Wildlife Spotting

So the other day I was puttering around in my room, and I heard Megan shut the back door. A few minutes later she let out this absolute scream. Horrible thoughts rushed through my mind as I hurried outside to see what in the world was going on. "Mom, there's a TURTLE in our pond!" she said. Now, we've had ducks many times, and a lot of snakes, too, but this was our first turtle. He/she was trying to hide, but I spied him out, and it looks like it is a red eared slider turtle -- not originally native to Utah, but now found here due to release of pets. Our turtle may move on at some point, but for now...we have a turtle.

Morning Garden Walk

Here are a few pictures from my early morning walk around the garden.

The vegetable patch

Zinnias doing their best to brighten my day

A view of my left-hand front garden

The pond

Why add this little drab photo? Well, this is the back of the shed that no one really sees, but I'm using it as a little utility area and place to park the green waste garbage can. I'm just happy with how it turned out.

June 2010 in the Garden

I seem to take the same garden pics over and over again - but they're so beautiful!!! Here are some shots from early June and late June:

The Lady Fountain - Early June

The Herbalist English Rose - Early June - This is by far the most this rose has ever bloomed.

The Clematis Arch and Bench - Early June

The Lawn Path, North - Early June

The Maple Tree - Early June (If you look at the ground, you can see the rejected branches from where I just limbed up the maple by about three feet.)

The Pond - Early June

The Dogwood that Ate the Bench - Early June

Pink Peace Rose with Picasso Petunia - Early June

Ballerina and Rosy Friends - Early June

Ballerina and Rosy Frieds - Late June

The Spot Where Nothing Grows - Early June - While everything else is approaching jungle proportions, this little area insists on underwhelming.

The Flamingo - Early June

The Lawn Path, South - Early June

The Lawn Path and Flamingo, South - Late June

Betty Boop Rose - Early June

The Ducks are Back in Town

For the second year in a row, a pair of ducks has decided to take up residence in our very small pond, quacking and waddling off whenever we disturb them. The nice thing about them is that they have done a a very capable job of eating all the string algae that was left over from the winter. The bad thing is that when they are done with the string algae, they will start digging in the yard. Usually by then, I am outside so much that I scare them away. I wonder if they are the same ones from last year?