OMG I haven't updated this thing in forever!!!! Last weekend went by in a flash. We were pretty productive. Saturday I did my LSD - ran my 12 miles (12.3 actually) along the river. I ran the road we take to the boat ramp (144 spur). It's very pretty along the river & I pass a couple of big horse stables, old homes, lots of woods - pretty scenic. Only problem is it's just over 4 miles, so after an out and back I had to do another 2 out and back. I thought I might wimp out on the last 4 - but I stuck it out!!! My HALF is next weekend already. I'm really psyched! now that I've just run 12 I KNOW I'll do 13.1 It's only recently dawned on me that wind may be a big factor in this race - considering it IS on the beach... HA ! Now that's something I never gave any thought to.....a little late for that. I'll just look at it as a challenge - it may slow me down, but it will NOT stop me!!!

In other news, we finally moved the rest of the dirt to fix our drainage problem & discovered Mother Nature had given us a big cucumber patch in the corner...with beautiful cucumbers!!!! We've already eaten 2 of them and have a bunch more still growing. Note the attractive orange fencing we put up to keep Ginger out of the dirt until the seed gets going. She's pretty annoyed about it too....now she can't run along the fence playing with the neighbors black labs Raven & Shadow.

The big yellow marsh flowers are blooming now. I can't remember their real name,,but they are over 10ft tall!!! I LOVE my froggies !!!!!! This one is very cool looking. - that reminds me,,, the other nite one of the little ones got in the house. I only found out cause Ginger was chasing it around & I couldn't imagine what she was doing. -- Just giving the poor thing the fright of it's little life!!!! I rescued it and put it outside again. It was one of those little suction cup froggies. Kung Pao Pepper anyone??? WOW these babies pack a punch!
My Zinnias are growing like crazy...I've already pulled them out once & this is the reseeded generation...pretty scary. I love the big bold color burst of orange in the middle of green - and so do the butterflies. My monarchs have NOT had a good time in my yard this year...the dang aphids kept eating my Milkweed!!! I couldn't keep up with them, and there is another nasty pest which I had all over,,,and it LOVES Milkweed....turns out it isn't considered a "pest" in the garden UNLESS YOU'RE TRYING TO GROW MILKWEED FOR YOUR MONARCHS!!!!!! Thanks Better Homes and Gardens!!!!! Could have gotten that pest out there a bit sooner for me!!!! But now I know.... I've also found an area that I'm going to completely devote to Milkweed. I'm terribly disappointed this year. The monarchs have been here and love my orange flowers, but haven't laid eggs....I've seen no caterpillars and I'm too sad about it :( I'll be prepared for the vermin next year!!!!