OK -- one last detail

On June 23, the post was about finishing the front triangle area of my yard, and the statement was that it was done and dusted -- until I thought of something else. Well, of course there had to be something else. The pebbles at the back end just felt...wrong. Ah ha. What they lacked was a nice border. Bottles wouldn't do as the slate was really a pathway to have access to the plantings and a tripping hazard isn't a good idea for an old geezer. Thought of plastic edging, but then a hard no to plastic. Didn't want to buy anything. Mmmm. And there it was. Large black pebbles that had previously made a lovely design in front of an artistic tree stump were now completely hidden by the foxtail agave that has grown so aggressively (and beautifully). Dug a few of those out and created a border that just makes the area look finished. Or at least that's my story and I'm sticking to it.

An Angel celebrating the Fourth of July

Angel is indeed just the right ambassador for celebrating Independence Day. Enough said.

Sleeping beauty

McSnoozy-Snorey, otherwise known as Nellie's good chum Nick, is of such a delicate constitution that he is unable to cope with any temperatures above 70º. Even that can be a bit of a struggle. On bad days he gets a very upset tummy that results in messy cleanups. On good days, he's able to nap quite soundly and STILL be cute as a button.

Revamp done and dusted...until I think of something else

While it may be hard to believe, procrastination and dithering are my stock and trade when it comes to yard work. Every now and then, however, something actually is completed to a satisfactory conclusion. Well, until it doesn't work and then has to be done all over again. But here's hoping that things grow in as expected (hoped for) and within a year, it will look fully formatted and lush. Fingers crossed. 

Not fond of Nextdoor but it has it's uses

While I find it somewhat addictive, I frequently make noises of disgust about the neighborhood app Nextdoor. Too often there are posts which degenerate quickly, often when it's clear someone didn't even bother to read the original post. There are far too many heartbreaking posts about lost dogs, cats, tortoises (you name it), and too much fear-mongering about our native wildlife. However, every now and then it serves a positive purpose. 

There was a post requesting to borrow a bird cage so the person could introduce a new bird to her current Budgie who just lost his best friend. As luck would have it, there was a birdcage in my shed that served its purpose long ago, and which I still use, very rarely, for the odd animal rescue. Since it has done nothing other than gather dust for the past year, offering it up seemed the neighborly thing to do. We arranged a drop off, which went very smoothly, and a couple of days later a text came through saying how the new bird (TigerEye) and her older bird (Golden Girl) made friends through the bars immediately. That's when I suggested she keep the cage if she wanted to, and her grateful response was enough. She did point out that it would be helpful should we have another evacuation situation as she was so stressed during the fire about how to get her birds out safely as her birdcage is far larger and cumbersome. While I get to look like a giving soul, it's actually a selfish move. That birdcage being gone means one less thing to move around in storage. A win-win!

The introduction:

The assimilation:

And yes, they are gorgeous.

Beauty of nature

My brother is an amazing photographer and has captured so many beautiful images in nature. He lives on the coast in Northern California, so nature's abundance is rich in color and diversity. Enjoy.

Their reputation for wisdom is spot on

I took a trip to Japan what seems like a thousand years ago now. It was three months after the Fukushima disaster and hardly any westerners were traveling there which made it very easy to get around and enjoy uncrowded sites. While on the trip, I started a blog to share with my colleagues where I worked -- mostly to make them very envious and also record the wonderful sights. While on our morning walk, Nellie commented that the neighborhood scenery was getting very old and nothing seemed interesting enough to share. Well, okay, Nellie only nodded when I mentioned it with a deep sigh, as she is, after all, a dog. As luck would have it, I was trying to clean up a couple of flash drives and came across a picture that always makes me smile -- both because owls are among my favorite creatures and because as a librarian, reading is a big deal. So, because we all need something to cheer us up in these dark times, two gigantic owls showing how wise they truly are:

If you are curious about the big trip and have absolutely nothing better to do, you can read all about it at https://japanatlast.blogspot.com/ . In fact, you don't have to read at all, and just enjoy the pictures of a magical land.