Day 2643: The beauty and pain of pine needles.

yard carpet: photography.

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Click here for Glass Animals, Gooey.

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I have neglected my little yard. 

I used to battle the two, three story pine trees, nearby. 

Their needles decorate my 10 x 60' yard.

But now, they are definitely winning.

This is honestly how it looked this morning.

But Jesse came to my rescue, and here are the afters ...

Thanks again, Jesse!

Just because (... and a quick story).

One day Aunt Vonda was with me as I drove somewhere.

At a traffic light, a pedestrian crossed, "dressed to the nines".

A hat, purse, scarf, jewelry, layers of outfit, shoes etc.

All a different color, with make-up to match.

It wasn't Halloween, We looked at each other and smiled.

Aunt Vonda said, "I bet she took a lot of time to create that."

One of God's best, I never heard her say a mean thing. Ever.

A smile for Tuesday ...

Day 2573: Home from the house on the hill.

Why you: junk mail collage

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Click here for Maxwell, Pretty Wings.

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Home from the house on the hill ...

It's been a fun four days sharing their house with 

my grand-dogs and Grandhunks. The hunks are in and 

out, with different work schedules, workouts and dates.
They all three start school next week, 

two finished summer session last week.

When they were little, I used to call myself Grandma TLC.

Which stood for Taxi, Laundry, Cook as well as TLC.

Now, all three drive their own cars, do their own laundry 

and can cook or get their own food. 

Granddogs, not so much.

Laker (8) and Zoey (1)

Each morning I take my book outside and read 

while they checked out the yard and neighborhood.

You can see Zoey has almost caught up with Laker.

Zoey recharging.

They all grow up so fast!

Grandhunk #3 helped me load my stuff in my car 

and a third hug, telling me to text him when I got home. 

At 10:30 tonight, I texted him that I had got home safe at 4 pm, 

but forgot to text? He replied with "lol, I love you!"

Zack

I love you too!

A smile for Monday ...

Day 2497: Last day at the house on the hill.

Cacti & Palms: collage, photo & digital.

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Click here for Al Green,  Beautiful.

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Last day at the house on the hill.

Again, up at 6:30 to find the sun had resurfaced.

Big change from yesterday's grey day, even though I love the rain.

The sky was so blue and the plants washed clean and green.

The grand-dogs were happy too.

Plus, their family was coming home later.

Zoey

Laker and I

Laker and I watched Zoey do "donuts" for ten minutes,

but on the patio area instead of the still wet grass.

Both dogs checked on the dogs down the hill.

Then Zoey started nagging Laker to play.

She did get him moving, for a while. 

When he does run, he is amazing.

I won't be there for today's sunset, but it will be a good one!

Only Child
by Billy Collins

 

I never wished for a sibling, boy or girl.
Center of the universe,
I had the back of my parents' car
all to myself. I could look out one window
then slide over to the other window
without any quibbling over territorial rights,
and whenever I played a game
on the floor of my bedroom, it was always my turn.

Not until my parents entered their 90s
did I long for a sister, a nurse I named Mary,
who worked in a hospital
five minutes away from their house
and who would drop everything,
even a thermometer, whenever I called.
“Be there in a jiff” and “On my way!”
were two of her favorite expressions, and mine.

And now that the parents are dead,
I wish I could meet Mary for coffee
every now and then at that Italian place
with the blue awning where we would sit
and reminisce, even on rainy days.
I would gaze into her green eyes
and see my parents, my mother looking out
of Mary's right eye and my father staring out of her left,

which would remind me of what an odd duck
I was as a child, a little prince and a loner,
who would break off from his gang of friends
on a Saturday and find a hedge to hide behind.
And I would tell Mary about all that, too,
and never embarrass her by asking about
her nonexistence, and maybe we
would have another espresso and a pastry
and I would always pay the bill and walk her home.
 

Thanks to Carol Mulvenon, and her terrific blog here.

A smile for Tuesday ...

Day 2244: The smack-talking squirrel adventure.

mizu no kokoro: photo

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Today I was sitting on the patio, of the house on the hill. 

80 degrees in Anaheim Hills with a gentle breeze.

No noise, no tv, just the sound of random cars passing down 

the hill, or once in a while a jet passing on it's way to LAX.

Both Grand-dogs were nearby. 

Puppy Zo had just finished doing wheelies around the yard. 

She does that indoors too, around the large ottoman or 

big ones outside when her energy level is on tilt.

I've tried to figure out how to harness some of that energy 

and absorb it, but so far no luck. 

Laker, age 7, is satisfied watching Zoey's antics and 

rarely shows his athleticism.

Zoey was laying on the couch by me, when all of a sudden, 

Laker tore off full speed, like a bat out of "you know",

and Zoey and I both looked to see what made him fly by.

Laker had seen a squirrel who dared to touch the wall 

of the enclosed yard. 

The poor squirrel saw a jet propelled boxer

coming at him and levitated to the top of the wall post!

Then he magically ran across the skinny iron poles, 

like a four-legged tight-rope walker, it was amazing to see. 

At one point where the poles are about three feet from the

  two story pine tree,

 he jumped to the tree and ran up about15 feet, where

stock photo, but accurate.

he stopped, turned around and I think he told off Laker in his 

squeaky squirrel language. Laker lunged at the challenge and 

the squirrel disappeared into the heights of the huge tree. 

Haven't seen him since. Laker has checked the tree several times.

All of this happened in less than a minute.

And I had wondered what today's blog would be?

Just when I thought this story was finished, we three

heard the now familiar squeaky challenge.

actual photo

  

I think he had told his friends up in the tree, sold tickets 

& said watch this! 

So perched on the branch, he challenged Laker.

Whenever Laker tired of the show, he got louder.

actual photo

Then he came down maybe 15 feet from the ground and

swished his long tail up and around ... driving Laker 

and the squirrel chaser-in-training nuts! 

Have you ever heard a squirrel talk smack?

A squeaky, sarcastic, staccato with tail flourishes!

Laker barked,  Zo kinda barked. 

Even a dog from down the hill barked in support. 

Laker is at the wall as I write.

Zoey, not so much.

How was your Sunday?

I hope it was perfect and just the way you like it.

Thanks for stopping by.

A smile for Monday ...