Glorious Fourth!

Yesterday I decided to celebrate my renewed ability to walk and tolerate the sun by going to both farmer's markets! The County farmer's market has one-third the vendors, but is very low key and not so crowded. Shoppers there tend to SHOP, as opposed to CHAT. The City farmer's market is very, very crowded and they have live music. The vendors are diverse, as are the items for sale. People wander and socialize, tripping over kids. There was an actual line, ten deep, to get to the corn guy. Seriously, I doubt his corn was locally grown. But, whatever.

Clockwise from top: burpless cucumber, 75 cents; Strawberry-Rhubarb pie, $5; beets & greens, $2; baby eggplants, $1.75; patty pan squash, $2; rainbow chard, $3; new potatoes, $1.75. We also bought a pound of ground beef (not pictured), $3.

Some of the veggies went into a scrumptious beef stir-fry last night. Unfortunately, my larger burner decided to quit, so had to cook on the smaller front burner. Am I going to have to buy a new stove? YIKES!

We hope you had a Fun & Floofy Fourth! xxoo Patty & Bhu

Bhu's New Bag!

Every night I come home from work and Bhu greets me at the door. He wants me to pick him up and hold him like a baby and give him belleh rubs. Who can resist? After he's had a Fancy Feast snack, we go into the bedroom and I put my bag on the bed and he promptly crawls into it. And there he stays for ten or fifteen minutes. He's so silly! "Me no silly! Me likes it in herez!"

Sorry for the lack of communication lately. Our fiscal year ended Tuesday and June has been a nightmare. However, highlights of the past six weeks have been (a) Bhu's lovely orange chair finally broke so he's been sleeping on the Hepper Wave and loving it; (b) Glory Girls visited and it was so good to see them; (c) my doctor discovered that hydrochlorothiazide has been causing all my horrible symptoms of the past ten years and I DO NOT have diabetes (but I do have gout); (d) now that I am not taking that simple little water pill anymore, I can walk again; (e) because I'm not taking the water pill, my blood pressure is 190 over 110; (f) all the greens I planted this spring have gone to seed for lack of attention, so I'm harvesting seed and going to replant this weekend; (g) the black bunny disappeared.

Hope you all have a Happy 4th! xxoo Patty & Bhu

awholelottacatsinboxes Day!

Box size or type doesn't matter! If me can getz butt in there, me goes in.

Yes, we iz back!

These are the daylily days and these are the daylillies I love the best: Tiger Lily! You know summer is here when these bloom and the lightning bugs suddenly appear, all asparkle in the night yard. Ninety-five percent humidity can't be far away!
Bhu and I have been very hard at work these days. Bhu is doing House Security, as you can see. Here he is pretending to be "sleepy," just to catch any intruder off guard. "Dis iz hard werk!" Yeah, right. At the University, people aren't forced to do things that are practical; all they have to do is come up with theories. Many of our processes are based on theories; most of them don't work. Because of this, our policies and processes change all the time, making it a largely unstable environment for managers. So, the past few weeks have been really frustrating and exhausting for me. "An' me, too,cuz U iz werkin's so much me hasta watch the howse longer!" Poppy, the Brave & Courageous, has been forced to pick up take-out food three nights in a row. This isn't something he really regrets. He likes take-out. I regret it because it's not that healthy, but it is very flavorful!
This week there have been a lot of opportunities for photo-capturing, but slacker that I am forgot to bring her camera. Seriously, I need to get a camera phone! We were happy this week to be able to see the visiting Corless and Ann: what a treat! Then, to close, I'd like to send big hearts & hugs to Roberto, say Happy Birthday to Sachie (who Bhu and I adore), and warn everyone about Jupiter in retrograde (don't make any decisions that affect your material world, including changing jobs, until October 13). OR, go ahead and do it and see what happens. Mucho, mucho xxoo! P

Happy Monday

This is my office. Thankfully, I do not have to be there today because it is a paid holiday -- the first since January! In any case, Memorial Day sort of ushers in the busiest time of the year for me because it is the end of the fiscal year. When I hired my assistant, I told her she couldn't take vacation in June or July or late August/early September. So, she's taking off next week. This will be my last day off until July 4.

Bhu spends more and more time in the window, watching the quivering leaves and cardinal babies training for flight. Today, however, he is running around the house, very vocal, jumping on furniture he normally doesn't think about. Me thinks there is a bug in the house!! For the life of me, I can't see it. "Me no tell U where it iz. U will just capture it and set it free outsidez!" Well, you got me there, Bhu. That's exactly what I'd do!

And, although this is a clumsy segue, speaking of rescue and freedom, this holiday was created so we would be able to appropriately honor the soldiers (male and female) who have served Country and sacrificed. xxoo Patty

Sbeenalongtime!

Can't even remember the last time I was here. Things have happened: several thousands of folks graduated with degrees from one or another of the various colleges and universities here, the streets and restaurants clogged with relatives of every ilk. Chuck the Gulch Radio Guy was again a welcomed guest. We are always sad that he doesn't stay longer!

Bowl of Beauty peony is blooming right now. This is one of the most gorgeous peonies and the blooms just don't last long enough.

Of course, there's always time for petting Bhu, who is having a wonderful spring so far! He hopes you're having a great spring, too! xxoo Patty & Bhu

Mai Mom iz the Best!

Thank you mom for all the fancee feest, pets, belley rubs, and bhumobile rides! Me luvs U! xxoo Bhu
Thanks, my little sweetie pie! Me luvs U 2! Reminds me I need to call my daughter and wish her a Happy Mother's Day, as she is one of the best moms I have ever known. She really does give everything to her kids. Plus, she's so smart and gorgeous! I always tell her she was switched at birth and I was the lucky one!
What are these goofy pictures? The east side of my house in March in all its horrible blandness. We had new windows installed and I decided to add shutters and window boxes. These window boxes are a quick-fix; a more permanent addition is planned. We are praying over these plants because I have never done the cocoa liner thing before. If you have advice or anecdotes, please share! xxoo Patty & Bhu

Guess Who's Coming to Dinner!

Going out to water my lovely seedlings and this is who I find munching on my kale! He seems to be a pet; I've never seen a black bunny in the critter community and he wasn't bothered at all by my presence. He seemed to be very trusting. As I got closer to him with the hose, he grabbed his kale and moved to the driveway and then smacked his lips and moved across the street to hide under a vintage BMW. I sent his photo to everyone in the 'hood, so hopefully his human will see it and come to rescue him! I'm so worried about him!! Please be safe, bunny! xxoo Patty

puter schmooter

We has been havin' 'puter problems this weekend, so mom hasn't been able to post. Also, she sez "I am so busy, Bhu, and so tired every night from work, I need to relax." Sure, me can unnerstanz this. Me workz hard every day doin' house security an' it makes me sleepy!

Okay, well, thanks for being so understanding Bhu. I will try to take some photos of you on the job this week so everyone can see you in action! I really like to watch movies to relax. It would be so helpful if efurryone could leave a comment and let me know what their fafurite movies are. xxoo Patty

SCHPRINGin!

Bhu, what're you doin' in the stroller?
"Go fur walk, K? Me see outsidez!"
Okay, let's see what's happenin' out there.
Look at the pink puddle!!
"Why itz pink?"
Crabapple blossoms. Pretty, huh?



"Ooooo, look! BOID!" Yes, she's a very funny bird. Looks like a robin on the bottom and a woodpecker on the top. She looks nice and snug!

WOW! Look, Bhu! Pea Sprouts!! YAY!! "Taste like fancee feest?" No, tastes BETTER!

"Me likes spring. Thanks fur ride, mom!" My pleasure, Bhu. xxoo Patty