All kinds of stuff...It's summer. I'm busy!

So, first things first? I won my category of the Window Box Competition in our city! "Best New Business" was my category and I am all a-twitter from knowing that all those people voted for MEEEEE!

Here are the three that came out the best...I just took these today!



Isn't that exciting? I worked my arse off on these flower boxes, so I'm very relieved that my hard work paid off! Yaaay me! : )

In other world news, our dog, Sadie, is back in one of her "bad" phases. Not that she's a bad dog - far from it. She's the sweetest dog I've ever known and has not one mean bone in her body. Problem is, that her bones are just so frail and arthritic and her muscles are not far behind in the strong department. She's a mess. Dementia, arthritis, can't walk all that well, sometimes can't stand all that well, she poops in the house ALL THE TIME, paces, and is generally a mess. Then, the "bad" cycle goes away for a few days and she is alert, is happy, loves her walks, is waggy as all get-out and is more herself.

How do you know when it's "time?" Is the question of the century. When she's in a bad phase, it's just hard to watch. And the vet reminds us that we have to do what's right for her and not worry about what may be hard for us to watch...Is she still wanting to be in the world? Yes. Does she have interest in food? OHHH YES! Does she enjoy life? Treats? Walks? Still wants to go out? Yes yes yes to all of those...

Just look at her adorableness. This is her new thing:

She lays on the dog beds directly in line with the air conditioning vent and then rests her little head on the step. Is that not cute?

So, for now, we forge ahead with her...Hoping to make her last days, weeks or months as happy as possible. So, that's the scoop on that.

Our other dog, Koty? Perfect. Couldn't be better, in fact! Perfect annual check-up last month, full of energy, and he's a 12-year-old, very large dog that still plays with his toys! He loves his toys! He's just a delight! So we are so thankful he's doing well after his ordeal this spring.

Here's some of what's happening in the garden...

I'm harvesting cherry tomatoes and pickling cukes all the time! I currently have 7 cukes and umpteen tomatoes:

And I need to go out and pick a bunch more tomatoes after this!

The back yard has exploded! The hydrangeas have gone mad this summer! Grow grow growing to unexpected heights:
In the last couple weeks, they have stopped blooming and have put all their energy into the foliage. This hydrangea is taller than I am and I cannot reach across the bush anymore. It's enormous. All that spring rain has paid off, and I've been faithfully watering back there as it's been mostly dry and hot this summer. I'll get another round of blooms that will go until early November. Really amazing these hydrangeas! Here's another shot of them, as well as the smaller butterfly bush and Sadie's fuzzy butt!!
You'd never know it, but I've hacked and hacked and hacked back that butterfly bush so we can even begin to walk through the back yard. It's completely ridiculous!

The other butterfly bush, also known as MONGO, is soaring to new heights. About 20 feet now, I had feared we would lose this incredible specimen over the winter. Snow upon snow piled up on it and broke some of the major branches, but it obviously rebounded! Just look at this monstrosity!
It's obsurd!

Basil and chives are doing well:
I know I'm not supposed to let the basil bloom to keep it going, but I love the little flower stems!

This is a cool thingy I have back there, as well...A curly willow that I have kept going for 3 years!! I bought these curly willow branches at Stop and Shop to add to some spring arrangements I had done. Well, lo and behold, the things sprouted leaves and grew and grew and grew! They die off in the winter, and then come right back in the spring! It continues to grow and I don't have the heart to do anything except let it keep growing! Look at this!Isn't that crazy?

Then, here's the scene with the tall phlox in bloom:
So pretty, no? And they smell fantastic!

And last, but certainly far from least, my little dwarf fig tree that I transplanted to a bigger pot and then put outside in June...It is flourishing:It is a fully adult plant but will never get much larger than about three feet! AND it should start bearing fruit maybe next year if I'm lucky! This really interesting man was at our Farmer's Market last year and he sold all of these dwarf and miniature varieties of plants - hostas that were only about 4 inches tall (adult plants!), these fig trees and then I also got a tiny little aloe that is like 5 years old! It's about four inches tall by about 6 inches wide and will not get much bigger! I LOVE this kind of stuff! So fascinating!

Ok...This is the world's longest post, which will make my mom and dad happy (Hi Parents!), but for others, I'm sure you're bored silly by this point!

Hope you all had a great weekend and a great week this week!

Ciao for now!