Spent all of 5 minutes in the yard!

Tony and I went to breakfast yesterday morning, and when I got home our next door neighbor the one with the cats) called and said, "You should go out and see your garden!" Well, there were dragonflies EVERYWHERE. I'm talking about dozens and dozens. The neighbor said that they had actually thinned out a bit. I took the camera out, but couldn't really get any pictures because they were flying continuously - never resting. It was pretty cool.

So, as I had the camera in my hand, I snapped a few shots. Surprisingly, most of them weren't great, I think maybe because of the light wind that was blowing (or because all I could think about was how hot is was, even though it was only 9am or so). The picture above is one of the few that came out. We have a lot - a LOT - of miniature roses in pots on the back porch. This is a shot of some of them.

And, on a happy note, Tony talked to the other-side neighbors - they're duck shopping! We've been so worried about the one lone little guy...every time we walk out in our back yard, he starts quacking like crazy. And, yes, of COURSE we quack back! I've thought about getting a duck quacker-thing - like they use for hunting to call ducks - but I'm not sure that it wouldn't upset him. Anybody know?

Rosalita

My (relatively new) camera has a B&W mode - gave it a try last week. This is Rosalita, the youngest of the girls...she's a sweetie.

We're all fine!

I know I haven't updated about the girls very recently - so, first, YES, we're all fine. Mom's just crazy-busy. Ruby's birthday was July 4, so while Tony and I celebrated with seasoned burgers, she had her own little "plain" hamburger patty. Yes, everybody got one, Ruby's was just a little bigger. She also got a teaspoon full of vanilla ice cream (no emails, please!) Her real birth date is unknown, of course, as she was a rescue from the Austin Humane Society. We got her close to Christmas time, and they told us she was 5 to 6 months old, so - voila! - July 4th it is!

And then there was one...

Went home to sad news yesterday. Tony called as I was heading home - he'd been out in the back yard, and noticed that there were no ducks in the neighbor's duck pen. He found one - okay - but the other was in the back of our yard, injured. He called our vet, and the vet said there was really nothing to do but try to get the little guy (girl?) to calm down, then make sure there was plenty of food and water. The neighbors, of course, weren't home.

Anyway, long story short, when we went back over the duck was dead. It was the first time I'd seem them really close up, and I was truly astonished at how beautiful they are. The owner came home shortly, and was very upset. Somehow the pen's gate got opened...I found out later in the evening from the neighbor on the other side of us that they had been out all day, so there's no telling how it got injured. I hope they don't leave the one poor little thing by itself in that pen....Here's a picture I found on mariegale.com - apparently they're mallards...I don't know much about ducks, I guess.