We've had such a spate of gorgeous weather...not even Hurricane Hermine took away the day's sunshine.

So today was the 3rd day I worked on clearing out the brambles growing in the pachysandra and looming over my side yard. I am pretty much finished with it. It's not perfect, but so much better. There is quite a bit of poison ivy growing near my 3 or 4 blueberry bushes and a few bittersweet vines I could not get to behind them. I sprayed it several times with the vinegar/salt spray.

I did a lot of reading today, just sitting outside on the front porch, a book we'll be discussing on Thursday.

I also went for an hour-long walk in the late afternoon.



I saw a bunch of yellow butterflies puddling on a dirt road in the sunshine. Interesting.

Had dinner with dad last night at his favorite place. Shared with him my DNA results and he agreed to get his tested too; this could shed some interesting light on my results, and we can see how his and mine compare. So I will order the test for him, but first I want to call Ancestry and see if I can get a further discount. I was told a while back they can be pretty flexible.

I stumbled upon what looks like the official home page of the city of Reichenbach, Germany, where my grandfather grew up. I "liked" the page and sent a note mentioning I was researching my family tree but hadn't gotten that far becus i don't speak German. They asked me if I wanted the contact info for the clergyman in Reichenbach, and when i said yes, they sent me a name and an email of the Lutheran pastor there who they feel certain speaks English. Just like that! I doubt my local Chamber of Commerce could be so accommodating.

I had forgotten how in Europe, the churches were the keepers of old family records. I will be very excited to write him this week. I would like to get the address of my grandfather's family there, in case, down the road, I manage to make a trip to Germany again. I could have easily gotten it from grandpa's brother's son, who I briefly corresponded with a number of years ago, but he unexpectedly died. He was in his 60s. I remember him telling me he was the last H*** in Germany. He did not have any children.

I feel I'm learning so much about my family. Ancestry is a big part of it, but not all of it. Each little discovery seems to lead to something else, and I have yet to feel I've exhausted all avenues.

Dad's also got a problem with his battery not holding a charge so I'll be going with him to a Nissan dealer on Tuesday; hopefully he can schedule an appointment for that day. I also need to pick up more meds for Waldo.

WE get so few of these beautiful days here in CT, with low humidity and blue, blue skies. I sat outside wtih my book and an iced tea just enjoying my surroundings and the sound of the crickets. I filled the bird feeder and the chipmunk brazenly ate his fill just 10 feet from me. I enjoyed watching all sorts of bees, some huge carpenter bees, lots of honey bees (wondering if from someone's hive around here tho I don't know anyone who keeps hives) and others, all buzzing around my autumn joy sedums turning a little more pink each day.

I was surprised to see a hummingbird going after my gazania daisies:





My Luminosity subscription expires in 2 days. I have made regular use of it but I can't justify renewing it when I'm not working, so I'll have to lose the games cold turkey.

I thought my dad was going to let me clean his apartment, for pay, but he has again said he doesn't need my help. So I'm going to have to drop it. He's more independent than my mother was, and I find I can't so easily talk him into things. I suspect it's a chivalrous thing, that he doesn't want to make me do housework for him.