We no longer live in a fish bowl!

When we moved in, one of the first things that we did was remove the very broken, plastic-y, dirty blinds from the kitchen. Then we realized that everyone could see into our house. But there were other, more important things to fix and make pretty. So we decided that we could live without them for a while... which meant that we were basically living in a fish bowl!

This weekend we finally went out and bought curtains! Of course the curtain rod we bought was broken (Thanks Wal Mart) so we had to return it and try again. But second time was a charm, and we installed them super quick and easy, and for under $40 including the curtains and the rod and hardware! And what a difference it makes! I think it makes the cats happy too because they don't feel like they have to guard the window anymore.

Gus has left the building

I have found nothing in the traps, so I will only assume he left post-haste. Will shall watch for him in the gardens.

He got out... maybe?

So either my cats are the worst attack-kitties ever, or Gus made is back into the garden where he belongs. My cats aren't paying any attention to the refrigerator or stove area where he was hiding, the pet safe trap isn't sprung and the snap trap in the cupboard hasn't caught anything- thank goodness! I told Nick that if we did catch Gus that he wasn't allowed to tell me, but I swear, he isn't lying and we really haven't caught him. Gus is a smart little guy, he wouldn't get snagged in a trap. I should really go out into my garden and look for him, then I can have a little relief that my little "pet" is okay. I felt so bad that when he startled me last night in the mud room that I startled him back and got him all discombobulated. Oh, Gus... I am sorry but you are cut off from the bird feed buffet. We can't have a repeat of last night again!

What an adventure!

In other pet news, we have two crysalis'. One will emerge in about 8 days and one will in nine days. I also have a new monarch egg that will hopefully hatch in a few days- I hope! It looks like a really new egg, but who knows if it will actually hatch or not.

He got in!

Pet name, Gus; after treading out into the mud room, the little bugger scared Hilary, made her scream, which in turn made me try to scare Gus out of the mud room. Only, he went the wrong way and into our house and under our stove. We haven't seen the guy since, but we have set out traps (pet safe ones) so maybe he'll find his way into one. Or, the other likely scenario is that he is long gone already, living it up outside.

We'll keep you posted.

If you give a mouse a cookie

We keep all of our bird seed in the back mud room, and discovered that a little something was nibbling at the bag and dragging bird seed around. We also discovered that there was a hole in the foot board we failed to plug up.

The other morning I went out the mud room to water and saw tail quickly scurry through the hole. Now each morning, I have been silently peeking into the mud room to see if Mr. Mousey is still there. Sure enough, EVERY morning, he is there, nibbling away- it is actually kind of a cute in a disease filled animal sort of way. We need to get a cover for our bird seed box, but also need to figure out if we can keep him out, period. We have been trying to stuff the hole with tin foil, but are apparently not doing a good enough job because he keeps getting in. I almost want to continue leaving out the bird seed to see if we have succeeded in plugging the hole. He hasn't come inside the house, thanks to some excellent guard kitties, but now I am afraid that if we get rid of the seed he might get hungry and stupid and try to, and I don't want my cats carrying around a dead mouse!

But you know what they say, if you give a mouse a cookie, he will ask for a glass of milk. What if he decides to bring the rest of his mousey friends into the mud room?

I don't want to trap him because I have seen his mousey face and he likes to hang out with me when I garden (I am not making this up! Every time I have been gardening, I have come across him and he just sits back and watches!).

So, this weekend I think we are going to replace the foot board of the door and see if that keeps him outside. If that doesn't work I will have to build him his own mouse house so he stops coming into mine! Just kidding, but hopefully it doesn't come to that!

Winifred Manor is expecting!

We hatched two caterpillars around August 2nd! We have a ton of milkweed in our butterfly garden, but so many birds that ever egg that hatched was than eaten. We managed to get to eggs before they hatched and now have two baby caterpillars! Here is some great information about the butterfly life cycle. I am thinking these caterpillars are part of the 3rd generation this season. Once they turn into butterflies they will lay eggs which will than be the butterflies that will migrate South. Maybe we will find some more eggs!

Here they are a few days after they first hatched, on August 5th (you can click on the pictures to make them bigger):

Look at how tiny they are!! They have grown so big over the past week! Here they are on August 11th.

I am thinking that they will be getting into their J's soon. I hope they do because then I might be able to see them turn into a butterfly. Me and Nick are leaving for vacation on the 21st and might not be able to see them come out of their chrysalis' and get released... hopefully we can get pictures so we don't miss our babies first flight!

Flowers and visitors

The flowers in the garden seem to be winding down. I am so glad I planted annuals in front of the house though, because those are still beautiful! Especially my Zinnias!

We also got a visitor to the yard! Isn't she pretty!

The vegetable garden is going, but slowly! I have had green tomatoes forever! The only ones that have actually turned ripe have had blossom rot :-( This morning though I finally saw that about three of my 100 tomatoes are starting to turn. My cayenne peppers are doing fantastic so garden salsa will happen soon! I even have my own onions! If only I had grown cilantro! Next year... next year!

I will have another vegetable garden update this weekend, and hopefully my first batch of salsa?