heat defeat

It's hot...really hot.  Normally, when temperatures are in the 90s, I stay inside.  But because of this girl, we are outside...so...much.

Many socialization excursions that will have to take the place of puppy training until she gets a clean bill of health from the vet.  So it's walks on campus, with so many other pups...

(adults pups are okay!)

...and lots of local hikes, where she meets lots of new people.

She loves the car!  

She's a pretty chill pup...most of the time.

Okay, so I *have* to be outside...at least I can try to enjoy some nature.

green heron eating a frog

groundhog invading our neighbors' container gardens

black tiger swallowtail caterpillar

But honestly, I have the worst attitude ever.  For some reason, summer is killing me this year.  I never like summer with the heat/humidity, the mosquitoes, the ticks...but this year it's just the worst.  I'm apathetic and lethargic.  I'm not motivated to get things done and feel almost desperate for fall.  Every time I see a sign, I celebrate. 

Changing leaves...coincidence?!?

This is a FALL webworm caterpillar!

These winter shoes really needed cleaning because it's ALMOST time to wear them again, right?  Right?!?!?

We had to have some trees trimmed because they were crowding power lines recently...

They only cut a few down.  Most of them were just trimmed closely on one side.  Bare, they look like winter trees.  

Sometimes I look at them and pretend that the leaves are falling and that soon it will be cold again.  I've got another two months to go, easy, so I'm trying to work through this summer ennui with lots of pep talks.

Summer flowers from the garden!!

Fresh fruit!!

Lazy cats in the grass!

(Claudia is doing well and will get to go outside again soon!)

Lakes, rivers, wildlife!

geese at Lake Griffy

It's helping...a little bit.  But sometimes staying positive is a full-time job.  September will be here soon! Stiff upper lip!  

And...have a great week!  

Signed, someone who is ready to live in a more moderate climate.  ;)  

dead nettle mettle

I love this time of year.  Every time we walk, we see new things popping out of the ground and new green on formerly empty vines and branches.

My favorite right now is the ferns.  They are so beautiful as they slowly unfurl.

We're seeing so much activity, too.  Squirrels...

...geese...

...turkey vultures...

...and raccoons are daily visitors.

Chogs are back!!

Oh, hello!

We have a nesting pair of herons in our back pond!

It's a lot of excitement.  ;)  We've even got some insect activity!  Spiders have been making webs everywhere.

I've been frantically working in the back garden to try to stay ahead of the weeds.  It was cold, and then we had a week of rain.  Finally, it dried out, but the weeds got a head start.  This is the front of our side bed...

...and this is the huge weed patch in the middle of it. My perennial bee balm is growing up amidst the sea of dead nettle, wild cress, poison ivy, and other monsters.

So...much...dead nettle.

I've put in hours and hours and barely made a dent.  There's a lot of guilt, too, because in early spring, bees rely on dead nettle for sustenance...and I'm yanking it up by the handful.

I've left plenty for them, and besides...our crabapple tree is blooming.

Dandelions and violets are up, including some especially pretty varieties...

My late-blooming daffodils are still holding on, and vinca is blooming everywhere...

In short, they have plenty to eat right now.  

Claudia continues to come outside, briefly, on nice days...

...but she's definitely ready to go back in the barn after a few hours...and she never wants to be outside at night.  She and Todd have always gotten along...

...but he never thought they'd be roommates one day!  :)  She's always by his side in his barn office now, begging for attention or sleeping on her special mat.  She's definitely enjoying retirement!  

And, as usual, our indoor cats are enjoying...whatever.

Still not allowed on the table...but taking advantage of my distraction while working on a business project.

Spring is a busy time, but hopefully I can get the garden in shape in time for the hot weather.  Have a great week!  

cat coup d'etat

 We've had some frost...

...but it's mostly been cool and rainy.  Some normal warmer-weather activity has been happening.  Mowing the back field...

...and cleaning out the gutters.

We thought that Claudia would be really excited to leave the barn in the spring, and she has gone outside...with some encouragement.

To our surprise, though, this formerly-feral cat who protested every time we tried to bring her into the warm barn during freezing temps does NOT want to be outside...at all.  On really warm days when we put her out, she mostly sits on the barn doorstep and waits for Todd to open the door, hoping to slip inside unseen.

When inside, she's either sleeping or sitting next to Todd on the couch, begging for attention.  She's basically taken over!

From what I've read, she's probably feeling vulnerable because she's compromised in hearing, sight, or both.  She doesn't move very quickly, and she'd probably be easy pickings for a coyote...or a stray.  For now, we're going to keep her in the barn nights, but still encourage her to go out during the day to get fresh air and a little stimulation.  Hopefully this compromise works!  

The spring ephemerals are popping!

dutchman's breeches

cutleaf toothwort

putty root orchid

Spicebush trees are budding out...

...and the redbuds are fully popped!

his expression after zinged with a particularly funny insult - all in good fun!

Red-winged blackbirds are everywhere.  

I've also heard meadowlarks, cowbirds, robins, bluebirds, jays...so many different birds!  More bulbs are coming up...

hyacinths

scillas

...and seedlings are starting to press against the lids of the greenhouses.

I'll have to take the lids off tomorrow, after the worst of the rain is over...but the lids need to be replaced (or most likely, a tarp used) to protect them from the frost that's coming in a few days.  As soon as those roots hit the bottom of the "greenhouse," they'll be ready to pop into the garden!  Not that the garden is ready...I haven't touched it since late summer.  But I will baby-step my way through it this year.

Speaking of gardening, my sweet peas germinated nicely in my dark, chilly attic.  Now they're out under lights.  Ready to go in the ground in a couple of weeks!

We're seeing more new life on our trail cams...this heron caught a bluegill!

We've got quite a herd of deer coming from the forest into our fields every evening, too.  They're still shaggy with their winter coats!

Coyotes, rabbits, possums, squirrels, raccoons, geese, and skunks are still making regular appearances as well.  No babies yet but I'm watching closely.

Have a great week!