I haven't gotten any knitting or crochet done this weekend at all. We had major work to do around the house. Now that the weather has cooled off and it's not like a sauna outside every day, we've been catching up on yardwork. Gotten lots done .... but lots more to go.

Here's proof of our work:



That pile is 10 assorted big trashbags filled with leaves, and a huge pile of sticks and lawn clippings. All that raking and bagging was a bit futile though. Our shade trees still have quite a few leaves on them. I won't complain too much. I love the big shade trees. Although the largest tree in our yard died this summer. It's going to cost us about $450 to have it removed. I took a picture of the poor dead tree just for the heck of it. I want to plant a maple tree in its place once we have it removed.




Our cat Fooful sat out on the driveway watching me take pictures of the dead tree. He was looking at me like I'd finally lost what little mind I had. Cats have such attitudes.



Is that a snotty look or what?? lol. He should be nicer to me. I'm the one who fills his food dish and cleans his sand box.

We got a swingset for Joshua through Freecycle. It's still all in pieces in our backyard, but it will be SO nice once we have it put together. :) Freecycle is such a great thing! It's a recycling program where you post things you don't need anymore and give it away to other people in your area. There are Freecycle groups all over the nation. Check it out at www.freecycle.org There is probably a Freecycle group in your neck of the woods too! I've gotten a weight bench for myself, clothes and toys for Joshua, and now the swingset. It's all given away free. In return for receiving things from the list, you also have to post things to give away. I've given away baby clothes, baby blankets, clothes, books, etc. It was all stuff that was in the way, and that someone else could put to good use! Check it out -- it's great!!!!!! :)

Here's the swingset in it's current state of disarray in our backyard:



It has 3 swings, a slide, a teeter totter, a glider and a merry-go-round sorta thing (great technical term there, eh?). Bought hunter green rustoleum to repaint the metal and my husband is going to replace the bolts, and then it'll be good to go! :) I'm painting our porch furniture the same hunter green color. Our back yard will be color coordinated......take that, Martha Stewart! lol. Our usual great timing, too ---- got a swingset....just in time for it to get too cold for the kids to spend much time outdoors. lol.

Saw an 8-legged resident of our yard while we were raking leaves today. Since I haven't posted a spider picture in a few days, I thought I'd post this:



He was hangin' out in my flowers. Well....sort of flowers. Pretty green foliage and big orange berries....



Anybody know what sort of plant this is??? It's in my front flower bed, and very pretty. I'd love to plant some more.....but I'm not sure what it is.

Still got some more weeding and mulching to do....but the yard is looking much better finally. Now I'm going to sign off, and get out my needles and knit something!!!! I was going through withdrawal today!!!

TTFN!!!!!