Showing posts with label spring flowers. Show all posts
Showing posts with label spring flowers. Show all posts

3/21/14

Spring Is Here…..really!

 

DSC_6903

                                   Flowering Quince or Japonica

The sky is blue, it’s in the mid 60’s and the windows are open.  It’s the first day of Spring! 

I explore the yard knowing that proof of rebirth is there.

  (Warning: this post is about plants… know of two readers that will enjoy it!)

Many of our plants have been around for decades as our house was built in 1968.  Each year after we became the owners, the yard would surprise us with another new plant emerging from the weeds.

The gardens are now neglected but nature is about survival and the flowers continue to survive.

DSC_6901

Instead of grass, we have weeds and violets.  Our back yard is full of creeping charlie.

DSC_6907

The flowering quince is a tree….too large to trim before we arrived 13 years ago!

DSC_6916

Neighbor’s tree puts on a show!

DSC_6913

New growth on our little weeping willow.

DSC_6920

DSC_6935

These are called several names with jonquil and daffodil being the most common.  They are in the Narcissus family.

DSC_6924

Resurrection Fern living on a piece of old wood.  It was found, years ago, after a storm in Florida.  Now lives in a basket, a constant reminder of past good times.

DSC_6927

Buds from our pussy willow.

DSC_6929

One of many daylilies, all trying to break through to the sun.  A empty wire plant marker reminds me of days when I cherished each plant.  Occasionally I dig and uncover the lost names.

DSC_6932

One of the many hyacinth left by previous owners.

DSC_6934

Lone flower on winter jasmine.

DSC_6946

More hyacinth, these are called grape hyacinth.

DSC_6942

Blooms from a crab apple, a volunteer in the neighbor’s side yard.  It’s first year to bloom.

DSC_6951

This is columbine, the type that has orange blooms and grows wild in the southeast.  Warning!  This native plant can take over a garden if the habitat is hospitable. 

DSC_6949   The thrift is just starting to bloom.  After googling the plant, learned the more correct name would be creeping phlox.

DSC_6950

Young peonies are struggling for light.  The yard has an abundance of peonies….all left from whomever planted them so many years ago.  The old dried leave should have been removed last fall.

DSC_6953

Baby Lenten roses are scattered all around the mature plants.

IMG_0126

Mature Lenten roses that have been in full bloom for weeks.  They like a moist shady site.

DSC_6954

Hostas just emerging….another easy care plant!

DSC_6956

New growth on the “Lady in Red” hydrangea.  Blooming, a truly gorgeous plant!

DSC_6955

One of David’s many birdhouses…..no occupants just yet!

Now the yard is documented, the first day of spring in 2014.  As I write I wonder how am I going to leave all these plants? 

But life is full of change, nothing can stay the same forever.  Just need to find a new owner that will love and care for them.

DSC_6966

Sylvester, enjoying the first day of Spring.

5/4/13

Cat Wars & Spring Flowers

 

Life has been far from peaceful for the past three weeks!  Our newest family member, Sylvester, is not being welcomed by everyone.  We humans are in love with him; the two older cats are not happy!

It feels like all  I have done is feed and referee!  Due to being hungry and foraging, the new stray thinks he must eat everything in sight!  The food bowls have been put up….something totally unacceptable to the 9 and 11 year old females who have always had access to their chow.  Feeling sorry for them, I am putting their food down 3 times a day, locking and feeding Sylvester in another room.  He eats his allotted  portion and ten minutes later he acts like he’s starving.

Sylvester

Each night a kitty litter box goes into the bedroom and Sylvester is sequestered away from the demon cat, Princess.  Just can’t tolerate being awakened in the middle of the night to the banshee screams that they are making.  Surely they will eventually adjust. 

Princess

Princess has always had problems…definitely not a normal cat.  She growls and hisses….and purrs, simultaneously.  So far we have put a bell on her….so he can hear her coming, ordered a calming cat collar…..(hurry up Amazon!) and last night, in a fit of desperation, made up a spray bottle full of water.  This seems to be working as the morning has been quiet….only one explosion.

Temporary truce....they forgot their feud due to a bird landing on the deck!

DSC_5153

I choose to be optimistic…..things will eventually work out.  Just like choosing to be positive about the upcoming Alaska trip.

  Training my thoughts…….    “We can do this!”  “It will be OK.” “We can handle whatever comes our way!”  And I have said over and over….. if it gets to be too much for us, we will just take another direction or come home. 

The yard has been providing lots of pleasure since everything has turned green again.  Many flowers are blooming……don’t know how they keep coming back.  We sure aren’t caring properly for them. 

(Move curser across picture….some are labeled.)

peony

DSC_5163

Columbine

DSC_5168

DSC_5164

DSC_5158

DSC_5172

These strawberries come back every year…..even though hubby has occasionally driven over them while backing the egg into her place.

The little Chatta-Egg is resting peacefully.  She’s been home for 12 days and says she’s ready to rest up for the 12,000 mile trip next month.

DSC_5169

It’s raining with a flood watch for the next 3 days…..glad we live on the side of a hill.  Weather is so crazy with snow in Arkansas  in MAY, 39 degrees in Memphis this AM.

Hope Mother Nature gets her seasons straightened out soon!

2/24/13

First Timers at Wal-Mart

first night at walmart

 

We are home!  And, for the very first time, we spent the night at walmart, something that I have been very hesitant to do!  I’ve been just plain ole chicken, worried that something unpleasant would happen.  In retrospect, we would not have chosen a Saturday night as there was quite a bit of noise with kids partying and engines racing but I never felt threatened.  And all was quiet after a while.

It was difficult to leave paradise….as some of our northern neighbors called Salt Springs…but it was time.  Thought that we could miss the rain if we left Saturday because showers were predicted for FL on Sunday and Tennessee on Monday but I forgot about middle Georgia where it poured buckets on us.

Our last days in FL have been pleasant with beautiful weather and I got involved with something that I never, ever imagined myself doing.  I have said before that I do not do crafts!

DSC_4894

 Yes, I made a pine needle basket!  Thanks to Margaret and Nancy and their patience with me!

Unfortunately it took a lot of 3 or 4 days and my blogging and internet time took a back seat.  But you can tell that I am very pleased with myself and got in touch with my (imagined) Cherokee roots.

DSC_4897

We had a blue sky and bright sun for our travel today…arrived home at 11:30 AM with enough energy to get most of the important unpacking done.

Searched the yard this afternoon for signs of spring!  I love to see my old plant friends return.  Can’t wait for the warm weather to come and stay.

japonica

Japonica

DSC_4877

lenten roses

DSC_4888

DSC_4884

grape hyacinth

A Florida trip wrap up will be coming soon with accounting on gas and camping fees….just need to get some rest and a little TV time.