Lizard #1

There are tons of lizards in Mexico. This was a very interesting lizard. I spent most days spotting lizards so they would not run over my feet or dare me to go to my room. So, does anyone know what kind of Mexican lizard this one might be?

I Have Returned.

We had a great trip. I missed GBBD, but I will show you more Mexican flowers and stuff than you ever wanted to see over the next few days. Thanks for all of your sweet comments and drinking encouragment.

Abby is happy to see us. She almost wagged her tail off, but the Manx are pisssed. Maybe it is because they don't have tails to express themselves.

Hi Y all from Mexico

hi, we have internet access at the desk in our hotel. I wish y all could see the plants and flowers. Fabulous. I cant work this mexican keyboard very well and cant post picture, but will have them up next week. There are a lot of lizards here. Have a great weekend. Ill drink a cervesa in your honor.

See You Later Alligators

Leaving for Mexico early early in the morning. Be back next week. Brother is house sitting and caring for the pets.

The Frustration of Butterfly Photography

I spent part of my morning chasing two butterflies around my garden. The first is the one I actually managed to photograph. It is a Gulf Fritillary and it was laying eggs on my passion vine. That mama needs to get after it and leave me some caterpillars. That passion vine is out of control and needs to be cut back. How much fun it is to let the caterpillars do it for me. The bottom picture shows that the passion vine has eaten a bicycle.

The other butterfly was a black swallowtail. Very beautiful, but she just wouldn't pose for a photo. Must be shy or something. Or maybe she's a snotty diva who is too good for my camera.

I finally succeeded in braiding garlic. I found excellent instructions on the interweb. Turns out you start with three, braid, add one, braid, add two braid, rinse repeat. Worked great. Looks like we are vampire proof for another year.

Two days to Mexico. WooHoo.

Mistaken Tomato Identity

The tomato I said was Mr. Stripey yesterday is not Mr. Stripey at all. It is Avivvi. Monica from Garden Faeries Musings was generous enough to share these seeds among others with me in a progressive seed exchange earlier this year. The other tomato seeds I took from the exchange were Ladino di Panacchio which is producing lots of flattened ribbed fruit. They are still little, but the plant is loaded.

Thanks again Monica. You're the best.

I'm back. I just ate that tomato and it was awesomely delicious. There is nothing in this world as good as the first homegrown tomato of the summer sprinkled with a little sea salt and eaten all by itself. Avivvi had a nice acid real tomato flavor. I will definitely grow it again and again. I like it even better than green zebra.

Finished Dead Until Dark.

Just finished "Dead Until Dark" by Charlaine Harris. Much fun with vampires, but the humans are still the bad guys. There is even an Elvis sighting. Looking forward to the rest of the series.

Read any good vampire stories lately other than the Twilight series?