fences~

It's still too cold out to start planting flowers; but not too cool to start on my fences.

I have a problem with the kids playing ball and the dogs and the bear running through my flower bed in the back yard where I have some tiger lilies and day lilies and poppies planted ~ so I went in the woods and found some old tree branches and did some cutting and screwing and here's what I came up with:

 I wanted something rustic and woodsy.  I know it won't be much of deterrence for the bear; but just maybe it'll last through the summer.  I'm just so tired of my poor flowers getting trampled all the time.

Since I was in the fencing mood ~ I fixed up the one by the garage too ~ to keep my peonies from tipping over the edge when they're up and blooming.

Then...
still in the mood to do something with sticks ~ I tied together a little trellis:

 Dear Hubby surprised me last week when we went on our little road trip for cheese with these little mushrooms for the flower garden.  They stand about a foot tall.

I just love these kind of gifts!

Word on the home front about Sam's bear hanging on my wall.... it's moving!! and so is Sam and Ashley and their dog Amber too!!  They finally got their own place after being tenants in my home for the last year.  Now don't get me wrong... I love my children; but I still feel that if you want to live with your girl friend it shouldn't be in your parent's home.  Enough said on that subject.

I also heard some disturbing news ... our neighbors dog was killed by wolves... about a 100 yards from the house.  I think the wolf is a beautiful looking animal; but that's all I like about them.  They are nothing but killing machines.  It's pretty scary how many are around here.  This is the third person I know of that has lost a dog to them.  I also know some people who have lost cattle and pigs to them ... let alone the poor deer herds in our area that are being slaughtered off by them.  Our states Department of Natural Resources REALLY needs to do something about the wolf population in our area before it's a little child snagged off by one of them.  Scary thought ... but it's just a matter of time if something isn't done.

A couple years ago I was sitting out on my back deck... 2:00 in the afternoon ... the neighbor kids and my granddaughter were playing under the deck where we have a place where they can play in the sand.  All four of them were under the age of five.  All of sudden I glanced up because something caught my eye ... here it was 2 wolves right on the edge of my lawn watching the kids play.  Holy crap!!!  That is way too close for comfort.  What if the kids would have been out in the lawn ~ closer to the edge of the woods?

I know we live in the deep woods of the north and this is their territory; but still ... when any animal population is out of control ... something needs to be done.   It used to be a rare occasion to see a wolf; but not anymore... at least not in my back yard.

My heart goes out to our neighbors losing their dog in such a way... but I'm just thankful that it wasn't one of the little kids.

~~~
Until next time...
So it goes in my neck of the woods.
~mel