Summertime heat/movies

The heat is back, my AC is working overtime. ARGH!! Gasoline is so expensive I think I may have to buy a horse. I wanna vacation but airline tickets are so outta touch for me. I am cheap and have my limits.

I watched 27 dresses last night, by myself, all alone. Nobody else wanted to see it so I picked a night when everyone was going to be gone. I was disappointed. It was kinda cute but oh so PREdictable. I would rather watch 4 episodes of Reba and laugh my hiney off. Anyways, so much for wasting my time and 3.99. The other night we watched The Great Debate and it was so good. I was impressed and moved. Society has come a long way but it still has a long way to go. Bucket List was funny, but I really like Jack Nicholson. Summer and movies go hand in hand in the summertime Texas heat.

Rain Yippee

After a very very hot week, last night and this morning we finally received some much needed rain. I can actually see puddles. Now I can dig up some of the crabgrass and unwanteds in the flower bed and get ready for some more 100 degree days. My Angel Trumpet decided to greet me in my fountain area. They have reseeded from last year and I have over a dozen plants.
My Crepe Myrtles are beautiful from the back patio view.
Take a look at this almost flourescent Zinnia.

Babysitting day

Today was my volunteer day. I babysit my neice and nephew one day a week. We have lots of fun and it brings back the playful times when my kids were younger. They demand full attention and play play play till you drop time. Being an aunt I am able to drop everything and dedicate the day to them. Today was only a 5 hour day but we packed it with action. We played at the pool for almost 3 hours. They love to swim and I do too. It is so nice to have a pool in our neighborhood that we can go to. It would have been nice when my kids were young to have access to a pool for free all day fun. My folks had one in their backyard but it was small and there wasn't other people there to observe and entertain you. We played ball, boogie board, noodles, jump and swim, turning flips and sit and watch. It was hot so the pool was cool and refreshing. Then we ate shells and cheese (another plus being an Aunt I don't have to provide nutritious food we can junk out). We had frozen pops and cheetos. Then we played Guess who, they love that game. The big ball is lots of fun especially down the stairs as fast as you can and then turning flips with it. Next week we will find new adventures and play with no rules!! It wears me out and I whine about it sometimes but I love spending time with these littles ones. Time flies and I know before long I will be attending their graduation and off they go!

Whose the Birthday Girl

Having a swim party is soooooooooooo much fun at the Saginaw Aquatic Center!!!! decorating it pretty
Friends swim
Yummy Cake time
Happy 6th Birthday Kylee!!

lizard visiting

Last night on our evening walk, I was telling my husband about our former neighbor (http://joyismygoal.blogspot.com/ ) that still lives on the street we previously lived on for 18 years and had oodles of lizards because our sons would let their pets go and we never found them and they ended up in the house and garden, (run on sentence) Anyways, she had a photo of the lizard that was in her house this past weekend and I was jealous because we have lived at our new house for 3 1/2 years and not even seen a lizard. NOW to MY POINT!!! When we arrived home, what to my wondering eyes did appear..... a beautiful lizard on the wall above the fridge. We were shocked. I ran for the camera and snapped but couldn't get a very good photo but here are a few to share. Life is strange...I love it.

birds and caterpillars

My baby left me last friday. I went to check the nest and he flew the coup. Wow they grow up so fast. This is the last photo that I took of him on the 18th. Here is the cute(?) little tomato hornworm that has been stripping the leaves from my tomato plants. Ha...today I photographed him and then sent him to the trash. Is he smart enough to get out of the trashcan before he fries this afternoon. I do not know. I will be looking the garden over for some of his friends when they decide to emerge.
Today we are in for another 100 degree day. I put out 4 more bags of mulch and I have the soaker hose running. We did receive some much needed rain last Thursday but not near enough. The grass does look alot better, but where I was weeding this morning it was so dry like the desert. I am looking for that rain filled cloud.

Garden bloggers bloom day June 2008

Here in my Texas garden color is getting harder to find. It has not rained in weeks and the flowers do not like it one bit. The June weather feels like August and I am struggling to keep things alive and happy. Camera was not cooperating so bear with the following photos.

Passion flower in purple is going crazy right now and I just love it. It doesn't care that it has not rained and that it will probably hit 100 degrees today. There is something so special about this flower.

This baby cardinal has bloomed out this week but its sibling decided to be a no show.

Here is some purple phlox that my MIL shared with me.

Oleander is happy too! I just love the color of this one.

My crepe myrtles are just now starting to burst into color.

I believe this is gloriosa daisy (rudbekia) and I totally forget what the purple is.

Here by my blue bench is the wonderful elderberry my MIL passed along.

My yellow butterfly bush is shooting up like it is on steroids.

Wild sunflower nature planted and I let live. This plant is over 6 feet tall.

Purple coneflower in pretty form.

Here is the plate sized blooms of my red hibiscus.

Unbelieveable that it decided to have its first blossoms this morning on bloom day.

Brazilian verbena and purple coneflower with the beautiful mexican feather grass.

Pink and purple rule my garden right now. Here is my hardy lantana and yarrow.

Vitex. The camera refused to catch the beauty of this bush. It is vivid purple all over. My MIL dug this up a few years back, so it was about 1 foot tall. It grows quite fast in this area and takes no care at all.

I do have a few roses showing now. This is the zephrine rose.

Zinnia from the seeds I planted in May.

Last but not least is the indigo spires.

Thanks for stopping by on bloom day. Thanks to Carol for having this day. I have learned so much from gardeners around the world. Be sure to stop by and look at her beautiful gardens.

http://maydreamsgardens.blogspot.com/

zuchinni squash

Look what I found hiding in the garden. It is amazing how fast these suckers grow.

baby birdie hatched

I checked the nest this morning! We have a new addition to the Judge yard. It is adorable! This sunflower is overlooking the nest and so cheerful.

This may be the first flower the baby birdie sees. How fun.
Nature brings me the peace I need.

Two Decades of Fun

Thanks for giving us 2 decades of adventure!Happy Birthday Ben


We love Chocolate!

bird nest with eggs

I found this nest with eggs this past weekend. I am thinking they are either a finch or house sparrow. Either way, soon I will have baby birdies!