so I am taking advantage of that to make jam to sell at a Master Gardener meeting coming up with proceeds going to Making Strides Against Breast Cancer. I went to the neighbor with the cherry tree several times to pick cherries and I think I have enough of those!

I also found that I needed to cut down the staghorn sumac up near the house. It started to die off like the other one on the front lawn did this spring. It was a pain in the ass to cut down as I didn't want to harm the redbud in front of it. My chainsaws were giving me grief also. But, I finally did get it down and put most of it through the chipper/shredder. Wow, does that chipper work great now that it has fresh blades in it. I could not believe how fast it works going through endless limbs. I will try not to let the blades get so dull again as it just makes for more work. With all the rain we have had this spring, I seem to have a full time job managing weeds in the garden this year. I weed every day for at least some time. I have also finished spraying invasives at HCB for the spring season....that was months of spraying any time I could get the weather to co operate. Also have done several butterfly monitoring sessions the past couple weeks. Not much to report, seems butterfly counts are down. I don't know if that is in response to the burns conducted this past fall and spring.

I finished my part time job project and was stunned to get a check for $200.00 for the work I did. Welcome money that will (sadly) help me with the second portion of the real estate tax bill coming up in August.

I got to the movies last week to see Super 8. I enjoyed it but found it hard to "buy in" to certain things in the movie.

I did a library event at the Lemont Library on 6-18. It was a short trooping event that really went fast. I wore my Jedi costume which is a costume I have not worn much lately. Boy...forgot how HOT that costume is. When all the kids came into the room at the Library that we were "working" in....I just exploded in sweat and couldn't stop. Thank goodness the event was not a long one. I have also been doing some small costume projects.

Some of the projects have been on my "to do" pile for years. I started working on the Naboo Pilot costume and at least got the helmet started and the only thing I need to do is work on some sort of modification to the built in ear muffs on the helmet....that could be a challenge. I think I will start next on the custom harness as that looks to be a challenge too. I am hoping to do the harness cheaply by using belts that might be on clearance at WalMart or Target. Sometimes buying those clearance belts is much cheaper than buying leather blanks. Will have to decide the overall design and what widths and lengths will be needed first.

My Imperial Gunner helmet has been shipped and I can't wait to get that and then that costume will be finished also....yah!! I think at the same time that I take photos to submit of the gunner costume, I will also do Imperial Crew...I have all the pieces for that too.

Well, the Bartlett Parade is Sunday and, yes, it is going to prove to be another HOT one. The weather has been beautiful the past while but it figures that it will be miserably hot for the 4th of July weekend. If I have enough money for gas, and I am not "wasted" from the Bartlett Parade, I might try to drive up to Racine WI on Monday to do the Racine 4th of July Parade with the Wisconsin Garrison and WI members of Nar Shaddaa.