Poor Baby

Took B to the vet today to be spayed. She was so excited to go for a ride, so excited to see a couple small dogs, so excited to meet three nice ladies. I just hope she doesn't blame us once the pain pills wear off.

My New favorite, The Peony

From Carol

 I need to ask Carol about these peonies, because I'm pretty sure she only had pink ones in her yard when she gave them to me. I planted the iris last October, then forgot about them. I thought I'd try the orange begonia again this summer, just wish I could nurse it thru the winter like Mother does.

Taking A Drive

  Ken's been taking us for long drives in the evening, to show me where he rides on his motorcycle. He's seen two bears so far. Yesterday we found this cool old house.  It had huge rose bushes, gigantic lilac trees, and really creepy windows. I took lots of

This is where he saw the bear sitting in the road

pictures hoping to catch a ghosty orb. No luck. On the way home, though, we nearly ran over a red weasel;  I've never seen one of them before. Then we found an old abandoned farm that appeared Amish.  Once again I felt the need to peek in the windows but K was afraid I'd get shot for trespassing. Party-pooper.

Experiencing Kansas

...climbing rock walls, standing on tall poles,  computer dying, chipping a tooth on gum, making new friends, visiting relatives, eating better-than-NY foods,

crappy IT dept( had to say it), riding in a Stearman,  hours of researching, great and not so great profs...

I miss him so much, but can see that this is a good thing for him.  Here are the song lyrics to the only one I know about Kansas.  John Denver. Makes me cry every time.

 "Matthew"

I had an uncle, name of Matthew, he was his father's only boy.
Born just south of Colby, Kansas, he was his mother's pride and joy.
Yes, and joy was just a thing that he was raised on,
love was just a way to live and die.
Gold was just a windy Kansas wheat field,
blue was just the Kansas summer sky.

And all the stories that he told me back when I was just a lad.
All the memories that he gave me, all the good times that he had.
Growing up a Kansas farm boy, life was mostly having fun.
Riding on his daddy's shoulders behind the mule, beneath the sun.
Yes, and joy was just a thing that he was raised on,
love was just a way to live and die.
Gold was just a windy Kansas wheat field,
blue was just the Kansas summer sky.

Well, I guess there were some hard times, and I'm told some years were lean.
They had a storm in '47, twister came and stripped 'em clean.
He lost the farm, he lost his family, he lost the wheat, he lost his home.
But he found the family bible, his faith as solid as a stone.
Yes, and joy was just a thing that he was raised on,
love was just a way to live and die.
Gold was just a windy Kansas wheat field,
blue was just the Kansas summer sky.

So he came to live at our house, and he came to work the land.
He came to ease my daddy's burden, and he came to be my friend.
So I wrote this down for Matthew, and it's for him this song is sung.
Riding on his daddy's shoulders, behind the mule, beneath the sun
Yes, and joy was just a thing that he was raised on,
love was just a way to live and die.
Gold was just a windy Kansas wheat field,
blue was just the Kansas summer sky.

Best Time Of Year

The bushes back here smell overwhelmingly sweet

Pretty Girl waiting for chipmunk or woodchuck to exit those rocks

I know he's in there, I can smell him!

Taking Buffy for a ride to see deer

Have to include one of these pics every year

Don't know where this ground-cover came from, but it's a lovely blue

Columbines are finally blooming

Decided to become collectors of fine sticks, just like Buffy

This dragon head was cooler before B gnawed on it

Spring Is In The Air

Newest Wind-Farm

Bad Girl! (Hope it was a porcupine.)

Some that managed not to be eaten by deer

Switched out the table

Things are getting greener

Looks like it's glowing

Totally bored after a week of rain

This means summer's nearly here

There he goes! Sad day for you know who(s)

Winter Finally Ended, Things Began to Thaw

Favorite Toy

Loved on it so much that the squeaker broke

Spent most of the winter doing doing this

and this--she's an expert at hauling sticks and debris

Finally melted, still collecting branches. Baths required daily.

Cat still loves getting smushed