Willy Nilly Friday

This is my first Willy Nilly Friday post. Hope I'm doing it right. Five random things. I love random!

1. The weather has been truly gorgeous this week. Sunny and mostly clear (although VERY hot).

2. Looks like the garden is just about finished for this season. The heat really got to the tomatoes and dill this year, and the squash never even got started. About the only thing still going strong is the basil— it's parched, but keeps right on growing. I need to make some pesto.

3. What we've been spending all our time on lately. Finally getting bookshelves in the study! Nearly floor-to-ceiling, and white, white, white!

4. And some storage units in the craft/guest room. Also new carpet in both rooms. It's taken us five years (since we first moved into this house) to get it done, but now that we've made a start it seems to be going along pretty smoothly.

5. The Rotunda, University of Virginia, Charlottesville.

Designed by Thomas Jefferson, begun in 1822 and completed in 1826, shortly after his death. Charlottesville has been in my thoughts a lot this week. Naturally, I guess. The university campus is so lovely, and I hate to think of any violence taking place there. This shot was taken quite a while back, during a visit in the summer of 2003. I like to believe it still looks the same.

Also linking up with SkyWatch Friday.

For more sky shots, click on the button above.

ABC Wednesday: Round 18 - L

Texas Mountain Laurel

Our Laurels were gorgeous this year. They're past their peak now, but some of the blooms are still lovely and hanging on.

Around here, of course, "L" is also for LATE, since I'm getting this up on Thursday. (Oops!)

To add your own link, 

visit the ABC Wednesday website, here:

Fairy Tales

Ever since my cousin MLB told me about fairy doors, I've wanted one.  Back then, we were living in a high-rise condo and didn't have a garden or yard, or a tree we could use.  But now we're in a house, with LOTS of trees on our property, and one day last month, M surprised me with my very own fairy door!

He built it out of a tiny display case meant to hold small trinkets (my mother used it for thimbles), and part of a wooden cigar box.

 

Then he painted it the same color as our own front door, and attached it to the base of one of our live oaks.  I was a little nervous about driving nails into the tree, but M assured me it wouldn't do any damage (small nails, big tree).

See how cute it is, surrounded by other trees. (Click on the image to enlarge and get a better look.)

One morning, just a day or two after we put it in, we woke up to find the little door open!  Maybe a fairy family was moving in?  We haven't noticed any activity since then, but just in case, we've decorated it for the holidays.

I have a strong feeling that more fairy doors are likely to appear around here very soon!