shrimp louis salad~

 its been a wretched few weeks of heat, finally it dropped to 90 degrees and i was willing to stand in the kitchen long enough to make a salad... 

Rosie learns to swim!

 i grew up at lake tahoe, i have the best memories my first dog and i doing everything together, i wanted a touch of that magic today as i taught rosie how to swim. i wanted to go to my old stomping grounds, but times have changed drastically, 50 years later there is no parking or access to the places i loved. they have put in a beautiful walking path for that 3 mile stretch, but easy access is now limited at both ends only, and dogs are allowed with leashes only at just a scant few beaches.

 i was heartbroken when we were relegated to rocky riff raff area for the dogs to cool their feet instead of the white beaches i loved. 

Rosie didn't take to swimming on her own, Katie has always loved the water, but I needed to join them so I could guide Rosie into swimming, hence no pics of Rosie swimming, I was in the lake with them!

Within the hour she was swimming out with Katie to find sticks, I could not be any more proud of her! 

garden walk in the shade~

garden walk in the sun...

 we are in a heat wave, the kind that renders me useless... i have been heading outdoors at 5:30 am to work in the garden, but 100 plus degree temps have me crying uncle around 10 am, spent and dehydrated my garden days are done. just before heading in, i toured the hot garden camera in hand for a little update~

i have to say i am wild over these planters, my very generous neighbor gave me these canna, they get taller every year! i love the pop of color on a boring wall, by mid summer the lime green will be pooled around the driveway creating a stunning color combination until winter. 

the courtyard is having a wee rest while the roses get ready to bloom again, meanwhile the rose of sharon is in full bloom, i had to hack off several feet so you could pass on the walkway...

the sound of water should be soothing in these extreme temps, except the puppy loves to crawl in and splash all day long clogging the filters...

all along the frontage road i planted trees and shrubs for privacy, the oleanders are taller than me and in full bloom for a wonderful barrier...

my driveway is lined with silk trees on one side, i have 100s of seedlings every year, the most prolific tree i have ever seen!

they don't call this the butterfly bush for nothing!

as the smoke tree fads i think it lives up to its namesake from a distance...