The Butterfly

Went to a wedding in Asheville this past weekend...in the beautiful mountains of North Carolina...on the opposite side of the state where I live. I'm a coastal girl...love the smell of the salty air of the coast...but right now is not a good time to be near the ocean...with Earl headed this way...and who knows where that hurricane may end up going. It's still hot around here which is about 100 miles in from the coast. It's too hot to be outside very long during the day...so sitting under the ceiling fan in the air conditioning is really nice. Makes me wonder how we stood it back in the "old days" when we had NO air conditioning.

The wedding was a very gala affair with lots of excellent food to eat. During the outdoor ceremony which took place outdoors at Lake Eden at Black Mountain, a monarch butterfly flew over the bride and groom. I so wish I had had my camera in my hand at that moment...but instead, a friend was taking photos...and he didn't see the butterfly.

The butterfly symbolizes new life and in some cultures, is considered to bring luck. How appropriate for a young couple getting married and beginning a new life together.

Last night, around 9:30 pm, I went out in my yard and took a photo of my moon flowers that were blooming. I could hardly see the flowers...only a blur on my camera, but I knew that using the flash would allow the blooms to show up.

This is the first time we've had that many blooms at one time. When I downloaded all of the photos to my computer, one of the photos really caught my eye. There on one of the flowers was "something" and at first, I thought it was a hummingbird...but after zooming in, I see that it's not. I have cropped the flower and have added it below.

After doing some online searching, I found out it is a Cyborg Spy Moth. See the bottom photo from foxnews.com

Flowers from my son's yard

This flower caught my eye the way the afternoon sun was shining on the flower and the leaves.

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Spider Lily

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Petunias on the Fourth of July

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Petunias

Such beautiful petunias blooming on my deck. This is the first time I've had any color other than purple in my petunias. So gorgeous!

My Moon Flower bloomed...

My moon flower bloomed last night...how beautiful!

Took the first two photos around 8:00 pm last night...

Went out and took the following photos this morning around 7:30 am...in full bloom!

Puppy Dog Sitting Adventures

My husband, Gene, did some "puppy dog sitting" this afternoon while I was gone to play music. They both have crates but he didn't have them in their crates. When he first missed them, he started looking all over the house...finally found them both in the middle of the bed...and this is a HIGH bed. He got them back downstairs and blocked the stairs.

Then he got busy fixing a squash casserole. He decided he'd better check on the dogs...and found Bella sitting in the middle of the dining room table. All of the chairs were under the table...except for one which was out just a wee bit. Apparently, it was just enough for her to climb in the chair and onto the table.

When it came time to take them out in the yard for a while, he opened the door for them to go out. Usually, they take their time going down the steps...but all of a sudden, they took off...one went running in one direction...and the other one took off in a different direction..headed down the driveway. That's the one he started chasing first...since she was following Sadie, the brown lab who lives next door. Finally, he got them both and got them in the yard.

When he got them back in the house, he decided they needed a nap in their crates.

Two Dogs - One Crate

We have two crates and two dogs...but both dogs get in the same crate. They're so funny!

First toys...

These two rescue dogs have never had toys before...so we introduced them to a rope and a soft ball. They're learning to play. Buster at the top has the ball...and Bella has the rope...but they kept switching back and forth.

Playing Together

Bella and Buster are beginning to play together...took this photo last night.

"Keeper of the Food"

Here's a couple of photos of Bella on Tuesday when she wouldn't let Buster have anything to eat. She was guarding the bowl...and she was "using her eyes" for control...establishing her position as the "queen". Even after he walked away, she still stayed close to the food.

The saga continues...

Wednesday:

Bella woke me up at 5:30 am ...came downstairs to find her on the dining room table. I had forgotten to put the chair under the table before I went to bed. What's with the dining room table? I have two friends and both of their Cavaliers will get on the dining room table if they leave the chair out.

By afternoon, both dogs seemed okay with each other...and were running down the steps to go to the yard...and then running back up the steps to come back in. They knew they'd get a treat when they came in...but the treats are tiny...and they're healthy.

Yesterday and today were good days with the two of them...running around the yard and playing together a bit...mind you, I said "a bit". Bella doesn't do much playing at all, so I'm pleased with any running around the yard that they do.

This morning, Bella woke me up at 5:00 am...would not quit barking. I decided to come down and check on her...so I slipped downstairs very quietly...and realized what was wrong. The wind was blowing pretty strong outside and our outside "motion light" was apparently going on and off...and I guess she was afraid there might be a "booger in the yard".

Trouble in Paradise...

There seems to be trouble in paradise...Bella's not happy. She's been sad today and a little miffed at me. I'm giving her way more attention than the new dog...but he's had surgery and I'm having to carry him up and down the steps...so now Bella has quit walking down the steps...wants me to carry her, too. She's staying in the kitchen, guarding all the food...and either growls at him or glares at him when he gets close to her. She's ate more today than she has any day since I've had her.

Definitely need another bed..

Bella (on right) is being mighty good natured about sharing her bed...but we definitely need to get another one.

First night in a new house...

I put the "new dog" in the kennel for the night...since he's used to being outside all the time...and didn't hear a peep out of either him or Bella all night long. I've got to get him a "real bed" though...since he wants Bella's bed...not his nice soft comfy pillow. Bella's such a good dog, she lets him have her bed.

Also I've learned he does NOT want to be a "yard dog" anymore...he's found the comforts of the house to be more to his liking. If I leave him in the yard, he barks...and he's figured out how to slip through the bars on the fence (since he's so skinny) and run up the steps to the dining room door. He's a little booger. We've either got to fatten him up quickly...or put something between those posts so he can't get through.

A new addition...Sammy!

Well, we have adopted another Cavalier rescue dog...Sammy. He's 15 months, full grown, weighs only 8 pounds but the vet says he should weigh about 11 to 12 pounds...so he's been struggling to get enough food to eat. It just upsets me to see how some people treat animals...but he's a lucky little fellow...because he's in a good home, now.

He and Bella took to each other just fine. In fact, it wasn't long before he crawled in her bed behind her and went to sleep. Bella just looked at him and went back to sleep. Later, I brought Sadie (my neighbor's chocolate lab) in to meet Sammy. I think he's going to be just fine.

Developing a personality!

Wow..it's so good seeing Bella developing her personality...she's so cute! It's such a shame she missed out on all that when "growing up"...getting stuck in a puppy mill...ugh! She doesn't even know "how to play". She and I have really bonded. She follows me from room to room....wants to be close!

Play Ball!

Charlie, 15 mos, loves to kick a ball.

5:00 am...

These Cavaliers love to be with people...and Bella follows me from room to room...and sits by my side when I'm working on something. She's very needy when it comes to not wanting to be by herself...but not at 5:00 am. Apparently she wanted some company...or maybe she heard a noise outside...not sure what was the reason, but at 5:00 am she decided it was time for me to get up and be with her. She didn't want to go out...just wanted me in the living room with her...so I spent what was left of the "night" sleeping on the couch.

Bella..."who's training who"

We've had Bella now for one week...and I'm trying to decide "who's training who"...LOL Since she's 5 years old and kind of set in her ways...and I'm a bit older and kind of set in my ways...sometimes we're having a "battle of the wills"....but we're working on it. She'll go up and down the stairs here in the house to find me, but when I'm ready for her to go "outside"...you can forget that, unless I carry her down the steps and out in the yard (my poor aching back)...but now, she will come back up on her own...since I walk away and leave her outside... and she certainly does not want to be out there by herself. So...we are progressing...yeah!

She's really getting used to us...no where near as skittish, but she's still a little cautious around us. She loves to lay beside me where ever I'm sitting or working...so I have to be careful when I stand up...not to step on her. When we walk into the room, she wags her tail and hind end...showing her excitement at seeing us.

This morning, when I came downstairs, I was expecting to see Bella either in the recliner (that she thinks is hers)...or in her bed in the living room where she usually is...or laying in the kitchen floor where she likes to lay right in the doorway where she can keep an eye on all rooms....BUT...no Bella. Gosh..I wondered, where can that dog be! ...when I heard the noise of some papers rustling and there right in the middle of the dining room table sat Bella. I had my laptop on the table there where I was working last night...and I had left my chair away from the table. Well...I'll have to remember to push the chair in under the table from now on.

Bella

Here's Bella...a 5 year old Cavalier King Charles Spaniel rescue dog that we rescued last week. Bella had been a puppy mill dog and not treated very well....but now she lives with us and we're working with her to get her used to people. She's got such a sweet nature and learns very quickly. She is having to learn to walk on a leash, go up and down stairs, and trust humans.

Sadie and her cat, "Geraldine"

My little dachshund, Chloe, died in January and a few days later, this black cat started hanging around out house. The cat was skinny, so we started leaving cat food on the porch. We decided it was a female and we named her Geraldine. Well....she has become "our cat"...and then we found out this past week, that "she" used to live next door with our neighbors....but I don't think they mind sharing Geraldine with us. Also, Sadie is their lab...but Sadie is about half ours, too. She comes over every morning for a dog treat...sleeps over here on our porch at night...and has a ferocious sounding bark. One day last week, it turned cold...and stayed that way the entire day. I walked out on the porch several times and each time, Sadie and Geraldine were curled up beside each other snoozing.