The front yard landscaping at Stately Warren Manor has been refreshed. The overgrown bushes have been trimmed, lower hanging tree branches removed, all three sego palms dug up, and a few awkward plants palced from the original planting removed. I searched the distressed plant racks at three nearby Lowe's for seasonal color. I have added zinnias, petunias, caladiums, hibiscus, lantana, and other flowering plants and shrubs to the existing evergreen plantings.
It has been therapeutic for me to be out among the plants, soil, and critters. The neatest thing I've observed in my garden is a pair of tiny green tree frogs that had taken up residence in the base of a self-watering hanging flower basket. The picture is really blurry as the camera lens was fogging from the temperature change between the over air conditioned laundry room and the great outdoors but I think the reader will still get some benefit from the photo.
There are 15 bales of pine straw mulch in the garage, and several plants on the back porch that will be used to update and refresh the backyard landscaping.
I gave Grace a bath this morning before I went to early service. Her skin problems have significantly improved. I had nice sudsing action from the Malaseb shampoo. Since I've planted new shrubs and flowers in the yard, I've been watering the transplanted material daily. Grace has decided this is great fun and is constantly chasing the stream of water coming out of the watering wand as I attempt to water. So far I've only inadvertently wacked her in the head once with the wand. She is having so much fun out playing in the hose it makes me wonder how she would do with a kiddie swimming pool but then I would have wet dog running in the house constantly. We may just stick to the hose play for now.
