I'm back!!

And I have a request...if you choose to do so.  If you're signed into your Google account I can see your name when you comment...thanks Jessie!  But if not, then it just says anonymous.  I love when I get comments...so I really want to know who's leaving them.  If you would add your name to the comment that would mean alot...thanks!!

So what's been going on!

Well, our Caesar has been suffering from itching and when I say itching, I mean constantly...he has pulled out his hair, he's chewed on his tail so much that it's bare...he's left areas of bleeding all over his skin because it itches so much.  I've given both the puppies a flea treatment, just in case.  Tho, Brutus isn't itching at all!!  Well, one day I couldn't stand to see him suffer anymore...he was so miserable.  So I called the Vet and they had just had a cancellation and could I come in....YES!  Well, while our Caesar was on the table...I saw a tiny thing move on his skin...and honestly I didn't think it was a flea because it was so small...but the doctor said that was exactly what it was!  The doctor said he's just hyper sensitive to fleas. So he got a shot to relieve the itching and medicine to take for a week for itching.  We got a refill for the medicine for his bad back.  Plus he wants him on NexGard Flea Treatment Chews from May through December because those are the best on the market...which you can't order from Chewy without a prescription...which come out to cost about $30 per tablet!!  So, we left with two prescriptions, two NexGard Chews (one for Caesar and one for Brutus - tho Brutus isn't itching) and an appointment to come back in six weeks for a recheck on his back.  So after we paid about $350...we left!  This photo is on our way to see the doctor,  I know he looks pretty good in this photo, but most of the damage is where he can reach...his sides, belly and tail.   I'm glad to say, he's doing so much better...everything is starting to heal and his hair is coming back.  I love these dogs so much...obviously!! 

My beautiful purple fuchsia is trying to make a comeback after the Dark-eyed Junco debacle.  It still looks awful, but it has several buds on it and lots of leaf sprouts.  So here's hoping!! 

We've had lots of birds bringing their babies to our feeders.  This was a pair of Pileated Woodpeckers.  A mother and daughter.  

You can tell the difference between males and females this way.

They, of course, love my homemade suet and mom would take some and feed it to her baby.  I love watching that.  The baby is the one with the paler crown...sometimes the babies crown looks like a mohawk...so cute!!

Speaking of birds...these things are the bane of my existence right now.

These are Band-tailed Pigeons!!  They come to my feeders in groups...we've had over 20 of these things on our feeders and they eat EVERYTHING!!  I've use to say that all birdies are welcome at my feeders, but that has changed!!  These are such a nuisance...all the other birds leave if they are around!

I've been looking at thrift store for jeans and fabric stores for yardage because I use denim in my journals...no luck.  Every pair of jeans and yardage that I've found is now a blend not 100% cotton and that just doesn't have the same look as real denim...plus it's stretchy!  So, of course, I've been complaining to anyone who will listen...and guess what happened!!  My friend, and Thursday Gurl, Kathy brought me a whole grocery bag of old jeans and pieces of denim...the 100% cotton type!!!

I guess the squeaky wheel really does get the grease.  Thank you so much Kathy!!!

I recently had my drivers license renewed.  I wanted to update it to the Enhanced License...so I brought all the required paperwork...I thought.  When I got to the window I gave her my birth certificate, proof of residency, etc. and was told that I could not get the Enhanced Drivers License because my paperwork did not match my birth certificate.  WHAT?  I will have to go through the process again but I must bring a marriage certificate.  Has anyone had this happen.  Then I heard some on the Internet about the SAVE Act that has passed the House and is now with the Senate.  It states that the name on your birth certificate must match your voter registration card!  I don't know all the ins and outs of the SAVE Act...but it would seem that I will be ineligible to vote!  Just seemed strange that these two things happened at the same time.

Well, that's it for now.  Hope you are all having a great summer!! (Personally, I can't wait for Fall)

   

Nothing too exciting...

 ...but that just how we like life here at the kennel!!

The weather has been gorgeous here...if a little too hot for an old lady, with a pouf on her head, some days.  But I'm not complaining because Jim and I have been getting things done in the yard that have been long overdue!   We did some pressure washing yesterday.  Jim has a big pressure washer that has too much power for me, so he got me a smaller one that's just right!  We/He got the roof of his shed cleaned off and we got all the cement slabs cleaned...he even got the cement garden blocks clean.  They aren't so much dirty as covered in moss!!  The joys of living in Washington...moss on everything!

This is my beautiful Hydrangea.  For some reason I have completely ignored this plant.  I have never cut it back like you're suppose to, so it's gotten spindly.  This fall the clippers are coming out and hopefully next summer it will be full and beautiful.

*notice that we didn't clean these cement blocks...moss!!*

We've also had a new visitor to the squirrel feeder.  

It's a dark brown/black squirrel.  I've never seen one before and this is what I found out:

"Yes, black squirrels exist in Washington state.  They are not a separate species, but rather Eastern gray squirrels or fox squirrels with a genetic mutation that results in black fur.  This condition is called melanism, and it causes an excess production of melanin leading to the dark coloration."

I thought that was interesting.

I finished Katie's journal and I need to get it in the mail.  It's grungy Katie...but that's how I do things!

This is my favorite page.

Now I need to make a Pearson journal but I have two already in line.  First is my John Lennon journal then it's my Birdie journal.  They have both been waiting patiently for me!

Well, that's it for this week kiddies...more excitement to come! 😏

Sorry this is late...

...but it's been a busy weekend.

In birdie news, we've had a tragedy. You know the Dark-eyed Junco that was nesting in my beautiful purple fuchsia...well on Friday morning I thought she was out of her nest, so I took down the fuchsia to see the two babies...mistake #1. Mom wasn't out the nest and she flew up and was squawking at me...then the one baby in nest (where was the other one?) jumped out of the nest!!! So I quickly scooped it up and put it back and then hung up the fuchsia so mom would calm down. I went downstairs on the computer to see if I shouldn't have touched the baby, but I learned that it is an old wives tale and the mom will be okay with it. So, I go back upstairs to see how things are in the nest and the little baby has left the nest and is sitting on a branch...oh, my heart!! I don't want to touch him again, so I went back to the computer and found out that, by his appearance, he was at the fledgling stage...and they do sometimes leave the nest. I was so worried about him. I kept checking on him the rest of the day and he would move from the branch to the nest and back to a branch. I think he was trying to get up the nerve to jump. Which he eventually did!!! He ran to the edge of deck...so I ran into the yard to get him before he could fall...it was about a 3 foot drop...but I didn't make it and he jumped onto the ground and started running. I was following him...then mom appeared and he ran straight for her and they disappeared in the shrubbery. I thought I was helping...mistake #2...but I realized I was probably scaring them both to death...a crazed old lady with a wild top knot running after them!  I found out that it's not uncommon for this to happen and the mom will stay with the fledgling until it is able to fly. Whew!!

Then I was poop-scooping, as one does when you have dogs, I found the other baby bird! He was laying on the steps of the deck away from the nest. I knew it was the missing one because the other one had just made it's escape with mom on the other side of the yard. So sad. He didn't look like he had been bitten or anything, so he must have just died when he left the nest. I took a photo...so don't look if your squeamish! I wrapped him up and buried him. Poor baby.

I'm not sure I can take this much longer...my heart breaks when this stuff happens.

This is what my beautiful purple fuchsia looked like after all the tragedy.  See the one lone bloom and the bird nest?  I read that Dark-eyed Juncos do not reuse their nests...but I'm leaving it in there in case another bird wants to use some of the twigs and moss.

I cut it back...gave it a good watering and some food and hopefully it will bloom again.

In other news...I got a new toy.  A Worx Hedge Trimmer so I can keep our Boxwood under control.  It's been growing wild since I planted it many years ago.  I have a few Worx garden tools and I love them because they are battery powered and light weight...just perfect for a great-grandma!!

I also hosted our Saturday with Kimberly here this month but I forgot to take any photos.  Since Sharon passed Kim has been coming over on the first Saturday of every month because her aunties are her moms now.  We craft and have good food...it's a fun time.

Just wanted to let you know, if you've been wondering, the Smith family in Texas are all fine.  I talked to Laura and Hannah today and the flooding is about four hours south of them.  Tho, they have been experiencing torrential rains, there has been no flooding.  

Well, that's all the news...I hope you are all doing well and have a wonderful week!!!