Glass Bird Wind Chimes - Photograph

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I took that photograph in my yard this past week.

Snow Squall - Photograph

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I took those photographs during the snow squall that came through my area in the afternoon, here in Connecticut (CT), United States (US). I took all of the photos through glass panes (windows / doors), so the quality isn't the best. We don't normally get snow squalls here, so I naively thought it would only be heavy snowfall for a short period of time. When it arrived, it had very high winds that blew the trees around. It's hard to tell, but in the last photo, that pine tree (and all of the others) were bending in all directions as the wind buffeted them. It was very scary, and I was relieved no trees fell.

White Daffodil Flowers And Wind Chime - Photograph

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I took those photographs in my flower garden this past week.

Morning Fog - Photograph

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I took those photographs of fog in my yard this past week.

Cardinal Wind Chime During Snow Storm - Photograph

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I took that photograph through my window, during the snow storm that is currently in progress, so the quality isn't the best.

It feels like a de ja vu with this post.

Cardinal Wind Chime During Snow Storm - Photograph

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I took that photograph through my window, during the latest snow storm, so the quality isn't the best.

Storm snowfall totals can be read here.

Snow Covered Christmas Pine Tree / Angel Statue - Photograph

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I took those photographs this morning, of the snow in my yard. Now that I'm older, I no longer like snow, but it does look pretty. We got about 1" (2.54 cm) of snow where I am in Connecticut.

Snow On Trees, Wind Chimes, Bird Feeder, Red Christmas Bells - Photograph

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I took those photographs in my yard after Sunday's (Dec 20, 2020) light snowfall. Most of the snow on the ground is from the storm we had earlier in the week.

Five Trees Toppled By Tropical Storm Isaias On Tuesday - Photograph

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On Tuesday afternoon, August 4, 2020, Tropical Storm Isaias toppled five trees on my property, in a domino effect, but fortunately they didn't hit anything. Many in this area were not as lucky. Shortly before the trees fell, a Tornado Warning had been issued for a swath of Connecticut just west of where I live in southwest Connecticut. 

Most of my utilities (electricity, cellular coverage, internet) went out on Tuesday afternoon. Wednesday evening, the electricity came back on. Friday afternoon, the cellular coverage came back on. Saturday evening, the internet came back on. The damage in this area due to fallen trees and branches was extensive, so I'm grateful for the restoration of my utilities. I've spent time each day, including on Tuesday, clearing the trees, and hope to have most of it completed today (Sunday).

The photos above are as follows:

1) View out window of five toppled trees at corner of house.

2) View in front of car, looking up driveway.

3) View in front of car, looking up driveway and toward corner of house.

4) View from front yard, looking toward driveway, showing round flower garden, bird feeders, and wind chimes.

5) View from top of driveway, looking toward origin point of fallen trees. (If you look closely at the left center side of the photo, the cream colored building is my shed and the red is my car.)

6) View from top of driveway, looking toward house and bird feeders.

7) View of origin point of fallen trees. Tree 1 was uprooted by the force of the wind, as seen by its exposed root ball. Tree 2 snapped at its base due to the weight of Tree 1 on it. Tree 3 (Pine Tree) was uprooted by the weight of Tree 1 and Tree 2 hitting it, as seen by its exposed root ball.

8) View of Tree 4 bowed over (and snapped) by the impact from Tree 1, 2, and 3. (Note: Tree 5 was flattened like a pancake, and was across the driveway, below Trees 1, 2, and 3. And several large branches were snapped off of the tree growing in the round flower garden.)

9) Angel statue (and tree) near toppled trees.

Summer Beach Huts Tin Can Wind Chime - Photograph

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I took those photographs of the tin can wind chime that I made and hung in my yard this past week. The strings on the original wind chime broke, and the wood rotted. I almost threw away the chimes, but then I got the idea to use a tin can (coffee can) to restring it. I decoupaged a Summer Beach Huts napkin onto this, but I intentionally didn't use an exterior clear coat sealer / medium on this project.

The steps of how to make it are:

Tin Can Wind Chimes Project:

What you will need:

tin can, cleaned
decorative napkin (for decoupage)
wind chime pipes (from a salvaged wind chime)
wind chime center piece (I used a wood block)
screw eye / eye hook (for wind chime center piece wood block)

piece of plastic wrap
decoupage medium (I used Liquitex Matte Gel)
decoupage brush (I used a sponge brush)

hammer
nail / screw
pin / needle
sewing needle

fishing line (I used 12 lb. .013 Dia. Zebco Omniflex fishing line)
small plastic bottle caps (I used Polar seltzer bottle caps)
string

Steps:

Determine the appropriately sized tin can to go with the wind chime pipes, based on the diameter of the tin can.

After using the contents of the can, remove any labels / glue from it. (Note: a little leftover glue won't matter, because it will be covered over by the paint and the decoupaged napkin.)

Clean / rinse the tin can and then allow it to dry.

Paint the tin can with acrylic paint (typically a very light color when using a napkin for the decoupage "paper.").

Mark hole punch locations with sharpie or other marker, on the sides of the can closest to the can opening. (I used a string to go around the can (circumference), then marked five evenly spaced hole points on the string with the sharpie, using a ruler. I then put the string around the can again, and marked the spots on the can.)

Mark hole punch location in the center of tin can bottom (which will become the top of the wind chime).

Fill the tin can with water and put it into the freezer.

Wait for the water to freeze inside the tin can.

Remove tin can and quickly punch the holes in it, using the previously marked points. Use a hammer and a nail (or screw) to punch the holes in the tin can. Do the sides first, then the top (bottom).

Re-use the ice / water.

Wait for the tin can to dry completely.

Use a pin (or needle) and insert it between the three layers of the decoupage napkin, to separate the printed layer from the other two layers.

Lay the decoupage napkin print side down, so that the back side of the napkin is facing up. Determine where the center point of the tin can should be, by rotating the can 180 degrees so that the back seam is facing you, and the center of the can is facing down toward the center of the napkin design.

While holding the decoupage medium brush in one hand, place the tin can over your other hand. Brush the decoupage medium onto the side of the can, completely coating it. Also coat a little bit of the rim and top of the can, as well as the bottom rim of the can.

Position the can so that the center is facing down, and the back seam is facing you, and press the center of the tin can into the center of the backside of the napkin, leaving enough of a bottom edge that can be folded into the inside of the can.

Gently roll the can from side to side, so that the napkin adheres to it, until you have almost completely covered the can, but not quite to the back seam.

Use a piece of plastic wrap to press the napkin onto the tin can at the seam point, with a little overlap. If there is excess napkin, don't press too much of it, so that the overlap is only about 1/4".

Using the piece of plastic wrap, press the napkin all around the tin can sides.

Also use the piece of plastic wrap to fold over the bottom of the napkin into the inside of the can.

Also use the piece of plastic wrap to fold over the top of the napkin onto the inside edge of the top of the can, to create a small seam that will be covered over later with a circle cut out of the same napkin.

Wait for the tin can to dry.

Cut away any excess napkin from the top of the can, leaving the small seam still decoupaged to the top rim and inner edge.

Measure and cut out a circle from the same napkin, that fits over the inner top of the tin can. (Note: you can use the can to trace the circle onto the napkin, then cut a little bit inside of that, to fit the inner area of the top of the can.)

Verify the circle fits flat on the top of the tin can, trimming any excess if necessary.

Brush the decoupage medium onto the top of the can, completely coating it.

Gently place the napkin circle onto the top of the tin can, and use the piece of plastic wrap to press it into place.

Wait for the tin can to dry.

Using the same nail (or screw) that you used to punch the holes into the tin can, carefully pierce the holes in the can that are now covered by the napkin.

Use at least one coat of an exterior clear coat sealer / medium over all napkin areas, including the inside bottom rim of the tin can.

Wait for the tin can to dry.

Use fishing line to create the top hanging loop for the wind chimes. (Note: I used a small plastic bottle cap, pierced by a nail, to create a stopper on the inside of the can in the loop. I also used another small plastic bottle cap, pierced by a nail, with string through it and tied to the outside of the hanging loop, to keep the fishing line from being able to fall through the center hole in the top of the can.)

(Note: I used 12 lb. .013 Dia. Zebco Omniflex fishing line)

With the tin can hanging from something, use fishing line to string the wind chime pipes to the five holes in the bottom of the can. (Note: if the distance between the holes in the wind chime pipe are wide, use a sewing needle to thread the fishing line through the pipe holes.)

Use fishing line to string a center piece that will hit the wind chime pipes when the wind blows. (I used a wood block, with a screw eye / eye hook screwed into the center of it.)

Fall Leaves Tin Can Wind Chime - Photograph

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I took those photographs of the tin can wind chime that I made and hung in my yard this past week. The strings on the original wind chime broke, and the wood rotted. I almost threw away the chimes, but then I got the idea to use a tin can (Bush beans) to restring it. I decoupaged a Fall Leaves napkin onto this, but I intentionally didn't use an exterior clear coat sealer / medium on this project.

The steps of how to make it are here: How To Tin Can Wind Chime Project Instructions

Rusty Cardinal Tin Can Wind Chime - Photograph

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This week, I took that photograph of the tin can wind chime that I made and hung in my yard back in the middle of June. I didn't use an exterior clear coat sealer / medium on this project, so that might be why now it looks like rust stains are seeping through. However, I like how it looks, so I'm happy with the effect. The original photos of it are here: Cardinal Tin Can Wind Chime

Completed Flower Gardens - Photograph

Flower Garden, Right Side of Front Door

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Flower Garden, Left Side of Front Door

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Daffodil / Lilac Flower Garden by Side Door

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Summer Cheer Daffodil / Bleeding Hearts Flower Garden by Side Door

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Round Flower Garden in Front Yard

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Those are photographs of my completed flower beds project.

At the end of May, I started my project of clearing out the weeds / vines / etc. that took over my flower beds over the years. Because of the Connecticut covid-19 Lock Down, where I wasn't going out except for essential trips, I decided to make 2020 "the year I regained control of the flower beds." I inspired myself to keep going by continuing to tell myself, "Rome wasn't built in a day." It was a lot of work, but now, five weeks later, the work is done.

Cardinal Tin Can Wind Chime - Photograph

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I took that photograph of the tin can wind chime I made and hung in my yard this past week. The strings on the original wind chime broke, and the wood rotted. I almost threw away the chimes, but then I got the idea to use a tin can (Bush beans) to restring it. I decoupaged the Cardinal Christmas napkin I've used in the past.

I was going to write all of the steps I did to make it, but something has come up in my personal life, so I'm just posting the photo.

I also want to apologize to the T-Gang for not leaving comments for everyone this week.

Update: The steps of how to make it are here: How To Tin Can Wind Chime Project Instructions

Lantern Wind Chimes / Crescent Moon / St. Francis Garden - Photograph

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I took that photograph of the flower bed on the right side of my front door this past week.

This is sort of another teaser / preview. I've been clearing out the weeds / vines / etc. that took over my flower beds over the years. It's a lot of work, and I'm not done yet. But one of my new goals is to make 2020 "the year I regained control of the flower beds."

That small plant by the crescent moon garden stake is a light pink flowered Fern-leaf Bleeding Heart. They don't get as big as Old Fashioned Bleeding Hearts, but they have flowers from Spring until the Fall. I tried to transplant the one in this photo, and ended up breaking it off at the root. I replanted it here anyway, with the root, with the hope that even if the plant itself dies, maybe the root will grow a new plant. Surprisingly, every day, the plant alternates from looking wilted and dead, to looking alive, so I can't tell if it will make it as is or not.