Vetsy's View

Garden design Ideas to Inspire you from the Indoors and out and Out

2012-01-03T10:17:00.000-05:00

Once I have found my permanent home here in the south I will get back into gardening full swing but for now, I will have to settle for collecting house plants.

Today I had some time off from work and decided for fun and inspiration to do some research on both house plants and gardening online and found this website called DIG by accident while researching for No-Dig-garden ideas......http://diggardensnursery.com/interior/

DIG stands for Design Interior Garden. I'm impressed with both their indoor and outdoor garden design ideas. I find them fun, unique, and inspirational and although this online Magazine is based out of California it's indoor and outdoor garden design concepts can be used anywhere.

Check them out I'm certain you'll like them too...Click here to see and learn more..design

photo credits: http://diggardensnursery.com/interior/

Happy New Year

2011-12-31T22:44:00.000-05:00

See you next year!

The Nicest Present

2011-12-20T10:48:00.000-05:00

I started to post a Christmas tree photo for the poem below, but I was so pleased that my Christmas Cactus actually blossom this year I posted it instead, isn't it pretty.

The Nicest Present

Under the tree the gifts enthrall,
But the nicest present of them all
Is filling our thoughts with those who care,
Wanting our Christmas joy to share.

To you, whom we're often thinking of,
We send our holiday joy and love.

By Joanna and Karl Fuchs

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year my blogging friends! There's more I'd like to share with you below:

Bees in December?

I had a little time off from work and used that time to visit the lovely garden walk at Hatcher Garden which is just a few blocks away from my temporary home.

Bumble and Honey bees were every where and even though I was excited and surprised to see them.... the sight of them really confused my cognitive senses......... I stood in front of this yellow shrub for several minutes talking to myself and asking myself questions like.....this is December.... right?

I'd love to learn what this shrub is called, thanks for sharing if you know... It doesn't have a scent to it and reminds me of Snap-dragons.

( unfortunately Hatcher Garden is lacking on name posting ).

Can you see the Honeybee?

All The beauties below are winter flowers and look like roses, there are no scent to these either, I'm clueless, .... Do share if you know...

I end this post with winter berries and hope to learn the names of most, if not all the plants I've posted. I have a lot to learn about the plants of the south as I adjust to my new home, thank you for visiting.

Rewarding Things

2011-11-29T12:53:00.001-05:00

This is a post card sent to me from my niece, and it's absolutely one of my favorite things to do when I'm not gardening, shopping or busy with life and I'm sure at times... it's your favorite thing too.

Thanks Jessica, I love it... you know your auntie well...LoL!

credits... http://www.scholastic.com/titles/deardumbdiary/ecards/ecard2.htm

Happy Thanksgiving

2011-11-24T09:09:00.001-05:00

Happy Thanksgiving my Blogger Friends!

I found this cartoon Hilarious! and would like to give the proper credit to the cartoonist but have no idea who he/she is. I was searching the net for a pretty Thanksgiving card to post here and found this one by accident. Since I am one that enjoys a good laugh I decided to keep this one instead.

Thank you for stopping by.... enjoy your Holiday.

What's really in the food? The A to Z of the food industry's most evil ingredients

2011-11-17T13:30:00.000-05:00

I discovered this article ( What's really in the food? The A to Z of the food industry's most evil ingredients) by way of an author of Word-press called

( righteouschoices). I found that many of her articles whether they are written by her or linked by her on current events are quite interesting and informative. Below the article on the evil's of the food industry is written by author Mike Adams the Health Ranger editor of NaturalNews.com.

Mike Adams will keep you informed and educated about the dangerous practices of the food industry and why it's important to grow your own foods. I find his website relevant to those of us who care about our health and enjoy gardening for both it's therapeutic and nutritional value.

Take a look... What's really in the food? The A to Z of the food industry's most evil ingredients

2011-10-18T11:48:00.000-04:00

I'm still a kid inside, and adventure is adventure wherever you find it.

" Jim Dale" Quotes

I took a little trip to the library with my niece and just like Jim Dales quote stated, it was an adventure back to my childhood.. The visit however... was to entertain my niece but I found it just as, or even more entertaining then she did.... Here's why?

I still love and collect dolls... and was surprised to see them displayed in the library

Below: I forgot the name of this character and the book... isn't he funny...just don't leave him on your dresser in the dark...Lol!

Below: There were little animals displayed over every book self...

Below: I still read children's books......I spent at least a half an hour laughing to myself as I read and scanned through the books.... This one got my attention... Hilarious!

The Mural of the train..was the back drop for a large wooden train designed for the children to play in..I hate that I forgot to take a picture of it because it was really cool...

You can see part of the train in this photo..Isn't it cute...

Below: The train station check-out

Below: KID"S ZONE...
"Okay teens stay upstairs, this area is for the little kids.. My nice is only three, but she can search the net like a pro.... I meant to get a photo of her in action... but I was so engrossed in the books I forgot..

Kids can also play and read outdoors....

Below: There are three floors in the Library. The lower floor belongs to the younger children...doesn't it remind you of a Mall..

Below: A little gift shop called The Library Store

"Well guess who started pouting and crying when it was time to go?
Here's a hint...It wasn't my three year old niece pictured below waving back at the kitty in the book...

" Okay I came to my sense's on the way out when I saw and heard this.... At times my video uploads stop working for reasons I don't understand.. but you get the idea.... Click the arrow on the screen anyway and see what happens..

The sounds of water is soothing to the soul.. Don't you agree...

Thank you for stopping by..

A few sites and sounds around the upstate

2011-10-07T20:13:00.001-04:00

The Downtown Spartanburg Square, is a pretty place to sit....

To: walk...

to meet nice people like....

Sister and brother Mary Ann and Joe of Ohio. Mary is now a resident of Ducan South Carolina and has been so for at least 13 years. Joe was here visiting her and his former town, he told me that he had been away from South Carolina for 33 years. Many people like myself, Marry, and Joe, have history in the south and are returning to our roots.

( Mary forgive me..I didn't know your eyes where closed ) I promise I'll take a better picture the next time.

Below: landscaping, statues, fountains.....

Pink fountain water..."Oooo reminds me of strawberry jello before it turns into a solid.

There's cute little shops, stores, and restaurants, that I have not investigated yet.... But I will later.

Upstate forever... got to check it out too.. It's the place to go when you need to learn more about the upstate. The Upstate is a region of counties in the foothills of the Carolina's .

Below: WHOLE FOODS MARKET of Greenville....It's a place where you can buy all sorts of goodies from organic herbs and groceries to this....

Candle budda....

Handmade Local soaps......

And a TRADER JOE"S .... just a stone through away right down the street. One of the pluses I like so far about living in the UPSTATE is that you won't miss many of your favorite stores... "Okay they don't have Kmart to my knowledge, or Kroger's....But you will find Walmart.... Lol!

Thank you for stopping by and don't forget to leave a comment..

A Hello from South Carolina

2011-10-02T12:09:00.000-04:00

Hello my blogger friends, I'm here in the State of South Carolina. The South will now be my new home, but where I permanently land is unknown at the moment. This is a Temporary touch down, GA, SC and NC, are all contenders.. And for now I'm staying with relatives until I find my bearings.

My sister took me site seeing and she knew exactly what I wanted to do first... Go visit a garden

Below: A few photos of Hatcher Garden a public garden and woodland Preserve here in South Carolina.

I love Gazebos...

And this cute little bridge with ferns...

Below: A close up of those gorgeous Elephant Ears in the back ground above; correct me if these are not Elephant Ears.. I won't mind.. But I think I'm right.

Below: A Banana tree

Below: I also love all kinds of conifers...I believe this one is a Japanese conifer

More conifers...

This is unique..Wish I knew what it was...I got to do some researching

Below: Love the grasses...

Below: This shrub has an intoxicating citrus scent... It's got to be a citrus, but what kind I wonder?

" aaah the relaxing sounds of water.

Below: click to see and hear the water...

I love frogs, I hope to have a few in my future garden

Very unique... I have no idea what it is, several of the plant markers that Identify these plants were missing or not replaced.

Below: Love, love, love, these...I assume they belong to the palm family.

The South ain't the south with-out a Magnolia. This one was a giant and approximately 20 feet.

NEXT..... we ride through the country side...and snap some photos of Anderson Mill's Cows...

These cows were curious but cautious...

If I thought I was going to pet this one, I would have been sadly mistaken... Look at the expression on this heifers face... I read her loud and clear...
She said " I dare ya"

That's all for now Y'all ..Thanks for stopping by.

2011-09-10T20:38:00.002-04:00

A New Place To Call Home

Lol!.. I thought this cartoon was funny and a good way to let everyone know that I'm moving to a new state in about 11 days. like many others before me.. I have decided to return to the south, a place where I have family history ( Hello! South Carolina ) during this transition, I'll be blogging less until I'm settled but I'll be keeping in touch and posting my updates as I go along.

Late blooms and garden whimsy

2011-08-30T17:07:00.010-04:00

The Sun looks over the backyard from the front gate.

Will these ever bloom? I do not recall sedums "Matrona" blooming so late. They are usually in full or at least partial bloom by August and here we are at the end of August, they still have time to bloom, I just don't recall them blooming this late.

The bees are waiting too, they love Sedums and go nuts over my Vera Jameson, Matrona and Stardust.

Below: I love the color and form of Vera Jameson, she is a clump forming sedum and when planted in containers she looks lovely cascading over the sides. Below: Sedums " Vera Jameson"

Below: Sedums "Star-Dust" when in bloom has lovely pink flowers. Perhaps all of my sedums will be in bloom by the 15th and I can display then during Garden Blogger's Bloom Day.

Below: The Moon Plant or Moon Flower is one of my Mother's favorites. The scent of it smells similar to a gardenia.It's called a Moon flower because it blooms late in the evening or at night. In the future I'll be smart enough to plant more then just a few..But will do so in containers because Moon flowers will take over your garden.

Below: I put out a feeder for the chickadee's and have now stopped feeding them by hand. Feeding them by hand was a lot of fun, but after a while they began to chase me all over the yard looking for seeds from my hands, so I put out the feeder.

Below: The chickadees favorite place to take a drink. I must remember to place small containers out in the future for smaller birds to drink and bath from.

Below: I've fallin in love with Buddhas and will have more in the future, for me they represent peace, and harmony and like other garden art or statues I choose them solely for decoration.

This one has a solar light.

Meditate. Live purely. Be quiet. Do your work with mastery. Like the moon, come out from behind the clouds! Shine. Buddha

Summer is Winding Down

2011-08-10T23:16:00.041-04:00

The summer is winding down and I have never thought that I would ever utter these words,“I’m happy to see it go… exhausted by Mother Nature's ills, I began to beg for autumn, but here we are in late summer... I am finally able to enjoy the outdoors, bird watching, and journaling...so here are my updates.

Below: This chicken’s expression mirrors how I felt about the weather this summer.

Confused and disappointed

But then came the sun…. And

then came the chickadees!

I had waited for them all summer, but had not seen them since they paid me a short visit in early June….

However my cat Panini could tell you different story; she knew they were here all along.... But where? I had not notice any nesting activities, nor heard any chirping babies.

Below: see the bushes behind Panini’s head? That is where the chickadees had made their nest. How did this get by me, perhaps the extremes in weather prevented me from noticing them…. I did spend most of the spring, and half of the summer indoors.

What, what, why you looking at me?

Below: At first there was one chickadee

then two

then three

Then came the nieces, who learned last summer that if one is patient , one can feed a chickadee by hand.

Even though that gardening was a flop for me this year, I enjoyed my visits to all of yours. Thanks for sharing your wonderful gardens, crafts, and events with me this summer.

I hope that you are enjoying the rest of your summer days and have enjoyed your visit here today.

Why I love them

2011-08-01T12:47:00.003-04:00

My Black Eyed Susan's are a burst of sunshine. I love them because they greet me with a cheerful smile in the middle of a heat-wave, or pouring rain, no-mater what, they stay the same.!

I love them because they have been the backbone of my garden... when all others have given-up, died, or went back to sleep as the summer moved on..they have continued to flourish, batting their pretty brown eyes as they strut their stuff.

They are member's of the Sunflower family, I call them my Happy face flowers. Bright sunny yellow.

They can grow over three feet tall and spreads very quickly... Some call them invasive, but I could never use such a term about my Susan's, I equate invasiveness with rudeness.,they are ladies and ladies are never rude.

To control spreading divide them during the dormant season and plant some cheer in other areas.

In some places they are biennial and will grow only leaves her first season, however they came up every year for me. You may plant them in the spring or in the fall.

I love them because they are drought tolerant and can take some heat,

( Metro Detroit had the wettest spring and the hottest summer in 134 years! ) So even though they are drought tolerant...they will flag or faint occasionally under extreme temperatures, water them and they'll bounce right back.... However be careful not to over water them or their feet will rot! .. They will grow in sun or partial shade. If you live in the south grow them in partial shade.

They are the state flower of Maryland and was named after Swedish physician and botanist Olai Rudbeck (1660- 1740)... thus their genus (Rudbeckia ).

They are loved by gardeners' across the nation who have learned of their value in the garden. If you don't have them I suggest you go out and get them, Susan will reward you with little effort and care, that alone should make you smile!

Keeping it Cool

2011-07-24T13:28:00.005-04:00

I love this photo of a Detroit resident keeping herself and her cute little doggie cool, courtesy of the Detroit News. Umbrella's do more than just protect one from the rain.

Metro and State | Metro Detroit temps to hit 90 for 8th consecutive day | The Detroit News

Hummingbirds.... beware!

2011-07-17T22:27:00.023-04:00

Photo credit: newnaturalist.com

As a child I thought the Praying Mantis was one of the scariest, but yet the most interesting insect that I had ever seen. It appeared very alien to me with it's triangle shaped head and large eyes that set at the corners of it's head. The fact that it is even an insect continues to disturb me until this day. It's just sooo wieerrrd it gives me the creeps!

As I began to move toward gardening with-out pesticides. I entertained the thought of using beneficial insects and the Praying Mantis happened to be one among many on the list.

It, I read.. has a ravenous appetite and will gobble up those insects that trouble the gardener like... aphids, flies, crickets and grasshoppers, but it's ferocious appetite causes it to cross the line... Adding to it's dinner plate beneficial insects like lacewings, and hover flies....

Mmmm, I thought to myself..... perhaps the benefits will out-weigh a few of it's short comings... Maybe if it ate more aphids than hover flies... perhaps I could ignore it's misgivings... .... Not!!

Praying mantis eating aphids. Photo © Debbie Hadley, WILD Jersey

While searching the net... I came across several photo's and video's of Praying Mantises chewing on one of my favorite little pollinators.. the (Hummingbird) and I was Mortified!!

I fell in love with hummer's every since I visited my family in South Carolina for our family reunion. I sat spellbound as I watched them zoom, in...out.. and around, the flower gardens. I thought about one day returning to the south and once there, I would plant everything the hummers enjoyed.

I was awe stricken and felt a little queasy after viewing these photos...But at the same time, I'm thankful that Mr. Walkup and others on the net are sharing their photos and Videos ( Youtube) with the public, for it has educated and alerted me about the power, and behavior of the Praying Mantis.

Warning: Photos Below are graphic!

photo credit: Richard Walkup. West Chester, PA

The mantis impales the hummingbird chest with its foreclaws.

Photo by Sharon Fullingim, published on National Geographic Your Shot

I was not happy to learn that the Carolina Mantis happens to be one of South Carolina's official insects....But.. I don't plan on encouraging them to stay around... ladybirds will work just fine thank you.

Have you used beneficial insects? If so which ones? What do you think about using the Praying Mantis as an beneficial insect in your garden?

Garden Girl TV: Vertical Gardening One(How to Grow Vertically)

2011-07-02T11:22:00.003-04:00

Finally there's blooms in June

2011-06-13T14:16:00.003-04:00

Last year in Spring my garden plans, my garden, and the weather was a lot different... May started out warm and balmy. I planted a few veggies in containers and added a couple of annuals.

This May, my garden was a little messy... I could not weed or make many plans because the weather started out whacky.. It rained non-stop for 3 months straight with cool temperatures that stayed below 60, I could do nothing but wait it out. As May came to a close, I was finally awarded with my perennial blooms...

My Spiderworts are back...

It's not unusual for them to bloom later in the spring and summer season. Last year they bloomed at the very end of May. This year the 2nd week of June.

Below a side view

Below: My roses on the front gate are looking pretty good...

This year they are lower on the front gate because last year I clipped them back after they suffered a succession of attacks... beginning with aphids, and then fungus. The leaves curled, and they a long with the canes turned a sickly yellow and were covered with brown splotches.

They have made a come back thanks to a homemade insecticide that follows below... read on...

It.. up close after rain yesterday.

Below: Pink roses near the driveway...

I believe they are pink "knockouts" and they too, have come back healthier this year....

2009 and 2010 were a bad year for these tough little roses.. aphids were so unmerciful and relentless I contemplated pulling them up...but not wanting to give up, I searched the net for a organic solution.

There were lots of ready made natural chemicals on the market to choose from, but cost more then I was willing to pay for at the moment. Armed with helpful tips and a spray bottle, I made a combo of Ivory soap, vegetable oil, and neem. This combo turned out to be a success!

Note: always use care when testing homemade insecticides on your plants.. Do a pre-test on a small area of the affected plant first..if no harm is done .... Blast it full force until it becomes saturated .

Below: The rose of a different kind is back...

This shrub rose ( Kerria Japonica ) is native to Japan, China, and Korea. It's a spring blooming shrub that has no characteristics in my opinion to an actual shrub rose, but I love it just the same. I think it's unique and very pretty with its pom-pom blooms. I'm still working to bring it back to it's original form and beauty. It is a pass-along- to me, from my mother.

Below: shrub Deutzia Scabra

The Deutzia Scabra ( doot-see-uh ) was covered in painted ladies last May, but not one could be found this May... I wondered what happened?.... was it due to the constant rain this season?...

Link shows a painted lady...(butterfly)
http://vetsysview.blogspot.com/2010/05/garden-bloggers-bloom-day-2010.html

I finally put an end to the creeping... of the Creeping Buttercups by removing all of its runners and shoots with a spade and a hoe.

These invasive, but pretty little flowers are now out of commission, only a few remain by choice....
take a look at year's photo...
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Sei77cRaojA/S-4SNirMP9I/AAAAAAAAAU8/HD3w8uBkFpA/s1600/308.JPG

Below: the other shrubs:

last spring after all 4 shrubs were done blooming, I tried to trim them into neat manageable shapes, but they had other plans.

Pink Weigela towards the front gate...

Weigela " Eva Rathke"... It's a lot smaller this year due to the removal of dead and dying bark.

Below: Both photos are from the same shrub, It's a very pretty shrub that I have not yet identified. Trimming and up-keep are a nightmare! I have decided that flowering shrubs will not have a place in my future gardens, the up- keep is just too much!

Daisies are in the same location but are now crowding the Black eyed Susan's

Below: A work still in progress...

this area is still unfolding; diathus, phlox, and creeping phlox, have replaced my Cactus Zinnia's.

Below: The robins nested this time around... last summer there were baby cardinals.

There are dozens of hens and chicks, ( Sempervivum) too many to post.... so I'll just share a few.

Thank you much..for stopping by my blog and leaving a comment. I also welcome you tips and advice.

Gas prices still to high? save on gas with this gizmo

2011-06-01T11:13:00.004-04:00

I took this photo back in early May and had been meaning to post it. Consumer's including myself have been complaining about the outrageous gas prices all over the country. Some have said, that gas prices have fallen, as far as I'm concern, gas prices have not yet fallen far enough!

I have heard that Michigan leads the country with the highest in price, but I'm not certain if that is a fact or not, I do know that gas is still 4.00 bucks a gallon and some angry consumers' suggest that we should fight back by parking our cars and opting for a bike instead...

"Well how do you like this gentleman's bike?

I assume he may be homeless, but that's not the point, take a look at his car bike!...what-cha- think? you got to admit that it's quite unique.

" Winter...please let go of my spring !

2011-05-16T15:10:00.006-04:00

I was so elated about my Magnolia blooming in the front yard I could cry...

I was very afraid that it was not going to make it this spring because of the unusually cold, , non-stop rainy weather. Last year in April it, along with my other blooming shrubs were in full bloom.....every year I stand in awe of it..... It..along with the Redbud is one of my favorite blooming trees....

as you can see from the photos May 8th was a nice warm sunny day...It has not been so since.

Below: an odd angle shot of my Redbud located in the back of the yard, it doesn't look very cute up close because the poor thing is dying but it is still putting out a few blooms.

I had a chance to do a little cleaning and weeding in-between the madness. Whenever the rain stopped, I took the opportunity to run outside and do a little yard work.

Below: In the photos that follow I added flat rocks as a border and removed some rogue weeds. Daises, Tiger Lily, Black eyed Susan's and Fire-witch dianthus await warmer weather.

Below: In the back of the yard..I planted Cactus Zinnia's from seeds from last year... and some Black eyed Susan's. I also transplanted a few Susan's from another area just in case they don't come up. I'll also add new fencing.

Uninvited visitors think they will take over and boss around the other resident feeders. This Grackle and a Redwing couple have been taking over the feeders.

Above are my regular visitors, the Goldfinches, along with the Chickadee's and Cardinals, not shown. I won't chase or wage war on the out-laws for now..for they only pose a small threat at this time, the other birds are still able to come by and feed, we'll see how things go as nesting season begins. In the mean time I hope that this winter like weather will let go of my spring!

Happy gardening to all and thanks for stopping by.

A visit from a Pompoo

2011-05-11T21:06:00.000-04:00

Me in photo above holding Gucci

Today I was out in my backyard enjoying my rain free warm sunny day sipping tea and making future plans for my garden this summer. While I was contemplating on this plan, I got a surprise visit from my kid brother who was pet sitting for a friend. In his arms was the cuttest little ball of fluffy fur I have ever seen.

That fluffy ball is called a Pompoo or Pomapoo, a new breed or hybrid cross that is part Poodle and part Pomeranian. I was so smitten I did some research to find out more about it and here's what I found....

The Pompoo is a sweet, friendly little dog that makes a good pet for families. It gets along with other pets and is great for elderly owners and good with children, I witness this first hand as I watched it play and chase my 8 year old niece around the yard.

Below: Gucci gives chase after my niece.

Like the poodle, care should be taken not to over pamper the Pompoo or it will become very spoiled . It's hard to resist spoiling such a cuttie pie like Gucci, but it must be done or one could have a possible brat on their hands.

Because of their loyalty and closeness to family, some Pompoos' may suffer from separation anxiety and bark when separated from their owners. However with training a Pompoo may learn to overcome this if it's trained early on.

Pompoos require very little space, so it can handle apartment living and smaller yards, but be sure to give it play time and walks because it is an active, fun loving little dog. The Pompoo should be brushed daily to avoid knots and tangles.

Pompoos' are such sweeties, they will not make good watch dogs although they will bark when they hear noises. I fell in love with this dog and may consider it along with a second breed that's a good watch dog.

I would love to hear from you if you own a Pomapoo or another breed that is a good compainion and watch dog.... More info can be found on the net about this breed.....just type in Pompoo or Pomapoo.

Thank you for stopping by and leaving your comments, I love to hear from you.

Rain, Rain, Go Away!

2011-04-30T23:09:00.003-04:00

There's a poem that states... April showers bring May flowers, but this April has been quite an unusual one and does not conjure up or feel like the Aprils of my childhood. Those April days were warm and sunny, I haven't seen one of those days since. I missed them very much but even than, I had my rainy day limits when I just wanted to play outdoors without getting wet, so I reverted back to my childhood with this cute little poem remember this?

My prayers go out to the families in Tuscaloosa Alabama and other area's in the south that has been devastated by the tornado that hit this April, for some of us across the country the spring weather has not been very nice.

video credits: Youtube and Super Simple Songs.com

Easter bells

2011-04-22T10:24:00.004-04:00

I Think of the garden after the rain;

And hope to my heart comes singing,

At morn the cherry-blooms will be white,

And the Easter bells be ringing!

Happy Easter my blogging friends!

photo credits: Soulis: Japanese Cherry Blossoms, Brooklyn Botanic Garden, New York : Poem by Edna Dean Proctor

Early Spring Care for Citrus Trees

2011-03-16T20:25:00.003-04:00

I have always wanted my own citrus tree/s, and as a child tried to grow them every summer from seeds after my mother was done making lemonade. Unfortunately I didn't live in a climate that would be conducive to their growth or maturity, and today I still don't.... but I'm working on that, and one day darn it!..I'm going to have me a couple of lemon trees.

I love a good old fashion glass of lemonade; and just a touch of it in my tea. I found that using the juice of lemons tenderizes meat such as chicken, and pork and helps cut down on salt used to season your meat... I could go own, but I think you get the picture.

Below is an article brought to you by Fiskars, which features master gardener and blogger Fern Richardson; I love her informative blogs and invite you to check them out when time permits. http://lifeonthebalcony.com...

"Oh and by the way, I'm a big fan of Fiskar's garden tools, http://www2.fiskars.com , so Fiskars.... if you happen to stop by this post, I'd like a couple of pruners for my birthday May 3rd. This is an early thank you.

Early Spring is a great time to plant lemons, limes, oranges, and other citrus trees in southern climates. Wait until all danger of frost has past. This will give your tree all spring and summer to get established before cool autumn and winter temperatures stop it's growth. Be sure to pick a site with fast draining soil, or amend to spot to improve drainage. If you're growing your citrus tree in a container, pick a pot that is at least 18 inches tall and wide. If the tree came from the nursery with fruit on it, remove them before planting to allow the tree to put all of its energy into settling in to its new digs.

This is also the time of year to start fertilizing your tree again. Select a fertilizer meant for citrus trees. If your tree is growing in the ground, imagine a circular line that is one foot wider than the longest branch on your tree. Sprinkle the citrus fertilizer evenly from the base of the trunk out to your imaginary line. Do not work in in to the soil, as citrus roots are close to the surface and easily damaged, simply scratch it in lightly with a rake. If your tree is growing in a pot, sprinkle the fertilizer over the entire soil surface.

As soon as a new flush of growth begins to show on your tree, you'll know if any of the branches were damaged over the winter. No leaves means the branch is dead. Prune off dead branches with an anvil pruner or lopper, as needed. Also, be sure to remove an suckers that start growing below the graft union or are popping up from the roots. Some citrus are not grafted (limes are usually not, for example), in which case, suckers need only be removed if they are aesthetically undesirable. Remember, though, that the lowest branches are the most productive.

Unfortunately, this is also the time of year when snails come out of hiding. They enjoy overwintering in clusters at the point where main branches connect to the trunk. You can pick them off by hand, place them in a plastic bag, and throw them out. Be sure to tie the plastic bag tightly before throwing it in the trash. You can imagine what will happen if you don't tie the bag of snails! Placing a copper cuff around the trunk of the tree will prevent future snail problems.

Photo credits and article by Fiskars:

Making Time for Me

2011-03-06T10:57:00.004-05:00

I haven't blogged as much since I went back to college this fall. As one would expect, it has consumed quite a bit of my time. It has been a fun, yet stressful adventure, and the stress is wreaking havoc on my sleeping pattern, and Me- time.

I needed to unwind, and replenish, and this article from " Family Circle Magazine " was right on time.

The Benefits of Time for Yourself
Amid a demanding teaching schedule, mothering two young children, and life's inevitable little surprises, Plymouth, Wisconsin-based college professor Alayne Peterson has a special routine she sticks to at least once a week, after the kids are in bed: "I grab whatever I can find to read, run the tub hot, and soak for at least 45 minutes," she says. She always includes her favorite bath salts—different scents depending on the season. "And If I want to dial up the 'luxe,' I'll have a glass of chardonnay."

Ah, "me-time"—so lovely that just reading about it is relaxing. But there's more to this grownup time-out than just chilling out: Taking a break from your daily demands can keep your immune system ticking and ward off the effects of aging, says M.J. Ryan, a life coach and author of AdaptAbility: How to Survive Change You Didn't Ask For. Not only that, you're doing your family a favor.

"If you just exhale, what would happen? You have to inhale as well. When you replenish yourself in whatever way works for you, you have physical stamina and emotional resilience—and that is key to good parenting," Ryan says. "Self-care is never selfish."
Happily, 65 percent of the Motherboard Moms we polled at themotherboard.com say they manage to carve out a little me-time every day—and they do so in many different ways. Here are 10 simple and surprising strategies for squeezing in your own personal getaway from the grind.

follow the link to learn more about the 10 simple ideas to help you gain some me time from " Family Circle"
http://www.familycircle.com/health/stress-relief/making-time-for-me/?sssdmh=dm17.511552&esrc=nwlmb030211&email=2761308136

15 Ways to Ditch the Drab: Amp Up the Orange

2011-02-23T16:44:00.029-05:00

I love this cheery photo, brought to us by " Family Circle" magazine. This color combo of orange and yellow brings a smile to my face, and reminds me of a bright, warm, summer day. It also reminded me of some of my favorite summer flowers like, Black eyed Susan's, and Zannia's; I needed a little perking up, and this photo did just that.

If you'd like more helpful, cheerful ideas to ditch those drabby winter blues, click the link http://www.familycircle.com/health/depression/15-ways-to-ditch-the-drab/ and it will link you to "Family Circle" for more.

A Rose for the Novice gardener

2011-01-24T21:44:00.378-05:00

There are many flowers and plants I would love to grow, but do not have the knowledge, or experience to do so. Roses are one of these that I speak of.. But this year I’m going to try my hand at it anyway.

I have always thought roses to be beautiful and romantic, but did not care for the thorns, diseases and bugs like the Japanese beetle and aphids to name a few.

I wanted roses that did not entail pain, and a lot of work, and I always envied the gardener who appeared to grow them without breaking a sweat. Now, don’t get me wrong… I’m aware that most plants and flowers have a few nemeses, and will need a little maintenance from time to time….. But I’m happy to learn that Mother Nature has designed a few that will allow us to just sit and enjoy them with little effort.

During an internet search I came across several breeds of roses from the Antique (Old fashioned rose) to the Modern hybrid that may fit the bill.

Through these sources, I have learned that I too, can grow roses regardless of my lack of wisdom and brown thumbs. I learned that many of the Antique roses are hardy, meaning that they are resistant to the diseases and bugs that plagued most hybrid roses.

Other possible picks are the Shrub and the Modern rose, both possessing the cross genes of sturdy roses, giving them the same inherit resistance to fend off most ills that plagued roses, these attributes however, does not mean that you won’t deal with ANY pest or disease issues, It means that these breeds have the fighting power to bounce back if attacked!

I have also learned that if I wanted roses I had to be forgiving of their thorniness and avoid thorny painful pricks, by investing in a good pair of garden gloves..
Go figure!

I read that sheepskin garden gloves are the best, and I have my eye on a pair of gloves called Bionic Rose gloves by Active wear. http://www.activeforever.com

If you own a pair of Bionic rose gloves, please share your views about them, In-fact drop me a line about any of your favorite garden gloves that you just can't live without.

Below is a list of roses on my wish list. I uploaded photos from our gardening friends of Flickr. I’d like to Thank Flickr and all the nice people there that share and allow me/ us to use their lovely photos. .. I have certainly found them very helpful when I need examples on the spot.

Please share your stories, experiences and tips about these, and your own favorite rose/roses; I would love to hear from you.

Tea rose ( Isabella Sprunt 1855)

Photo credits: by Garden25 of flickr.com

I chose this lovely rose because I read that it’s a good one for the beginner. It can take on the climates of the South and has good disease resistance. It was bred in Duplin county, NC, by the Rev.Dr. James. M. Sprunt who named it after his daughter Isabella . It’s a fragrant repeat bloomer and hardy in zones 6-9.

Kiss Me Rose

Photo credit: by last_woodsman of flickr.com

Shrub rose Kiss me: ‘ Rosa kiss me’ This one belongs to a collection of roses called “ Easy Elegance” Wow what a cuttie! It is a multi-stemmed rose that blooms all year. It’s hardy, highly disease resistant and fragrant. It can handle the likes of the city (urban areas ) and is not picky about soil ph… Just don’t allow it to stand in water… Kiss me hates that!

Everest Double Bloom

Everest Double Bloom: (Peter Beales 1979) this beautiful rose with its pink and apricot hues is highly scented and very disease resistant. I chose it because of its soft peachy color… I have forgotten where I first saw this rose; it may have been from one of my catalogs and unfortunately I don’t happen to know where that catalog is. A gardener I found on the net expressed that this rose actually has three scents. Smelling like apples and cloves in the morning and a more common rose scent in the evening. For more on this rose follow the link … http://www.helpmefind.com/rose/l.php?l=2.2682.0

Knockout Rose

Photo credit snow41of flickr.com

Knockout rose: introduced 2000: (“Rosa Knockout) a modern shrub rose family that are very disease resistant and low maintenance ; they are very popular with residential gardeners and commercial establishments for this reason... Another plus for these roses are that they need no deadheading.

Sunny Knockout

Photo credit: mcr1968 of flickr.com

Sunny Knockout: ( Rosa’ Radsunny’) is new to this family of roses; it is the first fragrant knockout in this line and the first yellow knockout. They bloom from spring until frost. I came across this rose while browsing at my local garden center; I smelled it way before I saw it… It has a wonderful citrus fragrance…. I love it.

Belinda's Dream

Photo credit IngaMun of flickr.com

Belinda’s Dream Shrub rose introduced in 1992: I have heard tones of good, about Belinda’s Dream; it is a modern shrub rose with a bushy habit, I read that it’s a repeat bloomer and can take on heat from the likes of Florida; it’s virtually carefree with very little pest or disease problems, how’s black spot and powdery mildew resistant work for You! It will certainly work for me!

It also has a wonderful sweet fragrance, some gardener’s say that of raspberries.

Zephirine Drouhin

Photo credits: lspanski of flickr.com

Zephirine Drouhin Antique rose 1868: pronounced (Zeffe-e-Reen Drew-heen)

I first came across this rose at my favorite park, Belle Isle, several years ago. The park has a flower house called the Ann Script Whitcomb conservatory. I caught the scent of this rose as I passed it along the back of a brick wall where it towered 8 feet or more, some label it a climber, others a shrub, it is thornless and it too had a wonderful sweet fragrance like that of raspberries. It was the scent of this rose that sparked my curiosity and desire to seek out scented roses for my future gardens... However I have read conflicting stories concerning this rose... Some express no issues with its care; while others expressed that they have suffered all the ill’s that plague roses. I assume that climate may play a factor in the care of this rose.

If you own one please share your experiences and tips... I would greatly appreciate it.

A mystery rose I call Ollie after my grandfather

I transplanted this rose from my grandparent's garden over 20 years ago, and placed it at my front garden gate. It blooms about twice, once in May and again in June. It is not scented, but I thought had a lovely color. It starts out as it unfolds with a deep velvety reddish purple, (see photo below ) then when completely opened, a velvety hue of red that I can't quite describe.

It is a hardy shrub rose that I suspect my be an Antique rose, for it has the hardy characteristics of the old fashioned roses that stand the test of time. Aphids and diseases have attacked it numerous times over the years, and my lack of knowledge on rose care didn't help matters much, But I am pleased to say, that it is still here today. Thank you for any assistance in the identification of this rose.

I'd like to give a special little thanks to the FlowerLady of Flower Lady's Musings, for her helpful tips and advice. Visit her site if you like, and take a look at her lovely roses at http://flowerladysmusings.blogspot.com

Happy New Year Wish

2010-12-30T11:14:00.002-05:00

My Happy New Year wish for you

Is for your best year yet,

A year where life is peaceful,

and what you want you get.

A year in which you cherish

The past year's memories,

and live life each new day, full of bright

expectancies.

I wish for you a holiday with happiness galore, and when it's done, I wish you Happy New Year, and many more.

" Happy New Year to All my blogging friends here at blogger "

Poem by Joanna Fuchs
cartoon credit: Vetsy of Vetsy's View

It's Christmas Time Again

2010-12-17T13:20:00.005-05:00

It's Christmas Time Again by Bob Lazzar-Atwood

Put your problems on probation

Run your troubles off the track,

Throw your worries out the window

Get the monkeys off your back.

Silence all your inner critics

With your conscience make amends,

And allow yourself some happiness

It's Christmas time again!

Call a truce with those who bother you

Let all the fighting cease,

Give your differences a breather

And declare a time of peace,

Don't let angry feelings taint

The precious time you have to spend,

And allow yourself some happiness

It's Christmas time again!

Like some cool refreshing water

Or a gentle summer breeze,

Like a fresh bouquet of flowers

Or the smell of autumn leaves,

It's a banquet for the spirit

Filled with family, food and friends,

So allow yourself some happiness It’s

Christmas time again!

Wishing you All a Merry Christmas and a Happy New year!

credits: photo from Ben Barry of Flickr

poem: The Holiday spot.com

2010-11-18T22:49:00.013-05:00

It's that time again and I found myself asking where did the time go! In a few months we'll be inviting a New year. It was the 1rst of November when I found blogger and began to blog.

You have made my blogging adventure a Joy! I have learned a lot and laughed a lot. I have been entertained by your humor and antidotes, awed by your beautiful gardens and wonderful tips. Here's wishing all of you a fantastic Thanksgiving!

photo credits: bulldoggrrl of flickr.

2010-09-25T22:28:00.005-04:00

" Brrrrrrrr .... It's Fall! and we have fallen into fall around here in Michigan with bright beautiful sunny days with cool temperatures in the 50's and 60's and right on cue around this time of year I caught my first cold/virus but I'm recovering and feeling much better.

Once again I'm amazed at how fast time is flying by.. This month is out of here!

But in my opinion It feels as if it just came in. During a shopping trip to my local Kmart store there were two seasonal displays going on at one time, Christmas and Halloween deco shared the same isle! What the heck is up with that? and what about Thanksgiving? where were the Turkeys going to be displayed? ..Under the Christmas trees".... Lol!

Anywho.. I wrote this letter to inform everyone that at the end of this Month I'll be taking a temporary hiatus from blogging to go back to school for a few enrichment courses, however when time permits, I'll get back in the swing of things with a few blogs here and there and popping in on your blogs to catch up on the latest in you neck of the woods.

Thank you ....Vetsy..

photo credit: By ddrber of flickr

Garden Blogger Bloom day Sept 2010

2010-09-15T10:20:00.003-04:00

It's Garden Blogger's Bloom Day the 15th of every month when garden blogger's join our host Carol of My Dream Gardens.. http://www.maydreamsgardens.com to share what's blooming in our gardens.

My other garden blooms are done for the season, I have a few fall blooms to show..just a few...and those few are some of my favorite sedums.

I took this photo of Sedum/Stonecrop, Matrona around 8am this morning... there were about 4 sleeping Bumble bees on them.. I like Matrona for it's upright form and antiquish pink color.

I found a small piece of it on the ground in front of my bank about three or four years ago and stuck it in some water until it grew a few roots.. than placed it in a pot.

The stems and leaves of my Matrona are spongy, yellow and sickly, this was the only part of it I took that still looks a little descent.

below..another upright Stonecrop...Stardust a pass along plant from my aunt.

" Vera Jameson" another pass along, this one from my mother.. I think is the prettiest Stonecrop that I'm aware of thus far...I love it's deep mauve or pink color.. It has a trailing spreading habit and was really beautiful until ants got a hold of it and almost destroyed it last summer..

Happy Garden Bloom day and thank you for stopping by..

September by Helen Hunt Jackson

2010-09-01T19:19:00.005-04:00

The golden rod is yellow

The corn is turning brown

The trees in apple orchards

with fruits are bending down

The gentian's bluest fringes

are curling in the sun

In dusty pods the milkweed

It's hidden silk has spun

The sedges flaunt their harvest,

In every meadow nook;

And asters by the brook -side

Make asters in the brook,

From dewy lanes at morning

The grapes' sweet odors rise;

At noon the roads all flutter

With yellow butterflies.

By all these lovely tokens

September days are here,

With summer's best of weather,

And autumn's best of cheer.

But none of all this beauty

Which floods the earth and air

Is unto me the secret

Which makes September fair.

'T is a thing which I remember,

To name it thrills me yet:

One day of one September

I never can forget.

Photo credits: September morning by Darionka of flickr

http://www.flickr.com/x/t/0096009/photos/darionka/3895205571/

Fringe gentian by Susan L. Post

http://www.inhs.uiuc.edu/highlights/gentian.html

What do you like to collect ?

2010-08-29T21:12:00.003-04:00

Some people collect..cards, jewelry, stamps, dolls and even animals just to name a few. .What do you collect?

My collections are very small at the moment .. I have a few dolls, Christmas bulbs, garden magazines and books, a set of dinner plates adorned and designed to appear antique with apples and a few Hello kitty novelties ..

I didn't have the energy to climb into my attic and unpack my collections to show you.. But the photos below gives you and insight into my collection personality...I took them at a gift store located in Detroit's Eastern Market.

I love all kinds of birds and have yet to collect those fabulous heron garden sculptures. Below is just one of many I'd love to own, their on my get it list along with a few other fowls for next year ..

I like chickens, hens and roosters...

I also like barn animals.. Moooo"..

And what about tea pots.... I like them too"

And maybe just a few sun catchers..

Do you collect? ..... Thanks for stopping by and leaving your comments"

The Birds and a Butterfly

2010-08-20T21:35:00.002-04:00

My attention have turned to my birds since there are no more blooms to post about at the moment..
I did capture a tiger swallowtail however on one of my cactus zinnia's that are still in bloom...

I was so thrilled because I had not seen more than three swallowtails the whole summer.

One of the sunflowers my nieces planted finally bloomed, it's three feet tall..

Several weeks ago, I had stated that my cardinal family had three little eggs, but I was not holding my breath" below, dad was back on the job guarding the nest while mom sat on their eggs.. and guess what?

The third nesting was a success!

Below: The second little brother or sister... The eldest and biggest sibling of these two flew out of the nest and away before I could snap a picture of it... The entire family have now moved on..

I love my chickadees and even more so this summer... Thanks to my nieces...

I have learned to get them to eat from my hand.. I had tried to train them to eat from my hand earlier back in July when I was feeding them by myself.. but I guess they weren't ready then.. I told my nieces about it and a couple of days ago they came along and gave it a try....

my nieces just held out there hands and in seconds the chickadees were eating from them...

.. Little show offs!

Below: It takes a thief ....

It is the reason that there are no more tomatoes or strawberries to post about.. I had to stake out like the FBI to discover who the real offender was" I had mistakenly accused other felons, who almost fit the profile, but this time I have the right thief...

Thank you for stopping by and leaving a comment... I love to hear from you..

Winding down and coming to a close

2010-08-10T11:38:00.002-04:00

" Well things are winding down and coming to a close for my summer garden.. I've harvested the last of my veggies and the June and July bloomers have gone to sleep.. Now only a few blooms remain.. which are my purple petunia's on the front porch and my cactus flower zinnia's, black eyed Susan's, purple phlox and cosmos...

I will have these next year for sure.. because of their long blooming periods... in-fact, one of my goals for next year is to design my garden around plants that bloom through out the seasons so that I can have something to enjoy all season long.

The battles continue between the sparrows, my chickadee and my coconut bird feeder. I have moved the feeder from the pole in the yard to my back porch.. where here the chickadees can eat undisturbed, the sparrows don't dare attempt to get this close.. and the few that do.. chickens out after they discover my presence.

Below: A chickadee waits in the willow tree as I fill the coconut feeder..

Below: I get a nice view and show as I watch these little acrobats feed from my back porch..

This chickadee in particular loves to hunt for nuts and seeds from the holes in the bottom of the coconut..and I get a kick out of watching it do so....he / she even hovers underneath it... extracting the seeds in mid air as if it were a hummingbird... sorry I was not able to capture a photo of this amazing stunt.

It's been an odd summer weather wise with unusual heat temperatures smothering and frying gardeners in various areas through the U.S...

But I'm loving our recent temps this month in Michigan.. it has been nice and reasonable in the low 80's with just a few uncomfortable days hovering around 90..

P.S my cardinals have three little eggs.. but so far no sign of hatching babies as of yet...

Just a short update about my neck of the woods enjoy what's left of the summer and...
Thanks you for stopping by and leaving a comment..

A little Summer Whimsy

2010-07-30T16:26:00.012-04:00

" Gee" Where did July go! Just as I began to enjoy it... It decides to leave me, Here are some of my favorite Whimsical scenes and happenings from July... Below I made what I thought would be a barrier against those pesky house sparrows.....They usually do not like protruding objects hanging above their heads..But have watched and studied my chickadee's from the nearby shrubs and learned as I thought they would... how to utilize it" ... It makes a cute little decorative piece don't you think"...

Below: A chickadee eats from my coconut and has encouraged it's babies to do so as well, I don't however have a photo of them and barley got this one..They are fast moving little birds that are just too quick for my camera .. right a chickadee family member takes a drink from the smaller birdbath.

Below: I rediscovered my childhood love for Zinnia's I have always loved their crayon like colors.
I lost the seed package and could not identify them.. Thanks to Sue" of A corner garden sue and Rosey of dung hoe...I learned that they are Cactus Zinnia's Thank you ladies"...

Below: Panini my female kitty spends countless hours in this window, desperately wishing to be an outdoor kitty.. Here's what I know she was thinking because I saw it leap from the shrub to the roof .. " Was that a squirrel ? " Wow that was Amazzzzing!

Below: her favorite toy in the whole wide world! Nothing can compare.. Nothing!

Below: goldfinches are such pretty little birds".....

You would think my birds would be spooked by this kitty... But their not, birds are always smarter then they look"

froggy's around the sedums

Below: several scenes from the Detroit river walk.... The sand art was sponsored by Meijers superstore.

Below: A carnival ride

Below: The Detroit Princess and many other boats of all shapes and sizes float by in the river as people watch them from the walk.

people walking and watching boats on the River walk

Below: Children love the fountain that shoots water from the ground..

Below: Soulliere is one of my favorite garden centers.. for garden plants and Whimsical garden art..

wished I had time to share more...Thank you for stopping by and leaving a comment I love to hear from you...

A little bit of this and that

2010-07-25T12:57:00.009-04:00

I found this little Momma in my front yard this morning chewing on my grass. She's a very small, very pregnant little Kitty that belongs to someone in my neighborhood.

Below: Panini and the little Momma check each other out at the front and side door.. She's a cute little thing and has been hanging around for a couple of days...But for her safety I hope she'll go home before she gives birth to her little kittens.

Below: A photo of my Early girl tomato's after yesterday's rain....

I'd thought they would be bigger after I worked in manure and a few leaves of dried kelp,
But hey"...I'll take what I can get"

Next year I'll experiment with some liquid Kelp... A tip I took from fellow blogger Emily of ...Your apples are my oranges... She placed a few cherry tomato stalks into a jar of water and liquid kelp and got little blossoms afterward... How Cool is that!

Below: Lemon cucumbers.. aren't they cute"

Below: If I'm not mistaken... I believe this is a sensitive plant
( Mimosa ) that hitched a ride with my tomato plants when I purchased them from a garden center.

Below: A lone cucumber ( a ) and ( b) Peppers, Better Belle and Big Red share a container.

Below: My cardinal couple are back nesting in another shrub in my yard, But I'm not expecting little off springs this time around.. It's sort of a wait and see... Maybe or Maybe not..

Below: Thanks to the greedy sparrows, the chickadees have discovered the coconut bird feeder I made for them. However they are so quick I did not catch them or their cute little off springs in the photo..

I moved the coconut feeder to a different location away from it's original site..

( photo on the right below with sparrows ) so that they could have the coconut to themselves.. NOT!

A few slick sparrows as I suspected a few would... are Crashing this coconut party", but it's okay for now because it's just a few...

P.S if you missed how to make a coconut bird feeder from my earlier post here's the link..http://vetsysview.blogspot.com/2010/07/coconut-birdfeeder.html

Just a little bit of this and that... Thanks for stopping by and leaving a comment.. I love hearing from you..

Garden Blogger's Bloom Day 7-15-2010

2010-07-15T09:22:00.011-04:00

It's that time again.. The 15th of every Month when participating garden blogger's join our host Carol of My Dream Gardens to post What's blooming in their gardens?

If you like.. go to My Dream Gardens and join in on the fun.. What's Blooming in my Garden?.. mostly Zinnia's. I just recently learned that there are at least 20 species of Zinnia's and that they are Natives to Mexico.

I don't know what species mine are because I misplaced the seed package and can't find it any where...So I was surprised to see that they weren't the common Zinnia's of my childhood these are two feet Tall with flower heads that remind me of Mums.

Below: Black eyed Susan's

Below: Cosmos blooms on the side of the house near the driveway..

Below: The second flush of pink blooms on my roses ( I believe they are knockout roses but not sure ) also located on the driveway side of the house.

Below: Petunia's hang from a basket on the front porch

Below: In the front yard.. purple and white petunia's out number a spike plant. I thought the spike plant was going to get a lot bigger and give a cool look to the grouping...But these spikes were not the one"

I planted this group of flowers to replace a red, very thorny sick rose, I once called the "Red Devil" Rose not shown.

Below: Pansies share a container with sweet alyssums...

These are the blooms of today... Happy Garden bloom Day and Thank you for Stopping by my blog.

Veggies, Kitty, Birds and Nieces

2010-07-12T09:07:00.024-04:00

I had planned to grow a lot more veggies this year, but got off to a bad start... "oh well there is always next year...

I do have a few Beans, Peppers, Tomato's, and a few Cucumbers that I'm relying on, so I won't complain to much.

A cute little sunflower planted by accident by one of those birds eating from my bird feeder.

Below: Early girl tomato's, bush beans, green pepper and one little cucumber.

Below: My nieces proudly follow in their Auntie Vetsy's foot steps. I keep a garden Journal and they mimic me with their drawings and garden notes. They have also planted strawberries and potted sunflowers, the sunflowers have not completely matured as of yet.


Below: a few Zinnia's in bloom



Below: an update on my Cardinal Family.... My Cardinals were not

successful with their second nest in the Wiegela shrub. here's the link to this story if you are reading it for the first time... http://vetsysview.blogspot.com/2010/06/cardinals-mate-for-life-and-between.html

Below: during this same month, last month ...Panini watched mama cardinal in her nest in the Wiegela shrub that is right outside the window...It would always amaze and puzzle me.. when mama cardinal would nest and come back to it.. with Panini staring right at her from the window....

I assume that she was smart enough to know that Panini could not get out.

I stated that Mama cardinal was not successful in her attempt to bring a second baby brood to term in the second nest site. Below: " If you were a Mother bird... do you think you could bring a baby brood to term with a face like this one staring at you!

Anywho... " I felt a little lonely after my Cardinals moved on... but they have been replaced by new sites and sounds of birds in my yard... My beautiful Gold finches are back and I hope to capture better and more vivid photos of them later on... My Chickadees are...Chic-a dee-dee- deeing in the trees and bushes as they hunt for bugs... but have not yet.. checked out their New Dinette I made for them..

Just a little update, scenes and thoughts from my garden. Thank you for visiting my blog.. Do leave a comment.... I love hearing from you..

A Coconut birdfeeder

2010-07-07T13:15:00.036-04:00

I made my first coconut bird feeder in the Winter of 2007 for my Chickadees.

I loved it because It was fun to make, Whimsical, different and only a few sparrows were able to manipulate it...Ha!..

It's hard for sparrows to hang from a moving feeder and feed at the same time..because there feet just aren't designed to cling the way a Chickadee's can....

Yes you'll come across a few of those wise guy sparrows, but this swinging feeder will cut down on the masses.

Below.. hole saw with mandrel and twist bit


Tools you'll need... A Drill of course and

( 1 ) ... A hole Saw 1" 25mm..
I used a Black and Decker hole saw kit, The kit came with the mandrel and hole saw together, You can't operate the hole saw with out the mandrel...
the mandrel is the center piece and guide that directs the hole saw into the intended object.

( 2 ) .. A work bench vise.... to hold the coconut in place while you are drilling.

( 3 ) ... A standard twist drill bit... the size of the twist drill bit is objective as long as you can create a hole big enough to thread a hanger and make small openings for draining the coconut of it's liquid and rain, for this a standard bit will do.

( 4 ) ... String, jute, wire, or a small chain can be used for your hanger, If you have a squirrel problem wire and chain are the best options especially if hanging it from a tree... I had a few smarty pantses that would chew through the string and I would often awake to find an empty coconut on the ground.

The first thing you'll want to do is to drill holes in the bottom of the coconut for drainage. If you are using a fresh coconut you will need to drain it of it's coconut milk or liquid.

I like to drill holes in all three eyes of the coconut when draining it.. Than after wards add a few at the top for the hanger.
( these holes also help the coconut drain and air out a little after it rains )

Below...holes created by the twist bit..

Below ..The nice little opening made by the hole saw...

Step ( 5 ) ...You will need to remove the meat of the Coconut.... To do this allow it to hang for about a week... The coconut will begin to dry and peel away from it's hard shell on the inside...This makes it much easier to manipulate and extract the meat.. My coconut was a little dry from the start because I bought it months ago and forgot where I placed it .... by than the meat had dried up a quite a bit on the inside.

Tools you'll Need ..... A Firmer chisel or any small sharp wood cutting tool if you can't find or don't have any of these tools do what I did in the photo below... get out the screw driver and Take your time.. this part of the job is a little time consuming but expect it.... It's part of the process, getting in a hurry may get one injured...

However, a Firmer chisel or any wood chisel will make fast work of this process because the blade is sharp and thick.. Do use with care please".... My niece demonstrates below..

( 6 ) ... In the photo below my niece is using a twist tag from a loaf of bread to guide the jute. Start from the inside of the coconut exiting the hole made in the top and then back through the other opening and tie it..with a little patience and imagination you'll figure out how to get your hangers in.. be it string or wire.

A few tips and notes: Before the meat of the coconut dries out.. the coconut will be heavy... So hang it up on something sturdy.

The feeder can be filled with many goodies such as suet in the winter, sunflower seeds, fruit, nuts, meal worms and fresh coconut meat... It can be chopped into small pieces and placed inside along with sunflower seeds.

NOTE....I read that shredded coconut... the kind we buy in the super market should never be used...It will swell in the birds bellies and be fatal!

Just like most bird feeders, you will want to check the coconut after it rains and replace seeds accordingly.

Thanks for stopping by my blog... Do leave a comment I love to here from you...

A Salute to June

2010-06-28T10:19:00.416-04:00

It's beautiful the Summer month of June When all God's own wild flowers are in bloom And shines brightly most part of the day And butterflies o'er lush meadows play.

Light hearted skylark songster of the wing High o'er the quiet and lonely moorland sing Above her nest cloaked by the tangled heath Her charming song so exquisitely sweet.

So mellow the gentle breath of June day breeze The birds rejoicing on the leafy trees And dappled trout in pool bed of the stream Bask in the sun their spotted skins agleam.

God gave us June and all her lovely flowers Bright sunny days and pleasant evening hours Shady green glens and serene sunlit dell And leafy bowers adorned with blue bells.

But god June's maker has the final say and what he give he also take away.

And God's own larks will trumpet in the sky To celebrate the birthday of July. ~Francis Duggan

These are a few scenes from my garden in June, Thank you for stopping by I'll see you soon.

"Growing Local it's a Good thing"

2010-06-20T17:43:00.040-04:00

I am so excited about the Growing local Movement across our country.

The opportunity to purchase locally grown produce, homemade goods, and crafts, appeals to me and many others seeking alternatives outside of the BIG Chain Markets...

" Yes the Big Chain Markets have their place, "where else are we going to buy paper plates and Microwave dinner's".. But it's high time that we have the option to purchase from other sources when we want a healthier diet!... Here are just a few reasons why growing local is a Good Thing!

1). Food grown in our own regions taste better! ..Why? because It's not shipped across the country to get to your plate!

2). It Supports the local Farmers and Artisans who often offer some very unique things that are crafted by hand.

3). Cuts down on pollution! All that travel across land and states adds to more carbon emissions, thus polluting our air and our environment!

4). Locally grown foods build our communities, by giving us a closer connection and bond with the Farmers and Artisans serving our communities. We get to meet new people, make friends, eat healthier and learn a few things along the way.

Below Local farmers and Artisans sale their goods at the
EAST WARREN AVENUE FARMERS MARKET.

Robin Dwight representative for Dan Canmody of A.M Fresh.
A.M. Fresh is a corporation of Detroit's Eastern Market. They bring fresh produce to local neighborhoods and communities through out the city.
" Now how cool and convenient is that!.. Celery, peppers, cucumbers, tomatoes, green onions and others were on display. http://www.detroiteasternmarket.com

Below: Roman Lopez, representing Demeulenaere Farms of Romeo Mi. Herbs, peaches, cabbage, tomato plants, strawberries and blue berries fresh and ripe! "Mmmm" it's the taste of Summer.

Vandalia Gardens Urban Farmers, LLC

Above: Cornelius Williams Owner of Vandalia Gardens is a farmer who understands the importance of growing local and that health begins on the inside-out, that is why he is also the representative of " the Silica Connection".

What is that you may ask?
" It's Fossil Shell Flour for Humans" to learn more contact:Cornelius Williams:
( 313-616-302-0319 ) cwilliams48225@yahoo.com
http://www.prosperingtimes.com/VandaliaGardens.html

Above: This lovely lady represents " Earth Natural Essentials" You will smell pretty and feel good using Earth Natural Essential products because their products have everything You need and Nothing You Don't!
Soothing lip balms, lotions and yummy soaps such as Lavender and chamomile just to name a few...contact: 248-630-8910 http://www.buyearthnatural.com

Above: Jan and Micheal represent Spirit and Faith Farms of Corktown Det, Mi. Their goal is to help feed those who are less fortunate and beautify neglected area's in the city. http://detroitevolution.com/friends.html
Homemade Banana bread and self help books such as The Power Of Ancient Foods were offered check it out at http://www.amazon.com

Above: Organic carrots for organic carrot cake," Shut Up! here's another lovely lady that make all homemade goodies from all natural ingredients, blue berry and banana were offered to name a few ...Yum"

Below: These are some of our friendly Volunteers, we appreciate the services that Volunteers provide to our communities.

The EAST WARREN AVENUE FARMERS MARKET is sponsored by: The Detroit Food and Fitness Collaborative, Eastern Market Corporation, Warren Conner Development Coalition, East English Village and many others... We appreciate all who are responsible for these events and services.. for more information contact Market Master: Jenny Poma at ( 313) -571-2800 x. 1131

The purpose of this blog is to show support for our Local farmers, Artisans and Entrepreneurs in our community and beyond. I try to be as accurate as possible when posting Information, I apologized for any miss-spelling of names or misinformation.

Thank you for stopping by my blog... please leave a comment I would love to here from you..

The Cardinal's Make a Nest or two"

2010-06-13T22:08:00.041-04:00

The Cardinals in my garden seem to be the same couples that have taken up residents for at least 10 years.
I'm not an expert on bird behavior or habits, but I'm almost certain or would like to believe that these are the same two.

I read that Cardinals may produce four broods between April and August, They are already on their second nesting site this month, This time in the Weigela " Eva Rathke" the first nesting site was in the Duetzia Scabra where they produced and reared three little babies.

I attempted to take photo's of their first little nest and brood by climbing up on a ladder, My Mom watched me with concern and amusement..."You know you may get your eyes pecked out! .. "Yeah Mom, but If I can do this quickly, perhaps I won't disturb or scare them, It will only take a second"...So I thought"

I didn't realize how dense the Duetzia Scabra shrub really was until I was high above it on the ladder.."Okay, mooove slooowly"...

"Oh! there they are... If I can just get this camera to focus"..

before my finger could even locate and push the button.. LOUD PIERCING SCREAMS and SHRIEKS! emitted from the biggest baby in the nest like a Sonic Boom!...quicker than my cat can say Meow! ...

I had that ladder down and out of the way! I knew Mom and Pop cardinal would be here in seconds flat after hearing those cries and they were!

I gave up trying to get photo's of this first event for this cardinal family was quick and smart as whips!

I guess I'll have to leave this to the experts with fancy camera's.. However, once they were away attending to their babies who have now left the nest, I decided to take a picture of the empty nest... I watched the nest for several days, mom and dad returned, but not to nest and it's single egg" Instead they began a new nest in the Weigela. I will probably remove the nest and egg and save them as a keep sake.

I have a good view of Mom and Pops second nest site because this shrub is not as dense and is shaped a lot different. This time I will just observe them from my garden chairs and maybe if I sit still enough, perhaps I'll get lucky and capture a few pictures......

Daddy Cardinal gets lunch for Mom and the kids... Mom ( below) takes a rest on a lawn chair as she ponders dinner.

Below: Mom and Dad take turns watching for enemies high up in the shrubs.

Mom working on her New nesting site in the Weigela.

The nest almost complete.... Stay tuned for my antics and attempts as I try to capture the the second chapter as it happens in my garden.. Thank you for stopping by and leaving a comment.

Scenes from our May Garden- 2010

2010-05-31T01:32:00.048-04:00

The Spiderwort is one of my favorite purple wild flowers... They close up when the sun comes out, so I took pictures early in the morning.

The robins are in and out of the yard feeding their young in various places. A young robin prefers the smaller bird bath....While an adult takes a sip from the bigger antique that once belonged to my paternal grandmother.

This photo does not show the true color of the roses on the front gate, it's a deep velvety shade of red that I have not seen else where in my area..It was transplanted from my paternal grandmother's yard.

Daisies and Ivy share a corner near the wooden fence.

A close up of my intoxicating citrusy scented Mock orange flowers
( Philadephus coronaruis aureus) The poor thing is assaulted unmercifully every year by ants and aphids who suck it dry! I would like to find an organic insecticide that will keep them away from this plant...Thank you for sharing any tips you have that may help..

I really love the funnel shaped flowers and colors of the shrub Weigela, they are beautiful flowering shrubs that also attract hummingbirds." Eva Rathke" is a gorgeous reddish purple..it and Pink florida weigela
( Not shown ) was planted by previous owners ages ago.

" Red Prince ( in container ) I just purchased last week.

Another pass-along from my grandparents..is a sedum called Wall pepper ( crassulaceae) It will grow any where that pieces of it may fall.. they are all over in various places of my yard in cracks, between stones and rocks on the ground.. but I don't worry when I spot these run always, for the roots are very shallow making them very easy to remove.

Houdini Panini caught in the Act!.. girlfriend discovered where the handle is on the back door... I caught her reaching for it with my camera and she dashed away under the bed disgusted that I found out how she was getting out last week! ... She reaches for it and than leaps..putting all her weight on the handle until the door springs open...I'm on to you Missy!

A critter that's most likely a squirrel had several of my nice ripened strawberries for breakfast, Panini would love to catch one of these Villains and I'm almost tempted to let her ( Not!) for she would also make a bee-line straight to where Mom and Poppa Cardinal's nest site that lay in what I think is a Dutseia scrabra shrub....I would also feel guilty if one those square toothed vermin's should happen to bite her in the head, the squirrels around here aren't afraid of No cats" and would make Panini's fore-head appear just like the bitten berry in the photo.

My pink roses on the side of the house are looking healthier than last year when they too" like the Mock orange were attack by ants and aphids...So far there are none on these.." whew!
These are the scenes of May from my garden. I hope you enjoyed them, may you and yours have a wonderful Memorial Day..

" A Man Named Pearl "

2010-05-24T14:54:00.012-04:00

A Man Named Pearl' is a delightful true story for anyone who loves to garden and have an appreciation for Topiaries.

Pearl Fryer a novice gardener from Bishopsville Sc, has done with his garden that many said could not be done with-out a Horticultural back ground.

His garden is now a wonderful work of Art that is seen today by people all over the World it's a must see and a wonderful Documentary for people of all ages!
please visit... www.amannamedpearl.com

Photo credit is by giddygirlie of flikr.com

A few pass alongs and berries

2010-05-21T16:06:00.061-04:00

These bearded Irises were given to my Mother by her sister a couple of years ago and a few were passed along to me, they have a perfumed scent, but I have to place my nose near them to smell them.

Below: Comfrey (symphytum tuberosum).. is an herb that was given to my parent's by my eldest sister, it is not yet in full bloom but is still gorgeous, the bees love it and I do too".

Added a Solar water lily fountain this month. A baby sparrow kept trying to drink from it, leaped onto it and I thought it was going to drown, but it took a big gulp and flew up and out to my relief and to my surprise!. I hate that I did not catch this action with my camera..

Last year I planted my first strawberries and politely forgot the variety in the planter that is holding the ceramic bunny momma and baby... I have two other containers of 'Ozark beauty' which are Ever bearers. Ever bearers will produce fruit from spring to autumn.

Thanks for stopping by..Do leave a comment I enjoy them.

Garden Blogger's Bloom Day.. May 2010

2010-05-15T01:11:00.026-04:00

It's that time again, the 15th of every month when we join Carol our host of Garden Blogger's bloom Day to post What's blooming in our gardens.

This is one of the prettiest shrubs in my yard and I have never known for sure of it's exact specie, it has lots of round white clustered flowers with a wonderful light scent like a very, very faint gardenia...butterflies were all over it today.. I think it is called..Deutzia Scabra ( doot-see-uh ) belonging to the Hydrangeaceae Family..
I didn't get around to clipping it into a nice shape like I did last year..Oh" well"... it's still pretty.

Why must these yellow drops of sunshine be such a beautiful weed! I removed mass mountain's of them today and left a small patch that will probably be a mountain next year...I need to replace it with a look alike that's Not a weed! ..This weed I'm speaking of is a creeping buttercup.. ( Ranunculous repens ) it spreads by under ground runners, which make it a Monsters to get rid of...It is very invasive and I have tried year after year to get rid of it by digging it up.... But I must not have done a very good job removing all of the root system..because they returned as if I had never moved them at all.

I read today that I should repeat the process more than once ( lots of digging and tilling ) and that should do the trick..if not, I should try an herbicide. I don't really like to use chemicals in my garden so I guess I'll be getting some more exercise until I can find a replacement.

Purple Ice plant and dainty blue bell flowers...Two of my favorite colors in the garden. Thanks for stopping by and leaving your comments and have a Happy Garden Blogger's Bloom Day!

Wishing you and your's a Happy Mother's Day!

2010-05-09T00:16:00.011-04:00

A Mother’s love is something

that no one can explain,

It is made of deep devotion

and of sacrifice and pain,

It is endless and unselfish

and enduring come what may

For nothing can destroy it

or take that love away . . .

It is patient and forgiving

when all others are forsaking,

And it never fails or falters

even though the heart is breaking

It believes beyond believing

when the world around condemns,

And it glows with all the beauty

of the rarest, brightest gems . . .

It is far beyond defining,

it defies all explanation,

And it still remains a secret

like the mysteries of creation

A many splendor miracle

man cannot understand

And another wondrous evidence

of God’s tender guiding hand.

Helen Steiner Rice

(1900 – 1981)

Photo credit is ...by..Betsy J....of Flickr.com

A dental date to remove a Wisdom tooth

2010-04-24T13:18:00.011-04:00

What are Wisdom teeth? and what do they have to do with Wisdom? The answer to this question never concerned me until I had to have one removed.

They are often referred to as the third Molars by Dentist and are the last teeth to develop... By the time we are 18 they are developed completely, thus by tradition is the time of maturity and wisdom".. Some of you may have developed these teeth with-out any incident.. I, on the other hand, have developed them impacted! which means they did not come through... So on.. Monday April 26th around 1:30pm I will have my 2nd Wisdom tooth removed on the lower right side.

I hope it will not be a repeat of my first extraction on the lower left side in 2004... It was an unforgettable experience, but I decided not to share the details of that experience with you because my goal is just to let you know that I'll be absent for a while until my healing process begins...Not to scare you away from oral surgery. Lol! .....

I look forward to returning to catch up on your beautiful gardens and other fun events you like to share.. Happy gardening and thank you for your well wishes!

P.S...the photo above is from animated teeth.com which explains a little more about wisdom teeth with animated photos and written explanations..

http://www.animated-teeth.com/wisdom_teeth/t1_wisdom_tooth.htm

Garden blogger's bloom day April 2010

2010-04-15T07:09:00.019-04:00

Hello to all..once again it's time to join our host Carol of garden blogger's bloom day! of My Dream Gardens. Bloom day begins the 15th of every month and all participating blogger's post what's blooming in their gardens.. then we're off to visit Carol to take a look at her blooms and others at My Dream Gardens..join once in a while it's fun! and you get to meet someone new.

Magnolia one of my favorite flowering trees, blooming in front yard.

Below: Forsythia blooms against the back gate.

Below: This lovely shrub has many little yellow flowers that bloom all over it through out the summer, I don't know the name of it and really, really, love it... thanks if you can shed some light on it.

( update 5/14/2010 )
I found the name of this lovely shrub today it is known as Japanese rose, Kerria, Jew's Mallow...Cultivar: 'Pleniflora' Species: Japonica.

An Accent for the Garden

2010-04-09T10:36:00.027-04:00

I read that adding a garden accent to one's garden expresses one's style and adds a personal touch to the garden..

But, I'm not sure what my style is.. or how to define it....It's the same with my gardening, be it a container or in the ground...I never really have a specific plan in mind..do in part to the fact that I'm a newbie and the other is do to my spontaneous personality.
I just grow what I like or have time for.. depending on my circumstances and Mother nature.

So with no particular garden plans to keep me busy at the moment I thought it would be fun to go searching for a few garden accents and stick with the act of spontaneity.

My first stop was at one of my favorite stores...Marshall's Home Goods they are similar in my opinion to Pier One Imports but have lower prices especially on the dishware and garden products.

I made a bee-line straight to the garden section and fell in love with everything I saw.

There where Buddha's standing and sitting in their silent poses, Angels looking angelic as..angels should, Silly gnomes big and small reading books and smoking pipes, turtles, frogs, snails and chickens posed in various poses, some even held welcome signs to welcome your guest when they visit...

I wanted everything! but the calming effect emitting from a Buddha statue near by.. helped me come to my senses.." Buy me, I represent what you sometimes need in your life"..calmness, peace and quiet contemplation from the hurried stressful ways of this modern world. place me in your home or garden and meditate your cares away I will be good for you and I only cost 24.99" .... I was sold! and left with my purchase and off to spy out other stores.

My next stop was Meijer's where I chuckled and giggled at more of the whimsical... A bear sleeping in a Hammock, a mouse on a mushroom having a chat with it's little frog friend, life sized quacking ducks and a Toad house with an extra room for quest... Now that's a really cute idea and the first of it's kind that I've every seen...

" Oh and speaking of Toad stools, you might want to check out our artistic blogging friend Karrita of My Mother's Garden... She creates lovely Ceramic art for the garden from toad stools to bird houses, click on her Ceramic Icon below under my blog list in the far right corner and it will take you to her shop.

I enjoyed my window shopping and proud of my spontaneous purchase and no doubt this summer, will be back for more....

So... did I find my accent style? You bet I didn't... I'm Like a lays potato chip.. I don't think I can pick just one and like a Cottage garden... I'm free, cheerful and love many hues, colors and textures..what I did learn from the net, however...Is to choose statues or accents appropriate for your garden size.. A giant 12 foot elephant of course would not work in a tiny yard and too many statues over whelms a garden and gives it the appearance of a junk yard! So don't go crazy!.... but do have fun!

Happy Gardening and Thank you for stopping by..

" Happy Easter Everyone"

2010-04-03T01:23:00.008-04:00

God, give us eyes to see

the beauty of the Spring,

And to behold Your majesty

in every living thing -

And may we see in lacy leaves

and every budding flower

The Hand that rules the universe

with gentleness and power -

And may this Easter grandeur

that Spring lavishly imparts

Awaken faded flowers of faith

lying dormant in our hearts,

And give us ears to hear, dear God,

the Springtime song of birds

With messages more meaningful

than man's often empty words

Telling harried human beings

who are lost in dark despair -

'Be like us and do not worry

for God has you in His care.

Helen Steiner Rice (1900-1981)

photo credits: Easter Lily, originally uploaded by donsutherland.

2010-03-25T13:27:00.081-04:00

" Friends of the Bees"

Help save the Honey Bees, she urged...,
originally uploaded by A Fanciful Twist.

As we garden this year, lets not forget our tiny friends the bees! They are in a serious crisis and so are we, If they continued to die! What do you think will happen to us! !

I commented and voiced my concerns before on this issue on my post: Please Help The Bee's Help Us! 3/8/2010 and once again this serious topic was back this morning on the Yahoo news page.

( Bees In more trouble than ever after bad winter ).

This is a subject that is not going away soon and I'll probably post my concerns more than once about it.. I hope those of you who garden will join me as a voice and friend of the bee by planting the nectar rich plants that our bees love. Please post your results....But don't just stop there..there are so many more ways that we can help....Here are a few helpful links to get you started.

The following links that got my attention, but I'm sure there are many more out there to discover...North American Pollinator Protection Campaign (NAPP) was established in 1999 and has worked since than to promote and protect our tiny friends, they are one of many I call the Friends of the Bees! checkout http://pollinator.org.. they have a guide that helps the gardener attract all the pollinators... bees, birds and bats.

Urban Bee Gardens: This is a guide based in California but the concept applies every where. This website explains the importance of our pollinators, choosing the right plants, how mulching can affect the bee, and how our native bee and our honeybee differ....Introduction Why Make yours a Bee Garden?
http://nature.berkeley.edu/urbanbeegardens

From the Daily green ...Gardening to Attract Honey Bees...

http://www.thedailygreen.com/going-green/tips/2790

High Country Gardens...Get your Garden Buzzing with a native mason bee nest.

http://plants.highcountrygardens.com

Life on the Balcony: Is a blog by Fern Richardson who shares her expertise on container gardening and more...if you are a container gardener such as myself, visit Life on the balcony for tips on attracting bees to the container garden... select Birds, Bees, & Butterflies in the category search box. ...

http://lifeonthebalcony.com

Diana of the ( Voice in the garden ) has some awesome photos of a Honey bee colony rescue from a fallen Oak tree on her property. http://voiceinthegarden.blogspot.com

From Yahoo News page... The U.S. Department of Agriculture on Colony Collapse Disorder: http://tinyurl.com/usdaccd

The study in Public Library of Science One...

http://tinyurl.com/beepaper

It's the first day of spring!

2010-03-20T12:27:00.057-04:00

It's the first day of Spring! ...But does it feel like it here in Michigan...Nope! ...Our weather forecasters here In Michigan warned us that we would have some cooler temps ahead!....

So..Thursday when the temps hit a high of 70! I took advantage of the warm weather and got outside where I finally got a little yard work done and took a few pictures.
The Magnolia buds right corner: will soon have lovely soft pink flowers.

A make shift cage.. I made out of metal crates to stop the squirrels from destroying my potted Sedums.and a view from the cage on the inside where dragons blood and other sedums are coming to life in safety.

The small flower plot ( below ) held Cosmos, Hyssop, Speedwell, Daisies and a few others that I can't recall at the moment....It also held a solar water fountain... a Mother's day gift to My Mom. Mom and I are garden partner's and we were both out tiding up the yard..happy to finally take advantage of a warm March day.

My cat Panni thinks that if she stays down low enough..we won't notice that she sneaked outside. .. I love the shadow of the tree branches in the shot.

One of two willow trees right) that we planted in 22 gallon plastic totes....They will need replanting this spring...The totes are bursting with willow roots.

Rose hips on a rambling rose. This rose produces tons of prolific bright red roses during the summer and is a show stopper in the front yard..We will need to trim it back a little ..for it has enough thorns to Kill the devil! In-fact..I nick named it the Red devil.

My chick-a-dee couple butch and Beatrice .. Played a pretty good game on me while I was trying to snap a photo of them with my point and shoot Canon powershot SD1200 IS ...

Every time I raised my camera to shoot one of them, they would run to the other side of the feeder out of my focus...

This continued until my eyes were crossed..and after about an half hour, I was able to snap one of them. ..ha..ha.. Very funny".

Happy first day of spring and thank you for stopping by.

Garden Blogger's Bloom Day 2010

2010-03-15T13:44:00.008-04:00

Once again it's the 15th of the month, that means it's Garden blogger's bloom day.
Every 15th, participating blogger's post lovely blooms for My Dream Gardens bloom day event hosted by Carol.

I can't wait for these Tiger lilies on the side of my house to bloom this summer. There Hot orange colors are show stoppers for those that pass by.. and since I had no blooms of my own to display at home, I decided to take a few photos of whats blooming at my local Kroger supermarket.

They did not turn out as clear as I expected..."Oh well, it's the thought that counts".

(1). A beautiful group of orchids to the right of the screen:

( 2). Tulips and what I think were yellow daisies: bottom left:

( 3) A sweet little Gerber daisy on the bottom right.

Spring is in the air..I heard Robins in the trees and I'm finally feeling gleeful and much more positive today. What can lift your spirits higher then sunshine and singing Robins.

" Please help the bees help us!

2010-03-08T20:56:00.017-05:00

Bumble Bee head-on,
originally uploaded by Jim Nicholson.

Spring is on it's way and I have been reminiscing about my garden and a alarming issue that I first learned about two summers ago.

That issue was about and still is about, our nations bee crisis.. It is one that is wide spread, effecting both the U.S and Europe. These vital pollinators are disappearing! and scientist are scrambling to figure out why... Some of their findings in my opinion are well founded and make a lot of sense, although those who are responsible for this crisis I'm sure, would deny it.

I'm a amateur gardener...I like to grow vegetables and flowers and little did I know that a bee crisis was happening in my neck of the woods....

after reading some articles on this issue in a couple of garden magazines, I decided that I could help play a part in helping out these little creatures by choosing flowers that they would enjoy the most..such as...
Hyssop, Red Clover, Bee balm, Lavender, Purple Coneflowers, Sun flowers and Cosmos to name a few.

Squash, tomatoes, peppers, chives, radish, and a few carrots shared a place in a couple of containers. I was excited as I often am when I plant something and wait for it's turn out...

But my excitement turned in to disappointment...It would be a bad year for gardening, for the weather took forever to warm up here in Michigan and when it finally did.. there were No.. Honeybees to be found!

Bumble bees frequent the Honeysuckle and Wiegela shrubs.. showing little interest in anything else...
once and a while one or two would fly over to the other areas in the yard and I thought perhaps that just maybe there was some hope for my pathetic little garden, but I saw no changes in my vegetable production.

My squash would not flower and the buds fell off.. My cucumbers were nubs and the peppers, radish and carrots were stunted.

Every day when I found the opportunity I would sit for hours watching different areas of my garden for these Honeybees while taking notes in my garden journal.

It was mid summer when I begin to see a few and by a few I mean about Six!....Six Honey bees and about four native ( Mason bees). These numbers did not increase through out the whole summer! and neither did the plant population in my garden.

The only veggies that did fair well were my tomatoes.. Sweet 100's and Early girl.

It is possible that the weather and missing bees both played a part in my garden disaster..However if the weather had turned out perfect..I was still going to have a garden flop!.. evident by the lack of bees!

I had my first experience with our Honey bee crisis! and I'm currently studying once again what plants to grow in my garden this year to help out these VITAL little creatures..they are CRUCIAL to our SURVIVAL and our PLANET and I have included a few links so that you may learn more about this serious crisis! and how you can help because... They Need Us and We Need Them! ...

The web is full of helpful information on this subject... Here's a few that I found quite interesting and informative: please visit the web pages below......

Why the Bees are Dying:

http://www.organicconsumers.org/articles/article_5356.cfm

Why Make yours a bee Garden?
http://nature.berkeley.edu/urbanbeegardens

Bee Pollinator Partnership:
http://www.pollinator.org

Jessica of a Girl Growing Southern supplied this information:
Plant Diversity helps bees:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/8467746.stm

Diana of the voice in the garden..http://voiceinthegarden.blogspot.com ) has some awesome photos of a Honey bee colony rescue from a fallen oak tree on her property.