several little things and one big thing

The fucking fire ants were back last week. They came in from under the threshold strip like last time and into the bowl of dry dog food so I guess the caulking I did previously did not seal it up. Got out the orange oil spray, dead ants. Tossed out the dry dog and cat food, cleaned up the dead ants. Moved Minnie's and Cat's feeding station into another room temporarily and the next morning a thick trail from the threshold to the trash can, in the trash can, and up a corner of the cabinet and onto the counter where they had just started to fan out. Dammit! More orange oil spray and cleaning up and then I spooned cinnamon along both edges of the threshold and each end and into the space where the pocket door is as best I could. Cinnamon because ants don't like it and won't cross it. That was Friday I think. The cinnamon is still there until I get around to prying up the threshold again and see what there is to see. But no more ants for now.

My surprise volunteer datura bloomed. It's been several years since I had one growing in that spot. This morning there was a hairstreak butterfly snugged down in it as far as it could get. I thought maybe it was stuck because it wasn't moving so I shook the flower a bit and out it flew.

Here's a picture of one of my rock rose blooms and I have no idea what kind of bug that is on it, not even sure what category it is, but there were several hanging out on the blooms.

This little anole was tiny, as in just hatched tiny. Couldn't be more than a day or two old and very shy as this was the only picture I could get.

This is a bluebonnet with a bud growing in the easement in front of the Wicked Witch of the West's lot. I can't tell you how unusual this is to have a bluebonnet getting ready to bloom in August especially with this heat and drought. It just never happens.

These three pots had succulents growing in them, three different plants. The juvenile cardinals have pecked and eaten them down to nubs. This has never ever happened before. And there's a bird bath nearby that I replenish every day.

Those are the little things. The big thing is that today is our 47^th wedding anniversary. It's such a big event in our lives that it always sneaks up on me but usually I'm aware a few days beforehand. Not today. Today I completely forgot until Marc wished me happy anniversary at breakfast after we'd both been up for about 2 1/2 hours. Oh, yeah, that's today. No plans at this point, restaurants traditionally closed on Mondays. We haven't done anything to mark the day since pre-covid when it was a movie and dinner out.