I haven't had time to do a post so then I thought I'd just share my latest phone pics. May not be the best quality  but it shows what I've been up to.

Baking pear bread from pears in garden

Decorating my wheel barrel out front with gourds I finally painted that I've had for years.

Fall wreath I made for porch...

Finn hanging out with me while I remake a clay tile like the one he broke. Hmph!

Ok, I forgive you little stinker you are just too cute!

And lastly Murphy decided she'd rather play in the box that her new toys came in.

Have a great week!

Hanging out

Had to share I thought it was cute, Finns smooched  in next to Benny in the litter box while he eats.

Meet Finnegan

 

Our new addition Finnegan has been with us for one month.

My friend Connie sent me an email at work and said guess what they posted on our work bulletin board mane coon kittens (I’ve always wanted one) but I had said NO new animals unless someone passes. Coincidentally the night before my poor Taz woke me up sadly trying to play by himself. Which I have to explain. Last November we lost Kitty- my step son’s cat. He died from an infection that didn’t respond to antibiotics.

 

 

He and Taz were buddies.  Then sadly we took in Jake (big dog) due to the death of my mother-in law.  It was that or he went back to a shelter.  No one in the family would take him.  All the changes were overly traumatizing to Taz.  He hates the dog.  He spent at least 16 hrs. a day in his bed.  Never coming out.  He only came out when we all were sleeping.  Not a good life.

 

This is where Taz spent most of his days.

 

So my thinking was.  Finnegan (I also got the name from Connie) was little and Taz- a timid cat could boss him around and he sort of resembled Kitty and maybe if he could be Taz’s new bud.

 

 

Finnegan is a sweetie, but a busy kitten.   The progress is that now, Taz is out of his bed.   Although I’m not so sure he’s overly thrilled about the high energy of kitten Finn.  He also see’s that Finn could care less about the Sheppard/lab big dog and that Jake doesn’t care about Finn.   So unlike before, he will lay on the other side of an open door of Jake.  I have to mention that Jake is such a good dog- a rescue that, minds like a champ, all the animals including Murphy and buns can walk around him.  His only down fall is shedding- Ugg!  

 

 

There have been  many groans and growls from Taz as Fin jumps on him. Finn loves him and wants to play and wrestle.  I think when Finn matures and

chills a little they will be buddies.

 

Finnegan is overly interested in Benny.  At night my buns go in there houses for dinner and sleep.  I literally had to take Finnegan out of Benny’s cage so he could eat  his veggies and I could shut the door.

 

 

I’ve planned ahead and Taz and Finn will go to the vet on the same day next month.  Taz for bad teeth and Finn to be neutered.  I’m thinking with both not feeling too great at the same time, they will be able to rest and recover without wrestling matches.

 

 

 

 

 

Too Many Apples

 

This was our apple tree  July 17.... you can see it was full of apples.  It was the fullest it's ever been.  Spring 2012 it warmed up to 80+ degrees way too early, for Michigan.  Everything bloomed and then froze. So all the fruit trees didn't bear any fruit.  This year the trees were over producing after, they had a year to rest. We pruned so many branches to help with the weight of the apples, but not enough.

 

Finally the tree gave and split right in two.

Thankfully just missing my greenhouse.

 

What a mess and a job to clean up a 30 yr. old apple tree!

 

 

It was so sad looking.  That tree shaded half the yard.   I was really upset about it coming down. It made the deck cool and shady.  Notice the umbrella shielding

my shade flowers that no longer had shade until the wheel barrel of flowers could be move.

 

 

So we went tree shopping.  We decided on maples since they grow fast

and  I am hoping to see shade before I'm old and feeble.

 

All planted and my husband extended the bed wider for me than it was...

 which means more planting space. (Smile)

Old plants and new plants shifted around.   I also added a

shade cloth across the beams over the deck.

 

another view.... I'm not as sad, it will all grow.  A few other garden pics.

 

 

 

Kitchen window box

 

view off right side of deck

 

My little moss pot experiment....something different

 

 

I like how this pic came out with my St. Francis statue in the background

 

 

A new cement bunny statue I got for  $12

He stands about 20" and I washed him brown with

watered down brown acrylic paint.   I didn't like the grey cement look

He watches over the vegetable garden.

Coming on next post.... a new critter was added to the household.... even though  I said no more animals.... it's not a bunny!  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

How will my garden grow?

Well I’ve been busy gardening.   These are the May garden pic’s and I’ll take more through the summer.  So this is my first back yard (I lived in a condo previously) and I’m trying to use every inch to grow everything I can in my small little space.  I love animals, plants and nature.  They are my inspiration and bring me so much peace and relaxation.

My favorite thing, is on weekend morning to come out and sit on the deck in my PJ’s while it’s quiet.  I drink my morning diet Pepsi,  and motivate slowly.

 

This morning Murphy and Petey join me.
Maybe I'll bring my easel out and paint
 out here before it gets too hot.

 

 

This was a banged up table,  I told my husband to trash it
 on one of my clean up and get rid of excess junk days,
but then I had second thoughts and painted it and stuck it out on the deck.

 

 

Then this table had to get a fresh coat of paint to match.

 

 

 

 

This side garden I extended last year has filled in nicely

 

 

Have you noticed all my rabbit statues.  Can you tell I'm a bunny nut??

 

 

 

My husbands niece moved and gave him this old rust wheel barrel, with thoughts I’d find something to do with it in the garden, and I did. 

 

 

 

Our gold fish pond.

 

 

I keep adding plants around it

 

 

Pond Irises blooming that someone threw out

and gave to my step son.

Looking pretty and happy now.

 

 

Art fair find,  it sits on a pedestal.

Got a great deal, since she didn't want to lug him home.

 

 Every year my step son Cameron and I go plant shopping.

 This year we kind of over did it with the veggies.

If it all grows well it may be bursting at the seams.

 

 

This year I planted all my lettuce in my greenhouse. 

Got tired of the wild bunnies eating all  the lettuce I

planted for my salads and my bun's salads. 

 

 

 

This arbor was made from 3 trellis for my green

beans to grow over.  A family of little sparrows have

babies in the house.  It took a year of it sitting for them to finally use it.

 

 

 

And I'm SO excited that the plum tree I planted 3 summers ago

finally has plums.  I'm eager to see how big they get.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A few California riding pics

I've been so busy doing my spring planting outside

that I'm just getting to posting the riding trip pics.

I so love doing riding vacations, and Matt my husband

is not into riding but he does it for me. 

He's taken me on the best vacations of my life

while we do the things I so love and leaving

memories I will never forget.

I'm so grateful!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

On the first day we started at the bottom in the valley

 

 

And rode up the hills to the top

 

 

All the way to the top, just as the fog rolled in, see the beach

below  behind us

 

Stopping for a drink

 

 

 

Playing in the water

 

 

riding through the redwoods

 

 

petting Jazzy's during a bathroom break!

 

 

Horses waiting while we ate lunch!

 

 

Just a wonderful time riding!