Around Here; May 19

It's May and that means Mother's Day.  Ben tested positive for Covid on the 5th and was laid low for almost a week.  He was still in isolation on the 14th so it was a subdued celebration for us.  It was so odd for Covid to hit us just as the official end to the emergency was upon us.  While everyone else was moving on, we were hunting up our masks and tests.   And even though I didn't have any symptoms or test positive, the CDC guidelines told me to mask around other people until the 16th and I mostly did.     

Our Mother's Day dinner plans with friends were canceled but Ben was able to buy a delicious chocolate heart-shaped cake which we shared with Paul....

...and Paul brought me some very pretty vibrant red roses, which livened up the house. 

May weather around here is notoriously fickle and we aren't able to plant very much until later in the month.  This year we were treated to a long spell of cloudy, cool, and rainy days which further delayed planting.  

 

On the plus side, we've sure enjoyed some lovely views of the cloud-shrouded Flatirons. 

In between the rainfall we did have a few days of wonderful sunshine and managed to mow the lawns, buy and plant several tomato plants, some bean and cucumber plants, and got them and many pretty annual flowers planted.  

It's a lot of effort to do so much yard work in such a short time, but very satisfying to know the plants are in the ground waiting for the round of warm and sunny days we are supposed to have next week and that the grass is all cut nicely and the edges trimmed.  Since we live on a corner of two active neighborhood streets we get many comments on our yard and plants, which is gratifying.   

May is also the time when the turkey vultures and the hummingbirds return from their migration.  The vultures love a particular tree about a block here and I always am wary about their return until they again establish that tree as theirs.  One of these years they are going to get tired of that tree, and I sure hope they don't decide that the big spruce in our yard would make a perfect new home.  

Hummingbirds like to return to their old haunts as well, and as soon as I hear their distinctive buzzing cry I get our two feeders up and running for their pleasure.  Unlike the vultures who fly in and out soundlessly, the hummingbirds love to fight and chase each other around while making a lot of racket.   They are quite entertaining. 

Here are the pretty pink tulips in the bed along College Avenue... 

...and our neighbor's early poppies, which always make me smile to see.  

May 5th was the 23rd wedding anniversary of Ben's brother, John, and his wife, Dawn, and they celebrated with dinner at the Flagstaff House.  Ben and I were included in the celebration, but Ben was still sick then with Covid, so it was just the three of us.  I love having Dawn in the family and we had a great time. 

And last but not least,  May is the month when Paul's lease on his two bedroom apartment ends.  He decided it was time to live by himself so he spent a few weeks looking for studios and found a nice one about 15 minutes outside of Boulder.  He got the keys Tuesday and has until the 27th to vacant the old place, which is excellent timing.  He's managing all the planning for the actual move, but I'll still be glad when he's all settled in.  

The new place is a four-story modern big apartment building, quite a change from his two-story walk up here in Boulder.  Here's the view from his door.  A tiny room for a bed is on the left and the main living space is at the end where you see the balcony door.  There are two big windows to the left of the door, which allows for some good lighting.  

And here is the kitchen with the appliances all in a row along the side of the living area.  Check out the fridge; I wish I had space for a big one like that! Maybe Paul will let me store my bags of summer cherries in that big freezer! 

And here is about 2/3 of the living area.  I think it will be just enough space. 

   

Well, my goodness, there has been a lot going on this month!  To relax I binged on The Diplomat ...

 

...and read a great book.  

Not much quilting so far this month but I did get a big box of unneeded fabric and supplies packed up and delivered to a local quilt guild for their garage sale.  My emptier and more organized sewing studio is waiting for me!