Thankful Thursday

We are thankful for the deck.   Not just the deck itself through it gives us a high place to look out over our whole territory (and even carefully watch those sticky-noisy kids on one side and the big woofies on the other).  And watching all the birdies fly around is fun too.  Sadly, we cant see mousies from there.

But we especially love the deck rails.  We love to walk along them.

Yes, even Ayla sometimes goes out on the deck!  It is rare, but sometimes she does.  And whenever she shows up near the door, TBT lets her out out at once.  He says fresh air is a good thing, and that (while she sees birdies from her baffroom windersill, hearing them is even better.  Plus, it is good exercise (vs just sitting on the windersill all day).

Laz likes to walk the rails too.  He says he can see into the front yard and make sure there are no introoders.  He has become the main guardian of our territory.  Marley used to be (and can still fight introoders off with size and experience), but he is getting a bit slower at chasing and kinna heavy (he assures us it is all muscle).   But he has taught Laz well, and Laz can drive off strangers easily. 

Lori tends to stay on the deck, but does also enjoy the top rails.  Walking along them is her hobby.  She does go down the deck steps to the yard sometimes, and can wander around surprisingly far when she follows Laz around, but her outside comfort zone is the deck.

If you notice no pictures of Marley on the deck, it is because he generally stays inside these days.  And would never jump up to the deck rails.  He used to, but quite frankly, if he managed to jump to the rails, his weight would probably carry him right over and it is a far bit to the lawn from there.

From Marley's POV, the best thing aboout being on the deck is that it is so close to getting inside when he wants to.  We mean, "that's where the food is", and Marley loves his food.

Not Quite A Garden Tour

AYLA:  Some of you may wonder what I see when I sit on the deck rails...

So here is the view looking from right all around the backyard to the left side....

The fence gates are BIG!  That is so the car and trailer can get in.

This is the wild area.  TBT says he will clear it out later this year.  But Marley loves to hunt in there, so it is last on his list.

 The fence I sometimes sit on...

The far-back yard...

All that brown area used ta be overgrown with wild blackberries and vines and stuff.  It is bigger than it looks from here on the deck.

Toolsheds and daffodil bed and enclosed garden area where TBT grows veggies (yuck)!

A better view of the daffodils and garden enclosure.  Its covered with chicken wire.  It keeps the Evil Skwerls, groundhogs, rabbits and birds out.

The backyard saucer magnolia tree.  And ya can see the fence goes all around the yard.  Sometimes I walk the whole length for fun.   

That part covered with whitish-stuff is to keep the Spring Peeper frogs out.   Otherwise, they make so much noise at night that none of us can sleep.  And the border of daffodils is nice.

The houses here are closer than many friends thought they were.  Well, we stick to our own yard in reality and in pics.  Usually...  The whole area against the fence on this side is filled with flowers that will bloom is Summer and Fall.  The yeller an bloo dots near the bottom are pansies TBT planted last Fall.  

So thats what I mostly see sitting up on the deck and looking around.  Sorry there wernt anny good birds or Evil Skwerls to see this time.  They tend to run away when they see me sitting up here!

An interesting note...  All the houses on our street are some type of tan/yellow (some with some brick).  Ours was first "The Bloo House"  and now it is "The Green House".   Our neighbors lack imagination...