And again the hawk.....

This morning Zippy and I had only been out a minute and were walking down the driveway (rake in hand like a servant following the Maharajah with a fan) when the hawk flew over our heads. He was a little higher this time (maybe 30 or 40 feet) and landed in the very top of a pine tree by the house and sat there screeching at us. We walked on and he was no longer visible to me , as my shift in direction caused the branches to block him from view, but I could still hear him for quite a while. That's why we could not see him the other day when he was in the trees across the driveway. In the dead trees he sticks out like a sore thumb, but the pine branches give him cover and he can just wait there. Most of the time he is not quiet, however I must ALWAYS be alert......

The hawk

We've been back from TN for a couple of weeks. I've been catching up on yard work and sweating. It's been hot. It was hot and pretty dry before we left and now it's hot and humid. We are having more afternoon thunderstorms and I guess that helps while they are happening. It's 7:30 a.m. 80 degrees, feels like 85 with 90% humidity. Ick! With all the rain, the grass really needs to be mowed a couple of times a week where we have St. Augustine.

There has been a big hawk hanging around the area for more than a week. Last week when I went out with Zippy in the morning the hawk flew down the driveway only 10 or 12 feet off the ground. Fortunately Zippy was still on the porch. He is small and looks rather like a little bunny running around. Even if the hawk could not carry him away, he could certainly hurt him terribly and I will not let that happen. I now carry a rake with me and stay close to little Zip all of the time. The hawk usually waits in a large dead pine out in back. Yesterday morning he was in a tree right across the driveway and screeching that horrible, hoarse call over and over. Please go away hawk!!!

Recent visitor

When I went out with Sophie & Zippy Wednesday morning we had a visitor by the stepping stones. Of course the dogs were interested and sniffing around but they didn't bother him. I snapped a picture when Zippy was close to him but the camera flashed, the turtle moved and when I looked at the picture it was just the turtle. Zippy was so fast, that he was there when I pressed the button for the picture and was totally gone just that fast. So, his name fits him perfectly. ;-)



Sophie didn't blaze out of the frame and was fascinated by the little guy. We have seen a turtle in the yard several times in the last few years and I suspect it is this guy. The fencing and gates for the 2.5 acres that are fenced for the dogs doesn't have an opening tall enough for his shell to fit through. There is plenty of underbrush and places for him to go so he is safe here in the yard with us.

Poison Ivy.....poison ivy.....

gonna need an ocean, of calamine lotion..... Well, okay no, not really.

Yesterday we were pulling out stumps of shrubs and small trees with the tractor. Loving me some tractor. ;-) There was poison ivy in the area that we totally cut off to the ground. I ALWAYS try to be SO careful around it. When the stumps came out there were all kinds of roots waving around and it occurred to me that there were probably poison ivy roots mixed in with the others. I thought I was being careful and was wearing gloves that came half way up to my elbows, but not long enough. I should have had on a long sleeve shirt too. ACK!

Anyway, when I woke up this morning my right arm was itching and I looked and sure 'nuff, poison ivy. Thank goodness some years back I found Zanfel which is a great product for poison ivy rash. It is worth every penny that it costs! By the time I finished using it on my right arm I realized my left one was itching too. Using the Zanfel followed up by a generous splash of 91% alcohol, I was able to go sit in the dentist chair, get my new crown and not be itching at all.

Sophie's flowers

Yesterday I made a braided clover headband and here it is on Sophie. She seemed to prefer a profile shot. ;-)

Street Fair

Last weekend we went to a local street fair with booths of antiques,
crafts and food. We passed this cutie walking to the fair from
our truck.The weather was beautiful and not too hot or humid.




There were streets of booths and this
is just a couple of shots of one area.







I had one of the barbque sandwiches
which was very yummy and tender,
however I did use my teeth. ;-)

Alrighty then, now I know........

These vines with tubers that I'm working so hard to get under control are called Greenbriar among other common names such as Bull Briar, Horse brier, Cat brier, etc. I guess I can see where all these names come from; first the vines are bright green, they are tough as a bull, you need a horse to pull them out and they scratch like a cat.