Creature feature.......

I am not going to pretend to name this insect. I assume it is like a locust but I have never seen one that looked like this.  I had my camera outside and this guy came down falling out of the sky and landed on the table in front of me.

A bonus picture today of the hydrangea that is starting to bloom. This is the second year for this plant to bloom.  It is an old fashioned foundation plant. The new owners of the place that are at the house that I received these starts, decided this spring to clear out all of the plants in front of the porch and start over with something different.  So I have the survivors growing in my yard.  I like how it changes color as it matures and becomes a very nice white.

A viignette in the garden........

I love finding almost round rocks along the North Shore of Minnesota. The weathering n the birdhouse is all natural.

Maine......

I had two pictures to choose from to enter into a contest.  This one seemed to be more bridge than landscape, but it  is still is a landscape.  I took this at Acadia National Park on Mt. Desert Island.  The bridge was created by the Rockefeller who originally owned the island. They were made by craftsman that were brought over from Europe to work on the project of many bridges.
We will be returning to see our son and his wife this August in Maine.

Checking in late today........

My tomatoes are doing well. I started these from seed and I am so surprised as to how fast they have grown.  I am going to mulch these and place a wire fence along the back side of them. I will tie them all up this year and see if it will cut down on the weeding and the mess. I have three rows of these because I don't believe in killing small plants.  Two people don't need 20 or more tomato plants.

Here is another view of my overwintered geranium plant. I love the deep red of the plant and am glad it survived so well.

We took Button to the Vet today to have a blood sample taken.  It will be sent in and tested to see if the old 12 year old poodle can survive a surgery.  He has a cancerous growth growing along his gum line, under his tongue.  The doctor and her husband also a vet seemed a little more upbeat about it all today.  His kidneys need to function well so he can come out of the drug they put him on to make him sleep while he his being operated on for the removal of the growth. We are hoping for the best.  He doesn't act old or sick so we think he is pretty strong to go through it.  We won't know for sure when until tomorrow if he is able to have the surgery.  They did say they would send him on to a specialist as if they felt it wasn't safe.  Our vet was so visibly shaken when she found the growth last week that we were pretty upset ourselves.  But after today's visit we are feeling better about it.
Thanks for stopping by.........

Yellow Kitty

My helper in the garden has taken on a new life of her own.  She is so old and we have babied her with a diet that only a city cat would love.  She never had soft canned food and softened dry food, but her fur and her color has become luxurious in feel and color.  The glads that I planted are sprouting already.

Geranium...........

This plant survived in the spare room all winter and it is bursting with buds now. I will replace some of it's soil to get it revived for all the summer.

Blue Abstract........

The point and shoot guy got a big blur, but blue in motion is kind of nice. This is my blue iris that seems to just keep blooming.