Royal Caribbean Cruisers -- How Are Things Where You Are? (was "Routine" ​ 😁 ​day in lockdown... how was yours?)

[Luckynana]

2 hours ago, FromSea2ShiningSea said:

7/13/2024- Ålesund, Norway - Cruise Compass’ introduction to Alesund, Norway:

 

Alesund is a small but lively city with a unique modern feel.  A rebuilding effort following a major fire in 1904 gave the city its distinctive Art Nouveau architectural style, defined by its ornate details, asymmetrical facades, and curving forms meant to resemble plants, animals, and flowers.  From the city park, walk up the 418 steps to the city peaks, Aksla—you’ll be rewarded with a gorgeous panoramic view of the city, the islands, and the rugged Sunnmorsalpane mountain range.  Alesund is the home base for Norway’s largest cod-fishing fleet, so you won’t have to go far to try some of the delicious and fresh seafood.

 

 

 

On this day’s shore excursion, we stopped by the Alesund Church.  However, we could not go inside.

 

 

 

Sunnmøre Museum- A beautiful open-air museum featuring some historic and distinctive houses with exhibits inside them.

 

 

 

 

Boat for cod fishing

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wow, Helen!!  Just beautiful!!!!!!

[Sunshine3601]

@Sea Dog. I have a friend talking about alternatives to knee replacement.   What is the name of the procedure your Brother discussed with you?

 

[BonTexasNY]

6 minutes ago, Sunshine3601 said:

Henry the groundhog  is no longer cute.  He is now a nuisance destroying my raised garden beds and eating a lot.

 

Eric named him Henry 2 weeks ago when we saw him eating some clovers.   He's not the least bit scared of the cats and they just sit and watch him.

 

I put hot peppers and garlic around the perimeter on Saturday  but he didn't care he had a feast last night and has a hole right in the middle of my tomatoes bed.   Eric put mesh fencing around everything today and put a whole container of cayenne pepper in his hole.  Suspect he will just dig another one.

 

In all my years of gardening never had groundhog issues.

Anyone have any suggestions?

 

I did some research.  Groundhogs hate the smell of Irish Spring soap.  The advice is to poke holes in the wrapper and put it in the hole.  First option was cat urine scent.  Honest, I'm not making this up.  Good luck!

[Luckynana]

5 hours ago, grapau27 said:

Good news about your daughter Lenny.

Good luck with your oral surgery tomorrow.

+2  Lenny!

3 hours ago, aussielozzie18 said:

We’ve got wild bunnies in our area atm.  Max can smell them before I see them and will charge off at speed unexpectedly, so I’ve had to put him back in a harness and change the lead. 

Our daughter's dog Lola does the same.  I read this to her, and she said she's got to get a harness before she (Lola) winds up getting hurt.

[Sunshine3601]

2 minutes ago, BonTexasNY said:

I did some research.  Groundhogs hate the smell of Irish Spring soap.  The advice is to poke holes in the wrapper and put it in the hole.  First option was cat urine scent.  Honest, I'm not making this up.  Good luck!

I read online about cat urine and urinated cat litter.  Just not sure I want that in my garden.

I didn't know about Irish Springs.  Thank you I'll give it a try.

[akcruz]

1 hour ago, Momof3gurlz said:

 

I see you have the mandatory “after grandkids” glass of wine 😉!

 

That was the 1st 😁, absolutely mandatory.

 

15 minutes ago, Luckynana said:

Exhausting, but wonderful memories made with your grandchildren!!!!

 

Yes, love our time with them, while we see them about every other month or so those are fairly quick visits.  Usually have a week in the summer, either in PA at the lake or SC at the beach and a week over the holidays.  Come out exhausted but well worth it, as they get older love hearing their recollection of previous visits and yes they do remember more than you would think.

Edited July 30 by akcruz

[Sea Dog]

8 minutes ago, Sunshine3601 said:

@Sea Dog. I have a friend talking about alternatives to knee replacement.   What is the name of the procedure your Brother discussed with you?

 

He does a bone marrow transplant which essentially is using stem cells to regrow cartilage. 

[Luckynana]

12 minutes ago, Sunshine3601 said:

Henry the groundhog  is no longer cute.  He is now a nuisance destroying my raised garden beds and eating a lot.

 

Eric named him Henry 2 weeks ago when we saw him eating some clovers.   He's not the least bit scared of the cats and they just sit and watch him.

 

I put hot peppers and garlic around the perimeter on Saturday  but he didn't care he had a feast last night and has a hole right in the middle of my tomatoes bed.   Eric put mesh fencing around everything today and put a whole container of cayenne pepper in his hole.  Suspect he will just dig another one.

 

In all my years of gardening never had groundhog issues.

Anyone have any suggestions?

 

I had an all-out war with the groundhogs in our yard several years ago.  They destroyed my garden for about two years in a row;  they were living under our tool shed.  I tried putting rocks down the hole...they would push them back up.  Over and over again.  I tried pepper flakes, garlic, playing a radio loud inside the shed.  No luck.  I finally bought lots of bricks and placed a border of bricks three bricks wide completely around the shed.  They finally gave up and live next door under their shed.  I also gave up trying to have a nice vegetable garden that we always had on Staten Island.

 

I'm sorry you are dealing with your groundhog.  I feel your pain.  They sure are cute though, when they run away with their fat behinds!

[Luckynana]

9 minutes ago, Sunshine3601 said:

I read online about cat urine and urinated cat litter.  Just not sure I want that in my garden.

I didn't know about Irish Springs.  Thank you I'll give it a try.

I also tried putting dog hair, people hair, etc.  Garlic, etc.  Aaargh!

[Sunshine3601]

1 minute ago, Luckynana said:

I also tried putting dog hair, people hair, etc.  Garlic, etc.  Aaargh!

I just hope we don't end up like Bill Murray on Candyshack with the gopher🤣🤣

[Ocean Boy]

27 minutes ago, Sunshine3601 said:

 

In all my years of gardening never had groundhog issues.

Anyone have any suggestions?

 

Enjoy the experience.🤷‍♂️

[derorim]

3 hours ago, George C said:

…bobcats occasionally climb the rather large fence approximately ten foot.

Wow!

[derorim]

2 hours ago, FromSea2ShiningSea said:

7/13/2024- Ålesund, Norway - Cruise Compass’ introduction to Alesund, Norway:

 

Alesund is a small but lively city with a unique modern feel.  A rebuilding effort following a major fire in 1904 gave the city its distinctive Art Nouveau architectural style, defined by its ornate details, asymmetrical facades, and curving forms meant to resemble plants, animals, and flowers.  From the city park, walk up the 418 steps to the city peaks, Aksla—you’ll be rewarded with a gorgeous panoramic view of the city, the islands, and the rugged Sunnmorsalpane mountain range.  Alesund is the home base for Norway’s largest cod-fishing fleet, so you won’t have to go far to try some of the delicious and fresh seafood.

 

 

 

On this day’s shore excursion, we stopped by the Alesund Church.  However, we could not go inside.

 

 

 

Sunnmøre Museum- A beautiful open-air museum featuring some historic and distinctive houses with exhibits inside them.

 

 

 

 

Boat for cod fishing

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Such interesting photos, Helen. I’d love to visit there.

[George C]

2 minutes ago, derorim said:

Wow!

Several years ago I was ready to jump in my pool and I spotted one walking on top of my fence .About a month ago one walked by my front window, we will make sure our cats are indoor kittens.

[derorim]

2 hours ago, George C said:

One last picture 

It appears that the kitties have settled in quite nicely.  They are very handsome.

[BonTexasNY]

49 minutes ago, Sunshine3601 said:

I read online about cat urine and urinated cat litter.  Just not sure I want that in my garden.

I didn't know about Irish Springs.  Thank you I'll give it a try.

Here's the article. Google is my friend:

Now here's a problem that Ohio's farmers like you may be familiar with: groundhogs. You may not be aware that they hate the smell of Irish Spring soap bars. All you have to do is keep the soap in the wrapper, punch holes through the paper, then place the bar of Irish Spring at the entrance to their den.Jul 22, 2022

[Sea Dog]

@FromSea2ShiningSea Helen thank you for the incredible pictures from your cruise. It makes me want to visit there more than ever now. Such beauty and history to behold.

[StanleyandGus]

1 hour ago, Sunshine3601 said:

Henry the groundhog  is no longer cute.  He is now a nuisance destroying my raised garden beds and eating a lot.

 

Eric named him Henry 2 weeks ago when we saw him eating some clovers.   He's not the least bit scared of the cats and they just sit and watch him.

 

I put hot peppers and garlic around the perimeter on Saturday  but he didn't care he had a feast last night and has a hole right in the middle of my tomatoes bed.   Eric put mesh fencing around everything today and put a whole container of cayenne pepper in his hole.  Suspect he will just dig another one.

 

In all my years of gardening never had groundhog issues.

Anyone have any suggestions?

 

A couple of weeks ago we had a prairie dog dig a hole beside the house. We live trapped it, and now it lives on the other side of town. Technically, we were supposed to kill it, but we couldn’t.

It is nowhere near anything that’s farmed.

[Lionesss]

3 hours ago, dbancroft said:

We fly to Florida this Saturday and board the Freedom Sunday for 2 weeks. Grandkids are really excited because we were able to get connecting junior suites. They really enjoy having a larger balcony and being able to run between rooms. 

Eagerly watching for any scoop. 
We sail her September 8. 
 

Been over 15 years since we first sailed her. Always in cabin 1568 and we will be in that cabin again. 
 

Safe travels. 

[Lionesss]

2 hours ago, BonTexasNY said:

I did some research.  Groundhogs hate the smell of Irish Spring soap.  The advice is to poke holes in the wrapper and put it in the hole.  First option was cat urine scent.  Honest, I'm not making this up.  Good luck!

 

Although this picture is from last year we barricade the bottom of our fence with wood logs and tie torn up pantyhose with small pieces of Irish Spring soap. 
No groundhogs got in nor deer stayed away. 
But our garden last year was pitiful. Too much rain even for elevated boxes. 
 

This year a surplus of cucumbers, peppers, tomatoes and beans. Zucchini and squash struggling.  
 

 

This Kodak moment was also from last year when fence was just put up. 

 

Curios deer. 
 

[h20skibum]

@Ocean Boy, @Momof3gurlz did you get to enjoy the dragon fly show?
 

https://weather.com/science/nature/video/dragonfly-swarm-rhode-island-beach-insane-westerly

 

[Ocean Boy]

25 minutes ago, h20skibum said:

@Ocean Boy, @Momof3gurlz did you get to enjoy the dragon fly show?
 

https://weather.com/science/nature/video/dragonfly-swarm-rhode-island-beach-insane-westerly

 

I was bike riding on Saturday and it was crazy what I was riding through. That video doesn't even portray how intense it was.

[Keksie]

11 hours ago, Sunshine3601 said:

I read online about cat urine and urinated cat litter.  Just not sure I want that in my garden.

I didn't know about Irish Springs.  Thank you I'll give it a try.

I don't know if this works for groundhogs but it works for cats.  Used coffee grounds.  In the past you could get bulk from Starbucks.  Sprinkle around the area you need cats to stay out of.

[Momof3gurlz]

48 minutes ago, h20skibum said:

@Ocean Boy, @Momof3gurlz did you get to enjoy the dragon fly show?
 

https://weather.com/science/nature/video/dragonfly-swarm-rhode-island-beach-insane-westerly

 

I did not, but we’ve had so many around our pool this summer.  

[jmh2006]

Just now, Momof3gurlz said:

I did not, but we’ve had so many around our pool this summer.  

I love dragonflies but not sure I would have liked being swarmed by them!🤣