Give Me Shade

Am thankful for the freedom to walk my neighborhood early as the sun comes up, and again when it sets.

We are experiencing warm temps, not boiling like elsewhere in the world, so am thankful for that too.

However, there are no clouds, and the sun is intense, so I hide from the heat and sun by being outside when it's most pleasant.

Am inside snuggling with cats, listening to audiobooks with earbuds, and drinking tea for the rest of the day.

😹

A few new-to-me kitties seen:

This cat wasn't bothered by me at all.

The cat under the car was friendly, then ran off to hide.

No worries, little one, you do what you need to do.

This tuxedo was in our backyard, and Da Boyz downstairs and Henry upstairs were in a tizzy.

Have not seen this cat before, and this image to taken AFTER I'd told it to move along.

He'd turned and left, then came back again once I was inside!

Cheeky.

Let's Hop!

Shadowy

February 2 is Groundhog Day

Determining if there will be another six weeks of Winter based on whether a marmot sees its shadow or not on February 2 is complete codswallop, but it's a reason for folks to get outside after being cooped up for far too long, and to dance around and be silly.

Below is a video taken through a window, as our local groundhog grazed in our backyard garden.

Groundhogs, also called woodchucks and whistle-pigs (look it up, it's true!) are native to North America, and are surprisingly agile and fast.

They also like to dig, such as under your building's foundation, and they'll eat their way through your vegetable garden, or in our case, the Tall Sunflower plants.

I'll plant more, as I rather like the chubby rodents.

❤️

Home

A few images of Henry:

The Hubby and I believe that Henry thinks of our yard as her home sweet home.

She appears to be quite fond of Da Boyz, while still fearful of humans.

However, each day I get a skosh closer, and have brushed her fur just a touch a few times.

At least she's not afraid of my phone camera!

Let's Hop!

Spiky

It's Caturday!

A pic of our Tall Sunflowers, after blooming and looking rather spiky.

Artified with Prisma, I just like the colors!

Click on the image, you'll have a jigsaw puzzle to play.

Let's Hop!

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So Rudely

It's PO'Monday!

September 30, 2016, Celestial Paddy O'Malley was snoozing under the broad leaves of the hosta plants.

That is, until I started to snap pictures:

Snoozing.

"You woke me up!"

"Rude!  I'm outta here...!"

Sorry, not sorry!

Seriously, methinks it's impossible for a cat to NOT get it's 14-16 hours of sleep each day, hmmm????

😹😹😹

Sting Stang Stung

WARNING!

If you don't like insects and flying critters, don't scroll down!

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Okay, I warned you!

Not yet two hours into Autumn, and I managed to harass a yellowjacket nest while pulling backyard weeds.

Just like a cartoon character, I went running while swatting and yelling!

Thankfully, I didn't have an allergic reaction, and The Hubby kindly dabbed hydrocortisone cream on the bites that I cannot reach between my shoulder blades.

A few moments before, I'd gingerly working around a huge spider's web to avoid damaging it, but forgot to look out for flying insects coming out of the ground.

15 to 20 bites.

Will investigate how to either relocate the underground nest, or kill it without damaging chemicals that will harm other wildlife.

Here's hoping that this means I've already hit my quota of surprising and icky events for Autumn!

🐝

Wikipedia says:
Yellowjacket or yellow jacket is the common name in North America for predatory social wasps of the genera Vespula and Dolichovespula. 

Members of these genera are known simply as "wasps" in other English-speaking countries.

Amidst the Leaves

Mother Nature shows off in our native plants gardens:

Stonecrop

Mapleleaf Viburnum

Early Meadow Rue

White Snakeroot

Thimbleweed

Wild Geranium

We allow the autumn leaves to fall and stay in our backyard, and are thankful for it.

The leaves are havens for overwintering insects.

Some day, our entire yard...front and back...will have no lawn, only plants and trees that are the same as what was in our part of Michigan before Europeans came a'calling.

The wildlife and ecosystem evolved together, and invasive species take away nutrition and pollinators.

Wild plants are acclimatized to Michigan's seasons, and therefore are almost maintenance free.

There is one plant, however, that volunteered itself, yet must go:

🙀Poison Ivy🙀

Let's Hop!

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Those Were The Days

It's Sweetnesday!

A strong cold front barreled across the state yesterday, bringing bitter temps and high winds.

Watching Sweetie snuggled warm in her Sweetie Spa, brought memories of her existence as an 'O' Cat, and I leafed through the photo library to pick a few December images of those bygone days. 

Sweetie is not easy to photograph; she wasn't then, and she isn't now.

But by gosh, I love her dearly, and am honored to be her human forever.

❤️😽❤️

Non-springy PO'M

It's PO'Monday!

As diligent as Celestial Paddy was at monitoring activities in the yard, he was always ready to be a sloth.

With Spring in full swing, birdies cheeping, and bees a'buzzing...

...The PO'M was chill.

Photos taken on May 22, 2016.

"My Yard!"

It's PO'Monday!

Our yard was Paddy's domain; he was King!

On patrol

Using the stepping stones

Showing off his belly!

 Images from April, 2013.

It's PO'Monday!

Paddy was the king of our yard, and rarely failed to show up when we appeared.

Those teefs!

Chonk!

Nosey.

He enjoyed being fussed over, and we couldn't help but do it.

💕💕💕 

Wildlife

As we plant more native Michigan/Midwest flowers, bushes, and milkweed, we are experiencing an increase in pollinators!

We have a long way to go yet, as I'd like to replace every inch of lawn.

Here are a few images of what's coming up:

Raindrops on clover

Jack-In-The-Pulpit

Wild Ginger bloom
They flower right at the base of the plant, on the ground!

Pussytoes

Our bee house

Bats!

Paddy O'Malley is backyard security!

Monday O'Malley

Metro Detroit suffered a rain-then-ice-then-snow-then-more-snow weather event this weekend.

The PO'M was hilarious, since he really didn't enjoy walking upon the rough, icy snow.

Yet, he was adorable nonetheless!

Isn't he delicious?

Tippy toeing to greet me!

"Enough with the camera; give me some love!"

"MINE!"

***

P.S. Sorry 'bout the jigsaw puzzle from Saturday!
Click here.

Yes, I knew it would be a tough one, but I'll refrain from making them too hard in the future!

S'weepy Wednesday

Sweetie, almost asleep while upright!

Patty O'Malley...what the....???

When the napping urge hits, sometimes it hits fast and HARD.  Right, 'O' Cats?