Hiking along 10-21

This morning was cloudy, cool and breezy...perfect day for a short hike.  Well, Larry says short if I wasn't along...he said he forgot how long a normally for him quick hike can take because I am always stopping to take pictures and gaze at something.  I had to trot a few times to keep up with him and Gracie...I like to see everything and there is a lot to see.  We saw bear tracks again, lots of birds, ducks on the pond and even a bobcat that didn't run off or really seem to care that we were on the other side of the field/fence from it.  I think it may have been having a meal the way it was sitting.  I used Larry's teeny camera, I forgot to bring mine as it was just a short hike...tee hee.  I keep Gracie on the leash, she is led by her nose and doesn't come when called all the time and out there she would be easy pickens for a hungry coyote or cat.  Enjoy the hike:

The bobcat is to the left of the third fence post.

These were cropped and blown up on the computer.

Catching up 10-21

Pretty mums.

Time continues to get away from me.  I've been busy, but events' time placement in my memory bank gets sketchy.  I have to look at a calendar to figure out how long Larry has been home.  We have accomplished a lot, but in my world of time compression it feels like he has been home only a few days when it has been a week and a half.  

He was busy getting stuff done that needed doing.  This past Monday we had a memorial party to go to in Hercules and on the way we delivered the caddie to its new owner, visited some friends too on the way.

Still stunning, huge rose blooms!  You stick your nose
in these soft beauties and instant "nosegasm"!

We spend a lot of time talking and getting caught up.  Mornings can slip away from us...we take a walk/hike, have breakfast and then get started talking about some insight one of us has had or thought or dream and before we know it the morning has crept into afternoon. Then we get busy doing whatever chores we've decided are important and so it goes.  Twice a week I go to pilates class at 9 a.m., so breakfast gets a late start to begin with...10:30 or so.  Gracie makes me take way more walks then I would have in the past and of course I am better for them.

Crape myrtle color

I've imposed a moratorium on new photos until I get the past six months worth named and shoved into files and readied for Larry to add to our running album of the year.  I get really lazy about dating, naming and filing the photos.  I take so many pictures and I get overwhelmed on the managing of them.  I try to delete the horrible ones, but I keep tons that I know I'll have a use for some day but don't want to clog our regular folder with.  Larry has rubbed off on me and I realized that organization helps on down the road when I want to find a certain picture for a certain purpose.  I have a feeling though that my system might be more complicated then it needs to be, but maybe not.

BUT, with these pictures I'm posting here of the fall garden, you can see I've picked up the camera a teeny bit.  Gracie and I went out on the trail with Larry a couple days ago and I abstained from picture taking.  We saw bear tracks on our trail and we crossed paths with a big coyote, it was a gorgeous sunny morning.  The trail is powdered dirt in spots and Gracie comes back all dirt dusted from her feet to the tops of her sides, we just get dusted up to our knees.

We've been having stunning weather, shorts and sunshine weather.  No rain this fall so far so not a lot of stunning fall colors around here.  The neighbors trees that were so colorful last fall have had their leaves just turn brown and fall off, the same with some of the oaks around here.

Oaks

Chinese pistache trees getting started

A huge perfect rose next to my glass pumpkin

He's Home!!!! 10-12

Connor and I had a lovely time together...he is so sweet and funny, with a temper and stubborn streak.  All the horses and chickens we saw on our walks were his and he had lovely conversations with all of them.  One horse was fascinated by him and walked from across the field to come see him...Gracie wasn't sure she liked that.  Connor loved walking Gracie and giving her treats.

Taking turns with my Kindle.

Tuesday afternoon Andrea, Scott and Ian arrived.  Andrea and Scott are officially a married couple and enjoyed their time at Lake Tahoe.  Ian had a great time with his Dad and family.  As usual once the parental units arrived on the scene the easily managed boy became a pill.  It was nice spending time with them all and they missed Larry.  They headed home on Wednesday afternoon.  

The stormy light looked cool on the garden,
but I don't think it show up here very well.

Larry left Idaho Wednesday morning and got home last night at 7:30.  He had been gone 28 days. 



Now some of you have wondered what Gracie thinks of Larry...they've had exactly nine days together in the past two months.  I heard the truck coming down the street and was waiting outside when Larry drove up.  He opened the door and once Gracie saw him she ran and jumped into the truck and into Larry's lap wriggling like a crazy thing and dancing around and whining.  I was thinking move it over and let the Big bitch in you little four legged traitor!  I didn't dance and whine but I squished into the front seat too for hugs and kisses!   We are happy to have him home!

Gorgeous, scrumptious smelling roses!!!

It was cold and cloudy today and we fired up the furnace for the first time this season.  I was wearing shorts last week.  It is supposed to warm up again this next week.  It would be nice to get some rain, the trees around here are turning brown instead of changing colors.

Saturday with Connor 10-6

I could hear him giggling and knew he was hiding...I figured
beside the bed.....

Crazy kid! 

Who knows?  He was having fun.

"I do it"...he says.

Oops 10-6

Gracie giving me her, I know I'm going to be
told to get down, look.

Larry ever so gently pointed out an error I keep making...as it would drive me crazy if I noticed it I'm glad he did.  I've gotten lazy with my then and than's!  I'm not sure if my brain has gotten lazy or my fingers have a go-to typing default, so I apologize to any of you that it might have annoyed.  :)

Connor slept through the night like a rock...though he didn't actually fall asleep until after ten.  Gracie was most insistent on sleeping in there with him, but I over ruled her.  I didn't want her to scare him as he didn't know she was there and when she hears a sound that she doesn't recognize she growls and I didn't want her waking him.

We had a long walk up and down the hills, attacked by two obnoxious chihuahua's that climbed right on through the fence to get to us and while Connor was having a discussion with one of the neighborhood horses about the flies on its nose, it snorted and scared the crap out of him.  It was very funny.  He turned around, ran and said he scared me!  Then we had to walk all over the hill looking for big turkey feathers, which he could hardly hold onto with "his sticks" that he kept picking up.

So it is only eleven in the morning.  I feel like I could use a massage and a soak in a hot tub.  By this evening I might feel the need of a hip replacement...hahahaha.  Kidding, but thank goodness I have gotten in better shape.

Now we are sticking stickers all over him....muahahahaha!

Home Alone...Almost 10-5

 This blog is acting weird tonight...hard to get the pictures placed and my text got stuck to a picture....but I am done.  Gotta charge up for tomorrow!

Those chrysanthemums are blinding in the sun.

Eleven roses and more than this still on the bush


Gracie and I have company until Tuesday...Connor!  He's a month shy of his third birthday and quite the character.  After dinner we went for a walk.  Connor moves at a trot, Gracie and I had to trot to keep up!  He jabbered the whole time, let's go this way and he kept telling Gracie and I..."lets go team".  Gracie was better with everyone's arrival today...she settles in better every day.  After Connor finally fell asleep I took my shower and when I came out I couldn't find Gracie in her usual spots....sure enough she was on the bed with Connor.

Trotting up the hill, he trotted back down too

Hot 10-1

Hot and windy this morning and then hot and still this afternoon.  I don't have anything very scintillating to talk about today.  

I took some pictures to keep Larry up on the gardens seasonal changes and pictures of my succulent bowls.  I am in love with this species and there are so many specimens to choose from.  I am hoping I picked ones that like our climate here.

I need to wrangle this climber...one of those canes is almost over to the clematis.

Sending up a bloom

Little sprouts on the stalk, I thought this would die
off after having bloomed.

Fall Fiesta ware colors brought out and spring/summer put away.