Teasing a little bit more...

Last post I offered up a tease for my newest garden/landscaping endeavor. Even in 90+ degree heat I've managed to keep going at a fairly good clip and it's coming along nicely. The slate is down and the rock border tied it together rather well. I even used the last of the mulch pile to freshen up the area. Of course, Ninja will be none too pleased with that as she used that pile for scratching up bugs and creating cool nests during the heat of the day. So far she hasn't really noticed because I cleverly did the mulch moving as she was preparing to fly up into her favorite nighttime tree roost. Tomorrow I expect to hear vigorous complaints and she'll probably want to talk to the manager. 

This is where we are so far:

Cleaning up allowed the previous border to peek through and the bottles do add a bit of shine.

From the other side, it looks like this:

But wait. There's more!

Lest you think that's the end of it, you are sadly mistaken. Of course I can't leave well enough alone. Finishing touches will be added to the slate area, the pots need to be planted with something or other, and the final art piece must be installed -- as soon as I figure out how the heck it's gonna be put together and YouTube is failing me big time right now 😡. Be that as it may, I hope to have the whole area completed by early next week. But don't hold your breath. Your face could turn blue from waiting.

 

A little tease...

 As I've mentioned in previous posts, I often have the most fantastic ideas for my yard -- in my head. Often the execution of those ideas are pretty good too. But too often, either my ignorance for what would happen given time and growth means my projects take on an altogether different look (and not necessarily for the better), or some catastrophe comes along (like wind storms) and destroys the first vision. 

Ignorance is the culprit in the case of my corner in the front yard. I knew the succulents and ferns would certainly grow, and weeds are a problem, but I didn't reckon with the rate of growth for either. And with all the enthusiasm of a rank amateur, I wanted to do some kind of pebble art piece. And so I did.

 

As you see, it's a bit twee and subtle, but I loved the bottles and rocks together and for a good month or two I smiled every time I walked by. I hadn't forgotten the Deodars which shed needles year round and come winter the weeds would be a bit of a chore. So regular cleaning was on the to do list. What I hadn't counted on was the explosion of the ferns in a short couple of years, basically covering everything and creeping past the rock border, and the amount of debris from the trees. 

 

They say that as you grow older you get wiser, but so far that hasn't worked on me. So needless to say, I have another cunning plan to replace the cute little rock necklace and try to make a bigger statement. This is the tease. It involves more rock, some slate, a couple of pots, and some hoops. And absolutely all the elements going into this new look are free finds! When it's done of course you'll get the final version. In the meantime, can you guess what's going to happen? (Hint: neither can I).

Now just a bit of a humble brag here. I am constantly amazed and incredibly flattered when passersby tell me how much they love my garden. Even the slightest praise gives me the incentive to keep going, because all I see is the work that still needs to be done. During walks around the neighborhood I've seen enviable gardens and wish for the knowledge and wherewithal to create artistic, lush, or just whimsical wonderlands. Being told by someone they enjoy seeing what's new provides incentive to keep plugging along in my blissful ignorance. Thank you kind neighbors!

Ninja's best friend

Ninja has found a friend. Thankfully that friend requires no food and no worries. Because, wait for it, her friend is an orange ceramic duck. Ninja frequently perches on the low table and happily communes (mostly in silence) with her nameless, silent friend a couple of times a day. Tonight I was actually able to capture proof of this unusual alliance through the kitchen window. If I had tried to go out and get a decent picture, there would've been the clucking and squawking and running about as if I had a cleaver in my hands instead of a phone, so we have to make do with what we've got. And what we've got is this:

The blessings of friends and longings for another furry companion

Another stealth gift left on my doorstep. Other than the mail carrier, this is the most action my stairs have seen since I've been here. M (you know who you are) left a beautiful gift of potted succulents and, here's where we cried, a framed picture of our little terminator Sassy. Her dear little face and the tiny rock owl will forever grace a table in the office, along with the other angels we have had the privilege to know and love.  

 

The plant in it's new home...

Looking at Sassy's face has prompted me to think seriously about saving another senior's life by adopting again. Our main concern always is our big bear Kuma. He's such a klutz, bless him, and doesn't know how strong he is. Age has slowed him down a tiny bit, but other than all the white hair that now adorns his beautiful face, you couldn't tell he's 13. He still behaves like the rather rambunctious 2 year old he was when he found us on the street. He's also enjoying (we think - not sure) his status as an only child. I say 'not sure' because he has decidedly become more clingy. No longer wants to hang out alone and will follow one or the other of us around the house. So anyone we bring home would have to have the right mix of chill and moxie. And as I would really like a snuggle bunny the size of Sassy, I worry a tad bit about the size dynamics. Looking through the various shelters, and seeing the number of senior dogs (in my mind a senior is 10 or more years), and the conditions of some of them (clearly neglected or abused), it just makes me want to go in and sweep out the kennel. My latest strategy is to request all friends and neighbors to dissuade me from doing anything rash too soon. They are not doing a very good job of that....

The deed is done and other surprises

This morning I scooted Ninja out of her nest and robbed her of her eggs. She was seriously unhappy with me and the whole neighborhood could probably hear her complaints about the whole business. So now the search for the new nest begins. I wonder if I could patent it as a game and retire in style? Probably not. 

Just as Ninja was surprised by the temerity of me reaching into her sanctuary, I was surprised this morning by balloons attached to a bag of seriously yummy goodies left on my front porch. A dear friend I don't see nearly as often as I would like (you know who you are C), left it to cheer me up after Sassy's passing. She knows me too well. Fabulous chocolates, cookies, and fresh fruit. I'm afraid I tucked in a little too well, and don't regret it for a minute. Just to show my neighbors how amazing people can be, I tied the balloons to the handrail at the top of the stairs and have enjoyed them waving in the breeze all day. Even the big bear Kuma, after inspecting them for any imminent danger and declaring them safe, enjoyed watching them from the safety of the doorway. Thank you for a great start to the day!

Is this the never-ending story?

Our Ninja is broody again so I had the bright idea of trying to get her out of her nest (a toilet tank I wanted to use as a planter) by sprinkling her down with the hose like a gentle rainfall. Chicken experts said that water would cool her ardor for hatching. Didn't budge. Then I went over, looked her in the eye, and explained she needed to get out and eat and could she just move so she would be OK? Didn't budge - which was odd because previously when she knew we had spotted her nest she would give us a lot of lip and fly out. Familiarity breeds ennui? Don't know, but I guess I have to wait 'til she gets out to eat and then steal all her eggs. That just means I'll be doing the search-for-the-increasingly-hard-to-find-new-nest in a day or two. And we were doing so well with the mark one egg to leave in the nest and take one egg routine that kept her laying in one place. Apparently she can count to twelve even when there are no eggs present, and she feels a dozen means she has to hatch something. Whatever is going on in her head, she consistently outwits her humans without batting an eye.

 

In Memoriam

Today was not the happiest day. My little terminator Sassy had to be euthanized. Her lungs finally gave out and it was too painful for her to draw a good breath. She was feisty until the end though. She reveled in getting cookies every time she went out to do her business and watching her bounce up the stairs was a joy (we had to carry her down though because she couldn't navigate well anymore). She was truly a Daddy's girl and would wait for him to get back whenever he left the house.

She came to us as part of a pair in 2007. We adopted her and her "brother" Shinji because apparently at the rescue they bonded so much we didn't want to break them up. They made a good team and after Shinji left us in 2018, we realized just how bonded they were. She was devastated at his passing.

Though Kuma, our big bear, had joined our family in 2008, it wasn't until Sassy was left alone that she decided to accept Kuma as a friend. Though they were never cuddly like Sassy and Shinji were, they did develop a bond. This is the last picture of her today. We will sorely miss her.

Gifts from people to my critters

I know I've mentioned it before, but it bears repeating. I get the best stuff free from curb cast-offs and neighbors who thoughtfully offer things before they toss them. My next door neighbor has very generously given me multiple plant pots and has now broken the record for wonderful things: an incredible bird bath. That gift allowed me to finish up a project I've had in mind since another amazing find (free of course) -- a free-standing bird feeder in the most divine deep red.

A bit of a story about that find. Next Door has provided a whole bunch of insight into how neighbors think, what fights they want to pick, and how they react to things. Always interesting. But I digress. The app also has a treasure trove of great stuff. I've scored fresh lemons and kumquats, big decorative rocks, and the best find, the bird feeder and matching planter bowl. It had been posted for roughly 5 minutes and I was out the door. I was just getting out of my car when I noticed another car driving up to the curb. A woman hopped out and asked if she could give me a hand with wrangling the heavy pottery into the car. As she was carrying the heavy end, I asked her if she was after the same thing and of course the answer was yes. So, given there were two of the planters, I offered her one (which upended the grand plan in my mind for them, but oh well). She said yes and we parted as good neighbors should.

OK, back to the project. So yesterday, in sweltering heat, it seemed like the perfect time to set up the new feeder/bath combo in my critter area. I've been wanting to get the bird seed off the ground for some time. The idea is to discourage predators and allow birds to feed without squirrel interference as well. I confess, it's always fun to see the huge pigeons and crows trying to fend off the squirrels, but they should be allowed to feed in peace (if not harmony).