KILLER CROWS

Hands down. We must offer the most interesting yard in the neighborhood. At least according to the Crow Family.

Cawww

Cawww

CaaaaaaaaW!

Is how we awake every morning. (Actually, that's true for Aaron. I wake up too early for even crows on weekdays.)

Things are escalating here at an alarming rate. A couple of weeks ago I noticed that the crows had yanked down our blue lantern, crushed it and then shat upon it. I figured, maybe they don't like "blue". At least I thought that until the red lantern met the same fate.

Lantern attack area.

We're busy people and sure we're not so happy with the crows but there seems to be a real limit to what one can do to deter them. This week the crows crossed a line. We're NOT happy any more. I'm growing weary of mother nature's crow pranks!

This week, on the week of our first wedding anniversary, the crows took aim at the wedding tree!!! GASP! They've completely stripped the bark from the tree in one day. Boy am I mad!! I'm glad I married the man and not the tree, but the tree was doing great and we thought for sure it would live a long life in our back yard. Growing old with us. Now it seems pretty likely the tree's days our numbered and we've resorted to trying to find a way to "take a graft" to see if a new tree can be saved.

I wish I could say the same for the crows.

Wedding tree this past May. His little leaves had just unfolded.... *sigh*

Caw
Caw
CaaaaW.


For more information about how smart crows are, check out this link to NPR. Scientist have found out that crows can recognize faces and they certainly recognize us. They go crazy when we're in what the perceive as their play land. Damned crows....

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=106826971



CAMPING -
Last weekend Aaron and I went our first ever weekend camping trip. Our mis-matched work schedules really preclude us from doing fun things like camping but thanks to Aaron (and his boss) he was able to get a Saturday off. We heading about an hour from here and had a great time with a couple other couples. It was weird though -- there's been no rain in Seattle in weeks and yet it did manage to spend 1/2 a day raining on us. We don't get it. What did we ever do wrong to deserve rain-while-camping and wrath of the crows all in one summer? Makes no difference, we were determined to have fun no matter what. And after my four summers in AK a little rain wasn't going to stop us!

We went on hikes both days. We ate gourmet smores. We did Mad Libs. We told stories around the campfire. Safe to say: a good time was had by all!! Aaron probably most liked the hiking (I was pleased that it wasn't too strenuous) and I liked the pizza over an open fire the best. Yummy! We're re-seam-sealing the tent and hoping we can maybe go one more time this summer. Wish us luck! Maybe I need to take the extra day off of work this time. Fair is fair.

Aaron hiking moves.

Fire roasted pizza.

View from hiking.

View from the car.

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY TO US -

Flowers from mom!

Today is our first anniversary!! We can't believe it! It's been one fast year. We're both pleasantly surprised by how easy it was to move in together and meld our lives. We were both prepared for some problems but instead it was all good. We spent the day at the EMP looking at the Muppet exhibit. I like Ernie the most and Aaron likes Beaker. We saw both of them up close and personal (or in sketch form). Then off to Sky Nursery to buy more plants --- can't have enough (especially on the eve of the second annual Ice Cream Social --- things have got to look good!). Finally, we met Martin & Cynthia, Ed & Brigit, and Wolfe & Christa for dinner at Marchellos. It was great fun. Marchello remembers us. He kindly set up two tables for us to choose from; one in door and one out door. We took the patio.

DAHLIAS ARE BLOOMING -

This week the dahlias started to bloom. So far they look great!! We dahlias.

I think I can bloom; I think I can bloom; I think I can bloom....

I CAN BLOOM!