Flora and fauna

Two years ago we had a mourning dove we named Heather decide that the gutter outside the boys. bedroom would be a perfect nesting spot. She and her mate, Hrothgar or Herbert or something, raised one chick. We didn't see or hear anybody return last year, but this year Heather is back or maybe the chick wanted to raise a family in the same spot:

We hope they survive whatever weather is thrown our way. It IS a more sheltered corner of the house and it's to the side of the drainspout, so in theory all should be well!

These goofball dogs keep pulling stuffing out of their bed despite me spraying it all with that bitter tasting deterrent. Then she sticks her head right up against it. She was sound asleep and kicking with her tongue out.

The first of the Virginia Springbeauty flowers, above, and one of the more unfortunate crayfish mentioned in the next post. Found this... skeleton? Exoskeleton? Whoever it was got smashed in the driveway and just looked like a clump of dead leaves in the predawn dark at the bus stop until I leaned closer and realized, "well, someone had an unhappy end when someone else turned around in our driveway or we left home..."

There are two types of creatures, I think- those who are solar powered like Bos and myself, and my Welsh husband. We "sun" very differently...

 

First and second day of school

It's that time of year again. The time when teenagers everywhere protest that their bodies do better staying up late and sleeping in than getting up at the buttcrack of dawn to then sleep through their first several sessions of class. They're not wrong, but I don't rule the world, so go get on that bus and rock your day. This is actually day two for the boys. They weren't thrilled that their sister did not have to go the first day, but the administration decided to let the freshman tackle their first day in relative peace without upperclassmen breathing down their throats. We'll see if the policy sticks, but she wasn't complaining. 

So I took her to the vet to get her shots.

Just kidding. She DID accompany me to the vet, but it was for Bosley's check up and shots, not hers. Our vet, whom we adore, confirmed what we already knew: he's adorable. We joke regularly that he will be remembered in our list of dogs as "the cute, stupid one."

And they're off. It's Nic's junior year, Liam is in 8th grade, and Damon came home to report that his fourth grade team covered him in awesomeness. This year he'll start switching classes, and he is SO excited.

As I edited this, "fourth grade pass" came up in my labels, so consider this your PSA: sign your fourth grader up (google Every Kid in a Park) for their free pass so you can explore for free this year! You're welcome!

Happy back to school, everyone!