Garden Update: Random Stuff

Hey there!

This post consists of some random images from the garden that I thought you'd enjoy.... For example, the orange butterfly with the damaged wings that I chased for 10 minutes around the yard as I waited for him to perch on something so I could take a picture. How cool is it that when he finally did perch it was atop one of my cactus plants!?! It's like he knew exactly what would make me squeal with joy, not just an up close photo, but one of him chilling out on my cactus! Anyway, the poor guy had some wing damage and perhaps that explains why he was flying around all weird...

Although, I don't think it's just the wing issues, I think it's butterflies in general... and maybe because I was walking around after it with a camera coaching it with little "come on butterfly" chants to land so I could paparazzi away! Hehe... Bottom line is, this butterfly flapped around the yard like a stumbling drunk for a long time with me skipping behind it on a photo mission and an excited Kimbo (our Boxer) jumping like a prancing pony in circles around me... If the earnest hunter look on his face meant anything I guess he was probably thinking, "If she doesn't catch that thing I'm gonna chomp it right out of the sky!" Hahahaha.... I love him!

So, before I go on rambling for another few paragraphs, here are some random images of things going on in the garden... Have a great afternoon!

More garden posts that you might like:
Garden Update: Garden Tour Update (from today)
Garden Update Part I: My Planters - September (from yesterday)
Garden Update - July
Garden Update - April Part 2
Garden Update - April
Garden Update - February
Cactus Corner
My Mother's Garden
Backyard Garden Tour
Weekend Garden Goodies
Succulent and Cactus Garden Tour

*all* Garden Update posts
*all* posts on my garden
*all* posts on my mother's garden
*all* posts on my grandmother's garden

I got this awesome little frog prince at Ross a while back, I had seen him lurking on the aisle shelves for months and, at around $15 he was a bit too pricey for me. However, one day I finally spotted him in the clearance aisle with a $5 tag, in others words - the price was right and he was MINE! I'm not sure what his official purpose is because he has a big round opening in his crown with a ceramic cup resting in it, he is hollow inside and there are two big holes at the bottom. My best guess is some type of oil burner for the garden to repel bugs, but who knows.  All I really wanted him for was to turn into a planter (because he has holes at the bottom and top) or just use as garden decor. Anyway, he is currently guarding my large planters by the pool... I've got to fill him with a succulent or two, I think he would look great with one of those bloomin' onion looking Echeveria's growing out of his crown!

A quick side note - there is a disgustingly enormous frog that lives in our yard and lurks near our front door looking for leftovers after the cat finishes her food and I almost stepped on it the other day as I rushed out the door to school - thank goodness I looked down!! To my horror it actually jumped at me, as if it was trying to jump up the step of the threshold and get in the house - I shrieked like I was being stabbed to death! Not so much because he jumped towards the door but because my skin was crawling with the morbid thought of what would have happened if I had stomped down on him in my flip-flops!!! AHHHHHH!!!!! Also, you must know that when I was around 10, I was outside playing hide and seek with two of my male cousins (it had rained a lot and was getting dark) and suddenly I hear "hey Catherine!" and when I turn around my cousin hurled a huge wet slimy frog at me and of all places, it hit my FACE! *Shudders* Yeah, it was HORRIBLE!

So anyway, this mini horrifying experience (and that disturbing memory) really made me realize how ironic it is that my mother and I love the heck out of any ceramic frog for the yard (and we have many to prove it - damn you Marshalls, TJMaxx and Ross!), because real frogs are something out of a nightmare! Little baby frogs and those cute jungle tree frogs are great, but big frogs and toads are traumatizing! I don't want to tell you that I might run for the salt the next time I see it, but I might! I'm certainly not brave enough to grab it by the leg and chuck it over the wall of our yard like my grandmother used to do (what a hilarious sight)! That woman is fearless!

I can't wait to fill him with succulents.... stay tuned!

Check out this awesome thing!  I don't know what the heck it is, but it looks like it's a combination of a candelabra and a mini bird bath!  Or a mini prayer altar for holding burning candles and holy water, not sure.  If anyone out there knows what this is called and what it is used for please let me know!!  The bottom is marked Karam International and I can't find anything but a metal welding company and a Middle Eastern staffing agency when I Google it, hehe.  It's certainly not a Menorah as it does not have enough candle holders, however a friend suggested perhaps it is a Kinara since it has seven candle holders.  What is the littel hook for on the underside of the bowl?  Hmmm.... anyone know?

Anyway, me and this gem go waaaay back!  For well over a year I would see this piece of painted ceramic decor floating around the same TJMaxx, from aisle to aisle, at first it was full price - $24.99 with an original price of $80.00!!   Naturally I swooned over its good looks but rejected its price tag, after all I only wanted it for yard decor/possible mini bird bath!  Well, once day as I perused the aisles of that TJMaxx, TA-DAHHHHH.......

I'm in love!  It's currently living over in Cactus Corner, I'll be back next week with an update on that part of my garden!

This is a picture of a lizard that was lounging on one of my mother's planters in the patio.... Call me paranoid but I swear he was watching me as I snapped photos of my planters nearby. In fact, my suspicion was confirmed when I got close to him to take a picture and he cocked his head to one side and followed me everywhere I moved! At one point he got scared and made a mad dash for the other side of the planter and out of sight, but then suddenly popped his head over the corner and I swear it was to look at me. This is not the first time I've noticed such a thing, there is a large lizard clan in my yard and my dog Chewby has a grand 'ol time trying to catch them - constantly, he's obsessed! Anyway, I'm not crazy, lizards have funny personalities and I think we take for granted that since they are living animals just like us, it's quite possible that they observe us from time to time.

And of course last, but definitely not least, our Boxer with the amazing personality - Kimbo!

(All images in this post are my personal photographs, please do not use them without my written permission. If you would like to use any of my photos of my home and garden from this blog please contact me at InspireBohemia(at)blogspot(dot)com - Thank you!)