A fence for my fur babies

I was at the lake recently for several days, just me and the dogs, trying to cross more to-do items off my list for the summer entertaining season, particularly our backyard fence. The husband and I were happy to have the older daughter and her husband initially join us for a long weekend. This was their first visit to the lake, so we enjoyed showing them around. 

We discovered a darling local winery, Kiepersol Estates, so we booked a lunch reservation and then took a tour of their operations. It's unique in that all of the wines they bottle come from grapes grown on the estate. That is definitely not the case with a lot of Texas wineries. 

In other lake news, we are now up to three kayaks with the delivery of the tandem one the husband ordered. With six flotation vests, we're all ready to paddle our corner of the lake. Per our boat salesman, the tritoon we ordered will wrap up construction soon and should be ready for delivery by mid-May.

When I purchased a new light fixture for the dining room, I seriously underestimated the ceiling height. This lovely replacement was extended to the max hang height. Unfortunately when we added an extra two feet of chain beyond the fixed poles, it made this linear chandelier sit crossways at an angle to the dining table. I believe the appropriate southern term is cattywampus. Plus it was still suspended too high and looked awkward. And so I switched it out for a wagon wheel design that looks great in the space. Anybody local looking to buy a slightly used Pottery Barn forged iron chandelier, hit me up and I'll give you a good deal... LED lightbulbs included.

Azalea season has ended at the lake, but now roses are in bloom. Although the fence installation guys were great, they unfortunately punctured our sprinkler system in two spots. So I had to ring up our irrigation folks to come repair that. With our recent rains and the sprinklers running regularly now, the yard has greened up and looks healthy. St Augustine "carpet grass" is my favorite.

As for the dogs, they were thrilled when the fence was finished so they could roam the yard at will. But I still monitor their outside time because the husband killed our first snake at the lake. Thankfully it was a non-venomous water snake. But this close to the water, I'm on the lookout for water moccasins. And you always have to watch for rattlers in the piney woods. The other thing I have to be aware of is the possibility of our pups falling over the retaining wall into the lake if they don't put on the brakes soon enough when chasing the occasional duck or heron out of their yard. Then there's this nasty habit of them enjoying the occasional roll in duck poop. Talk about yucky, y'all. The local fowl quack me up by coming close enough to the house to taunt our terriers. The little white dog's other fav place to get a good look at the yard is the sofa nearest the back porch.

New doggy hairdos

It's April, so that means it's time for our cairn terriers to get their coats clipped as we head into warm weather. Our very own naked mole rats. It's only gonna get worse in terms of sweltering heat on the horizon. Plus sticker season is just getting started, which I loathe. With the grass growing again and my yard guy bringing in the mowers, that means the pups are also tracking in little green bits for me to sweep and vacuum on the regular. 

Warmer temps also means the lizards are out again around the back porch. Finn is quite the lizard hunter, even more than Pepper. He has only killed one this month, but that's mainly because I've started discouraging this behavior. He's the sort that would go after a snake in the yard, obviously not realizing if it's venomous, and that would be the end of little man Finn. 

There are times Finn *thinks* he sees a lizard and it has already escaped. Since he's a tenacious terrier, he isn't one to throw in the towel. And so he stands around and whines in frustration. Jumps at the fence where the lizard was. Scratches the roof downspout where the lizard scuttled away and out of sight to safety. The husband has tried showing Finn that the lizard isn't there, but this doesn't really deter his persistent behavior.  

The local deer that often waltz onto our five acres when the gate to our property is open are also prone to fits of terrier territorial behavior. When they come close to the fence to graze on the grass there, Finn and Pepper feel compelled to chase them away. Not that it does any good, mind you. The deer may dash off, but they're not truly afraid of the little yappers as evidenced by them returning to our property on the regular. 

My yappy little yard guardians

The dogs were on patrol all weekend when we were at the lake house. It got rather noisy at times when Finn and Pepper discovered intruders in the back yard. Barking ensued every time they spied a duck, heron or squirrel on their patch of grass. Once the fence installation is complete, they'll have a grand old time chasing away any future feather or furred trespassers. 

Last full day in San Diego

I thought I had wrapped up my posts about the spring break trip my sister and I took to the west coast, but I forgot our final outing. We toodled over into downtown San Diego to take a stroll through the historic gaslamp district. We ended up north in Little Italy where we enjoyed a late breakfast. Then we ambled south through a different part of downtown, past the old train station, to end up at the Embarcadero on the waterfront. 

This gave us an excellent view of the bridge we traversed daily to our hotel on Coronado Island. We stood there for a bit to watch the Coronado ferry arrive. We also spied some navy vessels in the water. Then we hit the local tourist shops for a few fun souvenir t-shirts.

 

That afternoon we drover over to check out Balboa Park. There were lots of museums and really pretty architecture in the park. The sweet little turtles lined up along a reflecting pool caught our eye. Balboa Park is 1200 acres, so we were happy to hop on their incredibly handy (and free) tram service that allowed us a nice overview.

We stumbled upon a little bit of Texas history in San Diego. They have an antique carousel there at the Embarcadero's seaport village. When we were checking out the sign that gave its history, we realized it was originally placed at Dallas' Fairpark back in 1895. We didn't go for a ride on the ponies, but we did take a look to appreciate the lovely artistry from this bygone era.

 

Lake toys

We've already got our new golf cart in the lake house garage. Now we're just waiting on our new tritoon to put in its lift at the boat house. Last time we were at the lake, we visited a local boat dealer to look at what they had in stock. I really thought I knew what I wanted, but then we discovered a different configuration that looked ideal for our needs. My pet peeve with most boats that can seat ten folks is that the majority of riders are facing sideways. Which means your hair is blowing in your face, and that's super annoying to most women. But take a look at this set-up below, y'all. Pretty cool, huh?

After our boat salesman removed the covers from several models under consideration so we could take a look and they could give us their pitch, we ended up in the sales manager's office to build the exact boat we want. Things like custom seats that match the skin rail colors, cool-to-the-touch flooring, a big motor, changing room/toilet and a power bimini with front extension. I had already checked out options online beforehand and decided to stick with my patriotic color scheme. I think it's gonna be a stunner on the water. We really like the idea that at least six of the ten folks cruising in the boat with us can face forward. With those four swivel chairs, it should also be a comfortable place for casting a line. The boat is being built as I type this and will be delivered to our local boat guy for the last bit of finish work before we take it out for a spin on the lake and pay the balance. I'm so excited to wear my captain's hat once again. The husband recently found our tow ropes stored in the barn, while I ordered a new tube to drag the younger crowd around the lake. Now we just need to invest in some life jackets of various sizes and we'll be all set!

A little early Fiesta fun

Another volunteer Saturday is in the books, spent at a local group home for girls. My consistent role has been snack lady and all around helper. However, for the past five years I've also hosted various spring activities. This year I decided to educate the girls about San Antonio's annual spring celebration, Fiesta. We talked about the history and traditions. Another volunteer brought her medal collection so the girls could see how colorful and unique they are. Then I led the girls in making floral crowns with the help of several other ladies who volunteer with me every month. I also brought all the fixin's for a nacho bar and we wrapped up our time together playing Fiesta-themed bingo. They love playing any game when prizes are involved!

Every month with these girls, I'm reminded of how they desperately need positive role models in their lives. I encourage all empty-nesters to find a way to share your talents and time with the members of your community who need to be uplifted. Don't underestimate the value of your help because we all should be rolling up our sleeves (more) while trying to make a difference as God instructs us in the Bible, particularly in the lives of the most vulnerable. I'm talking to myself here, too. The Lord wants our committed hearts, not our excuses. I'm convinced that when we start looking for places to volunteer, the Lord guides our efforts to where He can use us for His glory.

And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.  Hebrews 13:16

In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: "It is more blessed to give than to receive."  Acts 20:35 

What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds... faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.  James 2:14,17

 

Azalea season

There are some aspects of the Texas hill country I'd miss. However, one of those things will NOT be the dry/drought conditions we face, especially in summertime. Sago palms and succulents are their own brand of pretty, for sure. But I grew up in the southeastern part of Texas near the Louisiana border, so I was accustomed to sufficient rain that supports thriving flora. There was no missing the arrival of spring every March when the azaleas and dogwoods burst forth with blooms. The profusion of color is always a sight to behold as God's creation heralds its annual rebirth in anticipation of Easter when we celebrate Jesus' resurrection.

When we were at the lake house recently, I oohed and aahed over all of the lovely azaleas in our neighborhood. Virtually every home had at least a couple of them. I loved it so much that I asked our new yard person to plant several azalea bushes across the front of the house when she was upgrading some of the landscaping for me. I contemplated white, but then decided to go with a vibrant pink that should be a nice pop of color against the home's exterior.

One afternoon at the lake when I was out on the back porch considering the addition of sage as a replacement for sad looking flowers in the landscape beds, I spied a guy and his golf cart down near the water. Thinking he had hit a realllly lousy drive that overshot the #11 cup, I zoomed in with my camera and realized he wasn't golfing, but rather fishing. Now isn't that handy? Our community is a pretty great two-fer for golfers and anglers.

Speaking of fish, the husband and I enjoyed another fabulous meal at this great Cajun restaurant just a few miles down the road from our lake house. I'm not a catfish fan, but the husband said it was amazing. I know I thoroughly enjoyed my fried shrimp, which reminded me of the way my sweet granny and mom used to whip them up for us back in the day. It was always a tasty treat any time those two hit the kitchen. 

I love a good zoo

Yes, yes, I'm on the cusp of old lady-hood, but that doesn't dampen my excitement at the thought of visiting a zoo. We've got several excellent zoos here in Texas, but I've always wanted to tour the one in San Diego. Back in the day, I recall watching Johnny Carson's Tonight Show (and Carson's successor Jay Leno) to see Joan Embery bring various critters from the San Diego Zoo onto the set. I was always fascinated and found it highly entertaining, particularly Johnny Carson's reactions to some of the animal's antics.

As expected, the San Diego zoo did not disappoint on our recent spring break trip. My sister and I got many a step in as we trekked around to all of the exhibits. We were thinking the new pandas might mean a long line, but it wasn't bad at all. The only issue was that the pandas were both flopped out snoozing with their backs to all of us curious onlookers. At least we got a good look at the red pandas. Not to brag here, but I wasn't particularly impressed at the thought of pandas since the husband and I took our girls to China's panda research center in Chengdu exactly twelve years ago this month for their school's spring break while living in England. All four of us actually got to hold a panda. It was so cool. But I digress.

As always, the primates were highly entertaining and they had quite a few different species on exhibit. My sister was a fan of the birds, so we walked through several aviaries. I've gotta admit, you could smell the flamingos before you spied them. They put on quite the show, too. 

 

The elephants are always impressive. We strolled through the reptile house, which never fails to give me a case of the heebie jeebies. As we walked the zoo, I couldn't help but notice all of the wonderful flora that was planted in each of the different regions where the animals were native. What I hated seeing was how some ill-mannered tourists thought it would be fun to graffiti the bamboo growing in several spots. I have a hard time wrapping my brain around why some folks feel compelled to write things on places where it doesn't belong. And particularly on a living plant. I believe the term "village idiot" is highly applicable to these plant defacers.

 

 

We were surprised when we spied the zoo's skyfari. This aerial tram ride gave us a lovely bird's eye view not only of the zoo, but also adjacent Balboa Park in the distance. I'm not a fan of heights, so I didn't dangle over the side for some fabulous pics. Below is about the best I could do as we made our way from one side of the zoo to the other. All in all it was a wonderful day and I was happy to check the San Diego Zoo off my bucket list.

 

PS - I went back through some old folders to find evidence of our visit to Chengdu, getting up close and personal with the toddler-aged pandas, as well as snapping some wonderful pics of them. They were so stinkin' cute, y'all, with their roly poly bodies and clownish personalities.