Last night when we pulled up to our home, I couldn't help but smile. Big, bright sunflowers were welcoming us home! The funny thing is - I did not even plant them. Awhile back, I put a birdfeeder in the butterfly garden. The squirrels loved it and buried sunflower seeds in little holes along the front of the house. They are the perfect addition to the colorful flowerbed that welcomes everyone to our home.
I really enjoyed our vacation. Gary did a great job of planning the trip and I was able to just relax and enjoy it. I especially loved Tybee Island. The beach was so relaxing. I loved walking along the sand with my feet sinking into the wet sand and the waves tickling my ankles. The sound of the seagulls calling and the waves crashing washed all my stress away.
I do have to admit that swimming in the ocean was another thing all together. First, I kept seeing the fishermen on the pier pulling in sting rays and baby sharks. I figure- if there are baby sharks, there are mom and dad sharks swimming with me. Then, we went out dolphin watching and the guide told us that the shrimp boats were hauling in whole schools of jelly fish. All of that sealife is more than I wanted to share the water with. But I did love diving into the waves though.
Friday, August 22, 2008
Monday, August 11, 2008
Vacation time!
The last couple of weeks have been crazy busy, but now I am on vacation. I spent the weekend doing what I love- working on my garden. I have more pictures to add, but for now I am packing for a trip to Savannah, Georgia. I am sure that I will have lots more pictures of gardens to add when I get back.
I took a "fuzzy" picture of a beautiful black and blue butterfly yesterday. I will have to try to figure out what it was. The monarch butterflies have been very uncooperative; they either fly away or just keep moving away from me. My neighbor was laughing at me and of course, he came over with his camera and got a great shot of the one I had been trying to "capture."
I am sure that I will have lots to add when I get back.
I took a "fuzzy" picture of a beautiful black and blue butterfly yesterday. I will have to try to figure out what it was. The monarch butterflies have been very uncooperative; they either fly away or just keep moving away from me. My neighbor was laughing at me and of course, he came over with his camera and got a great shot of the one I had been trying to "capture."
I am sure that I will have lots to add when I get back.
Thursday, July 24, 2008
Heavenly Day
After watching the vines spread and the leaves sprout all over my Monticello trellis, FINALLY, this morning the first Heavenly Blue Morning Glory welcomed the day. I love the color of these flowers. They make me happy just to think of them.
Also today the butterfly bush that I had planted in memory of my friend, Judy, started to open up. It doesn't look like much right now, but in just a few days it will be a solid mass of little purple flowers and the monarchs and swallowtails will be regular visitors.
Iam going to see the new home that Becky is moving into this afternoon. This will be the first time that she has a yard to plant in. I am really looking forward to helping with that.
Also today the butterfly bush that I had planted in memory of my friend, Judy, started to open up. It doesn't look like much right now, but in just a few days it will be a solid mass of little purple flowers and the monarchs and swallowtails will be regular visitors.
Iam going to see the new home that Becky is moving into this afternoon. This will be the first time that she has a yard to plant in. I am really looking forward to helping with that.
Saturday, June 21, 2008
Rainy day
Well, it looks like my path project is rained out again. At least that is a small problem compared to all those families that have been flooded out. I saw a lot of that on my trip to Rockford and Racine, Wis. last weekend. On the bright side, the yellow coreopsis and the lavender-colored mallow have filled in nicely and are cheerfully blooming in the front of the house. The sun is trying to peek behind the clouds.
Thursday, June 19, 2008
Summer is here!
This morning I found the first daylilies of summer bursting open like fireworks. Gary and I both have the day off- that is a big deal in itself. Every year we go to Swedish Days in Geneva and today was the perfect day for it. We enjoyed lunch outside and visited lots of shops. Afterward we stopped at the Natural Garden- one of my favorite nurseries and also visited Mainstreet Fireplace to see what's new. Then we met our son, Brian, at St. Charles Place for dinner.
In the morning, before we left for Geneva, I did a little trimming and weeding in the front of the house. A robin finally gave away her hidden nest in the magnolia tree by squawking at me furiously. I had wondered where her nest was. I've been watching her for awhile as she carried little bits of twigs from the butterfly garden daily.
A dragonfly followed me around for awhile, flitting from one branch to another. I also saw an orange butterfly that I did not recognize by the arbor. I really enjoy watching all the summer bugs and flowers.
Swedish Days was fun as usual. One of my favorite things is the Rosemaling competition and show. As usual, the Japanese artists were the top award winners in this Norwegian folk art. Their brush strokes are exquisite. I really need to find time to pull out some of the patterns I have been saving and "brush up" on my skills. I bought a huge arched mirror with great wood carvings that I want to add some roses and vines to give it a little more color and detail. I found it at Banbury Fair a few weeks ago. It just seems like I always have more ideas than time to get to them.
At the Natural Garden, I asked them for some suggestions about my clematis. I have several growing vigorously on the trellis, but they haven't bloomed. First she thought that the roots needed some ground cover plants or more mulch to keep them cool, but then she remembered that it takes two years for the root systems to really develope and that probably is the explanation, since these were planted last year and this year. It's hard to be patient. I took a picure of a beautiful white clematis vine in Geneva. The flowers were smaller than the usual variety, but they were everwhere. I will have to research that variety. I loved it.
In the morning, before we left for Geneva, I did a little trimming and weeding in the front of the house. A robin finally gave away her hidden nest in the magnolia tree by squawking at me furiously. I had wondered where her nest was. I've been watching her for awhile as she carried little bits of twigs from the butterfly garden daily.
A dragonfly followed me around for awhile, flitting from one branch to another. I also saw an orange butterfly that I did not recognize by the arbor. I really enjoy watching all the summer bugs and flowers.
Swedish Days was fun as usual. One of my favorite things is the Rosemaling competition and show. As usual, the Japanese artists were the top award winners in this Norwegian folk art. Their brush strokes are exquisite. I really need to find time to pull out some of the patterns I have been saving and "brush up" on my skills. I bought a huge arched mirror with great wood carvings that I want to add some roses and vines to give it a little more color and detail. I found it at Banbury Fair a few weeks ago. It just seems like I always have more ideas than time to get to them.
At the Natural Garden, I asked them for some suggestions about my clematis. I have several growing vigorously on the trellis, but they haven't bloomed. First she thought that the roots needed some ground cover plants or more mulch to keep them cool, but then she remembered that it takes two years for the root systems to really develope and that probably is the explanation, since these were planted last year and this year. It's hard to be patient. I took a picure of a beautiful white clematis vine in Geneva. The flowers were smaller than the usual variety, but they were everwhere. I will have to research that variety. I loved it.
Sunday, June 15, 2008
Hauling plants in my new Jeep!
Well the road trip to Wisconsin was a success. I came home with a Jeep Liberty. Becky's boyfriend, Shawn, knew that Ireally liked her Jeep, so when he saw two for sale last week, he test drove them and did all the negotiating. As much as I hate car shopping, it could not have been easier. I still have some paperwork to do, but ...
Today I went Father's Day shopping and loved hauling flowers in the Jeep. In case you don't know, my husband, Gary, is also a gardener. I bought some healthy zinnias, which he loves and also some seed packets. We went out to breakfast in my Jeep and it was fun showing him the features my Jeep has- that his doesn't. He has the Wrangler, which is his Toy. He loves driving around with the top off, but so far the weather has not cooperated.
So far, the best things about my Jeep are the heated seats and the CD player. The funny thing is that I really enjoy Christian music and while I was driving back from Racine in a rain storm, I found out that the couple who sold me the car had left one of their worship CDs in the player. I will mail it back to them, but it was great to listen to that music and when the storm was over there was a huge rainbow in the sky.
Today I went Father's Day shopping and loved hauling flowers in the Jeep. In case you don't know, my husband, Gary, is also a gardener. I bought some healthy zinnias, which he loves and also some seed packets. We went out to breakfast in my Jeep and it was fun showing him the features my Jeep has- that his doesn't. He has the Wrangler, which is his Toy. He loves driving around with the top off, but so far the weather has not cooperated.
So far, the best things about my Jeep are the heated seats and the CD player. The funny thing is that I really enjoy Christian music and while I was driving back from Racine in a rain storm, I found out that the couple who sold me the car had left one of their worship CDs in the player. I will mail it back to them, but it was great to listen to that music and when the storm was over there was a huge rainbow in the sky.
Friday, June 13, 2008
My memory disc is full
Last night I was trying to take a video to add to my blog. I was all set to record the sound of the waterfall and the shimmering lights of my little fountain, but- my memory disc was full. So, I popped in another one and- the disc was full.
I think that is a metaphor of my life right now. At work I am dealing with PINs, Ecommerce and Online Registrations on top of budget planning, evaluations and hiring. At home I have a painting project started in the kitchen which was on hold while I recovered from surgery, the cement path project that keeps getting washed out and tomorrow I am going car shopping (which I hate!). My old reliable Saturn has seen almost 140,000 miles and better days. Before I sink any more money into it, I am going to try to replace it. So, it's off to Racine, Wis. and a new adventure, but- my memory disc is full. I do not want another thing to deal with.
But, to get back to why I am really writing today... I am happy to announce that Tara and I have successfully instant messaged each other. It is a minor miracle, since we have been running like crazy to keep up at work. I looked at the gate count and this week there were three days that over 3,000 visitors came to the library. It is really amazing. So, Thing 3 is completed, although as soon as Tina and I are working on the same day again, we are going to start Instant Messaging, if we are ever in our offices at the same time. Also, last night I played with some of my pictures from our Disney World trip and posted them on Flickr.com, so Thing 4 is also done. I have already posted pictures for my family on MySpace, so maybe that counts too for the Photo Sharing. Anyway, I am off to clean out my car, since I might be saying a fond farewell to it tomorrow.
I think that is a metaphor of my life right now. At work I am dealing with PINs, Ecommerce and Online Registrations on top of budget planning, evaluations and hiring. At home I have a painting project started in the kitchen which was on hold while I recovered from surgery, the cement path project that keeps getting washed out and tomorrow I am going car shopping (which I hate!). My old reliable Saturn has seen almost 140,000 miles and better days. Before I sink any more money into it, I am going to try to replace it. So, it's off to Racine, Wis. and a new adventure, but- my memory disc is full. I do not want another thing to deal with.
But, to get back to why I am really writing today... I am happy to announce that Tara and I have successfully instant messaged each other. It is a minor miracle, since we have been running like crazy to keep up at work. I looked at the gate count and this week there were three days that over 3,000 visitors came to the library. It is really amazing. So, Thing 3 is completed, although as soon as Tina and I are working on the same day again, we are going to start Instant Messaging, if we are ever in our offices at the same time. Also, last night I played with some of my pictures from our Disney World trip and posted them on Flickr.com, so Thing 4 is also done. I have already posted pictures for my family on MySpace, so maybe that counts too for the Photo Sharing. Anyway, I am off to clean out my car, since I might be saying a fond farewell to it tomorrow.
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