Tiffany and Lars

I just visited Tiffany and Lars' site and saw this new video they posted. It says that it is a video of Sedona playing with animals, but it is the video Lars put together for their wedding. It is wonderful and I want to share it. Enjoy!

http://web.me.com/lars_bode/Tiffany&Lars/Video_Feb_20,_2010.html

This is how I like my backyard to look. If I was in California, maybe it would look like this all year round. Even though it was a difficult Spring this year, THIS is so worth the anticipation and wait. I love going out there and listening to the bees that are working in the cat mint. We gave up on lavender because it just wasn't happy here. Cat mint looks a lot like lavender and it thrives in our yard. I don't like the prep work one has to do before you can work on a project. That goes for weeding to get the yard ready for planting or sanding to get ready for painting. We have been sorting out all the pieces for our greenhouse that we want to put up in the back and it is taking us FOREVER! I was so ready to move from here this year. We went down to California for Tiffany and Lars' wedding celebration and was quickly reminded why we left. I would love to be by my family, but this place we have up here is so peaceful. We are only 20 minutes to the downtown area and 10 minutes from Sisters. We have the animals, which we enjoy watching. We look out of our windows and see the mountains, forest and when we want to, our neighbors activity, which doesn't make us feel like we are out in the boonies. We are happy here and love our friends. Yes, give us the company of our furry kitty girls and their unending purrs, our yard to work in and that means home to us.

Garden is in bloom

My garden has finally come back and the butterflies, bees, bunnies and birds are loving it.

Happy Together

Jim and I went to Ashland for my niece Samantha's wedding to Jeffrey Prevatt. It was a happy occasion. I got to visit with Tom (Sam's dad) and Judy (his wife) and enjoyed Austin and Mason, Sam's adorable children. I love this picture because Jim is smiling and he doesn't like to have his picture taken, so this is a milestone. Had to post for posterity.

Our chipmonk

This little chipmonk is sitting on our back steps enjoying the cracked corn I put out for the Quail. He comes up to the screen and looks right at the cats, knowing that he is safe. The cats go crazy, but it is their entertainment. We had two chipmonks last year and now we have ten. Holy Chip and Dale batman! I think we are in trouble.

New babies

A new covey has arrived and they are so cute.

This is the same shot, different angles. I think

there are 18 total, although some of them didn't make it into the shot. The previous group is getting bigger and now walking around without mama and papa.

Quail babies are here!

The Quail babies are here! I counted 16 in this group. Some are larger than others, and I am wondering why. I worry about the really tiny ones getting enough to eat. Who knows maybe the parents adopted the three little ones. I can't believe that this wind doesn't carry them away.

I can't help but put out food for the birds. I have two thistle feeders for the finches and a bird house for the wild birds. The excess seed drops down and that is where the Quail love to scratch and peck the welcome morsels. The parents are so protective. They chase away any birds that come by while their little ones are eating. I love this time of year when the tiny Quail arrive. I've seen a baby bunny....surprised that I have seen only one, because I have heard that rabbits multiply like crazy. A friend said he saw ten rabbits in our yard when he was last over here. Yikes! The chipmonks love this place too. We had two last year and now we have at least eight who are daily visitors. They are fun to watch as they run from the sage brush onto the lawn, jumping over the tall grass. I swear they are smiling, knowing that a full bounty awaits them. Then they fill up their cheeks and run back to unload their find. They make this repetitive trip all day long. I love nature and I am looking forward to going hiking and out on the pontoon boat again this summer with our dear friends. Life is good.