Nana Takes Giada Out For Her Morning Constitutional. Or Rather Giada Takes Nana Out. And Rosie Deals With Dogs.

For those who don't know, the Three Little Hawthorne Hellions

are home for summer vacation from graduate school and colleges. And they each brought a dog. I already have Dixie, my 11 year old, this month, Chesapeake Bay Retriever baby. And my grown children have come back with Giada, Beau, and Junior. Dixie ain't really happy about this turn of events. But she's dealing much better. I guess I am too, even though I did have that unpleasant meltdown the other night. My apologies to whomever witnessed that little Chernobyl.

Most mornings, anytime between 4:30 and 7 AM, Giada comes to my bedside. She knows I'm the ONLY one in the house awake and the ONLY one who will take her outside. When Giada catches a whiff of something, she's off like a bat outta hell. She's possessed and sometimes it's all I can do to rein her in. Giada's a determined, tough cookie.

This next video is just to let you know what it's like to take out

Giada-The-Stop-To-Smell-Every-Freakin'-Rose-

And-Chase-After-Anything-She-Smells-Dog.

And God forbid she might happen upon a butterfly,

or a sitting or setting duck,

or a baby bird,

or a cat,

or a frog.

Sockets may be dislocated.

That video reminds me of any episode of Cops, with the photographer/videographer running after the cop who's running after the perp

and they're all jumping over fences

and dodging around houses

and running across multiple lanes of traffic

and climbing over rails

and running amok through the woods.

Good stuff.

Great.

Now, I've got this little ear worm

burrowing deeper and deeper all day.

Here's Giada, with her Nana, at approximately 7 AM, when Nana would like to do something else. Like GO BACK TO SLEEP but that's not going to happen because I can't now.

Giada is searching for that certain perfect place. She's already found yesterday's place. And Junior is in hot pursuit. Dixie comes along outside just for the fun of it. She can go right back asleep. Just like the rest of the Hawthornes. Except me. Fie. Once I'm up, I'm up. Here's Giada, at the end of my rope, both literally and figuratively.

And while I'm out waiting for all the dogs

to "do their business"

here are some pictures of my hibiscuses.

Hibisci?

And speaking of "doing their business,"

why do I have this image of the dogs

carrying out their respective briefcases to my front yard,

setting up a desk,

and hanging their shingle?

Enjoy.

These are all volunteers throughout the garden.

I'll be glad when my big red dinner-plate-sized hibiscus blooms.

That one's a beaut.

More glads.

This next video is just to set the tone. This is what goes on in my household.

ALL.DAY.LONG.

Except when I'm outside walking the dogs.

And here's Beau trying to get a fly:

Sometimes, I worry he's going to try and climb a wall when's he's in fly mode.

You should see him go after a laser beam.

Welcome to the Hawthorne Household. ; )

Check Out Rosie's Glads.

This coral colored glad is one of my favorites in the garden.

Oh, Xmaskatie ... Check out my glads.

Just so you can get some perspective as to the size of this glad, I had this 6-foot tall random person step in next to it. What Xmaskatie? Did you say something? I believe it was muttered under your breath because I couldn't hear you. What was that you said? I can't HHHHHEEEAAAARRRRR you, Xmaskatie.