I Couldn't Believe My Eyes...

I couldn't believe my eyes this morning when I looked out in the back yard. Since I didn't have my glasses on yet I thought I was just seeing the brown wood of my swing... then it moved! Instead I was looking at a deer having breakfast right in the backyard.

I watched her and she watched me for quite a while. It wasn't very light out yet so I didn't get many good pictures. I watched her for about 10 minutes or so and even took some video. Then out of the corner of my eye I saw something in the pond. I thought it was the woodchuck or something. Then I noticed this!!

The doe was hiding it at first but then they both turned tail and walked toward the other side of the pond and into the woods.

I was so excited I didn't get a decent picture unfortunately. Isn't it so tiny?? It can't be more than a week or so old! When I saw the female I thought it was odd that she was by herself but now I understand why. So cool! Deer right here in the middle of a subdivision! As long as she stays out of my flower bed she can come by for breakfast anytime!

Happy Memorial Day - 2008

It was a "picture perfect" weekend here in Michigan. Absolutely gorgeous weather, perfect temperature, sunny, breezy, perfect! Saturday morning Howard and I headed down to Eastern Market. I had always heard about it and how great it was but had just never gone. They certainly had a lot of flowers and plants and also lots of fruits and vegetables. The place was big and crowded! We didn't buy much though. The flats weren't any cheaper than we get at the local nursery and I like the colors at the local nursery better. I only needed petunias and impatiens and my local nursery has beautiful mixes for the same price. I did buy some brown organic eggs though and Howard bought some nectarines. Later in the day we walked up to the high school with the dogs and let them have a nice run.
Sunday morning I went to the nursery to buy the flowers and spent the afternoon planting. Howard and Scott were trimming dead branches out of the trees and now the yard looks so nice. Howard pointed out this little guy in my front flower bed.

At first he freaked me out, especially when I saw him return to his home under our porch step. When I told Scott about this he said he had seen him there before! Thanks for telling me, Scott!!

Sunday night Howard and I went to see Ironman at the movies. It was a pretty good movie.
Today I relaxed a little and then later in the afternoon I took the pups up to the high school field. The sprinklers were watering different sections so we played frisbee in the sections where they weren't watering. It was only about 80 degrees but with all the running around the dogs were really getting hot!

Look at the size of those tongues!!
Finally we went around to the section with the sprinklers and Zoe ran right up to one for a drink. What she did next really shocked me! And this is what she looked like!



I guess she was hot! She really seemed to enjoy herself.

This is what she looked like when she was finished getting her drink! Much cooler!
Even though Charlie was watching and trying, he never quite got the hang of drinking from the sprinkler.



When I got home I finished planting my petunias in the front flower bed and then got busy watering and fertilizing. I walked up to check my roses and this is what I saw!

He was back! I guess since we now have a garden snake we'll have to name him because he doesn't look like he'll be leaving any time soon. I told Howard I don't really mind him (or her) hanging around but I'm not crazy about the fact that I learned they can have 12-40 babies! I don't want that many around!
All in all we had a lovely weekend. We finished it off with a cook-out tonight, just Howard, Scott and I. We had burgers and hot dogs and corn on the cob, yum! Bring on summer!!
Here's one more picture of Charlie. I thought he looked especially handsome in this shot!

Happy Birthday Amber!! :-)

It seems impossible that my "baby" is 28 years old! I can remember when she looked like this as though it was only yesterday!

She loved the water and beach then as she does now. It's nice that she was able to spend her birthday weekend back in Tampa where she was born and spent the first 9 years of her life and many family vacations after that!

This picture was taken the summer after we moved to Michigan when we made a quick trip back.

Happy Birthday Beach Baby!!

The Flowers Are In...

Well, most of the flowers anyway. Saturday morning I made a quick trip to the local nursery to pick up a few more flats of flowers. I planted my porch pots and window boxes and Howard helped with the beds.

Look at this lettuce I'm growing in a pot!

I'm also trying to grow some scallions in a pot this year.

Here's the bed with the tulips still blooming. I can't remember what the name of this purple flower is but it's a bulb. This is the first year I've planted them.



Both of us were complaining about our "aching backs". We must be getting old!! I still have two more beds to plant annuals in but the one still has tulips blooming so I'll wait a little longer to plant there.
Today I went to a bridal shower for the daughter of one of my Bunco friends, Barb. Her daughter and Amber played volleyball together back in high school! I won a take-away gift but no skill was involved. I just happened to be sitting in the right seat!
Amber and Andrew flew to Tampa for the weekend to celebrate her birthday. Amber took Andrew by our old house and she commented to me on how much smaller the yard looks than she remembers! I can remember having that same thought when I went back to visit my old house in Long Beach. It looked way too small for us to have actually lived in and yet we did, for 10 years! After visiting Tampa they headed over to the beach for a nice, relaxing weekend!
Tyler has started his summer class and will be making another move at the end of the month. He'll still be in Honolulu but he and two of his buddies are moving to a new apartment.
Scott is helping around the house with chores since he's only working two days a week right now. He worked last week getting the mulch layed down in our beds. Howard has made him a nice "to do" list to keep him busy until Scamp starts at the end of June.
I took the pups up to the high school field yesterday for a nice long run. It was a gorgeous day, sunny, breezy and not too hot! Today Howard took them while I was at the shower. They are sleeping like little babies right now after all that exercise. Today before I left for the shower I was standing at the front door and turned around to see this.

Zoe ducked under Charlie and he just stood there! They stood like that for a couple minutes! It was so funny!

Here's a more serious pose. Notice the elegant crossing of the legs, Andy!! He's such a little gentleman!!

I'm still counting down until school is out. Only 18 days to go!! That's the good news. The bad news is the kids are at their worst the last couple weeks of school. They don't want to be there any more than the teacher's do! After this week we have a 4 day weekend to look forward to! WooHoo!!
Have a great week everyone!

Happy Mother's Day!!

Happy Mother's Day to all the Mother's out there. This was the first year I didn't have a Mother to wish that to. We had a quiet day around here. The weather wasn't cooperating with the plans I had yesterday after a trip to our local nursery. We wanted to put a few flowers in the ground but it rained most of the day today. Howard bought me a new rose bush yesterday to replace one that didn't make it over the winter. Guess that will have to wait until next weekend to be planted. Amber and Andy called first this this morning. They were on their way back home after attending a wedding in Kentucky. Tyler called later in the day since we have a 6 hour time difference. He's finished with his finals now and his new classes start tomorrow! Scott slept in this morning since he didn't get home until after 3:00 a.m. from work. He bought me a wonderful card and an awesome gift: a video cam. It's really neat and so far I've only talked to Amber as she's the only one I know who has one. We "chatted" for a little while tonight to try it out. This evening Howard, Scott and I went to dinner at Ruby Tuesday's. It wasn't too crowded and we enjoyed a nice dinner out.
Friday night was our last bowling, our "fun night." We played "9 pin, no tap". If you get at least 9 pins down the first time, they count it as a strike. There were some very high scores to be had playing that way! Our team finished in 12th place out of 16 so that was better than the last time we bowled when we were in 15th place. Now we are done for the summer and won't start up again until September.
On Saturday I took the dogs for a nice long walk from our house up to the high school. It was a gorgeous day, sunny, clear, not too hot. We walked up there, played a little frisbee and then walked back. Usually I drive up there so my legs were tired when we got home.
This is what it looks like when you put peanut butter on your dog's nose. For a while Zoe was licking the cabinet door, thinking the peanut butter was on the door instead of her nose. That's one smart pup!!



So, not much else going on here. Not much going on this week either. Charlie and I have puppy class on Tuesday night but nothing else happening except work.

Guess I've come to THE END of this posting!!
Have a good week everyone!

Charlie is 9 months old today!!

The many faces of Charlie!

Happy May!! :-)

It was a very nice weekend here in Michigan. We had a little rain yesterday but it was needed so we can't complain and it didn't stay around too long. Friday night my friend Cindy, who now lives in Florida but used to live in Michigan, called to say she was in town and we had a nice dinner together, along with a few other friends. Saturday we just stayed around the house catching up on chores like laundry! I'm so behind.
My flowers and perrenials are coming up nicely. With all the warm weather we've had the tulips aren't lasting too long. Earlier this week I had to cover them to protect them against the frost and now the heat is getting to them.



These tulips open and close each day. In the evening they close almost completely. Behind the tulips is a Clematis I planted last year. It's really doing well this year.

This is our Dogwood tree. This is the second year in a row it's managed to bloom without the frost getting to it.
Today Howard and I walked the dogs up to the high school field so they could run around. We didn't bring the Frisbee so it took them a while to figure out what they should do. Zoe spent her time herding Charlie around. He was enjoying it eventhough he didn't really know what he was doing!
When we got home we spent a little time relaxing on the deck taking pictures of birds. You would think I was pointing a gun at them instead of a camera, the Cardinals especially. They won't even come around when I have the camera out. I thought this little Goldfinch looked cute among the flowers.

The pansies are doing well.


Amber and Andy put a bid in on a Condo yesterday but today found out that there were two other contracts on the place and another one was accepted. They were disappointed but will keep looking until they find the perfect place!
Tyler is trying to find a new place to live also. He and two of his buddies are searching for a place now. He will be studying for finals for the next week or so.
Scott is finished with school until the Fall. He's enjoying his "vacation" for a few days until Howard and I come up with a list of projects for him to start on around the house.
This blog wouldn't be complete without a couple pics of my pups. They were quite photogenic today. Look at this sweet little girl!

She was begging me to go in the house and get her dinner started!
This is how they looked when we got back from our walk. Weekends are hard on them as I'm up and moving around all day and they can't just lay down and take a nap. When I get up and move they follow me wherever I go.

So, another weekend is over and it's back to the grind tomorrow. Only 28 more days until school is out!

Two more pictures for the road!! Have a great week!!