When we visit the Grandma’s house, Bay Bay and I can’t go in because the Grandma is not well. So, we get to sit outside and get treats from the hoomins while they sit and eat their lunches.
We get walked every hour and get water and more treats. We like to visit the Grandma’s house. Click on us to make us big.
I just don’t like to ride in the truck very much. I am always anxious to stop and get out. The Mama took this picture of me while we were going to the far away place in California. I was in the back seat of the truck and wanted to get in front with the Mama.
I was OK when we finally got to the far away place, but there will be more riding in the truck for the next week when we go to more far away places. Click on me to make me big.
I went out back this afternoon with the camera to try and get a shot of a road runner that I saw up on the hill behind the RV drive. By the time I got my camera and came back out, the road runner had retreated to a place where I couldn’t get a decent picture of it. However, this cooperative hummingbird came and perched on one of the feeders. Click on the image to enlarge.
We don’t have any oleanders on our property, but there are several down the road a hundred feet or so. The house where these are has white, red and these pink flowers going all spring and summer. The bushes have very pretty flowers, but they freeze easily in the winter and require more maintenance than we are willing to provide. Click on the image to enlarge.
Among the main reasons I wanted the Red Bird of Paradise shrubs in the courtyard was to attract hummingbirds and butterflies. I am not disappointed since both species frequently browse the flowers of not only the red birds, but the sage flowers as well, when they are present. With second spring coming, the sages should also have more flowers to attract the critters.
In addition to the hummers and butterflies, this year we began noticing Sphinx Moths, sometimes called “Hummingbird Moths” browsing both the red birds and the rosemary bushes out back. Interesting little critters, they are about ⅓ the size of hummers but act quite the same.
I photographed this encounter with a very pretty black butterfly about to descend upon one of the clusters of flowers on the red bird closest to the middle of the courtyard. Click on the image to enlarge.
We had a dinner guest today, our neighbor from across the road. Since it is a holiday weekend, we thought it appropriate to grill up a few beef tenderloin steaks. In the meantime, and before the steaks went on the grill, Verna prepared her wonderful broccoli au gratin and Danish stuffed potatoes for the side dishes.
Dinner was delicious and everyone enjoyed the meal. We had a chance to visit with the neighbor and to catch up on happenings in town, since he is out and about much more than we.
The dogs, who tend to be overprotective and territorial, finally settled down after a few minutes and welcomed our visitor as a friend. They must have sensed that there might be some steak tidbits if they were good and behaved themselves. 😉
