Things I Planted This Summer

I've had a busy summer...but have managed to have a little bit of fun and have managed to do a few things around the house....and I planted some things! I don't have the best of luck with plants of any kind, but I please take a look at some stuff I have planted...and hopefully I will have pictures later showing you how these things have GROWN!!!!

This is the muscadine vine. I can hardly wait for this little guy to produce some big juicy muscadines! Will probably be next year though.

This is one of two Austin Blueberry Bushes I planted this summer. Again...will probably be next year before any fruit is produced.

This is the pomegranate tree. The kind you find in the grocery store??? I do not know the answer to that! 

I planted all these guys in the upper reaches of our back yard, a little too far to drag the garden hose, so I carry buckets of water to the plants about every other day. Sometimes they really looked parched. The muscadine vine fares better, because it is planted at the base of some trees where the leaves have accumulated, and I think the leaves prevent evaporation, so the ground stays moister. I am truly hoping to reap the rewards of all the water-toting next summer!

A Baby in Our Future!

We have a baby in our future...and it's not mine! It is my daughter Amber (aka Arthur) and her husband Chris (aka SIL) who are expecting the bundle from heaven. She is only 9 weeks along in her pregnancy, but already we love this baby as if it were here.

Amber is experiencing a good bit of nausea, but no vomiting, which is a bit different from my own pregnancies with Amber and Jessica (aka Courage). I was sick from the beginning till the end with both. More so with Amber, but lots of vomiting with both. But she seems to have a pretty good handle on the situation, by sleeping as late as she can, and eating a lot of small meals.

Seeing as Arthur and SIL live 'out in the sticks', the nearest hospital is 1/2 an hour away. But she seems okay with that. She has had one OB appointment so far, and she loved her new doctor! She couldn't say enough good things about the doc and her staff. So that is a comfort.

They have not began working on the nursery yet...they want to hold off till they find out the sex of the baby, which we are guessing will be before Christmas. When they find out, we will ALL know what to buy...pink or blue!

This baby is a lot of 'Firsts'...Arthur and SIL's first baby, our first grand baby, Courage's first niece or nephew, and the first great grand baby for my Mom and Amber's grandparents on her Dad's side.

I know this baby is bound to be gorgeous. It's mama was a big eyed, bald, smiling little gem. It's daddy was a chubby cheeked, eye-twinkling, smiling cherub (according to pictures). So the baby is bound to be just simply gorgeous!

A Walk in the Park

Most days of the week, you will find me, and maybe Courage, taking a walk at the little park near where we live. 

This park is not large, not beautifully landscaped, not any thing particularly special. But it is close and does offer a mile or so of paved walking trail which enables one to get a bit of fresh air, sunshine, and exercise

And if you take the time to look, you can find bits of beauty strewn about in small doses.  

Pic. 1:  A tiny little daisy pushes upwards from the grass and weeds, it's yellow face yearning towards the sun.

Pic 2:  There are many names for the dandelion; including priest's crown, monk's head, telltime, Irish daisy, lion's tooth and blowball. Dandelions actually have a purpose, other than irritating those who want a perfectly groomed lawn. They serve as food for ladybugs, aerates and provides nutrients to soil, and serve as a home remedy as a diuretic and liver stimulant. They are edible and are a good source of Vitamin A and C. A lot of good comes from this lowly, yet beautiful (at times) weed.

Pic # 3. Brush growing near and in the water's edge have a beautiful backdrop of the sky as the sun goes down.     Pic# 4:  The reflection of trees in the creek that feeds the pond gives a double take on the beautiful view.Pic #5:  The mushroom, or  toadstool,  is another plant that plaque lawns and gardens. It is a fungi that grows mostly on soil or on it's food source. The most common in my corner of the world appears to be these white capped ones. But I have seen pictures of beautiful red ones, oranges ones, even blue ones. Mushrooms, like the dandelion, serve as food and has medicinal uses.  

It's amazing what beautiful plants you can find at your local park. I don't know the name of this tree, but it's flowers are breathtaking. They look tropical and put in mind little ballerina tutus. Do you know the name of this tree? Or have any information on it? This is a close up of the flower and the tree grows near a creek.

More Spring Snapshots

The following photos were snapped in early April, 2010, on the trails of Callaway Gardens. 

The Azaleas at Callaway...there is such variety in colors and types. This maroon hued one is beautiful in it's pre-bloom glory! All along the trails we found Azaleas in all stages of bloom...from buds to full out flowers.                                         

 Along one trail we found this interesting spider web. As you can see, the web spreads out around an area, then funnels down into a hole where I imagine a black, hairy, spider lives. I didn't see the spider itself, but I suppose his prey walks all around the web and then decides to go exploring in the tunnel and BAM! He gets eaten!

This tree...it was sleepy. It kept yawning right in my face! What creature finds refuge in it's mouth during the day...only to come crawling out at night to find food???

No, this tree is not bullet ridden...I think this may be a virus in the tree bark, or perhaps an insect or bird has drilled holes while looking for food? Whichever, it doesn't seem to have caused fatal harm to the tree; it is very tall, has a good girth, and appears very sturdy.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      

This 'pink' palm-like tree is fascinating in leaf and color. It also has berries which I am sure attract birds to it's branches. I don't know what kind of tree it is, but is seemed a bit like a tree you would see at Christmas time; something festive!!!

This butterfly is so bold and colorful! The wings have black, white, orange, red, and gold in stripes, diamond shapes, dots, waves, and bars. Do the colors camouflage the creature while it sips on flowers? Or indicate to its enemy that it tastes bad? I do not know, but his colors and patterns are so pleasing to the eye!

Inside the underside of a bridge, we found some abandoned dirt-dauber nests. Actually wasps build these little tubular apartments from mud - shaping them with their mouths. Inside the tube they lay an egg and bam!..another wasp is born! Luckily, these type wasps are not too violent and not too active in early May!

Friends

Ahhhhhh...girlfriends! What would I do without them??? This particular gathering was for a semi-sweet event...my friend Penny leaving our work place. (She is second from left, on the left side of the table). We had our 'going-way' party for her at Frontera. WE all love Mexican food!!! 

But let me assure you, this is not the last we will see of Penny, because three other girlfriends in attendance of the this party have had a 'going-way' party of their own in the past year, and here they are, still in the circle of friends. 

I thank God above for my GIRLFRIENDS!!!!!

Splendid Spring!!!

Spring is Splendid!

A few examples of her glorious beauty!

March

The month of March has come and gone. It was a month of happiness, and a month of sadness too.

March brought birthdays for me, my younger daughter, my cousin, a good friend, and my stepdad, Ed.

March brought much anticipated spring.

March brought Hospice to my stepdad's beside, and just days after his 64th birthday, God took him home.

I thank God for the birthdays celebrated this March.

I ask God for peace in the coming months as me and my family heal from losing our loved one.