Queen Anne's Lace and Lilacs

One Snail, Two Snails.....

Years ago, we bought a smallish aquarium for Bethany's birthday.  It was stocked with two of those silver/gray/metallic fishes that get the water prepared for other fishes (I can't remember their official fish type).  One, by the way, is still with us. 

We've tried to keep the aquarium stocked with those little African frogs, a couple of Apple snails, and a couple of other colorful fishes (that don't live very long - I think that remaining silvery fish eats them).  Well, anyway, we usually have to replace the snails every few months.  They grow to pretty huge, and then, one day, they're dead.  A mere shell, really.

This last couple we bought - both male - well, have had a zillion babies.  At first, when Tim was so excited about it, I didn't quite reach his level of enthusiasm.  I mean, it's cool to have a couple of babies, sure!  But then I remembered we had gotten two males.  Well, miraculously, one changed to female.  And it's not just a couple of babies.  Sometimes I look over at the aquarium, and I'm afraid, if they all get out, it's going to be, "The Attack of the Snails." 

The pet store, where we purchased the snails, doesn't take the babies, of course.  I had a feeling they wouldn't.  Years ago, when the boys were on their hamster kick, we had tons of baby hamsters.  The pet store said they couldn't take the babies (although, they did, but that's beside the point). 

I guess we're kinda used to the snail babies.  Tim is no longer taking pictures every day.  He doesn't come running up, breathlessly, scaring me to death, demanding I run and look in the aquarium.  They're still there!  It's all still happening!  A shame, really, to get used to a miracle so quickly.

Awesome August Sunset

Tim, Mac, and I had driven over to Baskin-Robbins for their yummy coffee drink (the Cappuccino Blast). Sunset was beginning, and it was looking to be an excellent one!  We ran home to get the camera.  Then, we had to figure out where would be a good spot for shooting photos.  You know the problem.  Clouds move around and the sun tends to go down quickly when you're driving all over the place trying to find a good shot.  We decided to go up this huge hill on the edge of town.  It looks over the Sacramento valley.  These photos are in order (click for a larger view).  I'm a little disappointed.  At the very beginning, while we were still at Baskin-Robbins, the colors were more pastel.  The lavenders were so pretty.  By the time we'd gotten the camera and driven around, the deeper colors had set in.  It's still a pretty fantastic sunset.

Lake View

Last night, Tim and I took Mac for a ride.  We drove over by the lake.  The sun had just set, and the sky over the lake was beautiful (we're having great sunsets with all of the smoke we're still experiencing).  A family of ducks swam in line across the lake.  Naturally, we had left the camera at home.  We decided to try again in 24 hours.

We managed to time everything perfectly and arrived at about the same time as Friday night.  This time, though, there were quite a few more ducks on the lake (I was so afraid the ducks would not be there!).  It's always a little tricky trying to find a spot to stop and take the pictures, with traffic and other obstacles along the side of the road. The best spots for the prettiest photos had no space to park.  At one place, Tim asked, "How's this?"  I said, "Uh, do you see the 'No Trespassing' sign right in front of my face?"  We took a number of shots, but this is really the only that turned out.  We discovered that we'll be needing the tripod for dusk/twilight photography.    

Smoky Days

This is what the air has been looking like the last few weeks.  They're still saying all of these forest fires were caused by lightning, known as "the lightning series."  I don't know how many are left.  Here is the fire map.  Maybe there are still several hundred, but there are just a few that are the major ones causing us, many miles away, to have all of this smoke.  We did get a break for the Fourth, the temperatures and the smoke, but it came back with a vengeance.  I'm happy that it's only supposed to get up to 101 degrees tomorrow.  (Click on photos for a larger view)

  
  

More Squirrel Drama

Tim and Bethany left for the Monarch's basketball game.   Evan and Brett were out Father's Day shopping.  I was relaxing on the deck.  It had gotten hot during the afternoon, but it was starting to cool a bit as the sun began setting.  The dogs were out there with me, not really involved with anything.  The baby squirrels were in the trees above me, running through the treetops, chasing, fighting - as they tend to do.  Occasionally, their skirmishing caused leaves and tiny branches to fall to the deck.  I wasn't really thinking about anything - just rocking and enjoying the quiet cooling. 

Suddenly, there was a loud...noise...on the ground.  At first, I thought something fell on one of the boulders in the yard.  As I was wondering what it could have been to make that weird sound (imagine the sound of a tennis ball hitting the sweet spot of a tennis racket - magnified several times), I thought, "One of those babies just fell out of that tree!."  I ran over to the deck railing, and sure enough, a squirrel baby was laying on its side there in the dirt.  It blinked a few times, and then it's little eyes remained open for several minutes.  I knew it was dead. 

As usual, in traumatic events, I didn't know what to do except say, "Oh, no!" over and over.  Finally, I decided to call Tim.  No answer.  Called Bethany.  No answer.  Repeated the phone calls.  Still no answer.  I watched the squirrel for several more minutes, mourning its untimely and sad death, when it turned over onto its little feet.  He was frozen there for quite a while, the only movement being his blinking.  There was no blood.  He eventually ran off.

A couple of hours later after dinner, I went back out to sit and rock.  There was commotion behind me that sounded like something hitting a tree.  I thought, "NOW, what's going on!"  I turned around, and there was another baby squirrel climbing the tree.  A robin kept swooping down and pecking the squirrel in the head as it tried to get to its home clear up high in the tree.  Occasionally, the robin would hit the tree.  Sheesh!  All of this wildlife drama in a backyard. 

I don't know what's up with this latest generation of squirrels.  They are much rowdier and a bit more careless than their predecessors.  I'm beginning to wonder if I should just sit outside all day to watch, referee, and protect the critters inhabiting my space.    

The Hawk vs. the Squirrel, Mac, and Me

Monday night, Tim and I were relaxing on the deck.  The sun had just set, and it was a pretty, calm evening (meaning, the dogs were not going berserk).  It was still light out, and the birds that come out at twilight were beginning their nightly calling.  I swear, it sounds like we live in the jungle sometimes.  I need to find out which birds are up there making those sounds.  Anyway, I digress.   We were discussing the "wind event" that was to begin Tuesday afternoon.  (You know, in California, it can't just be windy - it's an event.  A fire is a "fire event."  In Southern California, it can't just be fog - it's "the marine layer.")  Oops - I digressed again.  Suddenly!  Commotion overhead, in the trees.  Tim says calmly, "Hey, is that a hawk?"  I look up, and this huge hawk has gotten a hold of a baby squirrel and is trying to pull it out of the drey.  I start screaming, "HEY!  GO AWAY!"  The dogs go berserk, barking furiously and frantically - Mac is absolutely going insane.  The hawk lets go of the baby and flies away - leaves and little branches falling down on our heads.   

Not in my yard.

Naturally, we didn't have the camera handy.  By the time we grabbed it and ran back outside, everything had settled down.  You can see the drey and the squirrel on the branch beside it (click photo for a larger view).  The peace was shattered.  I was no longer in relaxation mode, on the lookout for that hawk.  And there Tim sat calmly, rocking in his chair.

Whole Lotta Nature Goin' On

I had everything planned for this posting, when everything - i.e., Vista - went to pot (do people still say that?).  I'm not going to get into how ridiculously horrid Vista is, just avoid using it if at all possible!  So, although there's been a damper put on my original happy mood, I'm going to pretend that all of that never happened, and just get on with it.

The photos, above, are the treetops viewed from my deck (click photo for a larger view).  I photographed the view from left to right.  This line of trees extends through the yards up and down our street.  This spring, we welcomed about 10 new squirrel babies to our backyard.  The babies have been out and about for a few weeks now.  They are always entertaining, and they drive our dogs absolutely crazy.

This past weekend, I don't know what these kids had eaten, but for two days, all of the squirrel babies ran, scurried, chased each other, and fought through all of these treetops, the neighbors' treetops, across the rooftops, and on the ground.  It was a bit like a circus.  The acrobatics were fantastic!  And the fighting and tumbling through the trees and in the yard was quite a spectacle.  I just grabbed a big glass of iced tea and sat and watched them - and shushed the dogs, who were clearly outraged and offended by the whole scene.  Which led to groups of baby squirrels stopping to scold the dogs.  Cute!!

Yesterday morning, as I had my coffee out on the deck, I was struck by the total silence.  Only occasionally did a bird chirp.  It was so strange.  Then it occurred to me that there were no squirrels.  How unusual - there is always at least one squirrel foraging about.  I spent a fair amount of time outside yesterday, and I did not see one single squirrel.  I guess they were enjoying long naps after playing so hard on the two hottest days of the year (100 degrees).

(The bird activity level picked up, as it always does.  At one point, a hawk flew down through the trees at great speed.  I was like, "Whoa, dude, you're going to clip something!"  He made a crash landing in the oleanders.  Interesting!) 

The squirrels have not been the only nature happening  at our house lately.   Tim found a red racer snake and a  gecko in the freshly painted pool.   I could handle that - far enough from the house.  But then I found a centipede/millipede in the bathroom.  It was about three inches long - plenty long enough for me to scream for help.  And then there  was the old "cat playing with a snake in the kitchen" scenario.  Silly Sylvie, just playing with a snake.  In the house.  Luckily, I didn't see that! 

A couple of years ago, I was in a knitting phase.  I was sitting at my desk in the kitchen, working on my computer, when a piece of dark yarn on the floor caught my eye.  I reached down to pick it up, and it started to move.  I was up on my chair in half a second, yelling for someone to come and get that thing, that snake.  Which was similar to my reaction the time I saw a scorpion, which I thought was a crumpled piece of paper, in the living room.  And the first time I saw a centipede/millipede (the long black one) in the living room.  Don't even get me started on all of the black widows around here (don't get Brett started on any of the spiders around here...and in his room).

I don't ask for much (well, I do, but that's not for this discussion).  I enjoy cute animals and pretty insects.  The frogs with the nightly pool parties - until we drained the pool,  and they disappeared - fun, fun, fun!  The raccoon family that eats the dog food - too cute.  The turkeys that wander through the yard, make crash landings on the roofs, and chase people down the road - hilarious.  Even the skunk family that ate the dog food last year - cute, yet seriously, don't come back.  I'll even put up with the unattractive, biting, or stinging critters, as long as they keep their distance - and stay outside.    That's important to me - bugs and wild animals not entering the house.  But to all of the butterflies, ladybugs, praying mantises, and walking sticks:  Welcome!  Come on in!

Hmmm....Just thinking.  I need to keep my camera handier - I don't have pictures of a single encounter with any of these creatures.  Oooh, except for the huge beetle (click photo for a larger view).

From the Sublime to the Ridiculous (Part 1)

SUBLIME:

I've got Cat Stevens singing "Morning has Broken" to accompany this portion.  This morning, I made my daily journey over to my friend, Robin's, awesome blog.  She has a beautiful garden, appropriately named Avalon, and she often shares photos of the activity happening there.  Please click on the link, and take a look at those awesome flowers that have begun to bloom after a long, cold winter.  I've never seen nor heard of these particular flowers (I have seen, and even grown, poppies - the California kind), but I want some!  God is the most fantastic artist!  I'm also in awe of the creativity, artistic talents, and magical imagination He's bestowed on Robin.  I've seen a number of other photos of Avalon, and I don't know - maybe she is providing a home for sprites and faeries. 

RIDICULOUS (Part 1):

Did you see last night's "Tonight Show?"  I don't often watch the late night talk shows anymore.  I can't remember why it was even on, except that - oh, we had recorded "Law and Order" earlier.   On Tuesday and Wednesday nights, they have a segment called "Battle of the Jaywalk All Stars"  If you don't know what this is, let me explain (I don't know if I'm 100% correct, but it's at least the general idea).  Jay Leno goes to some place, like Universal Studios, and selects people who are walking by and asks questions that people with half a brain should know the answers to.  I have a feeling he picks people who look like they don't have a clue.  And they don't.  I guess he then has some of them come on the show to compete against other clueless wonders. 

Last night's contestants didn't disappoint.  Well, at least not while I was watching.   As I'm watching it all unfold, it's pretty hilarious.  Of course, afterwards when I start thinking about it, I want to bang my head against the wall and cry.  I hope these people were smoking something.  I'm absolutely AGAINST the illegal use of drugs, but seriously, I hope these people were on drugs.  It makes me sick to think that people get out of high school - and a good number of these people are in college - and they're this ignorant.

The kids hate it when I happen to see these episodes, too.  For the next three days, I follow them - and any of their friends who happen to be visiting - around the house shouting out random history questions to make sure they know the answers.  And Lord help them if they don't.  Go ahead, see the madness for yourself:

The final portion of this competition is tonight.  I'll keep you posted.

Our Busy Backyard

Here are the sights and sounds - minus the sounds - of our backyard yesterday (click photo for a larger view).  I was sitting out on the deck when the tractors and wheelbarrows began rolling through the yard.  Boulders were going in around the pool (I was told that after tomorrow, they will no longer be needing our yard, so the fence and gates will be replaced - and hopefully, the plants). 

As I was watching people going back and forth, I eventually noticed a dead fly on the railing and decided to dispose of it.  Before I got around to doing that, some ants began removing bits and pieces of the fly and carrying them off to, well, wherever.  For some reason, this was fascinating to me.  At one point, an ant approached the fly and began trying to pick it up.  It was a bit of a struggle.  So much so, that two hours later, it was still trying to pick that thing up.  I'd go out and check on the situation throughout the afternoon, offering advice and admonitions.  The ant totally ignored not only me, but any of its fellow ants stopping by (who, frankly, weren't much help).  Finally, I couldn't take it any more.  It was making me sick to my stomach, thinking of what it's like when you're trying to do something difficult over and over and over.  I don't know how it turned out.  By the evening, the ant and the fly were gone.

While watching the ant, the fly, and the pool construction, I noticed that one of our bushes had bloomed.  They are such pretty little flowers, and they smell so good.  I don't know what the name of the plant is.  I also noticed that one of the backyard rosebushes had a couple of roses on it.  I don't get many back there, as I've mentioned before, so I took a few pictures of them, too.

A couple of other things have been happening in our backyard, which has been pretty busy, considering there are no kids playing back there anymore.  We had noticed several weeks ago that, after dark, there seemed to be about a hundred frogs under our bedroom window.  It was fun for us to listen to them every night (except for Bethany, who requires total silence, and gets cranky at noise).  A couple of weeks ago, we began draining the pool for repairs.  Finally, all of the water was gone.  And, unfortunately, so are the frogs.  All gone.  Bummer. 

But, then, a couple nights ago, I heard a weird - yet very cool - sound outside.  I listened for several minutes trying to figure out where I'd heard it before.  It hit me - an owl.  I listened to this owl for a couple of hours.  He left and hasn't been back.  I don't know how long it's been since I've heard an owl.  I'm sure I have, but it has been many years.  I liked having an owl, and I hope he comes back.  Or she, I'm not picky.

My Lavender Rose

The first thing I fell in love with, when we drove up to our house that first time, was the landscaping.  The front yard had a Japanese garden feel to it and was just beautiful.  There are many, many trees in the front and back yards.  The yards are shaded most of the day.  There are a few little areas that may get a couple of hours of sunlight.

Now, I love roses.  There are a couple of rosebushes in the backyard that the owners before us had planted.  They aren't very big, and they rarely have roses (between all of the trees and the neighbors'  50-foot tall oleanders, not a drop of sunlight reaches that part of the yard).  One year, I found a lavender rose bush that I just had to have (click photo for a larger view).  I planted it in the front yard, not thinking about (or possibly even realizing that it was a mistake) the fact that I was  putting it in an area that is always shaded.   It's been growing there several years now, and we get maybe three or four roses a year. 

This picture was taken about a week ago.  There was one lavender rose growing out there.  I think it's just beautiful.  Hopefully, we'll get a few more this year. 

I'm still waiting for our little miniature rose bush, to see how it does.  A friend of Evan's gave him the mini yellow roses before he went back to Houston ("Yellow Rose of Texas") a couple of summers ago.  Now that one has actually done pretty good (I made sure it was planted in one of those little sunny spots).  It's still living, so I'm counting on it to make roses again.