The New Nornal

Well, here we go.  I've been seeing bloggers who have already switched to the new Blogger format and are not happy with it.  Figured I'd better get aboard and see what the fuss is about.  Besides, I'm way behind on posting anyway. 

My days go by so fast.  They all seem to be duplicates of the one before so much that I'm tempted to call them all Ground Hog's Day.   I went on one social outing to my sewing group where we all pretty much sit far apart anyway.  It was good to see the girls again but don't know if we'll do it again.   Since more things have opened up here in Georgia, our little county shot up from about 30 cases to nearly 60 cases with an additional death.  Of course, folks from the Atlanta metro area and Florida and other places are coming up now, so that expands the risk for our residents. 

I've been over to the park only once in the past several months.  I missed most of the flowers there.  The mountain laurel was still blooming but the rhododendrum and native azaleas were already done. 

The creek was running beautifully though.  It is a lovely park and it was a factor in our choice of places to live.  

My husband had hernia repair surgery at the end of May and is doing well in his recovery.  The first week or so he was pretty sedentary but he's now feeling much better and wanting to do things.  I have to ride herd on him sometimes due to his tendency to overdo things, even when his health is normal.  He still thinks he's 50 years old and he's not.

We've had a lot of rain this past winter and spring and the woods around us are so thick and lush.  I love all the shades of green and all the shapes of the various leaves and plants.  Just wish some of those plants wouldn't grow where I don't want them, if you know what I mean!  Pulling weeds is a constant job and it can get away from you easily.  

I'm having lovely flowers this year.  I finally got my hydrangea to grow and look like its supposed to. 

  Here are some of the others that are in bloom right now. 

Taken near dusk

Hummers love this red salvia

Pentas, stokes asters, yarrow and penstemmon

Crocosmia nearing bloom, butterfly weed, blackeyed susans and coneflowers

The asters are blooming out more every day and the crocosmia will be doing its thing shortly.  My knockout roses had a glorious first wave.  They are putting out buds and will be waving proudly soon.  I try to keep them going until the fall and they will do that if I can remember to keep them fed on time.

Now, if I could get deck plants to look as good I'd be pleased.  One thing I'm not pleased about is how quickly the landscaping timbers on the above bed have deteriorated.  This bed was put in place in 2015 I think it was and some of the timbers have already rotted.  We have a carpenter/contractor coming soon for some other work and hope I can get them to do repairs on these beds as well.

This covid 19 virus has us all in turmoil.  Our lives have been rearranged without our permission and it all takes some getting used to.  It makes me wonder what normal will look like going forward.  I know we've cancelled a number of plans due to it, including attendance at our granddaughter's wedding which is out of state.  My husband just does not feel safe taking the risk, considering his age and health issues.  It breaks our hearts not to go.  

I hope all of you stay safe and as happy as you can be. 

Y'all take care 

One Down, Two to Go

One visitor week down, two more to go.  My dear brother left early this morning after spending the week with us.  He jumped right in (as he is wont to do) and helped Hubby and me get a bunch of chores done.  

His truck was very handy in taking a load of debris down to the transfer station.  For us to take it would have required numerous loads and the dismantling of a large cabinet/bar.  

I actually had a list of things I wanted him to help me with and he obliged.  Got my swing put up at last.  Poor thing has been hauled all over the country.  

Hanging under the deck and outside my sewing studio. 

My Uncle Leonard made porch furniture for many years and this is one of his.  He made it in Alabama, shipped it to me in Las Vegas where it sat in the garage for years.  Then I hauled it to Florida where it got put on the porch of the garden house.  Now, it has moved to Georgia.

Brother and Hubby replaced some rotted boards in the walkway.  

New boards with one coat of stain

Then they tackled the edging for the flower bed on the slope.  It wasn't on the list, but.....

We're expecting our first temps around freezing tonight so I've been busy bringing some of my geraniums inside.  I don't know how they're going to do but we'll see.  There's one plant that will do fine and its special.  Was given to me many years ago by an older dear friend who was moving to Maryland as her health failed.  She has since passed away.  This plant is special to me and is gorgeous, to boot. 

Same plant but taken last year in Florida

It'll live inside now until all danger of frost is gone next spring.  

My salvia is still gorgeous.  The hummingbirds seem to have all gone south.  Haven't seen one since last Monday. 

This salvia is just outside my window and I love to sit here at my desk and watch the hummers enjoy it. 

I'll do my best to be back soon. 

Y'all take care.  

Perfect Day in the Mountains

Oh, my goodness.  It is the most beautiful day here in the mountains.  About 68 degrees, sunshine, some puffy clouds floating high above and a bit of a breeze.  It's as close to a perfect day as I've ever seen. 

The hummers are still buzzing around, although not as many of them as in the past several weeks.  I've tried and tried to get pictures of them on the salvia but no luck getting anything I'd show to anybody else. 

My new flower beds put in this year have done nicely.  I'm hoping for even better results next year. 

I'm a nut about coneflowers.  They just keep on and on with their loveliness. 

A lot of the flowers have done their deed for this year but there are a few that are still blooming away.

Hubby pulled out the tomato plants this morning.  They produced fine but something just decimated the tomatoes before we could enjoy them.  No horn worm but something would bore a hole in the top of the tomato and there'd do.   I doubt we'll plant any next year.  I'll just devote that space to more flowers!!!

Hope everybody is doing well.  I've been keeping up with you guys but have had a really hard time coming here to post.  Please forgive me. 

Oh, we went over to a neighboring town last night for a songwriters' showcase.  We figured on a two hour show.  Wrong.  By.  A.  Lot.  The music stopped 4 hours after it started.  Poor performers were pooped.  That was our first time at that performance hall and it's a jewel, especially for such a small town.  

We're headed to another small town in the opposite direction next Saturday night to hear a jazz guitarist.  Good stuff. 

Y'all take care. 

There have been feathers and flowers in my life

I've been so remiss about posting.  I've certainly enjoyed everyone else's blogging but I've been missing in action. 

I did make my annual trip to the south Texas coast during the spring bird migration.  It took a while longer to get there because we drove through rain for about 90% of the trip.   I think we had thunderstorms every night of the week we were there and our house was rockin' and rollin'.  Since Hurricane Ike, all houses rebuilt on the Bolivar Peninsula are raised on pilings.    Days included some rain but we were able to be out and about most of the time.

Scissor-tail flycatcher

I did all the driving on this trip as we were on my vehicle, although my buddy Larry would have helped out had I asked.   The three of us have birded together so much that we all know how to move along or linger so that we're all happy.  We did trek through a lot of mud and puddles on some days.  My hiking shoes weren't the waterproof ones so my feet got wet.  I always wear wool socks with those shoes anyway so my feet didn't get cold.

Because I was driving and the drippy woods, I didn't take many pictures. 

Purple Gallinule 

Here on the homefront, I arranged for a local nursery to put in a new flower bed and a new raised bed.  Took for-ev-er to get it all done. 

New perennial bed newly planted

One month later

Of course, it looks differently now.  All in all, I'm pleased with it.  I thought there would be less weeds but I'm finding that we have to crawl up that hill every so often to pull grass or weeds.  Not fun, at least to me. 

The new raised bed at the end of the house is still a work in progress.  I have a few plants waiting to go in here and it'll need mulch once that's done.  

New raised bed

I can see this bed from my sewing room downstairs.  That was a primary reason for having it put in, so that I would be able to see flowers from there.  Although, I can see the other perennial bed through the side window.  I have a bird feeder out there and some days there are so many birds flitting around it looks like yellow snow.  Goldfinches.  And lots of other things too. 

Hope everybody has been well and is having a good summer, even with the weird weather all around. 

Y'all take care. 

Hello and Thanks

I'm still alive and well.  Seems my posts only appear in my head and never on here.  

I'll be back soon to try to catch up.   Thank you to all of you who have hung in with me.  

The view from below (on the walkway downstairs)

My knockouts came roaring back after being pruned severely.  Now, I'm afraid the Japanese Beetles have found them and I'm fighting that.

Y'all take care

And here she is.........at last.

Hey, everybody. 

I've been fussing about my landscaping the last few week.  There are things I want done and the folks I've called are s-l-o-o-o-o-ow in getting back to me.  Finally, the nursery guy came today and started on the new raised bed I want.  

Please forgive the pictures.  It was dusk when I took these. 

I'm also going to have creeping phlox put on this bank near the mailbox. 

This'll serve as my before shot.  The hostas there along the wall are coming up nicely.  They were gorgeous last year and I'm hoping they'll be the same this year. 

I had a hard time holding off so long, but over the weekend I finally broke down and planted my garden.  A whole three tomato plants!!! 

They're in a narrow bed right beside where my husband parks his car but they get full sun there. 

We're seeing more buds and some leaves but we're still waiting for the big burst. 

Winter view 

I noticed tonight that the azaleas have buds and will be bursting out in a few days.  There are a few rogue clumps of creeping phlox around the yard and they're looking good. 

I've been sewing a bit but nothing I can show you at the moment.  I've been slow getting back in the groove.  The month of April is a very busy one for me and I'm in and out of town the whole time.  Poor hubby has to stay home.

I'll be doing fun stuff the next while and I'll try my best to take lots of pictures so I can share them with you. 

Y'all take care. 

Just Checking In

Oh, me.  Where to start.  There's lots going on here.  Won't go into details until later but let's just say there's lots of boxes involved.  

When I was at quilting retreat, I worked on a pattern called Falling Charms.  It was SO easy.  Its one of those things you can do and still talk til your heart's content.  My kind of pattern.  This lousy picture does not do it justice.  I really like this one. 

It's a very large throw size, or nearly a twin size.  

Also, had a real treat this year gardening wise.  I've had this plant for many years and mostly because I neglected it, it has bloomed only once before.  It was given to me by a lady I dearly adored when she moved to Virginia to be near her daughter in her last years.  This year I paid attention to it and was rewarded grandly.  I don't remember the exact number of blossoms it finally put out, but was between 15 and 20.  

Each of these blossoms is bigger than my outstretched hand, so probably about 8 inches across. 

I also had the girls over for lunch one day.  Figured we'd do a lot more talking here than out at some restaurant.  And I was right about that!!   Can you imagine four women talking a lot??? 

Lots to do around here, so I'm off to get the day started.  

Y'all take care.  

Yard Work and Stuff

This is one of those days when you can't sit inside.  I mean, the sun is shining, there's the tiniest of breezes and its about 70 degrees outside.  The yard calls.   Hubby helped and we trimmed up some plants and shrubs that had been neglected.    My fatsia bush has been overtaken by sooty mold and was looking quite ragged, thanks to old age and disease.  I whacked it down to the ground where new shoots are already appearing.  I also thinned out the ragged cast iron plants next to it.  Now, I have to treat both areas with some kind of horticultural oil in hopes of killing whatever is attracting the mold.

The fatsia is the big plant right behind the tree.  Didn't look like that now, though.  This picture is from May 2010.   I love those plants.  The stand up to our heat and humidity well and to our cold weather, too.  Although I think the extra cold we had this winter helped speed along its demise.  But, the thing is about 13 years old, so I'm not complaining.  And the little ones are sprouting up already.    I'd recommend both the fatsia and the cast iron plant because they thrive on neglect and in shade.   Once a year or so, I'll do a clean up and throw a handful of fertilizer of some kind on them and forget about them.  My kind of gardening.   

We're trying to empty out the garden house and use up the bits and pieces, but I ran out of fertilizer, so had to make a dash out to get some more so I could finish feeding all the plants outside.   I am so lazy.  Shoulda put out some kind of organic compost during the winter but didn't do it.  I have access to free horse manure and I'd bet he'd even haul it down here, provided I took a truck load.  But then, what the heck am I gonna do with a truck load of manure?!?!?   (Oh, he's my brother, so he could be called on for that kinda thing.)  I don't know if he still has these two horses or not.  You know how horse traders are.   But, he'll have horses till his dying day. His wife, too.  

The oak leaves are falling like rain.  We've already raked the west side of the yard about four times and it may need another one to finish them off.  The trees don't lose their leaves at the same pace, so we're raking leaves in the spring for a good two or three months.   I sure hope the oak blossoms hurry up and finish doing their thing.  Hubby has a real problem with them.  He's wearing a surgical mask for the first time this year and it is really helping.  

I have absolutely no pictures to fit in here but what the heck.  Here's an oldie that I like. 

This child (oldest granddaughter) is now a freshman in college!!

Y'all take care and I hope spring gets to your house real soon if it hasn't shown up already!!

Stitches and Stuff

Exciting stuff going on around here for sure.   Yeah.  Right.   The most excitement we've had is finding raccoon poop on the garden house porch.  Isn't that wonderful?    At first I wasn't sure what it was, so I did take pictures.  I'll spare you that treat, though.   We knew we had one visiting because they keep stealing the suet cakes from the feeder.  Somehow I've got to remedy that, or just break down and get another feeder that completely encloses the suet.  

I've finally finished hubby's quilt that I've been working on sporadically all summer.  Didn't get it done before his birthday, but only a few days after. 

He's happy with it, but I can't say that I'm happy with it.  Oh, the blocks came out good and the blue plaid flannel backing is nice, but that's about it.  I used invisible thread for the first time and I have decided its not for me.  Now, I hate that I used it on this one, but I'm not about to pick out all that quilting!   I machine stitched the binding and I'm not happy with how it turned out.  

I don't know if its the combination of the flannel and the machine stitching, or what, but the edges are a bit wavy and I hate that.  I'm even considering cutting off that outer border and rebinding it like I usually do.  Its plenty big to do that.   We'll see. 

My friend Dana rooted a couple of cuttings of salvia for me last year and brought them to me this spring.  I put the two of them out and they took off like crazy!!   Here's what the two plants look like right now. 

I have no idea what kind it is.  He got his cuttings from someone else, so he doesn't know either.  It's a true "passalong" plant.    I love this blood red color.  

We've had a couple of nights with below freezing temperatures and its still looking pretty good.  I put it in that location in hopes that the house would block some of the winds from it, and the trees nearby would help keep frost from settling on it.  So far, so good.   It blooms all winter for my friend. 

I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving.  We all have things to be grateful for, and its good to remember that. 

Y'all take care.  

Here and There

Hello my dear friends.  I'm going to be all over the place here, so hold on. 

I have always accepted comments from anyone since I do comment moderation.  However, I'm getting very frustrated here of late with someone attempting to comment anonymously and it is very obviously spam.  I've marked it as spam, I've just deleted them as they come in and yet it continues.  I don't want to change my settings to block legitimate readers from commenting but if this doesn't end I may be left with no other choice.

Previously there have been a few instances where someone did not want to post a name and commented anonymously.  I allowed those because the content told me who they were from.  So be forewarned that henceforth I will not publish any anonymous comments.  

Being spring time, that means strawberries are ripe.  My hubby would be appalled at the thought of eating anything but my homemade jam.  How in the world did I ever  wind up creating that monster?   Anyway, 27 pints of jam were made and now he's a happy boy. 

Strawberry Jam 

He's already wondering about the blueberries.  He eats those EVERY day on his breakfast cereal.

My squirrel population has increased since the neighbors behind me moved away.  There's no one there now to feed the squirrels --  uh, the birds -- so they've simply decamped to my yard.  They can be a pest for sure, but I've rearranged feeders so that they can't bother them so much and are reduced to ground feeding, which is fine.  They help the doves clean up the leavings from the other birds on the feeders. 

Five furry friends 

We've also had a ton of birds visiting our yard this spring.  The chipping sparrows are still here, as are goldfinches.  I'm surprised that goldfinches sticking around this long, but I'm sure they'll be out of here any day now. 

The normal backyard birds are busy picking nesting sites and defending territories.   They include Carolina wrens, blue jays, cardinals, chickadees, doves, titmice, mockingbirds and brown thrashers.  Oh, we also have bluebirds.  And who knows what else stops by on any given day.

My poor yard has been neglected for years but  I decided it was time to get started on it.  We called on the muscles of our lawn/yard guy last fall to remove these really overgrown plants. 

Overgrown monsters 

We wanted lower growing plants that would not hide the 4 foot hydrangea that's behind that sago! 

All planted

I got all the plants in the afternoon before we got some really good rain, so they should be settled nicely.  With the warm temperatures, they should be happy.  We'll see how they look in a week. 

The quilt top for my granddaughter's quilt is finished and now needs to be sandwiched and quilted.  That is my least favorite thing to do. I guess that's because I'm still intimidated by machine quilting.  But it must be done and I need to just suck it up and get on with it!! 

Under construction

Y'all take care.  

A Giveaway

I've never been inclined to do a giveaway, but I think the time might be right. 

Anybody want some squirrels?

Pot # 1

Pot # 2 

Pot # 3

And Pot # 4 now looks like 1 & 2. 

Not only did they break these off, THEY ATE THE PLANTS!!  I have never seen squirrels so much as bother my geraniums over the past 14 years and suddenly they decide they're gourmet fare.   I'd had some of these plants for close to ten years.  

I can only count 10 of them at one time some days. 

Y'all take care.