Brownie had an exciting afternoon Friday.  He's not usually a barker, so when he became quite noisy I went out to see what was going on.  Had somebody come into the yard?  It turned out that he was over by the bench, and had obviously cornered something behind it. 

While I figured it was probably a bunny, at the same time I hoping it wasn't a roof rat!  I convinced Tom that it was something other than a lizard; Brownie has never gotten so worked up over any of those, of which we have many.  While I held Brownie Tom moved the bench - at which point something, with a definite fluffy squirrel-type tail, shot out in a gray blur and escaped into the Back 40 through the irrigation pipe.  I haven't seen squirrels here, but apparently there are several species of them in Phoenix.

Of course after that Brownie decided his job was to stand by the irrigation pipe and bark furiously for way too long - until I brought him inside and closed off his dog door.  I'm reasonably sure he was the only one surprised that all of his noise didn't convince the squirrel to return...

We never did quite make it to triple digits Friday, only reaching 99 again - and I didn't feel the need to turn on the A/C after all.  The longer we can hold off on that the better for our electric bill!  

Saturday morning I checked on the peach crop, and the babies are coming along nicely.  We should be eating them within the month.

Then I got to work weeding in the jungle.  Because it has total shade mornings from the house, and then substantial shade in the afternoon from the hedge, the ground stays moist for much longer than the rest of the yard.  I pulled a LOT of weeds, and it looks quite a bit tidier out there.

I hadn't expected it to be so pleasant elsewhere in the yard, but there was a nice breeze so I kept working here and there.  When my back said enough with the weeding I hosed off the porches and deck, though it's 'possible' that Pokey will drag more irrigation mud up there.

Phoenix actually reached the dreaded triple digits yesterday

though we still didn't turn on the A/C/.

This morning I worked on the VOS quilt blocks I brought home from the retreat.  'Some' <g> of the blocks were shy of the 9.5" they were supposed to be, but the top is almost put together and looking okay.  I'd like to bring it Foothills on Wednesday and turn it over to Ellen for quilting.

Alex made it home from Atlanta today, and showed up with a bouquet of roses for me.  

He arrived just in time for the 12:30 start of the Sun's game - though it's too bad they're not doing better. Since it was already warm in the family room I finally switched on the A/C for this season.

During halftime Alex went out to check on the peaches - and was startled by a dove when it flew off of a nest we hadn't realized was there.  

But as long as mama was gone (though I hope she returns soon!) 

he checked on the contents of the nest: