Fleurs, Fins, & Furries

Summer continues to wend its way through August and we still feel monsoon-cheated. We are pleased that this little family is finding food and most importantly water. Indulge us by enjoying them yet again.

Well finally, and what seems to be months too late, we were visited by our first raccoon family this year. Mama brought her four kindergarteners for their premier visit and training session in foraging and tree-climbing.

This summer’s blooms have not been as spectacular and prolific as years past so when we are given a show-stopper like this dahlia it truly gets our attention.

Although the ladybugs have been in short supply, we have a few other neighbors keeping themselves busy this month. With our datura in full regalia where it volunteers in the veggie shed, a praying mantis has taken up housekeeping.

With summer in full swing, we are not only rain dancing for another round of monsoons but praying the gods send more ladybugs whose favorite snacks are the dreaded aphids that attack the new rose growth. This girl needs to chow down!

With July in full swing heat-wise, our feline crewmates, Latte Papa, Fiona Papillon, and our new youngster Braveheart Primo are redefining the proper approach to the CAT DAYS OF SUMMER!

During the beginning of a long, hot summer, we look for and relish our little miracles and pleasures where we can. Miss Fiona Scritchies Papillon has established a drive-in theatre vantage point (replicating her time at Allen’s when we left the cat video channel on for her in our absence but this time for REAL) behind the honey shack from which she can monitor all feeding station visitors.

June has barely begun and here comes summer in all its spicey glory. Latte Papa has taken up back door greeting duties.

If you want to see what is REALLY happening in Jerome that you won’t see anywhere else, take a gander at what is happening at The Surgeon’s House aka our Coconut Island in the Sky.

If you ever doubted that Jerome is worth visiting, take a REALLY QUICK look at what the gardens are offering right this minute.

Only a mother can love some of these endearing signs of the spring equinox and admire the dexterity of getting dried off.

Just when you think it is safe to go nursery shopping. . . when all the Indian signs told us that it was good to nursery shop to regenerate our pots, we had second thoughts as the temps dropped abruptly and down came the ‘sky juice’ so into the honey shack went all our newbies.

As we near the middle of February, the Earth Mother is gifting us some teasers of better, brighter times to come. Life of all natures is peeking and poking out. See the evolution of the hellebores from barely peeking, to bud, to flower.

The regrettable extreme overpopulation of the javalenas in our area is tragic and it is continuing.

As the temperatures continue to dip and the wind is showing its more fierce side, a few hanger-oners and unique visitors present themselves.

Just when you think you have seen it all, Mother Nature throws us a couple of curve balls. The falcon and the selfie of the skunk are first timers.

Both inside and out, one minute it was late summer and then FALL FELL on us with colder temperatures alongside that glorious pre-winter sunshine. Joshua and Juan tackled pruning of the ash tree while a new spider woman moved in and the anemone virginianas appeared in all their glory.

How is it that it seems that overnight and just as the autumn equinox comes to us gently and softly, all the green and furry folks change in alignment? Just harmonious magic as I see it.

While the critter-sightings seem delayed from last year, we now have spied another raccoon mama and her kidlets, and a smattering of skunks but no wee ones.

Just last week we were lamenting that we had not seen one raccoon or skunk baby and then here comes the little family.

In typical August fashion we are popping with busy-ness inside and out. Let’s start with a stroll through the gardens.

We have been experiencing a persistent absence of clarity in the lower pond in spite of our best treatment efforts.

Every year it seems all the fleur-ed folks agree on a timeframe when everyone will pop into bloom at once. This year apparently the end of May and the beginning of June is the consensus.

We are all atwitter with the critter and fleur happenings of late. We actually saw SEVEN raccoons together at our feeder as well as the long-awaited return of our grey fox – yippy skippy!

Considering all the critter action in the gardens recently, guess who is putting their resplendent feet forward?