Tuesday, July 19, 2011

Disaster! And Other Stories

So, DOTH is away and I am holding the fort - but not doing a very good job of it right now.

Well, the drought/heatwave isn't my fault, but knowing how particular she is about keeping the lawns well-manicured I have a feeling she will not be a 'happy camper' when she returns.


parched lawn
Despite getting up at the crack of dawn to water, green is turning very quickly to white -- but at least I am doing better than my neighbour. And we are not over the drought yet - going up to 36 Celsius on Thursday; will "feel like"  46, they say.


Then there's the case of the lilies:



Well, they WERE lilies, on either side of the rock in front of the purple cone flowers -- now they are just bare stalks. I was left with strict instructions to watch for the beetles - the ones that look like ladybugs, but aren't so nice, since they feed on the lilies. I have been very diligent, honest I have, even though I hate picking them off and squishing them, at least twice a day.

No, I have a feeling the naked lilies are the result of.....
the bunny, whom I keep shooing away from the front lawn. I caught him one day (no camera in hand, unfortunately), front paws up on the stalks chewing away to his heart's delight.

Then, this morning, with living room windows open because it's a bit cooler, I heard a squeak, squeak, squeaking. I thought it was children playing but when I heard it again, got up to look out.

Suddenly, out from the bushes under the living room window (foreground)...

bushes in front of living room window
 came a neighbourhood cat, chasing...a baby bunny so small it could fit in the palm of my hand, but the exact replica of the larger one - white cottony bobtail and all.  They chased  around the rock a few times and then took off down the side of the house - no time to get my camera and it all happened so quickly I don't think I could have captured the scene anyway.

So -- now it appears we may have rabbits living in those bushes under our front window. DOTH will be thrilled :{ but at least it accounts for the little pooey blobs I've been finding on both front and back lawn and on the patio.

And -- speaking of poo (sorry), to top it all off the loo has gone on the fritz, so now I am flushing Romanian style - dumping buckets of water into the bowl each time.

Well, let's look back to brighter days. Snafu who was here with his better half not so long ago, posted some great photos on his blog of their time here. But he didn't post this one:

Just wanted you to see what an earnest photographer he really is. He got some great shots!

I took this one, in the parking lot of the same park down at the bluffs:




Doggy Day-Care - this one is worth clicking on, for a closer view
  You've really gotta LOVE dogs to do this!

Finally, not the burning bush, but a burning fir tree:


Just the way the early morning sun hit it


5 comments:

  1. What a time you've had, Kathy, but that shot of Snafu's gluteus maximus must make up for it all - one for framing above the mantel piece, that one! ;-D x

    ReplyDelete
  2. Oh dear! You just can't win. After getting down to only one squirrel yesterday. Today there were two. I think the neighbor sends them over to us. The rabbits are all still here but mostly in the front and I think we have a coyote family living on the land behind Bill's house. I've heard them several nights for the last few weeks so I don't know how long the rabbits will last. I do sympathize about the lawn. Persuade DOTH to go Arizona style???

    ReplyDelete
  3. Be very careful what you put on your blog young lady, I have pictures of you too remember. I particularly like the one of you looking really sour about being a bridesmaid...

    ReplyDelete
  4. Elizabeth: naughty girl - you are getting me in trouble.

    ChrisJ: I have been pushing for that for some time, and it may come to it yet!

    Oh no, Snafu -- not that one....PLEASE...anything but THAT one!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Dear sweet K. You are sooooo sweet! Love and hugs!

    ReplyDelete