The backyard

In yesterday's Wordless Wednesday, Huggy Bear and Maggie were looking out into the backyard, and Huggy Bear was whispering about the sassy bird that has been giving them the business from the tree near the window. No big secret that the bird bugs us.

A while back I talked about the plants Mom had been planting in the back yard. Well, I finally have some pictures...


This is a new rose bush. We have seven now, but two are new and small. (One is a newly discovered rose from South Carolina that is purple, but very small right now.)






These are three of the other rose bushes, the ones that are blooming big right now.

Mom also planted a bunch of elephant ears. She started last year, and the one's from last year are coming up now, but these are new ones.




These are the coffee cup elephant ears, because they form a cup shape.


And this elephant ear is purply-black and very cool. This was a steal at the botanical garden plant show because they only had a few, and Mom got one.


I don't remember the name of this plant, but this one bloomed (we have one that's three years old and has never bloomed) and I think the flowers are so cool.


And this is the shade garden from before Mom planted the elephant ears against the fence in the back corner. The fountain is being used as a planter now with flowing plants hanging off of it.

Anyhow, this is the view from the window HB and Maggie were in yesterday. Hope you enjoyed the "plant show" today.

A very scary moment

The weather has been so nice here that we've been enjoying some open window time. Tonight Mom had opened the front windows in the dining room that are low to the ground. Mom and Dad were eating dinner while watching some TV when suddenly there was this crashing sound. They rushed in to see the screen pulled out, bent toward the outside, and with Maggie near the windowsill. It was dark outside and Mom and Dad couldn't see if any of us had jumped out, but a quick headcount revealed all but Josie. Mom went outside to look and Dad got a flashlight. Mom found a cat (Zoe, the neighbor's cat) and Dad found Josie inside (thankfully). Apparently Zoe saw Maggie and pulled the screen out trying to visit. This screen wasn't in the best shape, Dad suspects, which is why it could be pulled out, but now Mom and Dad are on high alert with the open windows. And with that screen messed up that means another closed window...

It's not our fault

It was bound to happen at some point ... it's not really our fault. You see, Mom and Dad were working out in the front yard ... Dad pushing the thing that eats the grass and Mom pulling the weeds that seem to grow when nothing else will. Dad had taken a load of clippings to the compost pile across the street in the woods and was heading back with the Gorilla Cart (one of Mom and Dad's favorite things ever!) and Mom thought she heard a "tinkle, tinkle, tinkle" ... and then Mom looks up and said "Oh, NO!" Dad came running to see that the front door hadn't latched correctly, and the door had breezed open a crack. It was enough that we were able to brave a second outside. Well, not "we" because I was sitting on the inside steps saying, "Guys, I don't think that's a great idea," but Huggy Bear and Josie and Maggie all ventured out onto the front porch. As soon as Mom yelled Maggie darted straight in, then Josie and Huggy Bear. Now, every now and then, Maggie will sit by the front door like she wants out or something. She doesn't realize there are mean dogs and fast cars and no food bowls outside.

I think Maggie has been pacified with a lot of garage time, though. Last night Dad gave us tons of garage time because Mom and Dad are painting the bonus room over the garage (we helped pick the colors and supervised a lot -- pics to come later), but when Maggie was in the garage she cornered a frog! Dad came in to see the frog hopping and hopping as Maggie watched and swatted playfully at it. Dad wrangled all of us out of the garage and let the frog escape, but Maggie and Josie have been patrolling ever since, ever vigilant for intruders!

To top things off ... Tuesday morning Maggie made another attempt at slipping out, with Huggy close behind. The termite inspector stopped her at the door, but I think she wanted to go out and hunt for that frog again.