Monsoon Clouds

...but no rain.

Dog Days of Summer

Green Valley Mall had its annual Dog Days of Summer celebration. This included doggie bathing, contests and a parade. Although it was a VERY hot day many dogs participated. The Green Valley animal shelter was present with many top dogs waiting to be adopted. Contests included: best dressed, best smile, longest ears, shortest tail, best hair do and many more.

Az Buddy had a ball.

Az Buddy Better

It is so hard to have a sick pet. It brings back the memories of other pets you have had over your life time. We love them and when they leave us it is unbearable. Many people say "I will never have another dog". I have said "I will always have a dog" It is hard to imagine my life without a dog; from the farm dogs we had as a child to the 4 dogs we have had over 42 years of marriage.

Buddy is slowly getting better. He is perkier, following us around the house, going for short walks and drinking. He still has no interest in eating. Only eats hamburger with rice and has to be coaxed to eat that. He always has been a very vocal dog. But not a sound since his surgery June 15th. We are waiting to hear his yipping and nagging for attention and play.

Winter Freeze in June

A few days of well below freezing in January can leave devastating effects in June and July. Tops of my Texas Ebony and California Pepper had to be removed. My all summer long night blooming cerus may never bloom again.

Two hundred Date Palms owned by Pima County line north Abrego. The county only provides a single crew to work in Green Valley one week a month and if they are seen to be needed elsewhere they don't come here.

Dead tree tops and palm fronds pose a fire risk with the lightening of the monsoon season.

Don't you hate when this happens!

Front of the oven comes partially off.

Significant Other insists that he can fix it.

"It will cost a bundle to call

Al's Appliance"

Ooops - dropped glass oven door

adds new meaning to the word

smithereens.

Who do you call?

Al's Appliance.

I Love My Dog

"Nobody can truly understand the meaning

of love unless he has owned a dog" Gene Hill "The Dog Man"

Buddy has had a ruff week.

Knee surgery a week ago.

Two visits to the vet to have staples replaced.

On goes the hated Elizabethan collar. Also known as the "cone of shame".

A terrible 3 days over the weekend.

Throwing up.

Agitated and restless.

Blood work on Monday; Kidney failure.

In the hospital in Doggie ICU getting

IV fluid replacement.

One week later he is back home

lying in his favorite spot and

eating chicken and rice.

Love my rice cooker.

It is a daily, almost hourly roller

coaster with sick pet.

Super 8 -Movie review

The inspiration for Steven Spielberg, Producer and writer/director J.J. Abrams was the time they spent in their youth making movies with Super 8 cameras and film. This film reflects that young excitement and imagination. The movie starts when four boys are making a zombie movie out at an old train station in Lillian Ohio. Just as the train reaches them there is an explosion that rivals any movie kaboom. What secret cargo was this train carrying that brings the Air Force big guys to investigate? The boys plus the one girl who was to star in their movie go in search for answers. Elle Fanning and Joel Coutney play the two lead kids but are surrounded by other very talented actors. Kyle Chandler doe a fine performance as the town deputy. And there is the monster - a space alien, created by Neville Page, who crashed on earth in 1958. Twenty years later the US Air Force is still trying to control the monster and its desire to leave the earth.

If you like kids, explosions, action and monsters this is a 4**** movie

According to the previews, Spielberg has a number of these action movies coming out this summer for which he is the Executive Produce.

Tumacacori Mesquite Sawmill

I will never look at a mesquite tree in the same way.




Amazing that I have lived here nearly 23 years and did not know about this very interesting place of business and art. Mesquite trees are probably the most common tree used in landscaping and found naturally grown in southern Arizona. It is interesting that this tree is not really native to North America but was brought in by the cattle of the Conquistadors as they moved north from Mexico. I will let you imagine how this happened. These trees provide a very hard, twisted and gnarly wood with beautiful grains that make for one of a kind pieces. Now the BLM is removing mesquite in an attempt to preserve the grassland east of the Santa Rita Mountains,

on the Empire ranch.

This is providing the Sawmill

with a source of mesquite that they process for

use in the production of numerous crafts and furniture.

Art and Valerie Flores

www.mesquitedesign.com

Stop and look their beautiful crafts and ask for a tour.

520-398-9356

The Flowers of Agua Linda Farm