Garden Auto-Pilot?

One of the gardening books says that August is the boring month for gardeners, as everything is on auto-pilot and there is very little to do.

Perhaps that is true. I've deadheaded everything we have to deadhead, and most of my energy in the yard is devoted to watering. I'm still not sure about this myth of rain in Seattle, as I have yet to see it rain here. A few days ago, the ground was wet when I went to get the mail, but I never actually saw the rain fall. And the sky was perfectly clear an hour later.

So now the thoughts turn to what things to change. The perimeter is still being debated, although I like the idea of rasberry bushes growing over the fence. There is another patch of land that needs some attention:

This is part of the parking strip (or tree lawn, depending what part of the country you are from) that is cut off by our sidewalk. It has an unfortunate looking bush in the center that requires more water than I feel like giving it, what with it being so far from the hose. The rest of the strip is a magnet for weeds. Chris was supposed to come up with an idea for this space. However, she got her new laptop today, and the wireless internet means she can use it in front of the TV. This blog may be the only way we will communicate from now on!

Any other thoughts? It is a lowly piece of land that seems like it deserves more.

Also, Truman has found a comfortable spot:

But now I want to find a durable but soft ground cover for this area, to prevent him from getting too muddy with the mythical rains finally come.

Another flower to identify...this is actually an old picture, as the blooms fell off weeks ago:


And did I mention this is the view from our front porch?

Sure, you can do better, but not a bad thing to look at as you drink your morning coffee, eh?