And We're Off. .

Summer is officially over now. .

School is well underway. .

And the schedules are filling up!

This past Saturday. .

was a PERFECT day. .

to be at the races.

Sunny, a mild breeze and highs in the low 80's.

Grant won the high school division. .

He is not supposed to run the 1/4 mile track in less than 12.00 seconds. .

He was going 111 MPH this round. .

And had one round that he actually was faster than that. .

With all the harnessing and helmets and suits and an ambulance on site. .

I don't get too wound up about it. .

Football was more dangerous than this!!

 Jeremy didn't do so hot. .

And had a mild breakdown. .

(with his car. .not his temper)

He didn't do badly. .

Everyone else just did better!!

The purple nova runs in two classes. .

Grant drives it in the high school division. .

And Tristan takes it in a different class. .

He didn't have a good day either as the car seemed to be performing faster than he thought it should.

I'd explain it. .

but I can't!

This girl. .

Is the official photographer!

Couldn't resist!

It's always more fun for me when there are other people there that I know!!

These 3 brothers are good, long time friends. .

And the girls. .

had a blast!!

My friend Lindsay and I took these two downtown. .

In the hopes of scoring pedicures. .

We were the unlucky ones, as all the salons were full. .

So they had to settle for scooters and movies!!

I tried to get a photo of my guys. .

Yes. .he is trying to kiss him!

Which was better than the response that I usually get!

Lindsay even snagged one of us all!

Kansas may have temperamental weather. .

But it has PHENOMENAL sunsets!!

And they are even more glorious when you can be outside enjoying every moment of it!

In other news. .

I am the proud mama to 15 little guinea keets. .

They chirped their way into the post office on Friday. .

And are living in a box in my kitchen for now.

I am hopeful. .

that they are harder on insects than they are on gardens!!

If so. .

our chicken population will start to decrease. .

One BBQ at a time!

They are fun to watch. .

and so are the kids and the hubby. .

as they stop every time they walk by to cuddle or coo!

This one will have senior pictures in a few weeks. .

We took a drive out to the ranch last weekend to scout some locations for the perfect photos!

We'll also do family pictures that night!

It's been THREE years since we had official photos done!!

Time flies, eh?

The scenery out there is rugged and truly breathtaking. .

Summer was good to the land and vegetation!

We've also had some breathing time to just sit around our little pond. .

There are SOOO many frogs in it. .

I know I  mentioned it not long ago. .

but every time we walk, they hop, hop, hop into the pond. .

There are some mighty large ones too!

We have a few little wildlife adventures planned this month. .

Involving pelican migration and wildflowers. .

And respite for our souls!!

Which is always good. .

Enjoy your week!

The Struggling Plant Life

Or maybe it should read

 "The struggles of a plant's life". .or maybe

"The life of a struggling plant". .or what about. .

"The plants of a struggling life"

Or maybe I'll just get on with my story?

So, I had uploaded these photos to post on the other day before we were delighted with the surprise rain showers. Compared to photos from last year. .there is really not much AT ALL going on in the gardens here.

Only a few blooms. .these from the Pye Weed on the north side of the house. There are also some purple blooms from the crapemyrtle, some sunflowers blooming, one daylily, and a handful of annuals. What the heat hasn't stifled. .the big 'ole hoppers have. I have been trying not to use pesticide. .so I just look the other way.

This little doll has been one of the highlights of our week. Tristan was the first one to spot him. .and now we all look for him (or her) on the lilypads when we are near the window. I can't tell you how excited we are for the new friend to enjoy! The fish are getting HUGE!! The little 3 inch yellow koi that I bought at Pet Smart earlier this summer is probably up to 8 inches long and is getting very meaty!! The goldfish are growing by leaps and bounds too!! I am anxiously awaiting the clearing of the algae so we can watch them from the house. We all enjoy feeding them and watching the "feeding frenzy" happen. They dart and jump for the food, and are quite entertaining!

The plantings are settling in. .both inside and outside the pond. And I can't even imagine what I hope it to look like in a few years of development!

I planted many of them directly into the pea gravel instead of in pots, to look more natural. The big rush and variegated cattails went into fabric pots, to help control their growth! They are firmly anchored by now, and I was glad to see that they seemed to stand up very well to the high winds of the storm the other day.

This gray headed coneflower is one of the new plants that went around the pond this spring. They are xeric natives. .but I have been pouring the water to them this summer in the hopes of keeping them alive. Out of 29 plants. .I have lost 3. Hoping that High Country Gardens will stand behind their replacement clause. .but I wouldn't blame them if they didn't in this terrible, horrible, no-good, droughty-hot summer!

And here is my epic failure of the summer. . .

This WAS the baby blue eyes dwarf blue spruce tree that I got in Topeka last fall. About a month ago I noticed that it seemed to be dying before my eyes in the matter of a few days. .way less than a week. Initially I thought it was the extra heat from being on the south side of the house, close to the aluminum siding. By the third day, I was looking at it from the deck and noticed a bagworm. .and then two. .waving in the wind. I immediately picked them up and doused the tree with Sevin (according to the info I found on the internet). The next week, I spotted two more bags. .and Sevin'ed them again. I've seen no sign of life since. There are still a few tufts of blue/green needles. .but I'm not holding my breath that it will live. I also called my sister, who found bag worms on BOTH the spruce trees she purchased from the same nursery. Hopefully, she got hers treated in time. The people at the nursery told her she could have gotten the bag worms from anywhere. .and she told them. .that it was quite ironic that her sister also had bagworms on HER tree from THEIR nursery. .that was planted 5 hours away. Ya win some. .and ya lose some! Next time I will be more vigilant!!

The most exciting yard work I've gotten to do lately was re-arranging my front porch to make room for Devin's new table.

Looking forward to fall!!

Have a great week. .I know I will!!