Here at last!

Summer has arrived with a vengeance. We have had a very dry November, with promises of a hot dry summer.

This has produced some odd outcomes in the Mulligan back-yard. Tiffany is an indoors cat. She is small, aging, timid and nervous, and often bullied by Peaches - actually, that's unfair; Peaches really wants to play, but Tiffany reacts as though she is being bullied - and consequently spends most of her time inside sleeping.

So it was surprising to see her venture outside yesterday in the fine sunny weather. I suppose she figured there was a degree of security in having Desiree and I about the yard. She even braved getting down off the deck and climbed up on the swing-seat beside Desiree - a first as far as we can recall.

The warm weather has also produced an excess of vigorous growth in the wilderness we wistfully call our 'garden'. I was intrigued to spot these white flowers in the midst of the flowering cherry, as it is well past blossom season.

Turns out they belong to the climbing rose which drapes itself along, around and over part of our back fence. To give a sense of perspective, have a look at the following picture. The flowers in the first picture are at the arrow in the second one.

It wasn't weather-induced (at least I don't think it was!) but Goldie has had a very sore leg, forcing her to limp about painfully. So, of course, Desiree did the samaritan role and took her to the vet, where she was given an anti-inflammatory, and was told to keep her in the cat-cage (to stop her jumping about!) for 2 days! Yeah, right!

Needless to say Goldie didn't take kindly to being taken for a car-ride, nor having to undergo the indignity of the inspection and treatment by the vet. When she got home, she let us know how displeased with us she was by going into 'hiding'. I found her later in the day as I got ready to start the barbecue - and she still wasn't happy!