Landscaping Around the House and a Raccoon Visitor - again

Well, I'm sitting here INSIDE since it is about 105 degrees OUTSIDE right now (and supposed to be hotter tomorrow).  I did spend a little time outside this morning watering getting read for the roaster that was to come today ... and it hasn't disappointed.  I did the yardwork on Wednesday (much cooler to do after work) so I am yardwork-free this weekend.  But, we have done our usual landscaping this year (although at a lower scale).   

The sprinkle garden, as I mentioned in a previous post, was moved from the main garden area in front of the house to the two plots on either side of the drive-way.  Same effort though - throw wild-flower seeds in a bowl and sprinkle away not knowing for sure what is going to come up.  Turned out just as well as before and a little better being in a more compact area.  Another change this year was to lay low on the sunflower plantings - we only planted a few in backyard (one came up) but none in front - but one came up anyway in front.  Also, put up the bird bath that Mom and Dad kept in Georgia for the past 20 years.  Still in good shape and I put it up underneath the trees in the back yard near where we feed the deer.  Anyway, these are images I took this morning before the heat settled in (although it was already in mid-80's by the ten o'clock this morning).   

But, as it turned out, it wasn't too warm for our raccoon friends.  There has been another recent addition to the local raccoon crew - more young ones.  The images here are of one of the babies at one of the bird feeders - there was another baby hanging upside down off a cake feeder but I couldn't get an image of that one from where I was at the back door.  Needless to say, seeing the supposedly nocturnal raccoons in the middle of the day means the heat and limited food sources are effecting their movements.  The image of the small sunflower with the two round stepping stones at the base of the plant is where the Eastern Box Turtle laid her eggs around 1 July - so about the end of August into first week of September we should see some hatchlings - but haven't got a clue what to do then.