A visit with friends

My friend, Sandy, lives in the back part of her family's big Victorian home near Lake Irma.

She also walks early in the morning with her two little Shih-Tzus and we have been meeting up in order to walk and talk together.

She invited us (me and Gizzy) to her place on Sunday morning. She has a nice little garden out back with a small koi pond and various pretty and unusual flowers and plants. Gizzy and I watched her feed the fish who swam right up to her and even let her touch them.

Sandy gave me a tour around her garden and pointed out the various plants and flowers for me. I can't guarantee I remember all their names, but this is a giant hibiscus flower. It was as tall as I.

This variegated ginger lily is just about to bloom. I was fascinated with its beautiful foliage.

These bee balm flowers are almost spent. There's a bee on one of the blossoms towards the bottom, right. Sandy told me that the bees and hummingbirds are very fond of this plant.

Her grandson's dog was trying to make friends with Gizzy through the fence. I was surprised Gizzy didn't bark at him.

These bright pumpkin/orange blossoms are from the blueberry orchid. Sandy explained to me the reason for its name is because after the blossoms are gone, the plant develops little blue berries.

Sandy offered me some for planting around my apartment since she has so many of them.

There's all kinds of little garden statues, bird houses, gnomes and and fairies, but I really liked this guy swinging from a tree.

 

Gizzy's watching us walk through the garden. He's ready to go inside now.

He was even invited to try out one of the doggy beds. Doesn't he look tiny?

Here's a nice group photo of Sandy and her babies.

We had a very enjoyable visit, talking and watching at least ten different kinds of birds flying up to the bird feeders. Sandy knows her birds and pointed out the ones I didn't know. I remember seeing humming birds, a blue jay, housefinch, sparrows, mourning doves, cardinals, a blackbird and a mockingbird. I missed the woodpecker and probably more. I did notice a skink on the porch and Sandy told me about the three little bunnies that stop by in the morning to graze.

To me this was better than watching the Discovery channel on TV, because it was discovering nature right in our own back yard - the best kind!

When it was time to go, Sandy drove us home since it was after 1 pm and too hot to walk.