Bloomin' Tuesday

Happy Bloomin' Tuesday! There's a lot going on in our garden this time of year. Flowers, fruits, and veggies have all taken root and are strutting their stuff. We've already sampled our vine-ripened tomatoes. The cherries are ruby red, and the peaches are getting ripe. Usually, I highlight the flora in our yard, but today I'm going to introduce you to some of the fauna that has taken up residence within the confines of our property. See those pink flamingos to the left? They aren't ours. (I'm such a tease.) Although I have never consider putting one of those "delightful" knickknacks in our yard, we do have a medley of motley creatures taking up residence in our gardens.

This is "Grizzley" -- "Grizz" for short. He's a friendly sort and welcomes friends and neighbors to our backyard...

Kermit, named after his famous second-cousin once removed, is a hard one to spot, but today he's nestled amongst the impatiens staying out of the hot sun...

This is Peter. You can usually find him in the perennial flower bed. He stands still as a statue when I take his picture. Such an accommodating fellow...

A few years back my boys were playing their traditional paint ball game in our backyard. It's an obnoxious little game where each takes his turn at being "the target." Don't judge. I would never have permitted this game when they were younger, but I get a perverse kind of pleasure in watching them whack each other now that they're grown. Later that evening we were hosting a wedding reception at another location for son #4 and his new bride. The boys asked if they could play the game and I said "yes", under three conditions. 1.) Clean up after yourselves. 2.) Don't hit Mr. Squirrel. (Please see photo below and note the location of Mr. Squirrel in relation to "the target.") And 3.) Don't shoot each other in the face because there would be a photographer at the reception, and I didn't want purplish welts on anyone's face in the wedding photos. I thought those were reasonable requests.

Soon after I came outside to find Mr. Squirrel covered in orange paint. Son #3's excuse... "I hadn't hit anything all day. Who would have thought I'd actually hit the sorry sucker?" As you can see Mr. Squirrel no longer sports an orange-ish hue, however I wouldn't say he's fully recovered...

Our feathered friends taking bird baths...

Another bunny wrapped in foliage...

"Kitty" is tucked under a tree by our front door. When she was younger, she would cause friends coming up the walkway to our front door to take a second look. Now that she's older and a little weathered she doesn't cause so many double takes. She's a favorite of mine. My mother bought this for me in California years ago. It's a painted rock. She didn't realize how heavy it was until after she paid for it and went to pick it up. Then because they loved me, she and my dad lugged that feline through two airports before it was unceremoniously dropped it into my lap. Whenever I look at her I think of them...

Have a great Bloomin' Tuesday.
To enjoy more Bloomin' Tuesday posts, go to Ms. Green Thumb Jean's linky party.