A little Sad News..... and Happy Memorial Day!

Mike and I both left town for the Mother's day weekend. When we returned, Henrietta and her babies were gone. There were some scattered eggshells laying around, so we hoped for the best that she had hatched her eggs and left the nest (they do so within 12 hours of hatching).

The neighbors told us that on the Monday night that we were gone, that a flock of about 50 crows had attacked Henrietta at about 9 that evening - around the same time that she usually left the nest each night, presumably to find food. We continued to hope for the best and that we would see her again - with her babies.

She came home yesterday afternoon and sat under a tree just a few feet away from her nest - which we haven't yet had the heart to clean out from under the bush - without her babies. So it looks like the predators got the eggs. We are hoping that she decided to try for a second brood, but it doesn't look like it.

On a happier note, it's Memorial Day weekend - the official kick off of summer! A/C is on for the first time today, going to be 88 and muggy today. My garden is pretty much in and growing...here are some of the pics, including the beautiful garden fairies my mom gave me for my birthday!


















Here is a picture of Mom and me, and Chip and Mom, from Mother's Day in Florida:










And some new pictures of Hayley (left) and Raven (right) that Amy sent me on her cel phone this past week:










Well, we are off to a barbeque at the neighbor's today. Love to all and have a safe and happy holiday!

love,
Gail and Mike

Fall has arrived :(

It's Sunday, 1 pm and 47 degrees out. Snow forecast for Tuesday. Fall has arrived.

I spent about 6 hours yesterday in the last of the beautiful, 70 degree weather....helping Mike with our marathon "last blast" in the yard. I raked a few leaves out of the gardens, yanked my annuals and cut my peacock orchids and mums back and mulched them over for the winter. Looks awful here - so bare :(

Put away all the rest of my lawn decorations, mostly boxed up in the basement or hung up in the garage......all except this guy that we bought from Stupid.com. His name is Ogod...because that's what everyone says when they see him (we had him perched under our kitchen window...just inside the gate....the first thing you saw was his ass ;). Anyway we brought him inside and he has a place of honor next to the kitchen window on the inside. Quite appetizing. I don't mind as long as he doesn't make any noise. And besides, he expresses my sentiments about fall/winter exactly. First snowfall and his ass is gonna be IN the window conveying his expression to the outdoors.

So now I'm looking at holiday preparations and re-organizing stuff inside. We have no real plans coming up other than North Dakota at Christmas so if anyone wants to come up and go Christmas shopping at the Mall of America with me, I'm game!! Just let us know - room to spare here!

Love to all
Mike and Gail 

I've been working on finishing the gardens all week. Finally pretty much done! Here are the unique footprint stepping stones I found at the dollar store. I love these! 

Here is my "fairy" garden 

Here is the fairy rock I put in the fairy garden.  

Kermit didn't make it.

Its been a fairly quiet couple of weeks. I recovered from the flu and spent the weekend trying to make yard improvements and compromising with the critters in the process. The squirrels don't like the wood chips I laid down in the flower bed..or maybe it's just the way I laid them out...in any case, they keep re-arranging them (and digging holes underneath).

I found a baby bunny nest in the back yard while I was spraying for weeds. I think they are still OK as sometimes the nest appears empty and others I can see the babies' backs. There are two of them ~ I named them Trixie and Dixie ~ I have yet to see them out of the nest again so that I can get pics.

Lastly - and sadly - I found a toad (named him Kermit) in the window well while I was laying down insecticide. I didn't spray him, but apparently he couldn't get out - in spite of the branch I laid in there for him to use as a ladder - and unfortunately, Kermit passed away sometime yesterday. RIP Kermit. :(

On a happier note, my kids are all flying up next month to visit. So I'm busy trying to get things in order and baby-proofed. Also working on my genealogy site at http://gailsgenealogy.atspace.com if you care to visit during the reconstruction.

Have a happy August!!
Gail & Mike

Gardening!

Today was gorgeous!! Went out and cleaned out flower beds and shrubs....then planted peacock orchids in the back. Was in the 70s today......I got a sunburn from being outside all day....and get this....there are nasty JUNE BUGS out already !! Below are some pictures of the gnomes I put in the south side flower beds yesterday. We named them.....Hocus and Pocus.....hopefully they'll keep the bunnies away from my flowers this year!!!
Have a great week!
Love, Gail

One of the gnomes I put in the flower bed, along with our new malibu lights. 

The other gnome in the second bed.