Thank you, Laura... such wonderful sentiments! :-) Our weather has been crazy, too... but we half expected it. Last year, we were already laying out soaker hoses and starting to water...and this year, we've gotten so much rain that we're completely saturated! We're just now able to get in and cut grass, and talk about tall! It's hard on the mowers, I'm sure, but what can you do?! If it's grass, it has to be kept mowed at least semi-regularly... and if it's garden beds, they must be kept weeded or the grasses, thistles and other nasties take over! So, we're darned if we do and darned if we don't! Mother's Day was nice... calls from my kids, and the husband made a nice dinner... while I spent the day relaxing, for the most part. There are certain chores that must be done regardless of what day it is, like cleaning and feeding dogs and other animals, but that's no big deal... I have it down to a science! ;-) I finally got the old guy to help me get photos off my camera, so I thought I'd share a few this morning... Here's a mama and her twins... My very best mouser... I call her Vixen! The next generation of excellent mousers... one of Vixen's 3 little ones... Walking from the shade garden area toward the new rose arbor... A young Peony Tree in the dappled shade garden... notice the rambler rose runners everywhere on the ground! Closeup of the flower from the Peony Tree... Another Peony Tree in the front yard... north side... And this is a Trillium that opened white and is turning a pale pink shade. It's among a patch of purple flowered hybrid Trillium I planted several years ago... you can see the mottled leaves of the hybrid... I didn't plant the white one, though... And finally, the first of the Irises are starting! I hope you enjoyed a walk around the yards with me... stick around as all the roses begin blooming and other perennials begin to color the gardens a wonderful rainbow of scented color! Thanks, Al... I can finally view Youtube, but the monitor I'm using has no sound on board... for a girl with a technological genius as a husband, I'm always the last to get upgraded! Would you believe I'm still using Windows XP?! I desperately need an upgrade to Windows 7, which should be coming shortly... when he has time to upgrade me. :-) It's kind of like being the plumber with the leaky toilet handle that sticks, or the barber that doesn't have time to cut his own hair... when you're in the business, you're last in line! :-) It looks to be another gorgeous day... sunny and hot with strong humidity... I may spend some time weeding and edging today, instead of killing myself cutting grass! Hope everyone has a lovely day! And... Happy Gardening!

I would look on Petfinder and find a foster group instead of a shelter. They will take the cat in, test it for illnesses, spay/neuter and then place the cat. Also leave a description at the local animal shelter. If it is lost then there is a brokenhearted family that may call there. DO NOT drop it off at the shelter unless you have no choice. 50% of animals in shelters are destroyed, sometimes in a matter of days. Here's one of my foster kittens. He is Taz, and he is a polydactyl (extra toes): Here is a link that might be useful: Petfinder

Lol, Mike. I actually like squirrels with or without the gravy, lol. I love to watch them but I just don't want him digging in my plants and stealing my bulbs. I curse my dog for doing that as well but I love her too. I saw him on the next door neighbors roof as I drove off today and went around the block and came back and sure enough he was in my yard, lol. I went by the house they tore down and guess what I found. 2 of the white lillies were popping up thru the bare dirt right next to a bull dozer, lol. I was so happy. Even though I felt like crap I went to my friends house nearby and got her shovel and when I got back the workers were back from lunch. I said excuse me I have to just grab these flower bulbs real quick and I'll be out of your hair. They just stopped and watched and said have a good day. These are staying in a pot in the garage til I can get a feeder for Red. (Thats his new name) he is the only one I have seen in the neighborhood and thank goodness no armadillos. Those things are nasty. I stopped by the organic nursery after that and she told me to put some orange oil around the beds and it might deter the critters. That crap was $17 a bottle, I hope it works. I got that and some fish emulsion and 2 bags of ladybug potting soil that doesn't have peat in it. She said that is what is attracting the fungus gnats. It was $48.99 after she have me a 20% discount for whining, lol. I got home and went out the back door and my Naughty Nick was missing from its pot! This was devil dogs doing I am sure. I wanted to strangle her. It looks like she unpotted it and carried it up the hill and left it there. Its not chewed on so I potted it back up and will hope for the best. I should have stayed home. I feel like crap again now. Going to drink a bottle of Nyquil and go to bed, lol.

I would love to share photos of my two beautiful girls. Sasha was a stray who found me 8 years ago this month, in fact. I has just bought my home and had only been in it for a about a week or so. I was making my morning coffee in the kitchen, looked out the window and saw this tiny, 3-4 month old kitty curled up in some over-grown grass. She was in awful shape. You could see every bone in her body (hips, back, etc) and it appeared that someone had burned her head with cigarrettes. She had 2-3 round burn-holes on her head. I didn't want cat #3 and tried hard to find a proper home for her. But, I ended up so very attached to her and her sweet personality I couldn't stand to part with her. She was absolutely the most sweetest cat - always gave tons of kisses. The below picture captures her little personality quite well. Here's another one of my favorite pictures of Sasha: Below is of Sabrina, The Super Model. She was sleek, 100% jet black and exotic looking. She had a very strong will and personality. She despised everyone except for me- whom she adored. She went through alot healthwise - hyperthyroid, kidney disease and cardio-myopathy. Even my vet said she's never seen a cat with such an incredible will to survive. I think Sabrina hung on for me, knowing how devastated I would be when she passed. She is the only cat I actually picked out from the SPCA. They rest have all come into my life on their own. Actually, Sabrina picked me as well. I had spent over an hour looking at all kinds of cats and decided to 'think it over' and return the next day. Something made me turn around as I was almost to the exit. I looked and saw a cage of kittens that I had some how missed. All the kittens were asleep in a pile -- except for one. She was sitting straight up and staring intently at me and pressed against the cage. I "knew" she was the one. She was only 6 weeks old (they no longer adopt them out that young anymore, thank goodness...) and absolutely adorable. She grew up to be my most devoted companion and The Queen of the house. I sure do miss them both....