Beauty Surviving

this summer's heat

The Sun Was Smiling...

during our early morning walk.

I think he knew we had life-giving rain.

I was in awe

walking in the woods.

I say many things

but the camera only saw the sun.

Sometimes

it is difficult to capture

pure happiness

with a camera.

Adoption!!!!

My daugther, Melissa with Audra and Cutter

Audrey/Audra is in her new home tonight.  She will have a house mate of the same breed and the new owner is familiar with this breed and loves it. This was record time.

Now I am practicing saying no...no, no, no!  No more foster dogs,

After The Plum Feast

Standing around helps plums digest.

Running With Dogs...

The morning sun was beautiful.

The air was cooler

after our wonderful evening shower.

We headed up the mountain, bright and early.

See Lil's stick. She hauled one all the way.

Guess who threw it for her,

all the way up and down the mountain.

A good time was had by all.

Big dog, little dog tracks

Audra is big!

She answers better to Audra

than Audrey so I guess she has changed her name.

The Grey Ghost of dogdom

is fitting right in.

My sister, Beverly, has fallen in love.

Audra probably weighs more than she does.

Remind me again,

I am supposed to find her a home,

Not keep her here!

Even In The Heat...

Thanks to Beverly, Marcy and God

the garden still grows.

Beverly irrigates from the creek

and it is staying alive and producing

with no help from the bugs and the heat.

Marcy loves to pick and prepare.

I do my part by eating!

Do I Look Stupid???

I obviously have it written on my forehead

and sucker is hanging around my neck.

People can read this

and call me to help.

This is Audrey.

A friend of my daughter's needed to find her a home.

They could not feed her any more.

nor treat her for fleas and ticks.

Guess whose love seat this is?

Audrey has been Sevin dusted in hopes

that will get the main crop of fleas.

She has a big pan of food, fresh water

and has already been to the creek.

See, I told you it is written...

in BIG HONKING letters.

Late Calving

I know I would be hanging in the shade.

The heat and the insects are horrible.

They are treated but the bugs still attack.

These are the early calves.

Old baby with new baby, not even dry.

Doesn't take long for one to dry in this heat.

I can imagine how miserable the mothers are,

bags stretched to the limits,

and then going into labor.

I do not envy them.

I do honor them.

They are all good mothers.

Cotton Candy Moon

These kinds of clouds mean no rain, sadly, we are in dire need of rain.  The grass is beginning to wilt in spots and the flowers last one day.  The creek by the garden is its only salvation, Beverly waters the garden from there or the crops would be failing too.  I know we will get rain soon, and the grounds will love it and the plants will sigh from the relief.

The temps are rising and the cool at night is in the mid seventies.  This week we will surpass one hundred with almost fifty percent humidity.

Somehow Post Nine Hundred...

slipped right by me without a celebration.  How did that happen?  I guess I am enjoying it so much, I don't need to count any more.  Thank you, every one.

The weekend work has cleared

and today is showing reflections.

The lone dead tree is our woodpecker tree.

The garden continues to bear despite the heat.

The money plant seeds are almost ready.

Please be sure to let me know

Who wants seeds.

This outer brown will shed

and the plant will be full of "silver dollars".

Birds love the wild cherries

and they make great jelly.

The grapes and plums are looking great.

Even knowing that come January,

Hubby has no job,

I am grateful

and life is good At The Farm.

Feeling The Heat...

in every color.

Weekend Work

Clearing the bank,

Stirring water,

to clear it up,

fun for the dogs

well thrown sticks help move the grass out

The girls did not know they were working

As the heat climbed, we headed for shade.

The current is cleaing the water

and this evening it will be clear once more.

Eating Ice Cream

directly from the container has such a wonderful feeling.  I have never done this before but last night I decided to experience it.

I have a Texas gallon (a gallon plus) of ice cream in a bucket.  Chocolate Revel was the flavor, vanilla with wonderful swirls of chocolate syrup mixed through out.

So, I think, I want ice cream but am too lazy to make a bowl.  I don't want much, just a few bites and back goes the bucket to the freezer...that was my plan. 

I select a spoon and rip off the lid of my huge Texas gallon and start to have a new experience.

Now I know why I see so many doing this on tv!

I rake my spoon slowly along the surface of the frozen ice cream.  The ice cream shaves off in a thin film of delectable culinary delight.  I place said spoon in my mouth and immediately am transported to Paradise.

Something about the thin slivers attack my taste buds in a way a mere spoon of ice cream has never done.  I taste the delicate vanilla and the comforting taste of chocolate is separate and equally delightful. 

I must have another.  The ice cream flavors assault my senses as I stand in the kitchen with a empty spoon in my hand, I know I am lost.

...so I have another bite, and another.  The joy does not lessen with each spoonful, but instead increases.  I am lost.

I truly understand now why people eat from the container.  I also understand why this ice cream is called Chocolate Revel.

The Dragonflies Have Landed

along with every bug known to man

and some that are not known.

It is a really great year for biting bugs too.

The deer and horse flies are attacking...

humans.

Where did Spring go?

I've Been Invited...

by The Olde Bagg  to tell some secrets I have been keeping about myself.

I would say I love animals but I haven't kept that secret very well.  So I guess I will just have to spill the beans, drum roll, please...

When I was a young lady, not yet married, I would do readings at church when the preacher could not come.  My favorite was The Creation.  I also sang "specials" at the church on Sunday nights.

When same said preacher married us, there was a part in the ceremony that said, "God bless their affections" and the preacher said, "God bless their infections"!  We were rolling in laughter before the ceremony was over.

I like chocolate, oh, wait, you already know that too!

I shall have to think about the third secret, y'all already know my life history.  Oh, wait, I know!!!  I love ball room dancing...I bet you would have never guessed that one.  Sadly, I have never been able to convince my husband about the up side to ball room dancing so I shall just dream...or remember.

Wild Beauty