Before the Rains

Another hot and humid day which looks like it will culminate in thunderstorms.  It was really too hot to be out for long today but once the clouds rolled in, I took a camera out and stalked things in the garden.  As fall gets near, the insect life is shifting - fewer bees and solitary wasps, almost no syrphid flies; but monarchs are moving through and the lovely, dainty Autumn Meadowhawks (today's blip) are hunting in the vegetation.  They prefer to hunt from a perch, darting out if something tasty flies by.  This one is a male although he is starting to fade a bit, nearing the end of his short life.

Jax is at Daycare where he was reunited with his puppyhood friend, Gidget.  Gidget is a pitbull that someone dumped at the daycare (anonymously).  One of the girls who used to work there (and has recently come back) fostered Gidget while they looked for a home.  But when several perspective "pet parents" came to meet Gidget, Lauren realized that she couldn't let her go.  The very first day I took to Jax for day care for a "test" day, Lauren introduced the two of them because they were almost exactly the same age and size - and it was love at first sight.  From then on, whenever I'd take Jax for a day at "camp", I'd try to do it on a day when Lauren was going to be there so that the two dogs could play.  I was sad when she told me one day that she was leaving for what she hoped was a better opportunity.  And thrilled recently when one of the staff told me that Lauren was coming back.  I'm curious to learn if the dogs recognized each other.  I will try to put a shot in Extra from their website.

In other news, I had a great follow up with the doc who's treating the osteoarthritis in my neck and he declared that, after two nerve block sessions, he feels I am ready to have the first nerve ablation.  I'm scheduled for next Tuesday and very excited to be doing this.  If this works, it will be a longer term, or possibly even permanent, solution.  He only does one side at a time, so I would not get the second side done for at least 6 weeks.  

And while I was talking to the doctor, Husband was dealing with Mama and her four cubs who were climbing onto the patio.  Jax saw them through the window and sounded the alarm.  Apparently, Mama didn't react although she would certainly have been able to hear Jax.  So Hubs stuck his hand out and blasted the air horn which sent all five bears into the woods.  Jax was on edge for the rest of the evening, as were we.  

I released a female monarch today in memory of a fellow Blipper's mother who passed away eight years ago. I've got six more caterpillars eating and growing - three are almost ready to pupate and the remaining three are still quite small.  And I think I've got a dozen or so chrysalids ready to become butterflies soon.

I decided on dark with dried cherries today, a favorite.

xo
Debbi