good girl, floyd

Sad news this week. Floyd, one of the dogs that had been in our family since I was in middle school, had to be put down. It was a neurological issue that just didn't seem fixable...and you could tell she was a different dog. We saw her last Sunday and she was different - not as excited to see us when we arrived and her personality seemed off. Anyways, she will be missed by all of us, but especially Noel - her partner in crime for the past 10 years or so.

Below are the only pics I have of Floyd on my digital camera. They were taken this past Christmas, right before she and Noel were given their presents - Floyd's FAVORITE THING EVER! She always got so excited for her chewies...and good luck to any animal (or person) who ever got between her and her present under the tree.

We will miss that dog...

Floyd and Noel patiently awaiting their Christmas present...

This is the face she made when howling/grunting/whining...

A very content, post-gift opening Floyd...complete with the
bandanna that came in the present!

frog + water bucket = home

Today I planted the angel trumpet that my grandmother gave me a few weeks ago. As I was pulling them out of the water bucket that had been keeping them alive, I realized I was pulling up more than just roots...I saw a little grey frog that I was about to make a homeless little grey frog! Even though I appreciated the fact he had made a home on my angel trumpet, I still had to plant the thing or else it would die. So, to prevent the frog from being homeless, I had to find a surrogate angel trumpet pronto!

Sorry to disturb you, lil' buddy

He didn't look too happy about this...

Planted angel trumpet - leaves were droopy b/c it was
800 degrees outside

A stick in my yard made a perfect surrogate angel trumpet

He looks pretty happy, right?

Well I just went out on the porch to check on the frog and he is chillin' in the water on the base of the stick. Whew - homelessness avoided! Happy to do my part in No Frog Left Behind.

yard round up on 7/13

Here is a random selection of my yard. I need to do a lot of research to figure out what some of these plants are...

UPDATE! The plant pictured below is a Ruby Spice Sweet Pepper Bush

Here's an unknown plant and the bloom is about 80% done
blooming on this particular one

Same plant, different bloom - it's still in the early stages

My dahlia! Almost twice the size as it was last year...

One of my hanging baskets - got to find out the name of the plant
with the fuzzy pink blooms

my Mardi Gras rose...it's a solid foot taller than it was 2 months
ago when I planted it!

supa fly butterfly

I finally saw a butterfly in my yard and I have to say it was pretty cool looking. I haven't done my research yet so I have no clue what type of butterfly it is. It could not get enough of my bottlebrush buckeye...