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Hi Friends!!    Mom went nutso with the flashy box yesterday – took tons of photos of the yard (before we get landscaping work done) and ME (I’m always the purrrfect photo subject….ahem) and the front yard and porch.  Yes she went nuts………but I indulged her.   She takes such good care of me I figured the least I could do is cooperate.

The backyard after 20 years is looking tired (like Mom is after taking care of it for 20 years) so a landscape architect is coming Friday to give us some ideas.   Here’s how the back yard looks NOW (it may take a minute for all the photos to load!!!):

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We have a BIG problem with erosion AND the back yard doesn’t have a “flat spot” where we can have our picnic table without propping the legs up on one end so it’s level……….Mom thinks a nice slate or paver patio………we’ll see what the landscape dude has to say.

Here is the front yard now – we don’t anticipate doing anything with it or the front of the house plantings but since she was flashy boxing herself silly, she took these.

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AND – the highlight of the photo show of course – here are some updated photos of me……….I’m not quite as “gaunt” as I was when I was diagnosed with hyperthyroidism and began taking medication……….I’m still a couple of pounds down from what I was but I’m better off for it as my arthritis is so much better………..so there!

We had a beautiful day today –    high of 73 instead of upper 80s as it has been……..it was Spring again……..it even brought out some of Mom Nature’s creatures that we could have done without seeing like the brown snake in my backyard for instance.   Not poisonous but any snake is NOT a friend of mine or Mom’s.    Thank heavens Mom had her flashlight and saw it because it was dark at 4:15 (of course) when we were out for my usual morning walk.   You’d better believe we’ll make sure we ALWAYS have that flashlight from now on!!!!!!   EEEEEK!    It was only a couple of feet long but to my Mom they’re all 10 feet long and weigh 300 lbs. and would eat us in a minute.   SHE HATES SNAKES.    I’m not nuts about them either come to think of it.

That’s about it for my Thursday report!   Exciting huh?   HUH?   I can’t hear you!!!!!

Hugs, Sammy the Snake Charmer

 

 

96 responses »

    • Hi Miss Bev! Our landscaper guy is coming tomorrow – all the stuff you see now, my Mom and Dad did over time……….the landscape architect will HOPEFULLY help us put some nice additions to the back yard!!

      Hugs, Sammy

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        • Hi Miss Beverly……I will keep everybody informed but based on the $$$$ involved in what my Mom and Dad WANTED to do, vs. what they can afford to do I’m wondering just how much will get done! HAHAHAHAHA The landscaper had some great ideas but I think my Mom and Dad were in “sticker shock” !!

          Hugs, Sammy

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  1. Sammy, your humans are lucky that the lawn bald spots are just in the back – we have loads in the front, and there’s nothing we can do about it because of the drought! Your human will probably DIE over this, but my human loves snakes and kept a couple of garter snakes as pets as a child. She loved reptiles before she wised up and loved cats better.

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    • We do have a FEW bald spots in the front but fortunately you dont’ SEE them unless you’re walking around the yard. HAHAHA I’m sure the drought makes it super tough to have ANY grass……..I know a lot of humans love snakes – in fact when Mom told the little boys next door about the snake they said “why didn’t you catch it and save it for us for when we came home from school???”……….Mom just cringed and smiled! HAHAHA

      Hugs, Sammy
      p.s. We think cats are WAY more cuddly than snakes…!

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  2. Sammy, buddy, your “yard” looks like what passes for our local park here MOL. The wooods look very interesting! Snakes!!!! OMC Mum would have fifty fits if she saw one of those!! Good to see you looking good and taking a stroll 😀 xoxox

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    • Snakes are NOT welcome in my yard but this one obviously did not get the word! Thankfully he wasn’t anywhere to be seen this morning! Glad you like my yard – so do I – I’m good at trimming it with my teeth!

      Hugs, Sammy

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  3. oh I love your front porch! It’s a super place for a quiet summer evening… just a book, a giant glass with ice tea and the nature around ya… ok… and a pup who kills that sweet arrangement within a minute hahahaha

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    • I bet you’d have those pots of plants either (a) eaten or (b) “rearranged” in no time at all Easy! My Mom and Dad love to sit out there in early mornings with coffee OR late afternoons with “whatever” and listen to the birds and enjoy the fresh air…………I join them sometimes too and lie on one of the little rugs.

      Hugs, Sammy

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  4. Sammy, your yard is so nice, but I know your pawrents are looking to “pretty up” some spaces. I’m sure that lawn guy will know exactly what to recommend!
    Ewwww on that snake: glad you could steer clear of him!
    Love all the pics, especially the ones of YOU.
    Love, Sundae

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  5. Your yard is so beautiful and your porch is very inviting……too bad the snake thought your yard was inviting too!! Mom HATES snakes!! We also loved seeing the photos of you. You’re looking very fit!

    The Florida Furkids

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    • Hi Raz!! Glad you enjoyed the updates……….Mom thinks I look better too – and I’ve made my feelings on that snake purrrrfectly clear! Thankfully he was not in our yard this morning!

      Hugs, Sammy

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  6. Sammy this was sooo pawesome! Even with the bald spots your yard looks like a park, it is just gorgeous!!!!! I loved seeing you coming through the door and going on a walk and your Daddy is so handsome! Thank you for sharing these pawesome photos! Love, Cody and Mom

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    • So happy you liked my slideshows Miss Caren and Cody!!!! I’m sure that once the summer heats up and everything dries up it won’t look this good but for now – it’s nice! We’ll be sure and share whatever stuff Mr. Landscape Architect tells Mom tomorrow…….WOOT!

      Love, Sammy

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  7. I love the front porch! The rockers, the colorful pots, and the rugs. A certain little gray squirrel has chewed our white rockers this Spring… I think he may get a BB shot at his butt! Kidding… I think. Your back and front yards look very park-like… very pretty. It will be fun to hear what the landscape guy has to say!

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    • Hi Miss Pix! Glad you like MY porch…..I let my parents use it too. Aren’t I generous? Uhoh on the nibbling of the rockers…..fortunately we haven’t had any squirrel action on the front porch BUT the swing/rocker we have down in the woods has been a snackable for the squirrels that’s for sure…..not too bad really – just on the arms and Dad says he’ll sand everything down when he has a chance. I’ll be sure and share what we find out tomorrow – you betcha!!!!!

      Hugs and Cheeseburgers,
      Sammy

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  8. You have such a beautiful yard even with the bare patches of lawn out back. I can see your folks put a lot of work into that yard. You are looking especially handsome Sammy.

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    • We love our yard even if it’s a lot of work………….and we hope that the landscape architect guy has some GOOD ideas for our back yard………….it’s shady and nice like a little park.

      Hugs, Sammy

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  9. Sammy it will be super to have a landscape dude out…when you look at all the great work Mum and Dad have done i know the bones of it will give him some great ideas 🙂 ..every now and then a shake up is good 🙂 as for mr snake..well ours are not out..they do not hibernate in the true sense but they will hide..suits me fine!! loves Fozziemum xxx

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  10. We’re not bothered by the snakes and lizards around here. Most of the snakes are totally harmless and the coachwhip snakes are pretty, colored light pink.

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  11. Hi Sammy,
    You have a wonderful home and a beautiful front yard. Your Mom did a fantastic job, especially with “flowerizing” the front porch. And also with the front stone garden. I think I need to enlist her to do our xeriscape garden in the front driveway. 😉
    Our back yard, btw, has some of the same problems as yours: quite a few bald spots. I’m not sure yet what to do about them. Maybe, next spring, sow some grass. Or turn them into little (xeriscaped) areas, with some low native bushes.
    I admire the trees all over your property. That’s what we like about our property, too: the many trees. Even if it’s a pity that we lost 17 mature oaks to that dreaded oak wilt, and maybe lose 4 more. Can’t be helped. We’ll just plant something else, even if we won’t live to see them as mature trees, unless we live to 150. 😉
    Have a great time, and good luck with landscaping,
    Pit
    P.S.: Hope you won’t encounter any more snakes. Both me and Mary [my wife] hate them, too. Fortunately we haven’t seen any here yet. We used to have them at our old place just outside of Karnes City, rattlers at that [yuck!] and we even lost one dog to them. Maybe some cats, too, but we don’t know, of course, when they simply disappeared. Sad! 😦

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    • Oh Mr. Pit I’m sorry you lost your dog and perhaps some cats to rattlers – they are so scary! Our snake was – we think – a non-poisonous one but we still don’t like them PERIOD! Thanks for the compliments on our yard – we know you have lots of trees too – they give us such nice cool shade don’t they? We have a swath of woods behind our house and my Dad planted more in the backyard which are now huge (maples)………we’ll see what the landscape architect says tonmorrow.

      Hugs, Sammy

      Liked by 1 person

      • Hi Sammy,
        I fullheartedly agree: snakes are scary. It was really sad to lose Topolino – he was not quite a year old then and possibly only wanted to play with that rattler.
        Good luck with your trees.
        Habe a great Memorial Day,
        Pit

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          • That’s what gardening is, isn’it? And that’s the fun in it. Well, sometimes not: we’ve just had a thunderstorm and 3 limbs of cedar trees came down. It was quite a deluge. Some pictures in my blog already, with kore to come.
            Have fun,
            Pit

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          • Hi Sammy,
            We were still very lucky here, compared to Austin, where much of the city was flooded, or Wimberley, where lots of houses were simply swept away and at least one person died.
            Have a fine day,
            Pit

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  12. Sammy we are looking forward to the ‘after’ photos. You my friend are looking most adorable.
    MOL MOL Mom said out back yard needed a dose of Rogaine too.
    Hugs madi your bfff

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    • I wonder if they have Rogaine for grass………..it would be Rograss…..or Grassgaine….HAR HAR HAR.

      Love, Sammy
      p.s. I’m glad you think I look adorable – I’m trying to KEEP that look in my old age!

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  13. Loved your photo slide show. Your yard is so nice. So easy to see why you love your morning walks with your mom. I sure hope that yucky snake goes away. How many acres of yard do you have?

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    • It’s only an acre and a half sized lot so nowhere NEAR as big as yours………but Mom does enjoy mowing the lawn on her tractor – the front yard is easy to do – backyard is a pain in the tushie so maybe we’ll just ELIMINATE grass back there!!!!

      Love, Sam

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  14. Sammy you have a beautiful front and back yard. All those mature trees and all that green! We think you have a great place to take a stroll and your Mom did a fantastic job with the front porch. It looks lovely with all those pretty flowers. You look fabulous too!

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    • Thanks Annabelle……….we do love our yard – I used to do a yard patrol around the whole perimeter but now that I’m older, I pretty much stick to RIGHT around the house. I’m always on a leash unless Mom’s with me too!! I’ll keep everyone posted on what’s up with the yard after tomorrow’s landscape dood visit!

      Hugs, sammy

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  15. dood…lookin good buddy….puta poundage ore two on we hope !!! N yur yardz total lee rockin awesum, even if de yard iz bald…..may bee purhaps yur mom could give it sum …. roe gain…. 🙂 we bee mega gel uz ya haz that manee treez…BURD FREE ta boot … thanx for sharin de fotoz….. thanx for KNOT sharin de snake….we due knot like em either …..eeeeeeega ♥♥♥

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    • We do have a ton of trees……I like that they keep the yard shady in summer – they also make wonderful “scratch posts” outside! I’ve got myself on FULL ALERT now when we go for walks in the yard – that snake was not big…………..YET!

      Hugs and plenty-o-fish, Sammy

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  16. Gulps. Snakes – any snake is a big snake. Snakes are double gulps scary! My mom is so not a fan either. Can’t wait to see your during and after pictures. I know they are going to be awesome cousin. XOXO – Bacon

    Liked by 1 person

  17. hehehe…MOl Hi Sam, Mom and I were just laughing at you and your mom’s reaction to the snake. We think its funny cause there are no snakes here…if there are, they are very, very low in numbers. Mom thinks she might have seen one in 1985….30 years ago. Too cold I would imagine. I have never seen a snake and only know them from Cat Scouts. The trees appear to be shading your backyard….perhaps this is why the grass is so sparse. I would like to hear what a landscaper has to say as our evergreens in the other house had the same bald spots under them.

    Shoko

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  18. Mom just loves how beautiful your front porch looks – so very pretty.

    Our Mom is terrified of snakes too, but our Angel Thunder used to grab the grass snakes and toss them up in the air:)

    Woos – Ciara and Lightning

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    • Hi Charlie! I am looking a bit better than I did when I was first sick……I’m trying to be good about taking my medication AND getting lots of fresh air!!!!!! I’ll let you know what Mr. Landscaper says today!

      Hugs, Sammy

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  19. Your front yard looks lovely with all the grass and trees. The porch is very pretty with the flowers. I am looking forward to seeing what the landscaper suggests.

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  20. 100 foot long SNAKE!!!!!!!!!
    SNAKE????
    **shudderss**
    Can you here mee Unccle Sammy??? Mee reememburrs sankess frum thee farm an they were so scarey! Mee not fanss of them eether…
    Yur front year iss so green an lush!! An thee backyard lookss ok to us butt them bald spotss must bee upyysettin to yur Pawentss….
    Yur lookin so strong an handsum Unccle! thee meddycashun iss werkin!!! YIPPEE!!!
    ***nose bumpss*** Siddhartha Henry xxxx

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    • SNAKES ARE ICKY! We hope that’s the last one we see this year too!!! Our front yard looks pretty good Nephew, but the back is not looking good so we’ll work on that with the landscape guy today. Hopefully he’ll have some ideas!!! I’ll keep you informed…….

      Love and Hugs, Uncle Sammy

      Liked by 1 person

      • Mee not mind that snakess live butt mee not like them close to mee Unccle!!!! 😉
        Oh mee an LadyMum are waitin to hear ’bout the landscapin plan…it iss berry xcitin!
        LadyMum has wild flowerss inn thee littul garden under thee bedroom window…at leest there iss sum color!
        **nose bumpss** neffkitty Siddhartha Henry xXxXx

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        • My Mom has a big “THING” about snakes……I say as long as they stay hidden and away from me and my house they can do their own thing as all God’s creatures should…………..my Mom loves wildflowers – we may sprinkle some of those around in the spots where we need some color!

          Love, Uncle Sammy

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          • Mee LadyMum LUVSS wildflowerss allso!! Soundss like a good plan fur youss’ there Unccle Sammy!
            An yess snakess can live an bee happy as long as they are far away frum us who iss not comfy with them neer bye Unccle 😉
            Did you know LadyMum had a Boa Constrictor rapped ’round her inn 1980 at a Sportsmen show?? Shee was so brave!!! *shudderss*
            An shee snuggled a Python allso…
            Brave or crazy????? Mew mew mew…
            ***nose kissess*** Siddhartha Henry xxxxx

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          • EEEEEKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK on the boa constrictor! That gave my Mom and me a BIG OLD CHILL!!!!! Pythons too…….Mom says she’s heard that snakes skin is nice and soft but she just can’t get over her “ICKIES” when she sees a snake of any kind. We hope the one in our back yard is the last one we see for a looooooooooooooooooooong time!

            Love and Hugs, Uncle Sammy

            Liked by 1 person

  21. Everything looks great but it will be so exciting to hear what the landscaper has to say. Flowers look wonderful on your porch. Oh dear if mom visits aussieland I had better take good care of her. We have lots of quite poisoness snakes around here.
    The doggies have to stay on leads at the creak because they are not afraid of them (and they should be) <3. Thank goodness they invented anti venum in 1956 so peeps and pets can be saved now. ❤

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    • We just don’t handle snakes very well around here. My Mom absolutely HATES them and it doesn’t matter what kind they are PERIOD. When she was young (a bazillion years ago) she lived on the island of Taiwan. The island is known to be the “snakiest” place with the most kinds of snakes in the whole world. They lived on a mountain with bamboo forests EVERYWHERE……no doubt there were tons of snakes but she only EVER saw TWO while they were there – one was being carried on the shoulders of six men (it was HUGEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE) and was dead………the other was on the day they moved out of their house to return to the USA – it was on their front lawn and only about a foot long. They kept ducks in their fenced yard because the Taiwanese said the ducks would keep the snakes out of the yard. They obviously did!

      Hugs, Sammy

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  22. How exciting for you mom! Our mom got a garden person in last October and she just loves, loves, loves what she did with the garden. We can’t wait to see the “after” photos.
    Wally & Sammy

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  23. Well Sammy dat’s a gawjus yawd. And yous look quite handsum. It looks like so much fun. And yous porch looks bootyful. Have fun wiff all yous purretty flowers.

    Luv ya’

    Dezi and Lexi

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  24. Mommy thinks your yard looks lovely. It’s impossible to grow grass under big shade trees. That’s why we have lots of hostas. Mom has been working out in the yard a few hours everyday. Fiona loves that ’cause she alway gets to go with Mom (if she’s working in the backyard). We keep getting further behind on our visiting with all her gardening. First she’s away from the computer, and then when she comes in her hands hurt so much she can’t type. Sounds like another case for NUCAT. She’s also trying to swim everyday ’cause she was out of the pool for six weeks waiting for a new heater. We say that it’s time to give up all this other stuff and work for us. XOCK, Lily Olivia, Mauricio, Misty May, Giulietta, Fiona, Astrid, Lisbeth and Calista Jo

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    • Hi KB Crew!! We love our yard too – – – Mom would have a bazillion hostas out there but they are “deer magnets” and living at the edge of the woods, the deer who pass through there on their way to the lake detour up to our yard for the “all you can eat buffet”…………!!! We have hostas up close to the house because only when they are REALLY hungry will they come that close. Glad to hear you have a new heater for the pool – it’s such a beautiful pool and I know your Mom loves her swims. Too bad our Moms seem to think they can just do whatever they want every day instead of working for US 24/7 isn’t it?????? HAPPY SUNDAY!

      Love, Sammy

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  25. Mee-you Unccle Sammy an Lady Pam mee sayss EEEEEEKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK allso!!!! Mee allmost fainted when shee told mee!!
    Thee Constrictur was at a Sportmen’ss show an thee man asked fur a pawticipant an nun of thee Ladiess wood come forwerd so LadyMum did it to show not all Ladiess are scared of snakess….
    Shee told mee “Rosie” felt like cool leather an not oily or icky at all….
    An shee said “Monty” Python allso felt like cool leather an hee ‘snuggled’ with LadyMum…**shudderss**
    Who snuggless with snakess Unncle?? Mee seess LadyMum inn a hole new way…mew mew mew….shee iss one wild Lady 😉
    **nose bumpss** neffkitty Siddhartha Henry xXxXx

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    • EEEEEK is right! Well, your Ladymum is very brave……and she’s also a super good Mom so we can forgive her (haha) for hugging a snake or two right? I hope you have a super Tuesday little guy!

      Love, Uncle Sammy
      p.s. We think that python’s name is GREAT! That was one of my Mom’s favorite shows “way back when” !

      Liked by 1 person

  26. Mew mew mew Unccle Sammy an Lady Pam you should see LadyMum FREEK out if there iss a spyder inn here>>>ROFWM!!! Shee iss scared then!!! Totallee…..
    As long as LadyMum doess not bring ANY snakess home to snuggle all will bee well here mew mew mew…
    “Monty Python” iss a grate name fur a python fur sure….mew mew mew…
    **paw patss** Siddhartha Henry xxxxx

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  27. What a beautiful yard you have, Sammy!! And it’s only going to get better! You’re so lucky. Getting to take morning strolls and smell the flowers, lounge on the porch while your mom and dad drink coffee… bliss. I meow through the screen door while my moms sit out back beside the bird and butterfly garden drinking their morning coffee. You’d think they’d invite me to join them, but no. I can’t wait to catch up on your activities and see what surprises you have in store!

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