Day 139...In Memory

Day 139

Flags in Olathe, KS were being flown at half-staff in honor and memory of

PFC Cale Miller

who gave his life defending the honor and freedom of our country.

My thoughts and prayers go out to his family.

 I am forever grateful to all who serve our country.

Day 138...Home Away From Home

Day 138

My home away from home whether I like it or not...lol

I like it! Just not 10 hours days of it!

(also a self portrait, of sorts...I see Me!)

I'm past the days of bouncing back like it was nothing to work those hours.

I guess my age is showing... :)

Day 137...Birdies-n-Bugs

Day 137

 I could say "please don't eat the daisies"....

or "DAMN the bugs that are eating my Coneflowers!!!"

There's always a pest of some sort when you have a garden but my pretty Coneflowers 

haven't even made it into full bloom yet... :(

I just discovered this cobwebby looking stuff tonight. 

Spider mites, maybe? 

I wonder if they eat Coneflowers? Something sure did!

My baby Cardinals... :) 

All I did was move a branch out of my way and I guess they thought it was one of their parents coming to feed them...The INSTANT I touched the branch they popped straight up like this with their little beaks wide open...so sweet...
I hope no pesky mean birds or snake finds them before they can fly!

 I won't be trying for another photo for at least a week.
I don't want to bother them too much.

 they sure do look different than they will later!

Day 136...Fireworks and Feathered Friends

Day 136

This Dill reminded me of fireworks!

The ones that burst out high and huge in the sky, 

arcing outwards then slowly string down to the ground below.

I was sitting on the floor of my living room, just inside the bay window

watching and waiting...and waiting!

Then they arrived! Flying in with the evening meal for the babies...

Good Momma and Daddy!

Day 135...It's Coming Together

Day 135

At the end of the day today (well, the end of my yard work/gardening I should say) I had to just walk away. No matter how many times I looked at the garden, from any angle, it all seemed to be blurring together and I was feeling like it was NOT coming together. So I took a break and checked on the babies living in my hedges and shrubs...Although I can't see them, I think the Robin babies have hatched by the way the Momma is behaving in the nest. The Cardinal babies in my front yard Barberry shrub have definitely hatched. My husband heard them "chirping" (more like little squeaks) and we peeked in!!! There are two babies in the nest no bigger than my thumb! Mom and Dad fly in an out of there constantly. Daddy Cardinal was keeping his eye on me this afternoon as I stood on my porch thinking I might catch a shot of either him or Momma. Not a very good shot but I love watching them!! No sooner did I go in the house he flew right into the shrub with the babies!

After last year of being out of commission all Summer and nearly all of Fall, my gardens didn't resemble anything but neglect. I promised myself that this year was going to only be a year of getting things back into shape. No big changes. So far, I've stuck to that. I did divide up some perennials and move a few things around but mostly it's been about weed control, adding mulch and just cleaning up. I think it's looking OK but I already can't wait for next year when the few things I have added/changed start to bloom and bring a new touch of beauty to the garden! I've been told so many times by all my experienced gardener friends that it's a continual work in progress but I think my problem is I always feel like I'm 

starting over each year and not really getting anywhere!

Well, it is what it is and it really is OK...maybe not magazine worthy, but it is nice and most definitely a work in progress...I still need to finish my bricks and some other final touches 

but I guess it is "coming together" after all...

My favorite little fun corner of my backyard world...
where Fairies and Gnomes live and play together! :)

Day 134...A Walk About My Yard...Again

Day 134

Meadow's keeping track of her new ball! 

And me, I'm keeping track of the Coneflowers about to bloom!

These two different varieties look the most different at the stages they're in now. They seem to look nearly identical after blooming. I have to look very closely to tell any difference at all later. I think there's a minor difference in their centers but even those look very similar later after blooming. 

At least that's what I remember from the last couple of years! 

This year I'll get up close and personal with my camera to see the differences! 

Day 133...Food For Who?

Day 133

There's always something new to learn and a couple of years ago I learned that an Oriole (the bird) loves Grape jelly and Oranges...we go through a lot of these two items during this time of year. I only wish the Orioles would stick around longer though. I don't know where they move on to or why they leave. Maybe it gets too warm for them here once Summer weather really sets in. Mark and I both agree that they seem to be staying around a little longer than usual this year. I will continue to put out the Oranges and Grape jelly now regardless. I've now found that ALL the birds who visit our yard seem to partake of the jelly 

and at the very least, they peck once or twice at the Oranges!