Dew Drop In

I got nothing.  Except these.  I've told you about my slight aversion to large, tropical flowers.  I don't know why.  The hibiscus are coming out next year.  They simply take up all the room in the little garden outside of my bedroom.  They do not delight me.  I am thinking of replacing them with miniature roses.  

This plant is growing on me.  Each flower is striking in its color scheme.  I think I'll let it stay.

We are in the hot and dry part of summer.  Haven't had rain for a long time.  With it too hot to enjoy being outside during the day, I am surprised to see dew in the mornings.  The dew point makes it hotter during the day.

Still fighting the rats.  They will not touch the poison in the locked feeders.  I have just about given up.  One has crawled up into my raised planter and tunneled around.  Just about killed all of my vegetables.  It has even been eating my teeny tomatoes.  I set a trap in it, but it didn't take the bait.

But the days march on.  Summer is flying by and the grands are not happy about having four more weeks before school starts.  Son moved back last week and is nearby.  We found out they are having a little boy near Christmas.  I think they are shocked as they were sure it was another little girl. Nevertheless, they will be thrilled when he gets here.

Hope your summer is going swimmingly.

Lily Dale

Or another place I'll never go to.  Lily Dale, NY, City Of Light, birthed the Spiritualist movement in the 1800's.  I heard about Lily Dale a long time ago and it piqued my interest.

Those wacky Victorians, without television nor computers or iPhones took to soothsayers, crystal balls and ghosties.  

Of course, if they went to Lily Dale, they didn't need to communicate with modern day conveniences.

Here is the former tree where mystical things happened.  It became a stump and today is a fenced off cement platform.  

Lily Dale was a popular destination, as it is today.  About 250 year round residents live in cute Victorian houses.  Today, it is inhabited by mystics, mediums and clairvoyants.  In summer, they open their community to thousands of visitors for readings and shopping, programs etc.  Famous psychics and even Deepak Chopra has spoken there.  Signs hang on the doors when the mediums are taking customers.

Before you scoff, here is one story.  Lucille Ball, who lived nearby in Jamestown, went for readings as did many other famous people.  While still young she was told she would meet a Cuban man and become a famous comedian one day.

Residents must go through rigorous testing and study for two years before they are allowed to practice in Lily Dale.  Wouldn't it be fun to visit with them? Many 'speak' to the spirits around you and give you messages from beyond.  One woman spoke of a childhood friend speaking to her from an unseen spirit world.

Myself, I think I'd rather hear about other things, like past lives and future events rather than spirits hovering around me.  There is lots of info on the net about Lily Dale.  Have a look if you are interested.  I find it fascinating, but will never go to western NY.  Too many other places I'd choose, but probably won't ever get to see either.

Mother Nature

I am Mother Nature - interested in any and everything, but nature is far and above all else.  I have a robin and a young squirrel that have befriended me.  Every evening, the robin comes and sits on the fence near me.  All day long this squirrel comes.  I can even call him now and he comes.

Of course, the weenies come running and chase him off whenever they see him, but he comes right back, peeking around the plants and such, stays only about two feet away.

He'll go off a little way, then come right back.

He looks in my windows and makes noises if I'm in the house.  I was on the dock feeding the geese and turtles and looked down and he was a foot away from me.  I had the fleeting thought that he's getting pretty fearless; a vision of him jumping in my hair or face with those little cat-like claws and had to shoo him back.  

I finally figured why the robin comes in the evening.  He's looking for some pecans too.  I threw a few pieces down and he immediately jumped down and ate them up.  Just hope Squirrely doesn't bite the hand that feeds him.  

PS ~ I have been grabbed and bitten by a squirrel before and the claws and teeth hurt.  It bit my fingernail too.

You Dirty Rat

No, it's not about Trump.  I don't want to compliment him.

Still trying to catch rats.  I've spent over $100. trying to put a dent in the rat populations around the city house.  I had field rats the cats would bring in at the farm, but never anything like this. These are tunnelers and climbers and evidently, friendly little shits.  And, by the way, I read they like that too.  I never had to pick up after the dogs at the farm, but it is nearly on a daily basis in the city.  Geez Louise.

This little machine is supposed to electrocute them.  Haven't gotten one.  I'm thinking about taking it back since it was $50.00.  I'll believe anything.  Seems the varmints are phobic about new things.  Problem is, I don't want to leave it on during the day as my weenies might get their noses fried.  I finally purchased two more enclosed units with poison and placed them around the sides of the house past the fence, so the weenies can't get to it.  I'm nearly out of options.  I'll check the feeders in a couple of days to see if they have eaten any of the bait.  These little critters are pretty smart.

Done For Another Year

Went to the farm for the fourth.  Such a different year in weather.  Lots of rain, but we did get in a bonfire and fireworks.  I stayed in the house with baby and didn't get pictures of the display.  The fields were full of purple loosestrife, but just a few wild plums and blackberries this year.

Since Bella and I drove the Ranger through the garage wall, knocking it off the concrete slab, the littles have had to be happy driving the lawn mowers around the place.  It seems to appease them, though they are always asking Nonna to drive them around the farm.

Ollie caught the first fish; it is always a competition, especially if one gets a bass and the other doesn't.

And, Oliver almost caught the biggest fish when I saw him looking and tugging for his hook and bait.  Ollie STOP.

Sweet Wonder Woman, Bella, is still at the age where she doesn't care about her hair or dress.  I asked her if she was wearing deodorant or a bra yet.  She was rather insulted.

The kids built teepees with leftover bois d'arc posts, also known as Osage Orange.  During the old west days, settlers used bois d'arc wood for fencing in cattle and many of the trees still grow along fence lines.  Speaking of cattle, my husband got two young heifers to fatten up for fall sale.  They were only there one week before cattle rustlers cut the fence in three places.  Problem was, the young cows are so spooky, the rustlers couldn't rustle them.  We found them nearly two miles down the road  days later.

Though rain was threatening and the fishing wasn't very good because of all the rain, the grandkids had a good time.  Even bigfoot couldn't dampen the little's time at the farm.