I Have A Plan

I've managed to keep the deer away from my coneflower.



And my garden is producing green beans and tomatoes, but could use some weeding.

I knew I wanted hibiscus when I saw them in HUGE window boxes in Puerto Vallarta.




But I really have dreams of a garden like this.




It belongs to my little friend down the road.



We had our Friday at their house last night, complete with campfire.

And JB wore his new shirt I found when I went shopping with Momo.

Rain N' Dogs

I awoke to a rain-soaked world yesterday...

while everything else was still sleeping...
(this is Haji, the neurotic peke, not Blue.)

I think I must have brought the rain,
because I gave Blue a bath on Saturday.

I tried to keep his white feet out of the red mud
but, he had to go visit with Jake.

It was a lazy, rainy Sunday.
Blue and I played fetch...

And I watched my garden grow.

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.

Like Riding A Bicycle

We drove across two counties, far into the mountains to hear these fellows play.
Jb tells me that they have a Grammy or two under their belt.


But the real attraction for me was seeing my other half reunited with his old band from over 10 years ago.

These three got together for a dry run the evening of JB's 50th birthday.

When they started playing on Saturday, quite a few in the audience just couldn't sit still during their performance.




(Don't you just love these guys' shirts? Half the men in America would see either one as a welcome wardrobe addition.)

Don't Ask, Don't Tell

Imperatix asked me five questions, and here are the answers:


1. From your posts, you’re very happy to live in the country. Is there anything you miss from living “closer in”?

I miss convenience (not convenience stores!) I'm about a 40 minute drive from variety of any type.

If I shop locally, someone else has limited the selection available to "take it or leave it." You settle on what's there, or mentally weigh out the 40 minute drive to get what you'd rather have. Not that I'm picky or anything, but I'm not a WalMart kind of person. It'll do in a pinch. I'd rather decide what I need or want or what will work--not somebody else.



2. I know you’ve got several pets; do you consider yourself more of a cat person or a dog person?

I must prefer dogs since I brought my dog with me, but let the cats go with the house. Did you know that scientists have proven that most dogs have the mentality of a two-year-old child?

I had 5 cats when I lived in Texas. But I also had 2 little girls when I lived in Texas. When you have little girls you invariably have kittens. Which leads to cats, and then, more kittens.







3. Have you always lived in the South?

Uncle Sam decided I should live in Indiana at one point in my life. He also decided I should live in Texas, too. I guess when it was my decision, I have always chosen Virginia.




4. You’re always sharing fun recipes on your blog.When you cook, do you mostly follow recipes, or follow the inspiration of the ingredients?

I read cookbooks like fine literature. I have many! I browse and more often than not, look for something I can make with what I have on hand, or look for something that I have a taste for--whatever that may be.

I read from the index, not the table of contents to settle on a challenge. Sometimes I veer off and throw in something to shake things up a bit.
I love flavor.




5. What’s your favorite piece of jewelry, and why is it your favorite?

I worked for a family-owned jewelry store in Texas and saw so much jewelry!
I prefer the unique unusual pieces.



I have worn this spider, off and on for about 10-12 years and have never seen another one like it.

I never want anything that everybody else is wearing.








So, if you want to play along and now be interviewed
by me, please leave me a comment or send an email
saying: "Interview me."
* I will respond by asking you five questions. I get
to pick the questions.
* You will update your weblog with the answers to the
questions.
* You will include this explanation and an offer to
interview someone else in the same post.
* Then others comment asking to be interviewed, you
will ask them five questions and so on.