progress, updates, and pictures, oh my!

Note to reader::pictures are from our trip to Brookgreen Gardens. There was a low country zoo, a petting zoo, and an aviary. All very small, but loads of wonderful creatures.
Today was a great, warm, sunny day. After I did my early morning grocery shopping we all went down to our local urban garden co-op. Most of the veggies for sale were down at the community market, which we also went to, but while at the co-op we saw some beautiful roses, some stylish chickens, and a very cantankerous turkey. We also ran into Adrienne of Some of a Kind. We talked kids, blogs, and sewing. Good times! I also had some very beneficial time with my sewing machine today. I've had a dress pattern cut out for a couple of years and just never got around to it. I'd worked on the bodice part and was intimidated by the lining and the interfacing. Well, it really wasn't that bad so I finished that up, added the cap sleeves, attached the cute band for the middle and sewed on the skirt! Yeah baby...that's progress! Now all I need to do is hem it and put in the zipper...yikes!

(snake in swampy water::fancy chicken-girls called them zebra chickens::young bull::cute, resting sheep with loads of wool::a fox squirrel..we thought raccoon squirrel would have made more sense, but oh well::cute, quick lizard::napping horse, huh?)
I also have for you an update on my PopPop. It's good news. He's doing quite well. He's still at home working on physical therapy and lots of other stuff. He's getting stronger...a farmer to the bone. I do still covet your prayers for him and my Grandma who is his primary care taker. Patience, perseverance, and protection.

(rescued injured bald eagles..beautiful and amazing::gator out in the open about 20 feet from the path we were following::tiny turtle in a pond on the overflow pipe::slick, cute, river otters::a little red fox catching some rays)
Well, our new cat, Shadow, is adjusting very well to his new home. He can be very sweet, purring and curling up beside us on the couch. He is also very playful but not rough with his claws. He is great with the girls...even in the midst of toys and loud playing and constant jumping he usually curls up right in the middle of the chaos to watch and nap. Now if he would not want me to get up at the crack of dawn he'd be perfect.

(obviously all owls-I didn't write down all of the different kinds-I need to do a little owl research- but miss O absolutely loved seeing them all. The far right is the great horned owl who was gracious enough to hoot for us! The bottom left is a barn owl. Fascinating birds, really!)
We just finished up another couple of days of rain and I tell you what, my garden is growing like crazy! The peppers are covered in blooms, some tomatoes have blooms already, the sugar snap peas have sprouted, so have the radishes and beets! The sunflowers are growing a little more, the squash, zucchini, cucumbers, and pumpkins are growing quickly and will spread out soon. It's so exciting! I can hardly wait to harvest some fresh veggies from my own garden. When I went grocery shopping today I picked up more seeds...catnip-for Shadow :o) lettuce and spinach for mid to late summer planting.
So there you have it, a mish-mash of info and photos at the end of a wonderful day. I hope your was just as good. xo-ANG