Sunrise & Sparrows

6:45 AM --

The view from my back yard as I filled the bird-feeders this morning. Maintaining the bird feeders is a priority at our house: not only does it provide entertainment for our cats -- it also keeps the sparrows from making a meal of my Rose Moss. Just look at the evidence in the picture below. Now I realize that this is a very bad picture, but give me a break -- I was trying to shoot through the window with two cats at my feet !

If you look closely you can see the plant vandals for yourself -- there's one sneaky bird actually in my planter (lower right), just pecking away, while his little friend acts as look out !

As of this morning, the Rose Moss was not looking so good. I'm seriously beginning to think about making tiny scarecrows for my planters -- or buying some of those bright colored pinwheels and sticking them in the planters. I might even do some 'sparrow research' on the internet today. There's got to be some way to save my Rose Moss. Any suggestions are welcome.

Flowers (and that's all)

Pictures from the weekend -- absolutely none of family or places.

Just flowers --

I loved this picture so much, it now my new 'header'

Heading South . . . .

I'm off on a road trip south -- to help my Mom (AKA - G.G.) and my oldest sister, Sue, celebrate their birthdays this weekend. My bags are packed and in the PTCruiser, the fuel tank is full (@ $2.34/gallon), I have the new Scarpetta book on DVD ready for my listening pleasure, and there will be a stop at Sonic for a large Diet Vanilla Coke (easy ice, please) before I leave the city.

The picture below has absolutely nothing to do with my trip -- just like taking pictures of my petunias !!

SunFlares all season long

First bloom from my favorite rose bush.

Wonderful yellow roses from spring until first frost. One of the very best gifts I've ever received. It's a Jackson-Perkins rose: SunFlare -- but, it's known at our house as -- 'The Linda Rose'. Thanks again LB !

You and the Mr. have a safe trip south and I'll see you soon.

First Blooms

About a week ago, on a Monday evening -- I was out in a the dark, trying to cover my white iris and Lady Banks Rose. The local weather wizards were predicting a very hard freeze that night and both plants were covered in buds. While I struggled with sheets and painters cloths, a cold rain dripped down the back of my neck and the wind pulled at the sheets. With a lot of clothes-pins and bricks -- the tender plants were covered and I was chilled to the bone. But it was so worth all the effort. Just take a lot at my first blooms of the spring: white iris & Lady Banks Rose.

Good weekend for staying inside . . . .

So far the 'stuff' that's falling out of the sky is in liquid form. But, that will change sometime this evening; and, according to our local 'weather wizards' -- we will have up to 6 inches of snow by noon tomorrow with low temps over the weekend in the teens. A realy big/bad winter storm in spring -- a bit of unexpected weather !

In my garden, the daffodils, pansies are in bloom -- all of my rose bushes are loaded with buds -- the day lilies and iris plants are up about 18 inches. So, I'll be out this afternoon, in the wet stuff, covering what I can and hoping for the best.

Soon, the snow will melt and plants/blooms that were nipped by the cold will come out again. Spring will return. And, if I look for it -- I will find a bright side to this unexpected weather. Tomorrow I can can make a big pot of chili, watch a movie or two and do a bit of sewing on those 'biscuits'. And, that's not a bad plan for a weekend at all !!

Spring Gardening

The calendar says it's Spring and for once the weather agrees. Over the weekend, we had partly cloudy skies, lots of wind and warmer weather. To celebrate, Willie Jay and I spent many hours outside (and at the garden center at Lowe's). Two flower beds in the front were enlarged, shrubs were planted, crepe myrtles & rose bushes were trimmed. Wish I could show you the before and after pictures -- but, there are none. All I've got are pictures of these sweet pansies all tucked into their pots -- filling our little 'homestead' with color.

P.S. I'm seeing a pattern here -- Spring is the favorite topic right now !

Garden-scapes

A little house for Mr. Toad - -



A small squirrel --



And, the Garden Gentleman himself --
the gnome.


Details: My Mom & Sister's garden - Healdton, OK

Different levels of 'chores'

Housekeeping -- keeping things neat & tidy -- de-cluttering : all of the above phrases are the necessary evils of maintaining a home or garden.

Some of those chores I don't care for -- but they must be done:

washing dishes, ironing, laundry, scrubbing toilets.

Even if these are not pleasant tasks -- you do have a feeling of accomplishment when they are done and you have a clean/orderly home.

But, some chores are on a different level all together -- like gardening. Working in the dirt is not only good for your flowers/vegetables but also good for you too. Getting your hands in the soil -- your feet (and other parts) wet as your water those thirsty plants -- having sore muscles at the end of a day spent in the garden -- all of these feed your soul and lift your spirits (even though we may have to reach for the aspirin or the Icy-Hot cream before we go to bed).

Gardening, for me -- is less of a chore and more of a blessing.

This past Sunday I worshiped in a 'cathedral of roses' --

and, for every fading bloom I clipped --

I thanked God --

for this marvelous gift of gardening that connects me to the earth --

and, to Him.

A few bags of mulch . . . .

Over the weekend we made a run to our local Garden Center -- just for a few bags of mulch for the flower beds -- that's all. As we walked through all the bedding plants on our way to the much -- something happened. We think it might have been the result of all those colors and scents of the flowers/shrubs. Whatever it was -- this is what we bought -- way more than a couple of bags of mulch.

Now our front flower bed is all decked out for the warm weather and we have the sore muscles to prove it -- was worth it ?

We certainly think it so -- because it makes us smile whenever we see it -- and that's a good thing. Pictures of the result of our hard labor to follow.