Cool and Growing

Don't ask me why but my marigolds this year grew three feet tall!  Was it the ten inches of rain we got in July? Was it the hot and humid July that put them into overdrive?  Then for a week, the temps dropped drastically.  

The mornings were absolutely glorious..43 degrees being the lowest.  Livy and I walked that week nearly 5 miles every morning.

The days seemed to be filled with activity.  The bumblebees were all over the place.  The butterflies zipped in and out of everything blooming...the Butterfly bushes, and the now nearly spent Liatris.  The little Goldfinches were picking at seeds on a few spent  Coneflowers, and the Black-eyed Susans.  The families of hummingbirds zipped in and out of the Bee Balm, looking for one last taste.

And the air...the air was so refreshing you couldn't help but stay outside for as much of the day as possible.  Livy loved it!

She chased the baby bunnies every time one emerged from beneath the forsythia.  Sitting on the hillside, Livy waited patiently, hoping for the site of one, while I was near the pergola watching.

Time passed and although it seemed to take forever, the little guy finally emerged.

Tiptoeing ever so slowly, Livy placed one paw a time on the ground.  I could actually see her quivering and trembling as she got closer and closer.

Of course, you and I both know that rabbits remain perfectly motionless for protection purposes.  But Livy didn't (and still doesn't) know that.

She sits and just waits often times quivering with anticipation for the little guy to come out of hiding.

I took a video of her walking up towards the bunny.  However, it took her so long because she walked so slowly and carefully that the clip ended up being 4 minutes!!  (Needless to say, I decided that a still shot would be better to post.)

Even late afternoons were spent outdoors.  I sipped on a big cup of tea while Livy relaxed and rested on her cot, which grant you is a little large for her, but it works.  Hard to believe but Liv will be two in December.  Theoretically she's in her teenage years and while occasionally "tests the waters", she's a great dog.

Knowing that Summer will soon (I hope) be ending brings a sense of relief for lots of reasons.  

The heat and humidity bother the Pres a lot and I mean a lot.  He plays it off well though in front of people.

However, it only lasted a week.  The first week of September, the heat and humidity returned with vengeance.  

We limited play time to be ONLY when the yard was mostly shade and spent most of those days inside.  However, cool weather will return and then we'll be back on the trails.

seeing, saying, and sharing...

Cool and Growing

One more thing. 

Katniss still insists on using Livy's bed near the slider.  This has become a regular scene.  "Uh, Mom, could you tell her to move?  She won't listen to me."