Our cozy backyard and garden

We haven't been at any place exotic lately, except our backyard, and Connie's, and camping, and birdwatching...  So, I made a slideshow of our backyard for the last 3 years.

It's a garden, it's a cozy porch, it's a cool backyard, it's where we grill, it's where we read, it's where Debbie toils, it's a bird's place, it's...exotic! it's our paradise!!!

The sildeshow is on the top right hand corner.

Enjoy!

In memory of LC, the Lap Cat

Our dear LC (Lap Cat) has departed. She taught me a great lesson about "pets".
When she joined our family, we called her LC for LapCat because she wanted to sit on our laps as a kitten even tough we hardly knew each other. First day!

She chose us and no one else. She came to us. She was the most affectionate cat to us, but mean to everyone else, just about. Of course, she knew Kelly and Leah were part of the family. And she knew not to mess with Andre's kids...or else. She was a smart cat like that.

She was attached to Debbie and Debbie was her "mother". That's the lesson LC taught me. A "pet", an "animal" can join your family and become part of the "family". LC was part of our family. We love her. We miss her.

I was naive, thinking she has just a "pet", a "glorified animal" wanting to be petted. So, I pet her, I was nice to her, and "tolerated" her at times when she just wanted too much attention. But Debbie loved her. Like a mother.
I wish I knew how much she loved her. I would have been nicer to LC instead of just "nice". LC never mess with me because she knew I know "Cat's Judo". The one where you put the cat in a choke and she can't move nor breathe. Yeah, we played too!... and when she take out her claws, I take out my cat's judo moves. So, we liked and respected each other. No claws, no cat's judo. That was our deal.

Then she got sick. Bad genes. She could have lived a year or two longer. She fought for her life. And I noticed Debbie was already missing her. So I was nicer to her. The cat, not Debbie. I'm always nice to Debbie! Then I wished she never leaved us. Her last days, or months, were nicer. LC has been sick since January. Going outside, and experiencing TLC from both Debbie and I, made her stay longer. Or she would have been gone earlier. He passed away in our arms, with love. We'll miss her, and if there there is an afterlife for pets, we'll meet again. I've set the appointment, just in case. We love you, LapCat...and hasta lavista (till we meet again)...and I'll be nicer still, more for Debbie, because I love her for loving you.

Our vegetable garden

It's time to enjoy the vegetable garden now. Debbie has worked hard on this. We're reaping tomatoes and we've eaten cantaloupe. Delicious!
The squash didn't do too good this year. Everything else seems to be doing just fine. Once we figured out that a vegetable garden needs lots of water. The recent rains helped too.


Beside the vegetables, the peachtree is full of peaches and the figs have started getting ripe from the figtree. We're wondering about the peaches because they came quickly by the bunch and now they're growing and ripening very slowing. They're not quite sure what to do next. I've talked to them and explained the deal: you're supposed to grow nice and juicy, and we're supposed to eat you. We gave them fertilizer...so... what's the problem? They don't seem to like that deal.
A vegetable garden makes a backyard green and lush. It also attracts butterflies. With some extra bird feeders this year, we got to watch the pretty greenery, a nice variety of birds, and lots of butterflies.

Several birds have bred around the house. A wren was nice enough to make his nest in the birdhouse directly across from the patio. We enjoyed watching the whole process from nest building, incubating, hatching and feeding. It was cute to see these little bird beaks sticking out as the mother wren bring food back and forth. It almost seems like these birdies eat a lot!
Then, a few days ago, they were gone. They left the nest. But this morning, Debbie saw a little wren come to the patio and singing her heart out "I can fly now! I'm big now! Looky, looky, looky!". Or something like that.
We also saw baby Catbirds, Cardinals, Mockingbirds, Towhees even some baby squirrels.

I think I'm going back to the patio and enjoy myself.

Quiet and Relaxing 4th of July

4 people on the 4th, relaxing and enjoying themselves.
That's how last week end was for us.
Are these T-shirts patriotic or what? It's the 4th of July after all.
It simply couldn't have been a better time weather wise. No rain, not too hot, with a perfect pool temperature.
So, guess what we did. Spent time in the pool, then played Rook, then ate, clean up, back in the pool, then Rook...
Everybody was happy the whole week end.

Yes, quiet, peaceful, and relaxing fun. We didn't even miss the fireworks. We did miss Duane. Don't be jealous if I didn't mention your name. It's just that Duane was bidding by text messaging while we were playing. That's how bad he wanted to play Rook that week end. lol

Some of these very impromptu get-togethers usually turn out to be the best. It was one of those. Perfect week-end.