Under a Copper Sky

I've moved

www.underacoppersky.com

changes

Exciting stuff going on here on the Izzy laptop.

I'm in the midst of creating my new website.

Yep.

My very own website.

Won't be just a blog anymore.

It'll be a blog, stuff about me, my shop...

Everything in one spot.

I'm so gosh darn excited.

So be patient with me and don't think I'm m.i.a.

Just busy.

Happy Friday!

Cute

So the other day Robin and I had to move a dogwood tree

from out of the "mud hole" to the front.

After it was moved I decided to go ahead and

water the front a little just in case it didn't rain.

I went to spray my roses

and out popped all these cute little creatures.

Some quickly hid under the other buses.

Some stayed in the nest.

I have to say Mama Rabbit

did an excellent job of hiding these sweet things.

I was standing here only two days earlier

taking pictures of the rose blooms.

You know I couldn't resist the photo opportunity

that Mother Nature just handed me.

So I knelt down to get a good shot of these two,

when one little guy came bounding out

straight at me.

Then he stopped.

Then he hopped my way again.

Then stopped.

And once more.

Until he was maybe two feet from where I was knelt down.

I was so overwhelmed by this guys cuteness.

And the sibling he left behind didn't move a muscle.

Not this guy.  

He was very curious.  

That little nose just sniffing away.

I reached my hand out,

but he started shaking so I quickly took it back.

Then he just sat

and sniffed

and stared.

After a while I quietly exited the area.

A few hours later I went back to check

and all five were back huddled together in the nest.

Robin checked on them this morning

and they were gone.

It reached the mid-forties last night

and rained.

We are hoping Mama took them some place warmer

or they are out getting a little breakfast.

Thankfully there is zero sign of foul play,

so wherever they are we think they are safe.

Have I mentioned how much I love my house?

Happy Monday.

 

My favorite...

This is my favorite plant in the entire yard.

Pineapple Lily (Eucomis).

This guy is two years old.

Last year he only had three blooms.

This year he has exploded.

His leaves are lined down each side with spikes that aren't so friendly.

But I just adore him.

Looks like something from the Little Shop of Horrors.

Last week I planted another, just across the sidewalk.

Give this guy another year or two

And if the boogie man or solicitor decide to come a knocking on our door,

well,

they might just get eaten.

When he is in full bloom I'll post more pictures.

Happy Friday.

Yard stuff

I know you guys think I've completely disappeared.

Not so.

I've been so busy trying to get the yard finished

before the heat of summer hits.

I don't do summer well.

Heat melts little Izzy's.

This bed by the deck is officially done.

And the walkway is officially done.

This guy is a new addition.

Isn't he beautiful.

And my butterfly garden is officially done.

Our Lady Banks roses are coming along nicely.

And this Weigela is one of my favorites.

And as soon as these butterfly bushes bloom

this garden will be a flutter with activity.

Robin has created his own little,

Japanese,

keep his blood pressure low

garden.

It's hard to see in all the moss,

but it really is a thing of beauty.

This week I've been putting down metal edging along

the sidewalk and drive.

There was edging on one side but not the other.

Boy does it look good.

The front is almost done.

Loving the colors.

This big monster still needs to go in the ground.

This bed still needs some work.

And this bed by the small deck was almost done...

But see that big hole on the back right?

It used to be home to this guy.

But we didn't realize he was sitting in a mud hole.

And although we've moved him to a more suitable spot,

we fear it may be too late.

My heart aches.

Still so much to do.

These stones still need to be laid.

And much to Robin's dismay

I've created a new bed up front.

All marked out and ready for edging.

Then plants.

And let's not forget about this mountain of mulch.

This is how I plan to lose that last five pounds.

FW and Zika will be please to know their gift

is growing fat and happy.

Owl update:

Hollie and Ollie have been ever so watchful.

Guarding that nest each and every day.

And we are anxiously awaiting for those little babies

to start peeking out of the tree.

Have a great weekend!

Down 45

This head officially belongs to a q-tip body...

Five more to go and I am rewarding myself

with something I've been wanting for a very long time.

Eastern Tent Caterpillar

Beautiful Hollie

We caught Hollie today,

peeking down inside the tree where her babies are residing.

Never saw her do this last year.

I know, not a great shot.

But then she flew up in the Holly tree and was kind enough

to let me get a little closer

and do a sweet, little pose.

She's just adorable.

Have I told you lately how much I love my owls?

Sprung...

“He who hopes for spring with upturned eye

never sees so small a thing as Draba.

He who despairs of spring with downcast eye

steps on it, unknowing.

He who searches for spring with his knees in the mud

finds it, in abundance.” 

― Aldo Leopold

Update

Happy to announce I'm down another five pounds.

I'm convinced it's been with the help of my trainer/husband

and all the yard work I've been doing lately.

We are still making wonderful choices when it comes to food

because, seriously, this new lifestyle has been easy.

As most of you know I'm kinda sorta following

the Paleo Diet,

although we still incorporate dairy (cheese and Robin's yogurt)

and don't eat meat every meal.

Paleo people are hard core about their meats.

Not us.

In fact we are probably cutting back to a

once a week meat meal.

I will admit that it has been a bit

of a challenge to do a high veggie paleo mix.

If you look at a lot of vegetarian or vegan recipes

folks use mainly tofu and beans for protein source

and boy do they love their grains (blah).

Since learning that soy beans are the most pesticide

drenched crops in our nation I've opted to

stay the hell away from soy

and beans,

well...

We've tried soaking,

bought a pressure cooker,

taken all kinds of advice on cooking beans

and thus far no success.

Robin still eats them occasionally, but not me.

My tummy is sensitive enough.

But we still have options like quinoa,

which might make paleo peeps cringe

and broccoli.

Both high in protein.

And there's always our delightful nuts.

Which we LOVE to snack on.

I'm anxiously awaiting the arrival of

Forks Over Knives

hoping there are some clean, yummy recipes

filling the entire book.

We do okay with veggie meals

but like something different from time to time.

Then there are the cravings.

Like I was craving sloppy joes the other night

so tried to make a veggie one.

And it was okay, but making it "clean"

without adding ketchup and mustard and wostershire

and all the other processed,

 food additive, yucky nonsense 

and still get the taste right is challenging.

I still haven't mastered a

no processed nonsense,

veggie version

of my hubby's favorite shepard's pie.

But I will.

And when I do I'm writing my own cookbook

and I'm gonna make millions.

 

In the meantime I'm going to go start

mulching the front yard...

Happy Monday!