Each day is a gift

Hello Friends ~ It is early evening EST here in s.e. FL. I pray that you are all doing well. Today made 40 days since I last left this property. Amazing. One day melts into another and if I don't check my phone or the computer to see what day it really is, I wouldn't know. I do have a calendar that I write things on, and mark the days off and that helps, but to know for sure, check phone or computer.

Thanks for visiting here and kind & encouraging comments you leave. They are a big help.

Had my first zoom session with bro & sis in law the other night and it was great to break me in. Then this morning had a 40 min session with them and their daughter and her fiance. The time flew by, so good to see faces and laugh together. We plan on doing it again soon.

This coming Tuesday evening I'll have a session with a small ladies group from church and I'm looking forward to that also. Not seeing anyone was really taking a toll on my mental health as I'm sure it is for others who live alone. I have a couple of friends who are not computer savvy or have smart phones and they are lost in that respect of keeping in touch with people. I am so glad I do have these two items to keep in touch with others especially at this time.

I joined an online scavenger hunt earlier this morning from Hootin' Annie's blog. My macro mystery item is found below, with what it was below that. 

Friday night we had some really heavy rain lasting for a good while. My little wooden house with metal awnings is hard to take with the noise of heavy rain beating down. It was just as I was going to bed also and that makes it worse. I start fretting/worrying about what if this or that, because I will have to figure out how to take care of whatever it is, if it happens. Sheesh! My stomach gets in knots, I lay there praying, thinking of different scripture, laid on my side and put a small pillow over my exposed ear to deaden the sound and just breathed in and out, thank you, Jesus. Finally I calmed and fell asleep and the rains stopped.

But, the next morning I knew I would have to 'rig' the downspout to rain barrel that the raccoons had taken apart with climbing up and down it. I had tried before, and what a joke that was, wrecked again by the critters. I had bought a metal piece that inserts into the whole in the gutter, that goes into the downspout, and would work with the pieces I already had. I don't have extra $$, and besides there is no going out and buying anything from HD right now anyway.

I did find my very favorite tape for fixing things, it is a metal tape. I've used it on my van's roof, and other things, and it was going to be put to use for this project now. So, that's what I worked on yesterday morning.   I was always my husband's ready helper no matter what the project. (He thanked me for that when he was bedridden those last 4 months of his earthly life. I MISS helping him.) Now, I have to try to figure out what to do and give it my best shot.

So, here are before and after pics, going with what I had on hand and going with the flow, praying as I went along. The 'coons had taken the little downward insert from the gutter and I don't know what they did with it, which is partly why this whole thing fell apart.

Here's my metal tape work. Where there's a will, there's a way.

The top portion goes from the gutter into the top of the rain barrel, the bottom part takes overflow water out and down to the french drain that goes out to the front away from the house.
 

 

 It's pretty tight in place now and hopefully will last me a good while.

Glad that is done, one less worry to deal with. 

Now for some pretties and happy stuff.

I love hearts and am always happy to find one. This was found a few days ago. It's a seed pod.

This one I found yesterday evening in the driveway. Do you think my Vionic garden clogs have seen better days? The arch support is great. I got these in 2016 I think at a discounted place who sold shoes. They looked great when new, now not so nice and the strap on both shoes is all stretched out. I wear tie ups when working outside these days, these are just for quick walks outside.

This is a knockout rose.

Don't know the name of this rose, no tag when I bought it a few years ago. The color and scent are fantastic.

 Afternoon sun hitting plum cottage and the prolific orange reed orchids.

 Here are some vanda 'Miss Joachim' orchids, growing with little care from me. 

 The reflections in water caught my eye.

That's it for now. May tomorrow be a day that is bright and filled with hope and joy.

FlowerLady