I Like Thursday
It’s Thursday, and time to share another I Like Thursday post with you and the rest of my blogging friends over at Not Afraid of Color. LeeAnna is asking us about travel this week, wanting to know “if you could go anywhere right now, where would it be?” So let me answer that first, before I share a few other likes from my week.
If I could go anywhere locally right now, it would probably be to the North Shore.
Truly, though, I wouldn’t go right now. It is the start of the high tourist season as well as a holiday weekend – we steer clear of the North Shore until fall, when things quiet down a bit. This photo was taken in June a few years ago – I love the moodiness of the North Shore!
If I could travel anywhere right now nationally, I’d consider visiting the Carolinas. We have not spent any time there, and it’s on our bucket list.
If I could travel anywhere right now internationally, I’d love to see the British Isles. Oddly, I’ve never traveled internationally, and I don’t know that I ever will, but I do enjoy dreaming about it.
Most summer days, we just enjoy the best seat in the house – dinner on our deck, and pretend we are dining at a dream destination. It’s our favorite place during the lovely summer months!
One of the best Father’s Day gifts given to hubs is this wireless speaker. I have no affiliation to this company, but wanted to share this with you.
It’s a small Sonos speaker, measuring roughly 2.5″ x 7″ – so it doesn’t take up much room. The sound quality is so good, even to my hard of hearing ears. It holds its charge quite a long time. We pop on some quiet jazz, put our feet up, and enjoy the evening.
Looking up, I am fascinated with the shadows in the umbrella – and wonder if there’s a quilt design in there . . .
When we drag ourselves away from relaxing, there has been a lot of weeding to do in our gardens. I came across this while weeding one of the spots.
I’ve never seen this in my gardens, so I was curious, as you can imagine. I took the photo, and my “lookup” feature on my phone (did you know your phone camera can do that??) tells me it’s either buckthorn or horse chestnut. Whichever, it’s out of that little garden patch now.
If you are not familiar with that “lookup” feature on your iPhone, tap on a photo you have of a plant. In the menu on the bottom of the screen, you’ll see a little “i” with stars by it. It’s just to the left of the trash can. Tap on that “i” . In the middle of your photo – if the plant is identifiable – you will see a little leaf. Tap on the leaf, and you will see what your phone thinks the plant may be.
I also came across this plant in another garden, and we are leaving this in ground for a bit to see if it blooms or something.
My phone tells me this one might be a Taiwanese Lily or Ponytail Palm. I am doubtful about the palm, but we are curious about the lily (which looks like an Easter lily). We have no idea how this plant got in that spot, so we are curious.
The Weekly Wilbs
My kids gave me these beautiful roses for Mother’s Day. Guess who just had to check them out?
My daughter was careful to choose flowers that were not harmful to Wilbs. He will not leave plants alone – he was really sticking his nose in there to get the leaf, but the photos were fun to take.
Well, if you’re still here, thanks for reading my I Like Thursday post. May you enjoy this weekend, wherever your travels take you!
Wendy
Fab Farm SAL Chicken Block
23 Comments
Rochelle Summers
The first plant leaves you showed looked like Marijuana! Ha, ha!! No, I don’t grow or use it, but….. I hope the other turns out to be a lily and you show us what the blooms look like. I love your outdoor dining area. Thanks for the photo of the speaker. I use an Oontz Angle that is triangular shaped and about 6″ long. I listen to audio books and it gives me good quality sound. Travelling to the Channel Islands would be nice. Oh, Wilbs really does look like a flower afficiando.
marissthequilter
Enjoy sitting on your deck under the red umbrella, while listening to quiet jazz and drinking red wine. What an idyllic image
Laura
I did not know about using the phone to identify a plant, Wendy! That is so cool! Thank you for the tip! 🙂
rl2b2017
Aww, Wilbs! That really smells good, doesn’t it?!! I love the view from your desk. It looks nice and relaxing. Ugg to weeds. Those don’t look like weeds to me – chestnuts are definitely from your friends, the squirrels. I have never used the Lookup feature on my phone. Who knew?!! Happy Thursday to you (and Wilbs). {{Hugs}} ~smile~ Roseanne
Eva
Yes, we are now starting in the season of enjoying the outdoor time. There is no need to go away if you have a place like that! Yes, the red sun umbrella could be an inspiration for quilting lines. Plants… no idea.. yes some phones can help to identify! And Sonos is definitely nice! I do not need 25 hours sound in my ears, but this is really nice. In the evening I try to hear the birds sing if traffic from street behind the haouse is not to loud. We take this Sonos as well with it with us to vacation in appartments sometimes.
Travel.. well.. to Houston… and go to THE Quilt show. It must be amazing. Or to Sisters, Stiching post summer event, the biggest outdoor quilt show. This are my dreams .. on the other part of the globe!
How nice from your kids to show what a lovely mother they have! I know, its not so easy to get nice flowers up there. So, wow… they are lovely. And for sure.. Wilbs as senior security officer has to check them!!! I love this picture!!!
Barbara J Stanbro
I was surprised to read you’d never traveled internationally. I’ll admit, I prefer domestic travel, but it is interesting to see other cultures, the architecture, and the food. Of the places I’ve been, the one I’d love to see again would be Italy. Such an interesting place, and fabulous food. Wouldn’t you know I’d be focused on the food?
Yvonne @Quilting Jetgirl
I can definitely see the shadows in the umbrella being quilt inspiration – it seems to beg for a bit of improv play!
Cheree Hull
So on the unidentified weed, Hubs says you should dry it, roll it and smoke it and let us know. LOL! Jk!!! (Am I the only one that sees it? Not that I’m up on those things!) love the pic w/Wilbs! He’s such a cutey!
Sara Fridley
Our deck is a favorite spot too. Our cat wouldn’t leave plants alone either. Luckily for him, I have a brown thumb so any greenery in our house was usually silk. But my husband would show up with toxic plants sometimes for my birthday or our anniversary, and they always ended up on top of a bookcase where the cat couldn’t get to them.
laura bruno lilly
Thanks for the phone app tip and the sonos speaker rec.
🙂
Enjoy the beginning of lounging outside weather!
Diann@ Little Penguin Quilts
Dinner on the deck is a favorite of ours, too. Your North Shore photo makes it look like a place we’d enjoy visiting. I understand about not going during the touristy season, though – that’s why we go to the Oregon Coast in September! Wilbs and the roses – so cute! Does he also like to munch on grass outside like Barbara’s kitties at Catpatches do?
gayle m coots
Ashville, NC is a quirky, fun town we visited last spring break. I’m a mountain girl even though I live on Lake Erie. My bucket list includes Charleston, SC.
Karen
I have not traveled much out of the states either other than some of Canada some years ago. I would love to live in the mountains. The north shore is pretty!
Katherine Duquette
Your roses are gorgeous and Wilbs is too cute inspecting them. I agree about staying home this holiday weekend. My bucket list has Dauphin Island, AL and Figi to travel to.
Happy relaxing.
Nancy @ Grace and Peace Quilting
I didn’t realize that was a lookup feature on the iPhone, Wendy. I tried it and it worked! Does it only work on plants? Your roses are beautiful with your table runner!!! For an international trip, I’d love to go to Israel. In the state, any national park will do!
Sally
Pretty roses! Wilbur is cute as usual! Your back deck looks like a lovely spot!
Tracie
You have a horse chestnut tree, a Henkel favorite! We planted one last week, and you got yours for free. Lucky duck! Some squirrel gifted it to you.
Like you, our favorite place to be is our backyard, and all the birds are feeding this evening. It’s so fun to watch. Enjoy your weekend!
texasquiltgal
Thanks for that iPhone tip. I just tried it on a rose photo, and it worked – yay! You have a lovely place to dine with that beautiful view. I just asked Hubs if he had a wireless speaker, and darn it, yes he does. I thought that would be a great idea for his birthday coming up. How thoughtful of your daughter to carefully choose plants with Wilbs in mind, and those are beautiful. I like the way you did your Places to Travel.
Jocelyn Thurston
Thanks for mentioning your speaker. I think it would work well by the pool where we keep the barbeque. I will check it out. Also thanks for telling us about that iphone feature. I keep hearing about more of the hidden features of these phones. I don’t have one but literally everyone around me does. I too thought that first plant a marijuana plant. I just knew Wilbs would appreciate lovely flowers…he’s so refined.
Quilting is in my Blood
I’m definitely going to check out that tip for identifying plants with my iPhone. I love seeing what Wilbs is up to.
Kathleen McCormick
Love that iphone trick! Didn’t know it. The image of you on the deck, the flowers, the wine, the music…delightful. I have not been to the Carolinas….looking forward to Ireland and Spain in the next year or so. Moving my husband is not easy!
The Joyful Quilter
If you travel to the Carolinas, be sure to warn me in advance so that we can meet up!
Mari
Buckthorn! Pull that out and spray bleach in the hole in case anything is left! Truly one of the worst, most invasive plants ever, and a bear to get rid of. Otherwise. . .we eat outside every day, sometimes three meals. It’s pretty awesome. As for travel, go buy a ticket! You would love Britain, plus they have fun fabric stores there. And scones! And tea! And bobbies! Buy two tickets and I’ll go too! 🙂