Our friend "The Squirrel Man" hasn't been around for a while, so we take peanuts with us when we walk in the park.

 

Jon usually carries about 10 peanuts, and offers them to the squirrels.  Well, this little one took one, then followed us until Jon gave him another one.  Look at the little piggy:  he's got two in his mouth!

 

Life is good on the mountain.  We have enough for us, and enough to share.

 

 

HAPPY SUMMER!!!

 

 

 

 

OK.  This is a weird picture, but when I put it in perspective for you, you will get it.  We are on the lower deck looking up.

 

Look to the left on the rafter:  see Momma bird's nest?  Now look to the right and you can see a big fat corn snake.  See that bulge at the back end of his body?  We suspect that is the result of eating a couple of our baby birds.  Hey, it's the food chain, right?  Reality check and frustrating, all at the same time.

 

It took "Corny" a full 24 hours to digest his meal, before he could move on, hopefully to somebody else's yard.

 

 

SORRY!!! 

 

Jon showed me this nest of baby birds the other day.  Of course I had to get up on a ladder to see them, as they are up in the rafters under the top deck.  Anyway, here they are: 4 of them, filling up the nest.

 

Momma bird built the first nest a couple months ago, and felt safe enough to raise another brood in the same spot.  She laid these eggs a couple weeks ago, and when we got home from our trip the babies were already here.

 

How cute are they?!?

 

 

HAPPY SUMMER!!!

 

My friend left for a week long trip, and said it was ok to cut a few of her flowers.  So I picked three of her black-eyed Susies, and just look at them!!!  I added them to my already pretty arrangement, and it's even prettier.  Thanks, Priscilla.  

 

I hope you treat yourself to flowers.  They are food for the soul.  

 

 

HAPPY GARDENING!!!

 

The definition of a weed is:  a plant out of place.  OK.  These are my weeds:  black-eyed Susies.  They are growing in the walk path, so that means they are out of place.  But to me they are fabulous, and they can stay there as long as they like.  Oxalis, not so much, but I love the black-eyed Susies.  

 

 

HAPPY GARDENING!!!

 

And what could be a better way to welcome summer than a trip to the beach?  OK, we did it last week, but it sure felt like summer.  I loved walking along the beach, up to my knees in the Atlantic Ocean.  

 

Now we can welcome summer in our garden:  day to day.  I will share pix as the season moves along.  There is always something fun happening in the garden.  Well, to me anyway.  

 

HAPPY SUMMER!!!

 

Dads come in all shapes and sizes.  Here's my favorite.  

 

I'm sure you have your favorite.  Let's show 'em some love today.

 

 

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY!!

 

We were in Nags Head for three sunrises, and we saw all three of them, from the beach.  We walked the two blocks to the beach at 5:30 AM!!  and watched as the sun rose out of the Atlantic Ocean.  

 

It was so great to have shells in our pockets and sand in our toes.  I can't wait til the next time.  

 

 

HAPPY TRAVELS!!!

 

 

 

We are home now, but you know we couldn't go all the way to the Outer Banks and NOT get a picture of THE SIGN.  

 

Of course you've seen the one just inside the NC/Tennessee border that says:  Manteo NC 563.  Well, the counterpart to that sign is in Manteo.  And since we were so close (10 miles) we HAD to get a picture of it.  

 

You're welcome.

 

 

HAPPY TRAVELS!!!

 

Look how healthy our cilantro is.  I planted the seeds in early March, and this is only about 5 plants;  aren't they gorgeous.  

 

You can see cilantro leaves at the base of the plants, and flowers at the top.  It is all edible, and we eat the leaves and flowers, but the best part is the seed.  The seeds are called coriander, and they get dried and put into jars in the spice rack.  We grind some of the seeds in a coffee grinder, and then add that to everything.  

 

Fresh, dried, ground, it's ALL GOOD.

 

 

HAPPY GARDENING!!!