Good morning!
Thanks to Joyce ... and all y'all who stop by to 'see' me each Wednesday!
Let's wave a wand and see what's in her hat ...
🎩
What's the last thing you completely overreacted to:
See this little guy?
Macie and Grace were fascinated by the presence of him -- and friends. I used the 'lens' app on my phone, just to be sure it wouldn't poison one of the girls.
Unfortunately, I learned they were army worms. Before 24 hours had elapsed, social media and TV news were reporting an outbreak. Lawn service companies were inundated.
By week's end about half of our back yard was destroyed -- but having had their fill, the worms moved on. And no pups were harmed in the process.
Your top 5 snacks?
What smell always brings back some type of memory? Elaborate.
It's not so often gentlemen wear cologne anymore, but I caught a 'whiff' not so long ago. Immediately, it took me back to 1970-something downtown Abilene (Texas) where I worked for a major utility company. The father of another secretary used to drop in every now and then -- he a really handsome, dapper sort. Think Robert Goulet in tweed.
I wouldn't doubt all the women didn't swoon a little when Mr. Gray stepped off the elevator. When it was revealed he wore Aramis, I wasted no time buying a bottle to gift my father. I wouldn't be surprised if there wasn't a rush on it that Christmas!
What's something you learned from the last book you read?
That priests/clergy are human, too. They struggle to do what's right -- both in the eyes of God and the church. Despite my comparison of the fictional Fr. Ignatius to Robert Young, sometimes Father doesn't always Know Best.
What's the next thing on your to-buy list? Will you make that purchase before the end of the year?
I need to get busy and post some things for sale on eBay!
One of the gizmo's in our faux fireplace died around New Years, and I don't think Tom's inclined to diagnose and/or repair. Unlike me, he was never mad about it to begin with -- and may have questioned why I turned it on Every.Single.Night -- Winter, Spring, Summer and Fall. (Minus the heating element, that is.)
That's okay. Macie Ann understands. She used to love laying in front, watching the 'flames' dance. The first time I didn't turn it on she just 'looked' at me like, "Are you forgetting something?"
Insert your own random thought here.
Simple pleasures!
Hugs, Myra
Oh, the caterpillars. Such a nuisance. We have the odd white or yellow kind with little spikes all over. They do sting and cause a rash. My hubby can attest to this. I guess I really should try to find out what kind they are and if it's possible to get rid of them.
ReplyDeleteAnd the scent question ... I picked Windex. Never thought of a cologne or perfume, but reading your answer I was reminded of my great-aunt whose signature scent was L'Origan by Coty. Looking it up just now, I found that this scent was launched in 1905, so she had likely been wearing it all her adult life.
My mother used to say every lady needed a signature scent. I miss the array of aromas worn by elderly ladies!
DeleteYes to Aramis, also Old Spice and Tabac.
ReplyDeleteThank you for mentioning my book "Appointment with Murder". You are right, this time Fr Ignatius did not know best; but he is human after all.
God bless, Mevely.
I'm not familiar with Tabac, but Tom keeps a bottle of Old Spice. My dad's favorite was Royall Bay Rhum.
DeleteI never heard of that worm before, how terrible for your yard. I love to snacki and try to have more fresh fruit than anything else. And of course I enjoy peanut butter on celery sticks too. I've been reading beach stories this summer and have learned I should have a house on the beach somewhere. Hope you are enjoying what's left of summer. Love, ma
ReplyDeleteI'd love to spend time at a beach house! Provided, of course, that it belonged to someone else responsible for the $ and upkeep!
DeleteI love that picture of Macie Ann in front of the fireplace. I hope you can get it repaired soon. I'm sure she (and you) really miss it. Love the NAPS picture...perfectly true!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Cathy! I feel a necessary NAP of my own coming on soon.
DeleteOur yard being overrun with insects would definitely inspire overreaction in my hubs. He loves his green grass. When we were dating my now hubs sometimes wore Aramis. I'd forgotten abou that one. Have a great day!
ReplyDeleteYou're in South Carolina aren't you? I saw on the net this morning where army worms are being found all across the state of SC!
DeleteI have never ever heard of a army worm - yuck. Do they have any value? lol
ReplyDeleteSo what department do you get the Tillamook smoked links. I am always looking for no sugar treats. I have the same thing in my home as you do.
Cute description of Aramis smell.
Hope you get the fireplace working.
Yes and we need naps!
I just added a picture of what our yard looks like after those greedy army worms. Value? None that I can tell.
DeleteI order my Tillamook snacks from Amazon, but see them occasionally on a Publix end cap.
OH NO not your fireplace. Will you get the same kind or another one.. I would turn one on if i had one. I would want one that puts out heat. even in Florida there are days when it would feel good to hug a heater. I have a tiny heater, i huddle over it sometimes. My next purchase is this week, 850 dollars on auto insurance. liability only on two ancient cars.
ReplyDeleteI have not heard of army worms, or that you had an influx of them. yikes.
I love my naps, I was never able to take a nap, until the past 2 years, especeially this year. I take one every day about 1 pm, i read or watch youtube and its like an infant sucking on a pacifier. my eyes get heavy and i feel so good when I wake up. but if I fall deep asleep and wake up i feel bad and can't go to sleep that night. I like to just doze for 20 minutes
Some of my best sleep happens when I indulge in a nap on the love seat!
DeleteOne slip of the finger and my entire comment disappeared. I'll try again.........?
ReplyDeleteI hate it when that happens!
DeleteLike many others, I never heard of army worms. I thought it was a caterpillar.
ReplyDeleteScents? When I was young and dumb I doused myself with sandalwood, because I (mistakenly) thought it was cool. The scent of gardenias bring back many fond memories.
Snacks? Anything I can grab. Peanut butter, cheese and cheese crackers, fruit, ....chocolates.
My to-buy list?
A new kitchen cabinet for my air fryer oven.
I totally forgot about Sandalwood. My mother had the most glorious gardenia bush and used to clip blossoms to float in glass bowls in the bathrooms. Thanks for prompting that memory!
DeleteA pretty fire that can be enjoyed year round in the south is for me! Here in Texas, where we're being encouraged to keep our AC at 77 when it's 107 outside, using the fireplace would probably get us arrested. Not to mention having to pay the electricity bill. I think I'll just wait until winter to turn it on. I've never heard of army worms but they sound totally destructive and a plague no one would ever want. Glad they decided to leave before your total yard was gone. Enjoyed visiting with you today.
ReplyDeleteThankfully, our 'fireplace' heating element was a manual off/on. I'd always rather be cold v. hot!
DeleteI was doing so well getting rid of things that no longer fit our lifestyle and then it came to an abrupt halt. I need to crack the whip and get back to it.
ReplyDeleteSpeaking of getting rid of things. Those pesky army worms hit our lawn too, but we called our lawn service before too much destruction was done.
Whew! Fortunately, they only consumed half the back yard; I'm counting on it coming back 'round again ... or, there's always xeriscape like what we had in Arizona.
DeleteI'm with everyone else..never heard of Army Worms. they sound horrible, glad they moved on.
ReplyDeleteAhhh memory smells..morning dewy grass makes me think about my childhood and helping my folks in the yard. Wood burning and hot strong coffee remind me of camping, s'mores and morning breakfast outside by the tent.
I guess I have to say that the last book I was reading was my bible and this morning's devotion. What I read was that God always does what He says.
To answer your question on my blog post. No I haven't kept up with anyone from that first trip to Nicaragua. We are in touch with the hosts in Haiti. Sometimes it is so difficult to write, too costly to phone and when we were there, there was very little access to the internet. Time goes on. I do think of those kids a whole lot and wonder if they ever had good things going for them. Third world countries really don't have a good basis for much of a life.
Sue
Yes, God always keeps His promises! I love the aroma of a wood fire!
DeleteI just added a photo of back yard after the worms enjoyed their 3 day buffet.
Oh no—I would stay inside my house until those army worms were gone. I have never seen anything like that. It gives me the heebie-jeebies.
ReplyDeleteI used to enjoy the fragrance of a good-smelling man back in my day. Now, they don't wear men's cologne anymore.
You just remind me, that I too, need to replace our faux wood stove. I took all the guts out of it and now use it as a garden ornament but want one in the house for the winter. We also don't need to use the heat - just the fire element.
I was wondering what to do with our fireplace carcass. Thanks for the great idea to put it out back by the rose tree!
DeleteArmyworms are very destructive. I hope they can be eradicated without too much fuss or expense.
ReplyDeleteI'm a huge Jif Creamy Peanut Butter fan too. Yum! We grow a lot of peanuts here in SE Georgia.
Don't know about the Aramis smell. My husband wears Canoe by Dana occasionally. Whenever he does it smells lovely. It's Lady Stetson for me. Still wear a little dab of it from time to time.
I didn't sleep well last night. I could use a nap right now. 💙
I remember seeing Canoe for the first time on a trip to the islands ... lovely!
DeleteWhat's that old jingle, "You deserve a break today ..." Go get that nap!
Wow, that is crazy about that little guy. So glad they moved on. Those are great snacks. I don't remember that cologne but I would say the English Leather would bring back memories for me. Mark wears Dolce Gabbana when we go out. Your faux fireplace sounds nice. Hope you can replace it. I like that you can turn the heat element off. I try to nap but never can!
ReplyDeleteI totally forgot about English Leather! With all the fragrance allergies, it's a wonder (to me) perfume companies are able to stay in business!
DeleteI'm reading Victor's latest book right now, Myra, and loving every word! He is such a gifted storyteller, isn't he? The caterpillars are such an absolute nuisance, too, especially since the kind we get love to eat oak leaves and then leave their droppings all over our decks. Boo! Hiss!
ReplyDeleteBlessings!
How rude! (lol)
DeleteThank you, Mevely, for your kind AMAZON Review of my book APPOINTMENT WITH MURDER. Just seen it.
DeleteI'll wait until Martha has finished reading it. I'd like both your views on certain items in the storyline - and I'd like to e-mail you both if it's OK.
God bless.
Of course, Victor. I'm happy to help. (myra.guca@gmail.com)
DeleteThe NAPS acrostic is SO true!
ReplyDeleteYes, I just concluded a peace session!
DeleteMy mom had a fireplace/heater similar to yours. Like you, she loved turning it on without heat. I would do the same if I had one. (Considering a tv stand with one built in for our flex room) I believe there were army worms once at our house when I was young. But I don’t think I’ve heard anything about them in a long, long time. Take care, Sheila
ReplyDelete🤗💛🤗
DeleteWe have such a fireplace, and are you sure it doesn't just need a new lightbulb? What happened to it? Did the fire light go out or is it something more? I hope you can fix it reasonably. I know I would sure miss mine in the fall and winter. We don't use the heat part of it, just the firelight. Go on youtube and ask about how to fix it. You'd be amazed what you can learn to do there. Now, those army worms must be a plague! Yikes! I never heard of them! I am sorry that happened to your yard! Oh, I must have JIF creamy peanut butter. I think I will go have some right now. Maybe on celery. Or maybe bread. I'll decide when I get there. Naps are essential here. After we are done with lunch we head to the bedroom and conk out for about 30 minutes. It is the best "siesta" ever! Remember when we were children and we had a quiet time after lunch where we had to put our heads on our desks? I think kindergartners have to literally lay down on a mat and take a nap. Yep, there was a good reason for that. Now that we are in our 2nd childhood, I believe in naptime! Don't bother me from about 1-2 pm or thereabouts. LOL. I enjoyed your post. I need to read Victor's books. Thank you for the reminder. Good night for now.
ReplyDeleteNo, it's not the light bulb -- been there, done that. I've forgotten what they call it now, but have the original manual/diagnostics. YouTube may even be a better source; thanks for that tip!
DeleteHow cute that your dog would lie (lay?) in front of the fake fireplace! Army worms are so destructive!!!
ReplyDeleteGiven everything that's going on in this world, nothing should surprise me. 🙏
DeleteAramis... Joe wore that when we first met. I hadn't thought of it in years! I've never heard of army worms before and sure hope I never get to meet one. Your poor yard!! We had a wood burning fireplace in Virginia but not here in FL. They are nice and add coziness to a room. I think cats enjoy them as much as pups! Another fun Hodgepodge!! Blessings, Myra!!
ReplyDeleteIsn't it curious how certain aromas can transport us? 💛
DeleteArmy worms, yuck! I had never heard of them.
ReplyDelete—-Cheerful Monk
For sure! "Wish I didn't know now what I didn't know then."
DeleteOh wow, the army worms are scary. Are you going to have to resod your yard? I had a little fireplace like that and loved it, unfortunately it bit the dust. I'm planning on getting another one soon. Hope you're enjoying a Terrific Thursday.
ReplyDeleteI just went back to see the photo of the destruction of your yard.
ReplyDeleteI can hardly believe what I am looking at!
That's terrible, really the plague illustration for sure.
Temps. are so much cooler today and am I glad. The respite is wonderful.
Sue
Great blog
ReplyDeletePlease read my post
ReplyDeleteI love Aramis, my husband no longer wears it, because his mother said something about it (something disgusting), and so he stopped wearing it. Wishing you a lovely weekend, my friend.
ReplyDelete