Leaves of Three (and other fun things in my yard!)

I thought I'd had a bad reaction to mosquito bites this week. But when they started to blister and rash, I realized...nope! Not mosquito bites. Poison Ivy! Yuck.

We found it along the edge of the woods. I probably brushed up against it while retrieving a frisbee or ball for Jemma.

A naturalist from Fermilabs in Batavia explained it to me this way. She said if you cross your hands over each other, with palms facing down, you will notice a thumb on the left and right, and that's exactly what you will see on the left and right leaves of poison ivy.

I have some nasty spots on my arm and leg, but hoping with lots of Ivarest lotion, they will dry up and stop itching soon.

In the meantime, here are some photos from the yard. It is really very pretty, with woods along the side and a marshy area of cat tails and wildflowers in the back.

Jemma loves the larger side yard. She can watch the walkers and bikers and joggers pass by, and if she's lucky, she can chase a squirrel back in to the woods. Good times.

Note to self: plant more wave petunias next year! These were amazing, and the deer didn't eat them.

We're experiencing some drought conditions here. The grass is starting to get crispy. We could really use about a week of rain.

Sam has a little bird sanctuary at his bedroom window, complete with feeders and a bird bath. He's seeing lots of visitors to this feeding station, including raccoons, as you can see from the photo of the muddy paw prints on the siding below:

The marsh attracts all kinds of birds and butterflies. At night, the bats swoop overhead, eating bugs along their flight path.

And here under the deck is our secret patio, with doors leading in to the basement. I haven't had enough time to really bring this space together, but I plan on getting to it soon. We want to string some lights, set up a table, and enjoy this space, too.

I have big plans for this yard and the gardens. We're hoping to tackle some major re-landscaping jobs in the fall, if the weather cooperates. I see shade gardens, sun gardens, new shrubs and perennials, rose gardens, and maybe even a water feature and a fire pit.

It's fun to dream!

Blessings on your Monday, cafe friends!