Grandma's Garden Springing to Life

 

Years ago, when we moved up from Louisiana and in with my mom's parents in WV, it was so cold!  My first day of school was cancelled because of snow!  A 'snow day' my mom called it.  What!?  For the first few months, I lived in a strange world, a COLD world, but slowly green things happened.  Beautiful green things.

 

In Grandma's front garden, Spring comes with surprises and constants.  A year or so after we moved up, Dad planted Daffodils down the driveway.  They have popped up and spread out every year since.  Shortly after the Daffodils arrive, Grandma's Crocus' show their vibrant colors.  Then in May, around Grandma and Grandpap's wedding anniversary, the Lily of the Valley sweetly scents the air. 

 

This year, the Crocus flowers are so vibrant against the dark greens of the arriving new garden and the brown leaves that still cover the ground.  The shocking purple of the Crocus is pretty to look at but this one decided to be different. 

 

When I popped in with my younger two boys to visit Pap, I luckily remembered to pack my camera in to the van.  I was able to explore the dawning of this year's blessings.  This one is my favorite find.

 

I believe I will print this one for Grandma's room at the nursing home to give her a bit of her garden.  Maybe, just maybe, she will find some peace with this small part of the garden she worked so hard in for years.  Now, it's my turn.  This year, the garden will be my job.  It's time to find Grandma's Garden again.

So long...

Life has had its ups and downs during my time away from posting. I won't bore you with unnecessary details but I will share some recent photos (that have finally found their way off my camera card!).

The first is our second oldest graduating from the Le Cordon Bleu Pittsburgh with a degree in Patisserie & Baking. The rose is from my MIL's back garden. It started raining while I was taking photos with the sun still shining.

A breath of normalcy

Yesterday, I had a rare day off of work. I spent most of it at the yarn shop with Mom and Miss Sandy visiting. I went to lunch with Hubby and then back to the shop. When the time came, I picked up the boys from the bus stop. Mom came with me since I volunteered to take her home and the boys got to spend a few hours running around Grandma's and Grandpap's yard. I got the much-neglected opportunity to take pictures! Oh, the joy! My cousin's husband stopped by to look at a few trees that Pap wants cut down. Since he and my cousin heat with wood, this will benefit both houses.

If you have a few moments during your day, please say a prayer or just think comforting thoughts for my husband's best friend. Her mother's cancer has spread and the doctor's have given her just a few weeks, if that. DH went to visit shortly after getting the call last night and didn't return til after midnight. It was bad. So, if you have a few minutes...

Blazing Star

Thanks to my SIL, Dana, I have found out what that purple spikey flower is that my youngest took photos of at my Grandmother's.

Liatris. Also known as Blazing-star, Gay-feather, or Button snakeroot.

After reading Dana's warning about Lythrum salicaria (purple loosestrife), I started looking. One site that talked about invasive plants recommended replacing it with something called Blazing star. So, I went looking for that.

BINGO! That is exactly what is in my Grandma's front garden! I didn't think it was the Lythrum salicaria since it had not overrun the entire planting area (she still has loads of daisies and lilies that pop up and her tulips are as beautiful and strong as ever) but since I am not well-versed in plant life as Dana, I wasn't going to ignore it. Plus, Dana is just a fount of information anyway. I learn alot from her.

So, I know that my updates have been scattered, eratic, and random at best. I have been working through my yarn collection trying to get all the pieces I bought certain yarn and thread for completed. I recently completed another baby blanket out of bulky yarn (like the type Moo made our afghans out of, Dana) that was pink and white variegated. I am going to be making a christening outfit with some thread soon. Following that, I have some bamboo crochet thread I have been saving for a special project. Mom purchased a pattern book of purses and bags months ago. In it is a pattern for a reticule (a small, delicate lace purse) with a satin liner of any choice of color. I finally have all the things needed. Hopefully, I won't mangle the pattern too much.

I plan on making more cup cozies and coasters. Market bags and baby blankets are on my list, too. All out of worsted weight cotton or other organic material. My hands just can't deal with the acrylic. Maybe I can get away with Cotton-ease but I am not sure. For now, I will stick with my cotton cones.

An Anniversary Flower

Convallaria Majalis
(Lily of the Valley)

Simple Beauty

Bellis Perennis
(Daisy)

Unbelievably soft!

Artemisia
(Wormwood/Silver Sage/Silver Mound/Sagebrush/Mugwort)

Taking pictures again...

Calendula (calendula arvensis - field marigold) and Baby's Breath (gypsophila elegans). I am trying to learn the latin names for the plants and flowers in my daily life, so work with me. The Calendula is unedited except for my watermark. The Baby's Breath is unedited except for cropping and my watermark.

These are growing in my MIL's backyard. We were there Saturday for my BIL's birthday party and I was bored, so I took pictures. Since I don't drink alcohol and don't smoke cigarettes (Myself and my two youngest sons are allergic to cigarette smoke and prolonged exposure will trigger our migraines), I couldn't sit on the back porch and relax. Something I really wanted to do on my 11th Wedding Anniversary. Taking pictures kept me from mouthing off at my BIL/SIL about their treatment of my MIL. Sometimes I really hate my Etiquette Button. It kicks on at the most inopportune times. *sigh* Yes, Grandma M., I played nice.

Anyway, I am going to put these two photos in the Fair Photography Contest this year. I think. Still not sure. All I DO know is that I have to get Little Pirate to take some pictures. Since he has discovered this extreme fascination with rocks (he's found some real nice ones, too!) maybe him taking some macro shots of them could be an idea. Of course, it will be done on a tripod so that my camera lens doesn't somehow end up in the middle of a rock pile! Lol!

The last two weeks...

It has been quite an adventure that last few weeks. My 18 y/o graduated from high school (thank you, God, for that intervention miracle!), my oldest came home for about 30 minutes - he lives about 2 hours away - which was just long enough to pack his newly graduated brother into his car with a week's worth of clothes and a computer for a mini-vacation before we send him to college in July, and my DH and I have been working on our yard and garden.

Once I take some worthwhile pictures of the whole garden experience, I will post them. For now, I am just enjoying the fact that my patio is currently home to a gas grill and a patio seating set and THAT'S ALL! Lol!

I leave you with a lovely Pink Alyssum. Along with petunias in purple, pink and white, I have a multitude of pink, purple and easter Alyssum. Then there are the Hostas in the front beds...

Yeah, that green thumb I thought I didn't have is sure working nicely. God is good.

A thought...

If you have any extra prayers, I could use some right now.

Paint.NET

They don't look like much but I have been playing with my editing program (it's FREE, people!) in the hopes of learning how to create web banners for the top of my blogs. I am still figuring it out, though. They look NOTHING like Aunt Martha's but I will get there.

I have been...

..playing with my editing program. I discovered a few things that I think I like!

Tulips

Some color...

Since I was thinking dandelion . . .

A favored flower...

It seems that the dandelion is a favored flower with the children in my family. My brother and SIL, along with their two sons, came for a visit the middle of April. My two younger boys and their cousins enjoyed the time they had together. My youngest nephew, Crumbgrabber as his mother calls him in blog posts, found delight in the MANY dandelions that grow in my yard.

Black-Eyed Susans

I had a doctor's appointment on Monday, a check up for my migraines and how the medicine is working. Eh. So-so. The Topamax is holding at 25mg a day and doing well. The Maxalt is not working as well as it did in the beginning. I go back in three months with instructions to come in earlier if I am having difficulty.

Outside of the doctor's office is a huge bunch of Black-Eyed Susans. I have been debating on making an idiot out of myself for a few months and laying on the landing, leaning over and snapping a picture. So far, I have avoided it. On Monday, I became a goof. The picture is decent, though.

Edit: To Ewokgirl, as far as taste goes, I take the pill version of Maxalt. My doctor just asked me Monday if I would like to try the quick-desolve dose but I declined. I was thinking that the aftertaste might be a bit much for me. However, I am noticing some taste changes. Pop is starting to taste a bit off. I am drinking more water than EVER. I was also asked by my doctor about trying Imitrex injections after my next visit. Oh, the joy.

The humidity is getting unreal here as well. I hope that you get some relief soon. You are in my thoughts.

New Pictures!!!

Just let me know what you think...

I am trying to find out what is involved in making some of my photographs into greeting cards. So, that is the next project after I make some key chains following VBS. Here's the new stuff...

Just a few flowers...

Spent time with my mom today. Of course. State the obvious, why don't I? LOL.

Took a few pictures of some flowers that I found along our travels. I am so glad that my camera goes with me everywhere!

Oh, and we found a fantastic shower curtain that we can use for Vacation Bible School!!!

Accidental Honeysuckle

If you haven't figured it out by now, I spend a lot of time with my mom. Ever since my dad died ten years ago, we have been very close. So this is another "I was out with my mom" post. Just to let you know.

Last evening, I had taken Mom out to a funeral visitation, since one of her parishioners passed away (he was 91 and they were married for 72 years). I was her chauffeur for the evening as her knees were causing her some discomfort and she has a four day conference she just left for today that includes a lot of walking. So, her driving was out of the picture. I got a bit bored sitting on the porch of the funeral home trying to stay out of the way and not disturb the family, but still be close if Mom needed me. I did what any camera-aholic does. Take pictures of ANYTHING! But not noticeably.

When I went to the van to get the camera I passed a fence covered in greenery. I had passed it to get the the funeral home to begin with but something was different. So what? Honeysuckle, that's what! Wonderful, beautiful, aromatic honeysuckle.

I remember when I was little and we lived in Louisiana. The last house we lived in had a wonderful back yard. As you stood in the yard looking at the back of the house, the left corner of the house had this huge honeysuckle bush. It smelled so good!

Walking back to that honeysuckle-covered fence, with that smell enveloping me, I felt like a little kid again. So lost in my thoughts, I momentarily lost my balance on the uneven ground and unintentionally took this picture...

Yeah, it could be a lot better. Still, it's not bad for having lost my balance to take it.