Tuesday, July 31, 2012

Time To Start Tidying Up A Bit.


   Well, July is almost over with! Its time to start getting things tidied up out in the yard. August is when I start my seedlings for the September garden. This year has flown by so fast!!! Considering some of the things that have happened... thats a good thing! But I never seem to get caught up. Sheesh!
  Anyway, put the last two eggplants in the ground in the hope they would get a second wind. And it looks like I made a good choice. New flowers and a few baby fruit all ready!  Will try this with my peppers as well. As you can see, my "rain buckets" are back out. It seems to either rain a LOT, or not at all. 


   The chives were just about swallowed up by the thyme!!! I know they say you can never have enough thyme, but somehow this was just too much! Ooops, thats right. Thats a different kind of thyme/time.


    So, Its TIME to transplant the chives, as well as some other herbs that really are in need of bigger potted homes. The lemon balm being first, followed by a couple types of basil. Need to take startings from the rosemary.... and on and on!   I have a month to prepare. The hottest, muggiest month of the year!!!
   And the retaining wall, and the terracing, and the small potted trees, and the fence, and the henhouse with a run, and..... oh the heck with it! I'll just do what I can and see what happens.

Thursday, July 26, 2012

Changing My Perspective To The Positive.


   Its been a rough few weeks around here. With all the problems that are presenting themselves and the people that are acting so ignorant and just plain mean... I had planned on writing about how to deal with the "weeds" in Life. But you know, I might do that next time.
  This morning I woke up with a different perspective! (And "no", I didn't take any big painkillers for the tooth I got pulled yesterday! Its not a chemically induced outlook change! ha ha ha)  I sat there in the dark for awhile, just listening.... to Merlin the cat moving to the window to check out what he heard.... to one of the dogs snoring, just a little bit!.... to a mockingbird chirping WAY TOO EARLY! They all made me realize (again) how amazing Life is. I got up and took the dogs out too relieve themselves, and was immediately spellbound by how beautiful the stars were this morning. Its been quite a while since the sky has been that clear in the hours before sunrise. I took everyone back in, and came out alone to just gaze around for as long as I could. Finally I HAD to come in! Finished getting all the critters fed and straight, and then off to work I went. There was a line of huge, towering clouds out over the Gulf and the way the colors from the rising sun bloomed and washed over the tops of them was magnificent!! By the time I got to the parking lot, I just wanted to stay out there in the soft breeze and watch the morning unfold. It truly revived my Spirit.
   Then there is all the bad news out there in the world. But I choose to focus on the Good. On the 23rd of this month, there was a request for bloggers to share stories of dog rescues. Talk about uplifting! We have some awesome and kind hearted people on this planet. My friend John being one of them. His dog Butch wrote about three of the many rescues his Dad has done. So much Good in people's hearts... well, some of them anyway!
   Even the  horrible shootings in Aurora, Colorado..... you hear about how people wouldn't leave their friends behind. Risking their own lives to help others get out of that living Hell. How some folks couldn't run, so they shielded their loved ones with their own bodies.  These are examples of love, friendship and the human spirit put to the test. It was a harsh and horrible test... but history is filled with examples like this. And the Human Spirit ALWAYS Rises Above It. For all our faults and some of the most insanely stupid behavior imaginable, we are an amazing species! And we are capable of SO MUCH MORE. That is what I Hope and Pray for. That we all wake up and realize our TRUE POTENTIAL.
    This world of ours IS an amazing place! Now imagine it at its TRUE POTENTIAL.  
    Yeah, amazing beyond words isn't it!?!
   

Saturday, July 21, 2012

The Blessing Of Color.

      Decided after my post of the shop ceiling that I needed to concentrate on something beautiful. So I grabbed my camera and took some shots of what is flowering in my yard today. The recent rains really helped the plants and trees! Also, my Aunt Helen sent an email this morning that said to remember how blessed we are to see things in color. How true! We need to look more often at the Beauty that surrounds us. And Appreciate it for the Blessing it bestows.... if we are willing to accept it. Please enjoy.     


Love this little stretch down my property line. The two mulberry trees create a LOT of shade in the Summer. And that is a very good thing!!!

Between the Firebush and the Red Honeysuckle this is a hummingbird's paradise!

Crepe myrtles are give-away plants here in Florida. So I don't know the type.
The cactus in my friend's yard is awesome! Its huge! And hummingbirds love the flowers when it blooms.


Another color of crepe myrtle.

And another!

The Blue Plumbago is doing well, as usual.

Here is a close up. I LOVE these flowers! So do the butterflies and moths.  I've also seen quite a few hummers at it. This plant is really hardy down here!

The ripe jalapenos are so pretty, I had to include them too!
Will be picking these and browsing through my recipe box tonight!

Wednesday, July 18, 2012

I REALLY HATE Leaks!

Yep, I HATE leaks. And with all the rain we've been having the last few weeks I've had plenty of them. Just didn't expect this to happen.  Went to get something from the room out in the storage trailer where Dad and I used to make jewelry.... and this is what I found. Its a real punch in the gut for me. I'd had hopes of getting my artwork and jewelry up and going again this Fall. Need to actually. Finances are pretty rough around here, and every little bit helps. And with little Jacob here now, that means more vet bills.  
Oh well, the aquifer needs all the water it can get. The plants and trees in this area haven't been this lush in years! And I'm certainly being shown what needs to be repaired around here. Just wish it wasn't SO MUCH.

Darn particle board!!! Hate that stuff! The shelf collapsed and all the supplies and equipment in the cabinet got soaked. Don't know if I can save any of the electric drills, etc..  Of course, the stones and sterling silver were fine. Display boxes and cases are mostly ruined. Sheesh!

This is after I'd cleaned a lot of stuff up all ready. What a mess!

And here is the ceiling in the adjoining art studio area. I fear any minute now its going to start falling.  Weather forecast has more rain on the way. For another week!    Thanks to all for letting me vent my frustrations!
I'd better get back to moving things out of the way!!!

Sunday, July 8, 2012

Does Anyone Recognize This Vine?

I was wondering if anyone knew what this vine is? The smell reminds me of ylang ylang, but I didn't think the flowers were quite like this. Or the color either. It started volunteering in my yard a few years back.

It twists and curls.... and grows very quickly. Will take over if given a chance. Also, white sap if a stem breaks. Acts just like a weed. ha ha

A little bit closer shot. This is the same type of plant that is growing in my rain gutter. Guess I'll have to pot it up and see what it does under cultivation.

Monday, July 2, 2012

Those Darned Hens.

Pardon the mess in the yard, but do you see Reuben looking up into the tree?

Hes still looking, and Helga is gazing intently up in the branches... trying to gauge whether or not she can jump high enough.  Hermoine has other things on her mind! A little baby lizard to be exact. Yes, chickens eat fresh meat!!!
They also eat figs.   MY FIGS!
Its bad enough I have to try and beat the songbirds to them, but the hens have been snatching the ones on the lower branches from underneath. And just like last year, I'm a little bit shocked over how high they can jump. I keep forgetting how strong those legs are. ha ha ha  I really want to get some photos of them actually jumping up. A video would be even better.  Anyway, so far all the ripe fruit has been disappearing. Well, on some of them its just the bottom half!
BUT NOT TODAY!!!


TRIUMPH! And finally the sweet spoils of battle are mine!
And let me tell you.... there is nothing like being able to pick and eat luscious ripe figs right off the tree. Whether early in the morning with the sun's rays just starting to shine through the leaves.... or during the warm afternoon when the honey sweet taste in your mouth is so cooling and invigorating!
Yes... Life is grand. And sometimes downright delicious!

Sunday, July 1, 2012

Something For The Women To Think About


   We are the Keepers of the Earth. Women contain the Power. We affect Change upon the Earth.
   If every woman, everywhere, would simply apply themselves to even a single daily prayer for the good of All. Knowing in their hearts, as they do in their souls, that it DOES make a difference.
   Those heartfelt prayers, as a positive force, would encompass our planet and saturate it with love.
   If ALL women would do this.... what a powerful action it would be.
   Miracles would happen!

Gardener of Light,   2007