What do you do when you are snowed in? You bake!
February 16, 2010
February 10, 2010
Snowpocalypse 2010
Parkway Manor and the surrounding DC Metro region are under some snow...perhaps 3 feet and/or more. Breaking records left and right. 1) DC has become the snowiest city in the US this season. 2) DC has had the most snow in over 100 years, since records have been kept! 3) The Federal government has been shut down for 5 days, the most consecutive days in modern history! We're going stir crazy. We are entering 7 days of virtual house arrest!!!
Parkway Manor under the weight of three feed of snow. Notice the Hollybush in front of the front door? Look at this photo to see how it held up to 2 feet of snow in December. Sad. And scary!
Some of the trees can't bear it.
A passage to Narnia; the Ice Queen has escaped!
Our poor Magnolia! Touching the ground, bowing under pressure. Such a sad state for such a stately sass!
Parkway Manor under the weight of three feed of snow. Notice the Hollybush in front of the front door? Look at this photo to see how it held up to 2 feet of snow in December. Sad. And scary!
Some of the trees can't bear it.
A passage to Narnia; the Ice Queen has escaped!
Our poor Magnolia! Touching the ground, bowing under pressure. Such a sad state for such a stately sass!January 25, 2010
January 19, 2010
Geeks!
We're geeks! Really we are, and we embrace it and show the world. One of the big things we do at Parkway Manor when leisure time is readily available and neither of us is too stressed about work, is play games. Sure we have some of the classics; but we are really fond of more strategic games. Many of these types of games are called "German-style games" or "Eurogames." Usually they include lots of bits and bobbles, rely heavily on strategy and less on luck. Sometimes you are trying to balance resource production to meet another outcome, gaining victory points. These games can take 45 minutes to several hours. After the initial investment of the game, you are left with plenty of entertainment!
If you follow along on Jason's blog, Footnotes, you can read reviews of games like Pandemic.
December 21, 2009
Snow! Snow!! Snow!! Snow!!!
We are really bad blog hosts. No blog entries since July...OUCH! Consider it a "no news is good news" kind of absence. So what's so breaking that we get a new entry...SNOW!!!
The Great Snowpocalypse of 2009! Nearly 2 feet of snow from December 18 - 20th!
The snow starting on Friday night.
Saturday morning, first pass of the shovel.
A good sign of how much snow we got!
The signature Parkway Manor Hollybush covered!
The view down Parkway on Sunday morning.
The Great Snowpocalypse of 2009! Nearly 2 feet of snow from December 18 - 20th!
The snow starting on Friday night.
Saturday morning, first pass of the shovel.
A good sign of how much snow we got!
The signature Parkway Manor Hollybush covered!
The view down Parkway on Sunday morning.June 17, 2009
Boomer's Journal Entry 6/17/09
Yo,
Ugh. Talk about being treated badly. Well, more like the implications hurt my feelings.
So last Monday, Daddy came home and he was giving me appropriate cuddles on my bed in what he calls "the guest room." After a few minutes he starts sniffing and talking about how I smell like I didn't wash my hands after using the ladies box. As if I would be so crass as to not wash my hands afterwards! We cuddled a litte bit more, then I went to watch the birds.
Later that evening, Poppa was fidgeting around the house when he was in "the guest room" and said something about a smell.
They kept saying I must have made a mess in the room. THE NERVE!!!! Daddy and Poppa moved almost all the furniture out of the room and closed the door. That's my room and my bed!!! For the next week I was kept out of there. Off and on they would open the door and complain about the smell. They washed the floors multiple times, opened the windows(!!!!) and put a small wax fire in the middle of the room that made a smell like the grass.
Well, finally, last night my dignity was mostly restored. Seems they both think the smell was not from me...thank you very much...but from one of the weeds Daddy keeps in the house and pours water on. The weeds are now outside and they stopped closing the door. I am no longer being wrongfully accused of making a "mess" in my room, on my bed. I know they wouldn't like it if I accused them of making messes around the house, cuz' Ceiling Cat knows they do!
I accept your apology.
Later Tater Tots,
June 1, 2009
A couple more flower photos
A few quick ones that I snapped while I had the chance. First, some pale pink flowers on the rhododendron that grows in the small plot next to the sidewalk. It's full of blooms right now:
And you've seen the Marigolds before, but this particular bloom was so vibrant, I had to zoom in for a close-up:
And you've seen the Marigolds before, but this particular bloom was so vibrant, I had to zoom in for a close-up:
May 27, 2009
Lots of rain but the color is out
We've had rain, rain, nothing but rain for days! But our lovely garden persists and the flowers are determined to come out to play. Here are a few of our (waterlogged) lovelies.
The last of the bulbs in the square plot are these Yellow Alliums, which are having trouble standing up, but I held one up for a good shot:
This bushy plant with tiny pink flowers I've been able to identify as Spiraea Bumalda, which is a relative of the Eurasian plant called Meadowsweet. It's currently lighting up our front walk.
Out in the back amidst a ton of greenery (I think the Goosestrife are on their way), a few lily-like plants cropped up. I did an internet search on them, and they clearly appear to be Spiderwort. Here's hoping a few more of them can survive the deluge.
The main bunch of Azaleas in back are now in bloom with the last group, these are all salmon pink.
One of the ground cover plants we have out back is this lovely lavender Phlox, which I'd be happy to see fill in a larger area.
Last year our friends Charlie & Steven gave us a set of climbing Roses, which we bought a small iron pyramid for. Over last summer we just had to cultivate them and give them space, and this year we were rewarded with the first blooms - like crazy! They are already giving us a lot, and I think will stick around for a long time if we keep them pruned and well fed.
Coming up I hope to show you the huge Lilies, and maybe even...Blackberries? Stay tuned!
The last of the bulbs in the square plot are these Yellow Alliums, which are having trouble standing up, but I held one up for a good shot:
This bushy plant with tiny pink flowers I've been able to identify as Spiraea Bumalda, which is a relative of the Eurasian plant called Meadowsweet. It's currently lighting up our front walk.
Out in the back amidst a ton of greenery (I think the Goosestrife are on their way), a few lily-like plants cropped up. I did an internet search on them, and they clearly appear to be Spiderwort. Here's hoping a few more of them can survive the deluge.
The main bunch of Azaleas in back are now in bloom with the last group, these are all salmon pink.
One of the ground cover plants we have out back is this lovely lavender Phlox, which I'd be happy to see fill in a larger area.
Last year our friends Charlie & Steven gave us a set of climbing Roses, which we bought a small iron pyramid for. Over last summer we just had to cultivate them and give them space, and this year we were rewarded with the first blooms - like crazy! They are already giving us a lot, and I think will stick around for a long time if we keep them pruned and well fed.
Coming up I hope to show you the huge Lilies, and maybe even...Blackberries? Stay tuned!
May 10, 2009
Birds and blooms
It's been wet, wet, wet here in the DC area for a couple of weeks! That's made it tough on our flowers to stay in bloom lately. But we finally had a day of sun yesterday, and a couple of new plants decided to come out and shine.
First, our absurdly beautiful Yellow Irises, which I can never really figure out. They pop out of a two-dimensional base, and then form this complicated structure. They smell like soft lemons - love them!
And over closer to the patio we have a Lavender Rhododendron which is starting to burst forth with puffballs of flowers:
You may have noticed our bird feeders in other pictures. I'm going to try my best to take some bird photos, but without a telephoto lens it's a challenge, and I have to be REAL patient. That being said, I got a couple of decent shots yesterday. You'll have to click on the photos to enlarge and see the birds.
Here are some reddish-purple House Finches - we see a lot of these little guys:
And we also get several types of woodpeckers - this one is a Red-bellied Woodpecker, easy to spot with its brightly red cap:
From Parkway Manor, we hope you all have a wonderful Mother's Day!
.
First, our absurdly beautiful Yellow Irises, which I can never really figure out. They pop out of a two-dimensional base, and then form this complicated structure. They smell like soft lemons - love them!
And over closer to the patio we have a Lavender Rhododendron which is starting to burst forth with puffballs of flowers:
You may have noticed our bird feeders in other pictures. I'm going to try my best to take some bird photos, but without a telephoto lens it's a challenge, and I have to be REAL patient. That being said, I got a couple of decent shots yesterday. You'll have to click on the photos to enlarge and see the birds.
Here are some reddish-purple House Finches - we see a lot of these little guys:
And we also get several types of woodpeckers - this one is a Red-bellied Woodpecker, easy to spot with its brightly red cap:
From Parkway Manor, we hope you all have a wonderful Mother's Day!.
May 6, 2009
Boomer's Journal Entry 5/6/09
Yo,
Boomer here. Just a quick entry. I wanted to show off my new napping donut that I received as a gift from Daddy & Poppa. I like to keep it in my watchpost window where I can keep track of all the comings and goings in the neighborhood. It's a more comfortable way to do my job. Neighborhood Watch...I'm on it!
Later Tater Tots
April 30, 2009
Flowers big and small
.
As we continue to wait for rain to wash away all the pollen, I'm finding that a lot of the smaller flowers are blooming around the yard. Today was a good time to prowl around and snap some more photos.
Near the back of the yard there is an old arbor that's falling apart - the only thing holding it together is this strong Red Honeysuckle which blooms like mad for weeks.
You've seen the pink and the white, but this week it was time for the flaming Red Azaleas!
One of the surprises we found last year were these patches of rich Purple Columbine. I planted a few more from seed last year, so we may be lucky enough to get a few more blooming soon.
I'm pretty sure that this Rhododendron was in bloom last year, but I certainly don't remember the flowers being so vividly white and pink! It's our surprise stunner to end the month of April.
On one side of the patio we have a small square that has become almost completely overrun with Lily of the Valley. And that's just fine, because with lovely delicate flowers like this, how can one resist?
As for the bulbs in the square planter, our latest bloomer is this strip of Red Empress Tulips. (I think that's the name - Scott can correct me.) This might be my favorite so far!
And lastly, I know I already posted a picture of the Pink Peony, but it's so lovely, I can't resist taking more pictures of it! It's just ludicrously big and fluffy.
.
As we continue to wait for rain to wash away all the pollen, I'm finding that a lot of the smaller flowers are blooming around the yard. Today was a good time to prowl around and snap some more photos.
Near the back of the yard there is an old arbor that's falling apart - the only thing holding it together is this strong Red Honeysuckle which blooms like mad for weeks.
You've seen the pink and the white, but this week it was time for the flaming Red Azaleas!
One of the surprises we found last year were these patches of rich Purple Columbine. I planted a few more from seed last year, so we may be lucky enough to get a few more blooming soon.
I'm pretty sure that this Rhododendron was in bloom last year, but I certainly don't remember the flowers being so vividly white and pink! It's our surprise stunner to end the month of April.
On one side of the patio we have a small square that has become almost completely overrun with Lily of the Valley. And that's just fine, because with lovely delicate flowers like this, how can one resist?
As for the bulbs in the square planter, our latest bloomer is this strip of Red Empress Tulips. (I think that's the name - Scott can correct me.) This might be my favorite so far!
And lastly, I know I already posted a picture of the Pink Peony, but it's so lovely, I can't resist taking more pictures of it! It's just ludicrously big and fluffy.
.
April 27, 2009
Pollen is everywhere
.
It seems like there is a coating of pollen over everything outside this week! I'm not sure why - maybe all that rain we had loosened it all up.
But the good news is that we are hitting the high blooming season around the yard. This week it's more azaleas and the peonies!
Out in front we have some small Lilies - not sure of the variety, but they are pretty.
For a few days now we've had tons of Pink Azaleas. It took me awhile to get a decent shot, but this close-up works:
After the pink comes the White Azalea:
This is the gorgeous Pink Peony bush that bloomed all in one day. We're happy to see that some of its seeds are growing nearby, so hopefully we'll have a fuller display in the coming years.
Out in the front yard there's a small dark Red Peony which is starting to burst open also:
Even the grass is in bloom! Or something - these wildflowers are dotting the back yard near the big Oak tree.
And one last shot purely for artistic value. The Parrot Tulip looks interesting, even as the flower dies away:
Next up we should have some more azaleas (red this time), more peonies, and the full unveiling of the Mammoth Blue Hostas.
.
It seems like there is a coating of pollen over everything outside this week! I'm not sure why - maybe all that rain we had loosened it all up.
But the good news is that we are hitting the high blooming season around the yard. This week it's more azaleas and the peonies!
Out in front we have some small Lilies - not sure of the variety, but they are pretty.
For a few days now we've had tons of Pink Azaleas. It took me awhile to get a decent shot, but this close-up works:
After the pink comes the White Azalea:
This is the gorgeous Pink Peony bush that bloomed all in one day. We're happy to see that some of its seeds are growing nearby, so hopefully we'll have a fuller display in the coming years.
Out in the front yard there's a small dark Red Peony which is starting to burst open also:
Even the grass is in bloom! Or something - these wildflowers are dotting the back yard near the big Oak tree.
And one last shot purely for artistic value. The Parrot Tulip looks interesting, even as the flower dies away:
Next up we should have some more azaleas (red this time), more peonies, and the full unveiling of the Mammoth Blue Hostas..
April 26, 2009
Boomer's Journal Entry 4/26/09
Yo,
Boomer here. Sorry, it's been awhile since I did a journal entry. I get so busy, it's hard to keep up.
Not a whole lot has been happening around here lately. With spring and soon, summer, fast approaching, I've been spending a lot of time hanging in the windows watching the property and making sure no one is coming around that shouldn't be.
For example, this afternoon I spent several hours watching the Blue Jays and Cardinals cavorting in the yard. They are ok, but those dang squirrels! I need to find a way to scare them away.
Oh, I know what else has happened. Hairballs! Well, more specifically, a very large HAIRBALL! HUGE. I'm surprised just how much came up.
And...daddy and popsicle bought me a new set of food dishes. I'm not happy. The first night I managed to get them to switch back to my original bowl, but since then, I've been forced to use these new dishes. They are deeper and harder for me to totally faceplant into my dinner. Now I have to take my time and take a breath inbetween each bite. Ugh!
Outside of that, not much has been going on. Just enjoying the warm sunbeams...
Later Tater Tots
April 21, 2009
Quick flower photos
The storm was a-comin'! So I had just a few quick minutes to snap some photos of our latest blooms.
This is a new Lily that Scott picked up at Lowe's. It's replacing an insidious ground cover plant that I yanked out last week.
And now we have Tulips coming up in our square planter from last fall's bulbs! Scott says they smell like candy. This first one is certainly sweet - it's called a Parrot Tulip.
These are just a pretty multi-colored variety.
And this pointy beauty is called a Chinatown Tulip.
Lastly here's a close-up of our Bleeding Heart. It starts small and then branches way out - a simple tiny beauty.
Unfortunately I couldn't get a decent shot of our first round of Azaleas - but I'll try again this weekend. I imagine this batch (the dark pink ones) will be in bloom for at least a week.
.
This is a new Lily that Scott picked up at Lowe's. It's replacing an insidious ground cover plant that I yanked out last week.
And now we have Tulips coming up in our square planter from last fall's bulbs! Scott says they smell like candy. This first one is certainly sweet - it's called a Parrot Tulip.
These are just a pretty multi-colored variety.
And this pointy beauty is called a Chinatown Tulip.
Lastly here's a close-up of our Bleeding Heart. It starts small and then branches way out - a simple tiny beauty.
Unfortunately I couldn't get a decent shot of our first round of Azaleas - but I'll try again this weekend. I imagine this batch (the dark pink ones) will be in bloom for at least a week.
.
April 19, 2009
On A Clear Day
The weather was perfect on Saturday. We got some yard work done and spent plenty of time relaxing on the patio as the sun went down and the grill cooked up some tasty burgers.
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