fancy a swim?

We've had a lot of rain in the last few days, and our lovely backyard water feature is full. Picturesque, no?

presumptuous squirrel

Don took this picture on Friday. This squirrel sat on the picnic table in the backyard and stared at him insolently for like an hour. You may have to click the picture to get the full size version.

springtime: or, the time when i stop being allowed in the yard until november

I made what will probably be my last foray into the yard for quite some time last weekend, to take some pictures of the flowers that have managed to bloom despite proximity to me. Look, they're pretty:


Not so pretty? What happened to me the last time I ventured into the yard once the plants came back to life. So from now until approximately, oh, next winter, I'm not allowed in the yard. Sigh.

Hopefully once the interior is done (next year? maybe?) we'll be able to start clearing out the devil weed poison ivy and put in a real yard. That I can go into. Exciting!

argh!

It's times like this when I really get mad about not having a decent camera. I just got home from work, and when I pulled up into the driveway I discovered that there were dozens of birds of every different sort -- including the pair of doves that nests above our garage -- playing in the water in the pool hole. They're not nervous about people -- one robin who we've taken to calling 'Fatty' and his various equally portly descendants are downright cavalier about the whole cars-pulling-up-doors-slamming-curious-humans thing.

Once we finish the demolition in the yard and fill the hole, I plan on putting some serious birdbaths in to replace it. I love having birds in the yard.

garden inspiration

If I had a garden -- okay, if I was at all capable of growing things without immediately killing them -- this is what I would want it to look like.