Ivy Comes Down, so does the Rain, Harry Back from Alaska

Finally some much needed rain hits Celina, the bad part is, it's also raining in Lima, thus washing out tonight's game between the Legion and OSU-Lima....Oh Well, my neck and legs need the rest. After 2 straight days of looking up painting, scraping, and pulling down Ivy...I need a day off, the rain is providing that. A good drink for the lawn and plants was in order, and we are getting that.

The Ivy comes down_____

Well at least the Ivy on the upper front facing of the porch. Our porch area is covered with Ivy that has been growing there for about 20 years....we moved in back in 1995, and the previous owner had it pretty well growing gung ho. It's a hearty variety, and even in winter the leaves stay with it....over the past decade I've battled Poison Ivy{which I defeated} and sparrows nesting by the hundreds in it. The birds I tolerated, but the nests have become so entwined in it, and was making the Ivy a mess. Not to mention the front steps, and parts of the porch area, were being affected, so it was time for a cut and trim. I figured to use the house paint as a way to get rid of the birds for the most part...they are not nesting or producing as much this time of year, but Sparrows, like Rabbits, continue to breed all year round.

Anyhow, after finishing off the east side of the house, paint wise, I headed to the front porch and began the battle of the Ivy....took a few hours, and the scraping was unusually hard, due to the vines being the type that attach themselves to the paint and wood...so scraping and sanding was undertaken, and the Ivy is now under control, leaving what I wanted around the edges, but the facing front is now clear. I just need to get a dry spell and get at the painting and trim. It appears I am about 35% done with the house, and the goal to get it done by Labor Day is still in the cards...Hell, late August is a real possibility.

Harry is back from Alaska___

My Nha Trang Vietnam buddy, retired Philadelphia Police Officer, Harry Bevan along with wife Anna, and daughter and son-in-law, took a 10 day trip to Alaska, and just got back from the north country last week. Harry's adventure stories and photos can be found on his blog:

http://harrysrantsandraves.blogspot.com/

seems Harry and family had a great time, except for maybe a few "Airline" issues....

Harry also reminds me that the day Apollo 11 landed on the Moon, that we were on SAT Alert, and in the SAT Barracks watching the "Moonwalk" on the TV there, not at the Security Police private movie house....and you know what? He is right. I knew something was missing from my description on the July 20th post...but it took Harry to shake up my brain, and get it right....Thanks brother!

Upcoming____

Sam has 9 games scheduled for the upcoming 4 day Minster Pony and Little League Tournament, and I have 4, mine being on Friday and Saturday, Sam is always doing his share and more with this tournament...he likes it, and they like him.

Also on tap, the Celina Lake Festival is coming up Friday, Saturday, and Sunday...rain or shine, the car show and fireworks will go on......

back later>>>>>

Photos-Me{left} and Harry Bevan from October 1969 with the 14th SPS at Nha Trang AB, Republic of Vietnam---and 4 photos of the Ivy from the front of the house..some 30 bird nests, thick and years old were part of the problem...as you can see from the pile next to the street, that was just a small part of a large batch of Ivy.