It has been a HOT few weeks here so not much happening other than just keeping up and keeping cool.   I even had to break down and put the a/c unit in the living room window but boy was I glad to have it.   I am happy to report though that the last 2 days have been spectacular as we got a massive cool down and even some rain!   I am actually sitting out on the front deck this morning with my coffee and a sweatshirt doing this post.   LOL   

My poor neglected back garden is actually producing some blooms though (it's getting water and that is about it as I know in the next year or so it will be getting an overhaul).   I was happy to see most of the daylillies out there decided to bloom (they are always later than most) and I now know what colors I have so when I move them out front I can take that into  consideration.

I have been oh so very slowly (it's been hot people) working on fixing some of my "mistakes" out in the front yard.   I decided that I really DO need to get landscape fabric under the rock that is under the trees.   It will let water through (although it takes more water in my opinion) but I cannot  keep spraying grass that insists on coming up without it.  I figure THAT is worse for the trees than the fabric.  Once I get drip irrigation run to them it water won't be a problem.   I finally finished around my little spruce tree and while I was cleaning up found this lovely little treasure way back in there (out of use).

It is now in my house tucked in one of my fake trees I've got.   Now I've managed to get one 3' strip of fabric laid under the big ash tree but there is much more to go there.   It'll get done, just in bits (involves hoeing out the rocks, putting down the fabric and putting them back.   But alas I wanted to switch gears and start getting some of the back yard items done.   I started putting up the raised bed sides around the big pine tree stumps over in the area that will eventually be veggie/berry gardens.  I have some digging and tweeking to do with it though.   It also meant doing a bit of rework of the granite path  under the clothes line.  Oh well work in progress.    That end of the yard is a "work on it as I feel like it" right now.   The other part of the yard is my focus.  I decided to extend the path I had to the clothesline and all those areas where I NEVER can grow grass, I edged off and put down granite.  I finished that project yesterday but here is a shot of "in progress".

I have one of the two planters together that will go in there and I am planning to move the parrot aviaries to this location (once my muscle arrives from Nevada!).   The thing about all the back yard work is any hauling in of dirt or gravel requires one wagon load at a time brought through the garage.   Kinda time consuming but went well once the weather cooled off!

I'm enjoying coffee mornings  out on the front deck (and some evenings) and actually broke out the big bad boy camera the other morning to photograph some of the birds that are coming to the feeders.   I'm kind of a scrooge when it comes to the feeders because they are all such piggies!   Once a week I fill them up but it is amazing how quickly the word gets out.

I have a family of pygmy nuthatches (my favorite) that come  in and are so fun to watch.

The gold finches are also still around as well.

And of course always have a variety of red faced finches (house, purple, etc.) and always chickadees.

I also have a family of white breasted nuthatches.  Quite a bit more flighty than the pygmy so harder to photograph.  This one is a young one and it is rather entertaining to watch the youngsters try to figure out how to get to the feeders and especially the upside down suet feeder.

Meanwhile the dogs have HATED the hot weather.  Well, Oliver likes it in little doses and will go out and sun bath but the rest say "nay".    Now that it is cooled off time for this Mom to quit writing blogs and go start dog baths and grooming which is the focus for the next few days.   One small bite at a time.

Oliver snuggled in on one of the cooler evenings.

Yes she still thinks she is part cat!

You'd think I bought that chair just for them? So on to the rest of August.  Looking forward to a camping trip later this month and some time away from all the projects BUT my brother is due to arrive shortly which in turn will increase the project load some while I have the help (trees need to be cut down, firewood to move, his trailer remodel, some mechanical work and finally redoing the back patio area - moving aviaries, new fence, etc.).    Most of all just looking forward to his visit and we hope to squeeze in some camping trips in between - hopefully. I am hoping the hot weather and smoke are generally over for the summer (hey a girl can dream).