Some of the best joys in the life are the simple ones:
a hot shower after a day at the beach, yummy coffee and good conversation, laughing so hard no sound comes out.

And getting snail mail.
Especially when that mail is a surprise, and a 'thinking of you'.

Today I opened up my mailbox to find this adorable book from Cindy.
It's filled with photos of cute doggies and inspirational sayings--it's awesome.
What a treat!
Thank you so so much!

I also spent time today with this handsome boy

We frolicked at Dog Beach this afternoon.

Then I came home to find a mound of dirt where yesterday I had zinnia seedlings coming up.
Whaaattt????

Uh oh, Mr. Gopher discovered my garden.

I installed a mole chaser.
It's a tube that you bury into the ground.
It holds four D-cell batteries and chirps every 30 seconds or so.
I have no idea if it will work, but the sound is audible even to me, and it's annoying, so I figure gophers have their paws over their little ears in their new home underneath my plants.
I intend to make that home uninviting.
I hope so anyway.

Move right along little buggers.
I don't want to kill them (I just can't), but I would like to have them find weeds on the hillside or something to eat.
Last week they demolished two of my mom's green peppers, a Dalia, mums, and Babianas.
The roots/bulbs were just gone...nothing.
Little shits.

Sigh...
I full-on believe in co-existing, but it's still irritating.
Mr. Snail and Mr. Grasshopper give me enough headaches.
(the daughter of one of my clients, with a ladybug)