Archive: Coffee and then mixing compost and planting flowers

| June 7, 2023

Who doesn’t smile when waking up to a cup of coffee in the morning — oh, I can smell it now. I know I do … and would be shocked if it actually smiled back! Really this is just adding to the archive in getting the yard ready for summer and the family this weekend. […]

Wyze Cam Smoke Alarm notifications and spring has sprung

| March 30, 2023

It may not be pretty with the old mulch, leaves and dirty sidewalks … but spring has sprung in 2023. The old-ish bulbs are up and the buds are on the magnolias and lilacs.  On another subject, I’ve contacted Wyze about one of my newer cams triggering a RED “Smoke Alarm” message which definitely caught […]

Buttercups photo and reflecting on another school shooting

| May 28, 2022

We are enjoying my late mother-in-law’s transplanted Buttercups (Ranunculus) that we brought home from the Jamestown, NY farmhouse (winter pics). Initially, Brenda’s sister Chris asked me to bring her some home for her since I was the one driving back and forth to western New York to clean out, take care of the property and […]

It is semi-officially spring when our lilacs bud

| March 18, 2022

Each year I think I take a photo of either our flowers or trees coming back to life in the spring. I know from a quick search that there are at least ten posts similar to this one over the years … here is one from February 2017.  Since this particular lilac plant can’t be […]

A quick trip to Florida so as not to waste an expiring ticket

| November 20, 2021

Brenda and I flew to Florida with a “use it or lose it” expiring Southwest Airline ticket …and hopefully as a way to earn a future companion-pass ticket (we’ll see how that goes). We were there for a long weekend and to enjoy a couple days at the condo and the beach. Unfortunately I wasted […]

Flowers, some Kubota service and waking up the Packard Hawk

| May 11, 2021

This content is restricted.

Archive: A few saved family photos from the week that was …

| May 5, 2021

This content is restricted.

Archive: Brenda’s flowers, busy working bees and babysitting

| September 9, 2020

This content is restricted.

Out and about, yardwork, flowers and more rain

| May 24, 2020

It has been a slow start to getting our yard in shape. By now we usually have the pool open and flowers planned, but for some reason (probably rain) we are not ready for summer. Thankfully though, Saturday was nice most of the day. I waited as long as possible to add a few brown […]

Happy Mother’s Day to my wife … and as mom to our kids

| May 10, 2020

This content is restricted.

Bookshelves artwork display area update and spring flowers

| April 11, 2020

The bookshelves have been on-again, off-again as the laborious painting and improved spring weather dictates my indoor verses outdoor activities. I did get a chance to finish the “art display area” in the center bookshelf section … and so far, so good. My plan was to create a little depth perception by bring the art […]

Spring had definitely sprung for Easter Sunday in 2019

| April 23, 2019

Although Brenda worked Easter Sunday this year, the weather could not have been more beautiful in Cincinnati for a few chores. I buffed out the oxidation on our 2002 Honda Odyssey, as the Florida sun is hard on paint. After buffing, I wax and buffed again in order to add a layer of protection … […]

Yardwork, jury duty and enjoying the July 2018 night sky

| July 26, 2018

We been enjoying summer and mostly great weather around the house and yard so far this year in 2018 and Brenda‘s growing landscape mounds are all flowering and looking really nice (she has been working on them although her current Grand Jury duty is cutting into her free time). The last few days of slightly […]

iPhone photography and seeing signs of spring

| April 3, 2018

The other day I mentioned “selective focus” as a photography technique to my son … so I took advantage of the low light and ugly rainy weather to use the “longer x2 lens”on the iPhone7plus to hide the ugliness. The telephoto lens on any camera, especially in closer up photography), is that it is easy […]

Learning the Lumix GX8 – Prime lens and flower pictures

| April 16, 2017

With the buds and flowers popping this Easter weekend around Cincinnati, a sunny morning was a great opportunity to put the lesser used prime lens on my new Four Thirds Lumix GX8 camera. The 14-140 stabilized zoom is usually on my camera for convenience, but today I suspect the slightly faster f1.7 prime lens might be sharper […]

Our Spring landscaping could use some sprucing up

| April 12, 2017

It’s not exactly pristine landscaping this year at the Corbett abode, but seeing the rapidly growing grass and spring flowers popping out feels good. This is the first year that I recall actually missing winter.

Happy Mothers Day to my mother-in-law

| May 8, 2016

Unfortunately I’m not able to be with my mother-in-law or my wife today, but here’s wishing her a wonderful Mother’s Day (Happy Mother’s Day to Brenda too!)

Spring weather is fickle — cold and snow or sunny and warm

| April 17, 2016

What a difference a week can make come April here in Cincinnati. Last Saturday we woke up to snow (backyard photo below) and this weekend after cutting grass Friday night has the grass green and tulips blooming yesterday morning.  Instead of shoveling snow that means yardwork and time to think about spring cleanup. Also wanted […]

Spring as sprung and flowers are blossoming everywhere

| April 22, 2013

Although we were hoping the tulips would be in bloom for Katelyn and Drew’s wedding (tulips for the “Dutch” Oostra … not that it mattered), they didn’t quite start blossoming until the other day. In fact everything is now blooming and the smells are fantastic.       Even the less desirable “flowers!” (below)

Mid-February flower bulbs and wedding invitation stamps

| February 19, 2013

I forgot to add a couple of photos from Katelyn and Drew’s visit this weekend in order to finish up their wedding invitations … of course we all forgot that the Post Office was close Monday — Presidents’ Day. I suppose one more day won’t hurt? Also noticed the new bulbs are popping up already […]

Planted and marked a few flower bulbs using the Notability app

| December 2, 2012

I finally finished planting all the new bulbs Brenda purchase a few weeks ago as the weather on Saturday was in the high 50s and dry. I also decided to mark the locations using a few photos then marking it up on my iPad using Notablity … an excellent PDF app, by the way. Marking […]

Green grass and ground cover flowers are growing fast

| March 27, 2012

I was out at dusk trying to get a little more of the grass cut again. The grass is green and growing fast … I don’t think I’m going to be able to keep up with it if it rains. Thankfully it was dry enough (barely) to get some of the longest and thickest cut, […]

Our White Star Magnolia has bloomed super early this year

| March 18, 2012

Since each year I’ve either looked at, blogged about or taken a photo of the White Star Magnolia we planted for Brenda back on Mother’s Day in 2008, I’ll include a macro video test  with the little waterproof Kodak Playsport Zx5 pocket camera. (hint: don’t use the macro setting for this) The flowers have been […]

Green grass and Magnolia flowers proclaim Spring is here

| April 8, 2011

After arriving home late last night Brenda wanted me to see the flowering White Star Magnolia flowers … so I indulged her and walked out to look at them with her … and snapped a weak LED flash photo with my Palm Pre smartphone. Little did she know, I had already been looking at them […]

Proof that spring has sprung: Flowers on the Star Magnolia

| March 27, 2011

Although I’d be hard pressed to convince anyone that spring is here based on the long winter and the cold temperatures we have been having, our Star Magnolia is telling us that winter is over and that spring weather is here or suppose to be here. Let’s hope the latest cold weather will be our […]

Sunday afternoon is absolutely gorgeous here in Cincinnati

| June 6, 2010

I’ll call this a lazy but productive weekend since I spent most of Saturday working in the yard … or more appropriately on the pool and patio. Most of the  heavy pollen from the pine trees seems to have left it mark and looks to be finally finished coating everything for the season, it was […]

Appreciating the flowers that beautify our home

| May 16, 2010

I enjoyed the day working in the yard and found myself appreciating Brenda’s gardening talents. As the landscaping around our yard continues to mature and the varieties of different flowers bloom one after another all spring, all the hard work to plan, plant and tend is beginning to pay off. Today’s overweight Peony blooms were […]

The vegetable garden is half planted and the flowers are blooming

| May 22, 2009

I was able to get some of the vegetable garden planted this past week and fenced in order to protect the tender plants from the ravenous bunnies we have around our house. One would think that Tootsie, our Australian Blue Heeler could defend the property, but the rabbits seem to populate despite her efforts to […]

Desultory - des-uhl-tawr-ee, -tohr-ee

  1. lacking in consistency, constancy, or visible order, disconnected; fitful: desultory conversation.
  2. digressing from or unconnected with the main subject; random: a desultory remark.
My Desultory Blog