Too many things needed doing last week and encroached into my Idyll time. I see I missed Cyns birthday altogether since I failed to even keep up on reading. Honestly, I have to cheat and use a photo from last season for your card, Cyn, how bad is that? Just havent been taking many photos since my lack of spring color is so pathetic. Nevertheless, glad you had a good one and hope your reunion was fun! Cindy, congratulations on the baby granddaughter youre going to welcome in just 4 months. With all the Idyll grandmas, youll have advice and experience at your fingertips! Your garden will be perfect for a little girl with the wonderful shades of pink and pastelsbeautiful Asao! Nice youre enjoying a visit with your son, Bug. Feed him well and if he stays any length of time he might develop a taste for those veggies. Hope you received a newsy communication (and photos) from the family to celebrate Ivys birthday. Im sure shes going to take off now that shes taken those first couple of steps! Saucy, how do you find enough time to work with your neighbor and then in your own gardens? Especially now when everything needs done at once! Those orchid photos have such a romantic quality about them, Deanne, or thats just my perspective. Something reminiscent of Victorian times with delicate colors, urn amongst the vases and soft fabric of the window treatments. Youre correct, I certainly did enjoy the little Goldfinch and I never noticed they have that little area of speckling on the head. Always fascinated by rock walls but I cant imagine how you make them look soright. I mean, Id be constantly thinkingthis one here, or should it be that one?and it would take me forEVER! Woody, the cookie monster lying in wait is a perfect caption for that photo! Is he as good natured and cuddley as he looks? Sammy caused me to do a quick double takefirst time for me with the breed! No matter how many times I look at those Delphs, Kathy, the color just blows me away Wow, they are out of this world! Ditto what you said on the weed eater. Even after the numbness wears off I feel twitches and tiny tremors in my forearms or have the sensation they could float right up in the air. Norma, how in the heck do you manage to use that thing for so long?! Michelle, you have such a fantastic display of spring color and what a great idea to build the raised garden to be seen from the DR window. Your gardens appear so well planned and thought out I find it hard to believe you described yourself as a "plopper" in a previous post, lol! Good that you are able to spend more time with Kenzie in spite of the situation; my fingers are crossed things will even out and the intervention be of help. Weve had three days of high wind, gusting up to 40 mph without rain. Im feeling quite fractious watching the endless assault of helicopters coming down. What a cursethey are everywhere. Ill never get them out of the new grass seed and mulch areas, aaargh. And then, of course, I spent three days putting down top soil where the stump was ground out getting it level, raking it smooth, applying more seed only to have a tree three houses down let loose and across they sailed. Today at the store, the checker told me I had two helicopters stuck in my hair. I think Id rather have a wandering cow stroll through the gardens than 12,452,000 helicopters. Candy

That is just the cutest! Although somehow Lola and Blondie don't look like your typical guard dogs. Not that I'd mess with them--even little dogs bite. And I'm just imagining how much my cat would love that bunk bed--all to herself, of course.

Teddy is almost 10 years old, and doesn't enjoy her walkies as she once did, so I bought her a little golf cart so we can ride around in style. The barking stopped at some point. I guess it was part of puppyhood. She still barks a lot, but it's "action motivated" - such as the UPS man, the doorbell, strangers walking by, etc. With my husband dead, our life has become much more peaceful and full of joy. He never liked Teddy and made no secret about it.

Thanks so much for the nice comments! Yeah our little Schnauzer is such a sweety! Marti, I got the new comforter set at Marshalls. I don't remember the brand name though. It shows up in these pictures as having a blue tint to it, but, it is a true sage color. I got the dog prints at Hobby Lobby! Love em!