Blogging, hostas, rain and a pancake

I mentioned my thoughts about blogging in my last post and it's funny that I ran across this meme today that pretty much explains a bit of the blog concept
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This is another thing that I don't want my blog to become...a popularity contest...reiterating that it's mostly just a place and time for me to share my thoughts, experiences and such and perhaps make new friends!

flower bed in the front yard with newly-planted petunias in the front row.

Last Saturday I planted some flower seeds here and there once I had cleaned out my flower beds and most of the packets stated that germination would occur within 7 - 10 days and some an even longer period until germination.  I was thrilled on Friday to see that pretty much everything is sprouting.  I guess the weather has been an ideal environment...sorta like a greenhouse here lately...cloudy, rainy, humid.  I feel like I'm living in either Seattle or London, but honestly, I'm not complaining!  There will plenty of sunshine and heat this summer for sure.  I got a killer sunburn on my shoulders and upper back last Saturday from working out in the yard and I'm just now recovering. 
Here is a picture of the hosta bed one week later....so much has popped up!

Hostas require lots of shade and we planted this bed under the shade of a huge mimosa tree in our back yard.  The tree died a couple of years ago and each summer the sun literally cooks these plants and it ends up being a very ugly bed, to say the least.  We have just purchased a Shade Sail to install above in hopes that will create a beautiful shady area for these plants to flourish in.

Breakfast was fabulous today.  My husband is the chief cook on Sunday mornings and today he made an oven-baked pancake and corned beef hash for breakfast....it was so delicious - kinda like a cross between egg custard and a thick crepe.  I love Sundays!

So, today will just be a quiet, rainy Sunday - perhaps a nap or a chance to read a new book is in order.  Enjoy your day!  ;)

Gardening

Well, here I am, yet again, making an attempt to revive my poor, neglected blog.  I tried this about a year ago, I think, and didn't get very far.  Perhaps this time I can swing it!  I do have mixed feelings about blogging which is one of the things that has kept me away.  Often I feel like blogs can come across as "look how great my life is compared to yours" and I truly don't want to give off that vibe with my blog.  I just want a place to journal my life experiences with pictures and share it with others who might be interested.  I enjoy reading other blogs that mesh with my lifestyle, interests and curiosity.  So we'll just give this another go!

It's definitely Spring here in the South and yesterday was the first day I was able to get back into my garden and enjoy digging in the dirt.  Mostly just to refresh my flower beds and clean things up a bit outside.  We have a nasty problem with fire ants in our yard and regardless of how many times I treat the area for them, they manage to find a new spot to hide out and attack me - I'm terribly allergic to them!  So, I decided that my best protection from them would be to get some boots.  

I used them for the first time and didn't get bit once - on the feet, at least, but they did get my arms when I unknowingly placed my hand right in the middle of their domain.  They like to live under the border blocks of my beds so you can't see them until you put pressure on the blocks and then they swarm out in full force.


We have a hosta bed in the backyard and they just started poking thru the pine straw this week.  I love it when Spring "busts out" everywhere!

The goldfinches are almost in full color now and it's exciting to see them visiting my birdfeeder outside my sewing room window.

Hopefully today I can dabble in some quilting.  I spend my weekdays sewing for my children's clothing shop so Sunday is pretty much the only day I can do "pleasure sewing".  I've got my heart set on making some pot holders from Lori Holt's new quilt book "Farm Girl Vintage".

Coming back...?

 

Wow.....

 

...has it really been long past a year since I visited with y'all?

 

Just uttering that phrase reminds me of Gotye's song "Coming Back", although I'm sure you haven't been pining for me as this crooner describes.

 

hmmm...let's see what I can blame my absence on....

 

oh well, I've come up dry except for perhaps, laziness and busy-ness.  But also maybe I can add that I've also had a pessimistic attitude about blogging and bloggers, etc. (a story I'm sure you don't want to hear).  And if I really want to point the finger, I can blame google reader for going kaput.  I used to read and comment more on blogs when I had google reader, but then I was forced to switch to something else and I chose bloglovin, and that worked for a while but now my browser is not supported with bloglovin so I'm forced to switch to something like google chrome, which I really do NOT want to do (suggestions are very welcome here)

 

Anyway, enough about me.  I really came back to tell you about a new 'blog' in town.  You probably won't be too terribly interested since it has absolutely nothing to do with sewing, quilting and the like, but it has a great attachment for me....it is written by my one and only son! 

dork

 

So, I just dropped in to give you a link and encourage you to stop over and take a peek at his thoughts, as that's what he's offering up.  Perhaps you can 'amen' what he's saying and enjoy thinking outside the box when it comes to life and growing up.  He blogs at De-scattering my brain (or attempting to).  I hope I got that right....it's tough trying to remember how to add links and such so forgive me if I mess up a bit here and there.  Anyway, stop over at his place and tell him his momma sent ya.

 

I could also take this opportunity to try blogging again, myself, but I won't necessarily commit.  Not a whole lot has happened in the past year so you really didn't miss anything.  I still have the same old boring life here in Bonetown.

 

dork's mom...also a dork

 

I spend my days furiously sewing children's clothing to keep up with the demand on my Etsy shop and my evenings cooking for my husband and then enjoying the evening in front of the idiot box.  And I usually end my day with a long hot soak in a bubble bath paired up with a good book or magazine...what more can a girl ask for!  ;)

 

   

Backyard Babies

A couple of years ago we had a mockingbird make a nest in our little American Redbud just outside our back door and porch.

Every time we went in and out, she would fly off the nest.  Not only that, but it was such a tiny tree that provided hardly any protection from sun so I wasn't surprised when the little eggs just didn't do anything.

This year, on the other side of the porch in our Mimosa tree, we found another nest just about a week or so ago.   My husband and I enjoy sitting on the porch swing and watching the momma bird come and go from the nest.  Today we couldn't figure out what she was doing as she was coming and going with something in her beak...was she still building it?   Could there possibly be babies?  There wasn't any noise coming from the nest so I decided to investigate.....here's what I discovered...

These four fuzzy little fellas had their mouths wide open, craning for a little buggy morsel when I first peeked in so I ran to get my camera.  By the time I got back, they seemed to be enjoying a little nap, and the momma mockingbird was flying around scolding me for intruding!  I apologized and quickly took my picture and my leave.  Lovely!  I hope we get the opportunity to see these babies grow and fly off this summer!

Walkin'

Been trying to stay/get fit this year by walking around our property in the evenings.  Tonight I brought along my camera and took some pictures of the things I passed...

This rosebush is in my front flower bed.  My mother told me to yank it because it was diseased.  So glad I chose not to!  :)

Beach Break

Well, it appears that I only have time for blogging when I'm taking a break from sewing!  Easter was a very busy time for children's clothing orders and even afterwards with everyone filling their baby's closets with summer outfits.
Unfortunately, it took a family emergency to bring me to a break.  We lost "Jorge" this past week and it's been a real tough time for the family...

We decided to 'get away' after all was wrapped up and take a quiet trip to the beach for a long weekend.  The weather is absolutely perfect....not too hot, not too cool....a walk on the beach was just what the doctor ordered for both of us today.

There were tons of jellyfish washed up on shore - something I've never seen before in such a large quantity.

Lots of kites were up and one man in particular had quite a collection of what must be some very expensive ones....

.....in the air......

....on their way up.....

....and coming down.

We found a pretty spot in the shade to rest and do some people watching...that's always fun, isn't it?!  :0)

Isn't it just like a picture to remind you that you need to go on a diet!  We've booked a cruise next month to celebrate our 19th anniversary so I need to get going on that task!

Next on our camping agenda is to 'mount our mighty steeds' (that's how Bill refers to our bikes) and head to the market for some fish, shrimp and veggies to grill for our supper!

Heading Home

I'm up early this morning - perhaps I can't sleep as I'm excited that we're finally heading home to South Carolina today!  I've never been away from home for more than a week or two, so this month-long stay clear across the country has really been tough for me.  Actually it wasn't as hard as I thought it would be, but nonetheless, it was a challenge.  I think my husband was challenged with it, too, although he may never admit it...he's too tough and likes to think he's pretty flexible, but I know him too well.  We gained two hours when we came to Montana last month, so when we head back this weekend, we'll lose those two hours AND an additional hour with daylight savings....ugh.  Not looking forward to re-adjusting to a 3 hour change in the 'negative' direction.   My husband has joked that he plans to drive straight through...I truly hope he's joking because my butt couldn't handle 32 hours in that little car without stopping for a couple of nights.

So, the double bath renovation is pretty much done (at least our part is) and I really have no final pictures to show you except this one of the shower, which really isn't complete as we hadn't installed the sliding glass doors yet, but it is a pretty shower, doncha think?

I was just too tired and too 'done' with this project to go around and take pictures in tight spaces.  Mike and Gwen promised final pictures once all the clutter is cleared and such.  They still have to paint, so it will be nice to see that finishing touch.

Speaking of final pictures, my mother took some of her new home office space and I want to share them with you because I think she did a wonderful job of settling in and making this a beautiful place for her to do her paperwork and relax.

Sorry for the blurriness on some of them...you know those old folks just can't hold a camera still sometimes!  ☺♥