Leith and I spent part of the afternoon watching this HUGE butterfly work among the flowers in one of our hanging baskets.

The top wingspan.

This is the underside.

I am fascinated by the wide variety of creatures we get to enjoy- or sometimes not- in our small yard.

Memorial Day

After a weekend of rain, we woke to blue skies, puffy clouds and a cool breeze. We headed into Bell Canyon- spring leaves, wildflowers and rushing waters-amazing!

Diana and Ashley joined us.

A lavender butterfly

After the hike, Diana made a fresh raspberry pie-like a fresh strawberry pie and truly one of the most decadent desserts ever- before we headed to the park to hear the Air Force Reserve Band play. They were amazing- their pipe band played the fanciest arrangement of Highland Cathedral that I have ever heard.

Later, we grilled and ate outside and then enjoyed watching the hang gliders float over us as we sat around the fire and the kids ran around the neighborhood. We are truly blessed-it was a perfect day.

I am growing lilac bushes in the backyard, but it is slow going. I am probably a few years out on blooms that can be cut and brought indoors. I am so jealous of others as I drive around looking at the beautiful blooms.
For Mother's Day, I asked Kevin and my children to go out early and 'procure' some lilacs for me. I don't think it is stealing if they are hanging over the sidewalk. They look and smell so wonderful.

We now have visual proof that the varmint tunneling under our flagstone and patio is a darling squirrel. I have been planting a few trees and getting everything weeded and ready for Summer gardening and wondering whether I could just work around the little entrance to his tunnel. Can't we all just get along?
In other wildlife news...I have been scoping out house possibilities for our friends, the Larsens, who are moving to UT from CA and was trying to check out a house I had seen online. As I was navigating the streets of Draper, I had just looked back to the road after seeing Golden Pheasant Dr in time to slow down as a real, live PHEASANT slowly crossed in front of me. I had to come to an almost complete stop and had plenty of time to check him out. I could still see the Golden Pheasant street sign and glanced back and forth between the sign and the bird several times.
I had just taken the girls to school and there were no other cars around. The quiet, cool stillness of the morning as I slowed down and the bird passed in front of my car felt ethereal and supernatural-like an episode of the Twilight Zone before things get creepy. The creepy part is that I keep thinking about it.
It is time for school to end so I can get to the beach and clear my head.

I made some amazing Mexican food for Cinco de Mayo! The only down side is that we didn't invite enough people over to eat it. Kevin doesn't see that as a problem, but I have a bit more of a sharing spirit :) Next year we will have to plan ahead enough to put together a bigger party. I am glad, though, to have had Melissa Davis to ourselves for a little while- she is fabulous, but too busy to see often enough!