Social-Time! :)

This blog post is in answer to a couple requests from "my girls"! More kittens, please! We want to see how they look now! :) So for them, and for any of you who may be curious about how the kitties are doing, here's an update on Cali's kids! :)

They now get to come out of their "house" and visit me on the fabric two-seat lawn chair, for "social time"! :)

Yesterday, when I went out to check on them, two were still asleep, so the white and orange kitten and the tiger striped kitten, where the first to join me on the chair! :)

My lap has become a favorite spot for them, which greatly pleases me! :)
The orange kitty and the tortoise-shell kitten are stirring, but not quite awake yet! :)
They took a great interest in the camera chord! :) Before social time was over, all four had taken a turn playing with it! :)
They also had a fascination with my watch! :)
So the kitty ball-toy I gave them to play with wasn't the only thing that caught their eye! :)
No social time is complete without some wrestling! All 3 boys take part in this fun every time! :)
Seems these two aren't the only ones awake now! :)
The gangs all here!! :)

How many can fit on my lap at once!? :)
Something has their attention! :)
It's "Mommy-Cali", our wonderful huntress, trying to squeeze in a little mouse-training time! :)
Soon the excitement is over and someone's looking a little sleepy! :)
Cali's decided to join us! :)
Watch out kitties, Mommy-Cali wants her lap-turn! :)
It's hard for them to argue with her! :)
Once Cali's had some affection she moves to the other side of the chair, and the kittens start re-claiming my lap again! Have you ever seen such a precious little face!? :)
Cali is a good, patient mother, and it's enjoyable to watch her loving touch toward her babies! :)
Who can blame her! :)
I want to love-'em-up too!! :)
The little girl, (on my lap), enjoys observing her three brothers! She spends a great deal of time sitting back and watching the action! But she doesn't Always just sit back! ... :)
Sometimes she jumps in and creates action herself!! Here she is attacking her brother! :)
Now that she's burned some energy, it's time for her new favorite thing, ... time on my lap! :)
Just as well get comfortable! :)
Getting that "slowing down" look! :)
"Mommy and brothers" are cat-napping, ...
Just as well join them! :)
As for my little girl, she's out, too! :)

I'll sit quietly and wait until they wake, before putting them back in their "house". How I enjoy "social-time"! :)

Color And Whimsy! :)

Lately I've noticed some Fall color appearing in the yard! :)
Summer's still here but Autumn is announcing that she's on her way! :)
So I'm answering back with some color of my own (!) ...




Starting with this sunny arrangement on the front deck! :)

I deliberately chose flowers and colors that can be at home in both seasons! :)
I also felt a desire to add a little bit of added life, in the form of whimsy, in one of the flower beds! This little, unexpected guy really isn't noticeable until you've walked right up on him! His watering can is needed in this south facing bed! :)
This cheerful gal's more in the open, but right now her color blends in with her background! :)
She appears to be looking for just the right spot to add a cut flower for added color, which I agree is needed this time of year! :)

In fact, I just bought more blooming perennials to add more life and interest to the flower beds & will be working on getting them planted, starting tomorrow! :)

Just knowing September is fast approaching, and usually brings the first feelings of Fall with her, gets me feeling a little apprehensive! Autumn has a way of lulling me into a hibernating mode which I'm not ready for yet! I still have so much I want to do! I need the energy of Summer to continue on tackling the many things on my do-list! ...

So I'm attempting to keep the energy flowing by adding more color and whimsy!! :)

Summer's Jungle Fever! :)

Well, are you ready to venture in to this overgrown jungle!? :) As you can see the indeterminate tomato plants have become a bit tricky to navigate through, but I think we can still manage it! We'll go around, through the gate, and enter the greenhouse from the other side! :)
The greenhouse is bulging these days! :)
Before we go in, - see one of the busy workers!? I see them pollinating the tomato blossoms all the time now! Since it's tight quarters, in there, I had to move all the flower pots outside but the bumble bees still spend as much time in there as they do out here! :)
You wouldn't know it, but I've already cleared this walkway three different times now, lifting and tucking branches! I think I will have to tie them back before long, to make walking through possible, in order to pick the tomatoes when they ripen! :)
Some of the branches are well over my head now, and are actually pressing against the ceiling! I'm not sure what they're going to do when they grow even taller! I may need to start pinching them back! :)

While, at a glace, it looks like there's nothing more in here than stems and leaves, there is a good amount of fruit developing, too! Here, I'll show you a few of them! :) ...
Big Beef;
San Marzano (salsa);
Sweet Million (cherry);
And the first bit of color showing, at last, with Sun Gold!! :) I'm trying to make myself wait until they're fully ripe and sweet, before I pop one in my mouth, but even at this stage they are very tempting! :)
I love the little insects that frequent the garden, like this little butterfly! :)
Doesn't this bumble bee look pretty with the lavender flower petals showing through it's wings!? :)
I've always loved the attractive look of vegetables! :)
The corn is now reaching over my head and the tassels are showing! :)
Now I'm dreaming of fresh corn-on-the-cob! :)
The raspberries are starting to bloom, too, promising a Fall crop! :)
And speaking of Fall crops, I'm nervous about the winter squash! They are a full month behind where they should be, for this time of year, due to our wet, cold Spring causing garden delays. For now they're growing, so all I can do is wait and see what happens.
The summer squash is finally producing, and we enjoyed our first zucchini casserole over the weekend! :)
The Sunburst Patty Pan is another summer squash I love! Wasn't it well named!? :)

Well, it appears we survived our "jungle" adventure! Who knows how it will look the next time you visit! As I said before, - the garden is ever changing! The next time you visit it could all be grown larger still, or perhaps it will be after it's all knocked down and cleared out, and the garden's been put to bed for the winter. ...

I do hope it's not the latter, though! I'm not yet ready to answer Autumn's call! I much prefer the joys of Summer's Jungle fever!! :)