The mystery is solved.

Every morning, when i feed the little girls and change their water, i note how dirty the water dishes are. always something that looks like dirt in one or both dishes.  what the heck are they doing out there?

Mystery solved.... as one night when we were leaving the girls yard for a walk, i happened to note movement in the water dish.  It was a little frog.   Last night, a frog larger still swimming around without a care in the world.   I  am guessing... the extremes of heat and dry conditions have driven them to take refuge where they can find cool, moist surroundings. There was a good size frog in one of the hanging baskets yesterday afternoon.  Not sure how cool and moist his surroundings were as the plants were all a little too dried out.

Frogs....
Strange little creatures.

The last day of July 2011

Sunday morning and it is a stellar day so far.  The temperature is just about  70 degrees; humidity is not bad and it is traffic quiet.  Just the sound of the cicadas and an occasional bird calling.

August is the start of bird migration.  I have been seeing a larger variety of birds at the feeders over the last week or two.  Also the number at any one time has increased too.  The birds move when food is abundant to sustain them on their trip.  With the scorching temperatures and lack of rainfall, i hope their journey will be successful.

Ross officially moves out Monday.  We have shifted into high gear with purchasing things for his first place. He has a new bed, sofa, desk for computer and now looking for a tv stand.  We got the pots and pans and dishes. Toaster oven and microwave. most of the big things.. now to fill in with sheets and towels....all the little odds and ends.

Everyone here has been participating.   We all went to see the Place, and at least 3 of us have participated in shopping events. He is excited... we are excited for him.  Glad that everyone is bonding over this experience.  You can never be too thin, have too much money or too many friend/family in your corner of life.

The last Sunday in July, the last day of July already. 
Seems as if it was just May and we were celebrating memorial day...

the last wednesday in July 2011

This day has started as one of the most beautiful days of the summer 2011.  At almost 11, it is just 70 degrees out and the humidity is non existent.  The angle of the sun has changed and everything looks a little less heat worn because of the rain we had Monday. 

This is a day to work outside or inside but with the fabulous weather, and renewed energy i just don't know where to start.   My major task is to bathe the dogs. everyone scratching... makes me scratch too.
It is just 11a.m.  where to begin....

maybe one more cup of coffee?

new garden area

For quite some time this was 2 large piles of dirt that I  had been collecting to use in a bed.   After hours of work and several people helping, a new garden bed is finally completed. All native plants for now too.  While it seems a little barren, i usually tend to over plant.  With the heat.. this is a nice amount of plants to care for.  In the fall the plant will be 1/2 price. I can always pick up a few more then too.   I am happy.... Even the Pigs seem happy! 

Garden bed is situated between to concrete bridges over the dry creek.

Two areas combined to make one nice bed of my design.

All the rocks are from the dry creek. Note the concrete bridge at the right side.

still July

     The heat has continued unabashed.  When i walked dogs at 2a.m., the air was almost like a semisolid wall.   More comfortable overnight, if you could call temps in the high 80's and high humidity comfortable.  Dogs seem happy to go for a walk and then come back in.  Only the cat seems interested in spending some time outside.

We all have been staying inside and the air is set at 80 degrees. makes it very comfortable for people and pets.  Hubby still home with a virus.  every time i move to another room he follows and complains.    Me just doing what needs to be done.   Nice to relax and be lazy.  when it cools down, it will be time to get back outside and garden, mow, weed....all the fun stuff.  For now, reading, napping and watching Le  Tour.

I watered the hanging baskets and plants in the back yard this morning. What a sweaty business for the 40 minutes i was out there.. and in the shade too!  I will probably have to water again this evening.   High temps for today.... over 100  degrees.

The new garden is holding it's own. i think most of the plants (native to this area) do well in dry soil/weather and that is a definite  bonus.   Still... i try to water over there at least every other day.


High summer, High heat.

cats and dogs

Over the weekend, hubby kept a section of the newspaper out to read and comment on.   At some point that section fluttered to the floor by the kitchen table.  Of course no one picked it up and the cat immediately claimed it for sleeping.  All week, the cat, "kitty" has been sleeping on this piece of newspaper during the day and night.  Not sure why, as one piece hardly cushioned her resting place.  Plus the floor was actually cooler without the piece of paper.

The last few evenings that same cat "kitty" has been going outside for several hours at a time after the heat of the day.  Since Juliette and kitty hardly abide each other, Juliette took the opportunity of no cat to bring me the piece of paper.  Not sure if it was a statement on the whereabouts of kitty, but even when i put it back, Juliette picked it up again and brought it to my attention.

i noted that one day while Juliette slept.. aside from the whimpering sounds she sometimes makes in her sleep... she was wagging her tail. i don't think i ever saw a dog do that.  dogs can be almost as strange as cats.

weeding is never done.

Why is it, that when you pull weeds you inevitably get a load of dirt in your shoe?

later that same day......

It has been a fabulous Thursday, weather wise.  Amazing how lower temps infuse me with energy.  Might as well get caught up before the next heat wave.  Pleased with the amount of stuff i got accomplished too.  just a few more things for the evening and i can relax and watch tv or a movie.

So what did i do?
several walks with dogs.
fed the fish and dogs.
made an appointment with the insurance company.
Did some weeding.
Watered everything in the door yard.
re filled the fish pond (where did the water go?)
lots of picking up debris from the back yard and  throwing stuff away.
recycling out, trash out.
vacuumed and  cleaned the back porch.
watched a lifetime movie with lunch.
dusted the back 1/2 of the first floor. 
(not to mention that i kept up with facebook and e-mail)

I  want to get the living room and dining room vacuumed and picked up (and dusted) and i still have ironing that i can always  do, but I got a lot accomplished today!

Time to think about dinner. Since hubby is biking after work, i can just make a meal for the sons.  I have some beer batter fish fillets, veggies and Taco rice.  maybe another salad for me.  Watermelon for dessert.

Busy day. Cleanish house

YEAAHH! for me!

An early taste of fall and plenty to do here.

Wednesday was a changing day weather wise. cool but humid in the early morning, giving way to cloudy with almost a sprinkle mid afternoon.  by early evening the temperatures had dropped from the near 90's to the low 80's.  Overnight the temperatures continued to slide toward the high 50's.   What a nice night for sleeping after all the heat!  This morning, the temperatures have not topped out, but it is in the mid to upper 60's at 9a.m.  a precursor to fall.  I understand a few days of below 90 temps and then heat wave number what ever (i have lost count) will visit us.  high summer.

This morning was a delicious morning. first dog walk netted a load of wine berries ripe for the picking.   Just warming in the early morning sunshine, they also had a wonderful scent.

The petunias (that are still doing better than just OK) also have scented the air around the back door yard.   lots of day lillies blooming and generally everything planted is breathing a sigh of relief for the drop in temperatures. just a spectacular morning!

This is a morning when i just don;t know what to do first.   Wok inside? outside? something needs attention no matter where i look.  And to top it off the Le Tour d' France is on and it has been an extremly entertaining tour with crashes and unexpected biking continually.  I love being able to see the country side, and have been watching Le Tour for years now. I wish i had the ability to pipe the sound to the outside our old radio finally gave up the ghost. Would make doing things outside much more entertaining.  Not sure why but i like the TV as company outside.

Friday i have a lunch date with a friend (my birthday.... Again?)  How did that happen? Saturday i have a long time friend coming up to visit for a few hours. and Ross is wanting to start accumulating things for his move to his first apartment.  So many things going on...I feel like i have ADHD... where to start and what to do.
 
well.. start is the operative word, and so for now... no snakes in sight, better get moving.
till later.....

Mid week in a busy july

On my way to the mail box to retrieve the mail, i decided to spend just a few minutes and pull weeds in the small front flower bed. Not a big space at all. stella d'ore day lillies and a few black eyed Susans.  also a small frogy bird bath for effect.   just a hand full or 2 of weeds..... maybe 4.   Pulled, pulled and as i was walking away i noted major movement.  a SNAKE.   Probably a garden snake, but it doesn't matter, a snake, is a snake, is a snake.  about 15 inches long too.   His tongue was going a mile a minue.  He was quite agitated (so was I) and then he disappeared into a hole in the ground.  Here and gone.   i thought mice lived in that hole.... or maybe they once lived there?

summer fruits...

Last year it was the year of the cherry....

The first year of using the debit card and the freedom of not having to worry about how much i was spending.  I saw a fellow pick up 2 bags of cherries.. easily 4 pounds total. i was amazed.  In the past, i would pick out perfect cherries and usually less than a pound.  well.... if he could pick up 2 bags and not think twice why was i fretting over my purchase especially when cherries have a limited time of being available?!  Every week for most of the summer, i picked up a bag, sometimes 2. we all indulged.  They were fabulous.  By the end of cherry season i had had enough.  Obviously this year cherries have  not been the draw that they were last year, As i have purchased only one bag to date.

This year.. it is watermelon! chunks, wedges, half melons.... cold, sweet and juicy. i don't pick it up as frequently as i did the cherries of last year, but when i do we have watermelon for a day or 2. 
yum-o

Over the 4th weekend, hubby picked up 1/2 a melon. While it was sweet and juicy, it weighed 11 pounds (this was a 1/2 melon. and had at least  3" or more of rind and hardly any red fruit.  It was definitely the strangest watermelon i ever saw.  disappointing to pay that much and get so little.
what can i say..... we still ate it all!

4th of july weekend, 2011

Hard to believe that the 4th of July weekend is drawing to a close.  where does the time go?  It was a quietish weekend of puttering around. always things to do here. plenty of yard work, movies to watch, the never ending wash.  hot too, so staying inside and taking it easy was a no brainer.  As i am fond of saying 'all my stuff is here', so being here is not a chore! 

And so I was surprised Sunday late afternoon when i noted the yellow  tape at the driveway across the street.  i went out the front door as it is the only way to get a clear view with all the summer greenery between here and there. caution tape and a second piece further up the driveway plus 2 police cars.  Hubby was good enough to walk over and ask if the elderly neighbors were ok. the police man said "no"....  "active crime scene". they could not say more.  i knew she was gone and so was he.

Mrs C. was in failing health. she was in good spirits but had been on oxygen for quite some time.  Visiting nurse had been coming the last few weeks to keep her comfy and take care of her needs.  I spoke to one daughter just 2 days before and we chatted about how they were doing.  Daughter did not give her mom long to live but was content in the care and spirits of both parents.  so here it was. just 2
days later, and they were both gone. 

i have not talked to the kids but their cousin called.  it would appear that she passed while he was making dinner. In a panic, her hubby called 911.  he must have understood in his grief that she was gone, and took it upon himself to follow her in death as he did in life.

of course we heard the gun shot, but he was always shooting things so we never thought twice.
we saw the rescue squad and  the police pass.. but never noted they took the driveway across the highway.

Mrs C always talked about what she would do if hubby passed on before her.  Hubby never said.. did anyone ever asked him?  did anyone think about his needs if his life long companion should be no more?  It was understood he would probably go on like before. But age and injury sure make you think twice about what you can and cannot do without a companion.

i understand he had an accident on the garden tractor. and was in pain from that.  I did notice  him not wheeling out of the driveway as frequently as once before.  in hindsight, it should be no surprise. they were companions and dedicated to each other. there was no other way than to be together in death just as in life.

Rest in Peace dear neighbors.