Tuesday, December 31, 2013

2013 is almost gone.

Sacred Spiral.

   Well, 2013 is almost over. Its been an interesting year.... lots of reflection, some pretty rough spots, changes in all areas of my life. Hmm, come to think of it... its been like every other year that has passed! chuckle    Seriously though, it has been a bit more intense. And I'm having to look at myself differently. Realize there are things that my body can't do very well anymore and things that my Spirit doesn't want to do.
   Now the spiritual part of my life has always been very important to me! But with everyday life being as it is that spiritual side tends to get overlooked..... a lot!      But I find myself coming back to the realization that it isn't just a "part" of my life... it IS my life. When did I lose that very important bit of knowledge? What was it that got in front of me and made me lose sight of the Light. Its true you know, we are spiritual beings having a physical experience.
   Now I'm at a spot in that experience where I want to step back away from this so called "everyday existence" and live with more joy and peace. Actually I NEED to do this! Return to my artwork, reconnect to Nature. Establish a more natural flow to my life. I feel that its a necessity if I'm to maintain balance for the rest of my days.
    This next year certainly ought to be an interesting one! As for this evening,  you'll have to excuse me I've got to go sit with my dogs and cats .... the fireworks on New Years Eve makes them SO afraid. Hope everyone has a happy and safe celebration!!!
   
  

Friday, November 29, 2013

What the Heck Happened?


    Wow, this has certainly been a hectic year. And here it is almost over!!! I keep shaking my head and muttering "What the heck happened?"  Oh well, didn't get much of anything done... at least not what I planned and wanted to do. And that's ok. I've learned that being flexible is absurdly important in living life well. Thats MENTAL and EMOTIONAL flexibility!!!! hahaha   
    Though physical  flexibility is absolutely awesome as well! Hmmm, wonder what happened to my good intentions of starting to practice yoga again? chuckle   (Next year perhaps!)  And I did purchase those two belly dancing belts! Wow! What high aspirations I had for myself this year! Hey, a gal can hope and dream. That's VERY important in life! And then if it doesn't come to pass.... do NOT beat yourself up for it! We are so hard on ourselves! I don't understand why. Things happen. Sometimes life "gets in the way" and either slows us down or derails us completely. For a lot of us, that's not necessarily a bad thing. Sometimes we need to stop and look more closely at things. Weigh our options before we proceed. Perhaps use a little more caution or decide to change direction entirely. There are times you need to stop and reassess what you are doing. Is it for your greater good? Does it match up to your true desires and aspirations? Does it feel "right"? Or do you feel like you're bashing your head against a huge boulder? All pain and no gain is a bad thing!!!!
   Anyway, you get my drift....  be happy, be healthy, be good and spread some joy whenever you can! This world offers limitless possibilities.... if we are open to them and remain flexible about how we let them manifest in our lives.  That old saying is true, we don't always get what we want, but we do get what we need.   (Yes, that was a saying long before that Rolling Stone song came along.)
   So, I'll keep plugging along here, doing the best that I can. I have some more photos to post (even butterflies as they quiescent!), little stories to share and a whole lot of blessings to wish everyone!  Now if you'll excuse me I'm going to go jingle around the house in one of those belly dancing belts!  Have a wonderful weekend!!!!!
   

Tuesday, October 8, 2013

A Little Sunset Snack.


   I've been having the greatest time photographing the clouds lately. This time of year the sky is AWESOME!!!  Even on the rainy days that we had. Anyway, I went out to take a few shots of the sunset today.... and guess what I found on the mulberry tree?


   Yep! Mulberries!  Guess I'm stating the obvious there! chuckle  Its just so exciting to me to have berries this time of year. Last December 1st my grandson spotted a bunch of them and of course I had to go get the ladder so we could pick all the ripe ones! What a treat that was. I didn't find very many today that were ready to eat... but that's just fine with me.  They made my evening THAT much sweeter!


   Always remember to enjoy the simple pleasures and little surprises in life.

Monday, September 30, 2013

Back to Work!

Whenever I paused and leaned on the shovel handle, this was my view to the West.

   Well, after being out of commission for a while with a cold and a bad spell with my back... I FINALLY started trying to playing catch up. But digging probably wasn't the wisest thing to do!!! I tried taking it slowly, but that's just aggravating. hahaha  Did get a tiny patch started yesterday evening and lots of weeds pulled. That's always a very satisfying feeling!
   It was just so pleasant to be outside. Nice little breeze, humidity levels were decent... you can certainly tell its Fall in Florida. Buckshot the Broom cat and Mr. Maynard B. Mouth came out and supervised. Couldn't get a good photo of them though! Hester and Hermoine were delighted that I was turning over soil!!! I was just as tickled that they were grabbing every roach and grub in sight! Its so nice to have such a mutually advantageous relationship with the Ladies.    They seem to have FINALLY finished molting and I'm hoping they get back to the business of egg laying soon. I'm starting to get the urge to bake!! And fresh eggs make such a difference!


   Heres a cute shot of the ladies hard at work!!  I just love to watch chicken butts bouncing around the yard!! haha

Wednesday, September 11, 2013

Monarchs and Milkweed.


   Got some milkweed started this Spring. Not really sure which variety.     Interplanted it with the Blue Porterweed. Get several different types of butterflies and bees visiting. And, of course, the Firebush is right beside them. VERY active spot! But my pride and joy are the Monarchs. They're supposed to migrate through in Autumn, but it seems I've had one or two all summer long.


   Perhaps they got lost and decided to hang out where they had food and water sources. Oh well, what I do know is how much I've enjoyed them. Decided I wanted to plant a larger area devoted mainly to them, so I started checking on the internet...... and found Monarch Watch. Some very good tips and I could even get my little spot certified as a Monarch Waystation. How cool is that?  

http://monarchwatch.org/

   It seems every species could use a helping hand in this day and age. Humans have done so much harm to the environment. (And so many continue to do so!) Its imperative that every individual try to help in some way. I know I'm repeating myself.... but no matter how small the action taken ~ it does make a difference! And many small efforts combined will add up to something big!!!


   My tiny patch of flowers doesn't look like much, but this Monarch decided to lay some eggs there. So hey! Won't be long before the leaves are being devoured by caterpillars. Guess I'd better get out there and transplant some of the little  volunteer seedlings so they get more sun and can produce more food! hahaha

Tuesday, September 10, 2013

Where Do Butterflies Sleep?


   Good morning! Its a lovely day. Still warm, but a gentle breeze is dancing through all the trees and bushes. And the sky is that late-Summer blue! Our seasonal changes are pretty subtle here in Florida. But beautiful all the same.
   So, did you ever wonder where butterflies go to sleep? I hadn't.... until late yesterday evening. I was out there trying to convince Maynard to come in, but he was having too much fun running around in the magnificent night air! Normally I would join in the fun ~ but I have a cold and my patience wasn't at its usual level. I just wanted to go to sleep!!! Maynard DID NOT! hahaha  We finally worked out our differences and as I was carrying his big behind in I brushed up against one of the fire bushes near the porch. Oh my! All of a sudden there were all these fluttery shapes dipping and swooping all around. Then they started finding spots to land. Just hanging there.... still as could be. I felt so bad! Here I'd gone and disturbed their sleep.  But, do butterflies sleep? I mean, they don't have eyelids. So how do they "sleep"?   I'd all ready  found out "where".
   Well, it seems that they don't actually sleep, they quiescent! They are cold blooded creatures, so they need warmth to be active. That's why you rarely see them at night or on really cloudy or cold days. They find a safe place... fold their wings and hang quietly. They quiescent. ( LOVE that word. Maybe I should teach it to my three year old grandson! "Can you imitate the butterflies and quiescent for a while?"  Yeah, like that would work! hahaha) 


  
   The fire bush seems to be a top choice for feeding and sleeping. Here are a couple of  photos I took this morning of a Tiger Swallowtail. These plants were still in the shade but it was definitely warm enough for butterflies to be up and about!



Friday, August 30, 2013

Oh that overgrown front yard!

 
  The weather gave us a little glimpse of Autumn for almost three days. It was awesome! Of course I tried to spend as much time as I could outside. That's when I took a close look at the front yard. Oh my! Have a lot of work to do. haha First thing I noticed (after all the weeds) were the sweet potato vines running willy nilly  in a shady corner. That was the first thing I planted when I moved here many years ago. A sweet potato patch. Even used to have rabbits build their nests in it.
   So I think its time to start another patch! I can certainly take enough slips from the vines that are here. Usually I plant in March through June, or a little later... but they'll grow year round here so I figure "Why not?". They like the warm weather for optimal growth, but this time of year they'll just grow a little more slowly without it. And if we have a winter like last year, I doubt if the vines will get frozen back.


   While poking around and pulling weeds I found some scuppernongs to graze on. They're soooo sweet when they ripen on the vine! I've got to take better care of them from now on. chuckle  I could say that about everything!


   Even found some Gloriosa lilies blooms hiding in the branches of the rosemary plant. Theres just too much shade for them in this area! Will have to move them too! 



   The mulberry leaves are really starting to turn and drop now. You can hear them as they tumble down! Same with the sycamores. And now I can rake and put ALL of those leaves on the hugel! 

Wednesday, August 14, 2013

Improvised Hugel. First Steps.

Started my hugel yesterday!  Had what I thought were a large amount of boxes. Turned out they only covered a small area, but its still a start. I'm using cardboard to try and "drowned out" the sandspurs! I figure my version of hugelkulture is based on improvisation anyway, might as well try whatever I want! Brought home more boxes today, will just keep expanding till I cover the area I had planned on.  And yes, I'm well aware that this could become a small disaster area if I don't get it covered up with enough stuff!!! chuckle
   
Threw on a few dead palm fronds and small branches and twigs from the sycamore and mulberry tree that are nearby. I'm supposed to put the larger wood first, but most of that isn't even cut yet! So I using whatever I have.

Then trimmed some laurel branches. I'm adding both dead and green wood and leaves. Need to cut the branches up a bit more, but it was easier to drag them across the yards this size. Trust me, its way too hot here in Florida to make extra work for yourself!

And here are the old sycamore leaves! LOTS of them! Partially decayed and ready to go. Then I have the pine shavings out of the chicken house... complete with chicken manure. That ought to help a lot!
Will probably still need to get a truckload of dirt someday, but that can wait till cooler weather. For now, I'll just keep adding and layering. My main goal is to raise the level of the soil in that corner. Creating enriched soil is an added bonus!!!
Another bonus: Driving my neighbors nuts because they can't figure out what the hell I'm doing over there on the corner lot!!! hahaha

Sunday, August 11, 2013

Got a Surprise This Morning!

   You know, I have several oracle and divination card decks, and I usually do a throw or two... or three... for general information and comment each day. For the last few days things have looked really good! Yesterday evening I kept getting cards that denoted Compassion ~ Sensitivity ~ Endless Supply ~ Believing in Miracles ~ Healing ~ Divine Passion ~ and more Compassion!
   So what happens? Well, this morning when I got out of my car in the parking lot at work I heard one short, LOUD meow.... from a VERY young kitten. The cry had come from a small bit of shrubbery. You've seen how they pave over an area then build a few little "islands" that they fill with soil, plants and maybe a tree. Anyway, I couldn't see anything in the low growing juniper. And the little cat had gone silent. So I finally went into work. (Mind you, this is before sunrise) At 7 a.m. our cake decorator Sue came in all concerned because she had heard the kitten. But now it was crying continuously. She bought a small can of cat food and took it out to the area where the cries were coming from. (Another co-worker admonished her for feeding it! Told her to ignore it and it would either go away or just get killed by one of the cars. How do you like THAT attitude?)  Still no kitten to be seen.     About an hour later I went out with a box... just in case... and as luck would have it, the kitten heard me calling and tentatively came out and over to me. It was nervous and scared, but soooo lonely too! Started purring the moment I picked it up.  So, I clocked out for a very early lunch and brought the little one home! Set it up in a carrier inside, making certain that the larger animals couldn't bother it. That kitten was still crying.... but it would be safe till I got home.


   So? You might be asking whats the big deal with that story? Well, that wasn't my story. That's nothing more than the background information. The main thing I want to ask everyone to look at is COMPASSION. Just like the cards had been pointing out repeatedly to me. Being sensitive enough to another living being to take the time..... to make the effort... to help however you can. I had the necessary items at home. I've fostered quite a few kittens in the past. Of course, I was going to try and help this little one! And Sue was trying her best too. She spent her last bit of change on a can of food for a kitten she couldn't even see.  That's being compassionate. That's having a Good and Loving Heart..... and listening to it!  
 

Monday, August 5, 2013

I Learned a New Word ~ Hugelkulture.



   Oh my, received and watched a short video on Permaculture yesterday. Nice young couple up in Jacksonville, Florida. Really got me to thinking!!! I'm sure I can apply some of those same principles to my yard and the corner lot. Utilize yard "waste" and improve the soil all at the same time. Sounds good right? No compost bins to turn and tend. Well, heck yeah! So I spent the morning poking around the back yard and checking out the low spots over on the empty lot. (Got lots of sandspur plants to dig up over there. And I need to do it BEFORE they grow actual spurs!)  Pulled weeds and made plans. Pulled more weeds and pondered planting locations. Pulled MORE weeds and thought about the chicken tractor plans I'd seen. Then pulled EVEN MORE weeds and wondered if I could put in a tiny duck pond............. at that point I came to my senses and figured the heat was getting to me! haha
   But seriously, I've been trying to figure out how to dispose of the small branches I seem to always have on the ground ~ and now I know. I'll build a couple of hugels with them! I can use some of the old sycamore leaves and the pine shavings from the hen house to place on top. Extra dirt is a little harder to come by, but I'll figure out something!! I'm skipping the green stuff for now as I won't be planting anything on them for a long time! I've been thinking along those lines for a few years now, but actually seeing it being executed by someone was the boost I needed.   Yep, I'm going to try my hand at hugelkulture. It mimics Nature and seems pretty darned idiot proof.  Of course, I will be posting photos of my endeavors!   Now I want to think about that chicken tractor some more................ hmmm.

Saturday, August 3, 2013

After the Dog Poop Lesson.......

 
And this is what happens when you change your perspective! Blessings to All!

"One man's trash is another man's treasure"


   Yes, this is exactly what you think it is!!! I even posted it over on the other blog. After listening to people complain like crazy about how horrible their lives are.... I was left wondering why they didn't put more effort into changing their perspectives. If its that bad, then start looking at it from different angles and try to find a more positive view!!  That brought to mind something that I observe daily in my yard. Yep, dog poop! Its a very real by-product of having canine companions. There will be more of it every day! (Of that I can be completely certain.) And I always thought of it as simply causing me more work. Then I realized that the toads saw it as a real blessing. They gather around it..... not usually as close as this guy mind you.... and wait for the bugs! Easy meals!!  I often refer to it as an insect buffet.
   Anyway, this is one of those little things that has helped me tremendously in Life. Always look at things in a positive light. Or at least try to!
   Bet you never thought that dog poop could be so profound!!! chuckle

Tuesday, July 16, 2013

Enjoying the Morning.


   Every once in a while you get one of those beautiful mornings! The temperature is just right. The breezes are strong yet gentle. The morning sun rises and you can greet the day with joy! I stood outside for the longest time in a state of amazement. Just astounded at the magnificent beauty of it all.
   There must be a hummingbird nest in the oak tree! Watched as a female was preening  herself... then took after a warbler that dared come too close. She chased him clear out of the yard! hahaha     Then returned, took up her place on the branch and resumed her morning grooming session.  Some folks might have missed that, but I was blessed with being able to watch it all unfold.
   The cicadas are getting louder! Or maybe it just seems that way. chuckle  Its one of those days where everything just seems to be so much "more". Know what I mean?  I'm feeling extra sensitive lately. And sentimental too. Washed out this little quilt earlier and had a wonderful time remembering the fabric scraps. The pink was one of Mom's dress', the blue was one of LuLu's. The brown print and the light blue and green print came from Mrs. Reynolds. The dark paisley was from a garment that I made. And the other scraps came from Granny. I made this out in Arizona in 1975!!!   Wow! I was 16 years old.
    The old folks always told me that the older I got the faster time would pass. They weren't kidding!  Anyway, this morning I've looked back on some old memories and some new ones were created. Thats all part of this wonderful Life we live. Appreciate it. Be Grateful for it. And Enjoy it!

Tuesday, June 4, 2013

Komodo Dragon = Modern Dinosaur?

 
   Went to the zoo the other week with my daughter and grandson. They had a dinosaur exhibit there. Wyatt is quite the fan of dinosaurs! He knows all the names and everything. Heck, he can pronounce names I don't even know.  (they've unearthed so many more kinds of dinosaurs since I was young! Its hard to keep up.)   Anyway, we found one of their close relatives over in another section of the zoo. I was definitely impressed by this fellow!

Finally Some Rain!


   Well, its been a while since I've gotten back to the blogs.  Feel like I've been busy doing nothing for quite some time now!  Decided to not plant anything new. Which was a wise decision on my part. The weather has been miserably hot and dry of late.  And I still don't have a well and pump of my own for water. Of course, now that theres a disturbance down off the coast of Central America...  our rain chances are increasing! The photo above is how the sky has looked all day. We've had some good showers!!! The plants and trees are so happy. 
    I went up on the roof of my workshop this afternoon to try and patch the worst hole. Hopefully it will help! Even a little bit would be good! haha
    Then I figured that since we were going to have plenty of rain, I'd better move that young mulberry tree that was growing right next to my mobile home! No one who says they want it has come to dig it up. I couldn't put it off any longer! Even though this isn't the proper phase of the moon to do that on.... and its considered too late in the season here in Florida... I figured with the rain we're supposed to get the next few days, that little tree stands a pretty good chance of making it! Mulberries are really tough once they take hold somewhere.
    Another, sort of, advantage of the rain is that those super tall sunflowers have bent over under the weight of their wet leaves!! So pretty! I can finally enjoy them a little bit. chuckle
  

Tuesday, May 7, 2013

A Little Surprise This Afternoon!


   Spent some time this afternoon watering the plants... since Rain has decided it doesn't want to come by for a visit! See the photo above? Thats what approximately one third of my front yard looks like. Covered in spanish needles. I know! I know! They're the bane of gardeners everywhere! So invasive! BUT... the honeybees just ADORE them!   So I have a tiny meadow of them. I find comfort in the fact that I am helping the bees.      If only I could find a way to control these things!!!



   Then I went and pondered my future "courtyard" site. Between the mulberry tree, the crepe myrtles and the towering mexican sunflower plant ~ its pretty danged shady in there! Which will be awesome in Summer!!! hahaha  Then something caught my eye........



   Some enterprising bird has woven a crepe myrtle branch together with some from the mulberry tree and created a nest amongst them! Very well done too. But I plan on going out and fastening the branches together with some strong twine, just in case a storm comes through.  Every expectant mom can use a little help now and then.   While I was inspecting it, a mockingbird stayed very close and kept an eye on me. So I have a hunch thats the owner of this little piece real estate. We'll see!

Sunday, May 5, 2013

The Nesting Colony May 4th, 2013

Heres our little nesting colony! The wood storks are the most numerous. What a ruckus the babies were making!
When I figure out how to "fix" photos on this computer I'll post some close-ups. The little storks are so goofy looking right now! CUTE!

Need to take some more shots when the sun isn't so bright. The feather details get "washed out".

Friday, April 26, 2013

You have to Remember, Life is Good.


   "What the heck is up with you ?" chuckle  Thats my interpretation of the look on Hermoine's face this morning.  Well, you know.... its been a little rough lately. Lots of repairs to do. Not enough money to do them, (so whats new? haha) The washing machine broke. I dropped my camera. Once I got it working again it was quite clear to me that it shouldn't be making those weird noises when I use it! Certainly never did before!!!  Oh well, I can take photos. Thats the important part. My back keeps threatening to go out on me. And EVERYTHING is a mess around here.   THERE.... I bitched, pissed and moaned and do I feel any better?  Actually, a little bit!!!!
   Seriously, sometimes you have to blow off a little steam. Kind of like the tea kettle on the stove. Just let out a scream.... but only a little one. Don't want to freak out the neighbors... too badly anyway.  The "secret" is to really release it. LET IT GO.  Hand it up to whatever Higher Power you believe in. And then go on with your life. If you dwell on the negative, you'll get stuck there!!! If you keep looking back and complaining about stuff thats all ready over with... you'll miss all the good stuff thats right in front of you. Or you'll trip over something and hurt yourself.... even more than you all ready are with all the negativity.
    We have free will. We can make a choice about how we approach the things that happen in our lives.  Heck, some people don't have a washing machine at all. So mine's broken. Thats not the end of the world. I'll figure out a way to get another one. I'm still moving around, puttering in the yard... a lot of folks can't say the same.  So I'm grateful. I'm even grateful when things break or go wrong. It gives me a chance to count the blessings I do have. And to always remember, Life is Good.    
    Y'all have a Wonderful Day!!!!

Friday, April 12, 2013

Poor Potted Plants.


   My friends have been landscaping their backyard. That managed to inspire me enough to start repotting some of my porch plants. Actually the whole porch needs to be worked on! hahaha  But I'll stick with the plants for now. Of course, it would have been nice if I'd had enough potting soil to do all the plants! Oh well, this was an unplanned action on my part. Got several done, then I picked up one of the ones that had been in a bouquet for my mother while she was ill. Talk about rootbound!!!
   Finally go all this mess apart and put some in a medium sized pot and then two smaller ones. (Because of the potting soil shortage!) They'll look better once they perk up and realize their roots have some room to spread out a little. And once the weather clears up a bit I can head out to the local garden center and bring home some more soil.   Paying for dirt! What a totally bizarre concept.

 

Saturday, April 6, 2013

Opened Up My Mailbox and There It Was.


   Oh no! Guess what came in the mail yesterday? A seed/plant catalog!!! What temptation!  This year has been so hectic. Physically and emotionally wearing. I was almost glad that I didn't recieve my usual deluge of catalogs this Spring. But then..... this late comer showed up at my doorstep. Noooooooooooo!!!
    Well, maybe. Its awfully late in the season for Florida, but the prices are dirt cheap. Pardon the pun.  And they have some of the things I was wanting to try the most. The kind of climbing rose that I wanted to plant for my proposed  "courtyard" area. Some of the fruit and nut trees that I wished I could put over on the corner lot. Liatrus, aka Blazing Star, which the bees just ADORE!!! And they work out to less than a penny a plant. So, I could plant a tiny field for the bees, right? They have the cultivated elderberries. I mean ~ darn near everything that I'd wished for. And in the purely for show department, they have a "dragon blood" wisteria. What a color!!! Honestly, I don't know if I can resist. I'll have to sit down and go over my budget. Maybe I can fit in a couple of plants. Or three..... or...... oh!
    On a more grounded note, my friend John came up with a good idea for revamping the chicken pen. It involves framing out and enclosing part of the old blue shed as the henhouse. Then fencing in a run for them. Leaving me plenty of room to turn the rest of it into my jewelry workshop. Its a win-win situation!   Now all I have to do is CLEAN OUT THE SHED!!! shudder!

Sunday, March 31, 2013

Egg Hunt at Mae Mae's.

Just have to post a photo of this cake! Wanted something all flowery and Spring like. Didn't have the time to do it myself, so my friend Sue made it using some gum paste flowers she had ordered. WOW!


Of course the Easter Bunny hid eggs in and around the mulberry trees! Went with just plastic eggs this year... sad, but true. Between possums, coons, cats and wandering dogs I felt it was much safer. For the eggs!
And since my grandaughter doesn't eat candy, the eggs always have a little money in them. She LIKES that!!! hahaha


I guess the old fashioned woven basket has gone the way of the Dodo bird too. But hey, Spiderman is always cool. And a plastic bucket probably holds up better under the strain of a two year old boy!


Its all about finding the eggs! Do you see the one that we missed? Its was in plain view and  got overlooked! (And I hid the darn things!!! STILL missed it!!) I guess everyone was caught up in the excitement of the hunt!

 

Monday, March 4, 2013

Almost Forgot, its Still Winter!


   A little gust of Winter is visiting! The mulberry trees made it through all right. The berries themselves, not so much! haha  The wind blew all the ripe and semi-ripe off the trees. Oh well, there are plenty of green ones left on. We had a few light rain showers, but mostly wind, wind and more wind!! And  let me tell you, the temperatures were a whole lot chillier than we've been having!


  Of course the skies have been gorgeous! Winter skies in Florida are the prettiest blue. At night you can see the stars so much better. Just that lowering of the humidity makes a huge difference.

Saturday, February 23, 2013

The End to My Rosebush Drama.


WEEP!!! SOB!!!!!  Here is my Windermere. I've always disliked the task of pruning rosebushes back. I KNOW its whats best for them. And they always come back strong and healthy. But for some reason it makes me fret. Especially when they're covered in buds and blooms.  I only cut it down to my chest height, but doesn't it look sad?
Wanted this picture for reference. Will do a comparison shot come Summer. That should make me feel better!


All three of the mulberry trees have berries galore that are getting ready to ripen. Heres the one out on the corner lot. Took a photo from the southwest corner so you could see how some of the limbs are lying on the ground! What a wonderful tree!!! It has so much Spirit!


A ripe one. YUMMY!!!

Friday, February 22, 2013

Just a Little Bouquet, with a Bee!

Well, I was able to make myself cut back the rose bush. Only a few open blooms on it. And I quit counting the buds after I got to forty!!!
Trimmed the canes at half length. Still filled a whole garbage can with what was cut. I knew it was big.... didn't know it was THAT BIG!

Put together a little bouquet for my mother. She seemed to really enjoy it. Especially once the flowers warmed up and the scent grew stronger.  Forgot to check inside the petals though. So when it was in on the kitchen table a little honey bee woke up in there!!! Poor little bee! Luckily we were able to get it outside safely!
Can't bring myself to photograph the plant itself yet! The whole area looks so shockingly different. That rose bush towered over everything. Oh my, sometimes you must trim back in order to welcome in new growth. Just like in the rest of my life. chuckle