Summer is the season when my world seems to expand. In so many ways, both good and bad. On the good side, our living area increases. Our patio becomes an extension of our home, and we spend time there, reading, relaxing, drinking a cup of coffee, and occasionally entertaining friends and family. The bad side about my world becoming bigger is the increased work. Weeding, planting, maintaining, and watering. Oh, the watering! It has been exceptionally dry here for so early in the season and I kept putting off watering in the hopes of getting rain. I spent two hours catching up on watering. I’m happy when the growing season starts and I’m also happy when it ends. I guess this is a good balance because it affords me the chance to appreciate each one.

This is a place outside where I can take all the dogs with me to relax. (Or while I work in this area too!) All five of our dogs stay confined with the fences. No longer so when I put our dogs in the fenced pasture. Our newest addition and smallest dog, PeeWee can escape the pasture. I’m not sure where he gets out, but he has come running to me a couple times when I am doing yard work and am out of his sight. Apparently, my being out of his range of view is unacceptable. I don’t like to put the dogs in their crates for the amount of time that I spend working outside every day, so I have begun tying PeeWee out on a nylon coated, wire line near wherever I am working. I do have to move him around a little, so he always has shade, but we have a lot of trees, so this is not much of an inconvenience.

Our dogs all love the patio. It gives them a chance to enjoy the outdoors while hanging out with their people. They are trained to stay out of the flowerbeds, even when they see me working in them. They have an opportunity to be in sun or shade and usually move back and forth. They see the fountain as the world’s largest water bowl, even though they have their own in a shady corner. (I don’t leave them unattended in case they fall in although so far this has never happened.) Some of the dogs amuse themselves by watching and chasing chipmunks. Claire will stare at the rock pile for minutes on end. I don’t usually see them, but she knows they’re in there. Even 14 year old Shelby lays on a cool corner of the patio between the raised sandstone beds and lifts her head to give me her beautiful smile from time to time. Being deaf now, she also is keeping tabs on my location to make sure we aren’t going inside. A brief wave of my hand will have her getting up and heading toward the door.

Here is one of the flowers from a recent trip to a greenhouse for annuals. We have many perennials and plants that self-seed. We also plant annuals for variety and to make sure there is always something in bloom. I took my nieces with me the last time I went plant shopping and the zinnia was their pick. I wanted them to be able to participate and have fun too. One of them is attending an afternoon gardening camp soon. How cool is that?!

I love all things variegated! If a plant has multi-colored flowers or leaves, it’s likely to go in my basket. Weigelias, roses, petunias, it doesn’t matter. This tendency must be related to my busy mind. It carries over everywhere. I like dogs and cats that are spotted, brindled, and multi-colored. I like food that has many ingredients. My brother is fond of saying I don’t want any food, especially ice cream, unless it has five things in its name. I must admit this is true. I don’t see this variety as a bad thing. It prevents boredom and keeps my mind busy. I like my mind to be stimulated. That’s why my reading is so diverse too. I will read non-fiction, fiction, and memoirs on many subjects although I do admit being partial to mysteries. If you ask me at any point in time, what I am thinking about, the answer will rarely be “nothing”.

Sitting on the futon and staring at the sky through the grape arbor always produces dreamy thoughts and inspires new ideas. Alas, this usually results in more work. But we only live this life once so we must make the most of it. May your life be inspired too, my friends!