Peek-a-boo...

... I see you...

Well, it's actually easy to spot these two guys...


They're just little chipmunk statues that sit still...

...on either side of the deck railing...


Now these guys are a little tougher to spot sometimes, but if you look closely, you'll always find a friend or two peeking at you from somewhere...

This little Chip likes to play hide-and-seek on the bottom shelf of the carpenter's bench.


This one enjoys playing around our new backyard decking...

And the other day, while looking out the window, I noticed that Garden Bunny was sporting a hat of sorts...

Upon closer inspection, it was a Chip perched between his ears...

They also love to maneuver (with incredible ease) the pickets of our garden gate and trellis...

Such a welcome addition to our little yard...

We are enjoying some MUCH needed rain for the past few days here in New England. Thankfully, it also brought temps in the 60's... Such a relief after the long, hot days of this past summer.

Hope you are all enjoying this last week of August. I can't believe the summer is almost at an end, and that September is just around the corner!

Donna

Our tiniest visitors...

Of all the creatures who visit the feeders or baths in our yard...

(click any photos to enlarge)

... the ruby-throated hummers are the tiniest visitors.

I never did capture them at the bee balm or crocosmia...

...but a couple of days ago I was able to snap pix of them at the hummingbird feeder by the deck.


I can't believe that they'll only be around for another couple of weeks before heading south.

The summer, although extremely hot, has flown by. I can't believe fall is just around the corner! And although I enjoy the cooler temperatures of autumn, I absolutely dread the freezing temperatures, ice, snow, and darkness of winter... So I'll try to focus on these little guys for the next few weeks and enjoy what is left of our beautiful summer!

Be sure to visit Cindy at My Romantic Home for a list of everyone participating in Show & Tell Friday, and to see Cindy's gorgeous chandelier!

Donna (who would also like to fly south for the winter months)

a chippy old religious planter...

... has found a new use.


I am drawn to old religious statues and paintings (probably all those years of being taught by the nuns!)...


... the chippier the better.


To me the imperfections from years of use and love just add to the charm of old pieces.

So when I spotted this St. Therese of Lisieux planter...

...at the Salvation Army a while back, I fell in love.

The price was very reasonable. Apparently a lot of people don't love the chippy look as much as me, and I'm assuming that's why her price was so low.

I think rather than use her as a planter,

... I'll use her as a cell phone charger on my kitchen counter. I'm sensing a trend here as I recently picked up an old St. Therese thermometer, the kind that oil companies used to give to their customers as free advertising, and I'll show that in a future post!

I'm heading to the Cape tomorrow for a quick one-day trip to visit a relative, so have a wonderful weekend everyone!

Now please visit Cindy at My Romantic Home to see what everyone else is sharing on this Show & Tell Friday!

Donna

my furry little stress buster...

This past week was a bit stressful (actually, the entire year has been a stressful for our little family due to the recession, job changes, illnesses, money worries blah blah blah)... I'm sure many of you can relate...


Dad recently had surgery and I have been sleeping at his house for the past week to help out a bit... I'm happy to say that dad is feeling much better now...




Every morning, starting at about 5:30 (I didn't get much sleep while over there), I would peek out the big living room window and watch dad's little bunny. Sometimes it was just one bunny, sometimes he would bring a friend. I finally remembered to bring my camera over one night and captured this little sweetie early one morning.

As you can see, my dad leaves carrots and a water bowl out for his furry friends. Just watching these little guys helped melt away some of my stress. Hoping you all have ways of coping with any stress you might be having in these (sometimes) trying times...

Donna

In need of Forever Homes... Alabama

About a week ago I received an e-mail from Jeff Howard who authors this Adopt-A-Pet blog . He asked if I would help spread the word about their organization. Anything I can do to help a shelter or pound animal find a home, I will do. I've grabbed one of their buttons for my sidebar (there are many styles to choose from). If you're an animal lover, you might want to grab a button for your own blog to help direct people to their website and/or blog.

You can easily use the Adopt-A-Pet site to find the perfect pet to fit yours and your family's lifestyle. Just enter your geographic location and then choose the type of animal (cat, dog, etc.), even a specific breed (yes, there are MANY purebreed animals waiting in shelters for their forever homes). You can also choose by age, gender, or size. You'll find photos and a short description of the animals patiently waiting for a home of their own, and information on who to contact to start adopting one of the best friends you'll ever have in your life!

I plan to feature a few animals on a regular basis on my blog, alphabetically, state by state. So without further ado, here are two dogs and two cats from Alabama who would love to find that special person to live out their lives with! Just click on their names (under their photos) for more information on their size, age, personality, etc.!

ALABAMA


JIMBO


BUDDY


POSSUM

CLOUD

Thank you for taking the time to read this, and an extra big thank you to those who grab a button for their side bar!!!!
Donna

Are you an early bird? Or a night owl?

If you're an early bird at our house, this is the view through the DR window.


The early morning sun casts tree shadows across the front of our little shed.

"I'll tell you how the sun rose a ribbon at a time." (Emily Dickinson)

But if you're a night owl, this is the view, created by the back porch light casting shadows of the hummingbird feeder, bird bath, and fuschia across the shed.

"The very shadows seem to listen."

(Anna Katharine Green)

Day or night, how I love shadows!

Please visit Cindy, My Romantic Home, for all kinds of Show and Tell Friday fun!

Donna

Crimson and Clover....

...also known as a "picnic in the park" (or in this case, the backyard)...


Thank goodness I got photos of the Crocosmia when they were in bloom because they are now but a memory...


They're such vibrant flowers, definitely a favorite with the hummers.


How I wish they lasted longer!

And what's a picnic without food?

Overhead picture cam, so you can really get a good look at Little Chip's BIG cheeks!

He totally enjoyed the picnic...

..and asked if we could do it again ... soon! (Of course, Chip.)

And who does the clover call to?

No, no, Little Cottontail. Those are hostas. You want the clover...

Nope.

Still the hostas.

That's better... hop along now...

I am always amazed at how these little bunnies blend right into the background. That's him, right above my watermark in the lower right hand corner!

I'm happy to report that Little Garden Bunny gave Little Cottontail very good instructions on how to get to the clover patch, and the last I saw him, he was headed straight for it.

The humidity is supposed to lift overnight... It should be heavenly tomorrow! Wishing you beautiful summer days wherever you are!

Donna

The original CHIP Whisperer...

Last month I posted a 30-second video of Amanda feeding and petting our little Chip... (one of them anyhow!)

Clearly the apple doesn't fall far from the tree.

Her grampa (my dad) also has a soft spot for all of God's little creatures...

When dad was here for lunch a couple of weeks ago I suggested we eat out on the deck (it was before the terrible heat wave hit!)

It wasn't long before Chip decided to join us, much to dad's delight!

What can I say? It's in the genes!

Now be sure and hop over to see Cindy, My Romantic Home, for more Show & Tell Friday!

Donna