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Showing posts with label garden. Show all posts
Showing posts with label garden. Show all posts

14 April 2012

A morning surprise.

We noticed a chrysalis when Baby K was visiting and checked it every day. It's been about a week and this morning, hubby went out to check on it and this is what we found! He spent the night emerging from his cocoon and when we found him, he was gently drying his wings. We were able to get a couple shots off and by 9 a.m. he was gone! What a lovely gift he gave us.



23 April 2010

The view from my "desk"


My "desk" is actually a card table, but I realize I like to use it as my "desk" because I can put it anywhere in the house to do some of my projects, some of which don't take much concentration. So it is my moveable desk. I sit here when I write notes and get birthday cards ready to send. If a good movie is on, it goes in front of the TV and I will cut out Hug-A-Bears for my church. It goes into the sewing room when I need more table space!

The bluebonnets are terrific out back right now and the daisies are starting to bloom. Still waiting on the vine that will grow on the fence. In a month, I won't be able to see it. Just a lovely wall of green!

15 January 2010

Sunrise



Just sharing a lovely moment one morning last week. A gift within the VERY frosty days.

06 October 2009

Butterfly

Lately I have been focusing on fabrics and projects, but the garden still fascinates and changes daily. Right now we see only occasional hummingbirds, but MANY butterflies. I managed to catch this one a couple days ago.

30 June 2009

Still hanging in there

That plant that is a mystery to us, is still hanging in there.

Bug obsessed



Hubby is obsessed with bugs, he loves bugs. This was a particularly unique find. The left behind bit of what his best guess was from a dragon fly. There were teeny little dragonflies in the area, almost translucent. All you could see was a little sparkle dancing around in the air.

My first "sighting" was after I brushed away a tickle on my neck. I guess baby dragonflies aren't very discriminating as to where they fly, being somewhat unfamiliar with the experience. I imagine, just emerging from their outer skeleton, this world would prove to be a bit confusing. So right into my neck a baby dragonfly flew. He/she was probably wondering why, all of a sudden, his/her euphoric feeling of freedom was frustrated by a strange, warm, soft and wrinkly wall of what??* Thankfully when I brushed away the tickle, I didn't hurt the baby dragon fly. He/she was a bit discombobulated though, as I noticed in the grass the first little sparkle, and there he/she was recovering from his/her trauma of being rudely brushed aside.

All I saw at first was the sparkle, then, finding a sparkle in the grass after nearly a month of no rain, well, it seemed a bit odd. Looking more closely, I saw what looked like the smallest dragonfly I had ever seen. Not even an inch long, VERY skinny, and almost not there, just that sparkle. We have lots of dragon flies in the garden so after my mind settled on dragonfly, then translated to BABY dragonfly, then back to the skeleton left on the leaf, it all fell into place.

What a fun find! Our front AND back gardens are a wonder. Very natural looking, with things growing that WANT to grow, a few cuttings from friends, a few things that were originally planted when the house was build (particularly magnificent is our magnolia tree), some wildflower seeds scattered about and a few select items from the garden store. Our best find was a plethora of "left overs" from the local Garden Club that was selling at an event. The rain was coming down in buckets, it was closing time and as we were making a couple of purchases, someone offered to let us have everything left for a very ridiculous price! We took it ALL! It took hours to get it all into the ground, but much of it has grown and spread and adds another dimension to our garden. So we aren't the type to go and pay someone thousands of dollars to measure and plan and plant. What's the fun of that? Of coarse, the garden is now hubby's domain, exclusively. I only go out and observe and enjoy, but that suits both of us just fine. It's his place to be.

He is very proud of his habitat, and proudly proclaims with THREE, yes, three signs on the garden gate.





* my neck wrinkles probably looked like caverns to that little baby dragonfly.

27 June 2009

A garden surprise

This first picture is NOT a surprise. It is what happens when it gets hot and doesn't rain for weeks! We aren't ones to try to keep things growing at all costs, so if the plants can't take the heat, they can't take the heat. Most every thing else is hanging in there pretty well, with watering a couple times a week. If it keeps up being so dry, we may have to break down and deep water the larger trees.


This plant has been growing out front for several years, but has never bloomed. Hubby has no idea where it came from or what it is, but it's blooming now and very lovely. Maybe it hasn't been hot and dry enough to trigger it to bloom until now.

24 June 2009

Out side the sewing room window


Out side my sewing room window is a small patio with a few plants placed there and cared for by hubby. Last week we were surprised by the best blossoms ever on a plant that we have had for several years. It must like it's new little home.

Dry, dry, dry . . . but happy



Our hibiscus doesn't seem to be complaining, even though some of the garden is definitely feeling the effects of HOT and DRY!

03 June 2009

Our meditation garden

I have recently made some prayer ribbons. At least that is what I call them. I used my new fancy, machine to write prayers on long strips of fabric and hang them in the garden. The prayers are caught up by the wind. I like the idea of them being out in the open air all the time. The prayer may have been said once, but it is forever out to heal, encourage or strengthen not only the one who was prayed for, but the person who prayed the prayer. I believe prayer changes the pray-er as much as the one prayed for. So our lovely garden has taken on a new dimension and moved even more into a meditation garden. A lovely place to take a stroll, to listen to the birds and our little fountain, and rest in the blessings of nature. It will be interesting to see how the ribbons of fabric wear in the outdoors. I have little bells on the ends of some of them, and they make a tiny little tinkling sound when the wind blows just right.



June garden


Our June garden doesn't have a lot of NEW surprises, although it is full of color and fun right now. It hasn't been raining as much as we would like, but it's hanging in there with some help from the sprinkler system. This Texas Hibiscus is the newest little surprise.

21 May 2009

And more Garden

The garden continues to bloom, there is lots of color all around, but these are the latest additions.


This is from my mimosa tree, reminds me of something from a Dr. Seuss book!



03 May 2009

May garden

I've been on the couch for the past two weeks recovering from a foot surgery. I am slowly getting up and around, but if I swell up and the foot throbs, back on the couch. I want to have as much healing done before I head for some fun with the babies later this month. I should be back to "normal" by the beginning of June.

While I have laid nearly dormant the garden has been busy. We had over six inches of rain last week, so everything outdoors (probably including the mosquitoes) is enjoying the warmth of the sun and the rain and the heat and doing what they need to do. Grow, grow, grow.

Here are the latest additions. Amazing at what our garden offers, far more than I ever dreamed!


Our lovely magnolia, we have one that is thriving and growing at an amazing pace.


Even as the blossoms fade, it is still beautiful.


These look like little snowflakes, which would be rather refreshing this time of year, at least for a day . . . maybe. Actually I love the HEAT!

Here is one HOT looking blossom. Gorgeous!













We'll check again in a few weeks.

I have been working on the quilt for my daughter and son-in-law and am making great progress. I expect it to be done about the time I am recovered from my surgery and I will be back in the sewing room. Spring cleaning is called for as well, but that is a subject that is better left alone for now.

16 April 2009

Coming soon!



April Garden, Vol. II


The bluebonnets are fading, but they are making sure with their seed pods that next year will bring more. Isn't nature amazing?


Our clamatis is starting to bloom.

I have no idea what these are, but they sure make me smile! Like a bunch of little slender dancers, happy to be alive. Reaching for the sky. Even looking like hands in prayer.

The bulb that Lowell gave us came into full bloom today.

Our butterfly plants in pink have come in.

15 April 2009

April Garden


An older couple in my bible study always brought plants for those in the study to bring home around Easter. This one, we have had for several years and it bloomed yesterday. It is lovely to have something that reminds me of such special people. They can no longer make it to bible study, as they are well into their eighties and recently lost use of their car. It was an old Oldsmobile and it just died one day. No more cars for them. They get rides, so still make it to church, it is always a delight to see them and say hello.



Our garden is full of these, happy little flowers.