It was a beautiful day to work in the yard.  Three cubic yards of black garden soil was delivered.  I moved two of them into flower beds and planters.  The remaining dirt will fill two more raised garden beds.

I planted some vegetables and some bedding plants.  The forecast is for rain overnight and I wanted everything put in before that happened.  The neighbor's cat decided that she was going to guard the garden.  I hope she keeps the deer away!

While I worked in the backyard, the birds entertained me.  A rose-breasted grosbeak showed up at the feeder.  The red winged blackbirds called from the treetops.  Chickadees landed beside me as I planted the flower beds.

Before I had my new home built, a kitten was born under the old home.  When I moved away during the construction phase, the cat took up residence underneath my garden shed.  

'Spike' is a good mouser.  He heads out daily to the forest behind my yard and comes back with a treasure most times.  I haven't been able to get close to him.  Today was different.

Spike and I have history.  When I lived in the old house, Spike was just a small kitten.  He would fall over the edge of a retaining wall in the crawl space under the house.  I would hear him whining and climb below to rescue him.  After having this happen a number of times, I brought him upstairs and he lived in my bathroom for months until it was warm outside and he could join his mother.

Today, Spike watched me from the corner of the yard.  He would move closer but each time that I tried to approach, he would run; that is until I brought out a piece of chicken.  It brought him closer.  Eventually, he took chicken from my hand and allowed me to pet his head.  I have a feeling that we'll be friends by the end of the summer.