Walking in the neighborhood 07-19-18

When KoKo and I walk at 7am (oh so) and 7pm (unless the temp is over 80F, then we go when it gets below 80F) we never see many people walking.  He is still learning to sit/stay and he still lunges and carries on at bikes, trikes, scooters, etc..   We keep working at these lessons and some days are better than others.  We unfortunately still hear fireworks which makes him head for home.  I have had to pick him up and carry him lest he tear my arm out of the socket.  He is only eleven pounds, but it is a powerful eleven pounds.  We have wild rabbits and the smart ones just squat down and wait, the dumb ones take flight and KoKo wants to chase them, so I hold tight on the leash at all times.  He has pulled away from me a couple times in two years, but has improved with time.  The heat doesn't seem to bother him, though he will sit down in the shade if I sit down to rest, which I sometimes do.  

There is a lot of burned foliage around, several large leafed trees are very brown (coral trees, tulip trees, avocados, etc.).  I have a large ficus in back and it has been dropping brown leaves for the last few weeks.  And we probably won't have any rain to amount to anything until the middle or end of October.  A little monsoon moisture is possible in August.  So, there isn't much blooming.  Mostly roses and gazanias, and plumerias. 

This rosebush was here in the backyard when we moved in thirty years ago.  I don't know its name.  It blooms profusely most of the year. 

The buds open to reveal a soft lavender inside and bright pink outside.

As the blooms open they turn bright pink all through.  Unfortunately this rose doesn't really care for the heat and get sunburned very quickly.  You can see the edges started to curl up. 

The "landscape roses" which are everywhere here are almost always blooming, but even they have shriveled somewhat in the heat.  This picture was from earlier this year.  

I really appreciate that KoKo has gotten me out to walk the neighborhood, I always see something interesting. 

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