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Monday, July 29, 2019

As July moves on...

I thought I'd better put a post up before the whole month has gone. How we are heading into August already baffles me but here we are.

My little tree swallows have gone. They left their nest two weeks ago and as always, I missed their first flight.
We've had two families of swallows but I never seem to be around when mom gives the babes the heave-ho.
 Oh well, I so enjoyed watching them grow and have such respect for these mama birds that work so hard to keep them fed in our summer heat. It's been ghastly.
Right now we have a family of house wrens nesting behind our house and it has been wonderful to have them so close. I love the song of the wren and she sings her head off many times throughout the day. I find myself hoping for cooler days just for them. Can you imagine how hot it is in a birdhouse in +40C temperatures. 

My little veggie garden is doing ok. We have harvested broccoli, lettuce and zucchini so far. All delicious raw and cooked.  It's been a struggle to keep it going with the excessive heat and mosquitoes and it is not my prettiest garden, that's for sure. The weeds can surely get away on you when you only last a few minutes before you run screaming and swatting like a mad woman.
But still we don't complain too much because we remember vividly the longest coldest winter on record that we just lived through. Give me spring and fall. :-)

We have not moved in to the new house yet but seem to be in it more than not. The cats spend most of their time there and are enjoying the extra-wide sills on the windows that have been built just for them. Bird-watching has become a sport for them. Presently, the guys are finishing up the installation of the wood-stove and mantel; a must for the cold days ahead.
And the stair posts and rails that lead to the loft go in this week.  
This has been quite the project. Exhausting and exciting.



Here's a few photos of late here at Fox Grove...

Our little House Wren family




If it wasn't for their rumbling tummies they would never leave here.


"CROWS"

Lemon Cranberry Scones
Not home-made because it's too darn hot.

Yep...he had a bite. Well...because I can't resist that face.


I hope everyone is doing well. 
It's been so chaotic around here this summer with the house, landscaping, family get-together's and cat-sitting
that my blog has been sadly neglected. I hope August is a little less fast-paced and I can find more time to write. I'm off to visit your blogs. :-) 

Take care,
Deb

12 comments:

  1. I'm glad to read that everything is going well. It must be very exciting to be ready to move in to the new house. You'll be moving in as all of nature around you is moving out!

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  2. I'm pleased to see your update, and hope you'll be in your new house by winter. Building a house, creating gardens where none have been--its hard work for all but the cats. My energy expires before I finish all the tasks on the daily list.

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    1. I'm sure you are loving your new home. We have one foot in ours...waiting on a few things. :-) Love to the kitties.

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  3. I know this has been a super busy year for you! I always enjoy your Instagram but still love to see your blog! Your new home is so exciting and all that I've heard about it sounds just perfect. Summer sure has gone by quickly and I've not gotten anything accomplished due to a bad knee but I'll have knee surgery soon and hope it makes a difference. Give Annie and Wilson my love! Take care of yourself too!

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  4. Where's Simon! Where's Simon! Where's Simon! :).
    HeHe! I always think and worry about the little
    fella..! After all..he has his own folder, and
    l like to keep it up~to~date..! Bless! :o)

    It's very hot over here to..heat record broken
    last Thursday..38.7..previous record was 36.1..
    Though as l look through the Paddington Bear
    curtains this morning, it's pouring with a
    fair amount of wind..Just to~day it seems!

    Buy weekend coming up..Annual Barbeque on
    Sunday..feeding of the 5,000..HeHe! :).

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  5. You built deep window wells, just for the kitties?!? THAT IS SO COOL! I've been wondering how the house project has been going; cannot wait to hear more. And I'm sure you've taken wonderful photos of your client cats too. By the way, The Hubby spiral cut fresh zucchini, then put it into pickle juice for a few hours. What a delightfully fresh and light salad...YUM!

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  6. Thanks for the update. I was hoping all was well with everybody esp. Annie. Gail

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  7. I am always happy to find a post from you and those kitty cats. We went through a terrible heat wave here too. Like you, I hate to wish summer away because it seems like we wait forever for spring and warm days. Glad you are getting vegetables from your garden. I planted to prettiest little garden we've ever had, but it didn't produce all that good. I managed to can about eight quarts of beans, and the bugs ate the rest. Not even one bell pepper grew on the plants. Really strange. That little house wren is so cute! I love their loud singing too. Oh and those sweet kitty cats, Annie and Wilson. How nice of you to build the wide window sills. That's perfect! They sure have a lot to see out those windows. Didn't mean to go on and on. I love your posts!!

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  8. Your kitties are spoiled! Wide window sills indeed - you are such a sweetheart 'mom' to them, just hope they realize and are good 'children'.
    Your summer is hot too - I'm not surprised, the heat seems to be rising everywhere on the planet. Our summer garden is looking horrible, everything dried and fried! As for mosquitoes, I just can't go outside without being eaten alive!
    Hoping life calms down for you soon dear Deb - will you be in the big house soon?
    House wrens can be bad birds - I may have already mentioned that since I had them nesting on the front porch this spring!
    Sending hugs and hope you'll be back here again soon - miss you when you're in hiding!!!!
    Mary x

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  9. So good to hear from you, Deb. We have been busy here this summer, too, putting up a cat fence to bring home a stray mama kitty and her 3 kitten boys. Long story short, they were born at our neighbor's and we have cared for them since I could track the mama to them in the first snow fall in December when they were 7 weeks old.

    They have been coming nightly since the snow melted in March and are now thoroughly tame and as awesome as can be. (And neutered before they were 5 months old and Mama is altered, too.)

    We have coyotes in our area and a road in front of our home they cross to come here nightly so we are thrilled to have them come and live with us. So sweet.

    In case you are concerned as to the size of their "Kitten Boy Coral" is has 500 feet of walls and contains a green house that they have been sleeping over night in for months. It also has a pergola they climb on and a quiet place to tuck into back in our tall trees and catch a quiet nap in little houses under giant plants. And it has a large open lawn space they enjoy running and playing in. And last but not least, to them or us, it has a cat tree on the patio door porch so they can be close us now each evening and see in the house. I so am hoping they will be very happy here and ever so safe. (I would wonder how big their space would be so thought you might, too.)

    Well, that wasn't the short version after all, huh. Sorry.

    Blessing upon your August,
    Lily

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  10. The cats will be happy when it's all finally completed.

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  11. All's well here and looks like you are terribly busy! I know everyone will be glad when it's done but what a hot and wet summer to be working. Love the scones pic and of course the cats!

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