Time flies…

…when you’re busy as eff.

Realizing that it’s been a while since my last post, and with a lot of updates, you’ve earned yourself (yeah, I’m making this your fault) a brain dump list. In no particular order:

1) Our yard is no longer reprehensible. Edward Scissor Hands neighbors even commented on it. Huzzah! Steve laid down grass seed and fertilizer, so what’s in is lush-ish/-er, and greener. And a nice wet weekend has given the seed out back a nice drink. Some heavy duty digging, ripping, and chopping (yes, with an axe, at the ground) took care of our serious root-and-landscaping-plastic-problem which had been preventing us from planting anything where the tree had stood. So, it went from this (pixelated mess? Idk):

…to this:

…to this, today:

We’ve also trimmed what has turned out to be a gorgeous pink dogwood. Sitting next to the house, it is enjoyed from the living room, office, and master bedroom. But mostly, we enjoy sitting in Aggie’s favorite chair in the living room, looking out the window, and stalking prey–I mean, watching the pretty birdies at the feeder.

We even had quite the unexpected visitor this morning, baffling the dog to no end:

A wild turkey. Now, wild turkeys aren’t uncommon around here at all. But we live in a neighborhood with not a ton of woods, bounded by major roads. So that’s either a really crafty, wickit smaht turkey, or a very stupid, lost turkey.

2) Some small scale decorating projects have been accomplished. First (or 2a, I guess) was the purchase, framing, and hanging of our friends Dot and TwoFish.

Dot is a Striper, TwoFish is a Bluefish. They are gyotaku fish prints from Reel Dreams Fish Prints in Sarasota, FL and we’re fans.

They keep our pet cow, Butch, company in the dining room:

Yes, that *is* a surf ‘n turf themed dining room, how clever of you to notice! #yesi’madork. And man, it is not that messy always, I swear.

Second (henceforth 2b), I found some cute small mirrors to hang over the bed (the headboard–get your mind outta the gutter). See, the mirror that was over the headboard was lovely but entirely too small. Like, it made me mad. And it legit kept me up at night. So onto The Internets I ventured, and here’s at I came up with:

And a close up:

Better, right? I was looking for something old and gold (or bronze). I like mixing metals in decor, and with several chrome accents in the bedroom, those brass tacks on the headboard were feeling left out. The best part is that I’m pretty sure I’ll no longer be irrationally angry at that lonely mirror any more. Good things, people, good things.

3) Nothing new or exciting in the kitchen these days. Our bar and ice machine has been getting some serious action, though: Mad Men is back. Thus, we are gin and/or scotch-soaked fools by 11:04 pm on Sunday nights. And we are very happy with that, thankyouverymuch.

We also replaced our old gas grill with one that works (which, I hear, is a useful feature). And we bought a Weber kettle grill because seriously we can’t be without one. It’s what we’re used to. Part of the culinary tradition in my family involves cooking The Holiday Meat (it’s a formal noun, people) on a Weber, no matter the weather. Lamb, turkey, prime rib, snow, sleet, wind. And one key ingredient pervades all cooking scenarios: Miller Lite. Welcome to a Noble Family holiday. Now it will be a Guarino Family holiday.

4) Anxiously awaiting both of our CSAs’ beginnings.

5) I’m on Pinterest (kelly guarino) and Instagram (knobleg529). I need friends. Be my friend.

There you gave it. Brain dump. Was it good for you?