Learning to Work With Mother Nature

The Georgia Collards have bloomed and gone to seed.
Pop noticed all the honeybees when he and Momo came to visit on Sunday.

They're so tall and the blooms are pretty...
but they've taken over the garden.

JB got this photo of me trying to do some damage to the crop.

Neighbors have enjoyed 4-5 pound bags for some time.
I started cooking to start freezing some yesterday--6 quarts!
I have a feeling I will be having collards for a while.

But I have plans for tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers and peas...

Seeds of Change

What a nice surprise I had today!
I just received these in the mail today from Eco Women.

Hopefully by the weekend--after the last final exam--
I can get out in the yard and find a nice spot for these treasures.
I have a tree and some bushes I have been waiting to plant, too.

But we've been getting lots of rain.


The rain has been leaving big, fat drops of water that glisten in the light.

Raindrops that reflect and catch the light just like
the crystal flower we gave Momo for her birthday.

I'm a Bloomin' Fool

My hibiscus thinks its springtime.
It's no wonder with the south sun shining in through the bedroom window.

The Devil's Spine is blooming too.

I'm "plant poor."

I have so many that in the winter months,
it's a struggle to live around them,
much less keep them watered.

But, I think I'll follow their lead and make it springtime in my mind.

It's All How You Look At It

Is it possible to just look at a hibiscus bloom and feel joy?

Does this mean I'm a true gardener or that I've just lost my marbles?

How Does Your Garden Grow

I figured out what had happened to my tomatoes upon closer inspection. This weird serpent-like fellow has been having a feast.

Not without repercussions, as luck would have it. It appears--after further research--that he is on his way to meet his maker. Those white thingeys on him are actually wasp larvae and are feeding on him from the inside out. How gross! Read more here.



Cucumbers are looking very strange these days.

Not much good for most things, so JB has become a bit more creative.

I've Got First Tomato

And they're RED...

Who Needs A Scarecrow When You've Got A Cat?

I got my first "mess" of green beans from our garden on Monday.

I've decided Thomas can patrol the garden for me and keep out the critters.

With those fangs and his love of catnip, we should be covered.

Hell In The Hallway

The deer are becoming more comfortable with we humans that share their space.

Most mornings I can catch them invading OUR personal space--right outside my bedroom window.



I caught them working their way up to my garden and flowerbeds this morning.

Their fur looks velvety soft. I've not ever gotten close enough to find out if this is true.

Instead I admire them through binoculars or a zoom lens and respect their need for a safe distance.






Look at those tomatoes!

Hoss made reference to me living in a hothouse and I believe it is indeed true. (Or maybe he cursed me?)

Yesterday the heat about got me. I had to give it up and come inside about lunchtime. It was about 90 with 50% humidity.

A Colorful Life

I planted this Foxglove last year because I liked the blooms. The pale pink makes me think of Miss Jessica (my oldest) because she is truly girly and pink is her favorite color.

This bright-colored bush was given to me in snips from Momo. Momo got it from Granny's house long ago. (Granny was Pop's mother.) The bright purple makes me think of Miss Jeni because purple was her favorite color when she was little.

This Peony was transplanted from the front of the house 3 or 4 years ago. It was originally planted who-knows-when by JB's grandmother. She moved into this house in 1902.

I think I have officially graduated to the proverbial southern old lady. I can take you on a walking tour and share personal memories and glimpses of family through our landscaping.

How Does Your Garden Grow?

I've been busy in the yard--mowing and planting and weeding.
I've been pretty determined to keep the deer from my lilies (as well as other things) this year and have applied Liquid Fence once a week religiously.
It stinks to high heavens for 24 hours but keeps the deer away.





Pop made this little thingey...

He says it's me--complete with hoe!

He's just so creative... I'm always anxious to see what he's been making.



When I watered the garden this morning, I noticed little bitty green tomatoes.

Looks like I may just get first tomato!
Old Horsetail Snake has challenged me so, I hope this prompts him to show me his (since I've shown him mine).

I Want a Self Cleaning House

JB just finished this stained glass screen for a client. Beautiful, isn't it? I told her she could forget he had done it and I would be glad to make use of it. Very colorful...





This is my bit of creativity. I make this "Hey Diddle Diddle" flannel nightgown for Momo for Christmas.
She recently brought to my attention the fact that the sleeves were just a tad bit (5 inches) too long. I gladly redid the cuffs. I asked Pop to photograph her in the nightgown as proof that she is wearing it.



My garden... a week ago. I hope to get outside and grub in the yard a bit later and I'm sure I'll be amazed at what I see. It's so hard to take care of household cleaning when there is so much to do outside. I'm forcing myself to deal with the drudgery of housework before I go outside and play.

Growing In Leaps & Bounds

The rain beaded up on the leaves and looked like little crystals on my Hostas. They're the result of Momo dividing her overflowing flower beds a couple of years back.

The intermittent rain was all the encouragement Pop and Momo's garden needed, though.

Momo fondly recalls how her sister referred to the onions as "little soldiers" standing all straight and in a row.

Pop has all kinds of stuff growing. We walked around their yard yesterday afternoon and he pointed out the highlights.
He gave me 2 Haberno Pepper Plants and I gave Momo a Better Boy Tomato Plant.

My garden is coming along--but you guessed it--Pop and Momo are way ahead of me.

Here's Looking At You, Kid

 

I had quite an audience yesterday as I began planting the garden. My Georgia Collards from last year are flowering and attracted many bumblebees.