The Greatest Love Story Ever Told

The Labor Day weekend which just passed marked 42 years with the love of my life.

 

Brace yourself for a real blast from the past.

 

Consider the times – early ‘70s -- and the fact that we had a very casual Reno wedding after driving all night to get there.

 

*****

 

 

In 1975 we made a brand new person.

 

 

1979

1997

And the story continues with more souls to love. . .

2014

We just keep writing new chapters.

 

Have a beautiful day!

 

A Bird in the Hand with Two in the Bush

See this little bird with its beak stuffed full of . . . something?



There’s a pair nesting in the barberry bush right beside our deck.  I mean, the bush grows over onto one of the chairs, for heaven’s sake.  We sit there all the time, have lunch, relax with the dogs.  We’ve been very careful not to disturb them, but they seem unperturbed by our comings and goings.  When someone is sitting in the chair the birds will go in the “back door” through the maple tree and into the barberry bush.  When I took these photos I was watering the flower bed.  The bird stopped to check me out, make sure I wasn’t a threat, and when satisfied hopped into the nest to feed two baby birds.  She (he?) is surprisingly well camouflaged in the barberry.  I wouldn’t have thought.



The nest is too well hidden for me to photograph it, and I wouldn’t want to intrude, anyway.  I have peeked in there several times.  They see me, but don’t seem to mind.  I talk to them sometimes and they listen.  Two years in a row they built their nest in an evergreen bush out front, and both years the babies fell out of the nest before they were ready to fly.  Mom and dad were very distressed.  I couldn’t find the nest to be able to put them back in, and I don’t know if the family would have accepted that.  I’m certain the babies perished.  I can’t tell you how much that upset me.  I think this is more safe on the south side, protected from the wind and the rain as it’s tucked under the eaves next to the house.

Keep your fingers crossed for these sweet, innocent creatures that their family thrives and grows up to build nests of their own someday.  They’re such a pleasant and welcome part of the garden.

Sunday is Doggie Day

On your mark. . . get ready. . .



Go!
























And a good time was had by all!  Enjoy your day!

A Little Garden, A Little Wally and LuLu

Frankly, it hasn’t been a good garden year.  I don’t know if it’s me, the plants, the potting soil, something in the air. . . but I’ve never had such a struggle with my flower pots.  Many plants just up and died, leaving empty pots and dampened spirits.  What the heck?  I mean, this just doesn’t happen!  Rich feels sorry for me and twice has come home with an armload of new flowers.  The new plants are doing well so far, knock on my little wooden head.

The wax begonias have thrived from the beginning, however.  This photo was taken in early July, and they’re much bigger now.  Thank goodness I have lots of wax begonias.



Wally again.  The purple petunias behind him died.



The snapdragons are pretty.  Love the two-toned pink.



These two make everything better.



And, of course, there’s always the hydrangeas.  This one is a particularly rich purple/blue combo.



I honestly do try to get good landscape shots, but they come out looking like a jumbled up mess.  I like it lush, and all the trees and bushes limit the camera’s view.  Here’s one of those jumbled up shots of one area along the south side of the house.



My eyes see it much prettier than this in real life.  I find it hard to go inside on my days off.  Here on the Oregon coast it’s rarely too hot to be outside and, consequently the housework, cooking, shopping, crafty stuff all take a back seat to the garden.  Can you believe it’s August already?  Gosh, I’d better hurry up and get outside!  Have a great day!

Butterflies on the Butterfly Bush

I photographed a couple of garden visitors the other day.  This velvety brown beauty is called a Mourning Cloak, or in Britain it’s known as a Camberwell Beauty.  It can live up to a year, so it seems surprising I don’t see more of them. 



Below is the same butterfly in its angel wing pose.



This next one is called a Painted Lady.



So pretty!  Enjoy your day!

Backyard Bath Time

LuLu needed a trip to the backyard beauty parlor.



You can see these flowers blooming behind LuLu in the first photo.  They were volunteers that came along with a shrub which we later removed.  I didn’t know what they were going to grow into when they first popped up around the shrub, but I knew they weren’t  a weed.  Turns out they’re these beautiful Alstromeria.  First time I’ve grown them, and if I’d known how easy they are I’d have planted them long ago.  Rich put a wire cage around them this year, but not until after the dogs had pounced after a ball into the middle of them.  No more of that!



Does this tail make my butt look big?  All fluffed up!



Have a happy day!

Just a Little Peek at What’s Blooming Along the Garden Path

My favorite daylily.



My most petite daylily.



My most abundant daylily.



Yes, there is more than daylilies blooming, but I’ll save that for later.  I hope you’re enjoying your summer as much as I am!  Take care!

Coffee, Tea, or Me?

Coffee?



Tea?



Or me?



Our Wally turned five years old on June 27.  Can you believe how the years have flown by?  He’s still as trim, athletic, and handsome as ever, though in certain lights the white mask which Goldens develop as they age is more apparent.  I’ll never have enough years with our beautiful boy.

Watercolor Garden

I liked certain aspects of this photo, but the detail in it wasn’t good, so I put a watercolor effect on it.





This wraps up what feels like a blogging marathon.  Between here and my stamping blog, Running with Scissors, I spent the better part of a day editing photos and writing blog posts.  Oh, well, it was a rainy Sunday.  I’m sure you’ve had enough of me for a while, but I hope to return soon since I plan to be more current in the future – that is, until I fall behind again.  Which is likely.  You are all so good to me, patient and tolerant of my haphazard ways.  Have a lovely weekend!

Mommy’s Shoes

LuLu gets one. . .




Wally gets the other. . .




Then both get together and make a pair. . .





They’re just so darn cute!  Long ago I taught Wally to fetch my shoes for me.  When he saw how pleased I was when he brought them to me he started bringing them to me at random times.  LuLu learned from Wally.  I don’t have the heart to tell either of them that I don’t need my shoes at that particular time.  I either take them and say “thank you”, or I let them hold them and tell them “thank you for taking such good care of my shoes”.  And they do take good care of them.  They’re long past the chewing up phase.  In fact, it only took one chewing up episode for each of them to know they never wanted to do that again.  They’re so eager to please and devastated to think they’ve inadvertently done something wrong.  I love them so much!