LION: EVERY SCAR TELLS A STORY ~ A STORY THAT SAYS, I SURVIVED

"FROM EVERY WOUND THERE IS A SCAR,

AND EVERY SCAR TELLS A STORY.

A STORY THAT SAYS, I SURVIVED."

ZAMBI WILDLIFE RETREAT 

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TURTLE DEFORMED BY A SIX-PACK RING ~ PROTECT OUR ENVIRONMENT

TURTLE DEFORMED BY A SIX-PACK RING ~ PROTECT OUR ENVIRONMENT

Isn't this the saddest thing!!
Poor little turtle.

Deformed by a six-pack ring.
 That plastic comes with bottled water and other drinks.
I ALWAYS cut it into pieces and make sure there are no holes, at all.  I cut even the smallest hole so a foot or anything else won't get caught in it.  Also, I cut the two plastic strip openings on a plastic grocery bag and tie the bag in a knot before I throw it away.

I read that this turtle survived but cannot protect itself by retreating into it's shell.
I will do my best to help protect our environment.
(INHABITAT.COM/PEANUT-THE-STORY)

JERUSALEM SAGE IN MY GARDEN

JERUSALEM SAGE IN MY GARDEN

Isn't this JERUSALEM SAGE beautiful!

My garden is always overgrown and always needs trimming and pulling.  

For this nature blog, I have changed the status of "comments" to "anyone".

It gets several views a day and just in case you would like to comment, please do so.

I would love to hear from you.

LUCKY ME !!

LUCKY ME !!

Yesterday, I was picking up little limbs and twigs scattered around my front porch.  

This little limb was stuck in my crepe myrtle tree.  I wasn't really paying attention, but just so happened to look just before I grabbed the limb.  Look what was on that little limb!!

That wasp nest is exactly where I was going to put my hand.

Thank goodness!!! I glanced at it, first.

~

This morning I took my Elijah cat for his yearly vaccinations.  There were about six people waiting in line with their dogs and it was fun to watch.  Some of them had two and three dogs on  leashes.  Some of the dogs actually looked like their owners, especially in size.  I really enjoyed seeing the variety of  dogs, their colors and their personalities.  I really did!

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Poor Elijah has insect sensitivity and his nose and ears are in bad shape.  Every spring, as soon as the mosquitoes come out his nose and ears start looking really bad.  As it cools off in the fall and the mosquitoes go away, his nose and ears clear up and I can tell he feels so much better.

His mother left him and his sister in my yard.  I can touch Punkin, but Elijah has always been a scaredy cat.  He comes around for food, but I can't really pet him or pick him up to doctor him.  I have to trick him and grab him to put him in the pet carrier.

 I've heard that organic cactus juice is a mosquito repellent.  I'm thinking I will get some and spray it around the yard where he sleeps.
~

Hope your weekend is nice and peaceful.  

I'm thinking mine will be and I won't be in pain from multiple wasp stings!!

SAVE THE BEES~NO BEES/NO ORANGES~NO BEES/NO APPLES~NO BEES/NO TOMATOES ~

SAVE THE BEES~NO BEES/NO ORANGES~NO BEES/NO APPLES~NO BEES/NO TOMATOES~

(https://www.facebook.com/mamavation?fref=photo)

FINALLY MOWED MY YARD & GIANT SWALLOWTAIL BUTTERFLY CATERPILLAR

FINALLY MOWED MY YARD & GIANT SWALLOWTAIL BUTTERFLY CATERPILLAR

The rain has stopped for a while.

They're saying we'll get more all summer and fall.  I certainly hope so.

It's been so wet and I've been working a lot and my grass got a little too tall.  Finally, yesterday I was able to mow and my yard is looking so nice and green.

Since most of the birds are no longer nesting, I have so many butterflies.  While they're nesting,  many times I have seen birds grab a butterfly to take it back to their babies in the nest.  When I see it happen, I think "noooooo!!", but I realize it's nature.  Afterall, a butterfly is a caterpillar with wings.

  Those giant swallowtail caterpillars on my key lime tree are growing.  Their disguise is looking like bird droppings.  Yesterday when I was mowing, I noticed more eggs have hatched and there are several more teeny tiny giant swallowtail caterpillars.  The one in this picture is several days old.  

The new leaves are so light green.  I'll fertilize this week.  I always use Medina Growin' Green.  It is, or is mostly organic.  It has an odor, but after I water it in the odor goes away really fast.  I love the Medina products.  You can google and read about them and how they help restore soil worldwide.  They're a Texas company. 

Gotta go and trim my flower beds while it's still cool outside.

Hope you have a very peaceful weekend.

FLOODING & LOSS OF LIFE ~ & HAND PAINTING ARTWORK ON KAREN'S FRONT DOOR

FLOODING & LOSS OF LIFE ~ & HAND PAINTING ARTWORK ON KAREN'S FRONT DOOR

The grass is finally dry enough that I was able to mow my yard this afternoon.  It's so pretty and green after all of the rain.  

There was so much rain in the hill country and Wimberley that there was horrible record breaking flooding and flash flooding of the rivers.  Five hundred year old trees were knocked down by the force of the water.  In the night, Blanco river in a very few minutes widened and flash flooded and washed homes off of their foundations and down the river.  Families were lost.  Very, very sad.

They're on my mind all of the time.
~

I was so thankful for the many inches of rain.  My only problem was that the water was coming down the hill so fast that it washed dirt into my fish pond twice.  I had to empty and refill it both times.  I've figured out the path the water takes, coming down the hill and I'm going to change that direction.  Tonight and tomorrow it's supposed to rain, again.  It's ok with me.  I've been loving all of these cloudy days and rain.  I have not forgotten the years of drought and how hot it gets in the summer.

~

A few days ago, I saw a giant swallowtail butterfly fluttering around my key lime tree.  Today, when I was mowing, I noticed several teeny tiny caterpillars on the leaves.  I'm hoping the wasps don't get them.  I try to discourage wasp nests for that reason.  They take my caterpillars.

~

Several years ago, I painted artwork on Karen's antique double front doors.

Here is a link to that post and more pictures:

KAREN'S ANTIQUE DOORS THAT I PAINTED

We both love birds.

Then, she moved.

She tried and tried to figure out how to fit the antique doors into her new front door frame, but her carpenter said it was impossible without ruining the doors.  

So, she has asked me to paint her new door.

She and I chose this shade of blue.  I painted the door and am in the process of painting the artwork.  I still have to do a little more ivy and a bird and a nest somewhere.  I think I'll make a spot for the nest on the top left.  I'll show it to you when I'm finished.  Also, I'm painting her garage door to look like carriage house doors.   I think I'll need to be there two more days and then I'll share the pictures with you.  I suggested that she plant lots of blue plumbago.

~

Today, I'm very thankful for the rain and for all of the blessings in my life.

My thoughts are with the people who's lives have been devastated.