Wood Chips as Mulch

I am more than half way finished with spreading the wood chips in the beds at the front and side of the entrance to my cottage. I have weeded this area so much that the soil level has gone down at least 4 or 5 inches. I got a free load of wood chips after hurricane Irene and they are perfect for spreading because they have aged to a nice brown color. My goal is to have neat beds with boxwood and whatever hardy perennials come back on their own. So far, so good. I see some Ladies Mantle. I hope the rest of it comes up even though it's buried below the chips. It's survival of the fittest around here. My plants are in the Army now.

One Fox + One Fox = Three Foxes

I took this photo a few minutes ago from the balcony off my living room with the telephoto lens aimed at three foxes enjoying family life in the lower forty.

This is the first time I've seen three together so one must be a young kit though they all look about the same size. This is a cropped version of the first photo showing the parents having a tender moment. We got some rain last night and this morning but not nearly enough. I'm glad I walked by at just the right time to see a little of what goes on when I'm not looking.

Woodborough Nottinghamshire England

Unbelievably beautiful, isn't it? I love the bright yellow fields in England. We have similar fields of mustard here in the US. via

Dry as A Bone

This is a patch of bare earth in the way back showing the dry-as-a-bone eonditions. We are supposed to get rain tonight and tomorrow and we certainly need it. The grass isn't growing nearly as fast as it usually does in the spring and for that I'm grateful but my fingers are crossed for the predicted showers.

The Big Squeeze

Hilarious! That last tug did it. I do the same thing when I try to zip up my jeans when they come out of the dryer. via

Carl Rüdell Watercolor

Carl Rüdell
(Trier 1855 - 1939 Cologne)

Doesn't this delightful circa 1910 watercolor on paper make you wish you could paint? Pre-auction estimate € 100. Sold for € 625. There was another of his watercolors in the lot shown below. via

Cutest Video about a Helper-Foodie Dog

Omelette from Madeline Sharafian on Vimeo. Click HERE for the enlarged version. Maybe all dogs help us in ways we'll never know when we aren't looking. They certainly are nice to come home to, aren't they?

Strawberry Cake that looks like a Pie.

~Simple Strawberry Buttermilk Cake~

This recipe looks very easy. If it tastes half as good as it looks in the picture, it's a keeper. I have everything on hand except buttermilk and strawberries and they have been added to my grocery list. Yum. Can't wait!