the white stuff

I wasn't supposed to be here to write this post!  I was supposed to be on the west coast for a week, but I had a mini medical crisis (related to yet another side effect from yet another perimenopause treatment medication that my doctor is having me try out) and had to stay home.  Todd went, and took Pepita.  I had to be content with an occasional pup shot from afar:

And a few shots of some of the mischief she'd gotten into:

She wasn't the killer, but did argue firmly and rather convincingly that this squirrel hand made a fantastic dog toy or, in a pinch, a good chew stick.

My mini medical crisis (which I will henceforth refer to as my "MMC") meant that not only was I not traveling out west, I wasn't going too far from the living room couch.  So no tromping around for caterpillars, no long hikes, no nature shots.  

I did make it out to the garden to pick another bunch of tomatoes.  These are in the process of being slow roasted, pulverized, and turned into tomato sauce.

A few shots from the past couple of weeks...Pepita had her last week in the sling!  At 6 months old (around October 1st), she'll be fine to walk for a whole 30 minutes every morning.

A few interesting things on the trail...a series in white!

This cotton fluff is actually phylloplecta tripunctata...tiny sucking insects that focus primarily on blackberries.  These nymphs are safer under the cover of this "cotton."

More beautiful caterpillars!

acronicta modica

I love leafminer lines, even if they do cause some damage to plants.

A similar look on our formerly white siding (for some reason, this section got really dirty and needs a good power washing):

lines made by a snail, not a leafminer!

Our 'little lime' hydrangea is almost done blooming...

...and I just cut down the last of the coneflowers, these beautiful white ones that look so pretty against the pink obedient plants.

White trails across the sky...

Not quite white...this is a yellow woolly bear caterpillar.  

A red-shouldered hawk flew over our white barn...they've been out hunting a lot lately!

Hot hot hot, but today - at last! - the fall rain came.  It's supposed to rain all week!

No changing leaves yet, not really.  Just dry.

But the cool weather is coming soon!

The cats have been taking good care of me...sort of.

assisting with ebay work

keeping a close watch from beneath my computer...no funny business!!

gathering strength for the nursing work ahead 

They're good company.  Hopefully my "MMC" will be resolved soon and I can get back to my regular life.

Have a great week!