Hmmmmm...ers 6-29

Tis the season of flowers and birds...so if you hate either one you'll want to steer clear of my blog for a few months.  I just can't help taking pictures, which only a photographer would understand.  I know lots of people think how many pictures does one need of a hummingbird or a rose?  But every single shot is always different, shows a nuance that wasn't seen before and you never know when you'll get that one of a kind shot if you don't take a bazillion pictures!


The last few afternoons about the same time a coyote goes trotting over our hill, sometimes taking the time to leave its calling card and do the back leg scratching the dirt thing.  We are usually out on the deck and something tips us off and one of us sees it going by, because they don't make any noise. 


Yesterday morning one of our neighbors horses escaped and Larry and I went over there and eventually got him back in with his friend...who was raising a ruckus because he wasn't bright enough to get out....crazy animals.  Bandit lifted the gate right off the hinges and walked on out...you wouldn't believe it if you saw how it was left, you would think a person would of had to have done it....oh yeah, I took a picture...tee hee because I had my camera over my shoulder and was in my sandals.  Which is not the footwear for being around an unknown horse.  I got the lead on his neck and then let Larry lead him back into the pen.  I had my bare toes stepped on by a horse in my youth and it isn't something you ever forget....900 plus pounds standing on your big toe and not moving off said big toe....HURTS.

 And now pictures, pictures....I couldn't pick so you get to see them all. :)

See, you wouldn't have known they have eyelids
and can look bored with you!

"Are you done yet?"

Morning light and I have my Tibetan Prayer flags up now.

We don't have cardinals but our house finches are a beautiful red!

S T U N N I N G !  See what I mean...  Can.  Not.  Stop.

Hummers 6-28

Me with my custom, made just for me chenille shawl.

June is already gone...wow.  Just a quick check in here.  We've been busy and I've had a few blogs rolling around in my head but just haven't made the time to sit here and write them.  The glads are opening and the finches, hummingbirds and quail have been loving the garden this year.  We sit on the deck with our breakfast and are amazed at the birds that visit the garden...Larry said he doesn't see anywhere near that many birds on his hikes.  More later...some hummer pictures with more to come.

Summer? 6-21

Who scared away Summer?!  Today was windy and this evening was windy and cool!  Brrrr.  Just some pictures!

Fresh from the garden.

The roses are resting and here come the glads!

All the flowers out of the box are volunteers...seeds
from last years plants that landed out there and grew

Our Weekend Guests 6-19

Our eldest daughter Andrea came for an overnight visit this weekend with her boys Ian and Connor and her fiance Scott's oldest daughter Destiny.  Scott was supposed to come too but kindly stayed home with his germs (he was sick).

A beast caught on the trailcam.  

Connor who's 2 1/2 ran all over the place and it was hot.  He was red faced from the heat, but still kept on exploring.  We lured him into the shade with a popsicle.  Ian took to climbing trees.  It was a quick visit but we had a good time.

Connor walked right up to the camera like he sees
brown boxy cameras strapped to stumps all the time.

Ian, he is getting lanky, 9 1/2 years old

Two fisted hydration on a hot day.

Helping with the watering

Destiny didn't duck in time (she hides from the camera)

Andrea kicking back, Larry 

Tree & Shrub planting 6-18

Last Monday we found the trees we've been wanting...a maple for shade and color in front of Larry's shop and then Crape Myrtle trees for color, shade and interest in our barren front yard area.  I love crape's because they bloom in the summer, they have a pretty compact shape and as they get older their trunks are really pretty...smooth and with neat texture/coloration and they are pretty in the fall too as their leaves change color.  We chose Arapaho for the red flowers and the burgundy foliage in the spring.  


We love planting trees, or I should say we like adding trees to our landscape....I am sure Larry would love to have someone else dig the holes in pure rock and plant the trees for us.  We also planted three crape myrtle shrubs in the corner by the deck and edged the deck with Russian Sage...the sage requires hardly any water once established.  We are experimenting with some other perennials that are supposed to need little water and the deer don't eat...time will tell.

I know many of you have enjoyed following our progression here and we are amazed by how much we've done and how far it has come in almost two years.  I will of course keep you posted with pictures as all this stuff grows and gets gorgeous.

 The deer aren't supposed to eat maple or crape myrtle trees but at the nursery they told us to fence the trees until the trunks mature because the bucks like to use saplings/young trees to rub their antlers on.  Now that we have all this stuff planted, we'll study on what we will want to do next.  We made additions to the flower garden too, but I haven't taken any pictures yet so that will be for another day.  It was a bit cooler today...high 80's maybe but very windy all night and all day.

Dirty Dirty Turkey 6-15

they toss the dirt up with their feet and wings,
and they can do that for 5 or more minutes

More pictures of a turkey taking a dirt bath.  Sometimes we may miss seeing the bath but we'll see a cloud of dirt float by from somewhere and we'll know a turkey is nearby.  They have such beautiful iridescent feathers, but who would know from this?

Then they walk off...some don't shake right away, but this one did.