tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-64602440519901425782024-03-13T10:57:58.274-06:00Welcome to the Garden Spotannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01668006270534204954noreply@blogger.comBlogger476125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6460244051990142578.post-77443317222305687092023-12-08T05:49:00.005-07:002023-12-08T05:49:54.744-07:00Back in the Swing of Things<p> Well, hello friends. My only post for the year was in March when I declared, "I'm Back." I really didn't go any place; I just didn't get around to posting again. I've taken to Instagram more and I post more regularly on <a href="https://annsdollhousedreams.blogspot.com" target="_blank">Ann's Dollhouse Dreams</a> since that's how I spend a lot of my time, but there are other things that take up a lot of time time, too, and as I look back on my long years of blogging, the Garden Spot has become a wonderful chronicle of my life since 2009, so I should keep it up. </p><p>Here there is a pictorial recap of 2023 since March. One of my passions requires a camera. Mostly I use my iPhone, but I use my Nikon with a 79-300mm telephoto lens for birds, flowers, and insects. These two photos were taken on the National Pawnee Grasslands in Northern Colorado, east of where we live. On the left is our state bird, the lark bunting; on the right, his mate. I tried to prepare these two photos for a larger poster. </p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsHFxVZq4SAoU1-RUao291jo-NvWS_D1MFf3ke6UbPSNFRPvaj41sA3GGHDqAaOmUAgyUoczeBIL0RROXetMgkIbTMxdMujsY_QX43JW1pC1A_Th2toBzjdHKnS0DFQpdKeSVdvUFhqllt4U4qnj-3jBVi-NtIvVyZAHhHqYil7sz0HaiWWIjvazgvh_Q5/s1280/stage%20bird%201%20(1).jpg.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="962" data-original-width="1280" height="483" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsHFxVZq4SAoU1-RUao291jo-NvWS_D1MFf3ke6UbPSNFRPvaj41sA3GGHDqAaOmUAgyUoczeBIL0RROXetMgkIbTMxdMujsY_QX43JW1pC1A_Th2toBzjdHKnS0DFQpdKeSVdvUFhqllt4U4qnj-3jBVi-NtIvVyZAHhHqYil7sz0HaiWWIjvazgvh_Q5/w640-h483/stage%20bird%201%20(1).jpg.jpeg" width="640" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVoDQGym_GXcJNKPrmMuwNuHMt6pEQDRgFEuNvxIu50Jb-wVATLqfW634MMoqdsZufdUn1z0R_OPraXkRAjaWqjTQV3uVbvVGUvmZvkVBr3SiPjWixsp62QY2h-69ec7xM4-7QCGivaz9vDzD6gD01fEJXQCiLlDXT9HaryU-_ubeCWV6FIhU25GwR6AXU/s1280/female%201.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1260" data-original-width="1280" height="630" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVoDQGym_GXcJNKPrmMuwNuHMt6pEQDRgFEuNvxIu50Jb-wVATLqfW634MMoqdsZufdUn1z0R_OPraXkRAjaWqjTQV3uVbvVGUvmZvkVBr3SiPjWixsp62QY2h-69ec7xM4-7QCGivaz9vDzD6gD01fEJXQCiLlDXT9HaryU-_ubeCWV6FIhU25GwR6AXU/w640-h630/female%201.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Nathan, now 14 got a haircut--well a very good trim. When he came to stay during spring break, his mother informed me that I'd have to see to it that he got his hair cut, so we made an appointment with Barb, who has been cutting my hair for 40 years. Seriously. Nathan loves her and declared that no other hairdresser will ever touch his hair.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0eGhAGuKBtHXjvL1I9qhXokfktQlEXxkaZSbTAqovNC715ykLoifiZZEedXCQBpCOEYXKD1Yxd4K_ZUxYAK6Id4onWmrseDmht-QcWgm6viLWLapuHVlWQsZZTwAg6fTOT785mT2lh-cHCo94kbIVzxGWvgmp8BRiKefeKvfm8CBttd6dNKuv8kIPxvjU/s1280/70742410681__9B731076-28FD-4602-8D1C-8ED5C6222925.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0eGhAGuKBtHXjvL1I9qhXokfktQlEXxkaZSbTAqovNC715ykLoifiZZEedXCQBpCOEYXKD1Yxd4K_ZUxYAK6Id4onWmrseDmht-QcWgm6viLWLapuHVlWQsZZTwAg6fTOT785mT2lh-cHCo94kbIVzxGWvgmp8BRiKefeKvfm8CBttd6dNKuv8kIPxvjU/w480-h640/70742410681__9B731076-28FD-4602-8D1C-8ED5C6222925.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I made a new friend. As I poked around in the flower bed in early spring when most of the garden world was still sleeping, I found this little guy. May an immature ladybug? Michigan State University identifies it as an Asian Lady Bug that comes in a variety of shades, aka scientifically: <em style="box-sizing: inherit; caret-color: rgb(112, 112, 112); color: #707070; font-family: "Gotham SSm A", "Gotham SSm B", sans-serif; font-size: 14px; letter-spacing: 0.14px; line-height: inherit; text-align: left;">Harmonia axyridis, </em><span face=""Gotham SSm A", "Gotham SSm B", sans-serif" style="box-sizing: inherit; caret-color: rgb(112, 112, 112); color: #707070; font-size: 14px; letter-spacing: 0.14px; line-height: inherit; text-align: left;">quite possibly a pest in some areas.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT5_xIiV_CK6cZJOx-1Tin9BNo9cCyUKw_GLp7Q8lPOP9NZj60EniCWaGiQ3iPoBMbJCYJLdJ4xnyH36HelpjoqkyJZYHl9JignrDN8ctJkRWkdAPqByvtoEuJOhZxJS9dvBIvGLBaTYDwoTdAWtJb2mUG1I6Y925x-KcFZhyphenhypheno9ThHOOfewfmBqveFRnnv/s1280/IMG_7216.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT5_xIiV_CK6cZJOx-1Tin9BNo9cCyUKw_GLp7Q8lPOP9NZj60EniCWaGiQ3iPoBMbJCYJLdJ4xnyH36HelpjoqkyJZYHl9JignrDN8ctJkRWkdAPqByvtoEuJOhZxJS9dvBIvGLBaTYDwoTdAWtJb2mUG1I6Y925x-KcFZhyphenhypheno9ThHOOfewfmBqveFRnnv/s320/IMG_7216.jpeg" width="240" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs1uAj0wqzC5wSu1FZrBY0lUNxVIaw6gIwSQoE8y5fXZ_WYGtcl5ylUkvg93IDANjfWJdl5q7IhA1lbvXtDeulkFaypaqNbbyRFEeJs-PNeStcUEXaE3vLAmaOH-oWXyG4OiIEQT7llryswSq_9SuesE0ZjCh0GKKPSYUEkYsqwxyS_dl4ghIIZLQbXwne/s1280/IMG_7212.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs1uAj0wqzC5wSu1FZrBY0lUNxVIaw6gIwSQoE8y5fXZ_WYGtcl5ylUkvg93IDANjfWJdl5q7IhA1lbvXtDeulkFaypaqNbbyRFEeJs-PNeStcUEXaE3vLAmaOH-oWXyG4OiIEQT7llryswSq_9SuesE0ZjCh0GKKPSYUEkYsqwxyS_dl4ghIIZLQbXwne/s320/IMG_7212.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The Spring Chicks have grown up and are producing a variety of colorful eggs from white to tan to chocolate brown, shades of green and a few blues. Yes, one is a rooster, a handsome fellow but a mean one. He and his two hens are French Copper Morans. I'd refer to HIM as a moron. He's very aggressive and will slam himself into my leg if I turn my back on him. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHINQw5w2g1HSc8t2dHHVXb3RdOZxNxpU3_gPRA5QYaAZZj9vVMVhzXWRFTAK1TJbwsSDUgr224gmNJTOCVDr-XsKxrw04vwixD0Qvwk7KiA4RhyphenhyphenurAnrYMBNjejllMkV6JkTHAG-ruruuDudHhR787yc5_Lsjlda46_dKJJjUZcFmq6hAwPlUUy_isQ3d/s1280/IMG_7883.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHINQw5w2g1HSc8t2dHHVXb3RdOZxNxpU3_gPRA5QYaAZZj9vVMVhzXWRFTAK1TJbwsSDUgr224gmNJTOCVDr-XsKxrw04vwixD0Qvwk7KiA4RhyphenhyphenurAnrYMBNjejllMkV6JkTHAG-ruruuDudHhR787yc5_Lsjlda46_dKJJjUZcFmq6hAwPlUUy_isQ3d/w480-h640/IMG_7883.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The second hand playhouse finally came down. It's been a part of the Garden Spot Landscape since we moved here. The kids all loved, but it was weathering away and had become a Dangerous Place for the little ones to play. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEMqzQAMgL89OW4vSmviL3vZZMxW2bIlnuMF1aJRjUdmW2jp5BV29zTIaorLLHt92gbBdxCAN2U7DXoxzefh6faEV2mCIt0hyphenhyphenZGTlUaq2WxyXXVIC6AcGB4H4Q6vlT7P3YBTSIo1pC9wJ8DRKGrUBXbGfQquVrnOG6nVxQpa9hE6TDF65c7sRh56IqbNMy/s1280/IMG_8634.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEMqzQAMgL89OW4vSmviL3vZZMxW2bIlnuMF1aJRjUdmW2jp5BV29zTIaorLLHt92gbBdxCAN2U7DXoxzefh6faEV2mCIt0hyphenhyphenZGTlUaq2WxyXXVIC6AcGB4H4Q6vlT7P3YBTSIo1pC9wJ8DRKGrUBXbGfQquVrnOG6nVxQpa9hE6TDF65c7sRh56IqbNMy/s320/IMG_8634.jpeg" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuYAbqjiLAqE2XVLTTA_1sgBlf40frNOARQ69g0PZXCtqV4Jh4-Drh0xSSZQ6lMd7bHIWipofbbNwEr4wBp3PDVPpfR9ZeHzhPH7-c1SR5yNLOs6xtYjWzbRRWiySgeZ1heiyfh3NpHe-AspkqjbnYooxwdR_yAxeHSypWXxbMv87IrAkj4V4Xi-TSYpnI/s1280/IMG_8635.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuYAbqjiLAqE2XVLTTA_1sgBlf40frNOARQ69g0PZXCtqV4Jh4-Drh0xSSZQ6lMd7bHIWipofbbNwEr4wBp3PDVPpfR9ZeHzhPH7-c1SR5yNLOs6xtYjWzbRRWiySgeZ1heiyfh3NpHe-AspkqjbnYooxwdR_yAxeHSypWXxbMv87IrAkj4V4Xi-TSYpnI/s320/IMG_8635.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">We left the swings because swinging is a fun thing for kids to do. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhotdTkYAKrL9Sv-phFmuSUhPC4f-Xl0c-PL07xd60wL1DrWBVyAjLsPPE0dZQRaMH_OT6SXWiVRUVRij4pwot5jnnwivAQAqcqOTkiz9oWh-bHkp2H902IMX3nhzcPHtGxdnRwWw0kS1f4857t82M89QN4UJ78beEv7gpovvTudLvZo5OxIDxshyphenhyphen6_MF1B/s1280/IMG_8632.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhotdTkYAKrL9Sv-phFmuSUhPC4f-Xl0c-PL07xd60wL1DrWBVyAjLsPPE0dZQRaMH_OT6SXWiVRUVRij4pwot5jnnwivAQAqcqOTkiz9oWh-bHkp2H902IMX3nhzcPHtGxdnRwWw0kS1f4857t82M89QN4UJ78beEv7gpovvTudLvZo5OxIDxshyphenhyphen6_MF1B/s320/IMG_8632.jpeg" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirt6jrIxAC-dsKzQvawVNQOybd7hZaezbkqGO85jUYgU1rZ96aPTueJkpsI9Y32Hj3zknFf8Hbf7WsYyLMe68Lx_Ls7x6RMgPG5Xkyi5p7poqN5-zVXA5h-poxLX0kD1ZBZbMXGQN80ABjoDTll5vIT4JKPGNc6TAQ49Rv0V_SP8pGHX381vODj1iP5UOU/s1280/IMG_8644.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirt6jrIxAC-dsKzQvawVNQOybd7hZaezbkqGO85jUYgU1rZ96aPTueJkpsI9Y32Hj3zknFf8Hbf7WsYyLMe68Lx_Ls7x6RMgPG5Xkyi5p7poqN5-zVXA5h-poxLX0kD1ZBZbMXGQN80ABjoDTll5vIT4JKPGNc6TAQ49Rv0V_SP8pGHX381vODj1iP5UOU/s320/IMG_8644.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Three fattened piggies went to the County Fair and then to Market. All three granddaughters each showed a hog and for their first time in the show ring did okay.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzU59vDwaiVQyP0c8j9EfBS_zLbNWHzxam2AS_g6dlpjVe5mkbXAQWSViLCZrG-LXtQehw1W_wR0Y7s2LRP7GsYxoR5x4zXvEgC96xNlb0DokhTOF9fRU9cUyQbyHIeVwanndUNj_AthhdZHKiuqLZUDfKubBX6xdrjUjtqHIkUYWKcl3yfcCKgknq-fvB/s1280/IMG_7810.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="235" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzU59vDwaiVQyP0c8j9EfBS_zLbNWHzxam2AS_g6dlpjVe5mkbXAQWSViLCZrG-LXtQehw1W_wR0Y7s2LRP7GsYxoR5x4zXvEgC96xNlb0DokhTOF9fRU9cUyQbyHIeVwanndUNj_AthhdZHKiuqLZUDfKubBX6xdrjUjtqHIkUYWKcl3yfcCKgknq-fvB/w176-h235/IMG_7810.jpeg" width="176" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8U5rW_y8lRcXKOMx176bx0ugyWZnqwY33mqzKglQ_GAPJnqbh9Z9is4Gyu1IKUcO3Cs3TCJwVPr7WOXt0INhdXzsiXkpmXG0R34S8wITyRNKrheKmsQLuryEyV2hX1UC04vwCTSGC6qxbksWb6qCWxGiijrU_Wp-6LhMPvnYEa28WzYTpK3QcBfhnLtBN/s1280/IMG_7808.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="153" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8U5rW_y8lRcXKOMx176bx0ugyWZnqwY33mqzKglQ_GAPJnqbh9Z9is4Gyu1IKUcO3Cs3TCJwVPr7WOXt0INhdXzsiXkpmXG0R34S8wITyRNKrheKmsQLuryEyV2hX1UC04vwCTSGC6qxbksWb6qCWxGiijrU_Wp-6LhMPvnYEa28WzYTpK3QcBfhnLtBN/w204-h153/IMG_7808.jpeg" width="204" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI3v5hciG_pEe5UMCScg-QS68-5Jak1QoYYfLXTOduRI3z7WoJhkFu81v7R_-jRv5ykCqqEQaVjZeOucv-dwOSVxX9nLHUXilI53UjuBDHlmEwu5bkCj84nAKkno1lGBqVT5Utv6YQUqP_pdkaulTTi-vxj72ocyDL4U7M4sg-Y4ztawV2vpTMFQukY8Wp/s1280/IMG_7806.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="139" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI3v5hciG_pEe5UMCScg-QS68-5Jak1QoYYfLXTOduRI3z7WoJhkFu81v7R_-jRv5ykCqqEQaVjZeOucv-dwOSVxX9nLHUXilI53UjuBDHlmEwu5bkCj84nAKkno1lGBqVT5Utv6YQUqP_pdkaulTTi-vxj72ocyDL4U7M4sg-Y4ztawV2vpTMFQukY8Wp/w185-h139/IMG_7806.jpeg" width="185" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: right;">Lucy's hog of the 3 brought top dollar. A local dairy sponsored her and bought her hog.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Lily is 11 now. What a girl! Takes after me: either can't find shoes or prefers to go barefoot--even the livestock barn at fair. I'd said she has a healthy immunity to most anything.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRXAoj2FGSa1Fqmb-o4-GOxkjgSpkxGyOx11JQUgTe0mQg71o_JngYksCYSgVwND5xAh6qMzMGu58xS_XQwfuTZ3p4qu5HyJSthh0lwl67c2ZD1EEJI_e5hKy2IKJtEZiz521GnGOFjnXDxNE3Kt1vnW4vGmCSUOImWl27jkkaQG1m-wuigs8ozNeZthNt/s1280/IMG_7871.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRXAoj2FGSa1Fqmb-o4-GOxkjgSpkxGyOx11JQUgTe0mQg71o_JngYksCYSgVwND5xAh6qMzMGu58xS_XQwfuTZ3p4qu5HyJSthh0lwl67c2ZD1EEJI_e5hKy2IKJtEZiz521GnGOFjnXDxNE3Kt1vnW4vGmCSUOImWl27jkkaQG1m-wuigs8ozNeZthNt/w480-h640/IMG_7871.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Lucy's little Alpine goat did well at Fair. No horses this year. Her mare Mariah went to live at a Rehabilitation center for disabled children. At 21, Lucy thought she was past her prime and sent her to do some community service. While the kids at the center loved her, Lucy brought her home at the end of the summer. We were all glad to see Mariah back home. <span style="text-align: center;">Lucy turned 15 in August and has her driver's permit and works as a barista at local Home and Ranch store.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsgfNOeaFnBYdmAaKjcwgym5CYf9LSmIAITaCQV8gDHZSnKWMR1jWkE8MsqkNYafVNPOnRmkDue7jZX4QQMSNT84uOvawvmeqwC6fPUjpEhDAmrvKgVY3zAMRHwrMfWwHFQPzzq-UBNIUnLuzozrbWrXuv0ymRRK3V6iM7xK6Twv_MuRTvPazGHM3akewZ/s1280/IMG_7818.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsgfNOeaFnBYdmAaKjcwgym5CYf9LSmIAITaCQV8gDHZSnKWMR1jWkE8MsqkNYafVNPOnRmkDue7jZX4QQMSNT84uOvawvmeqwC6fPUjpEhDAmrvKgVY3zAMRHwrMfWwHFQPzzq-UBNIUnLuzozrbWrXuv0ymRRK3V6iM7xK6Twv_MuRTvPazGHM3akewZ/w480-h640/IMG_7818.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Elinore! Wow. Now 17. What a character. All three girls are in their second year of homeschool, and Elinore is moving forward quickly. She enrolled in the community college this fall to take the welding course and an accounting course, along side her high school work. She hopes to graduate high school in May. Right now she works at local feedlot and has a hog business going--one pregnant sow. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDbAa4jPpyN9E8Y-OftGkpwBMcmKfq-n0buPPvv7FG_NekJDwoyb8vJNHLGcbxe1pBl4KxcwS6j8Ti0ZYdI1hvgd2LtXMCLZIRn7poljmmAaLANL1j7y6b3Nz0JISHj0e2F4Ym7Ji0NnQKxUlf6EwqhkTiIxQFbP7HlL6FjIC0htMW3girtud8NSmeu8Ci/s1280/IMG_8520.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDbAa4jPpyN9E8Y-OftGkpwBMcmKfq-n0buPPvv7FG_NekJDwoyb8vJNHLGcbxe1pBl4KxcwS6j8Ti0ZYdI1hvgd2LtXMCLZIRn7poljmmAaLANL1j7y6b3Nz0JISHj0e2F4Ym7Ji0NnQKxUlf6EwqhkTiIxQFbP7HlL6FjIC0htMW3girtud8NSmeu8Ci/w480-h640/IMG_8520.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Jacob is 21; he has completed his 2 year degree at a local community college where he studied finance. He works full time and has his own appartment.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfdaTr9pxJrHE5Hzy-yiHyp5B7cCnpAQBupvYq1N_613Nj-ahSBGtec-YoD35XhDL64kA33KP9vHJZHOSByejeUgcL1sc1SbaMN_wOePtPGY7q-FZI5REVME3orlCTZNOsbmsW6JdF2IqNEzbUkIgtD-Wanv5zT08Gtieb5edRNTjjSKXpqcF3q3vjDLgN/s1280/IMG_4634.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfdaTr9pxJrHE5Hzy-yiHyp5B7cCnpAQBupvYq1N_613Nj-ahSBGtec-YoD35XhDL64kA33KP9vHJZHOSByejeUgcL1sc1SbaMN_wOePtPGY7q-FZI5REVME3orlCTZNOsbmsW6JdF2IqNEzbUkIgtD-Wanv5zT08Gtieb5edRNTjjSKXpqcF3q3vjDLgN/w480-h640/IMG_4634.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Along with the happy moments of the year, there were the hard moments, too. We lost Pop, our pony. Well, he really wasn't "our" pony; he just lived here for the past 10 years. He came here June 13, 2013, when his girls had outgrown him and his family couldn't keep him any longer. This was the last time his girls came to see him in the spring. Though he was blind, he knew his girls by their voice and loved when they visited.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">These were the last photos we took of him. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPcSGQKDq9yZCYjWqWMKplQqJyHv48a_4PxEUGIOygIHC7BbjOu1b0j4pghybu2RDE-c07oh49pPAzq6S-sPN2twMgfiUJaIM4Z_jSlPA2r1RWWLETbMrsueFt0iLgbhUwZRl38k0_OtV3rr4oDg4YAwA2NG_u3u-Dvh-QhYUeAFXcw8jN7Z6ThXme2AW1/s1280/IMG_7187.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="903" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPcSGQKDq9yZCYjWqWMKplQqJyHv48a_4PxEUGIOygIHC7BbjOu1b0j4pghybu2RDE-c07oh49pPAzq6S-sPN2twMgfiUJaIM4Z_jSlPA2r1RWWLETbMrsueFt0iLgbhUwZRl38k0_OtV3rr4oDg4YAwA2NG_u3u-Dvh-QhYUeAFXcw8jN7Z6ThXme2AW1/s320/IMG_7187.jpeg" width="226" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhavf-hvj9ULQqq5_ApYAREbFEv48Av4skJJF3U85e67b_xAWkNXRWBAVmMHspVBgbNtuDcpPNFhwVsBet7fAUmucrwh3nfo-yYr_NVOcpA2S47s8fyuVJIawcvGY7eui4t2_4nsOHFjHCaivhBhhRstlMWaDmsu0OhRS_HMHGnlZr7w16gJHO-VRVp2ELq/s1280/IMG_7185.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhavf-hvj9ULQqq5_ApYAREbFEv48Av4skJJF3U85e67b_xAWkNXRWBAVmMHspVBgbNtuDcpPNFhwVsBet7fAUmucrwh3nfo-yYr_NVOcpA2S47s8fyuVJIawcvGY7eui4t2_4nsOHFjHCaivhBhhRstlMWaDmsu0OhRS_HMHGnlZr7w16gJHO-VRVp2ELq/s320/IMG_7185.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">He was beginning to fail, quit eating, started losing weight. The Head Gardener found him mid July out in the pasture when he simply laid down and didn't wake up. He was 36, a one time little girl's champion show pony jumper. He was a registered POA--Pony of America, a mix of Shetland pony, Arabian, and Appaloosa, a sweet gentle boy. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br style="text-align: left;" /><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><br style="text-align: left;" /><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitzRk8Ojp2ytmYrEZ2JSN5omYYsZk1IQRbxqmECvgnqza6pMNle0SltdE7-Ng3tb8ofXkQW44wkI98KTStcF4nojGLw3TSJzK_ZjH1-8QgmKe0aeTiD1B8XbLASAGst8u1EsGRYA83Qh1-7-x_OP7acpGjgu3Ubgf2oFCbwMvz9hxm7HmuE2vA2pBEOU5Y/s1280/IMG_6959.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitzRk8Ojp2ytmYrEZ2JSN5omYYsZk1IQRbxqmECvgnqza6pMNle0SltdE7-Ng3tb8ofXkQW44wkI98KTStcF4nojGLw3TSJzK_ZjH1-8QgmKe0aeTiD1B8XbLASAGst8u1EsGRYA83Qh1-7-x_OP7acpGjgu3Ubgf2oFCbwMvz9hxm7HmuE2vA2pBEOU5Y/s320/IMG_6959.jpeg" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1wfT5TZBQBdUHiVCyMzAsTp4ahvXNb3C0LmF9-5uAYu14XytCFspESEioN9QKkRRPp922OXjkhmCFP0adqEbVOxj9vjbLVUQVUhi-75PlI2uYtUu_nyKil23qVaNAnEjZKkDZCwEr9vcr1OJh_RM9lNG9P6YjgeAxOeDj-O6BKHGS6a_265AyoC9mx0cv/s1280/IMG_6961.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1wfT5TZBQBdUHiVCyMzAsTp4ahvXNb3C0LmF9-5uAYu14XytCFspESEioN9QKkRRPp922OXjkhmCFP0adqEbVOxj9vjbLVUQVUhi-75PlI2uYtUu_nyKil23qVaNAnEjZKkDZCwEr9vcr1OJh_RM9lNG9P6YjgeAxOeDj-O6BKHGS6a_265AyoC9mx0cv/s320/IMG_6961.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The biggest and probably the most important project for the summer, was one that I took on for my DAR chapter. In 2014 the chapter began the process to have a tiny 22x26 ft church located on the long stretch of highway between Ft. Collins, CO and the WY border dedicated as a Daughters of the American Revolution Historical Site. Over the years, the project had its challenges, so in May I raised my hand when our regent (my sister in law) asked who would like to finish the project to submit the application to the National DAR Historian. I then, with the help of others, spent the summer researching the 143 year old church to prove the statement that would be on the marker: Virginia Dale Community Church established in 1880, destroyed in 2003 by an arsonist's fire, and rebuild in 2004." A simple enough inscription, a very hard one to prove--which we did. Now we wait for National's approval. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><br style="text-align: left;" /><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJtMPpj9JWH6dzkp6RbhENfMa6mplR5DLxExZmiSjHxxBSpkzk8J-SOFweDt3u6K9ULQnME3LrosrVHX9sxLOKYQsPbSFpCPEE1UWkuM60welY26rPwH1dlSZZHJhBPzzHp638R7WkiTNfZ0CeQJFrivt7__EolvlSaaRgb2IOZzitQZZ8f4tdifmxIskL/s1280/IMG_7322.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="183" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJtMPpj9JWH6dzkp6RbhENfMa6mplR5DLxExZmiSjHxxBSpkzk8J-SOFweDt3u6K9ULQnME3LrosrVHX9sxLOKYQsPbSFpCPEE1UWkuM60welY26rPwH1dlSZZHJhBPzzHp638R7WkiTNfZ0CeQJFrivt7__EolvlSaaRgb2IOZzitQZZ8f4tdifmxIskL/w244-h183/IMG_7322.jpeg" width="244" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrksRIVBVosHhmByOqLKvAqmBFyvYGtDH0YqggnFHjvuF5pfY36NIEvYT67ECbXBZ9tfXjhF5cwASHTjZpNM_5bGu-lCc-WyaT-LICtqrvQJmZ_5YNW9PxISRJEmbW8qOiSpwd5e_fWIV3FXFORGQ96P0ertVshnMbeHYUpw5ruI3FPsEPtxc0vWOc5_oE/s1280/IMG_7320.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="178" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrksRIVBVosHhmByOqLKvAqmBFyvYGtDH0YqggnFHjvuF5pfY36NIEvYT67ECbXBZ9tfXjhF5cwASHTjZpNM_5bGu-lCc-WyaT-LICtqrvQJmZ_5YNW9PxISRJEmbW8qOiSpwd5e_fWIV3FXFORGQ96P0ertVshnMbeHYUpw5ruI3FPsEPtxc0vWOc5_oE/w238-h178/IMG_7320.jpeg" width="238" /></a></div><br style="text-align: left;" /><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5g6GMuHF5SBFd1ActrL8Ffw05vocNK3csP0WooGzL49UYa8mCeUYoyA4K5Pn-PQFF-2dn-cvzWuCVesROTUGDCE5C01ma7ueT9KHNrjEl9Hnr9WV8vjm4cCM9bgzbYwMkNfC3OwVLg9DdwmPmyB1OnO4ZQMgqB7VjGz5zjtK5KVUKCf0jONAQHflR2L8Z/s1280/IMG_7321.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5g6GMuHF5SBFd1ActrL8Ffw05vocNK3csP0WooGzL49UYa8mCeUYoyA4K5Pn-PQFF-2dn-cvzWuCVesROTUGDCE5C01ma7ueT9KHNrjEl9Hnr9WV8vjm4cCM9bgzbYwMkNfC3OwVLg9DdwmPmyB1OnO4ZQMgqB7VjGz5zjtK5KVUKCf0jONAQHflR2L8Z/s320/IMG_7321.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Our chapter's greeting card studio produced 128 Veterans Day cards and holiday cards that are being distributed among the vets living in the VA nursing home in Cheyenne, WY and military serving over seas though the chapter's Project Patriot project that sends care packages to the American patriots. We meet in my basement where beautiful cards are created, no two the same. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-g3yH8xrtu8mYZpmrPthoPbGXuiUpbw-9e8XGYzG-3K4Qzt2BldcgRlWlsN8uf6QEQ2dGLLAl3ZoDZYvEq4QeC7Mmy76Af1IXRO4OLtunnBdwnhCCd_Dbnvd3kXSWoqwkSKg39I2JxsbVUYbYmg-l4Ru6rXJklTjwlohYfAKH3i5p5B3cWAhqzEMyaNnQ/s1280/IMG_8608.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="810" data-original-width="1280" height="164" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-g3yH8xrtu8mYZpmrPthoPbGXuiUpbw-9e8XGYzG-3K4Qzt2BldcgRlWlsN8uf6QEQ2dGLLAl3ZoDZYvEq4QeC7Mmy76Af1IXRO4OLtunnBdwnhCCd_Dbnvd3kXSWoqwkSKg39I2JxsbVUYbYmg-l4Ru6rXJklTjwlohYfAKH3i5p5B3cWAhqzEMyaNnQ/w258-h164/IMG_8608.jpeg" width="258" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfLOh33tOIBsE85N3e0KZNiAkqSsd-MfFhM3GdCJJRV1PVCEZsY8ks5UDMrrvElM164gh3Jydyk0D9Ul9lnSawZXSEfx73ENpFdZbu0vuSoDVc6khXTOzGLIaobuC7Z7vPNpy75VbQYux-xcRGrNXjfF30REjVbCxheCxfSlM9co2fIjLDEU2I3Dx6ybFx/s1280/IMG_8626.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="799" data-original-width="1280" height="168" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfLOh33tOIBsE85N3e0KZNiAkqSsd-MfFhM3GdCJJRV1PVCEZsY8ks5UDMrrvElM164gh3Jydyk0D9Ul9lnSawZXSEfx73ENpFdZbu0vuSoDVc6khXTOzGLIaobuC7Z7vPNpy75VbQYux-xcRGrNXjfF30REjVbCxheCxfSlM9co2fIjLDEU2I3Dx6ybFx/w268-h168/IMG_8626.jpeg" width="268" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">As fall wains and winter takes its grip--we have old snow on the ground that likely will be here all winter--the indoor Christmas cactus and my little lemon tree that Jen grew from a seed, provide color and greenery while the outside garden sleeps.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div></div></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2ev45-ec3A0-JnI8oJ3eX0AYkgKQACn55NqA1iCgyEDO-UUKGr3cUHeBfRv3eslhVseXZzfqMJ3hK84ZkrI06xM0twCD1QCoGigR1EkvQpZUHZNUlWmbhxPROM0CNxpJ0hNPEhbvxUmP96idZSv0UG2XJGfdEIoE1RtH9DrtFKu0zZhO41Ar-qUVy-4Ui/s1280/IMG_8659.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2ev45-ec3A0-JnI8oJ3eX0AYkgKQACn55NqA1iCgyEDO-UUKGr3cUHeBfRv3eslhVseXZzfqMJ3hK84ZkrI06xM0twCD1QCoGigR1EkvQpZUHZNUlWmbhxPROM0CNxpJ0hNPEhbvxUmP96idZSv0UG2XJGfdEIoE1RtH9DrtFKu0zZhO41Ar-qUVy-4Ui/w480-h640/IMG_8659.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-LgAm6Wdvw7HJsRZsJFZbkb0JzzM61EBBmgpHVOG9dJKT-Bq_5tUw6jcIQqGGl2Gr9AuP78GOXaUkT6_t3OnSIt9bFK9RcuIiufjH9tHYb5wtgnyymxxJOdoBqG-Gmn3-PDidrmbNgPAH-1Gz3IY3SG1xvVZPUKgUmrwQ4IM5UXgi8tkk9LfYYubQB7I8/s1280/IMG_8657.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-LgAm6Wdvw7HJsRZsJFZbkb0JzzM61EBBmgpHVOG9dJKT-Bq_5tUw6jcIQqGGl2Gr9AuP78GOXaUkT6_t3OnSIt9bFK9RcuIiufjH9tHYb5wtgnyymxxJOdoBqG-Gmn3-PDidrmbNgPAH-1Gz3IY3SG1xvVZPUKgUmrwQ4IM5UXgi8tkk9LfYYubQB7I8/w480-h640/IMG_8657.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdxJ1emzOtNBJ1_ymafypJIYDt_FJ5FhRJ4BjJ5dYRZMXX2eEaWOMs8lCDEqnKF1FOzn-ZqECW3pchQ8TKdx110ot5gtHVPP_RujicOhapdVeiNHzDvQ0lTQLT4HjR7cDWRKkL-im9gmCPGWHmfRrbAbpQialGS5hQWFgGTo4MqsZlay5h6hf6fmnwaXtS/s1280/IMG_8656.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdxJ1emzOtNBJ1_ymafypJIYDt_FJ5FhRJ4BjJ5dYRZMXX2eEaWOMs8lCDEqnKF1FOzn-ZqECW3pchQ8TKdx110ot5gtHVPP_RujicOhapdVeiNHzDvQ0lTQLT4HjR7cDWRKkL-im9gmCPGWHmfRrbAbpQialGS5hQWFgGTo4MqsZlay5h6hf6fmnwaXtS/w480-h640/IMG_8656.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2QpUlSHeVi8VR1Uawa7gjRcS9szZOtbAn6GLuB88Em-1tPuJz4AieGuM3U8DYPx3atkI81hpaTrPbxcryp8AqgM1VCwPGE1DH4Icb7FLZ64PUffpIkavM4BqM9DfAPdHFFI56BtRnlcaHMPhXEFnnPbO0xthP414kzcOEaFhzkIr1kDXVfjI7nN1z9HVf/s1280/IMG_8654.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2QpUlSHeVi8VR1Uawa7gjRcS9szZOtbAn6GLuB88Em-1tPuJz4AieGuM3U8DYPx3atkI81hpaTrPbxcryp8AqgM1VCwPGE1DH4Icb7FLZ64PUffpIkavM4BqM9DfAPdHFFI56BtRnlcaHMPhXEFnnPbO0xthP414kzcOEaFhzkIr1kDXVfjI7nN1z9HVf/w480-h640/IMG_8654.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">And finally, a rare moment when I actually show myself as the Head Gardner and I celebrated 49 years of marriage in October.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHmsKPEWHOyNqNbzNdrLSSjeH0YFUNV8eanSC_hk6v_ftZ5mIltD_p49Kg4ZDtMcbYytoVPH2rG63XV5mdQbcU8mXC85GxMKSO56zUfjBT58SmLwNiod7HDC5J2rGfwa61wPbEAla5EjcVnRka2qFJuPQdk2LKe9x0EeNPZ9JoinGjNenO-G7cYhFyGgVh/s1280/IMG_8463.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="867" data-original-width="1280" height="434" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHmsKPEWHOyNqNbzNdrLSSjeH0YFUNV8eanSC_hk6v_ftZ5mIltD_p49Kg4ZDtMcbYytoVPH2rG63XV5mdQbcU8mXC85GxMKSO56zUfjBT58SmLwNiod7HDC5J2rGfwa61wPbEAla5EjcVnRka2qFJuPQdk2LKe9x0EeNPZ9JoinGjNenO-G7cYhFyGgVh/w640-h434/IMG_8463.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">As I look back through my photo album, I took so many photos of the birds and bees--literally--here at the Garden Spot, that I'll gladly share as I rededicate myself to disciplined writing--we'll see how that work out.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">See you again next week. Thanks, for joining me today.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p></p>annhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01668006270534204954noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6460244051990142578.post-21005018264690718572023-03-21T11:24:00.003-06:002023-03-21T11:24:37.420-06:00I'm Back <p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> Well hello there. I haven't posted since the last rose. It has been a long, cold winter and even now as Spring tries to make her Grand Entrance, it is still chilly, but the gardening will soon be back. Perhaps, then, I may be a bit more diligent in posting. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">I inspired to write today because I wanted to share with you our birdwatching adventure Sunday.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Friends had told us that sandhill cranes were migrating through, so we took a drive in pursuit of the big birds that migrate through Northern Colorado. Most birdwatchers will travel to <a href="< https://visitnebraska.com/trip-idea/experience-nebraskas-sandhill-crane-migration?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI756H9bPt_QIVuB-tBh0ucAdQEAAYASAAEgJat_D_BwE" target="_blank">Nebraska for the Sandhill Crane festival </a>to see the birds where they spend time in the cornfields near the Colorado line or to southern Colorado communities that also host huge crane festivals as these giant birds make their way north, but here in Northern Colorado you don’t have to travel far to see cranes. These are the best of my dozens of photos I took, using my Nikon 3500 with a <i>Takumar</i> 70-300mm lens. The cranes will feed here in late March and early April as they migrate from their northern Mexico and New Mexico winter nesting areas. They are on their way to their summer nesting grounds in The Yellowstone where they will raise their young then make the trip back home in the fall. Visit the <a href="< https://coloradocranes.org/colorado-greater-sandhill-cranes/>" target="_blank"><i>Colorado Crane Conservation Coalition</i> </a> to learn more.</span></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh49c8x1B9I8WDxLXKq48I9zigrJ7Y6PSufnMlOOEqq3w41q8dvn0lmYWxDca29VAGUmLfVpk88EJi486Zw2ZjRnQe_eboWcQAmlomVWrnjHqXBpblbI7s0R-245bmz3OagaEhZAgiKiKypSQTXYeaDOlcnHfDQMo_6zVaUm2YlC2OC1DKTydqo5pOJcQ/s640/DSC_0691.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="427" data-original-width="640" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh49c8x1B9I8WDxLXKq48I9zigrJ7Y6PSufnMlOOEqq3w41q8dvn0lmYWxDca29VAGUmLfVpk88EJi486Zw2ZjRnQe_eboWcQAmlomVWrnjHqXBpblbI7s0R-245bmz3OagaEhZAgiKiKypSQTXYeaDOlcnHfDQMo_6zVaUm2YlC2OC1DKTydqo5pOJcQ/w640-h428/DSC_0691.jpeg" width="640" /></span></a></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Because the cranes are on private property, birdwatchers have to photograph at a distance. In the foreground, Canada geese forage corn stubble, while the cranes hang out near the water's edge.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">They are much easier to photograph in flight. Most birdwatchers agree that we generally hear the bird first and these giants, just as the geese, talk to each other as they fly. They have a sweet, soothing voice, almost a purr. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu6T83EqQyfU-TCMfFtYvqtxkYLmIE-Yd031ME9g3BDTOM_RLcfHNXpm098ReOrc15ocisfTIcs_X8kfKaF3Ah3o0hZ9QeTtRV1nMEck6kBbhjn249SLNG2zAy2VDCgxZ9pm0Ckp7Hcfl54pt2SxPRlerFuxzW0cmcahpzOvNlMX4wel1F8gYu8c35kg/s640/DSC_0703.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="427" data-original-width="640" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu6T83EqQyfU-TCMfFtYvqtxkYLmIE-Yd031ME9g3BDTOM_RLcfHNXpm098ReOrc15ocisfTIcs_X8kfKaF3Ah3o0hZ9QeTtRV1nMEck6kBbhjn249SLNG2zAy2VDCgxZ9pm0Ckp7Hcfl54pt2SxPRlerFuxzW0cmcahpzOvNlMX4wel1F8gYu8c35kg/w640-h428/DSC_0703.jpeg" width="640" /></span></a></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_crT0UuOX7OmvWPRw2wR-jI8MNm4aWoFgXgxehMP2BaC903pBNp22tPrAwIU65oSbvK0S7tSbgZ2eDcOgsh6qXqFrvXqxJETpN3nI9riOqcQXJu7jLqgSAvnYG_rjkhaqt1GuSxfeGizUuZfHRc_E6k1j0HQccHsZtUc85r4asmiAcCwWDnRrM0vn7w/s640/DSC_0715.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="427" data-original-width="640" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_crT0UuOX7OmvWPRw2wR-jI8MNm4aWoFgXgxehMP2BaC903pBNp22tPrAwIU65oSbvK0S7tSbgZ2eDcOgsh6qXqFrvXqxJETpN3nI9riOqcQXJu7jLqgSAvnYG_rjkhaqt1GuSxfeGizUuZfHRc_E6k1j0HQccHsZtUc85r4asmiAcCwWDnRrM0vn7w/w640-h428/DSC_0715.jpeg" width="640" /></span></a></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivbwSRQ5Ht9gcYc7-iEr5z4dIr0AiIuNQsejpSzL91XAk6ao1PV9tTrjiMQAsS45iy_YuF5R-qtxZ3Qi-VJwF3gZ2liVN11OYy55dTPDiqlQpkEdQPKiSO0jXOwl-NvA4KZv0LxTmUUyePX84NjcCYs7qx7S9tBd5XLkvUxcQspEh8Hps_SwNb6QpCpQ/s640/DSC_0742.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="427" data-original-width="640" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivbwSRQ5Ht9gcYc7-iEr5z4dIr0AiIuNQsejpSzL91XAk6ao1PV9tTrjiMQAsS45iy_YuF5R-qtxZ3Qi-VJwF3gZ2liVN11OYy55dTPDiqlQpkEdQPKiSO0jXOwl-NvA4KZv0LxTmUUyePX84NjcCYs7qx7S9tBd5XLkvUxcQspEh8Hps_SwNb6QpCpQ/w640-h428/DSC_0742.jpeg" width="640" /></span></a></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">This is my favorite photo of the cranes as they fly past the Rocky Mountains--Clark's Peak to exact. </span></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYgiXA6SQfm7ECeIKLyBzXZ4YV30T8z22hKW51DJ83NUUeWEGdEbiGdYGcFA9uUrdSVk9x4j4DNDSNT-oQvwlt81N3gWnE9TKDZ_46rZDKk-st3LbMi8BpDSBLrApd-EV4JwLaUqJHZPCgbOXCyBcFuTh-7LIMXpEdEiPrvV0uD1h8w84cfGMMg0YT-g/s640/DSC_0772.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="427" data-original-width="640" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYgiXA6SQfm7ECeIKLyBzXZ4YV30T8z22hKW51DJ83NUUeWEGdEbiGdYGcFA9uUrdSVk9x4j4DNDSNT-oQvwlt81N3gWnE9TKDZ_46rZDKk-st3LbMi8BpDSBLrApd-EV4JwLaUqJHZPCgbOXCyBcFuTh-7LIMXpEdEiPrvV0uD1h8w84cfGMMg0YT-g/w640-h428/DSC_0772.jpeg" width="640" /></span></a></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">We found another flock in a farmer's pasture, but easily viewed from the road side.</span></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwLuXmuQ0dSn2Rou_TRKUG_hbJMS6XCLqPuk7Oq-A2JaYBGkd7AtVYNB9WJXKOei9viCJKTnilfv5AHFqBZjYrUOr34LIrMJ4UM7_khMiBv8cYCTzw-5GPWBonxY45yRJhMnj7Ypv018VYFYnoryE9ev4f2Tu07BdcET1AuuyHlEmIrdc9hff9dylfxQ/s640/DSC_0777.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="427" data-original-width="640" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwLuXmuQ0dSn2Rou_TRKUG_hbJMS6XCLqPuk7Oq-A2JaYBGkd7AtVYNB9WJXKOei9viCJKTnilfv5AHFqBZjYrUOr34LIrMJ4UM7_khMiBv8cYCTzw-5GPWBonxY45yRJhMnj7Ypv018VYFYnoryE9ev4f2Tu07BdcET1AuuyHlEmIrdc9hff9dylfxQ/w640-h428/DSC_0777.jpeg" width="640" /></span></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtuA1WmjMTDNsYZqwgJ-sYhpDSAGSUDboFmgyELDnJwZk_ITtLrNL2D3Kjceil1mScWUXbWVQQAybRp0rJKDaSbD1Q-ROmOZQs1uD_-hv_Qe_rRoFcMODtS0dVy1HCjRhfYeip7SXvE9o7HuF0ZkcNUt8r1JNbklZIcM98yuycSj0REeLnu7cjgqnDkA/s640/DSC_0782.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="427" data-original-width="640" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtuA1WmjMTDNsYZqwgJ-sYhpDSAGSUDboFmgyELDnJwZk_ITtLrNL2D3Kjceil1mScWUXbWVQQAybRp0rJKDaSbD1Q-ROmOZQs1uD_-hv_Qe_rRoFcMODtS0dVy1HCjRhfYeip7SXvE9o7HuF0ZkcNUt8r1JNbklZIcM98yuycSj0REeLnu7cjgqnDkA/w640-h428/DSC_0782.jpeg" width="640" /></span></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7CLo7tq1v2tDIMaKO7dPz5on6hpKzKA09BB7yo3kx11fYXmIMVOdPTRdu5avR3vSJz2_4MlTRTOMUomssHPpdqiZn_WBUFEgGmyKfgxgprY0PgmPYR1Dqv0hjmYlc5YNFgE7UbR2Bg5CA7sS_nCgPaAI7p-oGzUhGRvsbfUshdPpw8B11o7YmCHZzgw/s452/DSC_0782%20(1).jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="368" data-original-width="452" height="522" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7CLo7tq1v2tDIMaKO7dPz5on6hpKzKA09BB7yo3kx11fYXmIMVOdPTRdu5avR3vSJz2_4MlTRTOMUomssHPpdqiZn_WBUFEgGmyKfgxgprY0PgmPYR1Dqv0hjmYlc5YNFgE7UbR2Bg5CA7sS_nCgPaAI7p-oGzUhGRvsbfUshdPpw8B11o7YmCHZzgw/w640-h522/DSC_0782%20(1).jpeg" width="640" /></span></a></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFmHb48ccQSPs9MAWiCtYiK9c34wzcNsZTivq6kCSt7X2ju_qVmmx8suHbDh8MD3W5jWK6LKhYtYJkh-dsxFVDFH-eGDNBoIaPXUN79YnG-KisFODzvng8yP3OX0RBPnUkZQEC5xpO2quSP7lHgptY8tb2NHR_Jv40J5NRiVz52lw9Vwt39jHmu1BkxQ/s640/DSC_0794.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="427" data-original-width="640" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFmHb48ccQSPs9MAWiCtYiK9c34wzcNsZTivq6kCSt7X2ju_qVmmx8suHbDh8MD3W5jWK6LKhYtYJkh-dsxFVDFH-eGDNBoIaPXUN79YnG-KisFODzvng8yP3OX0RBPnUkZQEC5xpO2quSP7lHgptY8tb2NHR_Jv40J5NRiVz52lw9Vwt39jHmu1BkxQ/w640-h428/DSC_0794.jpeg" width="640" /></a></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">On our way home from crane watching, we stopped by the neighbor’s farm pond where G takes Brody to run to see what we could see. As we approached the pond hundreds or more Canada geese lifted off the lake at shoreline, turning the horizon black. I was a little slow getting the photo for in seconds they had ascended in the blue sky. And then we spotted <b>them</b>: a trio of swans. I couldn’t believe it! We had been told that there was a pair of swans north of Greeley on the gravel pit ponds so one day we made the drive to see if we could find them and surely we did as they flew low right across the across the road in front of us, but we could never find where they "lived". We concluded that they must have been on the Poudre River because the gravel pit ponds were frozen solid all winter. And there they were half a mile away from us on our favorite bird watching pond with their nearly grown <o:p></o:p>cygnet. We could tell that it was a younger bird by the gray coloring on its upper neck. Swans are rare here. We surmise that they migrate with geese. We've seen pairs before; once on a Greeley pond and once on the Poudre River, but not so close to home. What a thrill.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtXwrdIwL6DZTej8vwBN5YYoXRmroFQJL6QVMXkDQFOTjzubtJzJkkoMFkn7SczOxvY1nq2SbkIF46t8Fobf3-N16mT59AyPSHawhf0zcvpsSDXBy0cFQ55nNERAUt0c2DntVjvsHW9v2IzfacTpnz5yclOn6DSe2TvLA0aVDSHEOU_zAvZJNz_WX6cw/s640/DSC_0800.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="427" data-original-width="640" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtXwrdIwL6DZTej8vwBN5YYoXRmroFQJL6QVMXkDQFOTjzubtJzJkkoMFkn7SczOxvY1nq2SbkIF46t8Fobf3-N16mT59AyPSHawhf0zcvpsSDXBy0cFQ55nNERAUt0c2DntVjvsHW9v2IzfacTpnz5yclOn6DSe2TvLA0aVDSHEOU_zAvZJNz_WX6cw/w640-h428/DSC_0800.jpeg" width="640" /></span></a></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIa87s603GQJAfRNzcdTnRSkbyVbeTUe-GVLs4AH5iWnUN1j592Bb7XRB95FtlugU5VTXAh-fZpZF6-iXNWi5l71BMT0PGdq-qc8cDATHyWzUTCt-aPtyShmwsG5w7VLPVBUBrVwWJHueOiUgGbGhZHmwz-W7Ai1lew6YzO6MHMzQ7fWR41HIsGGCjdg/s640/DSC_0801.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="427" data-original-width="640" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIa87s603GQJAfRNzcdTnRSkbyVbeTUe-GVLs4AH5iWnUN1j592Bb7XRB95FtlugU5VTXAh-fZpZF6-iXNWi5l71BMT0PGdq-qc8cDATHyWzUTCt-aPtyShmwsG5w7VLPVBUBrVwWJHueOiUgGbGhZHmwz-W7Ai1lew6YzO6MHMzQ7fWR41HIsGGCjdg/w640-h428/DSC_0801.jpeg" width="640" /></span></a></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBDruFfJ3SjQOhS9l2Xr16gBjB0PWhpMrMfiG6rJA_6tJpmrST98P_hUCV-C444OEAKfjMA04oyC7DDYwHtKrQmLGimaEXqIK4bW1k4suva32VgDmHtxjrl28DlNZy6SfD3Vwo_F_q1Y1DumAcsbW-lTFke_nKUETHoCZAaxs-BtwAu5TEESoG0BTNbg/s640/DSC_0807.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="427" data-original-width="640" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBDruFfJ3SjQOhS9l2Xr16gBjB0PWhpMrMfiG6rJA_6tJpmrST98P_hUCV-C444OEAKfjMA04oyC7DDYwHtKrQmLGimaEXqIK4bW1k4suva32VgDmHtxjrl28DlNZy6SfD3Vwo_F_q1Y1DumAcsbW-lTFke_nKUETHoCZAaxs-BtwAu5TEESoG0BTNbg/w640-h428/DSC_0807.jpeg" width="640" /></a><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioi7JEBmUD55Un_NOfv-7ZJ0ti9aQgyJglBqlNRqsRScNoAHOepobYpqEH1B39dlR86BI-TCV97_6rRDAJpW4k0XwTKAx4AnX2EbF1oCmnf9XbtfI0ou68Qmud-DTUtk3nTsq_TE9HoHJv0SHquJICpisfgyT084pYUjtRuM_9-SenW-LeN0jpUHxjSw/s640/DSC_0809.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="427" data-original-width="640" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioi7JEBmUD55Un_NOfv-7ZJ0ti9aQgyJglBqlNRqsRScNoAHOepobYpqEH1B39dlR86BI-TCV97_6rRDAJpW4k0XwTKAx4AnX2EbF1oCmnf9XbtfI0ou68Qmud-DTUtk3nTsq_TE9HoHJv0SHquJICpisfgyT084pYUjtRuM_9-SenW-LeN0jpUHxjSw/w640-h428/DSC_0809.jpeg" width="640" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">And we have birds of different feather. The Head Gardener brought home 6 chicks. Three Black Copper Morans will lay the really dark brown eggs. The light colored leghorns will lay white eggs. While it's not cheaper to feed laying hens than to buy eggs, we are certain of our supply.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb67WnaFvnaefn5zv-xCYpFbs6nkM9tA1Y6QdPKyPwhvPqGyGXP-yOGLNMO88b0qC585X3hyzAFWrK1FwIuE6u63WcbJSCnDOENNWUBynjTAiZf9xDW_kUsBYED91r3QNsykc_rrEhBDIWCSzJLOXiBQc0bN6ElQ-q_wdq-Aj3mlYcEyc76OVIRarQWg/s640/IMG_6834.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb67WnaFvnaefn5zv-xCYpFbs6nkM9tA1Y6QdPKyPwhvPqGyGXP-yOGLNMO88b0qC585X3hyzAFWrK1FwIuE6u63WcbJSCnDOENNWUBynjTAiZf9xDW_kUsBYED91r3QNsykc_rrEhBDIWCSzJLOXiBQc0bN6ElQ-q_wdq-Aj3mlYcEyc76OVIRarQWg/w480-h640/IMG_6834.jpeg" width="480" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><div><br /></div></span><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigMtWwFTc_uNVZJHjGX7CmjuW7NSK42-kblzJ7xeqX8CqA36yUaez-QgmEGzxXSO-HnmHgF6jI-qtnzrfVLWAE3vGRrfiFrjrK41Pq9hDN_hW19v1kwf6zwrHpCtHUo_AePHGf3O4vqSnNtxRiUMbv2DLKbC8TzXgaqregUfazUDy1-vGEjyHm3XCJqw/s640/IMG_6835.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigMtWwFTc_uNVZJHjGX7CmjuW7NSK42-kblzJ7xeqX8CqA36yUaez-QgmEGzxXSO-HnmHgF6jI-qtnzrfVLWAE3vGRrfiFrjrK41Pq9hDN_hW19v1kwf6zwrHpCtHUo_AePHGf3O4vqSnNtxRiUMbv2DLKbC8TzXgaqregUfazUDy1-vGEjyHm3XCJqw/w480-h640/IMG_6835.jpeg" width="480" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtqxh8kpuurfXKS1lGXYKKCk8N-h9ah-YydzuHGLotqFSq1lg7yF-J_BFEduAd11pZYTlsckC-KOoBd0m1Y0cg53CGEBei1RlbFpE--3lYTRb_kadEYgCGlt8149DDq6sHunL5w0mH3dCu9JXdnqfrN9bkGBZ30fJmQNeDxGolz2XLsyldYmhc3NR6Iw/s640/IMG_6836.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtqxh8kpuurfXKS1lGXYKKCk8N-h9ah-YydzuHGLotqFSq1lg7yF-J_BFEduAd11pZYTlsckC-KOoBd0m1Y0cg53CGEBei1RlbFpE--3lYTRb_kadEYgCGlt8149DDq6sHunL5w0mH3dCu9JXdnqfrN9bkGBZ30fJmQNeDxGolz2XLsyldYmhc3NR6Iw/w480-h640/IMG_6836.jpeg" width="480" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2N2qxJFTy1hzw7WVAeaU93OAII1pGU_odJy728_z2frtDxsemP25jadaapMM-7oVSV9KyYx9zbBbUmGdTPa9wc4bzdmyHaZmXHejYLs7ynUy_sp1yj6wC1GY5_p2RGMggwbugdp8XPCwL1v9tfa5GAzK55yV9UhWkX1o1JgXYz1Z6JogcHKFopJdNHw/s640/IMG_6837.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2N2qxJFTy1hzw7WVAeaU93OAII1pGU_odJy728_z2frtDxsemP25jadaapMM-7oVSV9KyYx9zbBbUmGdTPa9wc4bzdmyHaZmXHejYLs7ynUy_sp1yj6wC1GY5_p2RGMggwbugdp8XPCwL1v9tfa5GAzK55yV9UhWkX1o1JgXYz1Z6JogcHKFopJdNHw/w480-h640/IMG_6837.jpeg" width="480" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlagsQrIypK6Dt2SWurN5hyjzm-FgukhF6ZLEF0unw6P9HB-28Ii-YVXtqH8OyNyBANBnD0W7mH5TMNtjgVSlRtS3EiFO-WbU2VUF054z5XXUyPi5-bH66R7ikQZuza-nna5-XV9OQ7mzuUG3Wd3cVDgcyYlS-W1RHloEcKQs656R7VaIyz6Sa7OtBcA/s640/70103598279__7244215F-5C15-41B6-8E17-881347CF9E4A.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlagsQrIypK6Dt2SWurN5hyjzm-FgukhF6ZLEF0unw6P9HB-28Ii-YVXtqH8OyNyBANBnD0W7mH5TMNtjgVSlRtS3EiFO-WbU2VUF054z5XXUyPi5-bH66R7ikQZuza-nna5-XV9OQ7mzuUG3Wd3cVDgcyYlS-W1RHloEcKQs656R7VaIyz6Sa7OtBcA/w480-h640/70103598279__7244215F-5C15-41B6-8E17-881347CF9E4A.jpeg" width="480" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">We could say that Brody is the baby sitter, but in all honesty he is a bird dog, so he is bird watcher, too.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGGADZYcbXesPRyfLKFZMfPcmFH8u4iocPiUol2xKT2Bmiypahz8mSXMDb8Dic48W-hYco7hORn6MFCWmO8cHiLIi96c6SbxfXOZTx-jY34_f55scMkQyEvu2meDrYPV0aAkxMNC_ZOJJTkigny-K_8YnlYHCwJg8c88889MDC9EdQ7BeAOKczUJgiyQ/s640/IMG_6838.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGGADZYcbXesPRyfLKFZMfPcmFH8u4iocPiUol2xKT2Bmiypahz8mSXMDb8Dic48W-hYco7hORn6MFCWmO8cHiLIi96c6SbxfXOZTx-jY34_f55scMkQyEvu2meDrYPV0aAkxMNC_ZOJJTkigny-K_8YnlYHCwJg8c88889MDC9EdQ7BeAOKczUJgiyQ/w480-h640/IMG_6838.jpeg" width="480" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikQRil8YX6YMGwH9dHu_RW1GMJ3w3Zn4FIA-xEIsB4BmaUHA0FlVTkbc0HiwiskU6ieT5ZxRzA_QyThT3I8YOjCpI-SgDNpjkZrTBW5dTAUpPKbrbwMRVlBKFcA34MRvwiOX-WmGWVLfaOooNClfEz2ZonWkrJ1XgCzxMkKq5-7cQ3cMsyF3p-SAwtcA/s640/IMG_6840.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikQRil8YX6YMGwH9dHu_RW1GMJ3w3Zn4FIA-xEIsB4BmaUHA0FlVTkbc0HiwiskU6ieT5ZxRzA_QyThT3I8YOjCpI-SgDNpjkZrTBW5dTAUpPKbrbwMRVlBKFcA34MRvwiOX-WmGWVLfaOooNClfEz2ZonWkrJ1XgCzxMkKq5-7cQ3cMsyF3p-SAwtcA/w480-h640/IMG_6840.jpeg" width="480" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><div style="text-align: left;">It's good to be back. There's more to share this time around as the granddaughters' 4-H projects have arrived: new pigs and 3 baby goats. Join me next time for more Garden Spot adventures.</div></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Thanks for joining me today. </span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><br /><p></p></div>annhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01668006270534204954noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6460244051990142578.post-47371883074819932502022-10-26T20:54:00.000-06:002022-10-26T20:54:09.532-06:00A Rose by Any Other Name<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">Jackson and Perkins roses have been in the garden for at least 10-12 years. This year they have been spectacular. The bushes were taller and heavier with repeat blooms this summer. The only change this year in care has been more water. The Head Gardener changed the drip watering system by replacing the little nozzles with ones that dispense more the water, with excellent results. The drip system is on a timer that waters twice a day, which seems to have lent good result.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVkiuRgOK1gTvKt7WmuzpJPmTB_mZYVKaFhCj9hoRGrmyajEG80LlNK-oO2OVCj5NM-D0MdhRs3wthMr87OCDeVaI-8ab_7Ii7tUf6VxOKbuJo6e9pxigH7peYvCEjFdokJLXvbxteN5ft_vitvcGgSMhk-4xN-f56eNfnd8PKgU_0-uc8y1201Fw8Qw/s6000/1.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="6000" data-original-width="4000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVkiuRgOK1gTvKt7WmuzpJPmTB_mZYVKaFhCj9hoRGrmyajEG80LlNK-oO2OVCj5NM-D0MdhRs3wthMr87OCDeVaI-8ab_7Ii7tUf6VxOKbuJo6e9pxigH7peYvCEjFdokJLXvbxteN5ft_vitvcGgSMhk-4xN-f56eNfnd8PKgU_0-uc8y1201Fw8Qw/w426-h640/1.jpeg" width="426" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Veteran's Honor</span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4o5_7wjgbmgcODRJW2fEDF5tBuZbPCsObYLqEjf73UgJHbS8-fjZ4YCU-_R7pDYIr_k9cnL_WPU51VrClrTwTjVsSUNDCQLyAFoF-7FglFQ8dY8-BIOLLaEdJoJnI6pscJmEahP2GXd1tk0ijcL4T2ryPZP-ORD8Q41FJOTITAM4zThrwUZ7d-X8XwQ/s6000/2.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4o5_7wjgbmgcODRJW2fEDF5tBuZbPCsObYLqEjf73UgJHbS8-fjZ4YCU-_R7pDYIr_k9cnL_WPU51VrClrTwTjVsSUNDCQLyAFoF-7FglFQ8dY8-BIOLLaEdJoJnI6pscJmEahP2GXd1tk0ijcL4T2ryPZP-ORD8Q41FJOTITAM4zThrwUZ7d-X8XwQ/w640-h426/2.jpeg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">First Prize: Prolific bloomer even at the end of the season.</span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgePnN6zGEAdINmsXNTerb6ASWP47RstB8S-kZg0110A38m6xYzaoSut7DXdvJJTsi7E-oZur-nDzloU102HcF2Fp4Lw9na4wfeqbVJo8jMuq_GtrPc5I6MfU2bLfqkyu9MUlI1zI4Lhp3tdXiLszdnC0uZp1WjeCIISjYIoaKgc0v-CCAOhko_iVJB3Q/s6000/3.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgePnN6zGEAdINmsXNTerb6ASWP47RstB8S-kZg0110A38m6xYzaoSut7DXdvJJTsi7E-oZur-nDzloU102HcF2Fp4Lw9na4wfeqbVJo8jMuq_GtrPc5I6MfU2bLfqkyu9MUlI1zI4Lhp3tdXiLszdnC0uZp1WjeCIISjYIoaKgc0v-CCAOhko_iVJB3Q/w640-h426/3.jpeg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Just Joey</span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgiQ8pC4JUKiCQkyR907Bl-vFCelLPhR9iHnzlJXQBQzGTj1WrBAnzjhOGTKHuI1b6vYcY0E4RkcE2gTe-FKXsbBMCYA0Wv7jZ1NuWJzj24o6uyWBqW6mMgwykTPUIaXTA6o33mwXq6XyhWRuPOHLJxqsOqajAjZHeytiDb3Dvu2iwEldVnBuEkmsW3w/s6000/4.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="6000" data-original-width="4000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgiQ8pC4JUKiCQkyR907Bl-vFCelLPhR9iHnzlJXQBQzGTj1WrBAnzjhOGTKHuI1b6vYcY0E4RkcE2gTe-FKXsbBMCYA0Wv7jZ1NuWJzj24o6uyWBqW6mMgwykTPUIaXTA6o33mwXq6XyhWRuPOHLJxqsOqajAjZHeytiDb3Dvu2iwEldVnBuEkmsW3w/w426-h640/4.jpeg" width="426" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqa1vIF0bXZ3N21rDaPwLzoXScmcuRmA8ZpEdvVbg1QRlUz1mlX31aZFscwXzHHjNRu9Q20b_e85_bqgTmH1d95a3VCqWgErT2qI8pHDr_KjUPxzq9pA6TrP4tmTE88K5Ux3-h9CmcPnBvNkCGLtMn016T1sCgvGtH09TP2JAwLY3W9lUYH_bhAGzv0w/s6000/5.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqa1vIF0bXZ3N21rDaPwLzoXScmcuRmA8ZpEdvVbg1QRlUz1mlX31aZFscwXzHHjNRu9Q20b_e85_bqgTmH1d95a3VCqWgErT2qI8pHDr_KjUPxzq9pA6TrP4tmTE88K5Ux3-h9CmcPnBvNkCGLtMn016T1sCgvGtH09TP2JAwLY3W9lUYH_bhAGzv0w/w640-h426/5.jpeg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Super Market Bargain buy that has lasted in the rose garden for years.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">I've taken a lot of photos, mostly because the flowers are just so perfect and beautiful and it has interesting watching them every day here in the house change. </span></div><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJyyLdZQ6x4yAEbkO_0PCs_8U-V2QPa0B9eyi1l-7qzZtL1Ld-Z_aeZ7nHMS8b_tl2VbMmkMaxvgezlWZ73Qof0eiTiq211dCCkV_dg29FjccHiTbu6XwDG_SwxbMqXr2cRINMOn3b-VWYhz9-wnwybxDRsYqwqccL7uUqoFZOh2N0MVIJ4dBjP7VjCg/s4032/IMG_5671.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJyyLdZQ6x4yAEbkO_0PCs_8U-V2QPa0B9eyi1l-7qzZtL1Ld-Z_aeZ7nHMS8b_tl2VbMmkMaxvgezlWZ73Qof0eiTiq211dCCkV_dg29FjccHiTbu6XwDG_SwxbMqXr2cRINMOn3b-VWYhz9-wnwybxDRsYqwqccL7uUqoFZOh2N0MVIJ4dBjP7VjCg/w480-h640/IMG_5671.JPG" width="480" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlxUzjygt5FXVSfmncmkVj9CymXAlJgiaII7VuYlGgF8AM3TRWSOEYFU-IdOB3jT_1tZe96Tx2_sK_2dl0AVeYfcU340Eacud5VHHUh0-WMuGw6-tNE6KaJoMMuBj-k6I69sfH3WMtT4UIfgfP1AIvOX-dw1_SICOwmW6-gpkEvZ69NRKBDJBxsqEf9A/s4032/IMG_5670.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlxUzjygt5FXVSfmncmkVj9CymXAlJgiaII7VuYlGgF8AM3TRWSOEYFU-IdOB3jT_1tZe96Tx2_sK_2dl0AVeYfcU340Eacud5VHHUh0-WMuGw6-tNE6KaJoMMuBj-k6I69sfH3WMtT4UIfgfP1AIvOX-dw1_SICOwmW6-gpkEvZ69NRKBDJBxsqEf9A/w480-h640/IMG_5670.JPG" width="480" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCYSVVYKkzd-c7-DYaiRtmrrsFvX8gfjnOxdcZ1jIBD_cGk88CjWzPI-mLuJtQXYzWBvYoF_ejym1tr7owWXbRzJ9sk4JZxevghGRhiBcVjvtOXsO2Ozu1A1J0MLlo7r5OV6jrWxt08LO32scejUYlB6aAX1WWx0K4gj07ootgFsAUwG8w2rF9Aj6TMA/s4032/IMG_5669.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCYSVVYKkzd-c7-DYaiRtmrrsFvX8gfjnOxdcZ1jIBD_cGk88CjWzPI-mLuJtQXYzWBvYoF_ejym1tr7owWXbRzJ9sk4JZxevghGRhiBcVjvtOXsO2Ozu1A1J0MLlo7r5OV6jrWxt08LO32scejUYlB6aAX1WWx0K4gj07ootgFsAUwG8w2rF9Aj6TMA/w480-h640/IMG_5669.JPG" width="480" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Twenty-Fours hours after these photos were taken, Joey and Prize had opened up more. The 6 inch plate that they rest on shows just how big they have opened.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiP0G4OWY57p-FDtJMTb70c1Ljo2lp0PvNL139gsyNZuX1RtS5WvDoTmSa-lU3SBHRcBxZzdiXCA4eurWAZuQWAhEaDpQ2DIlzamI1sswMY3ZfMug6psp_xzVTMGXtGT_BXZMlZCZeZMXxfLc38VLcaz903a7RsK7hhCQi-P07TXqWhXBW4Z4LDwC7giQ" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img alt="" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiP0G4OWY57p-FDtJMTb70c1Ljo2lp0PvNL139gsyNZuX1RtS5WvDoTmSa-lU3SBHRcBxZzdiXCA4eurWAZuQWAhEaDpQ2DIlzamI1sswMY3ZfMug6psp_xzVTMGXtGT_BXZMlZCZeZMXxfLc38VLcaz903a7RsK7hhCQi-P07TXqWhXBW4Z4LDwC7giQ=w480-h640" width="480" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">First Prize is especially gorgeous with her soft pink petals. Weeks Roses describers her blooms as large--indeed they are and they are especially beautiful when bloomed out inside rather out of doors where the weather is hard on them. </span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhITd6zIn9QfS6NdZo4MwAgR40-hds2pMKDQTZoNEmXOlaZuxXt7HqV6b8EKikMk3Wxq3I0axk27r4JGzO0fWb6rYT_xu6aIAjzMSyElqkVC-MHqVg4TRsrwS0sZq4Mf5msiEZxpiX8pyY7pHu0bTEZp-L1_jfM6RJM2xXMIQc1R2bkbBynTt4Ky4A83w/s4032/IMG_5667.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhITd6zIn9QfS6NdZo4MwAgR40-hds2pMKDQTZoNEmXOlaZuxXt7HqV6b8EKikMk3Wxq3I0axk27r4JGzO0fWb6rYT_xu6aIAjzMSyElqkVC-MHqVg4TRsrwS0sZq4Mf5msiEZxpiX8pyY7pHu0bTEZp-L1_jfM6RJM2xXMIQc1R2bkbBynTt4Ky4A83w/w480-h640/IMG_5667.JPG" width="480" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6qd7HoVfP2WAvLFyWTWSGzKAWlkEGQCe5FMkJJ9B61rd6yCwxiHqL5mKpe6TRzspB5D8uRWC7WDmL0P1sVNlyNfGR5Mii-ioFzTaCku4Pv27epJH-yxyGcKurRA6ktxfvb2YCap6zRzrIOnyCxm8rdgMSf3HcLQUcyY1jw29Zhg1Za1Y-GQwzQHOKNw/s1800/E4CF8F65-9FF9-423C-8F7F-B8D1F8F594C0.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1800" data-original-width="1440" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6qd7HoVfP2WAvLFyWTWSGzKAWlkEGQCe5FMkJJ9B61rd6yCwxiHqL5mKpe6TRzspB5D8uRWC7WDmL0P1sVNlyNfGR5Mii-ioFzTaCku4Pv27epJH-yxyGcKurRA6ktxfvb2YCap6zRzrIOnyCxm8rdgMSf3HcLQUcyY1jw29Zhg1Za1Y-GQwzQHOKNw/w512-h640/E4CF8F65-9FF9-423C-8F7F-B8D1F8F594C0.JPG" width="512" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Veteran's Honor: Tea Rose</span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOQXJORsHeoKNIZRKwjYm5RupeBk8K9kqnEXBlyvxDjZePdjKXeMMySx-kDT726O9KTPQOlKPeOCJhdHybStMkZnmTxPc-9cP94xH7DHAHcEl2hb_ZqfVM2TmJjFYMTcisqYbuzkH0G-UR7Ec2oKzv8edLjH6A80fY5Zq0jfyHDjdWlLfqJEXgByp96g/s1800/CF475259-E4A0-4098-A9C3-F8A86E877B33.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1800" data-original-width="1440" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOQXJORsHeoKNIZRKwjYm5RupeBk8K9kqnEXBlyvxDjZePdjKXeMMySx-kDT726O9KTPQOlKPeOCJhdHybStMkZnmTxPc-9cP94xH7DHAHcEl2hb_ZqfVM2TmJjFYMTcisqYbuzkH0G-UR7Ec2oKzv8edLjH6A80fY5Zq0jfyHDjdWlLfqJEXgByp96g/w512-h640/CF475259-E4A0-4098-A9C3-F8A86E877B33.JPG" width="512" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">First Prize: Tea Rose</span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaq_jbueBzF4gZj7kWnnNKzFHtIYV6S8BaBNKXqXRL-aRVPalQVTdtU6S0BwJpRVEQpgm7si4YF7Iv5XwDv9R6YvGIisQnsv36HpY8g1aw8C4Gqx_D-PDkm6xMo5t-mTyGIFslmSe73IHCd-EwnHYH3PJ8YACoz-6afSS3cgAPT4OhaCWJBP5_7GihnA/s1800/B954E097-C773-4F46-9374-08F27C70E7E6.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1800" data-original-width="1440" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaq_jbueBzF4gZj7kWnnNKzFHtIYV6S8BaBNKXqXRL-aRVPalQVTdtU6S0BwJpRVEQpgm7si4YF7Iv5XwDv9R6YvGIisQnsv36HpY8g1aw8C4Gqx_D-PDkm6xMo5t-mTyGIFslmSe73IHCd-EwnHYH3PJ8YACoz-6afSS3cgAPT4OhaCWJBP5_7GihnA/w512-h640/B954E097-C773-4F46-9374-08F27C70E7E6.JPG" width="512" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Just Joey: Tea Rose</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh2qPTBDwN_s4m6LqfHXgEjvurhcHIwXAMirxiq4DniW-LZParCEfm247mLMLOuAO4axVDihHqNdPSuYOD87a0s2Ct7b6Sk1YZ2gmH3RsFEGVtY2QIDuw5TiWtWEggB_-ZoEMy8Y0YaqdSe-mrtHKaRap0dPLEJ9Wl1buzFX3fN1_LLkeP2v3uPU71FFA" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img alt="" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh2qPTBDwN_s4m6LqfHXgEjvurhcHIwXAMirxiq4DniW-LZParCEfm247mLMLOuAO4axVDihHqNdPSuYOD87a0s2Ct7b6Sk1YZ2gmH3RsFEGVtY2QIDuw5TiWtWEggB_-ZoEMy8Y0YaqdSe-mrtHKaRap0dPLEJ9Wl1buzFX3fN1_LLkeP2v3uPU71FFA=w480-h640" width="480" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Just Joey: A colorful, rich tea rose, currently available at Weeks Roses.com</span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ-ZicqYfL9qhSPj9PAKETxeqKYA5u-3N9irHuaU0SOoLelEcwVkP-NxiQZcqr5ZEQlzjO2-6x2kCHVaKzg33_YYBJO0NN0wfc7W7MNuKQgmgDlOteD3QbJ82N57UJAVyR1G9Wxs9pCQeG1QNKjZkSGit0KwAMQMBbA0TD7WA9s77I7mra_9qO_vK35Q/s1794/6DFB2275-DB33-4812-8BB3-E3301230416A.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1794" data-original-width="1440" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ-ZicqYfL9qhSPj9PAKETxeqKYA5u-3N9irHuaU0SOoLelEcwVkP-NxiQZcqr5ZEQlzjO2-6x2kCHVaKzg33_YYBJO0NN0wfc7W7MNuKQgmgDlOteD3QbJ82N57UJAVyR1G9Wxs9pCQeG1QNKjZkSGit0KwAMQMBbA0TD7WA9s77I7mra_9qO_vK35Q/w514-h640/6DFB2275-DB33-4812-8BB3-E3301230416A.JPG" width="514" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">First Prize: a gloriously large hybrid tea rose, First Prize available at WeeksRoses.com, described as a top winner.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi5R_4Z1LcWpK0knVKFtdEiJJYn1640SN9Os-vQqez6XaH8UBcW3L5dCt-LExfo6a67rsLabaME1pKNV1uZgh15F1kneq0qR8DqHa2kk8o4ctrh5N8gEcOtfhs8dpRn780UmV4s-CMfjPptYCbq_T5yDSpAQaDMjmLf4nzA0JKQ119yA-5jgmPT50PmXQ" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img alt="" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi5R_4Z1LcWpK0knVKFtdEiJJYn1640SN9Os-vQqez6XaH8UBcW3L5dCt-LExfo6a67rsLabaME1pKNV1uZgh15F1kneq0qR8DqHa2kk8o4ctrh5N8gEcOtfhs8dpRn780UmV4s-CMfjPptYCbq_T5yDSpAQaDMjmLf4nzA0JKQ119yA-5jgmPT50PmXQ=w480-h640" width="480" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">The last of the older Tea Roses, available at WeeksRoses.com, St. Patrick's was transplanted from the front courtyard to the north side of the house where it and other roses failed to thrive--no sun, too cold in the winter. While Saint did put forth weak blooms, it faired much better after we dug up those poor babies and transplanted them. Saint was relocated just around the corner with full morning sun and plenty of water. It did bloom this summer, but I have high expectations for next year. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">Fall certainly has put on a show of color this year; undisturbed by wind, rain, and snow, the colors continue to amaze. While we have mostly pine trees in the property, we do have some color, like the hawthorn all ablaze with her golden leaves and dark red berries.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW0ryKn_h6rf4pr6tZjhebb8OY11aVkSa0Lj53z5-3OlA4ASzw9OMrKya3h21jdCFW5uvKowpFwml3GwTdkwLruv5iXCybGbOITtZm05wR4i_vMvgHs8jrLLmJtIfoPUxdceN1ws3b4tOLXZydYX-UeNcURs3a7sdNMSC969nega-UsZDSbyD-nhGw1A/s6000/6.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW0ryKn_h6rf4pr6tZjhebb8OY11aVkSa0Lj53z5-3OlA4ASzw9OMrKya3h21jdCFW5uvKowpFwml3GwTdkwLruv5iXCybGbOITtZm05wR4i_vMvgHs8jrLLmJtIfoPUxdceN1ws3b4tOLXZydYX-UeNcURs3a7sdNMSC969nega-UsZDSbyD-nhGw1A/w640-h426/6.jpeg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">The ash tree also put on quite a show when they go through their fall color change.</span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEibJzfqbPe4OcCKGG72rRwuaPrKgwOaNX9Mr99MVyLXqBmgbfpz2mWuVUOeWF-XOJlSdV1RkU5PSo1bq1GeTUkps6bStn_KpOE4SNtB7p0jBKpFGHC83kNRy0gM9JaaSeppRuvDZGTqt-Ozc_EJ4ESzqMV2BPeVIwxsrw9i1Y_sy6Q_rd1_5xyeAj-Okw" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1800" data-original-width="1440" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEibJzfqbPe4OcCKGG72rRwuaPrKgwOaNX9Mr99MVyLXqBmgbfpz2mWuVUOeWF-XOJlSdV1RkU5PSo1bq1GeTUkps6bStn_KpOE4SNtB7p0jBKpFGHC83kNRy0gM9JaaSeppRuvDZGTqt-Ozc_EJ4ESzqMV2BPeVIwxsrw9i1Y_sy6Q_rd1_5xyeAj-Okw=w512-h640" width="512" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh0BG4TlM9SMWrBiNXx0-vI8DoPf5ZXCrvQh9LnxyjAddnzoE_ylGhPBaBb5Dlasd27gfD4U2d_261o8W-ykRTs26BZ8T7ySqCxtDFJ3Z2llihAez-4CiLoWtJ8rEk7D4z8Lv3KYj0ZGAAmfu58_5iAAUvPwd6jmjxJC9zNJvH-rNWJjt6aZ2QG5tAUrA" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1800" data-original-width="1440" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh0BG4TlM9SMWrBiNXx0-vI8DoPf5ZXCrvQh9LnxyjAddnzoE_ylGhPBaBb5Dlasd27gfD4U2d_261o8W-ykRTs26BZ8T7ySqCxtDFJ3Z2llihAez-4CiLoWtJ8rEk7D4z8Lv3KYj0ZGAAmfu58_5iAAUvPwd6jmjxJC9zNJvH-rNWJjt6aZ2QG5tAUrA=w512-h640" width="512" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgxyHUvjhCvQKelmnnMHZIi-rpMMhlXLK6frtDeECd5JeFCuq6R1d2XmXl0AKeum8KqHdN5vK2yq6zl0l2mJeAcYRqeul8DJfYB_93ASokkuBuO0odUEwfT9_9Ypla_ia-NrOaG1qyqgWAcn8qS3BkI3-c83dL5sAHfhKEIBHeqtHm555xauHrZD_lUUw" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1800" data-original-width="1440" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgxyHUvjhCvQKelmnnMHZIi-rpMMhlXLK6frtDeECd5JeFCuq6R1d2XmXl0AKeum8KqHdN5vK2yq6zl0l2mJeAcYRqeul8DJfYB_93ASokkuBuO0odUEwfT9_9Ypla_ia-NrOaG1qyqgWAcn8qS3BkI3-c83dL5sAHfhKEIBHeqtHm555xauHrZD_lUUw=w512-h640" width="512" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">I used my DSLR with the 55 mm lens set on athletic mode to capture the falling leaves dance in the wind that came in gusts to shake them loose.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYVWwe2cOKCjj2Eh_AFmFSRCF5Nu2S8QT0O2dEbr6PIQLVJFVgTIw2krQzIeTrHyylAkzgUKV8W3VvP2vb5hizy4b1aSkjjFgiCig9lGLCSqVgKdqGRqHAF3GWVWduoJkpViNa8yHuEBwFF8Lqr7ntAnvxdvLg1naBR6nwymKGGiJe_yLWe4GrFfU_FA/s6000/10.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYVWwe2cOKCjj2Eh_AFmFSRCF5Nu2S8QT0O2dEbr6PIQLVJFVgTIw2krQzIeTrHyylAkzgUKV8W3VvP2vb5hizy4b1aSkjjFgiCig9lGLCSqVgKdqGRqHAF3GWVWduoJkpViNa8yHuEBwFF8Lqr7ntAnvxdvLg1naBR6nwymKGGiJe_yLWe4GrFfU_FA/w640-h426/10.jpeg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWGjzoANCGaFoSZu_Dpq8azq7h3Lrgd434umIcdViBMBbXtmkM7iKQgGWtCnJfbHUb7QLx3TINcPfoY5uutZiBLyCAMxJN0YgW-O7nh_2FCqXz64kh4XasPbzgvUURDwq4wuRvUoYr1WT-zch3YOloe3T8edBEFQrOW1mMvVnJcuHbIzGHStLBqt2kMg/s6000/11.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWGjzoANCGaFoSZu_Dpq8azq7h3Lrgd434umIcdViBMBbXtmkM7iKQgGWtCnJfbHUb7QLx3TINcPfoY5uutZiBLyCAMxJN0YgW-O7nh_2FCqXz64kh4XasPbzgvUURDwq4wuRvUoYr1WT-zch3YOloe3T8edBEFQrOW1mMvVnJcuHbIzGHStLBqt2kMg/w640-h426/11.jpeg" width="640" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: large;"><br style="text-align: left;" /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuHSrDEqA2XpzMIV5_IF48O52BbRZRU1QrhrhwTQlCTVqPUswszMdhAR959B7dsWa9-_AZiSgk4ttdLBbMR5BGWs2nxRI8pt7Vxlx0xxY_o9FWkQYXyZv3lGG7KdHg9ZMHo0eau2CDmMxQzhukKB3ZbDV_6B7NxqAbJdcV6nj9-933UOhp7CH-szHKPA/s6000/12.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuHSrDEqA2XpzMIV5_IF48O52BbRZRU1QrhrhwTQlCTVqPUswszMdhAR959B7dsWa9-_AZiSgk4ttdLBbMR5BGWs2nxRI8pt7Vxlx0xxY_o9FWkQYXyZv3lGG7KdHg9ZMHo0eau2CDmMxQzhukKB3ZbDV_6B7NxqAbJdcV6nj9-933UOhp7CH-szHKPA/w640-h426/12.jpeg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Out on the open road, a drive through Northern Colorado prairie shows the beauty of a late Colorado. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhfsc6yPQTJN-2njlPsxm4NQ0j7_OvEVw_zd-DJ2VAzMv2sUk3U0E8_gqvgU_RB2HRoSZeIOqUo8Ai8XP8L_E3Oc_jWW_Pc7Bvf2HLPghWSBgI47-iVYy0uscz51cF5ByCA4l4OKKPPPpeER9s5FyagGuL4mV3prUIfO9rMWaaTo9jQF1W851eZ2UboRA" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1797" data-original-width="1440" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhfsc6yPQTJN-2njlPsxm4NQ0j7_OvEVw_zd-DJ2VAzMv2sUk3U0E8_gqvgU_RB2HRoSZeIOqUo8Ai8XP8L_E3Oc_jWW_Pc7Bvf2HLPghWSBgI47-iVYy0uscz51cF5ByCA4l4OKKPPPpeER9s5FyagGuL4mV3prUIfO9rMWaaTo9jQF1W851eZ2UboRA=w512-h640" width="512" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">The closer we get get to the mountains, the more trees and more color. The grasslands are pretty bare this time of year.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhlF1kXY_i5e8loqDtLQjwtwt8tKZgv4l7BIxZb6yi_XoHqB4WivHxg8fqKjcFsY70ABWWcqUW2BiFI2oVIbEljsdkdAT-kYaXBoCbe5CmCtM6nYoarZega92QH-Z9SCpf2zTtoAcB5Tk3Sycfb0d99Znww6MX5hinJYaFBLaGIXzCchXV1zKfCsS2Gng" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1794" data-original-width="1440" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhlF1kXY_i5e8loqDtLQjwtwt8tKZgv4l7BIxZb6yi_XoHqB4WivHxg8fqKjcFsY70ABWWcqUW2BiFI2oVIbEljsdkdAT-kYaXBoCbe5CmCtM6nYoarZega92QH-Z9SCpf2zTtoAcB5Tk3Sycfb0d99Znww6MX5hinJYaFBLaGIXzCchXV1zKfCsS2Gng=w515-h640" width="515" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj7KicvbdvKf5F-nPyh79D8J8wm2rpA3wZbP-tx0WyK7zx3oKeEGFUfWG1XIYU3WIPP7DK4hneMHNbGQSBg6F0QIqXV2Ym0QD6mIEgFHRzB3tptHrArthePkNcIssj7Cp1RtKWItaKVYdsRV2854AZDuvH2r0Bj9-eS4_GYN32n50VfWSGEp5yObZs1hA" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1797" data-original-width="1440" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj7KicvbdvKf5F-nPyh79D8J8wm2rpA3wZbP-tx0WyK7zx3oKeEGFUfWG1XIYU3WIPP7DK4hneMHNbGQSBg6F0QIqXV2Ym0QD6mIEgFHRzB3tptHrArthePkNcIssj7Cp1RtKWItaKVYdsRV2854AZDuvH2r0Bj9-eS4_GYN32n50VfWSGEp5yObZs1hA=w512-h640" width="512" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">The weather ladies predicted moisture for the mountains so once we left the gravel roads of the grasslands and head south toward Ft. Collins on I-25 w have full view of the Rocky Mountains and the ever change weather above them.</span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhSrTXA5Gkjl56PLC5zmfD3qA_RqnEZ0a5mo7IlJG6t1E0gd2DkMYXMO2ghwzFw02TYgb7LqMJKmPDg5dcaUchj4NzJpQsLOKN9HBJ5Tb_ptfFwbB5xWksC1OfVW4_eilQcgzhuBvKUIFzqQuj4Q8div2zHKidM8l1uOyCLcCOlJGpWyduv9P9JcM0s9Q" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img alt="" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhSrTXA5Gkjl56PLC5zmfD3qA_RqnEZ0a5mo7IlJG6t1E0gd2DkMYXMO2ghwzFw02TYgb7LqMJKmPDg5dcaUchj4NzJpQsLOKN9HBJ5Tb_ptfFwbB5xWksC1OfVW4_eilQcgzhuBvKUIFzqQuj4Q8div2zHKidM8l1uOyCLcCOlJGpWyduv9P9JcM0s9Q=w640-h480" width="640" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-size: large;">Meanwhile back at home with help of the grandsons, the HG covered the pond with a large net to keep the leaves from collecting in the pond with the hopes of keeping it cleaner this winter.<br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJEiVG98mu6UeUcmztv8DXfaco3Ua-iFIw9o8hml2ws-OAbXpT-J6lRJm5RxaY4G-vccZTQqTgb-yeYcn9dNoRIAVZdeGZ41QprFTqOKdbO4mNK3MTojIF0i2OFfspSmHpHy8arxBo0YUnV1EpeKZD8bb0LZirV-cBSx1o5Ov9u0cErktxvXxXjMv0XA/s6000/7.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJEiVG98mu6UeUcmztv8DXfaco3Ua-iFIw9o8hml2ws-OAbXpT-J6lRJm5RxaY4G-vccZTQqTgb-yeYcn9dNoRIAVZdeGZ41QprFTqOKdbO4mNK3MTojIF0i2OFfspSmHpHy8arxBo0YUnV1EpeKZD8bb0LZirV-cBSx1o5Ov9u0cErktxvXxXjMv0XA/w640-h426/7.jpeg" width="640" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG7RYH6lrsAwPyTzfPVCiq28ie7K00zuGGqUpPkzM8N1UeE8ISIU7h5VMhFD2DfLhQiMGrjDSozDhfpmbhYgeIOvrOnsQIObLs51UxEY73vI2KuvRow0SPkSPFE0b7ROj--QkH780yHGhpTFG85994FHfy0KuBD9Ash6lK5F6k09PloWjA5QfvTJF5yg/s6000/9.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG7RYH6lrsAwPyTzfPVCiq28ie7K00zuGGqUpPkzM8N1UeE8ISIU7h5VMhFD2DfLhQiMGrjDSozDhfpmbhYgeIOvrOnsQIObLs51UxEY73vI2KuvRow0SPkSPFE0b7ROj--QkH780yHGhpTFG85994FHfy0KuBD9Ash6lK5F6k09PloWjA5QfvTJF5yg/w640-h426/9.jpeg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-size: large;">I'll let you know how that works.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">Thanks for visiting. <br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /><br /></span></div><br /><p></p>annhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01668006270534204954noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6460244051990142578.post-67603367329784630672022-10-10T15:28:00.003-06:002022-10-10T15:28:52.685-06:00Do You Know the Way to San Jose?<p></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivAE7HKINqmLqhDEHrCTuxe9Hl8IzedbzonCqbQ_Bfbb2_9Lml7k1jvteKdH6G3tpzwP78ANmEq5XgbVf1bA7qiM5mnUeMo9AAlFae4qzsVZe8qy0lAEM80A_yoRZr-IxBZQicdmfNIy49qEix3JGR3xpsN2VmA_MeuaYYJWzdL9UolSmHaAGfAmFSzQ/s640/IMG_5458.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><br /></a>Note: You can change the size of your screen image in Safari by pressing Command + to enlarge the image or Command- to decrease the size of the image. I try to use the largest font possible; however, sometimes you may have to adjust the size of browser screen size. </p><p></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivAE7HKINqmLqhDEHrCTuxe9Hl8IzedbzonCqbQ_Bfbb2_9Lml7k1jvteKdH6G3tpzwP78ANmEq5XgbVf1bA7qiM5mnUeMo9AAlFae4qzsVZe8qy0lAEM80A_yoRZr-IxBZQicdmfNIy49qEix3JGR3xpsN2VmA_MeuaYYJWzdL9UolSmHaAGfAmFSzQ/s640/IMG_5458.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivAE7HKINqmLqhDEHrCTuxe9Hl8IzedbzonCqbQ_Bfbb2_9Lml7k1jvteKdH6G3tpzwP78ANmEq5XgbVf1bA7qiM5mnUeMo9AAlFae4qzsVZe8qy0lAEM80A_yoRZr-IxBZQicdmfNIy49qEix3JGR3xpsN2VmA_MeuaYYJWzdL9UolSmHaAGfAmFSzQ/w240-h320/IMG_5458.jpeg" width="240" /></a><span style="font-size: large;">I had been humming Diane Warwick's classic, "Do You Know the Way to San Jose," for some time as I waited and planned for weekend trip to San Jose, California, and now I need a new tune in my head. Daughter Heather is suggesting a trip to Las Vegas, so Elvis' "Viva Las Vegas," could be an easy one, but I'm not so sure. For many, California seem like a paradise, and coming from the dry prairie, seeing exotic plants is always a treat. The Bird of Paradise plants line the entrance to the Double Tree Hilton Hotel where we were staying this last weekend. We are familiar with this beautiful tropical plan only because it sometimes shows up elegant floral arrangements, but it indeed does resemble a beautiful, exotic bird.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">So what took us so far from home? Last winter I mentioned to Heather that I thought about going to the Good Sam Miniature and Dollhouse show in San Jose and before I knew it she had the flight booked, the hotel room reserved and a rental car. Actually, I would not have made such a trip had she not taken the reins and booked everything. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">We left Thursday morning on Alaskan Air with a stop in Seattle. The flight kept changing over the months with the last change a 4 hour lay- over there, and I was ready to cancel the trip. Two days before we were due to leave, she got the flight changed with a shorter layover and we were back in the air on our way. I had a window seat on the second plane. With a heavy cloud layer covering the pacific, the coast line was barely visible, but it was quite a sight to see.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYDrGcvVk6lkT8Awd5Zzco-Q0KQEV_UwJPgVsWHxManGevKpyD5zTB4Qx7ZhFppFN0r2lquSk8RpqojE8yzu5A5QQ9ixCwhg-wfFLPYBsxeT8vCzXX7qoL4fdg4zhQbdEzIgpCTeGB7Hq5_BrWedqUb3ODeexxYL1d1HGxLMGI1oRoHeOnp33FzKjfXA/s640/IMG_5348.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYDrGcvVk6lkT8Awd5Zzco-Q0KQEV_UwJPgVsWHxManGevKpyD5zTB4Qx7ZhFppFN0r2lquSk8RpqojE8yzu5A5QQ9ixCwhg-wfFLPYBsxeT8vCzXX7qoL4fdg4zhQbdEzIgpCTeGB7Hq5_BrWedqUb3ODeexxYL1d1HGxLMGI1oRoHeOnp33FzKjfXA/w480-h640/IMG_5348.jpeg" width="480" /></a></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH_iNDyxehzftYG7AoX-PZZk9i6aZymd2swSZxrNWfYG9q7hYNVtAp9jh-zZ4O2lXnbG8VtXC1Dw38Cg8wZLJ4gKdVqhd-T1L2T4QECNbKV90Jf0Jgy4LzgMXu23O7-2m_vK3Mvje2dRaTX3GRhhRJwK6VN11Lv4MVVOYNg8hw8XQWhKKrhA56tiMokw/s640/IMG_5353.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH_iNDyxehzftYG7AoX-PZZk9i6aZymd2swSZxrNWfYG9q7hYNVtAp9jh-zZ4O2lXnbG8VtXC1Dw38Cg8wZLJ4gKdVqhd-T1L2T4QECNbKV90Jf0Jgy4LzgMXu23O7-2m_vK3Mvje2dRaTX3GRhhRJwK6VN11Lv4MVVOYNg8hw8XQWhKKrhA56tiMokw/w480-h640/IMG_5353.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><p style="text-align: right;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: right;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLKtZoaNU7RSrvTJFEPwtWU_66E5zupK16YZFDIm4L8v_HWT1Ulg7eyanftbLXc-mAqWP_CC4l57M_EZKsrzH4VUsI1c4WggYnztaX-o2sF8rlcH41bZRSlpQBbfHkAFsCdIXIu-yD4AZQE01Nc_Uip5KC-4JWHJvPOFuUfoxP61Z6n6pJJJe_zZWySA/s640/IMG_5351.jpeg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLKtZoaNU7RSrvTJFEPwtWU_66E5zupK16YZFDIm4L8v_HWT1Ulg7eyanftbLXc-mAqWP_CC4l57M_EZKsrzH4VUsI1c4WggYnztaX-o2sF8rlcH41bZRSlpQBbfHkAFsCdIXIu-yD4AZQE01Nc_Uip5KC-4JWHJvPOFuUfoxP61Z6n6pJJJe_zZWySA/w480-h640/IMG_5351.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">We arrived late in the day, picked up the rental car and were set for day two. Heather had a well planned day. Our first adventure took us on an hour's drive to a redwood forest, traveling very narrow, windy roads in the hills outside of Santa Cruz. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiznFT4tIAfPX86yUKrDOCWOJdV0q8oEboaKciHQOB1jQPIaFAKEqHiVU5gKSgaRdXE1OCODAwAMbYsqEuWXfpW5hxB_oLRqeWvKR0ju1o51DpzeP_pfq3SC0Lj7y8l_sxGSTN7j0ezl1sd2cQpSVIRcdmw6Eop2EJsVhNUMWxC4yKuc3yFUuFIPFNHLg/s640/IMG_5358.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiznFT4tIAfPX86yUKrDOCWOJdV0q8oEboaKciHQOB1jQPIaFAKEqHiVU5gKSgaRdXE1OCODAwAMbYsqEuWXfpW5hxB_oLRqeWvKR0ju1o51DpzeP_pfq3SC0Lj7y8l_sxGSTN7j0ezl1sd2cQpSVIRcdmw6Eop2EJsVhNUMWxC4yKuc3yFUuFIPFNHLg/w480-h640/IMG_5358.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">As an arborist, of course, she would want to visit a forest, a very unique forest of giant redwoods, Big Basin Redwoods State Park. Along the way before we reached the park, we began to see burned trees and realized that there had been a wild fire in the area. The park's gate keeper confirmed our guess. In 2020 the park was decimated by the CZU fire that burned nearly all the park's 18,000 acres. Here are links to learn about the wildfire that did so much damage to this beautiful woods.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.fire.ca.gov/incidents/2020/8/16/czu-lightning-complex-including-warnella-fire/">https://www.fire.ca.gov/incidents/2020/8/16/czu-lightning-complex-including-warnella-fire/</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.mercurynews.com/2022/08/16/two-years-later-czu-fire-recovery-continues-in-santa-cruz-mountains/">https://www.mercurynews.com/2022/08/16/two-years-later-czu-fire-recovery-continues-in-santa-cruz-mountains/</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Our first view of the forest as we park the car.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYaiUkcYBv6sO39nooNf4eT21dIaxHjjT7_JqiCW8n1gPr3wFhVFKQ6Tij22CSNIb-EO17DuW3N0y70C8ohYSohIBFdgly9ZI0wslkZPkULCyNanMX3yFn-fKe3VqO7SAW-YlKP0IEbc4Yo7ocmDJx8bjN61ahGd0xFnoBJHYzUqLQNCfKu44NXjfq-Q/s640/IMG_5361.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYaiUkcYBv6sO39nooNf4eT21dIaxHjjT7_JqiCW8n1gPr3wFhVFKQ6Tij22CSNIb-EO17DuW3N0y70C8ohYSohIBFdgly9ZI0wslkZPkULCyNanMX3yFn-fKe3VqO7SAW-YlKP0IEbc4Yo7ocmDJx8bjN61ahGd0xFnoBJHYzUqLQNCfKu44NXjfq-Q/w480-h640/IMG_5361.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbkY8tyWnCyQZKQ9LI6uB9p-KnUw1lS_j9Prf81Vo0_zqYkiAmcsoXUXDGwjBTDSvLSe7ypX6V-Nvc2LNOsUPysp2nFsAL3YK9GdO0ZNd7jnBlJdXngaUAWjyY7gkYWXOk3c1Y2W5u0US_p0bYTVSKUqVJ47qFkvpjbeJiKCmD_cv8MhZ4C4PhzTbrFw/s640/IMG_5363.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbkY8tyWnCyQZKQ9LI6uB9p-KnUw1lS_j9Prf81Vo0_zqYkiAmcsoXUXDGwjBTDSvLSe7ypX6V-Nvc2LNOsUPysp2nFsAL3YK9GdO0ZNd7jnBlJdXngaUAWjyY7gkYWXOk3c1Y2W5u0US_p0bYTVSKUqVJ47qFkvpjbeJiKCmD_cv8MhZ4C4PhzTbrFw/w480-h640/IMG_5363.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidTCXPOdsypGPgff8ejRbyL7yTAecNMsLmg9pSSjoNmAvxLL9n5RalJO0OX9qS1q7CmoclfqRX-EXRQjUgC-3LHe_nv0T3kYn9dWXCag7HhB4aya_B_ieq0b5uX46lA9Rg-7LlACOooMhY9LAaaXM9NTKqQbAw3vq1oDnfWlWdq2H1Noff5Gtb9a2MgA/s640/IMG_5362.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidTCXPOdsypGPgff8ejRbyL7yTAecNMsLmg9pSSjoNmAvxLL9n5RalJO0OX9qS1q7CmoclfqRX-EXRQjUgC-3LHe_nv0T3kYn9dWXCag7HhB4aya_B_ieq0b5uX46lA9Rg-7LlACOooMhY9LAaaXM9NTKqQbAw3vq1oDnfWlWdq2H1Noff5Gtb9a2MgA/w640-h480/IMG_5362.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">Neither of us are very tall so you can see how huge this fallen tree at the bottom.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiadzWkIr2TlV3dlBMy8tACcHFNBhqDAjS0YUGB2vQxj7TiT5XkixBQtCaINuA3VQ3IlSHFzjtOWjfIJbs1Naxt2VxrVqWYiVr8f514FJU6d_j_-4PjaadmCtZgNQCezewTc9aN7_DMZBxE4iGv5slk4QCVSVI3P2a4EYCp24KB_M9dxYcWeHsCsqafOw/s640/IMG_5366%20(1).jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiadzWkIr2TlV3dlBMy8tACcHFNBhqDAjS0YUGB2vQxj7TiT5XkixBQtCaINuA3VQ3IlSHFzjtOWjfIJbs1Naxt2VxrVqWYiVr8f514FJU6d_j_-4PjaadmCtZgNQCezewTc9aN7_DMZBxE4iGv5slk4QCVSVI3P2a4EYCp24KB_M9dxYcWeHsCsqafOw/s320/IMG_5366%20(1).jpeg" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs7wSRfO_ehSB4eslLpvQxh2YaxhLCGw77IK2dJw2N7bH258yIYNXUMwKDMS0_zbxrPOdxUVyXFHzubDl39DVI1jn5wQloKoGQMI1heYiHjyC_WC-Qzmwr9yKY8N_1lH42K02l4t-a8NKRtHY7H4b4k-26PeeYvfFEJTFvh7c1dkDJz01TgkUZVD0LaA/s640/IMG_5369.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs7wSRfO_ehSB4eslLpvQxh2YaxhLCGw77IK2dJw2N7bH258yIYNXUMwKDMS0_zbxrPOdxUVyXFHzubDl39DVI1jn5wQloKoGQMI1heYiHjyC_WC-Qzmwr9yKY8N_1lH42K02l4t-a8NKRtHY7H4b4k-26PeeYvfFEJTFvh7c1dkDJz01TgkUZVD0LaA/s320/IMG_5369.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBaWXydxJVlwAyR2vM0Gt9Xj1DpwHlUzMl3tviCyQKAEYBje95lci9ElcyEZsVF3YvZ11NgLc_BrQX3lQMIUQvBJFGOx3TyvKudDHJOz-CZjWJmvO6M1qSLLr6P555Y2LrKr2qx92eK6mgUtIUp1Q0pnqRs3kK9iQw5yQAHZRPwVlmdODcNhxARB9k1A/s640/F635E012-23F8-4C92-8665-CA3CB9B31D17.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="483" data-original-width="640" height="484" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBaWXydxJVlwAyR2vM0Gt9Xj1DpwHlUzMl3tviCyQKAEYBje95lci9ElcyEZsVF3YvZ11NgLc_BrQX3lQMIUQvBJFGOx3TyvKudDHJOz-CZjWJmvO6M1qSLLr6P555Y2LrKr2qx92eK6mgUtIUp1Q0pnqRs3kK9iQw5yQAHZRPwVlmdODcNhxARB9k1A/w640-h484/F635E012-23F8-4C92-8665-CA3CB9B31D17.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">Despite the burn scars on these giants, they are recovering, believe it or not. The ones that weren't killed by the flames or the heat are now putting forth new growth. Who knows how much they eventually recover.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwQ_qCYp8-QsvIe4Pv5GecKydbG8mU7VaR5upsd_vi0ndrMy0pn7QdjAquZObmUEH31GXUmsEBZ7z5wFq6Ao_sCPMU8_V7NBz4t82_S-sfYwm_9bORockAzMC7covfpPDQM6UO8E8i4MxjXZZJebAHG-0rAnSxhorW_yreZNaEBdyCG3muSXwDUlY2yg/s640/0A25BED6-8409-4CE2-A75A-9F3B69EB85E5.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="483" data-original-width="640" height="484" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwQ_qCYp8-QsvIe4Pv5GecKydbG8mU7VaR5upsd_vi0ndrMy0pn7QdjAquZObmUEH31GXUmsEBZ7z5wFq6Ao_sCPMU8_V7NBz4t82_S-sfYwm_9bORockAzMC7covfpPDQM6UO8E8i4MxjXZZJebAHG-0rAnSxhorW_yreZNaEBdyCG3muSXwDUlY2yg/w640-h484/0A25BED6-8409-4CE2-A75A-9F3B69EB85E5.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK1NNRXW7dMTVnw9Jm2C2kd0PCd8ovIYt4V0-sEhVo0jI1B1ID8nXcHjpQJx-AtuWTFMbDkyOWrklVz1MR9UX4HQaatWCbfKKMjyxmy_MGqM4tuXfP-eRWaZYCxC1uUnDPq8rCOosx1Yl7y15339k54SGFubhO1R4PrtVMephi_1sl6vK5U2vemhYAHA/s640/0E1F794D-EED1-4D7F-86EB-034FD36A8A56.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="483" data-original-width="640" height="485" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK1NNRXW7dMTVnw9Jm2C2kd0PCd8ovIYt4V0-sEhVo0jI1B1ID8nXcHjpQJx-AtuWTFMbDkyOWrklVz1MR9UX4HQaatWCbfKKMjyxmy_MGqM4tuXfP-eRWaZYCxC1uUnDPq8rCOosx1Yl7y15339k54SGFubhO1R4PrtVMephi_1sl6vK5U2vemhYAHA/w640-h485/0E1F794D-EED1-4D7F-86EB-034FD36A8A56.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">A gate the restricts access to one of the several trails in the park.</span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnSxwBCLmh205-Idq5OmE6HFyLERp_PgRdhVpdIUY3jpxvP5M9P7qr05qz_sAg7zFdkKa8qcA9CQb-jADw83EyKx5acIvsd-OjsSBId46PvnpahtNhcAH99AQVC5fjZ9_9CSfGm8LMCih2P6w38YQaSkuhno45JO6ei8OGoD2iRjUPCRKmD1Q-jsy_HA/s640/IMG_5360.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnSxwBCLmh205-Idq5OmE6HFyLERp_PgRdhVpdIUY3jpxvP5M9P7qr05qz_sAg7zFdkKa8qcA9CQb-jADw83EyKx5acIvsd-OjsSBId46PvnpahtNhcAH99AQVC5fjZ9_9CSfGm8LMCih2P6w38YQaSkuhno45JO6ei8OGoD2iRjUPCRKmD1Q-jsy_HA/w480-h640/IMG_5360.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">The forest was unusually quiet without the song birds, and this fellow moved silent across the charred tree trunk. I had to look it up to see what it for I've never seen a slug the size of my hand: a California Banana Slug, second largest slug in the world and this may be its only home.</span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFMz4phO8sDb0np-MYS_bnCVdV2P6tstAb023wiskD2YzjGGceajsYxRsCJcBwRZy0XLLrHqdryQnoQoC3j2YuvYUa_bPPUW3lPltdU1_0JMBnn35YP6CVInEFaAva_kKkAcFuIFf62UJZM5-F0q_0nPBZr-vfL5lNZsJQelDj1lmKoR3Gm1B9BhLEug/s640/IMG_5368.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFMz4phO8sDb0np-MYS_bnCVdV2P6tstAb023wiskD2YzjGGceajsYxRsCJcBwRZy0XLLrHqdryQnoQoC3j2YuvYUa_bPPUW3lPltdU1_0JMBnn35YP6CVInEFaAva_kKkAcFuIFf62UJZM5-F0q_0nPBZr-vfL5lNZsJQelDj1lmKoR3Gm1B9BhLEug/w480-h640/IMG_5368.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">Another sign that the forest is recovering. These young trees may be either suckers from the still living roots of the charred parent tree or perhaps seedlings. Heather told me that the Redwoods drop their seeds and in order to sprout they must have rain then be burned with the heat activating the seed. This seems so odd and unreal.</span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd9K2awq_gSLQG44vCtNzMS1pLAKR4-lfncWXTtiGAWkl_D7ZgkvWaaPb4eqPu8ThfsFXWM9O9lCukjSMiOmRsd0A72sxuSQv4mWDWnY0HF9lLP9Cxq5yhDP2Bn30TM1GAVgfDNorebkOlC_Mvg9V9CoJ7dryet1oIVnT7LRYJ_OYQJT9ulXJwKg_uJQ/s640/IMG_5373.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd9K2awq_gSLQG44vCtNzMS1pLAKR4-lfncWXTtiGAWkl_D7ZgkvWaaPb4eqPu8ThfsFXWM9O9lCukjSMiOmRsd0A72sxuSQv4mWDWnY0HF9lLP9Cxq5yhDP2Bn30TM1GAVgfDNorebkOlC_Mvg9V9CoJ7dryet1oIVnT7LRYJ_OYQJT9ulXJwKg_uJQ/w640-h480/IMG_5373.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfCdabiHgHySMB4q8a5Qdc3eMO-6699AJYVsSofn5XBVFhRmVwVx2wnOrjxH-vH3TaWWFfkVnlRlUhdRGPJzZZw1Gf2ps8e5xQt_EwWNMecp8RStL99pmXUTtl1WrA9HukwxLpeCYWq9qM1JHmMH5VG1QU8oP_fO0HNkATpQmr2DGmuFHGurAzLpIpKA/s640/IMG_5375.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfCdabiHgHySMB4q8a5Qdc3eMO-6699AJYVsSofn5XBVFhRmVwVx2wnOrjxH-vH3TaWWFfkVnlRlUhdRGPJzZZw1Gf2ps8e5xQt_EwWNMecp8RStL99pmXUTtl1WrA9HukwxLpeCYWq9qM1JHmMH5VG1QU8oP_fO0HNkATpQmr2DGmuFHGurAzLpIpKA/w480-h640/IMG_5375.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimaQ3yhWVfxzRe2owoycnUlsfXJ7xgDeby1cO5Af9OQnz_LP8jOcijhacOtJAthvL6eK-qUA57CkBb7osqlTRMkqi_wPYP5jeTVk7ySqcUrdrTTE36RgGdWyBATY3jWF7Y-ExCrZlSaM1WVItJoTdN9eJt_-ONpVNn2Bp5EtJGvkA62TNtO2eVGFl0vQ/s640/IMG_5378.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimaQ3yhWVfxzRe2owoycnUlsfXJ7xgDeby1cO5Af9OQnz_LP8jOcijhacOtJAthvL6eK-qUA57CkBb7osqlTRMkqi_wPYP5jeTVk7ySqcUrdrTTE36RgGdWyBATY3jWF7Y-ExCrZlSaM1WVItJoTdN9eJt_-ONpVNn2Bp5EtJGvkA62TNtO2eVGFl0vQ/w480-h640/IMG_5378.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1GCNFWfL30IEg6qP-gDsH9gJRkLSCikhBC95HYxr2yLehoY4rIEpayXM5-crnZ8_KEPADKR7su8IeuQnx_afPBjhc44BNNwpDnITh8sdmiKzHCH2HwJ3OEjTiWJ6jw6sUO9VPYBAF1YlTEv4dVFivtnUhqH1bX7blZ1cbSvdSo3HQeClChmuwl15z9g/s640/IMG_5383.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1GCNFWfL30IEg6qP-gDsH9gJRkLSCikhBC95HYxr2yLehoY4rIEpayXM5-crnZ8_KEPADKR7su8IeuQnx_afPBjhc44BNNwpDnITh8sdmiKzHCH2HwJ3OEjTiWJ6jw6sUO9VPYBAF1YlTEv4dVFivtnUhqH1bX7blZ1cbSvdSo3HQeClChmuwl15z9g/w480-h640/IMG_5383.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimXiF7EG9vdmatl9pnCHqergqD35H0IGvRBT_A_rLnLy7jXcLA2nhnEiW7MrzfbRAX6remYKf8WNk0brvxMOE4UhXFu5ht6eXaMZZEU2YKhv5F69EhMgSABM2VMDYLYnmwYQDkN9AZjvtKlYBzgz-TjORkRuMZXG4cTJjxs7WoyTcAk4kCFCPgh-FqCA/s640/IMG_5385.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimXiF7EG9vdmatl9pnCHqergqD35H0IGvRBT_A_rLnLy7jXcLA2nhnEiW7MrzfbRAX6remYKf8WNk0brvxMOE4UhXFu5ht6eXaMZZEU2YKhv5F69EhMgSABM2VMDYLYnmwYQDkN9AZjvtKlYBzgz-TjORkRuMZXG4cTJjxs7WoyTcAk4kCFCPgh-FqCA/w480-h640/IMG_5385.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj30qWBEKq1w-iQQrT5etSwo2ZM32MfsovFT1cCqp89tgdy-HWKsvFNCn-Y-IHUrvESo5MJXiag87vCTD9jsmmTl47rz1HwCT5eqbVn0qoARDkq3mJUy_gGaeqf5ldmyMAFl8XcQe5RcLiF4qFAlBI14ncJoJikynmZwhTv690xPUbxJ10htfpNkFDeAw/s640/IMG_5386.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj30qWBEKq1w-iQQrT5etSwo2ZM32MfsovFT1cCqp89tgdy-HWKsvFNCn-Y-IHUrvESo5MJXiag87vCTD9jsmmTl47rz1HwCT5eqbVn0qoARDkq3mJUy_gGaeqf5ldmyMAFl8XcQe5RcLiF4qFAlBI14ncJoJikynmZwhTv690xPUbxJ10htfpNkFDeAw/w480-h640/IMG_5386.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjkP4iCZlJm4sATZhRCj6bJLz6_q_UnjG6gxMkfzXuvS331K7il0SigNfASZEvXy9VC-ye1Ws7d6T1lQ7jvdKA8g5mkG1G62-jhshkNa3HADaG0Kvrx4LODxUeTvrABNIsQoOVKqYaTRwR62PH1X-qEWqXoYXjVsReGArfbh8nNqACevAKRpMI6aVuCA/s640/IMG_5389.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjkP4iCZlJm4sATZhRCj6bJLz6_q_UnjG6gxMkfzXuvS331K7il0SigNfASZEvXy9VC-ye1Ws7d6T1lQ7jvdKA8g5mkG1G62-jhshkNa3HADaG0Kvrx4LODxUeTvrABNIsQoOVKqYaTRwR62PH1X-qEWqXoYXjVsReGArfbh8nNqACevAKRpMI6aVuCA/w480-h640/IMG_5389.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-aiI2v-MwlMOARFn5c2ZsipDuUgYW6KOfEs3IfzokMHzW6J9cSjYvn0B7PEcm9xDnH3ZOQyIYQBZjszyGqTn4gyQOENpDkbq3g0F_qJ5Qa_g-CHg3HdLy9QMDwZ09Rtt0FQF0JwKXekHi8C_uAWjZ6CS-IZVj-OfzipvJmT0SJ4NfjhsqThvqKUESMg/s640/IMG_5390.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-aiI2v-MwlMOARFn5c2ZsipDuUgYW6KOfEs3IfzokMHzW6J9cSjYvn0B7PEcm9xDnH3ZOQyIYQBZjszyGqTn4gyQOENpDkbq3g0F_qJ5Qa_g-CHg3HdLy9QMDwZ09Rtt0FQF0JwKXekHi8C_uAWjZ6CS-IZVj-OfzipvJmT0SJ4NfjhsqThvqKUESMg/w480-h640/IMG_5390.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">What might look like a shelf on the side of this trunk is actually a burl, outgrowth from a tree and highly sought ofter for bowl making.</span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibVTOGqCLcCepJVSOh6NxXaNV9Dokq3sro0Lhp2jBX6EToaj0zRCoD8PO1wzI4dq88HDePeBW0UDh4nwOWkULzvtMF6jQORdad2TAC1C_0_k3P87ITkjTFc5OueUHDu18dzfGtkIOPuw7qDog_DUV8GykbISvialBKF4kbDFYWgrgchmnOytGix7QqMw/s640/IMG_5394.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibVTOGqCLcCepJVSOh6NxXaNV9Dokq3sro0Lhp2jBX6EToaj0zRCoD8PO1wzI4dq88HDePeBW0UDh4nwOWkULzvtMF6jQORdad2TAC1C_0_k3P87ITkjTFc5OueUHDu18dzfGtkIOPuw7qDog_DUV8GykbISvialBKF4kbDFYWgrgchmnOytGix7QqMw/w480-h640/IMG_5394.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">While all of the structures in the park were destroyed and have not yet been rebuilt, there are a few signs to help visitors know more about this beautiful forest.</span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQYqyIRVCn7l3jQl2cPWJEehUZdE-wlNaiasTDFVWnV5aTT7df-OIMRj5C_F3NaODIGJbktqwe0yOVKtXefpOnWklcz7T0IwPEnO_6VUvnexTiVT7IGbaJuZBzauiVZ0ObgV4dxHMar3LrG2Pe2-ktjYW5y74zHNc-WL9Td52x1G_RGXpMjhBlvSciTA/s640/IMG_5395.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQYqyIRVCn7l3jQl2cPWJEehUZdE-wlNaiasTDFVWnV5aTT7df-OIMRj5C_F3NaODIGJbktqwe0yOVKtXefpOnWklcz7T0IwPEnO_6VUvnexTiVT7IGbaJuZBzauiVZ0ObgV4dxHMar3LrG2Pe2-ktjYW5y74zHNc-WL9Td52x1G_RGXpMjhBlvSciTA/w640-h480/IMG_5395.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0dGkMJU0q-p3XgjrnAvHJejCxS1k5-dmNwv1AiUgKuj6z9YIRhdC9iZoK0tAOFAiH2KN_oJQNotkz7axCtPQ0BgIxRz9Po4ZgoLUqrPaLhnhKFCA0ZiGfutULbGV-XPoYen4pmUh95C2Zx-2Sy7aJ7apaGAXbHDDjyoMnYH0PR00l7dVbfgMUadFxUQ/s640/IMG_5405.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0dGkMJU0q-p3XgjrnAvHJejCxS1k5-dmNwv1AiUgKuj6z9YIRhdC9iZoK0tAOFAiH2KN_oJQNotkz7axCtPQ0BgIxRz9Po4ZgoLUqrPaLhnhKFCA0ZiGfutULbGV-XPoYen4pmUh95C2Zx-2Sy7aJ7apaGAXbHDDjyoMnYH0PR00l7dVbfgMUadFxUQ/w640-h480/IMG_5405.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgORhVaMScUzFDOKPlrDkJpS1qQPTQxUydhmG1B-QSOyY5UHfy_AkvyDFEIZZfjeK6TPS6IlBzg7NO8hduyzbGNZ0nXLfu0-QVhg_k0tVMUbrvWAlbzlygy4RB2iMfvB8se8kDkojx3yeyQpu1Xhn4biW4LeqN53Fk47n6g5HYff6TyQu8IaXtLkUH0lQ/s640/IMG_5406.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgORhVaMScUzFDOKPlrDkJpS1qQPTQxUydhmG1B-QSOyY5UHfy_AkvyDFEIZZfjeK6TPS6IlBzg7NO8hduyzbGNZ0nXLfu0-QVhg_k0tVMUbrvWAlbzlygy4RB2iMfvB8se8kDkojx3yeyQpu1Xhn4biW4LeqN53Fk47n6g5HYff6TyQu8IaXtLkUH0lQ/w640-h480/IMG_5406.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">Our hike ended and we headed back to town to tour the Winchester House in Downtown San Jose. You may have seen stories on TV about this strange house owned by the widow of the man who grained immense wealth from developing the repeating Winchester rifle. His wife built the house after his death, a house of continuous hammering and sawing creating continuous noise to drown out the voices of those killed by this rifle that she heard in her head, some speculate. So the tour shows stairs to nowhere and doors with nothing behind them. We saw 110 of the 160 rooms. I'll write about more the house next week.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">I'll leave you with my favorite purchase from the Miniature show. I want to build a replica of Betsy Ross' house in Philadelphia, but I needed to find my Betsy for inspiration, and here she is, an exquisitly handmade porcelain with hand sown clothing by a lovely doll artist in South Carolina. She is so beautiful and perfect. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSB-3qilcfD4Qpd9ScftE3ydh9Qqk2mNFJ3RGfg3PQbcbvltL_jOyy_ga7MNqK9OFOT-uiMtAeUA7JNmwcnpP-RiwgVBae04wxIoy_kdVFpll2O8V97eb4ufIC61ahA7AV2PJDMjb3v4fy_Q-B-_U0bxcgzImONv0ai0XR1GIy3GWLrVB0p_9GiWE1Fg/s800/betsy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSB-3qilcfD4Qpd9ScftE3ydh9Qqk2mNFJ3RGfg3PQbcbvltL_jOyy_ga7MNqK9OFOT-uiMtAeUA7JNmwcnpP-RiwgVBae04wxIoy_kdVFpll2O8V97eb4ufIC61ahA7AV2PJDMjb3v4fy_Q-B-_U0bxcgzImONv0ai0XR1GIy3GWLrVB0p_9GiWE1Fg/w480-h640/betsy.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">I'm so glad that that you stopped by. Thank you. Let me know what you think by leaving a comment.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><br /></div><br /><p><br /></p>annhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01668006270534204954noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6460244051990142578.post-28748498596273628732022-09-18T18:40:00.000-06:002022-09-18T18:40:45.878-06:00The Last Hollyhock<p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLpD2sV7tGUHApdH3NSvPv-TLDoIfI1VLIetxDrsqt5EVKNrqWuQ5Sv0Uss8zR4qkD-uqLG05tP2EiPPBl22Gc9C9bvfYr4-E54AYq6rN5mEudP5kFClJ8cHTZmtSRr7RukEPMu52lSaiDB-3RXyTJCqZrV6fUYbzsKkRb6enfzDokyALr41ti_LlzuA/s640/IMG_5042.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="161" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLpD2sV7tGUHApdH3NSvPv-TLDoIfI1VLIetxDrsqt5EVKNrqWuQ5Sv0Uss8zR4qkD-uqLG05tP2EiPPBl22Gc9C9bvfYr4-E54AYq6rN5mEudP5kFClJ8cHTZmtSRr7RukEPMu52lSaiDB-3RXyTJCqZrV6fUYbzsKkRb6enfzDokyALr41ti_LlzuA/w121-h161/IMG_5042.jpeg" width="121" /></a><span style="font-size: large;">(Note: if the font in Safari is too small: press option command + keys to zoom your Safari screen.) </span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">Here in Northern Colorado, we are all feeling the gradual change of seasons as Summer gracefully wanes to let Autumn take charge. We welcome this change here on the plains after a hot, droughty summer. While the temperatures are still high, a cool breeze meanders through the Garden Spot, making ready for Autumn's anticipated arrival. We can say good-bye to the 90+ temperatures that we won't miss until the dead of winter. We are like that, aren't we?</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">It's an appreciated change for gardeners, for by summer's end gardening becomes a tedious chore with the demanding watering schedule and the tedious task of weeding. We are ready to put the garden to bed; thus, with bucket and bowl in hand, I set out to simply pick a few ripened tomatoes, but came back to kitchen with a bountiful harvest that did put an end to the vegetable garden for this season.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">I began picking the abundant tomatoes. It was a rough year for them. With an unusually cold spring, the plants went in late. The Head Gardener planted both plants that he started from seed and commercial plants. We had Beef Steak, Better Boy, Romas that died, Sweet One Hundreds, Early Girl, Fourth of July, an heirloom variety Brandy Wine, Bush Steak, and Cherry tomatoes. It's an impressive list, but things didn't go well and from talking to others, tomatoes didn't do well this year. With the cold spring, the ground was still cold when the tomatoes finally were planted in June--at least that's what say--cold soil, cold feet.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">Still we had a plentiful harvest of tomatoes. I've come to accept that the garden does not have to meet <i>Better Homes and Gardens </i>standards for beauty, style, and design; it just has to produce. I can't claim that we are organic gardeners either; instead, we are simple gardeners and maybe even lazy ones. Still we are cognizant and cautious using weed control around the food plants, so the food has to compete with bind weed and Canada thistle. Nor do we use pesticides or fertilizer, except when the plants go in. No heroic measures here.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">When I gather from the garden, I like to use this large colander the I found at the thrift store. It's not the standard kitchen size, but it does fit nicely on the tomato cage. These are the Sweet One Hundreds that should be red, but are a bright orange and most certainly sweet as candy and abundant. I picked this vine clean and there will be more to come.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5wgLpgrhgszH1Hm-o7ycxah7ZgSiEqV5cMkU7gfxVTPnTEKAeSnysH2aibNtlHCJqQqDeZd9WNBMLCv44N060BFfUN3S_umG7VD1iikBiEvwgo-lCgntlVT0Xqguh2k8EMkpno9Lx2m4HRqH91z8s0u1AURHWtQUZxqfnJUvgBe8v_tGrZdxRbGqA6Q/s640/IMG_5056.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5wgLpgrhgszH1Hm-o7ycxah7ZgSiEqV5cMkU7gfxVTPnTEKAeSnysH2aibNtlHCJqQqDeZd9WNBMLCv44N060BFfUN3S_umG7VD1iikBiEvwgo-lCgntlVT0Xqguh2k8EMkpno9Lx2m4HRqH91z8s0u1AURHWtQUZxqfnJUvgBe8v_tGrZdxRbGqA6Q/w480-h640/IMG_5056.jpeg" width="480" /></span></a></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">The green bell peppers, jalapeños, and Anaheim peppers didn't fair well either. Water? Who knows. The HG planted a combination of sets he started and one he purchased. Generally we have a great pepper production. This was not one. Not to worry; I have a good store in the freezer from years past.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3h8J-a3qyZKo5S4Y9tVZgk-1Skdm7YDEGfWJ64iZxrwRGpD-sCmAo2OZPaNOLBJ2qCKTSjrdYUKGSw1CtZxvxq35NK_dxP_r_U7hLnCu-AuqxB6uIIGuuVSNlhUsMWmf5olg5kC3mraaoCMxRDRA28wKLjJB3U9rKtl6xW2Gds18y9IrozRwimBHeMg/s640/IMG_5038.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3h8J-a3qyZKo5S4Y9tVZgk-1Skdm7YDEGfWJ64iZxrwRGpD-sCmAo2OZPaNOLBJ2qCKTSjrdYUKGSw1CtZxvxq35NK_dxP_r_U7hLnCu-AuqxB6uIIGuuVSNlhUsMWmf5olg5kC3mraaoCMxRDRA28wKLjJB3U9rKtl6xW2Gds18y9IrozRwimBHeMg/w480-h640/IMG_5038.jpeg" width="480" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">The carrots surprised us, too. Slow to germinate, slow to grow, looking overprinted and crowded. The HG stressed all summer over these plants. So while was I picking tomato vines clean, I said, "Let's dig the carrots and see what we have." And there you have it, a nice carrot harvest. More water and they would have been bigger, but who's complaining? </span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDGqtnoJVURVVvbNgYiwr1l7WrabVMejy2_04dJ5-teIZTFyIR0V68Ogxi4iHvrqoqYcIt8I6AI325AwE0htmmkjEpTgfuF31IWh4tXShnb1pkYaq4Ex82HXeP-Eg1nq8XIqa5ljR4xZa1-SWQUrMVgonGs2QM0zRgIeYF4VpDzFTDLUomFKfDgz2UUQ/s640/IMG_5070.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDGqtnoJVURVVvbNgYiwr1l7WrabVMejy2_04dJ5-teIZTFyIR0V68Ogxi4iHvrqoqYcIt8I6AI325AwE0htmmkjEpTgfuF31IWh4tXShnb1pkYaq4Ex82HXeP-Eg1nq8XIqa5ljR4xZa1-SWQUrMVgonGs2QM0zRgIeYF4VpDzFTDLUomFKfDgz2UUQ/w640-h480/IMG_5070.jpeg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">Next, we tackled the potatoes. A decent harvest, but a disappointing one since the potatoes were so small. Plant them deeper and water more. One of the hens joined in on the potato digging, knowing that the fresh turned soil would have a good yield of bugs and worms for her.</span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGY7cyXEsk69LIdzscvXOnOAafDG3_n1T_q51GDhE7EtB-9JmH7B3AHrMKZZfRRVaVNvgXFqdsOOpSwHWyZftKSPOAPcTo6sDLU-INXazkLhAoQf_dYFBm0bfLsQoyKuYkcrZl-Wi6nAetUBShtK30pi2oWnwBAyq5EP5Gfy9iLCCTwUJLzGL29IJ9PQ/s640/IMG_5069%202.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGY7cyXEsk69LIdzscvXOnOAafDG3_n1T_q51GDhE7EtB-9JmH7B3AHrMKZZfRRVaVNvgXFqdsOOpSwHWyZftKSPOAPcTo6sDLU-INXazkLhAoQf_dYFBm0bfLsQoyKuYkcrZl-Wi6nAetUBShtK30pi2oWnwBAyq5EP5Gfy9iLCCTwUJLzGL29IJ9PQ/w480-h640/IMG_5069%202.jpeg" width="480" /></span></a></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">So here it is, a bountiful harvest.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBSM-C-KYH-qucGtFIjZFUAebm0pMMDzW9qZLQ_rZNKLozRm8V3FTrWPK84Gz5_0iaMgs1YbMd8xpo6GDInWXR8KifEqDB43i0lL8gV4sLKV9m2wkXsYzM5A85sXEA-jQBb6oRItP7T7Q7x-aCYgSnMbU1wfWjpyJ1LApqWHymu5K313zfy7viuDgo1w/s800/harcest.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBSM-C-KYH-qucGtFIjZFUAebm0pMMDzW9qZLQ_rZNKLozRm8V3FTrWPK84Gz5_0iaMgs1YbMd8xpo6GDInWXR8KifEqDB43i0lL8gV4sLKV9m2wkXsYzM5A85sXEA-jQBb6oRItP7T7Q7x-aCYgSnMbU1wfWjpyJ1LApqWHymu5K313zfy7viuDgo1w/w480-h640/harcest.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">The girls love to raid the garden, too. I wasn't going to be in the garden long, just long enough to pick a few tomatoes, but when I saw the harvest extending, I let them out.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFvBuK92Sz1lcs_FJb8ZytagQpyQkYV8AZlVBJQB8SMa5U2gaWNt31_VEBxAYKuHYWJZp1n5vTjuqxEhFxN-STQ_mYsqSK38w-mfRwx4oJBDZHAdR-64R1x8FMV3rB0PbBpzUWwXEZ1kH3gOVbH52WHm-MdD1Tjx-rzIJGScsdaJ7vexsoPwURuiG_SA/s640/IMG_5064.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFvBuK92Sz1lcs_FJb8ZytagQpyQkYV8AZlVBJQB8SMa5U2gaWNt31_VEBxAYKuHYWJZp1n5vTjuqxEhFxN-STQ_mYsqSK38w-mfRwx4oJBDZHAdR-64R1x8FMV3rB0PbBpzUWwXEZ1kH3gOVbH52WHm-MdD1Tjx-rzIJGScsdaJ7vexsoPwURuiG_SA/w480-h640/IMG_5064.jpeg" width="480" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkrKP-d48QWyO1FJnUOcopQscrnREcK-__BU05KKRR63UlCzpVeEnY3YaoW_iolSAdlg7xcWxB1ZT0TXKTHPSdSReJ9v0KAbsfAzCdt9U1uyMW7H5Ek1g8PA1rjpLQNaMgwvecajCvTkn8vGwF40j-OwiRaV2k74KPv4mw-0a05mpHMKMJPtVV7Jyffw/s640/IMG_5065%202.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkrKP-d48QWyO1FJnUOcopQscrnREcK-__BU05KKRR63UlCzpVeEnY3YaoW_iolSAdlg7xcWxB1ZT0TXKTHPSdSReJ9v0KAbsfAzCdt9U1uyMW7H5Ek1g8PA1rjpLQNaMgwvecajCvTkn8vGwF40j-OwiRaV2k74KPv4mw-0a05mpHMKMJPtVV7Jyffw/w480-h640/IMG_5065%202.jpeg" width="480" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: large;"><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>When I did a head count, I short one hen, Olive, the Olive Egger. She was busy doing her part to put food on our table. She's one of the new ones and is laying the prettiest green eggs, still small, but as she grows, so will her eggs.</span><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGkC72AMcD8DI6Ug1U7C8W9A9Ucq0V22JLezGtaByhhz2i4iqEIOI1MFuOa_ygHSz3lPvo9uuUqpKj2wcknnBVHq6Om0coQZbVgV6Rf79dLcUEOs_A8GiG1yNXSqSFnyWazSZ1HH1qLqobJDFwDV9XFe30ZfEtsv0idpPI0o9KZvkTXFzUZZ_WfQyabg/s640/IMG_5066.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGkC72AMcD8DI6Ug1U7C8W9A9Ucq0V22JLezGtaByhhz2i4iqEIOI1MFuOa_ygHSz3lPvo9uuUqpKj2wcknnBVHq6Om0coQZbVgV6Rf79dLcUEOs_A8GiG1yNXSqSFnyWazSZ1HH1qLqobJDFwDV9XFe30ZfEtsv0idpPI0o9KZvkTXFzUZZ_WfQyabg/w480-h640/IMG_5066.jpeg" width="480" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigy_rD5aVUn12qpeLlX34KFdBNeLApyhC0LoZT2lMDHcFk40-DowOWzq1ZM5PRVZ52laVhO1T8mgpize23ny1YEi0EFOoSfRbxXhHk3iwac75cU9UYpRwH8kmFrF8iJApdIX36HBh1FAgNJn_d62h5TMJ9ZV6KRUnFwc0GI49acKc3rfkZx-XldTsRUw/s800/tomatoes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigy_rD5aVUn12qpeLlX34KFdBNeLApyhC0LoZT2lMDHcFk40-DowOWzq1ZM5PRVZ52laVhO1T8mgpize23ny1YEi0EFOoSfRbxXhHk3iwac75cU9UYpRwH8kmFrF8iJApdIX36HBh1FAgNJn_d62h5TMJ9ZV6KRUnFwc0GI49acKc3rfkZx-XldTsRUw/w480-h640/tomatoes.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Today I had to process the harvest. I decided to create stew and soup packets: From the garden: onions, potatoes, carrots, a few sprigs of fresh parsley, and bit of fresh thyme.</span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbkaBYIrZEADoYsXeV0pc4RTroL9ZjdQYkr_55Kr1Kl2hU6kkDO2UFQd9reyP7MZ5orp7rtlvVirmYpEmN1K91W3x0rxpo1cjc6MaK9UpGHTf_fnH4abvVOZhgzVg4TMlc9eLiy-ic3SJZiR6oZk-DuZ6yV1RcbBuvwgMZKTM-D9qHBuHPVSUTYNsrQQ/s640/IMG_5089.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbkaBYIrZEADoYsXeV0pc4RTroL9ZjdQYkr_55Kr1Kl2hU6kkDO2UFQd9reyP7MZ5orp7rtlvVirmYpEmN1K91W3x0rxpo1cjc6MaK9UpGHTf_fnH4abvVOZhgzVg4TMlc9eLiy-ic3SJZiR6oZk-DuZ6yV1RcbBuvwgMZKTM-D9qHBuHPVSUTYNsrQQ/w480-h640/IMG_5089.jpeg" width="480" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I packaged them in vacuumed sealed bags.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg8OHRoqHrDw186OBc3NaWaPDSf84m7BuJZcj_EZipUtDoOFppA2aJaFKzYUtLaXEHpzfrFMPnK3yeLASIx-yDIfvYi8D7s-3ieXMFp9bMI-bL_Ypm_To-4c29pKT-enem7KKxGjYSA0LI3h1i5Z_KdgfgZIx39tBRc9WHP7ba51K0sXe73s6TWnmvDw/s640/IMG_5091.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg8OHRoqHrDw186OBc3NaWaPDSf84m7BuJZcj_EZipUtDoOFppA2aJaFKzYUtLaXEHpzfrFMPnK3yeLASIx-yDIfvYi8D7s-3ieXMFp9bMI-bL_Ypm_To-4c29pKT-enem7KKxGjYSA0LI3h1i5Z_KdgfgZIx39tBRc9WHP7ba51K0sXe73s6TWnmvDw/w480-h640/IMG_5091.jpeg" width="480" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Sliced a few. A few whole. Then I ran out of bags.</span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7HKZKK2ecgOvuy-xUveqNyX3_5Qw4QmSJHA4guniioACnI9ZiMDiIR2yGqUV6YyI-a_xOuV70E664gNeuy6pfl-QMy5Wb610XJ1hGKUkkyzJZkWkfhNJZ2gnRB3ExlkXIhz0FbDQqOSb_TIsx_HUpztH06peV74XtjMYdJTCcsdnNIeaIbIRs9WaFUA/s640/IMG_5090.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7HKZKK2ecgOvuy-xUveqNyX3_5Qw4QmSJHA4guniioACnI9ZiMDiIR2yGqUV6YyI-a_xOuV70E664gNeuy6pfl-QMy5Wb610XJ1hGKUkkyzJZkWkfhNJZ2gnRB3ExlkXIhz0FbDQqOSb_TIsx_HUpztH06peV74XtjMYdJTCcsdnNIeaIbIRs9WaFUA/w640-h480/IMG_5090.jpeg" width="640" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Paying Tribute to a Self Starter</b></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCZq_iXwSz8jfo6V_wD58EIWtZFm5T5T0F163tRqUJRQz-YarO3jVW1xrpifk86Com2wSuf7cDyr_SKh2g-jnuopbvZHyZ3R7lGRO6jkNXZapEcsdLfvrxZ3SO0Km-DQ8DHt6NBHwiuCavu01vBFfaKI_mqlAnFcmByPvFHUMOPTjUYpanhmbGkz0G-w/s640/IMG_5059.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCZq_iXwSz8jfo6V_wD58EIWtZFm5T5T0F163tRqUJRQz-YarO3jVW1xrpifk86Com2wSuf7cDyr_SKh2g-jnuopbvZHyZ3R7lGRO6jkNXZapEcsdLfvrxZ3SO0Km-DQ8DHt6NBHwiuCavu01vBFfaKI_mqlAnFcmByPvFHUMOPTjUYpanhmbGkz0G-w/w480-h640/IMG_5059.jpeg" width="480" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Some of the dahlias might bloom so very late because they went in late. </span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKhdikXpAvh7yHopTgCMzJHgBe_-DnOzKd5udazRR0IvZ2nAm5vk6XFLot66CC1hsPmj9YVMK-6h9Qr_cUm6VLmyduIetuUNyNEJz2FiB-Gn9_UwB8qtK3WXo8f56liEWlqRd70pwXgO33pQn49jC-coLbuXkw4dWT4ycfhB2qLB1S7g2QWyAC_YGprA/s640/IMG_5041.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKhdikXpAvh7yHopTgCMzJHgBe_-DnOzKd5udazRR0IvZ2nAm5vk6XFLot66CC1hsPmj9YVMK-6h9Qr_cUm6VLmyduIetuUNyNEJz2FiB-Gn9_UwB8qtK3WXo8f56liEWlqRd70pwXgO33pQn49jC-coLbuXkw4dWT4ycfhB2qLB1S7g2QWyAC_YGprA/w480-h640/IMG_5041.jpeg" width="480" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">And one lone hollyhock with a huge bumble bee so loaded with the last of the pollen that it could hardly fly. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqn3Pg3wLf7cfjDG7qU1-89qiMAqTt806tMtHV6fsh6X0CcSWIKA8e-pYsGYQF2paAyUk6AVKx5pzI6O8T_9euJPAJq6n7vTVwOxwaXk-a5fHo9sSPdoYTUiA34XzVcfBKBT49Pnd9ofiOYT3tGnfcXmZoSnTm4Tgz5Qv4NMw4DBAMhcQvgJoQsY5I9A/s800/The%20last%20Hollyhock.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqn3Pg3wLf7cfjDG7qU1-89qiMAqTt806tMtHV6fsh6X0CcSWIKA8e-pYsGYQF2paAyUk6AVKx5pzI6O8T_9euJPAJq6n7vTVwOxwaXk-a5fHo9sSPdoYTUiA34XzVcfBKBT49Pnd9ofiOYT3tGnfcXmZoSnTm4Tgz5Qv4NMw4DBAMhcQvgJoQsY5I9A/w480-h640/The%20last%20Hollyhock.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">There will be more work to do to put the Garden Spot to bed, so stay tuned.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">Have a fabulous week and thanks so much for joining me.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">I'll be joining <a href="https://tentoesinthewater.blogspot.com" target="_blank">Angie for Mosaic Monday</a>. Hope to see you there.</span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><p><br /></p></div>annhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01668006270534204954noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6460244051990142578.post-79852802446189979582022-09-04T18:55:00.002-06:002022-09-04T18:55:35.274-06:00A Rare Moment<p><span style="font-size: large;"><br />It's been a purposeful week in the garden, if not a wee bit destructive, and quite exciting and colorful, too. I started the week on with a rant of sorts, deciding that it was time thin out the garden that wraps around the back patio on the north around to the east side. I left the east side alone for the time being, but began by pulling out the overly abundant echinacea that had taken over the bed and didn't too so well this year. I left a few new seedlings that will do fine in the spring. The cosmos that that also self seed took up a lot space too, crowding themselves in between the black eyed Susans and the tiger lilies, taking up a lot room. It's project that I've wanted to tackle all summer, but these are the pollinators favorite diners, so I left them until most of the pollen was gone and then I went to work.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">But the flowers weren't the only offenders. Grass and Canadian thistle have self started, invading an otherwise peaceful garden and most unwelcome, which prompted the real reason why I decided to clean out the garden bed. Our trip to the test garden also inspired me to clean up the garden because I want some new plant material. So there. Quite a mess that I created.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxaoyMLUc1fathUFXuJXOeJM_VMGUJhM5cAhOV6A0sEYIcw_6cN_gY73pR-ATnqod94Dls8vN-rHx-p_cbSckUcHdvtKCBxHt5-bS2f7A4fCWctkEVe7Sk27L_k3QHxNoZ8EuJiemOA8hIfLFDobh7NlCpbvfhQQB4berZFGnf1_rcaCXNayCFTIWwMg/s800/garden.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="749" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxaoyMLUc1fathUFXuJXOeJM_VMGUJhM5cAhOV6A0sEYIcw_6cN_gY73pR-ATnqod94Dls8vN-rHx-p_cbSckUcHdvtKCBxHt5-bS2f7A4fCWctkEVe7Sk27L_k3QHxNoZ8EuJiemOA8hIfLFDobh7NlCpbvfhQQB4berZFGnf1_rcaCXNayCFTIWwMg/w562-h749/garden.jpg" width="562" /></a></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">As I moved around to the other side of the patio, cleaning up weeds and more unwanted grass, I spied a monarch on the <i>buddilea</i> and all work stopped. I hurried in to get my camera and by the time I was done photographing the beautiful creature, I had captured 60 images of this gorgeous and absolutely perfect monarch. Then I started in with my phone camera to get some even closer photos and some which the butterfly tolerated. Pure luck that I spied this garden visitor.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">It was indeed a rare moment to see such a perfectly beautiful butterfly that had probably newly emerged from its pupa I had a hard time getting a photo of its wings opened because I stayed on the front side of it. Occasionally it would pump its wings, but my shutter finger wasn't fast enough, but I was able to capture the sunlight filtering through the wing.</span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /><br /></span><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7DZAWKn5OeUjsdW1DIBBNPxJZdUcUcglbRZwiLv1i9DUqub8N4f27-SMkHi8LvQ2mAL6C309npwFoseDA9rFSook4E2YMEoTFzNt4r_-LIZxduyYsU0eqytCJtPhAs-GKL4gJE6UavvAAOqirtqv2_CEh65vOnTdDBlYtwPpEUcIbZ8Iup6TPHfnZoA/s1280/1%20(2).jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1149" data-original-width="1280" height="574" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7DZAWKn5OeUjsdW1DIBBNPxJZdUcUcglbRZwiLv1i9DUqub8N4f27-SMkHi8LvQ2mAL6C309npwFoseDA9rFSook4E2YMEoTFzNt4r_-LIZxduyYsU0eqytCJtPhAs-GKL4gJE6UavvAAOqirtqv2_CEh65vOnTdDBlYtwPpEUcIbZ8Iup6TPHfnZoA/w640-h574/1%20(2).jpeg" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpCDNqlQYr9Cd4qGzTsXyN5hv8pl9cyU-On3UhDunkT0XkiVFa6et-RLrl3OaeBR36CrKKYGyjbz99C3x8vYryj0zhR1lkqAXs-Qn4SxdtzKVl2nwqK_8kEtPuavs4LuwOnK-UwhLQK5T3nRSiZdTZSKUgRan3VFne9iey7ZuDB9XzmwDvdwcemQf-Rg/s4032/IMG_4839.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpCDNqlQYr9Cd4qGzTsXyN5hv8pl9cyU-On3UhDunkT0XkiVFa6et-RLrl3OaeBR36CrKKYGyjbz99C3x8vYryj0zhR1lkqAXs-Qn4SxdtzKVl2nwqK_8kEtPuavs4LuwOnK-UwhLQK5T3nRSiZdTZSKUgRan3VFne9iey7ZuDB9XzmwDvdwcemQf-Rg/w480-h640/IMG_4839.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is an iPhone photo--pretty amazing.</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></div><div style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQfxDYAv-kzEgc7vOAzQNkrBJ8LyteqDOPEzGOW070o0vNvWwA0W5ZzPFbzyG2AJwoACgOkSnUWex5efjJULERVvFKvHajfSp48lLyLF-1ZWVfTh5NWFkghWU6LGIvkA1pqwB97tQHFW-2N6iQpLTifembLTu2F1_idB7s8qvaoWXaO1zeE9L5P9GEPw/s1280/1%20(3).jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="854" data-original-width="1280" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQfxDYAv-kzEgc7vOAzQNkrBJ8LyteqDOPEzGOW070o0vNvWwA0W5ZzPFbzyG2AJwoACgOkSnUWex5efjJULERVvFKvHajfSp48lLyLF-1ZWVfTh5NWFkghWU6LGIvkA1pqwB97tQHFW-2N6iQpLTifembLTu2F1_idB7s8qvaoWXaO1zeE9L5P9GEPw/w640-h428/1%20(3).jpeg" width="640" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP3wdMm3-ynhfNaWOpJbmzeKCVswZFK2e3dbKhSGMv1fNuIPHRYRJwh5EMQojRpMFH2YgesbTGy4gjrTE5xN8sPxRypW0zaiLRCNzQ6a6uRzvb_YYWy3milV_ygKP_HjpI2oiN8_HHjOfL_7Jju0Hi1OkySaYOphc64XtNgKcwygDpOC6vfpuU2ApwZQ/s1280/1%20(4).jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="854" data-original-width="1280" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP3wdMm3-ynhfNaWOpJbmzeKCVswZFK2e3dbKhSGMv1fNuIPHRYRJwh5EMQojRpMFH2YgesbTGy4gjrTE5xN8sPxRypW0zaiLRCNzQ6a6uRzvb_YYWy3milV_ygKP_HjpI2oiN8_HHjOfL_7Jju0Hi1OkySaYOphc64XtNgKcwygDpOC6vfpuU2ApwZQ/w640-h428/1%20(4).jpeg" width="640" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjULU4suQdpcLclV1wgSO2LMOD9y6e080kRBvapPOwT09EBHtnDpgBlQmMsJBT-1vr__UrRqMp7B-jy8qmlzPqJQPOhe1DRJVlcslkonE9B76G2ePBvecOiqQ-pYQRu4ENB53cr_nJnAbkOycJ50mydHqJIm5mv3rRIOGRdOfs9KspkgqGo1IPZiDdNJA/s1280/1%20(5).jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1066" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjULU4suQdpcLclV1wgSO2LMOD9y6e080kRBvapPOwT09EBHtnDpgBlQmMsJBT-1vr__UrRqMp7B-jy8qmlzPqJQPOhe1DRJVlcslkonE9B76G2ePBvecOiqQ-pYQRu4ENB53cr_nJnAbkOycJ50mydHqJIm5mv3rRIOGRdOfs9KspkgqGo1IPZiDdNJA/w534-h640/1%20(5).jpeg" width="534" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibF7fh27vafbzdTvoc_w9rEyNsYgdAZRC9vj2cZ3WgS__BwVVvJINLE508kOZFPJEGaYbsiBQwawRMn4O7thikyrL73dPMknASKmF1Bb_NeE782CnoYIaaYWZzK7Uy3pDZGqYIO5Q6lHuweeTZnQtqJvIdxz479EBJv9wrTy4Q29zI0WWMByGjM558Pw/s1280/1%20(6).jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="854" data-original-width="1280" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibF7fh27vafbzdTvoc_w9rEyNsYgdAZRC9vj2cZ3WgS__BwVVvJINLE508kOZFPJEGaYbsiBQwawRMn4O7thikyrL73dPMknASKmF1Bb_NeE782CnoYIaaYWZzK7Uy3pDZGqYIO5Q6lHuweeTZnQtqJvIdxz479EBJv9wrTy4Q29zI0WWMByGjM558Pw/w640-h428/1%20(6).jpeg" width="640" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLM9AaEVQzoOWQ1C1VQuesR2jweRYo0slKt7JJkD7zVFPpR8QY3LkahA5SdiOmCYLBWwBxaD5WuXckBKLBUT1yDmHo2_pB-J4zD-gBNyj0ucXD82Cp1gp4q7RI-gwRX0ptNOSsKQuK9AMhi2v0y3V5RWvcssfiuGdWjJQErhqnVoPHPmIyiilpecJ2rQ/s1280/1%20(7).jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="869" data-original-width="1280" height="434" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLM9AaEVQzoOWQ1C1VQuesR2jweRYo0slKt7JJkD7zVFPpR8QY3LkahA5SdiOmCYLBWwBxaD5WuXckBKLBUT1yDmHo2_pB-J4zD-gBNyj0ucXD82Cp1gp4q7RI-gwRX0ptNOSsKQuK9AMhi2v0y3V5RWvcssfiuGdWjJQErhqnVoPHPmIyiilpecJ2rQ/w640-h434/1%20(7).jpeg" width="640" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">One of God's most perfect creatures.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">We also have late summer humming birds that come to our feeder. I assume that they, too, are on their trip back south of the border in Mexico or Central America. I mix my own nectar: 1:1 water and sugar that I heat in the microwave until the sugar dissolves then store it in the refrigerator, only putting a small amount in the feed so that it doesn't go bad. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVkq7lywOeRfaWTprpqrbj2TQD2spU3pFelicoVvNnCgnK2gVt3yCX9ybTwdQFhVKgrs9XPBAb6lohmGiUGHZfwIIcRQ7eJxTKb1l-_NkB_0ybDFQ-ELrSLwwSwlcJ0XEQNyK8thix4tVp3l8XsIrHB7JEtW-p1yJUhga06yCZo5AoKeTsetd6Hs9XIw/s1280/1.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1223" data-original-width="1280" height="612" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVkq7lywOeRfaWTprpqrbj2TQD2spU3pFelicoVvNnCgnK2gVt3yCX9ybTwdQFhVKgrs9XPBAb6lohmGiUGHZfwIIcRQ7eJxTKb1l-_NkB_0ybDFQ-ELrSLwwSwlcJ0XEQNyK8thix4tVp3l8XsIrHB7JEtW-p1yJUhga06yCZo5AoKeTsetd6Hs9XIw/w640-h612/1.jpeg" width="640" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie7VDmJlMnf5gsPe1g_bOY6b5W-IWB-Bb0SAtiIFI1TSRLtFmXOVQdtd0UPHHTvVLoF0AVvPFybcpb1fSvtRdfIMlwBuERj8JnZY4mfFkyqaopJF--b_MdskHvCVeYzAf2EvqyMx01foZj4JAwu9pUZDXIkS4d_v0Lxh9GMpo3nOZsCH22MkfgqLTotA/s1280/1%20(10).jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="854" data-original-width="1280" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie7VDmJlMnf5gsPe1g_bOY6b5W-IWB-Bb0SAtiIFI1TSRLtFmXOVQdtd0UPHHTvVLoF0AVvPFybcpb1fSvtRdfIMlwBuERj8JnZY4mfFkyqaopJF--b_MdskHvCVeYzAf2EvqyMx01foZj4JAwu9pUZDXIkS4d_v0Lxh9GMpo3nOZsCH22MkfgqLTotA/w640-h428/1%20(10).jpeg" width="640" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Nor can I resist taking photos of the bees. They really are clumsy little aviators, especially compared to the gracefully fast humming birds.</span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPFgTuzlNu6p4LQlahT2Q5-BwmBQE4-WDMNjXt99ficSlmI8pJydbLwm3Y-j835e8VaESbs1Be8cEVwvdn5C1lZ5ZgYxRPgDqBzXqctmyWKovCiVdoRx9oddKYgZeQ961emnbXL3FuGfn7XxzAWQJWQqKV5PiEHyzivJlyTd3d1nS-4nKXGswLArcwVQ/s1280/1%20(11).jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="854" data-original-width="1280" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPFgTuzlNu6p4LQlahT2Q5-BwmBQE4-WDMNjXt99ficSlmI8pJydbLwm3Y-j835e8VaESbs1Be8cEVwvdn5C1lZ5ZgYxRPgDqBzXqctmyWKovCiVdoRx9oddKYgZeQ961emnbXL3FuGfn7XxzAWQJWQqKV5PiEHyzivJlyTd3d1nS-4nKXGswLArcwVQ/w640-h428/1%20(11).jpeg" width="640" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-ydyle9G8cRy0KRJZPq_I0LfqpYIoDEPRGVS9vjWsq70axwDIyspEIBmJxjxgFMVwRi0BJQKdYcONs-4bINrEYBt58Y6Dzm3cXdF71wHj210bdwSmGLBtKAydIXHJ0lPsp_FGukORIZ9XIVPZiGyK_WjvdX_XEBfEELnCTqiVJ1xSe7mBZqc5LPADVA/s1280/1%20(12).jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="854" data-original-width="1280" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-ydyle9G8cRy0KRJZPq_I0LfqpYIoDEPRGVS9vjWsq70axwDIyspEIBmJxjxgFMVwRi0BJQKdYcONs-4bINrEYBt58Y6Dzm3cXdF71wHj210bdwSmGLBtKAydIXHJ0lPsp_FGukORIZ9XIVPZiGyK_WjvdX_XEBfEELnCTqiVJ1xSe7mBZqc5LPADVA/w640-h428/1%20(12).jpeg" width="640" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8xopw467ZlixUa41gzBrdE5mu6usnQkuB1SkXlLOrd42bWkK2ybhH_h4Q0GTHAcWtmYP6ehgjtp5pHF85R19SVJSm9uFwdMcFAQUEtK6SwUl18DEBRQ1Xl0T0yR2m6pWWtC4SWNPauGM0X-_s_HJBGc0m0JUhbsD36vLCcq4UgUIIxQQgxpRfUf54DA/s800/critters.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8xopw467ZlixUa41gzBrdE5mu6usnQkuB1SkXlLOrd42bWkK2ybhH_h4Q0GTHAcWtmYP6ehgjtp5pHF85R19SVJSm9uFwdMcFAQUEtK6SwUl18DEBRQ1Xl0T0yR2m6pWWtC4SWNPauGM0X-_s_HJBGc0m0JUhbsD36vLCcq4UgUIIxQQgxpRfUf54DA/w480-h640/critters.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: large;"><div style="text-align: left;">The Head Gardener took Nathan Elk hunting for the weekend. They are home now; no luck. I always enjoy my stint on chore duty, but I took these photos before he left--while he was reminding how to feed Callie the barn cat, the horse, and hens.</div></span></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVnv842W0pNa5FLUkCziAayen3d5N_S2urTBDRhVdo3vSb_aS7CarkUZduBfJ4I_Li_QHQ0lbtHyEYGpJbj-5-pgWwUYrcfYTlkmRd_WPyVTT46W-KcF62URRE4MrXLlHuadjU1rUyhgpqIjbdbURD7RA5SIBnKpdgRiikjQsKz9Li1Sfzi_J6-l6ocw/s640/IMG_4868.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVnv842W0pNa5FLUkCziAayen3d5N_S2urTBDRhVdo3vSb_aS7CarkUZduBfJ4I_Li_QHQ0lbtHyEYGpJbj-5-pgWwUYrcfYTlkmRd_WPyVTT46W-KcF62URRE4MrXLlHuadjU1rUyhgpqIjbdbURD7RA5SIBnKpdgRiikjQsKz9Li1Sfzi_J6-l6ocw/w480-h640/IMG_4868.jpeg" width="480" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">We dug a few potatoes and by the looks of the eggs, the young hens have started to lay--pretty pale green from the Oliver Egger and pale brown from the lavender orpington along with lots of tomatoes.</span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrARLAVjqSKzO07wrSjzfuuOuhk0_kTYiii61E8nMjijU-oSpgchGkAlfyC3XLpvQVzU-lmtuRJQgvGotXBxekZoyDGv1KzHQSYTv3Zp2U9X91nn-aQlJPQd-2PO7002K-VhDte6kTDApSZHaKDy4k58tuYgHhvdoKGwMgn9Rk7s_XTQT2BhEl1xCsdA/s640/IMG_4865.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrARLAVjqSKzO07wrSjzfuuOuhk0_kTYiii61E8nMjijU-oSpgchGkAlfyC3XLpvQVzU-lmtuRJQgvGotXBxekZoyDGv1KzHQSYTv3Zp2U9X91nn-aQlJPQd-2PO7002K-VhDte6kTDApSZHaKDy4k58tuYgHhvdoKGwMgn9Rk7s_XTQT2BhEl1xCsdA/w480-h640/IMG_4865.jpeg" width="480" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: large;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>And another garden creature, a fat toad who didn't want his photo taken.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7bwCscJqrvs3rqfMHHbtp9trGtMLeJfDK3QMSOxeIy5lf9dujABKAv5ysxwgSa2B1wC9AnTlxHOI158nrBphinQ5rWqbRfPX9EeFuL9-aXRuw0rzMyUxLa1FcfAFCrBd5E13rgfh1oALFvcIKY9VaJ1BIDWl0OtEKAndeo1X6x1OYVmVjHsO1fVs3kA/s640/IMG_4863.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7bwCscJqrvs3rqfMHHbtp9trGtMLeJfDK3QMSOxeIy5lf9dujABKAv5ysxwgSa2B1wC9AnTlxHOI158nrBphinQ5rWqbRfPX9EeFuL9-aXRuw0rzMyUxLa1FcfAFCrBd5E13rgfh1oALFvcIKY9VaJ1BIDWl0OtEKAndeo1X6x1OYVmVjHsO1fVs3kA/w480-h640/IMG_4863.jpeg" width="480" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">Last spring we purchased both red kale and red cabbages. This is not a red cabbage; instead, we have several heads of kale. Do we eat this?</span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm0EzMS40uddkTID51EhqOxl_ClgZratAP0l3bhU-TELiM3bJBalGnZ_4iyd5TWe6uKrR2F9jrJZo0CT9zDMUl4QpRB9SStxNrskTxKChfwyFr0VFnAbDkbZKsNCflfXUtZT5d68G71tuMJRzTqyvqPLf46kElti3S2VIXP-x58HD6GWB0dRatYqJhGQ/s640/IMG_4861.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm0EzMS40uddkTID51EhqOxl_ClgZratAP0l3bhU-TELiM3bJBalGnZ_4iyd5TWe6uKrR2F9jrJZo0CT9zDMUl4QpRB9SStxNrskTxKChfwyFr0VFnAbDkbZKsNCflfXUtZT5d68G71tuMJRzTqyvqPLf46kElti3S2VIXP-x58HD6GWB0dRatYqJhGQ/w480-h640/IMG_4861.jpeg" width="480" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">While I'm not crazy about spiders, I do admire their spinning work and that they are pest predators, so I allow this fellow to maintain a web on the patio. I just have to be careful not to run into it because he moves it around. </span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXxeIHgLlGNdj1W-J2c_G1lwV_QMfuH22f8pBlZ6nngXYHLnkMpW2t6WOaKuxvq9l-rbgZnOpq5fAGP3twt8cBSEsPKd_bcUJKaBP6hv477JVsubaw3ny_40w_ScY4lZSjLVdyEidQnNfWjNPRDGT1P6uBkF9nYgtl6G5Y53O9NMlfZQR6603d9xZCYw/s640/IMG_4858.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXxeIHgLlGNdj1W-J2c_G1lwV_QMfuH22f8pBlZ6nngXYHLnkMpW2t6WOaKuxvq9l-rbgZnOpq5fAGP3twt8cBSEsPKd_bcUJKaBP6hv477JVsubaw3ny_40w_ScY4lZSjLVdyEidQnNfWjNPRDGT1P6uBkF9nYgtl6G5Y53O9NMlfZQR6603d9xZCYw/w480-h640/IMG_4858.jpeg" width="480" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe5slQRibbB6EEDAbHRXaDmgP65pokxPmFB94iVAhiwJ-a0fe5D4F_hxqaHzJvd5fEKNLMMoXDAGtXoEl8tILv_KeBCQAQH8QAaFcK3tSQe_mupE50R0yM9DFi8vhC1mfnY7Al4PSi7Ijydh8ojlfQjPOhOsjsD7Bo5BajxrfAZ4EiiFye-5tMQi3igQ/s640/IMG_4853.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe5slQRibbB6EEDAbHRXaDmgP65pokxPmFB94iVAhiwJ-a0fe5D4F_hxqaHzJvd5fEKNLMMoXDAGtXoEl8tILv_KeBCQAQH8QAaFcK3tSQe_mupE50R0yM9DFi8vhC1mfnY7Al4PSi7Ijydh8ojlfQjPOhOsjsD7Bo5BajxrfAZ4EiiFye-5tMQi3igQ/w480-h640/IMG_4853.jpeg" width="480" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-size: large;">And finally some artwork. I'm wanting some original art for the dollhouse, so I played round with <i>Waterlogue</i> app on my phone. I can't draw a straight line with a ruler, let alone use watercolors to get beautiful art, but I can poke at my phone screen and get decent results.</span><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8X4we5zk717iglnMY171GpUNP6xbMN_LGF2NOUEJlzpYYV9j0BYVhWj9pMwQNpq7EAKz0FFaBiDEWyTxDlThKsn1nSq8JVBSeA1SYgvc-3cVRbsqf_wdP8ZeSdWNRuRaX2Ih3vGLY3RywzWF5M7nuCWAD8WSWGzjIrAZpFamJvjEnqZG2ALEgu8qofA/s640/IMG_4925%203.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8X4we5zk717iglnMY171GpUNP6xbMN_LGF2NOUEJlzpYYV9j0BYVhWj9pMwQNpq7EAKz0FFaBiDEWyTxDlThKsn1nSq8JVBSeA1SYgvc-3cVRbsqf_wdP8ZeSdWNRuRaX2Ih3vGLY3RywzWF5M7nuCWAD8WSWGzjIrAZpFamJvjEnqZG2ALEgu8qofA/w480-h640/IMG_4925%203.jpeg" width="480" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO7zt5o-aptoju9aPq_UMVXcfVi32wUetdn_5bu0dmenlQ89iz_13CfItHSHj_kbafSgkkJy-wDJw6dFoMbhsDoUFrLFuWdDX182NWlp_utngdrHsUwKHjuOk0CKd0T-loh2NX5Mw_pP24yx-i17OYvgxU0eeE1MRPjRWyC69mYOWBFWrsnoWjD3f6ZQ/s640/IMG_4926%203.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO7zt5o-aptoju9aPq_UMVXcfVi32wUetdn_5bu0dmenlQ89iz_13CfItHSHj_kbafSgkkJy-wDJw6dFoMbhsDoUFrLFuWdDX182NWlp_utngdrHsUwKHjuOk0CKd0T-loh2NX5Mw_pP24yx-i17OYvgxU0eeE1MRPjRWyC69mYOWBFWrsnoWjD3f6ZQ/w480-h640/IMG_4926%203.jpeg" width="480" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Before I leave, I have one more set of photos to share with you. As I walked back from the mailbox, I saw yet another monarch, this one laying her eggs a non blooming milkweed. The Head Garden had mowed it down at the beginning of the summer, but once we read about the blight of the butterfly, we will leave this stand of milkweed for it is the only plant that serves as nursery for the monarch on the property. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></span><span style="font-size: large;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmxIMLM_0gvvrX-zt7h0OUPso77yuWSA38PUYjV_0qGs018_mVE-noWsXo-SaITxC6R21v2W25b8Xlg3mrqd4WySKoQXeRUnacaDQSKiqG_Xr87lzMay3HK_ZJQVifdWfVvyBgqm2B96tPazRGysq-LF0fdlT1_fMtVq16U7otXkY-kr9o6zlM-ECPaA/s640/IMG_3549.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmxIMLM_0gvvrX-zt7h0OUPso77yuWSA38PUYjV_0qGs018_mVE-noWsXo-SaITxC6R21v2W25b8Xlg3mrqd4WySKoQXeRUnacaDQSKiqG_Xr87lzMay3HK_ZJQVifdWfVvyBgqm2B96tPazRGysq-LF0fdlT1_fMtVq16U7otXkY-kr9o6zlM-ECPaA/s320/IMG_3549.jpeg" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg798HWn2fmwHDN7IuXGCYsrwCqfXJzTd7TVvWJbWX06D5Dsfb7Y7OsE7icxqGlGK3yr-5Qtd_19HrjOVeucfaQsJBjcX0oh0DtvC_rv4gWqDmFJ9zTF9tLabTkuCcvHQ_3o61zSvRvLKW4KPibZ6-skWOJTIH_xdL1IObBn3lGFaELbh1Iy2yVGK0c8Q/s640/IMG_3542.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg798HWn2fmwHDN7IuXGCYsrwCqfXJzTd7TVvWJbWX06D5Dsfb7Y7OsE7icxqGlGK3yr-5Qtd_19HrjOVeucfaQsJBjcX0oh0DtvC_rv4gWqDmFJ9zTF9tLabTkuCcvHQ_3o61zSvRvLKW4KPibZ6-skWOJTIH_xdL1IObBn3lGFaELbh1Iy2yVGK0c8Q/s320/IMG_3542.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">You can see her tiny eggs on the underneath of the leaf. I should have pulled this leaf off and nurtured the eggs so that other bugs don't eat them. I'll give you an update next week. It will take two weeks for the caterpillars to hatch then they will eat, eat, eat and soon spin their pupa. Total it takes 30 days for the new butterfly to emerge. Jen did take a couple of leaves Friday to raise, so we will see if she has luck. Here's a couple of Youtube links on the monarch's life cycle and how to raise monarchs.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sJU8-FpGI78" target="_blank">Raising Monarchs:Part 3 Caring for Caterpillars </a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XC_O2MN4iOk" target="_blank">Hatch and Raise A Monarch</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Let me tell you, this is VERY exciting to find eggs, but even more so to watch the lady do her work.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0rZefuq9ygF6CFIPLnOxedLTJ41Tfg_OxW35qt41cWj2omIM8BIiu-kQym-GaXUcdm341IO6EYD6hleZdHdwEXAIk7EP0AoC-EpdqQxjb_kGEqqqgNEiPFccFyK3Z3G2SxCbfAkvHVoL-vZ_iDUkePt9eFr7weyQLV7Wo3xigq5Jk9h0eD6ZFwkaMnA/s640/IMG_3550.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0rZefuq9ygF6CFIPLnOxedLTJ41Tfg_OxW35qt41cWj2omIM8BIiu-kQym-GaXUcdm341IO6EYD6hleZdHdwEXAIk7EP0AoC-EpdqQxjb_kGEqqqgNEiPFccFyK3Z3G2SxCbfAkvHVoL-vZ_iDUkePt9eFr7weyQLV7Wo3xigq5Jk9h0eD6ZFwkaMnA/w480-h640/IMG_3550.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMaPaIf1lrd026O64HYuSXVsp9ChMH6HUpUL9dLysezB33hjoEk4T0Qu68A5_ghNhCuiShfLzB4eBJOE_uG4gyuZEu9XASpIP1D-j5xs0LtIvDSFHRFMS9l4_fd9YG_eoWo087B_s4zPhe5fPv8OWTHR94L4XSoUcxFaMXKq0zAhDur6TKHIT-TBMw8w/s640/IMG_3545.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMaPaIf1lrd026O64HYuSXVsp9ChMH6HUpUL9dLysezB33hjoEk4T0Qu68A5_ghNhCuiShfLzB4eBJOE_uG4gyuZEu9XASpIP1D-j5xs0LtIvDSFHRFMS9l4_fd9YG_eoWo087B_s4zPhe5fPv8OWTHR94L4XSoUcxFaMXKq0zAhDur6TKHIT-TBMw8w/w480-h640/IMG_3545.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvp_OwTm4lBQbWbS8-AuOlpnFK0bjY-PIBxJ9Wv-CezmrgpetXyZ3cfHGfhs2h6btmP8AY9o7dBQ3CbSDavv6Jmckgph-gT-7YX6_GK5ZoxAhpffBIlcC5B3uYsP4coESMKEVcx1MDLBNhUj6dT-ZK2T8Mj9xlsCF1bRb7-kOJcJzoxA6curdMXI3bWQ/s640/IMG_3544.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvp_OwTm4lBQbWbS8-AuOlpnFK0bjY-PIBxJ9Wv-CezmrgpetXyZ3cfHGfhs2h6btmP8AY9o7dBQ3CbSDavv6Jmckgph-gT-7YX6_GK5ZoxAhpffBIlcC5B3uYsP4coESMKEVcx1MDLBNhUj6dT-ZK2T8Mj9xlsCF1bRb7-kOJcJzoxA6curdMXI3bWQ/w480-h640/IMG_3544.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlOB5Z2ym5t05_hGfIU6cu5npJo54R5vp80xVJT1J8zyxXEqq0EAolF2xVZjnW1GUvqcQkKiETTG_MkomL6bYqnTwRl1c2OJsJzs-slXY2sjTkvGq0cyNs20bYPfQY30RtToldZO5Qdw5w65eD8yQRmvQipa9Dw3fFYgTyM3en9HFNQeOghh8XKliAGA/s640/IMG_3548.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlOB5Z2ym5t05_hGfIU6cu5npJo54R5vp80xVJT1J8zyxXEqq0EAolF2xVZjnW1GUvqcQkKiETTG_MkomL6bYqnTwRl1c2OJsJzs-slXY2sjTkvGq0cyNs20bYPfQY30RtToldZO5Qdw5w65eD8yQRmvQipa9Dw3fFYgTyM3en9HFNQeOghh8XKliAGA/w480-h640/IMG_3548.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2lirQR1kch1Xmkygm8WfqRywZ7AO7PKXGKdh15Tucezoaa-Tal_6GnRrkJZ1ahhBJvslNk5a30nvMTIF2KPWVJBVQq5ApRTT036mZ4VAQDYVTq1_lQrhkFL1APVA0tlojocAsHBpvhYR-U3m-QfjsUpW4Hk4b1RN5q2fHnvWZ6DmiI67VoyiEPGAZVQ/s640/IMG_3547.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2lirQR1kch1Xmkygm8WfqRywZ7AO7PKXGKdh15Tucezoaa-Tal_6GnRrkJZ1ahhBJvslNk5a30nvMTIF2KPWVJBVQq5ApRTT036mZ4VAQDYVTq1_lQrhkFL1APVA0tlojocAsHBpvhYR-U3m-QfjsUpW4Hk4b1RN5q2fHnvWZ6DmiI67VoyiEPGAZVQ/w480-h640/IMG_3547.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>Thanks so much for visiting. As usual, I'll be linking with <a href="https://tentoesinthewater.blogspot.com" target="_blank">Angie for Mosaic Monday</a></span><span style="font-size: large;">Join me there. <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /></span></div><br /></div>annhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01668006270534204954noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6460244051990142578.post-25342402994413617382022-08-21T11:20:00.005-06:002022-08-21T11:22:15.850-06:00Ambushed<p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"></span></p><p><br /></p><p> </p><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large; text-align: left;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjS5xPawWYAzQv-v7YOckjxu_WRWEPyDfSkCS0Ty_SEjB7zA_sCf0U1XBxDQuqc_q-WanjARmiYlHCU0fYn0qGibNGNd0eDLkyevptZLTihBkK0joFQjzJqXZvp-5BSxEC_qDCyF-ZJTkt--hiGWhi9VrKgn_qqweu4rRQaIPFMJ8VNO9DsO3wHDpOqKA" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjS5xPawWYAzQv-v7YOckjxu_WRWEPyDfSkCS0Ty_SEjB7zA_sCf0U1XBxDQuqc_q-WanjARmiYlHCU0fYn0qGibNGNd0eDLkyevptZLTihBkK0joFQjzJqXZvp-5BSxEC_qDCyF-ZJTkt--hiGWhi9VrKgn_qqweu4rRQaIPFMJ8VNO9DsO3wHDpOqKA=w300-h400" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: left;">The wild sunflowers are beginning to fade. They are good self starters and since I didn’t get my sunflower seeds planted this spring, the wild ones have to do. The road sides are a glow with the shorter truly wild sunflowers, but in the garden they have crossed with the giant flowers and grow so tall that they literally touch the sky—in photos anyway.</div></span></div></div></div></blockquote><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: -webkit-standard; margin: 0in; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: -webkit-standard; margin: 0in; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">They have had an interesting life cycle, hosting a number of insect species from lady bugs to a vast variety of bees, and even the deadly ambush bug, </span><i style="font-family: arial;">Phymata, </i><span style="font-family: arial;">a nasty little creature, aptly named, that hides the petals of the flower then attacks its unsuspecting pray, stabbing it with its proboscis, injecting a deadly toxin then sucking out the poor creatures brain and bodily fluids. Can there be a worse nightmare for our favorite insects? Probably not. What then should a gardener do to protect the good guys, the pretty ones, the beneficial insects in the garden?</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: -webkit-standard; margin: 0in; text-align: left;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: -webkit-standard; margin: 0in; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">While we may use herbicides to control noxious weeds such as bindweed, wild morning glory, and Canadian thistle here at the Garden Spot, we resist the use any pesticides in both the flower beds and the vegetable garden. What will be will be in the cycle of life of plants and critters. I don’t mind the vegetarian caterpillars, for they mostly only destroy leafy vegetation, such as the much-hated tomato horn worms, which we seldom see in our garden. My dad’s approach was to plant another plant for them. Many caterpillars metamorphize into beautiful butterflies and moths, so we tolerate them, even protect them.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: -webkit-standard; margin: 0in; text-align: left;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: -webkit-standard; margin: 0in; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Then we find those critters in the Hemiptera order (true bugs) such as the ambush bug and the assassin bug that pose certain dangers to our favorite pollinators, so there is a fine balance between what and how to or if we even should control the carnivorous insect predators. As I did research for this post, I wanted to find ways to control the assassin or ambush but learned a lot about them. Not only are the assassin bugs a deadly threat to bees and butterflies, but some varieties have venom that is toxic to humans—dangerously so. While assassin bugs come in many different varieties and seem plentiful in the garden, I haven’t identified any specific ones except for the ambush bug that hides just at the edge of the pistil, waiting for unsuspecting bees and butterflies to land on the center of the flower.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: -webkit-standard; margin: 0in; text-align: left;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: -webkit-standard; margin: 0in; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">To use pesticides would contaminant the food that we harvest from the garden and kill the good bugs, so while it breaks my heart to discover a bee or small butterfly lying lifelessly on a pretty flower, it’s only a cycle of life. One of these articles reminds the reader the assassin bugs may kill a few bees, but they also kill the bad bugs, too, such as aphids; so they, on the other hand, are garden guardians. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: -webkit-standard; margin: 0in; text-align: left;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: -webkit-standard; margin: 0in; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><a href="https://mdc.mo.gov/discover-nature/field-guide/ambush-bugs" style="color: #954f72;">All about <i>Phymata: </i> Ambush Bugs</a><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: -webkit-standard; margin: 0in; text-align: left;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: -webkit-standard; margin: 0in; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><a href="https://mdc.mo.gov/discover-nature/field-guide/ambush-bugs" style="color: #954f72;">More: <i>Colorado Insect of Interest: </i>“Ambush Bug”</a><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: -webkit-standard; margin: 0in; text-align: left;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: -webkit-standard; margin: 0in; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><i><a href="https://www.thespruce.com/assassin-bugs-in-the-garden-5191208" style="color: #954f72;">The Spruce<span style="font-style: normal;">: Assassin Bug: Why They are Good the Garden</span></a></i><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: -webkit-standard; margin: 0in; text-align: left;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: -webkit-standard; margin: 0in; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">More on predatory insects and spiders in Texas Gardens: <i>Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center: </i><a href="https://www.wildflower.org/magazine/fauna/here-there-be-dangers" style="color: #954f72;">“Here There Be Dangers</a><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: -webkit-standard; margin: 0in; text-align: left;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: -webkit-standard; margin: 0in; text-align: left;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: -webkit-standard; margin: 0in; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"> I checked on an early blog post where I first wrote about these creatures after discovering them in the garden, only to realize that I wrote my very first blog post August, 19, 2010. Carolyn at “This Grandmother’s Garden.” was my first and only visitor. I joined a group that promoted bloggers and slowly grew a small unique group of faithful followers. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: -webkit-standard; margin: 0in; text-align: left;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: -webkit-standard; margin: 0in; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">The next post, “Back Yard Bullies” when I wrote about the assassin bug it didn’t get any comments. September posts went without comments, too. The first post in August had two, one who with good intentions, I suppose, recommended how I could get better photos. Thin skinned as I was then, I removed all of my photos from those early post, but the blog slowly took off. I was busy in 2014 where I wrote a record 68 posts but only 5 in 2021 when I just ran out of steam. Some of you have been with me for a very long time and I count you as my friends and look forward to reading your posts every week. Other bloggers have come and gone, and I miss them, but life takes us all on different paths. Blogging can become a chore some weeks. Writing is hard and it’s a challenge to keep the blog fresh and interesting, but it is a good exercise that keeps the brain working. I am trying to maintain a disciplined schedule of posting once a week on Mondays with a fresh new mosaic for Mosaic Monday, which means honing my photographic skills, too. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: -webkit-standard; margin: 0in; text-align: left;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: -webkit-standard; margin: 0in; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">I’m not quite as disciplined at my second blog, Ann’s Dollhouse Dreams because I don’t always work on the dollhouses; still I have a small circle or wonderful followers who share ideas and tutorials on how to make beautiful miniatures. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: -webkit-standard; margin: 0in; text-align: left;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: -webkit-standard; margin: 0in; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">I guess my main goal for both of the blogs is to write entertaining and informational posts that make readers smile and brings them a tidbit of new information. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: -webkit-standard; margin: 0in; text-align: left;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;">So thank you, dear friends, so sticking with me this long. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiufZA_slCZ-u6sCrgN85UsYGr8UGNez4FfjrSbSp9XLckyykgjqQgYlZv0xeIHT0AuNo4LjAUHZRmgQkuQlEKnOuTeg-oXxLnpZOrxJv7QPEZzhvQVdHBSo8AtZooTQbxAWZkbdcBBfgHuwBYurlpaF-b60a7lw0OWqjpk47n_l7RBpOOI3bJAsnv-Ng/s4032/60B32434-B900-406C-B1AF-A8F2087E5404.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiufZA_slCZ-u6sCrgN85UsYGr8UGNez4FfjrSbSp9XLckyykgjqQgYlZv0xeIHT0AuNo4LjAUHZRmgQkuQlEKnOuTeg-oXxLnpZOrxJv7QPEZzhvQVdHBSo8AtZooTQbxAWZkbdcBBfgHuwBYurlpaF-b60a7lw0OWqjpk47n_l7RBpOOI3bJAsnv-Ng/w480-h640/60B32434-B900-406C-B1AF-A8F2087E5404.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">A green bottle fly lies lifeless on the petal of cosmos, its assassin still at the scene of the crime.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqPIIaPgtdC8URiIAYtlQZP7x8JONdgd0_u0hhPFmIasgUh9yEnwu1Ar8Gh3kA-de7lnZkaFjvspZQShTr8CbP_4GfSpmLcfMKee2Zi5w-1MO4WodrXLKKXrW0F34fPCzm77ECAhi9NkmGEFVGGLwIsdpVCbDlHG8FBrsb9r7skgn28Ng9CFvr-C7skQ/s4032/AD43984F-E82A-4729-B1C1-B81FC68CE773.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqPIIaPgtdC8URiIAYtlQZP7x8JONdgd0_u0hhPFmIasgUh9yEnwu1Ar8Gh3kA-de7lnZkaFjvspZQShTr8CbP_4GfSpmLcfMKee2Zi5w-1MO4WodrXLKKXrW0F34fPCzm77ECAhi9NkmGEFVGGLwIsdpVCbDlHG8FBrsb9r7skgn28Ng9CFvr-C7skQ/w480-h640/AD43984F-E82A-4729-B1C1-B81FC68CE773.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", Times, serif; font-size: large; text-align: -webkit-left;">Common Green Bottle Fly</span></div><em style="text-align: -webkit-left;"><span class="style76" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="font-size: small; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;">Lucilia sericata</span></em><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo3gsKAayqlxXB7SZZSnIZS4ZDsV2zWxVIYB_Qi-u1xZrzGNA7-LS0MBPY48drXLR1SBsuj0EI4v0SmLHnOo8uri-mXBPK47JgR12Fx6n-5rzMbpDPvadQOhu1ZdKF3rr4RQSsCGRdlwTl24EsojsfrZPMBne5LRKpP2UCIhT_Mg-P69r3wVvoB3gV9Q/s3908/1.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3613" data-original-width="3908" height="592" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo3gsKAayqlxXB7SZZSnIZS4ZDsV2zWxVIYB_Qi-u1xZrzGNA7-LS0MBPY48drXLR1SBsuj0EI4v0SmLHnOo8uri-mXBPK47JgR12Fx6n-5rzMbpDPvadQOhu1ZdKF3rr4RQSsCGRdlwTl24EsojsfrZPMBne5LRKpP2UCIhT_Mg-P69r3wVvoB3gV9Q/w640-h592/1.jpeg" width="640" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>Pink Perfection has bloomed steadily since being added to the garden. Her blossoms aren't quite as large as when we brought her home, but next year she will be spectacular. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-EZOI2MFFWr_BcpjKjZsbFGQTwqaoIm1u7c9A1F5JtFrxAyMTItHTGf_zt_-3gmBB1ZkUNZ0YE-2rJ_of67OxTu7dLlpEZ9-H6AfHqAR_h1JB8RC2m35Xh80UUF_JX9Ah10qz9Ay_jodjmfrWLuxb31pls-nLYkUba0JPtonxlqpk1wZBmTVflPmhxQ/s6000/2.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-EZOI2MFFWr_BcpjKjZsbFGQTwqaoIm1u7c9A1F5JtFrxAyMTItHTGf_zt_-3gmBB1ZkUNZ0YE-2rJ_of67OxTu7dLlpEZ9-H6AfHqAR_h1JB8RC2m35Xh80UUF_JX9Ah10qz9Ay_jodjmfrWLuxb31pls-nLYkUba0JPtonxlqpk1wZBmTVflPmhxQ/w640-h426/2.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>The coral bells don't get near enough attention hidden on the outer edge of the north patio garden that has become quite over grown. <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnbqoAs0GUoi01Atfz-bWPfrs84Ka_NwMv77UcZ621FBEGbfX8Y1Tb3og-jfNT4kajL1sjOg09TD_t4dkwiEbVYvCdfWxhy2jxpkxrM1TPSskBYwVzDKwi-r_YwGxS8NFGtb3y6fzpprTkU-Q7Gj7i5iFzz5xnWgtfUxwNQB6Iab7Fdvf7csIg3yw2gg/s6000/3.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="6000" data-original-width="4000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnbqoAs0GUoi01Atfz-bWPfrs84Ka_NwMv77UcZ621FBEGbfX8Y1Tb3og-jfNT4kajL1sjOg09TD_t4dkwiEbVYvCdfWxhy2jxpkxrM1TPSskBYwVzDKwi-r_YwGxS8NFGtb3y6fzpprTkU-Q7Gj7i5iFzz5xnWgtfUxwNQB6Iab7Fdvf7csIg3yw2gg/w426-h640/3.jpeg" width="426" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Even when they fade, the hibiscus blossoms have a certain photographic beauty, even with the tiny green fly.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span face="verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; font-size: 12.15999984741211px; font-weight: 700; text-align: start;">Tiny Green Fly - </span><i style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.15999984741211px; font-weight: 700; text-align: start;">Amblypsilopus scintillans</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.15999984741211px; font-weight: 700; text-align: start;">bugguide.net</i></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSSfuNbbdo7yhNcpMZ5vjSKrREZKzPqj_m8oUic3bx2jokGW9Zj-sVaoH90UFuPD1wRO6Nw9i_whWE4PNsQ1SmVIwIH_mVQboaIsqdUQPJoV5BayLRQXcU7JEhA_dInpECnHkDDNrQMrBl_59a_jy_D4R3kxBeZ0MGYA6znOBxbe0ynYoCOnmLmzuEhQ/s2738/4.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2738" data-original-width="2060" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSSfuNbbdo7yhNcpMZ5vjSKrREZKzPqj_m8oUic3bx2jokGW9Zj-sVaoH90UFuPD1wRO6Nw9i_whWE4PNsQ1SmVIwIH_mVQboaIsqdUQPJoV5BayLRQXcU7JEhA_dInpECnHkDDNrQMrBl_59a_jy_D4R3kxBeZ0MGYA6znOBxbe0ynYoCOnmLmzuEhQ/w482-h640/4.jpeg" width="482" /></a><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The white cosmos are plentiful this summer, coming up on their own each season. They photograph nicely, too.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNdD4rg8AhcRfUs38LEQhE6QUNl00DcPBrsUn_RbpDFgiWfKV3ldb-wnAzI6-L8Z5v1vTg8dUo3HkH0oKnMiZ6bMtWvAV7mhNs8T9nz4fjFV9XgzM6tAagzCGW-hy5UmMWoFYvgZKSNObz3qwKI6mg7Dsvz8R6IIoT1BAWSyo1omToa5rE38hPGoWz3w/s6000/5.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNdD4rg8AhcRfUs38LEQhE6QUNl00DcPBrsUn_RbpDFgiWfKV3ldb-wnAzI6-L8Z5v1vTg8dUo3HkH0oKnMiZ6bMtWvAV7mhNs8T9nz4fjFV9XgzM6tAagzCGW-hy5UmMWoFYvgZKSNObz3qwKI6mg7Dsvz8R6IIoT1BAWSyo1omToa5rE38hPGoWz3w/w640-h426/5.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>The cone flowers didn't do well this year and they are so many in that bed that I'm going to thin them out to make room for some new plants.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisV_jdKbBOlhwQs5NbMFOp9Vfl5yttcgbbmBV6S_19fswTYWCgbnzkkOIGd4zpi1wXv5i316UR0dQG9lA7X8MuSrFK2_Z0f5G4qAyIBLASHw14mX8fAiqXl32GFVp73-5ZNLyqvbuQYUZqVP5RZhVeGA4XxIv-mO0lqL-unXpIJzIK2a_ZqCAF39uvsA/s6000/6.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisV_jdKbBOlhwQs5NbMFOp9Vfl5yttcgbbmBV6S_19fswTYWCgbnzkkOIGd4zpi1wXv5i316UR0dQG9lA7X8MuSrFK2_Z0f5G4qAyIBLASHw14mX8fAiqXl32GFVp73-5ZNLyqvbuQYUZqVP5RZhVeGA4XxIv-mO0lqL-unXpIJzIK2a_ZqCAF39uvsA/w640-h426/6.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;">I finally found my monarch photo from Summer '21. The Head Gardener saw one flit through the yard this week, but I was downstairs and couldn't get up in time to get a photo. We always just see one as it journeys through the year.</div></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNUMEPPp4RPmVNIcbPImVt5W_Dt_UsDIJ945hvXy52jlbO20vsIjWj_epi2pT1MiCQYiqv4713JlchEnn1YIe1LvEnFPyh4ZrJtGMNzP3SCyNs-dBxZoAbWSr9GMEN9MztW5-zHkV3IodRjRd1nC5ldjQ2amOQqYubKTV_xe3onQEI43gOv5Ggn2c9_g/s6000/1%20(178).jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNUMEPPp4RPmVNIcbPImVt5W_Dt_UsDIJ945hvXy52jlbO20vsIjWj_epi2pT1MiCQYiqv4713JlchEnn1YIe1LvEnFPyh4ZrJtGMNzP3SCyNs-dBxZoAbWSr9GMEN9MztW5-zHkV3IodRjRd1nC5ldjQ2amOQqYubKTV_xe3onQEI43gOv5Ggn2c9_g/w640-h426/1%20(178).jpeg" width="640" /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></a><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNUMEPPp4RPmVNIcbPImVt5W_Dt_UsDIJ945hvXy52jlbO20vsIjWj_epi2pT1MiCQYiqv4713JlchEnn1YIe1LvEnFPyh4ZrJtGMNzP3SCyNs-dBxZoAbWSr9GMEN9MztW5-zHkV3IodRjRd1nC5ldjQ2amOQqYubKTV_xe3onQEI43gOv5Ggn2c9_g/s6000/1%20(178).jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div></div><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnMnuuVdlhZDTNXQTSiFWSgWZCGZTETVu0ghG-2SX1XxKmUWALVzMEo3BtGo-SwzrozL7zn6-hhigCPFCc_znNNc9Hka1o6A9DuSVBna9RycKAYflVzz_9f9-CmHoiJgxmY-GTSRirixe5bgqa-L9xglxebj1t017fsbmwn-dnOYbTlSZUyA-Gu9ZQfg/s6000/1%20(180).jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnMnuuVdlhZDTNXQTSiFWSgWZCGZTETVu0ghG-2SX1XxKmUWALVzMEo3BtGo-SwzrozL7zn6-hhigCPFCc_znNNc9Hka1o6A9DuSVBna9RycKAYflVzz_9f9-CmHoiJgxmY-GTSRirixe5bgqa-L9xglxebj1t017fsbmwn-dnOYbTlSZUyA-Gu9ZQfg/w640-h426/1%20(180).jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>It's hard to find a sunflower without at least one of these awful bugs on it.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkKJ7waETmiRWi9kz5ppIw3RSF-CbQ9xiGIMml1Cw4QrjkU0j_w93TOS40x4sooZ9J-oL1UTxrjwLRzbYY6y3COgxETPMPiF0xG3zBeZ5gM0SaGlQFYUrMp86d4dw6f4sVg2gmSLuvfdwVbbSh4ayB18YCA3c90nioOymfInZ7n4yKK0UVQAftam2OwQ/s6000/7.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkKJ7waETmiRWi9kz5ppIw3RSF-CbQ9xiGIMml1Cw4QrjkU0j_w93TOS40x4sooZ9J-oL1UTxrjwLRzbYY6y3COgxETPMPiF0xG3zBeZ5gM0SaGlQFYUrMp86d4dw6f4sVg2gmSLuvfdwVbbSh4ayB18YCA3c90nioOymfInZ7n4yKK0UVQAftam2OwQ/w640-h426/7.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><br />There is some hope for the garden because these deadly bugs do have natural predators. Here the Garden Spot's most frequent visitors:</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiei4G3uoPXPASxLHMQS0nyxoZ8DAHsSQWKWWcFLc-IdbfU1CIjQGkQ7YhLLcCjGIeDOqtTBUp2_l-Eqv3wZnwQQybM6bZWEa57xMwyl2MWmUt-xSsSUmpztX1IqyHVUmhubE0io6z-3J_nytLRZ_DTADI7maifo_4EeH5bD7FgZ4kRmxMpnUzJr5AVeA/s800/birds.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiei4G3uoPXPASxLHMQS0nyxoZ8DAHsSQWKWWcFLc-IdbfU1CIjQGkQ7YhLLcCjGIeDOqtTBUp2_l-Eqv3wZnwQQybM6bZWEa57xMwyl2MWmUt-xSsSUmpztX1IqyHVUmhubE0io6z-3J_nytLRZ_DTADI7maifo_4EeH5bD7FgZ4kRmxMpnUzJr5AVeA/w480-h640/birds.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">So glad you stopped by. Meet me over at <a href="https://tentoesinthewater.blogspot.com" target="_blank">Angie's Letting Go of the Bay Leaf for Mosaic Monday. </a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div> </span>annhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01668006270534204954noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6460244051990142578.post-9457436247122255462022-08-15T06:30:00.003-06:002022-08-16T13:28:07.741-06:00Wish List<p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYjV0Kdt-XifL9Y7_RgfTiNx4y9Isku3SCpoZhiiZNIFvCbRXtxfRtQmkBPALGGeuZkCX03u-4VqTJEcuRZj38JoN8M7uXWUrCnq-YmYatOwZXa9BePL_N7eVXAfyp1ZFca_ewM-bpIJJZ9g-O3PLn_3j6Z2DnVapgDh2thRvLrN9h0IowpnmtJyF0cA/s4032/1%20(2).jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYjV0Kdt-XifL9Y7_RgfTiNx4y9Isku3SCpoZhiiZNIFvCbRXtxfRtQmkBPALGGeuZkCX03u-4VqTJEcuRZj38JoN8M7uXWUrCnq-YmYatOwZXa9BePL_N7eVXAfyp1ZFca_ewM-bpIJJZ9g-O3PLn_3j6Z2DnVapgDh2thRvLrN9h0IowpnmtJyF0cA/s4032/1%20(2).jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="255" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYjV0Kdt-XifL9Y7_RgfTiNx4y9Isku3SCpoZhiiZNIFvCbRXtxfRtQmkBPALGGeuZkCX03u-4VqTJEcuRZj38JoN8M7uXWUrCnq-YmYatOwZXa9BePL_N7eVXAfyp1ZFca_ewM-bpIJJZ9g-O3PLn_3j6Z2DnVapgDh2thRvLrN9h0IowpnmtJyF0cA/w340-h255/1%20(2).jpeg" width="340" /></a></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span></p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">One of our favorite end of summer walks takes us through the Colorado State University test garden in the center of Ft. Collins. It is truly a gardener's delight that displays exactly what we can grow in gardens here in northern Colorado. Filled with beautiful perennials and amazing annuals that are heat tolerant and not quite as thirsty as zones that receive more rain and have higher humidity, the garden features both established plants and tests newly developed varieties. Each plant has a label that includes where the plant be purchased.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"> I am one of those gardeners here in Zone 5 who seeks to grow the perfect English garden, but with our daily 90+ degrees summer temperatures and freezing cold, dry winters we have to be creative and selective to get that desired look and grow plants that thrive under such conditions. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3425" data-original-width="16298" height="156" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6k-1ewIhUDn7yMo6kqSfGaEdN8Z0OVL2_HF9pQbnWZo7WdlYTFY2FMURenKlxrGE2Rf4MFTvQFMalbCXr5Uvgt4PeNJtGo1d2b7_Ke3dRjTO4NekYnmaQi-PoQbEF_1EiOuN9aCH_nK7TgsZDZWmik6YUIKdbypv2hMFqSXLrQBK-o8RegjzfS-sjjw/w745-h156/13.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="745" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A panoramic view fo the gardens all laid out in perfect rows in some what of circle, with nary a weed to be seen.<br /><br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6k-1ewIhUDn7yMo6kqSfGaEdN8Z0OVL2_HF9pQbnWZo7WdlYTFY2FMURenKlxrGE2Rf4MFTvQFMalbCXr5Uvgt4PeNJtGo1d2b7_Ke3dRjTO4NekYnmaQi-PoQbEF_1EiOuN9aCH_nK7TgsZDZWmik6YUIKdbypv2hMFqSXLrQBK-o8RegjzfS-sjjw/s16298/13.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></a></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">I came home with a nice, realistic wish list of plants that I want to add to the Garden Spot, which begs the question: Where to plant them? In years past, I've wandered around the end-of-season plant sales at our favorite garden centers only to bring home gangly, aged plants that either sit on the patio until they aren't viable or if they are lucky enough get planted, they don't set enough of a root system to survive the winter. So this year, no bargain shopping for plants; instead, a plan of action for next spring.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">The flower beds all need to be cleaned, weeded, and thinned; so once it cools down and the Head Gardner is done with archery hunting, we will dig into the gardens to clear spaces for new, exciting plants. </span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><b style="font-family: -webkit-standard;">A Good Plan Begins with a Wish List</b></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">The test garden has a variety of mature hibiscus. I love this dinner plate size beauty. We have one hibiscus in the garden, but I teased the HG about planting a row of them along a 6 ft. privacy fence that blocks out the neighbor. Oddly, he didn't blink, but began to come up with an irrigation plan. But, no. There won't be a dozen of the giant plants ordered for next spring. It would be spectacular, though.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7CD6SaTdY00G_2ofaysgG_NUJxsPKeqyi8To_sY0gbr3QOny31Gy14lqVpcKoibrwugjhWsOi49zOIKUDDEBNLqHKBmRX5hZDN69IMi6WWpq5zpxEpDLrO1w6EvzISDdXCJtWODpc8Q7T36-uZhwa1LtA6cOhyh7zUIHT7c5Sd2bSEsdjhn1nlM4n4g/s6000/1%20(3).jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7CD6SaTdY00G_2ofaysgG_NUJxsPKeqyi8To_sY0gbr3QOny31Gy14lqVpcKoibrwugjhWsOi49zOIKUDDEBNLqHKBmRX5hZDN69IMi6WWpq5zpxEpDLrO1w6EvzISDdXCJtWODpc8Q7T36-uZhwa1LtA6cOhyh7zUIHT7c5Sd2bSEsdjhn1nlM4n4g/w640-h426/1%20(3).jpeg" width="640" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>More realistic would be dozens of these gorgeous <i>Rudbeakia</i>. We already a few Black Eyed Susans, but I could easily add more. The bees love them.</span><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYbhK-oG6JElwwcnzvCYG7YHK0S-MwPjk9UbB9fEwe1gMA2PCUkgzUXsdtbPWqvoSCla8XnsUAbFid8rOd9zxKDMaAxPUTK208Z4rX4OUWu66po8uek4x__Nu3kT-xb3k9Q0l2vKe9MKGe3ONAcAz8Kt25ca2g-JJKs0KoVCAanPALOLdRWMQyKLMPew/s4032/1%20(4).jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="2452" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYbhK-oG6JElwwcnzvCYG7YHK0S-MwPjk9UbB9fEwe1gMA2PCUkgzUXsdtbPWqvoSCla8XnsUAbFid8rOd9zxKDMaAxPUTK208Z4rX4OUWu66po8uek4x__Nu3kT-xb3k9Q0l2vKe9MKGe3ONAcAz8Kt25ca2g-JJKs0KoVCAanPALOLdRWMQyKLMPew/w390-h640/1%20(4).jpeg" width="390" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">If we could attract more green bees like this one--c</span><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large; text-align: center;">ommonly known as a sweat bee--</span><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">I'd plant a dozen more. I see an occasional green bee, not many. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib1cOPm6squ6Z6uqR6CCgZLfY9YALU1g5amsPwRyCaIfX0JXXJ04EzTUZhVkK8K-jvjiHmdQ5N2dBpIQ9MnUDQss0ugnie1Ge99jj6H4VnZSBPvGEPZk8MXFIv21_UP5UDcC_frk_czr9PNTqhrnfDTtg7s-etP-O9b8dxPcyMeanWGIpDm5bSeapvOA/s1806/8.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1681" data-original-width="1806" height="596" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib1cOPm6squ6Z6uqR6CCgZLfY9YALU1g5amsPwRyCaIfX0JXXJ04EzTUZhVkK8K-jvjiHmdQ5N2dBpIQ9MnUDQss0ugnie1Ge99jj6H4VnZSBPvGEPZk8MXFIv21_UP5UDcC_frk_czr9PNTqhrnfDTtg7s-etP-O9b8dxPcyMeanWGIpDm5bSeapvOA/w640-h596/8.jpeg" width="640" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Each year the garden has new varieties of <a href="https://www.bing.com/search?q=echinacea&form=APMCS1&PC=APMC">echinacea</a>. A popular new color combo seems to be the magenta coupled with lime green. Stunning.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4FWDmwsISnmciVUeTJrVpM8VMqGPwo7rPCQ3xaQ-5GQ21UPWDwbpaqjCvfKsBy5l0noDBiDAfarGWDdqh8KjTqX3n2SVFDMz5pV0gBFQ7-jFHmeByph4w9QRw1Yilh5xNXtzLL-qQghGSfrdPzP5R0_Z7ojkEXHbzwA2AXdevFUotsEdIImfUG4NhRw/s6000/5.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="183" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4FWDmwsISnmciVUeTJrVpM8VMqGPwo7rPCQ3xaQ-5GQ21UPWDwbpaqjCvfKsBy5l0noDBiDAfarGWDdqh8KjTqX3n2SVFDMz5pV0gBFQ7-jFHmeByph4w9QRw1Yilh5xNXtzLL-qQghGSfrdPzP5R0_Z7ojkEXHbzwA2AXdevFUotsEdIImfUG4NhRw/w275-h183/5.jpeg" width="275" /></a></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5cZPf8z6HDN1NH2UNrDBCAQ0lkLbqQShgJD-PtDsXHvyz_TbPQmAY7YR1hB2WE97VoIiEIO1btJWuFtlDsloidhT8VC25KNMzVjt1TEvxSahPsdGyYf2xGWbMMK9VkS28fwOLqyaLaY55nrtjdbbXujDJRub26e0DoDS53X905oTVvMWuAj1YbbMu4g/s6000/6.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="184" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5cZPf8z6HDN1NH2UNrDBCAQ0lkLbqQShgJD-PtDsXHvyz_TbPQmAY7YR1hB2WE97VoIiEIO1btJWuFtlDsloidhT8VC25KNMzVjt1TEvxSahPsdGyYf2xGWbMMK9VkS28fwOLqyaLaY55nrtjdbbXujDJRub26e0DoDS53X905oTVvMWuAj1YbbMu4g/w276-h184/6.jpeg" width="276" /></span></a><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Or choose from a wide variety of colors to fill an open space.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1WF-saAQm8jrajok69m9Q3mhJzD-K8JNJk3_hERtfkZ3prZbLYDPTdH6Az_1gtP-uYtnXL09D5lGRsPYHfX-XC20iuzzOF0x7IReqaLL-LMMiLJLtbHBinpJEkxhQWqzwru-U4mn1g-ZXB8UTNknDX8wzs2JUdX-H1Ga_Raq8Ngj_IXV2pFRPiqrshA/s6000/1%20(15).jpeg" style="font-family: -webkit-standard; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1WF-saAQm8jrajok69m9Q3mhJzD-K8JNJk3_hERtfkZ3prZbLYDPTdH6Az_1gtP-uYtnXL09D5lGRsPYHfX-XC20iuzzOF0x7IReqaLL-LMMiLJLtbHBinpJEkxhQWqzwru-U4mn1g-ZXB8UTNknDX8wzs2JUdX-H1Ga_Raq8Ngj_IXV2pFRPiqrshA/w640-h426/1%20(15).jpeg" width="640" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Each year the cone flower offerings increase, offering a colorful palette. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx4XsafSNIKlsOwoW60JoFeIxfLrvpzxjnZAKBXazNTj27n9ldwt2jJgUMQYMT63u-Ru02GHysqjQvIZygUOQWw8moYfS2qrKJt7E9jISAc7Hc2YMA2dTB60bUp-CNABFOEc5gebVrh4myPXuQgQacG4qargBPHezct5Zxb2gysRod5CYplWKNwnL87A/s6000/1%20(8).jpeg" style="font-family: -webkit-standard; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx4XsafSNIKlsOwoW60JoFeIxfLrvpzxjnZAKBXazNTj27n9ldwt2jJgUMQYMT63u-Ru02GHysqjQvIZygUOQWw8moYfS2qrKJt7E9jISAc7Hc2YMA2dTB60bUp-CNABFOEc5gebVrh4myPXuQgQacG4qargBPHezct5Zxb2gysRod5CYplWKNwnL87A/w640-h426/1%20(8).jpeg" width="640" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">This collection would require a large area, but would be beautiful. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbDG-kQ6r2JHEwYy31NBTCF2lupvp5d6TmR6X_lEwZfmIa5Fc5pmf1i5Z2tVlrDYt2IUXxlnpzV-cNyn3_aRjX__Ra7QpAe826nx3dTuWHRTr19VY9IwEJ3nVmIN__uSb7vZIFNkIqdB4FNsXYyhp2W6YgnSgGMPureadEqTHE6ji9NjLvqFOzwfoJVA/s6000/1%20(9).jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbDG-kQ6r2JHEwYy31NBTCF2lupvp5d6TmR6X_lEwZfmIa5Fc5pmf1i5Z2tVlrDYt2IUXxlnpzV-cNyn3_aRjX__Ra7QpAe826nx3dTuWHRTr19VY9IwEJ3nVmIN__uSb7vZIFNkIqdB4FNsXYyhp2W6YgnSgGMPureadEqTHE6ji9NjLvqFOzwfoJVA/w640-h426/1%20(9).jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">The most common pink cone flower thrives in our garden, reproducing easily by self seeding. I've planted other colors, but not with much luck; still, the magenta would be a pretty addition The cone flower feeds butterflies, insects, and gold finch will feast on their seeds in winter--and this most unwanted garden pest, the Japanese beetle.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6wqf407FMgFt04gXT1xoNRv7R49-aTH7lvkF-CNZ1jFi64YKgQKiGwi9MU8uJ6kqMfF9xU-QYqKM43Z2UfURteRurgwF2dtWqc-8IHP_MLde39c7FiClMgAB1TIUInSnESi5INZaxq4Ysw0m40a44MT11DT1jySd-LJrYvVeNoNVcCiLf2oxzMoNaFw/s4032/10.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6wqf407FMgFt04gXT1xoNRv7R49-aTH7lvkF-CNZ1jFi64YKgQKiGwi9MU8uJ6kqMfF9xU-QYqKM43Z2UfURteRurgwF2dtWqc-8IHP_MLde39c7FiClMgAB1TIUInSnESi5INZaxq4Ysw0m40a44MT11DT1jySd-LJrYvVeNoNVcCiLf2oxzMoNaFw/w480-h640/10.jpeg" width="480" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">These beetles were all over the test garden. Beautiful as they are with their iridescent green and copper backs with the row of white dots, a bit of research reveals just how destructive they are in a garden. We took a lot of pictures of them, but I don't think we want them at the Garden Spot.</span></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">We have never grown anemones, but after meeting this beauty, it is at the top of the list. It looks to be sturdy and colorful and will beautiful color to the August garden. I'd like to add it to the newly created hosta garden.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-AisXDjSQVKwnfmsH8QnwkdDFPMqfuMzj94CBq7EdJzf2UUMRrvmIYvCM6MmEoXjCzNG1x0436Q6xQQLDIchKBIQhqhGsrYVBZkcU2qzRN0_jIokkYuAa-424Uj3HKeZ-qq91D0CLs0W4dw6StNksJupRZ370agmXDDpA7iuYeUzSSJm5xurKpSUPKA/s3519/1%20(7).jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3519" data-original-width="2892" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-AisXDjSQVKwnfmsH8QnwkdDFPMqfuMzj94CBq7EdJzf2UUMRrvmIYvCM6MmEoXjCzNG1x0436Q6xQQLDIchKBIQhqhGsrYVBZkcU2qzRN0_jIokkYuAa-424Uj3HKeZ-qq91D0CLs0W4dw6StNksJupRZ370agmXDDpA7iuYeUzSSJm5xurKpSUPKA/w526-h640/1%20(7).jpeg" width="526" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">I've planted phlox before, but they didn't last long, but I have to admit to lusting after this sea of pink phlox. I'm not sure what the gardeners feed the these plants, but they are giants.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwd4OSn3hNHoqHW-run7PM_WWRMw0nHGpF47ZUqZ-uzeIiynoF1F-k7542ktWHwscVYV-e2mDAdHJ9W98YMhk82WgTq89nCsHDlzfNGv5P2TgSavQYkDrk1noVZGhAjjNeLjBG2LIOZllJGwFcHAfcUFBIKb6p2GYSS7oNB98WYcZwqYrvUFQIkxJFgA/s6000/7.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwd4OSn3hNHoqHW-run7PM_WWRMw0nHGpF47ZUqZ-uzeIiynoF1F-k7542ktWHwscVYV-e2mDAdHJ9W98YMhk82WgTq89nCsHDlzfNGv5P2TgSavQYkDrk1noVZGhAjjNeLjBG2LIOZllJGwFcHAfcUFBIKb6p2GYSS7oNB98WYcZwqYrvUFQIkxJFgA/w640-h426/7.jpeg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Almost more pink than even I can bare the new geranium hybrids will enhance any garden.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ4_GYZg60NM2EKNTU393pBgqkYvECWaNgM2BBb98FU26v3YlvXvWoraEPOnWgGxFZzvneOnwWyzgfeenhOTzg9MkI4idCD63ClM0csCtG7Oy7KUs1jMlcIgRpIQu41Sgk_z916yOlz3LUYFx_ZRsX2SKVZu_lBheZFIiNvPgDtGtfQXPsbOYFmE_ZKg/s6000/12.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ4_GYZg60NM2EKNTU393pBgqkYvECWaNgM2BBb98FU26v3YlvXvWoraEPOnWgGxFZzvneOnwWyzgfeenhOTzg9MkI4idCD63ClM0csCtG7Oy7KUs1jMlcIgRpIQu41Sgk_z916yOlz3LUYFx_ZRsX2SKVZu_lBheZFIiNvPgDtGtfQXPsbOYFmE_ZKg/w640-h426/12.jpeg" width="640" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Clematis are a favorite here, but their bloom in June and done by mid to late July, so this lovely low growing vine would be beautiful in bare spots. With a bell shaped flower much like the pink Duchess Annabell that grows in the front court yard, this clematis does climb; instead, it vines on the ground.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg54dXE5zonGO-lKWXfwGHE0dInqoniPy17klmBtTPHdnR1LGb7ZUYEDz-FvaOZ5RtfGZaEitQO0kzbtYyK_c-QXw_RWmquFGLVlnqpaoxVfN1FLMQtdurijqRvYN1dhJYS7eje5QAQwPaBLMW-PLFRi0WeAFS6q7YeNsbWB9bVTK0DKNoFD5E-S4PLw/s6000/1%20(6).jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="172" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg54dXE5zonGO-lKWXfwGHE0dInqoniPy17klmBtTPHdnR1LGb7ZUYEDz-FvaOZ5RtfGZaEitQO0kzbtYyK_c-QXw_RWmquFGLVlnqpaoxVfN1FLMQtdurijqRvYN1dhJYS7eje5QAQwPaBLMW-PLFRi0WeAFS6q7YeNsbWB9bVTK0DKNoFD5E-S4PLw/w259-h172/1%20(6).jpeg" width="259" /></a></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyanwuR69JxBLul3XzHVO4Nq2HskeCevDu2yLeDiUwS4_ep7K5nAER5kEfguY-UDCbSinMFfbRq-6Wgxo5dTWL8voaSnWK3mjS2pG3YFM1HpOlOeIRKeS0l6aN8xlsd44qqn0FkBiEPVlxi8dCMlk1ekitsMEnUpKFw9j4ZePUaKolPct7Rzwqk3sO2A/s6000/15.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="182" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyanwuR69JxBLul3XzHVO4Nq2HskeCevDu2yLeDiUwS4_ep7K5nAER5kEfguY-UDCbSinMFfbRq-6Wgxo5dTWL8voaSnWK3mjS2pG3YFM1HpOlOeIRKeS0l6aN8xlsd44qqn0FkBiEPVlxi8dCMlk1ekitsMEnUpKFw9j4ZePUaKolPct7Rzwqk3sO2A/w274-h182/15.jpeg" width="274" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm478-iOaDw5WO3YrIXtXY4v3ekqhpOz-rAc-pJha9_jYBm0jFrB7UK8Rc1JySLOJJqqn0l4s27d3lYRJ3u79crPFhxQ5TkczuyB2UWIgIR6aWAGfuzJiDVl58Vm2TAQblzI9_D6s4QTT-6wZWC2OomkUxvn3fHRzg2esjgiXBO3QS-fslXXbddWER7Q/s6000/16.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm478-iOaDw5WO3YrIXtXY4v3ekqhpOz-rAc-pJha9_jYBm0jFrB7UK8Rc1JySLOJJqqn0l4s27d3lYRJ3u79crPFhxQ5TkczuyB2UWIgIR6aWAGfuzJiDVl58Vm2TAQblzI9_D6s4QTT-6wZWC2OomkUxvn3fHRzg2esjgiXBO3QS-fslXXbddWER7Q/w640-h426/16.jpeg" width="640" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">We don't have much blue in the garden and it would be a nice replacement for the vinca that dominates the center circle with about the same shade of blueish, but I don't think that it would as invasive as the vine and I love the bell shaped bloom.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">The Plant Select on its tag indicates that is new for 2022. We happened to start up a conversation with a woman who told use she was a part of Plant Select that chooses the new varieties for the garden each year. You can click here <a href="https://plantselect.org">https://plantselect.org</a> to learn more about Western gardening and the new plant varieties that available. I especially like that it lists local retail outlets. Plant Select is located at CSU's Horticulture Center.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg48Se8iuH9FscZho3p6bpMkphH_ZwbJW1jS6WTyzzC0wbLOtHNhsaox_o_d95RVUGoi9Eb4tNDy1ERTlvvH8ZAYqRAQGhHczv9hq51CiYYzNMi8KTJCOovC2sNkpxtePTu2syYRjQMBkW6B0M5e2kCe4DBz-TKBHH6VI-dO5MNdJeZkkIO5GgQuQHXNg/s6000/14.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg48Se8iuH9FscZho3p6bpMkphH_ZwbJW1jS6WTyzzC0wbLOtHNhsaox_o_d95RVUGoi9Eb4tNDy1ERTlvvH8ZAYqRAQGhHczv9hq51CiYYzNMi8KTJCOovC2sNkpxtePTu2syYRjQMBkW6B0M5e2kCe4DBz-TKBHH6VI-dO5MNdJeZkkIO5GgQuQHXNg/w640-h426/14.jpeg" width="640" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">But I've saved the best for last, the giant--and I do mean giant-- <a href="https://brentandbeckysbulbs.com/product/lilium-anastasia-oriental-trumpet-lily/?v=7516fd43adaa" target="_blank">Anastasia Oriental Lily.</a> This one is a must. I'm barely 5 ft. 2, so I come out from behind the camera to demonstrate how tall this lily is. The description on <a href="https://brentandbeckysbulbs.com/?v=7516fd43adaa" target="_blank">Brent and Becky's Bulbs </a> says that the blooms will be dinner plate size and the plant will grow 3-5 feet--um I think they underestimate CSU horticulturists' ability to grow plants. Still, it's a beautiful lily and I'll be placing my order in January.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9xaBNrF3N_6MTFpHBEIb-YRuW0-YyjBagqjW28Q4SgYOLrl5Tv9OwcZ8Mb4N1xIdXUdsRFeeZ1TTmhZ5r1GUZ6zMWZVmMO2NKJkUwxq532BqNIz5kZg24an4Zp2AG8oVrRSBAsgFPuN-ZD_G80hbWBh-JhHZXVG-QxGEVFMT-GhKa0EHrRKqBf5Y7IA/s800/test%20gardens.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9xaBNrF3N_6MTFpHBEIb-YRuW0-YyjBagqjW28Q4SgYOLrl5Tv9OwcZ8Mb4N1xIdXUdsRFeeZ1TTmhZ5r1GUZ6zMWZVmMO2NKJkUwxq532BqNIz5kZg24an4Zp2AG8oVrRSBAsgFPuN-ZD_G80hbWBh-JhHZXVG-QxGEVFMT-GhKa0EHrRKqBf5Y7IA/s16000/test%20gardens.jpg" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Unlike our favorite botanical gardens and city gardens, this garden does not have much in the way of architectural interest other than the Andy Warhol soup can and a small water feature. The beauty of the garden lies in the beautiful plants. But a garden isn't complete with out some interesting creatures.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBJ9OAB7Qg3M-7D8tDyEpUdhvm6UinVK1wMt0sc0zu_uAfoZNTpxDABVxVX9B1t2QZcl6KwVTx8vK-3DBOMHky6P9yODXQAH_cm_4YxICRz_aygecjuRDtA02Husq72TALUKKY41Mwp3iNn3i2QkFQrHFabMTYMNfqBDVhGdtWE6e7phBLY4EbEuSkyw/s2843/1%20(5).jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1811" data-original-width="2843" height="408" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBJ9OAB7Qg3M-7D8tDyEpUdhvm6UinVK1wMt0sc0zu_uAfoZNTpxDABVxVX9B1t2QZcl6KwVTx8vK-3DBOMHky6P9yODXQAH_cm_4YxICRz_aygecjuRDtA02Husq72TALUKKY41Mwp3iNn3i2QkFQrHFabMTYMNfqBDVhGdtWE6e7phBLY4EbEuSkyw/w640-h408/1%20(5).jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Saffron-winged Meadowhawk: <i>Sympetrum costiferum</i></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGrloyzT75EAFBayc_6Ys3-3DQFxpRgfgv9XkqCbL7UoE9vm-kSZh1iZyWOotC_DiXUxxGS0oaTSGYNDvBt-upl5Z7jD2p7xUM7me1AkFm7-Jln3Thm0fvPwcRlI9JR_YbUlPcZvBrVFL6b2hcX8itqhww0epLLBPXNzkg0-oPt3eU-q_s5m9GwwT6QQ/s2904/9.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2904" data-original-width="2867" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGrloyzT75EAFBayc_6Ys3-3DQFxpRgfgv9XkqCbL7UoE9vm-kSZh1iZyWOotC_DiXUxxGS0oaTSGYNDvBt-upl5Z7jD2p7xUM7me1AkFm7-Jln3Thm0fvPwcRlI9JR_YbUlPcZvBrVFL6b2hcX8itqhww0epLLBPXNzkg0-oPt3eU-q_s5m9GwwT6QQ/w632-h640/9.jpeg" width="632" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: large;">These plants certainly are must in a garden since they provide so much for the insects. It's our duty as gardeners to provide the most beautiful plants that will provide a sound, healthy diet for the pollinators. </span><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVvkjCcyodHO2pI1P3SDQyKyfzIilWNIQUezP3zksDgvz9ea-Ru-xgmut1dR5bF8kqJQahAoAStG82w63a0DEBB6m9DLdx8NnB-1SuYLltdPfD0o3NPmMhksnI-czrFv37puGB3lgZbPbf8w6Phb00tKJSvVDaVpBccbKR_cxSeatVlGu6iVYMtyBTNQ/s6000/1%20(11).jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVvkjCcyodHO2pI1P3SDQyKyfzIilWNIQUezP3zksDgvz9ea-Ru-xgmut1dR5bF8kqJQahAoAStG82w63a0DEBB6m9DLdx8NnB-1SuYLltdPfD0o3NPmMhksnI-czrFv37puGB3lgZbPbf8w6Phb00tKJSvVDaVpBccbKR_cxSeatVlGu6iVYMtyBTNQ/w640-h426/1%20(11).jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMJRM5ZIFTnLaU-5U6TLtgJ59JlDqhk0FdUTPPnhGe9BX5ygQP-ULMAcIObijInJdf9cQk471MOKRD6OOZC9dfpk2IkPAzdVS6qVQedW89-HyWXAnuMUZoCxBDXsCRu06qo1OaHYSPncbq-5voj-TwtnhxwPFEl9ZSBpe5jXp7eOp7W_-2ZkZBdfaYJw/s1806/1%20(12).jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1681" data-original-width="1806" height="596" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMJRM5ZIFTnLaU-5U6TLtgJ59JlDqhk0FdUTPPnhGe9BX5ygQP-ULMAcIObijInJdf9cQk471MOKRD6OOZC9dfpk2IkPAzdVS6qVQedW89-HyWXAnuMUZoCxBDXsCRu06qo1OaHYSPncbq-5voj-TwtnhxwPFEl9ZSBpe5jXp7eOp7W_-2ZkZBdfaYJw/w640-h596/1%20(12).jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFf_XpxNGVp__n4eAz5CTMuMROvddz1xWu2PU20_O6bll4kL_1UR6kqtv1bOk7p6N-XgCRhrBP6ssy-TMizLuCcS1PLXYDBuUz617FVEdXu_rp9pwbXQdB1v2XyNuSJnaQNxzmNnR8STlc25_tslSYd3dWodJRBkKGKeohoy3-UAxztqZz2BRgKtyNoQ/s3742/1%20(14).jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2533" data-original-width="3742" height="434" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFf_XpxNGVp__n4eAz5CTMuMROvddz1xWu2PU20_O6bll4kL_1UR6kqtv1bOk7p6N-XgCRhrBP6ssy-TMizLuCcS1PLXYDBuUz617FVEdXu_rp9pwbXQdB1v2XyNuSJnaQNxzmNnR8STlc25_tslSYd3dWodJRBkKGKeohoy3-UAxztqZz2BRgKtyNoQ/w640-h434/1%20(14).jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSYXzKgIE-wK2otqu0UCZncWjyFBHsTTFuKWWOtrMP4zQaUjNfxf2Xnp4cjaL2-YjIbiPlMA4L4Kuj9zHUo2WSGq-YNHAIk5Vk08AUXSbxG_vQQTXFYa3GeVlLd3PfV0DE_cO8APOLWu-MlQMf_zNg0OIHPrLPFlsOW0tf_eQqN7nmT9iaqJPzkz0W6A/s6000/1%20(17).jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSYXzKgIE-wK2otqu0UCZncWjyFBHsTTFuKWWOtrMP4zQaUjNfxf2Xnp4cjaL2-YjIbiPlMA4L4Kuj9zHUo2WSGq-YNHAIk5Vk08AUXSbxG_vQQTXFYa3GeVlLd3PfV0DE_cO8APOLWu-MlQMf_zNg0OIHPrLPFlsOW0tf_eQqN7nmT9iaqJPzkz0W6A/w640-h426/1%20(17).jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><div style="text-align: center;">Another look at the Japanese Beetle.</div></span><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoXFlJhq2pS7s7qLC8D9tYRr3Yw0w_gyBnWn3mQoca5m9ucBJh5-b2450hjCUymt3pUzpPkmypjOPA2MpVwSseq5EzUdn-6wZEcNxfkHpY_sR0rLbQR384LHFASVu6MqZfThBHitYoG1RKl0MV3LugvkHQiX6Bvk0_Hx08yoeFw1DlePjSwQPl0AzSZA/s4032/11.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoXFlJhq2pS7s7qLC8D9tYRr3Yw0w_gyBnWn3mQoca5m9ucBJh5-b2450hjCUymt3pUzpPkmypjOPA2MpVwSseq5EzUdn-6wZEcNxfkHpY_sR0rLbQR384LHFASVu6MqZfThBHitYoG1RKl0MV3LugvkHQiX6Bvk0_Hx08yoeFw1DlePjSwQPl0AzSZA/w480-h640/11.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">And now back to the reality of the Garden Spot. I've made my list and will be doing some serious research, garden redesign, and searching for these new plants. In the mean time, there is plenty of work to be done in the garden as summer winds down. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">I spent a while in the garden picking raspberries, pulling onions, and gathering peaches before it got hot. I should go out each day now and pick the berries.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">I don't know about you, I am having a really hard time buying <i>good</i> fresh fruit. The store raspberries and strawberries mold quickly, and most of the that I bring home cantaloupe have no flavor. <br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS1Hv3rVGuH0Xj4XL_vCV9OeRx3EGZUgyEHMV-Nza-9VJcIwc91BBWamXeUyT1OrxyJNXZ-4nPT37LYLTYzbE5ZICkXW5N7oJ_57N7Nx85O6y5qOcSHb9XnTKNzRsbl_Sc1OB3KNNJE4tDULi-I1s29pVFH86sp8r_q3RBgHUAA1EHoXQ6DPjB8ZQIcQ/s4032/17.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS1Hv3rVGuH0Xj4XL_vCV9OeRx3EGZUgyEHMV-Nza-9VJcIwc91BBWamXeUyT1OrxyJNXZ-4nPT37LYLTYzbE5ZICkXW5N7oJ_57N7Nx85O6y5qOcSHb9XnTKNzRsbl_Sc1OB3KNNJE4tDULi-I1s29pVFH86sp8r_q3RBgHUAA1EHoXQ6DPjB8ZQIcQ/w480-h640/17.jpeg" width="480" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">have tended to ignore the raspberry patch, but I'm going to try to be more diligent in picking them. Bees present a problem because they like the the berries much as I do and I'm allergic to bee stings.</span></span><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"> </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">The young hens are maturing nicely. We lost another old hen so we have 9 now. These young girls should start laying soon. This is their first forage in the garden. They didn't quite know what to do at first, but there are plenty of fresh bugs to snack on.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpms-7ddZwdVuyzFN6ig1ggC5BGslpTnZWj0jeZcVdQ-0QaTEazx6OGWzJVylPGcHq5uP_mI6NGQ-LQx_GTalAGFObW5JgZHK_LCEuREDcVIPtpvr5OVFkTKUFzC6_7D8D0KVF3B1-mn6TiTgLH4IRjexKygLQutbuRGIXc_K379mO-6ILuKXmEJvvQg/s4032/23.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpms-7ddZwdVuyzFN6ig1ggC5BGslpTnZWj0jeZcVdQ-0QaTEazx6OGWzJVylPGcHq5uP_mI6NGQ-LQx_GTalAGFObW5JgZHK_LCEuREDcVIPtpvr5OVFkTKUFzC6_7D8D0KVF3B1-mn6TiTgLH4IRjexKygLQutbuRGIXc_K379mO-6ILuKXmEJvvQg/w480-h640/23.jpeg" width="480" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Like this green grasshopper</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_p_pplHPveJURcCHdoQomZsx82dRnXipu-jMZUTEDA32eclEzOWnAfoHVaNl6KQRCh16OsWZhEhO8x5-cQWMtF9wa__Vx0puxLFCLBYwFourUlZ5YF-3MnptdSb-0JhCEHXNkktoGbLpbQk-kJ57sMFnleUcgpoSNg4bxnRm405jc4guJVIj3ELqGdw/s4032/22.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_p_pplHPveJURcCHdoQomZsx82dRnXipu-jMZUTEDA32eclEzOWnAfoHVaNl6KQRCh16OsWZhEhO8x5-cQWMtF9wa__Vx0puxLFCLBYwFourUlZ5YF-3MnptdSb-0JhCEHXNkktoGbLpbQk-kJ57sMFnleUcgpoSNg4bxnRm405jc4guJVIj3ELqGdw/w480-h640/22.jpeg" width="480" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: large;"><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div>The kale is beginning to look like kale, rough around the edges. But it is a pretty plant.</span><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA_BO-L8y0Q4yT-P9Nb_XcSxoGel6x4HgB6LRlYfS6ZIbme5eWHn8O_SqMvO8X0wHiMQJBlfx68Gqvg29Ktt7fPA-ZS_daEpx5_l45QBLdNnPvbrocY8h2dF1fQUwKmAnzBwoDkJDovi6i4ouuVR0IOQ6lmMHqfc3fiuv4UVskhKR8yI29pVmAV0bhEQ/s4032/20.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA_BO-L8y0Q4yT-P9Nb_XcSxoGel6x4HgB6LRlYfS6ZIbme5eWHn8O_SqMvO8X0wHiMQJBlfx68Gqvg29Ktt7fPA-ZS_daEpx5_l45QBLdNnPvbrocY8h2dF1fQUwKmAnzBwoDkJDovi6i4ouuVR0IOQ6lmMHqfc3fiuv4UVskhKR8yI29pVmAV0bhEQ/w640-h480/20.jpeg" width="640" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>The poor peach tree looks pretty pathetic, but has a nice stand of sweet, juicy peaches that I pick every few days as they ripen. I try to beat the birds and the earwigs--no photo of those disgusting creatures. <br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigaDdXQWghOT2feO_mhoK9aK2D0gpz67ZSvBDWauHxpi67Cw3U-iYEIARabyNtR53HztVkV0867G0FXZ4DIT10Od-HrU3LTccbPn0y55_RPZmmyFz8iMIcPKVVjC7_CrY2ZsY48G-5WhVuONerht0LdPRBAT4QONEyVODd-VLc8jdEzGKSKtURTNsRAQ/s4032/29.jpeg" style="font-family: -webkit-standard; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigaDdXQWghOT2feO_mhoK9aK2D0gpz67ZSvBDWauHxpi67Cw3U-iYEIARabyNtR53HztVkV0867G0FXZ4DIT10Od-HrU3LTccbPn0y55_RPZmmyFz8iMIcPKVVjC7_CrY2ZsY48G-5WhVuONerht0LdPRBAT4QONEyVODd-VLc8jdEzGKSKtURTNsRAQ/w480-h640/29.jpeg" width="480" /></a></span><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">I think I picked about $6 worth of raspberries and a nice bowl of peaches. They are small, but tasty. I'm thinking homemade peach ice cream sounds pretty good.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM-3ndyJMrdzhkb7dphzO3fj32xAtSCGITlyrpxoA50ubR_dx0GJI-TN-6y8ZSyZOMokwvX43gYS5qWekv_-VrsxoMZBgTz4bCXYYfo7imF-F1tCJav7nFYC1Op7IbeGOeSQ81k7crf_ZDxhd2GPHQlhzrZTJutXYTdHRA9ApkQJrvXbQYIQ8lYHRs0w/s4032/28.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM-3ndyJMrdzhkb7dphzO3fj32xAtSCGITlyrpxoA50ubR_dx0GJI-TN-6y8ZSyZOMokwvX43gYS5qWekv_-VrsxoMZBgTz4bCXYYfo7imF-F1tCJav7nFYC1Op7IbeGOeSQ81k7crf_ZDxhd2GPHQlhzrZTJutXYTdHRA9ApkQJrvXbQYIQ8lYHRs0w/w480-h640/28.jpeg" width="480" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">I take tons of sunflower photos. I just love their bight, cheerful faces, even as they age they gain more character. </span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHMbiH8T8ZrSjh5DE-98UjqcX_BBdDCVMoEuKZqMVA6SftAFri5EqDWWmBIr_munMVm3qM51NvEUB9eUyEUiCHNljAtTqQwR_EL8_480Dm6I1Esl_LlnYY-lv4XtcJXvt7_Na2UkRN2NzwLcpK9MTsA7DHdI9rZEBYjWp22IIwFZIePE1N-TQRXaEMiA/s800/sunflowers.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHMbiH8T8ZrSjh5DE-98UjqcX_BBdDCVMoEuKZqMVA6SftAFri5EqDWWmBIr_munMVm3qM51NvEUB9eUyEUiCHNljAtTqQwR_EL8_480Dm6I1Esl_LlnYY-lv4XtcJXvt7_Na2UkRN2NzwLcpK9MTsA7DHdI9rZEBYjWp22IIwFZIePE1N-TQRXaEMiA/w480-h640/sunflowers.jpg" width="480" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Have a wonderful week.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Thank you for joining me today. I'll be linking with <a href="https://tentoesinthewater.blogspot.com" target="_blank">Angie for Mosaic Monday.</a> See you there.</span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span><p><br /></p></div></div>annhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01668006270534204954noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6460244051990142578.post-10237462776753535882022-08-08T14:51:00.003-06:002022-08-08T14:53:51.735-06:00Three Girls and Their Herd<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"><span style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="341" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi80AmO-OZlC_Z4TFARiAzYgaAhw3FPolErx9kiL1-Nxcbfm_X1FcfpY1uzA0If6YWg1bWvh21PJ-xsnCsEvelV9st4YJlCMVGu92z-MJ4DJKE7NFa_j695a325kLE8REW5cNicZIQdb49a-StLOX_h6BnOxVjwc4UQiB2oEnIxs7m6GT9GKkrkeUgqWw/w454-h341/fair.jpg" width="454" /></span><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">After I uploaded all of these photos of the granddaughters, I began to wonder if I really needed to write what appeared to be one huge granny brag post. Yes, I am so proud of these girls for their interest in 4-H and their parents for how they are raising their daughters in these odd times. Not all children have the opportunity to have animals, to work hard to show them in completion, and especially not to be afraid to compete with the possibility of probably not winning first place or the reality of even coming in last. They are developing life skills and learning hard lessons. They are learning how to overcome disappointment as well as being a gracious winner.</span></div></span></div><p style="text-align: left;"></p></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">Mariah, a 20 year old mustang (yes a true mustang born after her mother was captured in a mustang roundup in Arizona) arrived at the the Larimer County Fairgrounds July 30th and spent four days completing in various events, from English Showmanship to Western Showmanship to Ranch Work, and finally gymkhana. Lucy has had her six years and, yes, you can teach an old horse new tricks.</span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-CUtpInuO6jSMY_z7CrkMAanAW_LFyHj3Nqt3eDndBEjoTZpQ88ULjNd49fu8tO36z_IcEqfrxYd6Uar6OVREU6zWq-0ZqHvLXWbrd536BpP1WwIKkEKtBpDKWCw6b6_N5ZJ70S4ztadF7Ay5jcwtWfUSvL9nnfzbRL65v074QowltfUri3DpQQ8wMg/s6000/1.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-CUtpInuO6jSMY_z7CrkMAanAW_LFyHj3Nqt3eDndBEjoTZpQ88ULjNd49fu8tO36z_IcEqfrxYd6Uar6OVREU6zWq-0ZqHvLXWbrd536BpP1WwIKkEKtBpDKWCw6b6_N5ZJ70S4ztadF7Ay5jcwtWfUSvL9nnfzbRL65v074QowltfUri3DpQQ8wMg/w640-h426/1.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">After winning the English division (actually she was the only one entered in her division--but still she did well-- the Western events began with showmanship, where the rider displays her horse, making it look the most perfect and beautiful as possible. It's not always easy to get a horse to pose perfectly as the judge walks around looking for the the tiniest flaw.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrO4i6Uwb3OinP6jALDOOMk3hSWrKYBH38tNHu_r3obrDVT917R_dJ0lg8x7ydgSK8s5JFOz3KIAkhiUmos4-oS5q3dhAzPb9jvn-TVxVzVUaDd1XeQND5A-w2QGY6hJCc6Hu05jiVnqZkYyhUDbdmuQHJpa8YV5Aki7my9D7F5Gu9k97YF5ZMxhcUxA/s6000/1%20(1).jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrO4i6Uwb3OinP6jALDOOMk3hSWrKYBH38tNHu_r3obrDVT917R_dJ0lg8x7ydgSK8s5JFOz3KIAkhiUmos4-oS5q3dhAzPb9jvn-TVxVzVUaDd1XeQND5A-w2QGY6hJCc6Hu05jiVnqZkYyhUDbdmuQHJpa8YV5Aki7my9D7F5Gu9k97YF5ZMxhcUxA/w640-h426/1%20(1).jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">I took hundreds of photos of the different events and it was so hard to decide which ones to post, but you will get the idea. Completion was tough, even though there were 5 in this division. All were excellent riders with beautifully trained horses. We've watched this girls ride and grow for five years and they all just get better and better. The least little mistake will determine a winner. As was the case in this event where Lucy just didn't execute the pattern as accurately as was required and placed 3rd. Over all, Lucy and Mariah won the Western Division, too.</span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLmrqkm5rTBS1lfinX-KzYiw3ldhLXoEPz9JUkXPeiKMnkcL_SYGIeuOseFGmpcZxnu5quLJyYFcDlzhMCwmlvJ_I0kAzYmDZGNU_OfemOPLNeVGY9-xD4-Dhm1NiyoPR9lYdn7aYgUOveSr2I0H-ZgtX7-UCTnaQQbkQq_JVMUnTj57B-EweUKU2-XA/s6000/1%20(2).jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLmrqkm5rTBS1lfinX-KzYiw3ldhLXoEPz9JUkXPeiKMnkcL_SYGIeuOseFGmpcZxnu5quLJyYFcDlzhMCwmlvJ_I0kAzYmDZGNU_OfemOPLNeVGY9-xD4-Dhm1NiyoPR9lYdn7aYgUOveSr2I0H-ZgtX7-UCTnaQQbkQq_JVMUnTj57B-EweUKU2-XA/w640-h426/1%20(2).jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">In the Ranch Work set of classes, one event required her to rope a steer. Fortunately a successfully placed rope wasn't required to place in the event because she won all of her ranch events.</span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVf_qdYIu4gGTIccYqs7X2krJu3fQ5j-nNiyHbR9RfI_Ye7QXFbYo5IPYFcvINlj8aAucEkYuK9Ct08iYhdkZRK-DEDPn5yiYLNrwTDUKm5sxjv_XMHUCEASJB5u8IlG5GVPKmQZoo7AlL0gjLTuYzVzEUdBfhI6P0T78y3dr6dFTehkwOLiCv02u8Sg/s6000/1%20(3).jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVf_qdYIu4gGTIccYqs7X2krJu3fQ5j-nNiyHbR9RfI_Ye7QXFbYo5IPYFcvINlj8aAucEkYuK9Ct08iYhdkZRK-DEDPn5yiYLNrwTDUKm5sxjv_XMHUCEASJB5u8IlG5GVPKmQZoo7AlL0gjLTuYzVzEUdBfhI6P0T78y3dr6dFTehkwOLiCv02u8Sg/w640-h426/1%20(3).jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3zH26x_ntQgTyMVJee_tZu0wKh-HD9GC2jsfAdwEK7SE1piB_gx20M2bQGn8e_Ht9Xhkp3A5Y0iduH-Z_w_a0TFCxKlHu1FSI8ZBcUmiYujqWbjIIcYvKDmdp_DjWHY7karFnzRXp-JtzfDF9b__2Tv66v0afmaQgN5HUcqiQnQghB1gZMa2ReBGuag/s6000/1%20(4).jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3zH26x_ntQgTyMVJee_tZu0wKh-HD9GC2jsfAdwEK7SE1piB_gx20M2bQGn8e_Ht9Xhkp3A5Y0iduH-Z_w_a0TFCxKlHu1FSI8ZBcUmiYujqWbjIIcYvKDmdp_DjWHY7karFnzRXp-JtzfDF9b__2Tv66v0afmaQgN5HUcqiQnQghB1gZMa2ReBGuag/w640-h426/1%20(4).jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">Another challenge in the Ranch Work is working with real steers who have minds of their own and tend to cling together where there is safety in the herd. The point of this competition is to select a steer from the herd and "track" it or follow it for at least 15 seconds. The rider can track only steer, but no more than 3 steers for 15 seconds each.</span></div><div><br /></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIDO5tP36nS8vCDHjVar8S3AgnTG5kv2AZKNr8Bm7fHDQHLTgPB79TlpVWFlJJkcdW1mc0dDisY8gBnJi1PtHL7hJ2uR4fQIg8A8EadBVC9jL_7AOAu2FVIVyw5O69aR-KTyr8SWCFzBHPtJphg5DAMyPEdZaK7-mgqgYz1D01QOqBK688g1KTlQ2imQ/s6000/2.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIDO5tP36nS8vCDHjVar8S3AgnTG5kv2AZKNr8Bm7fHDQHLTgPB79TlpVWFlJJkcdW1mc0dDisY8gBnJi1PtHL7hJ2uR4fQIg8A8EadBVC9jL_7AOAu2FVIVyw5O69aR-KTyr8SWCFzBHPtJphg5DAMyPEdZaK7-mgqgYz1D01QOqBK688g1KTlQ2imQ/w640-h426/2.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">While Lucy is just learning about working with cattle, Mariah knows cows since her previous owner competed in this sort of completion. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq0HX8rzPCD8jSHDg8VxtmTvHk-hO5t0LVaR89BRkwxBqOEkyZhcCF24aiYr_igNzj7R4txrTQJmuD-9mWZvl0wnr-Pjm3CEeFYztlCgmPWITpWBEGEWcI7szzQoQGmhi5TfrvvOywtulYVS1FbKM5IWK5zQs-w1f3QlscdHs_bhmQJb6a8V8aE_VpWA/s6000/5.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq0HX8rzPCD8jSHDg8VxtmTvHk-hO5t0LVaR89BRkwxBqOEkyZhcCF24aiYr_igNzj7R4txrTQJmuD-9mWZvl0wnr-Pjm3CEeFYztlCgmPWITpWBEGEWcI7szzQoQGmhi5TfrvvOywtulYVS1FbKM5IWK5zQs-w1f3QlscdHs_bhmQJb6a8V8aE_VpWA/w640-h426/5.jpeg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">Some steers are docile and play along with the game; others are more insecure and want to get back to their friends.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggE6BWEN0FtPBivN9HMSgokWh8kS9wkicusfHTkguUyyHFoPyUOuvpozybSV-HgcgD9R0k9g1SrQU1KY-grOUujgrXkQCoNQ_Ne4t_lxWuwKuLYn7J79VtVgB0eU7LtJOCwQ-F7ukeafP_vFIU2GQP3GERZxuI62caYQ--O4DAp-eeLeJ_sRa1WytBfA/s6000/4.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggE6BWEN0FtPBivN9HMSgokWh8kS9wkicusfHTkguUyyHFoPyUOuvpozybSV-HgcgD9R0k9g1SrQU1KY-grOUujgrXkQCoNQ_Ne4t_lxWuwKuLYn7J79VtVgB0eU7LtJOCwQ-F7ukeafP_vFIU2GQP3GERZxuI62caYQ--O4DAp-eeLeJ_sRa1WytBfA/w640-h426/4.jpeg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">While other competitors had some difficulty with the calves, Lucy and Mariah were smooth, collected, and calm and won the ranch work division.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLey_mVqy0Y5vThy5xNPln81vfqM8zIx4IC-4fGttsC_zLoNxcxSJ2yoLHNNLYl5MSV1nnldug26esMzhwRrmKhKhlLB-V1SyrRhNR3w_4fSJbt4-ocADQeS6tAkHGnf_gAMRfhO1MAITyuWYO4CX0iGLy3MIzA1aEYcoqOdHeNQ7t1boGMcMIyDQKFQ/s6000/3.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLey_mVqy0Y5vThy5xNPln81vfqM8zIx4IC-4fGttsC_zLoNxcxSJ2yoLHNNLYl5MSV1nnldug26esMzhwRrmKhKhlLB-V1SyrRhNR3w_4fSJbt4-ocADQeS6tAkHGnf_gAMRfhO1MAITyuWYO4CX0iGLy3MIzA1aEYcoqOdHeNQ7t1boGMcMIyDQKFQ/w640-h426/3.jpeg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"> For the horse show, Lucy won overall the English, Western, and Ranch, but was 5 points behind the rider who won grand champion. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">I don't mean this to be all about Lucy and Mariah, but her sisters decided not to participate in the horse show this year.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">Goats</span></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">With the horse show over, Mariah went home and the goats came. Again too many photos to choose from, so but you will get the idea.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">Mabel and Pansy are just babies, about half grown. Lucy bought them when they were just a month old and bottle fed them. Now weaned, they will freshen (or be ready to milk next spring) when Lucy will begin her goat milk soap enterprise. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLJ9dzl6Hc6ItqUGI73lNQDzzisxqf0yZsrlukLtmeM5FYXILoYgA2etF6iEwWS8iGv2E1J1vMM3NoaThnTSAidJB0I6RGeyUdURt_nvLFviOqrDlqpSIXxySAigttmIuh3WSnEy5Wlk-jiI5MyUvtiYXtLTTdRU4IMETi2nEsSgl4UhUJdqS781sNRQ/s6000/1%20(6).jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLJ9dzl6Hc6ItqUGI73lNQDzzisxqf0yZsrlukLtmeM5FYXILoYgA2etF6iEwWS8iGv2E1J1vMM3NoaThnTSAidJB0I6RGeyUdURt_nvLFviOqrDlqpSIXxySAigttmIuh3WSnEy5Wlk-jiI5MyUvtiYXtLTTdRU4IMETi2nEsSgl4UhUJdqS781sNRQ/w640-h426/1%20(6).jpeg" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr><tr></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">Showing goats was an entirely new experience and most of the other competitors have been showing goats from the beginning--kids have to be 9 years old to compete in the 4-H fair.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0UwTahp0sqUwZsLLAHwJ1tcNxTTQW9tSWZArGEwkDQp58uqgXHXy9Hb1Nt8iugqkpm7z95p4LWH0-Xkc0isLZFLwu7FMmzITGvkGhRSd_HNNbq8di7yq2dJeRzwCYWzQE1lvOgdfodDnKNtV2sDlkUT54biZUYFI2Wz13VCu55beqdfmDqleHZdauDw/s6000/1%20(5).jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="6000" data-original-width="4000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0UwTahp0sqUwZsLLAHwJ1tcNxTTQW9tSWZArGEwkDQp58uqgXHXy9Hb1Nt8iugqkpm7z95p4LWH0-Xkc0isLZFLwu7FMmzITGvkGhRSd_HNNbq8di7yq2dJeRzwCYWzQE1lvOgdfodDnKNtV2sDlkUT54biZUYFI2Wz13VCu55beqdfmDqleHZdauDw/w426-h640/1%20(5).jpeg" width="426" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">The girls became interested in goats when little sister Lily decided that since she didn't have a horse, maybe goats would be fun, so she and her older sister bought two Boar goats or meat goats, bigger, stronger than the milk goats, Showing goats is not just a matter of herding them around the arena in front of a judge. They have to be correctly groomed, which requires a lot of work and good technique with the electric clippers, a good bath, and a blow dry. They also have to know how handle the goat in the show arena.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">Fair prep begins at home as Lily bathes and blow dries Ann.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoa4yU7Q7wGrlnQj6kNGsDLJOq4PPmmMIhqzVadV0BMU0rgCPt8CQHIvqXNYx9lnCSizrXob_pZ9glSyBJJrtvBfSAOP_0ic07WVoL6GsHV50oukjroIMUsBUU7GgNK9wiFiVwhrAjFhva-D6YLI7LT_K1MyMPe0Le6ZNbvi9ve_mOnvUqCHYRpYKlUA/s4032/IMG_4540.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoa4yU7Q7wGrlnQj6kNGsDLJOq4PPmmMIhqzVadV0BMU0rgCPt8CQHIvqXNYx9lnCSizrXob_pZ9glSyBJJrtvBfSAOP_0ic07WVoL6GsHV50oukjroIMUsBUU7GgNK9wiFiVwhrAjFhva-D6YLI7LT_K1MyMPe0Le6ZNbvi9ve_mOnvUqCHYRpYKlUA/w480-h640/IMG_4540.jpeg" width="480" /></a><br /><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQAK-rjoBQrTlWKyxRD3g8-Q1cvK2qtQnMMZlT7FcmaZgKwofCsbb4oWWFpDxbMumaQidxpaKEH8v97-ujfoa25xg7EZhnLcEdC3UGy38JXfz7gdL5xpeZ792PRdVtiu_K3YA9RnXSbq90COQ2c2pYhRcovoROL6iW9Nhq9Ik51Tmue-5SIimu8vBA6A/s6000/1%20(7).jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="6000" data-original-width="4000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQAK-rjoBQrTlWKyxRD3g8-Q1cvK2qtQnMMZlT7FcmaZgKwofCsbb4oWWFpDxbMumaQidxpaKEH8v97-ujfoa25xg7EZhnLcEdC3UGy38JXfz7gdL5xpeZ792PRdVtiu_K3YA9RnXSbq90COQ2c2pYhRcovoROL6iW9Nhq9Ik51Tmue-5SIimu8vBA6A/w426-h640/1%20(7).jpeg" width="426" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">Dressed to the 9s to keep clean while she waits her turn in the show ring, Ann looks like a winner.</span></div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEF0e9TxnBWRHxmubXsEJKTNB9a5udzLa-FN6tR5UrsNfqo0G_DDuYD1FlYm5RyPhPqHsZxRoWjyfFBEvZBlu-Qnk-IMJbjDpCmS2S-CWxu2mC0KC_CCwOI-lHy5bPBlVxjAeQcm7fJN8ZI8nxTpSGdFteg0P-Wi_fMnrpj64FxfTeNyaUo8x_w2Ltrg/s6000/1%20(8).jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="6000" data-original-width="4000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEF0e9TxnBWRHxmubXsEJKTNB9a5udzLa-FN6tR5UrsNfqo0G_DDuYD1FlYm5RyPhPqHsZxRoWjyfFBEvZBlu-Qnk-IMJbjDpCmS2S-CWxu2mC0KC_CCwOI-lHy5bPBlVxjAeQcm7fJN8ZI8nxTpSGdFteg0P-Wi_fMnrpj64FxfTeNyaUo8x_w2Ltrg/w426-h640/1%20(8).jpeg" width="426" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8YksZhAj2TMerXhtIPr7jfqYdfHAkfo6GfL15UH3XUBHsYSzrgcBjzCH6I96cp_t41gDx-uUGqaaAtiLp_gC35VBN-44RhdiL29NomRN5iAGdd3zZc1R1gG2sQHcOB_N9CNWeIKSQWKYCEAOpM7Ue8Z9qzKvFrVF8-RPR7IWoowNblAUWnwsl09TJiA/s6000/1%20(9).jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="6000" data-original-width="4000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8YksZhAj2TMerXhtIPr7jfqYdfHAkfo6GfL15UH3XUBHsYSzrgcBjzCH6I96cp_t41gDx-uUGqaaAtiLp_gC35VBN-44RhdiL29NomRN5iAGdd3zZc1R1gG2sQHcOB_N9CNWeIKSQWKYCEAOpM7Ue8Z9qzKvFrVF8-RPR7IWoowNblAUWnwsl09TJiA/w426-h640/1%20(9).jpeg" width="426" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSM61cawzk5-_CAa1cLUFHcYEobRQU3NnHkKxxwdQsiewfCvBQuyrjwJEwK95FIJKqj4ABVGu3ui13CcctfP-WI0UqYcBJhiEt-Hv1xR_PaLijwjbSAOuUFMTVqF6txyZc1yz_VeNUoejd_o8VA2eGuRftkf9b9VkxZkdFtmYSOU6ueqtl93lV_A2lDw/s1280/IMG_4471.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSM61cawzk5-_CAa1cLUFHcYEobRQU3NnHkKxxwdQsiewfCvBQuyrjwJEwK95FIJKqj4ABVGu3ui13CcctfP-WI0UqYcBJhiEt-Hv1xR_PaLijwjbSAOuUFMTVqF6txyZc1yz_VeNUoejd_o8VA2eGuRftkf9b9VkxZkdFtmYSOU6ueqtl93lV_A2lDw/w480-h640/IMG_4471.jpeg" width="480" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">Lily and Ann worked hard before the show learning what is needed to show a winning goat, but theses kids were skilled goat handlers and Lily was out shown. It's tough having high expectations and hopes and then things don't go the way we imagined them, but that's okay. Not everything goes our way, as Lily learned.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">The work to get the goats ready to show actually began at home days before the fair. They were clipped and snipped and lead around the yard and taught how to pose. Dan is quite cooperative as Ellie clips away unwanted hair.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm2zBn5C9MtDD1cdYaJ6DVK12Kjlb_5PnNuMO8CHz8ET3ydOPja2_rEyQOTNemitOfaxMseQ4RVnbk9Q7ihQILKFwcvp4ZxJw9udTTa4YtGeQaOVvsgIGjceE-05UBywzIcF1aPYpg-sXEf_2zJMCGMA6yjw4VMPtvZ6kZcvgOkak3p2VlrMLyDhf6MQ/s1280/IMG_4541.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm2zBn5C9MtDD1cdYaJ6DVK12Kjlb_5PnNuMO8CHz8ET3ydOPja2_rEyQOTNemitOfaxMseQ4RVnbk9Q7ihQILKFwcvp4ZxJw9udTTa4YtGeQaOVvsgIGjceE-05UBywzIcF1aPYpg-sXEf_2zJMCGMA6yjw4VMPtvZ6kZcvgOkak3p2VlrMLyDhf6MQ/w480-h640/IMG_4541.jpeg" width="480" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">Because these are meat goats, they get a circus ultrasound--I'm not quite sure--to determine their density? Dan takes it all in stride.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdD602O5PIlJcLxQai9MIl4kYDb3_lhOL6J0vi_Df-8_pR8GlIeeiHI7K-OdR6RpQlrK9gEZ9V22Se0QoLLp-snYGTJeLn9oN7iqTqzouWnFU47fyb_wXdAv2FVeaor2XnXiqdNB1xISXQrxPt3jiiQZbmw9kFcAYRvzTNvuvWFL43B61vUvxkYgAKJQ/s1280/IMG_4466%202.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdD602O5PIlJcLxQai9MIl4kYDb3_lhOL6J0vi_Df-8_pR8GlIeeiHI7K-OdR6RpQlrK9gEZ9V22Se0QoLLp-snYGTJeLn9oN7iqTqzouWnFU47fyb_wXdAv2FVeaor2XnXiqdNB1xISXQrxPt3jiiQZbmw9kFcAYRvzTNvuvWFL43B61vUvxkYgAKJQ/w480-h640/IMG_4466%202.jpeg" width="480" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpaNn1SisN7ZzT7-bTDxWOfYKPOtseuBVIJWDztgJvMLD0UZfDOgMGqMob-j2pVV4uXykJaxRVrRJDvBJA9VpFe813Tb6gr3P_HolT_GM8FjHwp4zabNHEwbxCjEY7zhlI7r-IH8oESvn0bHB7ZM2etCb3e_iNopyg2W4eOIo9QumvswECgZTHjIGolA/s1280/IMG_4467%202.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpaNn1SisN7ZzT7-bTDxWOfYKPOtseuBVIJWDztgJvMLD0UZfDOgMGqMob-j2pVV4uXykJaxRVrRJDvBJA9VpFe813Tb6gr3P_HolT_GM8FjHwp4zabNHEwbxCjEY7zhlI7r-IH8oESvn0bHB7ZM2etCb3e_iNopyg2W4eOIo9QumvswECgZTHjIGolA/w480-h640/IMG_4467%202.jpeg" width="480" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">Lily's turn in the show ring.</span></div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-VINoL4xglOY0tJU09P_6Z_Iuemxc50ScxOy9tiezq4ArMnLeqHZnvX8xGNplba79SxIFL_Xt97mD6me00rJjlYIArX2sMKa1SYAkYSqKl-KfMIJTFEsNNvPCIN36qT5nTATyD8oYBqU-5idTaan_J2WiGoMYjsESoGBNJD4mkb5yds8EZQuUvpBVMQ/s6000/1%20(10).jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-VINoL4xglOY0tJU09P_6Z_Iuemxc50ScxOy9tiezq4ArMnLeqHZnvX8xGNplba79SxIFL_Xt97mD6me00rJjlYIArX2sMKa1SYAkYSqKl-KfMIJTFEsNNvPCIN36qT5nTATyD8oYBqU-5idTaan_J2WiGoMYjsESoGBNJD4mkb5yds8EZQuUvpBVMQ/w640-h426/1%20(10).jpeg" width="640" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF5KljNxwAnC0B2L8r5ZLB5vXgXbDzTXjTEpFfzC2J3n1Ato6ZESEQlQebyao301jMjuRt9AZ4JefaO7kHKoWmYKNlwWIPNelLem-PgMu-DT0mOD5Ui_F7fio-mQ9KYIzgR6Cb9JCnmgveEwc2H67mkmljb_t0CAczwbsOVtRTO0gBvxbbGjwB0nZlPg/s6000/1%20(11).jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF5KljNxwAnC0B2L8r5ZLB5vXgXbDzTXjTEpFfzC2J3n1Ato6ZESEQlQebyao301jMjuRt9AZ4JefaO7kHKoWmYKNlwWIPNelLem-PgMu-DT0mOD5Ui_F7fio-mQ9KYIzgR6Cb9JCnmgveEwc2H67mkmljb_t0CAczwbsOVtRTO0gBvxbbGjwB0nZlPg/w640-h426/1%20(11).jpeg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">Elinore showed her Boar Goat, Dan, with about the same results. Competition was stiff and the other kids were good.</span></div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5BxL-onuoYQtlBrI5e7bA0cYVzUAQAzdMn98pan43sTos5p1YxrN1CCQ3WQOzime_swUu21cwsAXkdCuk6bPtZrIj91IcBZaOCTdpYtRiDMVt8ls9LAFubV2nl4f1M3vOwyumdtI_PHB_cQE4H44zXhNmHj6IogwfJ7kQREndssB-n6MKqZdhrdRizA/s6000/1%20(12).jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5BxL-onuoYQtlBrI5e7bA0cYVzUAQAzdMn98pan43sTos5p1YxrN1CCQ3WQOzime_swUu21cwsAXkdCuk6bPtZrIj91IcBZaOCTdpYtRiDMVt8ls9LAFubV2nl4f1M3vOwyumdtI_PHB_cQE4H44zXhNmHj6IogwfJ7kQREndssB-n6MKqZdhrdRizA/w640-h426/1%20(12).jpeg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">None of us are sure why Elinore decided to show a hog! Meet Frank, a show pig. These two have quite a special friendship, but not showmanship. The competition is always about the knowledge and hard work before the show and then all of the requirements of good showmanship in the ring and knowing what the judge looks for. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">Goat Sale</span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">Unless the girls decide otherwise, the Boar Goats will go to the 4-H sale with the proceeds shared with the 4-H and the goat owners. It's a hard to spend a year working with with an animal and then sell it, but that's part of agriculture.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYePNQWlqA4uj9swzbr5ko6ZrO62HGaLTsIEzdB4pw0cTH2POJ1XQC5XiGDpOK1VUzb5Rb1bK7lpb_qvThi8-3naenuLOsQvffTOqDI_D0an1d_wgA3Sew5XmYxJe15XZTBaP09FEGY8De3CO9kDRbO9I3LQWns3NTAsB_ZvBAgsj9V5v_YG8OnWhu6A/s1280/IMG_4644%202.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYePNQWlqA4uj9swzbr5ko6ZrO62HGaLTsIEzdB4pw0cTH2POJ1XQC5XiGDpOK1VUzb5Rb1bK7lpb_qvThi8-3naenuLOsQvffTOqDI_D0an1d_wgA3Sew5XmYxJe15XZTBaP09FEGY8De3CO9kDRbO9I3LQWns3NTAsB_ZvBAgsj9V5v_YG8OnWhu6A/w640-h480/IMG_4644%202.jpeg" width="640" /></a> </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzB-spN6IAMZonDyMHJJpyGUCoEgvso4-Ahqj1twsGCa-mhi6Chgn2_Zi6t6EA-oKG5sIy1H7R7PUzcG_HdxKBXN8cfRawJg7LL98JrmenkLGFosUWgWsMK5p70Vrw9nW5CHMLqlKb7TY7chC6CLTIl6QcziqTLdl9_m9tyJulkA3vBzkocpZNkAdk1w/s1280/IMG_4649.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzB-spN6IAMZonDyMHJJpyGUCoEgvso4-Ahqj1twsGCa-mhi6Chgn2_Zi6t6EA-oKG5sIy1H7R7PUzcG_HdxKBXN8cfRawJg7LL98JrmenkLGFosUWgWsMK5p70Vrw9nW5CHMLqlKb7TY7chC6CLTIl6QcziqTLdl9_m9tyJulkA3vBzkocpZNkAdk1w/w640-h480/IMG_4649.jpeg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">Frank, the Hog</span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">As if goats weren't enough, Ellie also took on a hog to show. She and Frank have actually become quite attached to each other, but ultimately Frank will go to the sale, too.</span></div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6TjTNa5nV8f8agEklnGvNxffuiUJLRsf4qCBH4CZsH40FiDw-iiOVXGHyPOOvvqbalbC-tVQ_bAmyJ31jvFr6WVfAlnbwUgwnfFCdbe3wasMxiPpN_vJS1FSOD6SCRJg0k_XCT2QNcqcW27lsV9JGDzB2W4cM24oPAb36Imu5zGDkVH89hYRylPEiWw/s1280/IMG_4654.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6TjTNa5nV8f8agEklnGvNxffuiUJLRsf4qCBH4CZsH40FiDw-iiOVXGHyPOOvvqbalbC-tVQ_bAmyJ31jvFr6WVfAlnbwUgwnfFCdbe3wasMxiPpN_vJS1FSOD6SCRJg0k_XCT2QNcqcW27lsV9JGDzB2W4cM24oPAb36Imu5zGDkVH89hYRylPEiWw/w480-h640/IMG_4654.jpeg" width="480" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9sEjM2gMqtJh8J1X0cEcUjZinQBRVMDBx0gVHos9bdz7MR3r4ktwsIukAHEbOitVilk3BCUEjBnKZNAIqSgg8t7f0oUQMPdMFylJoGpFnB1KtoLbebIDOaDfd64l703hjlQQshLmsMpEfoL1cmMKcFfIqoO2CqHYAo8AjbKbjfeS8PA9-V6dlWwBD-Q/s1280/IMG_4657.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9sEjM2gMqtJh8J1X0cEcUjZinQBRVMDBx0gVHos9bdz7MR3r4ktwsIukAHEbOitVilk3BCUEjBnKZNAIqSgg8t7f0oUQMPdMFylJoGpFnB1KtoLbebIDOaDfd64l703hjlQQshLmsMpEfoL1cmMKcFfIqoO2CqHYAo8AjbKbjfeS8PA9-V6dlWwBD-Q/w480-h640/IMG_4657.jpeg" width="480" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMc2XePR8tygGNGqQ01olopdG-6XDV6E7xN_aKboY2r2NPr_bqaj4NXnseRAtOBZtNg7rJ72R97q3uQwCVcYpZRgNnUYXc2sq0aP-J7N7lQptGHVjMFZDFJxgdLwTGW6xS0FdpyM-ME_WS4Hpjn4cnTWqP-Q4XPnBb7w1FfzItX3-O-636ZPBELTKQEg/s3699/1%20(19).jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3541" data-original-width="3699" height="612" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMc2XePR8tygGNGqQ01olopdG-6XDV6E7xN_aKboY2r2NPr_bqaj4NXnseRAtOBZtNg7rJ72R97q3uQwCVcYpZRgNnUYXc2sq0aP-J7N7lQptGHVjMFZDFJxgdLwTGW6xS0FdpyM-ME_WS4Hpjn4cnTWqP-Q4XPnBb7w1FfzItX3-O-636ZPBELTKQEg/w640-h612/1%20(19).jpeg" width="640" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">The girls entered 4-H Home show, too with a variety of projects.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDUu9OOjbAnp0iOYR2jTpRwpN9QeQUbFGq47osN9jsTqpOkKerso-HH8ElYLvqCKwjPWuYlVgMCVePxRg-6GSwMFfdClws3i9vK5qWko1JNmt7AOHQAQm06knon4o7t6LFg7naCQRw5C6M5adqm4a5A0DYH8x2WuRVaNjjYg4CQkwD_7WW_m-yDuGMHA/s1280/IMG_4534.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDUu9OOjbAnp0iOYR2jTpRwpN9QeQUbFGq47osN9jsTqpOkKerso-HH8ElYLvqCKwjPWuYlVgMCVePxRg-6GSwMFfdClws3i9vK5qWko1JNmt7AOHQAQm06knon4o7t6LFg7naCQRw5C6M5adqm4a5A0DYH8x2WuRVaNjjYg4CQkwD_7WW_m-yDuGMHA/w480-h640/IMG_4534.jpeg" width="480" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">Ellie's graduation cap to won grand champion in the leather division, which she made for a good friend who graduated in Animal Science at Colorado State University.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEIQ87zmj8EHaCwe2SBtbbEdSRlIaoo96nyyD5s-5lG4KLZbMf3ROfpMli52B238G7NvcuQH7BHylcfydC7AW3dFr74RoKQ5D08EkYKk8y4hVSv-EmtwK8YjtOkbLhKKU4WH_iBBZngSAGOupQ1OTp05JLyvxFe3bT9GJMibA40b556WddbZ045ETUBw/s1280/IMG_4529.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEIQ87zmj8EHaCwe2SBtbbEdSRlIaoo96nyyD5s-5lG4KLZbMf3ROfpMli52B238G7NvcuQH7BHylcfydC7AW3dFr74RoKQ5D08EkYKk8y4hVSv-EmtwK8YjtOkbLhKKU4WH_iBBZngSAGOupQ1OTp05JLyvxFe3bT9GJMibA40b556WddbZ045ETUBw/s320/IMG_4529.jpeg" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiuoF08n56T69q1yg6AJ1gHk8GgS5yYayl5JqttLHj_bxJw3l4pIB1dS6xbbA1aowzSwiPekR6Dx_iFNQS7xC7C_Wam3ZdVZvStB5o-scBgrORgfA-txwyqn3F__dXJKtQMrdvQucGts7pO-6s-9o0xY2nuqwbWULwFoFElexsUJj3l5XuTBS7UnYNbw/s1280/IMG_4530.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiuoF08n56T69q1yg6AJ1gHk8GgS5yYayl5JqttLHj_bxJw3l4pIB1dS6xbbA1aowzSwiPekR6Dx_iFNQS7xC7C_Wam3ZdVZvStB5o-scBgrORgfA-txwyqn3F__dXJKtQMrdvQucGts7pO-6s-9o0xY2nuqwbWULwFoFElexsUJj3l5XuTBS7UnYNbw/s320/IMG_4530.jpeg" width="320" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">Lily made a cat house for her little cat Sabrina.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWbva1y4xEVp8lRKQX9T0xIZzWcS2AHDkZgb6CJ4rCjKc1ZSlKibHQjW20JDVc9qJgch0c8fZrPfz6B9Q9XlPgjuRJn0cjswhI9TGdyErPoGU7ia1MzeLkuc0zev5AtIfE_aNXwrS38XjyPk_zOHspFpHf9nVg4VQL_00oFwaTRToRYwVvget_tSgIPQ/s4032/1EA267F0-99AE-4AD6-AAC8-E6A0ADE7FE16.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWbva1y4xEVp8lRKQX9T0xIZzWcS2AHDkZgb6CJ4rCjKc1ZSlKibHQjW20JDVc9qJgch0c8fZrPfz6B9Q9XlPgjuRJn0cjswhI9TGdyErPoGU7ia1MzeLkuc0zev5AtIfE_aNXwrS38XjyPk_zOHspFpHf9nVg4VQL_00oFwaTRToRYwVvget_tSgIPQ/w480-h640/1EA267F0-99AE-4AD6-AAC8-E6A0ADE7FE16.jpeg" width="480" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">Lucy hand tooled a leather belt. Lucy also entered a small quit piece, but it wasn't displayed where I could get a good photo. It, too, won champion.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwjIK1kzx1ygyjBr3my9BE3YnFyt9oz39fIueCeUxizBhCfZm5q4vUm-Qr5u9UdBBMAhrKr7R2GhIC_YVWYrida40AnzLjivSfGLfomv6Mm8dqMYuL7aJPskO3tzAshEiVjncMpQQV4A24e2VkZ57MjzC72ruG_OQ6I58UH9PGtfBbv21-h2W0RTP_4A/s4032/986E090A-D46B-46E0-BA71-12DFA66A3AB8.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwjIK1kzx1ygyjBr3my9BE3YnFyt9oz39fIueCeUxizBhCfZm5q4vUm-Qr5u9UdBBMAhrKr7R2GhIC_YVWYrida40AnzLjivSfGLfomv6Mm8dqMYuL7aJPskO3tzAshEiVjncMpQQV4A24e2VkZ57MjzC72ruG_OQ6I58UH9PGtfBbv21-h2W0RTP_4A/w640-h480/986E090A-D46B-46E0-BA71-12DFA66A3AB8.jpeg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">Ellie added to last year's entomology collection.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">Ault Fall Festival</span></b></div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">As fair began to wind down, Saturday was our little town's fall festival. The Head Gardener pulls the museum float. Here, he's coming from the neighbor where he picked up the float.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhih6gpQZQP9CQfeV-RkNaRri4FLuhlO80dFhPkICEfmNbbkflL569NEg06KwwFkvWOvK1x5khAo7MscD3KLXQw993Ta_JhcmBJePKMIhbbwq5bXMTunHYOoJNQw5bjzfChLcr1ZBV9J37H7dtNLYugIlWPBtOCXSEycRI4pYSYEAcOh7h23eHMLhjXXQ/s6000/1%20(14).jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhih6gpQZQP9CQfeV-RkNaRri4FLuhlO80dFhPkICEfmNbbkflL569NEg06KwwFkvWOvK1x5khAo7MscD3KLXQw993Ta_JhcmBJePKMIhbbwq5bXMTunHYOoJNQw5bjzfChLcr1ZBV9J37H7dtNLYugIlWPBtOCXSEycRI4pYSYEAcOh7h23eHMLhjXXQ/w640-h426/1%20(14).jpeg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">The park on Main Street is full of exciting things to do and see and buy and eat.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr5aCgA1mlK4RhjjCtJFeHWy6Zaayhu8081kD6JIIbJWmztaHixpJBrUN7eXv6F-xPEG57uI4z1zzi82HR9nkLE-bb2pWVprC3ZGnMDqztJXVamPOECUOgoHBXxHIm5AnDVyT8jSpBcaobpjGzQZcO5shwsCbc0qubl8H1w3EFTszqMhMNFyKyMTnY9A/s6000/1%20(15).jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr5aCgA1mlK4RhjjCtJFeHWy6Zaayhu8081kD6JIIbJWmztaHixpJBrUN7eXv6F-xPEG57uI4z1zzi82HR9nkLE-bb2pWVprC3ZGnMDqztJXVamPOECUOgoHBXxHIm5AnDVyT8jSpBcaobpjGzQZcO5shwsCbc0qubl8H1w3EFTszqMhMNFyKyMTnY9A/w640-h426/1%20(15).jpeg" width="640" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">The man loves his tractor</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW7o5T4LQni4gdTFvXqeNwHW0zrfl0jwfEhsXiPFHNoTMKRi90mt-xN0VSiFjadmtES_G1BfoEZevtXo6uaYhijyf3xmh7df8vqXKb1xT5hF2RFiwuxmP2FD0UjEOgwr-8ZzDj_JYtioc8w1Rnq6P_6hmGJoPRR8jvUyoD7ZBSm6DFsmLS9rsQ3esd5A/s6000/1%20(16).jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW7o5T4LQni4gdTFvXqeNwHW0zrfl0jwfEhsXiPFHNoTMKRi90mt-xN0VSiFjadmtES_G1BfoEZevtXo6uaYhijyf3xmh7df8vqXKb1xT5hF2RFiwuxmP2FD0UjEOgwr-8ZzDj_JYtioc8w1Rnq6P_6hmGJoPRR8jvUyoD7ZBSm6DFsmLS9rsQ3esd5A/w640-h426/1%20(16).jpeg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">Tis is the interior of our museum. It is the old pump house for the original well that provided water for the town. With a grant from the Colorado State Historical Society, we were able to finish the inside for a small museum. We held an open house for the public to see the beginnings of the museum. I'll be writing more about the project as we go. After the open house we headed to the fairgrounds to watch Ellie show Frank and visit the art exhibits.</span></div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggjflPGoasMaMmzblaZgDaWwUBv2iwQZ6eXItoBNnrzv4J5w1n23VhqvTZVcllFemdrs6uxusb3Z0JUL6jY6F_4luMwEvR3CbMZVqnskT-4sU4eZtBIIK_AgNq0xoYFJIyY7ld8zwbl6fIZY0GnjIxCLVfbICwbNOVonFEoyHazOsupu5mvAMvHP3iIA/s6000/1%20(17).jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggjflPGoasMaMmzblaZgDaWwUBv2iwQZ6eXItoBNnrzv4J5w1n23VhqvTZVcllFemdrs6uxusb3Z0JUL6jY6F_4luMwEvR3CbMZVqnskT-4sU4eZtBIIK_AgNq0xoYFJIyY7ld8zwbl6fIZY0GnjIxCLVfbICwbNOVonFEoyHazOsupu5mvAMvHP3iIA/w640-h426/1%20(17).jpeg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">Fresh cut flowers from the garden.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9RfEZE9Yphp5AeesaBP-6animrYI3pL2JsUbenGRLbV0WJYQhRBKi5CWaeb_7tCFOD88eUsMTqCIZCuBC3CTYCD7etqFKc6N_m0KKObR9ls8g7ZIoSF4CPutAf1AM1JrHWHUhPTNHZOUBBpxW_ws9GTWV63Pjihgyho7LUKIZPcGraEglaEOHtxnzdw/s6000/1%20(18).jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="6000" data-original-width="4000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9RfEZE9Yphp5AeesaBP-6animrYI3pL2JsUbenGRLbV0WJYQhRBKi5CWaeb_7tCFOD88eUsMTqCIZCuBC3CTYCD7etqFKc6N_m0KKObR9ls8g7ZIoSF4CPutAf1AM1JrHWHUhPTNHZOUBBpxW_ws9GTWV63Pjihgyho7LUKIZPcGraEglaEOHtxnzdw/w426-h640/1%20(18).jpeg" width="426" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">Gone Fishing</span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">Nathan summer ended with a week with us. He spent most of the time at the fair with the kids, but the he had the Head Gardener have been learning how to fly fish, so while Mariah was settling in at the fair, Nathan and the HG were taking a fly fishing class that began in a classroom in the morning and fishing on the Poudre River in the afternoon. He loved it! So they ended Nathan's week back on the Poudre for one last cast before it's back to school.</span></div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrYHZfYso3LCpJ9hf_f0bkTX5BFttgLnxYtORm1UbDdzoCqbpA-BJpao3NMk6cm-FR5dWq_eseu3_HWlM-WZt7YWwTATKduzlmbJA6RGCKrOqTyZRH9WDfoiW6U7rpHJ3ufrZgpBGyZHNHO1ekwEx_QsoJmGUhs38G--iKarpACg5As3wFE-t4M6k6Ng/s1280/IMG_3441.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrYHZfYso3LCpJ9hf_f0bkTX5BFttgLnxYtORm1UbDdzoCqbpA-BJpao3NMk6cm-FR5dWq_eseu3_HWlM-WZt7YWwTATKduzlmbJA6RGCKrOqTyZRH9WDfoiW6U7rpHJ3ufrZgpBGyZHNHO1ekwEx_QsoJmGUhs38G--iKarpACg5As3wFE-t4M6k6Ng/s320/IMG_3441.jpeg" width="240" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUbVpXL4usHRddB8-38AzJkv1wcfKQ6Pa31Gr7SvP7PUvcQU6HsJZvwn92EHChAgkUu1XrrOWI7xplwBdUMjnKiX74Mon_Glof57YsaiQbAmGenii_Cw0YZCZGdjc43RhVW7T0HrpnNXNqx6jySm9un3xN9p5zJ94o6chTK7XuzTEXrY-e54f7T7cthQ/s1280/IMG_3444.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUbVpXL4usHRddB8-38AzJkv1wcfKQ6Pa31Gr7SvP7PUvcQU6HsJZvwn92EHChAgkUu1XrrOWI7xplwBdUMjnKiX74Mon_Glof57YsaiQbAmGenii_Cw0YZCZGdjc43RhVW7T0HrpnNXNqx6jySm9un3xN9p5zJ94o6chTK7XuzTEXrY-e54f7T7cthQ/s320/IMG_3444.jpeg" width="240" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">Children need things to do. They need goals that challenge them to learn and grow and gain understanding about them and the world around them. It doesn't matter where they live, can find their won niche when parents and grandparents show them the way and then let them soar. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">These children are so fortunate to have a rural life and animals to love and care for. While the girls live on a small average and Nathan lives in a city cul-de-sac, he has the best of two worlds. He can navigate the city but he is also gets to experience the country life, which he really enjoys. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">As summer winds down, there is still plenty to do here at the Garden Spot, especially as everything was put on hold as I tried to keep up with three girls, one boy, a horse, 4 goats, and hog. (I wore out when the rabbits had their turn.) I am thankful that I'm not these kids's mom! Bless the mothers who herd these four youngster around, giving them goals, values, and challenges. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">I don't often refer to a previous post, but since last week's post didn't get posted on <a href="https://tentoesinthewater.blogspot.com" target="_blank">Mosaic Monday</a>, please take look at it as I write about the plight of the Monarch butterfly that has been put on the endangered species list. I give suggestions that gardeners can do to provide important food and habitat for the migrating butterfly. And I encourage you then to spread the word about how to save this beautiful species. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: x-large;">Have a wonderful week and thanks so much for joining me today. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">I'll be joining <a href="https://tentoesinthewater.blogspot.com" target="_blank">Angie for Mosaic Monday.</a> See you there. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span><p><br /></p></div>annhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01668006270534204954noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6460244051990142578.post-52261433514036094532022-08-01T07:08:00.001-06:002022-08-01T07:08:27.634-06:00<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div> <span face="Calibri, sans-serif">Everyone’s favorite butterfly has now been placed on the endangered species red list for the most obvious reason: loss of habitat. Its life cycle must be one of the most intriguing, especially for the</span><span face="Calibri, sans-serif"> </span><i style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">Lepidoptera</i><span face="Calibri, sans-serif"> </span><i style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">Danaus Pexlippus</i><span face="Calibri, sans-serif">, or more commonly known as the monarch, easily identified by their rusty golden color with black stripes and spots. There are 2 others in the category lumped together as the tiger milkweed butterflies, so identified for what they eay. That they migrate from the Mexican forest to mate and metamorphize in faraway places such as Colorado is even more amazing.</span><div><span face="Calibri, sans-serif"><br /></span><div><span face="Calibri, sans-serif"><br /></span><span face="Calibri, sans-serif"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKkAt7sN3-Y6cHNlUC8o88ZOzg0lU3WrbLUWyoxbwj7Zldgn0yDy5q-3q08y5CZHp-LJcpS9bGybkBh7-tIVOCFZ_HWvse2MSzLAJjqVB0Ot8yvgBd5om_9oxQcTHv9AQY2wTfU-VVtgfiEaBFSmCwEaumBcyDxzxPhdE6jP-dCIP3pBXgVEZcrf4VzA/s2000/IMG_0212_hq.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1333" data-original-width="2000" height="318" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKkAt7sN3-Y6cHNlUC8o88ZOzg0lU3WrbLUWyoxbwj7Zldgn0yDy5q-3q08y5CZHp-LJcpS9bGybkBh7-tIVOCFZ_HWvse2MSzLAJjqVB0Ot8yvgBd5om_9oxQcTHv9AQY2wTfU-VVtgfiEaBFSmCwEaumBcyDxzxPhdE6jP-dCIP3pBXgVEZcrf4VzA/w477-h318/IMG_0212_hq.jpg" width="477" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Gulf Coast Fritillary Texas Hill Country, another milk weed migratory butterfly.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator"> </div></span><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium;">For a great photo collection of these beautiful butterflies, visit these sights so that you can identify them when they visit your garden:<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--> <a href="https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/48663-Danaus/browse_photos">iNaturalist</a><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Danaus_(butterfly)">Wikipedia</a> shows the list of the order <i>Danaus</i>. Maybe you have these butterflies in your garden.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium;"><o:p> </o:p></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA91RFPi9Zrc1rgAjrLoAiQZ09tdNuIYrJSNyEaUHFpiHsXXT9XCtKRktlIo-z4iPiDqzBdbY5lvluQlZ6eiI1ejGjPOgguEj-MNi_lXirSo70f73hAbeNSsrcpM9nlg6tsKhShyuIQVuLgu0vigpIngdLGRui8hm3TrTmCp9m7GH7UQhWTfM3j1UEwA/s6000/DSC_0180.JPG" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="259" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA91RFPi9Zrc1rgAjrLoAiQZ09tdNuIYrJSNyEaUHFpiHsXXT9XCtKRktlIo-z4iPiDqzBdbY5lvluQlZ6eiI1ejGjPOgguEj-MNi_lXirSo70f73hAbeNSsrcpM9nlg6tsKhShyuIQVuLgu0vigpIngdLGRui8hm3TrTmCp9m7GH7UQhWTfM3j1UEwA/w390-h259/DSC_0180.JPG" width="390" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rare queen butterfly, Ft. Collins, CO at <br />the CSU test garden</td></tr></tbody></table><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://www.fs.fed.us/wildflowers/pollinators/Monarch_Butterfly/biology/index.shtml">US Forest Service</a> web page has a very simple explanation of the monarch’s life cycle. Beginning in Mexico during February and March, the monarchs come out of “reproductive diapause” as they begin their northern migration. Along the way, they mate and lay their eggs on milkweeds. During their breeding season, the monarch will live 2-5 weeks, laying eggs only on the various varieties of milkweeds unique to specific geography locations along their migration route. The plant varies from area to area. This one grows here in Colorado.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium;"> The last generation of monarchs born up north will not mate but will return to Mexico and continue their celibacy until early Mexican spring when it is time to head north. They will live as long as 9 months.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium;">These links chart the migration paths:</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><a href="https://monarchjointventure.org/images/uploads/documents/RegionalMilkweedGuide__Colorado.pdf" style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Roadside Habitat For Monarchs</a></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -0.25in;"><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asclepias">Wikipedia Milkweed Across America</a><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><a href="https://www.monarchwatch.org/tagmig/">Fall Monarch Migration</a><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><a href="https://monarchwatch.org/blog/2010/05/13/two-way-monarch-migration-map/">Two Way Migration</a> </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium;">What to look for in your garden: To begin you must have milkweed. Here in Colorado, milkweed is often called a roadside weed or ditch bank weed; or in the cultivated garden, a noxious weed. They are a prolific perennial that sink deep roots and can only be killed off with weed killer or pulled out as seedlings. The monarchs will feed on other plants, but exclusively lay eggs on the milkweed that caterpillars feed on.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium;"><o:p> </o:p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD09rq3VIEE79ZbDlWdoDE_tAgyl4MgBZ0AzZ8VX1R1rYsMSogOTRW8UE3tMefM-_XedcQdfrHy_DRfP0jR163J8r3RWPuxrffFzO2hbYkMs-X2UeEReL8qLJvzdPCo6992Qws5hsD4e07srw25wqstkAfiP_PNAoOaUQnpKacZKTTmZmy10mQhXe5kw/s4032/IMG_3657.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="371" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD09rq3VIEE79ZbDlWdoDE_tAgyl4MgBZ0AzZ8VX1R1rYsMSogOTRW8UE3tMefM-_XedcQdfrHy_DRfP0jR163J8r3RWPuxrffFzO2hbYkMs-X2UeEReL8qLJvzdPCo6992Qws5hsD4e07srw25wqstkAfiP_PNAoOaUQnpKacZKTTmZmy10mQhXe5kw/w278-h371/IMG_3657.JPG" width="278" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-RJc2z59KBQcqFKGICGDB8lyhdB6Eo4YQpaW6oh9yysl4Kzq5CsMNm-S1OM60xsXZb8LI2xRI-UE3akc4CjIWLkWEYZdSCYNY_TTY7VFSspfpqj99K96IbFDhMGuMhQOeT2VS7R8Iqy52Yja6djg-rba4vfp6j8izgpT0LZ-MJJn5YTsXzWckljiteg/s4032/IMG_3658.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="367" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-RJc2z59KBQcqFKGICGDB8lyhdB6Eo4YQpaW6oh9yysl4Kzq5CsMNm-S1OM60xsXZb8LI2xRI-UE3akc4CjIWLkWEYZdSCYNY_TTY7VFSspfpqj99K96IbFDhMGuMhQOeT2VS7R8Iqy52Yja6djg-rba4vfp6j8izgpT0LZ-MJJn5YTsXzWckljiteg/w275-h367/IMG_3658.JPG" width="275" /></a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium;">Regretfully, at the Garden Spot we have eliminated a healthy stand of milkweed in the front garden circle because we rarely see monarchs—one a season, if we are lucky. But I’m changing my mind, for I have contributed to that loss of habitat and will let the milkweed grow freely—well, maybe well monitored.</p><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium;">“Loss of habitat” just does not adequately explain the seriousness of that condition. Articles using that vague description oversimplify the problem. Where does the habitat go? What destroys it? Vague references to "land development" don’t help, which really is the bulldozing away of raw land, including bogs, swamps, woods, forests, and grasslands which all provide habitat for flora and fauna to plant houses, malls, factories, football fields, and the double threat wind generators that populate the landscape. Take a road trip—well to anywhere from anywhere—and once you hit the wide-open, sparsely populated spaces, you find massive colonies of wind generators such as our drive across what was once called the Great American Desert, or the prairie grassland, all the way through eastern Colorado, Kansas, Oklahoma as we head to Texas, which also has a healthy stand of thousands of wind generators that populate Texas landscape. Head east to Iowa, for example, and the wind generators stand in large clusters silently and often at rest along the route.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium;"><o:p> </o:p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiobfHAnedW-w7bdqtJFKjoaKUYbwkSCXiNhbiDAvBiawNpSTS7DKPoEx8PGMRpdOJOu7jCy56gSUlSxrW-ldMA4YwxqSpPRz4Z644q7H4tOrsWEzUpGB5NIdqfSt73oyjksFpAmXUS8IzOj6Ra0O1rbQS0a4F0ypPZAoB5owWssqXERpgpCd5ORPYZYA/s6000/DSC_0286.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiobfHAnedW-w7bdqtJFKjoaKUYbwkSCXiNhbiDAvBiawNpSTS7DKPoEx8PGMRpdOJOu7jCy56gSUlSxrW-ldMA4YwxqSpPRz4Z644q7H4tOrsWEzUpGB5NIdqfSt73oyjksFpAmXUS8IzOj6Ra0O1rbQS0a4F0ypPZAoB5owWssqXERpgpCd5ORPYZYA/w640-h426/DSC_0286.jpeg" width="640" /></a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium;">Once that natural land—be it a farm that has been sold grow suburbs or the —as here in Colorado— or land that has been leased or sold to plant those giant white mills in the name of green energy, it will never be reclaimed. The monarchs then have a quite an obstacle course as they make their way north. If the blades of the wind machine don’t whack them, they may not find enough food to make the journey or plants on which to lay their eggs. <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium;"></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnaFLRUE2DFy0ka8A7H8BBy7Jj6Q_canaUGLThnWxFsw-Uwh1nlTCwO8tLEqRkXCwzQuLjqSIZKaypsucQ3fTXhkwadm1ggtTCH2QaLt8STQ2qUu7k48VVigkO1dckguY6LEvymtlM0pLJ0qlMt_-x1JmRfxWxBbLSKMBIIJA-hkj3zWUak766cL_IuA/s2048/IMG_5565.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="364" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnaFLRUE2DFy0ka8A7H8BBy7Jj6Q_canaUGLThnWxFsw-Uwh1nlTCwO8tLEqRkXCwzQuLjqSIZKaypsucQ3fTXhkwadm1ggtTCH2QaLt8STQ2qUu7k48VVigkO1dckguY6LEvymtlM0pLJ0qlMt_-x1JmRfxWxBbLSKMBIIJA-hkj3zWUak766cL_IuA/w364-h364/IMG_5565.jpg" width="364" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Praying Mantis and tiger swallowtail caterpillar </span></td></tr></tbody></table>So what can we do to help the plight of the monarch butterfly? The Head Gardner and I have been having that discussion. Our simple contribution will be to focus planting more butterfly food. I have a feeling that the milkweed will lose its reputation as a ditch bank weed to become a garden center favorite perennial. I will stop pulling out the baby plants and the HG will mow around them. We have at the back of our 5 acres a narrow strip of land that a previous owner fenced off with an electric fence to keep his horses out of the space. It’s just wild grasses, weeds, and trees, so I suggested that we plant butterfly bushes and get the milkweed growing out there and to work more to create a butterfly habitat. <o:p></o:p><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium; text-align: right;"></p><div style="text-align: left;">So what we can to help: We can also change the way we garden by providing habitat that nurture the tiny species in our gardens, some that will do the pest control naturally. We can go to the garden center to buy lady bugs that will eat aphids and praying mantis in our gardens so we can reduce the use of pesticides—which we don’t use at all here, and we can also purchase monarch eggs online, and raise our own generation of butterflies that will hopefully migrate back Mexico. Probably one of the worst offenders in the backyard garden if you grow tomatoes is the tomato hornworm. Most describe this fellow as disgusting, and it tends to destroy tomato vines. My dad’s answer to that problem was to plant one more tomato plant for the worm that morphs into a beautiful moth.</div><o:p></o:p><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium;">Learn more about the tomato hornworm here: <a href="https://extension.umn.edu/yard-and-garden-insects/tomato-hornworms">University of Minnesota Extension: Tomato Hornworms in the Home Garden</a>. <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZxw_65LMDOywvy1AApgo2YlVPV3pnCPUGmZAUqSUSjyjYcw3nCBRP6qI0NhBLHy0aA4sR7Wp-k6JpYZVsDvFqGrhKGrit90988twO_Z4XSThZwcdSnFnXTnRZnfHYurd2Bf8Cocldq4wIHGq3wHeXNnkRtYViFYw3Aun5_7CgAkSeYIeBIIevl1OifQ/s6000/DSC_0062.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZxw_65LMDOywvy1AApgo2YlVPV3pnCPUGmZAUqSUSjyjYcw3nCBRP6qI0NhBLHy0aA4sR7Wp-k6JpYZVsDvFqGrhKGrit90988twO_Z4XSThZwcdSnFnXTnRZnfHYurd2Bf8Cocldq4wIHGq3wHeXNnkRtYViFYw3Aun5_7CgAkSeYIeBIIevl1OifQ/w640-h426/DSC_0062.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Black Swallowtail on zinnia Texas Hill Country, not a migrating butterfly, just a pretty one.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium;">I always let dill grow wild in the garden that reseeds itself every year to provide food for the black swallowtail butterfly, another very rare visitor the Garden Spot. More on this beautiful butterfly: <a href="https://www.butterfliesathome.com/black-swallowtail-butterfly.htm">Butterflies at Home</a>. A healthy stand of zinnias will also attract and feed butterflies of all species. </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium;">We can purchase monarchs to release instead of balloons that are so dangerous to wildlife to commemorate those special occasions and what great metaphor the butterfly is to remember our lost loved ones. </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://www.mrbutterflies.com/statesweserve/butterflyreleasecolorado.html">https://www.mrbutterflies.com/statesweserve/butterflyreleasecolorado.html</a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium;">Raising our own monarchs to release in our garden will add to the migrating population : <a href="https://monarchbutterflylifecycle.com/blogs/raise/raise-the-migration-monarchs-supply-list">https://monarchbutterflylifecycle.com/blogs/raise/raise-the-migration-monarchs-supply-list</a> </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium;">Really, you don’t need such a fancy set up to raise monarchs. A mason jar will do just fine. As a child living on a farm where I wondered barefooted most of the summer, I captured the monarch caterpillars, which were feeding on the milkweeds along with the stock and more leaves that they were munching on and placed them in mason jar with a perforated wax paper lid and watched them mesomorph as they formed their pupa and slowly emerged as beautiful butterfly. Once the butterfly fully formed, I joyously released it. While I have seen that one monarch flit through the yard, stopping to snack on the butterfly bush by the back patio, I’ve not seen it lay eggs and now most of the native milkweed has been eliminated here at the Garden Spot. </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium;">There are a variety of Facebook pages and dozens of websites where you can learn more about the monarch and ways to increase its migratory population. If we want to save yet another species from extinction, this is one backyard project that will have lasting effects. Teach your children and grandchildren to love, respect, and revere important lepidoptera life forms be they butterflies, bees, or ladybugs, or even the disgusting ones for they all have their place in our gardens. </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDvh90psG0HHlkq819qjGyIqTVRLk-pAYkUjtW8l-SNF1DIKR_44dCKallTpQSGRl9RLFqpxpIxrbdwuFkgQ0r148V_2gVW63NVSbditU1QCuYtuzQ6C2YhtcaO7Oepb9Q0kFZNt0dXSy7Gzn2J7QZZb1_bFB5k-w6piz8WHjhH1UDGUKzsBcx-JKzYg/s6000/DSC_0810.jpeg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="248" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDvh90psG0HHlkq819qjGyIqTVRLk-pAYkUjtW8l-SNF1DIKR_44dCKallTpQSGRl9RLFqpxpIxrbdwuFkgQ0r148V_2gVW63NVSbditU1QCuYtuzQ6C2YhtcaO7Oepb9Q0kFZNt0dXSy7Gzn2J7QZZb1_bFB5k-w6piz8WHjhH1UDGUKzsBcx-JKzYg/w373-h248/DSC_0810.jpeg" width="373" /></a>There is hope, I do believe, of saving the monarch for other species have been successfully removed from the endangered list, but we must all do our part to help, for the monarch is not the only creature endangered. The loss of forested woodlands and farmlands across the USA, especially in the flyways beginning deep in South America has caused a huge drop in the migrating bird populations, too. Pesticides, especially contribute to reduction of insects and birds, as the bald eagle demonstrates. In the 1970s the bald eagle population had been reduced from thousands to under 500 mating pairs. DDT, a strong pesticide, washed into the rivers where the eagles fished. Not only were the eagles that fished the contaminated rivers poisoned, but the pesticide weakened the eggshells so that they could not support the baby birds. </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium;">The fight to save the bald eagle and remove it from the endangered species list was a success when DDT use was prohibited. Bald eagles that migrate from Alaska to winter here in northern Colorado. What a thrill it is to see hundreds of the majestic birds perched in the trees or ice fishing on local lakes. Each time we see one flying against the blue sky our we get that same thrill. Once again, however, the bald eagle faces a troubled future. While they are no longer endangered and federal law makes it illegal to kill eagles –or any other raptor—thousands of the grand birds, along with other migratory birds, are being sacrificed in the name of green energy as they collide with the giant white wind generator propellors. </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium;">As gardeners, especially, and humans we own a responsibility to preserve and protect wildlife. While we may not be able to change laws or fight city and county governments that side with developers, we can provide nurturing habitats whether it be tiny balcony container gardens or large acreages to help sustain dwindling wildlife populations with habitat. I’ve provided some links that will hopefully inspire you to take a another look at how you garden and what simple changes you can make to help nurture <i>lepidoptera</i>, and especially <i>Danaus plexlippus.</i></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium;"><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium;"><o:p> </o:p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZnemFWhHlXpBuVkrnChet9Hh1aEQkVTLf6h_39e0c5qZUM9K91Vg-Z0oa360egLO9-wZvS_8rP8uQbKxE0PJbu67QqgZFz4Ihe0r2PYS97LyJsJ6b0ULUaOXwc4LJGWsUAoRu6MMIRTkRQNLXQyczs0PyccvGRgFJqVAUN1t4tILy8RH2fHYMG7TvlA/s1735/DSC_0809.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1335" data-original-width="1735" height="492" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZnemFWhHlXpBuVkrnChet9Hh1aEQkVTLf6h_39e0c5qZUM9K91Vg-Z0oa360egLO9-wZvS_8rP8uQbKxE0PJbu67QqgZFz4Ihe0r2PYS97LyJsJ6b0ULUaOXwc4LJGWsUAoRu6MMIRTkRQNLXQyczs0PyccvGRgFJqVAUN1t4tILy8RH2fHYMG7TvlA/w640-h492/DSC_0809.jpeg" width="640" /></a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium;"><o:p> Have a wonderful week and thanks for stopping by. </o:p></p></div></div><style class="WebKit-mso-list-quirks-style">
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</style>annhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01668006270534204954noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6460244051990142578.post-65341726539418055442022-07-25T07:08:00.003-06:002022-07-25T13:37:17.708-06:00Self Starters<p> <span style="font-family: times; font-size: x-large;">My fascination with insects really took hold when our young daughter decided to do entomology for 4-H. We lived in town and grandpa had sold the farm, so while her she wanted to show livestock of any size or breed was totally out of the question, she settled on entomology. Her collection over the years finally earned reserve champion at the Colorado State Fair. She followed in the footsteps of my dad who raised butterflies and moths in his bedroom during the depression years. I'll write about him soon. Jen's father, known here as the Head Gardener, also collected insects for 4-H, and now her oldest daughter Ellie proudly asserts that she is the 4th generation family entomologist. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;">I prefer not to collect specimens, but rather to photograph them. I am especially intrigued with bees, particularly bumble bees. While honey bees get all the attention because they are having difficulty surviving these days, they are not the only pollinators in our gardens. On a recent bug collection walk with the Jen and Ellie, I expressed my concerns over catching bees for the collection. Still, I believe in research and learning about even the smallest and seeming most insignificant life forms, but we didn't capture any bees that day.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;">Colorado has 90 different bee species, so the lofty goal of photographing every one of them would be beyond my capacity. I concentrate on my garden and other gardens that I visit. Last week we traveled east to Haxtun, CO, a very small town on the northeastern plains where our long time friends live. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;">While the HG helped my friend pull weeds in her rose garden, I photographed the bees going about their morning work in Sherry's stand of echinacea by the mailbox. Using my 300mm telephoto lens in the athletic mode, I was able to capture some work place drama.</span></p><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;">While this bumble bee worked quietly alone, another bumbler had a very rude encounter with another bee.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc3KvrSt6vDoLn5sEspj_WGIvPEMAgTYeV-dLhLJJdhQjeJIEke858gsLxBvmQ7rO2-d1-VvLXLa-PsFmmvHgOU1ds6jVB2ZlnYBQVUidvXPf5ClXYY-cXF9eSb3GME9tB9z9BOJIYTSDDRMJNE77zVSAzxKBjochMSHZQCcQ6o_kS_P007S5eRHN_SQ/s5405/1%20(4).jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2899" data-original-width="5405" height="344" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc3KvrSt6vDoLn5sEspj_WGIvPEMAgTYeV-dLhLJJdhQjeJIEke858gsLxBvmQ7rO2-d1-VvLXLa-PsFmmvHgOU1ds6jVB2ZlnYBQVUidvXPf5ClXYY-cXF9eSb3GME9tB9z9BOJIYTSDDRMJNE77zVSAzxKBjochMSHZQCcQ6o_kS_P007S5eRHN_SQ/w640-h344/1%20(4).jpeg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;">Of course these photos happen quite by chance. In athletic mode, the lens stays focused and the camera takes continual sequential exposures as long as the shutter button is held open. So I was taking a sequence of photos, hoping to get the bee in flight. Instead I captured another bee flying in for a landing.</span></div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD1aptD6yb9nsQFwrKWD6Wfm4fr02vWDps41BqX58hlc7WkZtzDl5EuWIsXpY9sbCQbltfF0rMmSvDei7j0_4yVUK0HT6huTq9bbGWQVHLmTYM99AF_6zi6haqCD3zZEGvINi55dELcmGXp6qZLaEIGxEhshOufEHU_AN6xZMDgKBAny62wj5PFdFb1A/s6000/1%20(11).jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD1aptD6yb9nsQFwrKWD6Wfm4fr02vWDps41BqX58hlc7WkZtzDl5EuWIsXpY9sbCQbltfF0rMmSvDei7j0_4yVUK0HT6huTq9bbGWQVHLmTYM99AF_6zi6haqCD3zZEGvINi55dELcmGXp6qZLaEIGxEhshOufEHU_AN6xZMDgKBAny62wj5PFdFb1A/w640-h426/1%20(11).jpeg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;">Things didn't go well for him. Instead of making a smooth landing, he collided with the bumble bee. It would seem that even pollen gathering has its workplace hazards.</span></div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfRIf0jIlvPepa11Whl11Px9E3oRU1eWO-xDWOqFjR2bq34ytxUKP-PYpWj3xn5G0y0iVq-gcielUSElMiva26G6Vw3Y0vWLbi5Fe77-rBbdN7KsN8uLl15oWssNRAWOCpAPU1i1K9VGPU2Yg4MMVDTWLwC0nyXj-jyd_XFzu7odhcPx6r6zQGBnKWyw/s6000/1%20(12).jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfRIf0jIlvPepa11Whl11Px9E3oRU1eWO-xDWOqFjR2bq34ytxUKP-PYpWj3xn5G0y0iVq-gcielUSElMiva26G6Vw3Y0vWLbi5Fe77-rBbdN7KsN8uLl15oWssNRAWOCpAPU1i1K9VGPU2Yg4MMVDTWLwC0nyXj-jyd_XFzu7odhcPx6r6zQGBnKWyw/w640-h426/1%20(12).jpeg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;">I saw more than one collision and began to wonder if those small bees are blind. If not blind, they are very clumsy or rather careless aviators. The bumble bee--much larger--didn't seem phased, for he continued working while the other bee gathered his composure and stumbled to his feet.</span></div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidlVSy9HWJ8MZxdP6Gyui0NfxFMMNdMkF03fRRYs8DG5b6QSVkrrotcTE8IfKopovb4CT2J26rZgE9Cjm1XPGFSa2Ivx-_XEGK5Lb0iu5L9rRXt27vu7k2ywT1liP26OfV7q06yQxPc7Axag2R1J9KSklBKO-vXTcqpDPeap7kiDR9YSlPbV7tmf7iZg/s2843/1%20(13).jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2843" data-original-width="2807" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidlVSy9HWJ8MZxdP6Gyui0NfxFMMNdMkF03fRRYs8DG5b6QSVkrrotcTE8IfKopovb4CT2J26rZgE9Cjm1XPGFSa2Ivx-_XEGK5Lb0iu5L9rRXt27vu7k2ywT1liP26OfV7q06yQxPc7Axag2R1J9KSklBKO-vXTcqpDPeap7kiDR9YSlPbV7tmf7iZg/w632-h640/1%20(13).jpeg" width="632" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;">I never did get a bumble bee in flight, but caught another bee headed for a crash landing, too.</span></div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2Q9J3gjCPUrpvSzGfiu-FzdA9ky4WnrFauDAe1LJyyxJZwL2riBa62oGP7Kr-9XZu3Yc-lIWwZfq_E_izGuSae-4ktlBv5abEG_PdRIY3ZAvxUuDpZR9HjoxL5IahkKBhnH1kvq5kR--KXZs_fOjhwbb6Gj1UaGEKVf1bNUWdo_4gjW6zKkfHqp4vsg/s6000/1%20(16).jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2Q9J3gjCPUrpvSzGfiu-FzdA9ky4WnrFauDAe1LJyyxJZwL2riBa62oGP7Kr-9XZu3Yc-lIWwZfq_E_izGuSae-4ktlBv5abEG_PdRIY3ZAvxUuDpZR9HjoxL5IahkKBhnH1kvq5kR--KXZs_fOjhwbb6Gj1UaGEKVf1bNUWdo_4gjW6zKkfHqp4vsg/w640-h426/1%20(16).jpeg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;">Back at home in my own garden, the orange tiger lilies transplanted last year are beginning to bloom. I've waited all summer for them. We had a much needed heavy rain the night before, so I was out in the garden early to photograph the water droplets on the lilies.</span></div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwlFlGAqz550zdnYbur4vzRACllUnxkXxQbMnT4LZxzEsX7n-rzAg_aNY3GA1tn8r4lgs01L66rXrfvsNP0lWhTFcYjHQlE1cNaz3V4U-gKyuXYgV8o3wwNEVKa1VRM2vFtgahrgmVVjTYZd1BmTutgq7tWyMZd_zY-izuwR01H8pKpm3yzS_xHEykZg/s6000/1%20(19).jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwlFlGAqz550zdnYbur4vzRACllUnxkXxQbMnT4LZxzEsX7n-rzAg_aNY3GA1tn8r4lgs01L66rXrfvsNP0lWhTFcYjHQlE1cNaz3V4U-gKyuXYgV8o3wwNEVKa1VRM2vFtgahrgmVVjTYZd1BmTutgq7tWyMZd_zY-izuwR01H8pKpm3yzS_xHEykZg/w640-h426/1%20(19).jpeg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBClNrWkiv8qh9VcPd_NH-KGeDbnHRmC400EGv2CZLsOi7pa_D5OJ6cAJATJfOOTrgCUbNTw2cWfR27BNHiDCH05-aUH1E4mlJnA-PDg6RO6rk0IpWPedCOYTSbBW3df41fNBDLYgA2QUu8PJ0-GfAUuEzHNyx9yXEbmI1D48hI78v51ys1lz7NuZeKg/s6000/1%20(20).jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBClNrWkiv8qh9VcPd_NH-KGeDbnHRmC400EGv2CZLsOi7pa_D5OJ6cAJATJfOOTrgCUbNTw2cWfR27BNHiDCH05-aUH1E4mlJnA-PDg6RO6rk0IpWPedCOYTSbBW3df41fNBDLYgA2QUu8PJ0-GfAUuEzHNyx9yXEbmI1D48hI78v51ys1lz7NuZeKg/w640-h426/1%20(20).jpeg" width="640" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>Later in the morning, I went out to the vegetable garden to photograph the newest sunflower, a large self planted girl with a big face and a wide smile. I took dozens of photos of her along with other garden plants and even some of wildlife that lives amongst the leaves. </span><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;">Ladybugs are always a garden favorite. They have their specific job: eating aphids. This year we seem to have a larger ladybug population. Using the 55mm standard lens on my DSLR camera, I can get within centimeters of the my tiny subjects then I like to edit the photo, cropping it as tightly as I can without losing focus on the image to get as much of a close-up as I can. This photo is of a wild sunflower, cropped and edited for color effect. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgczERAtZpEBcmGzCrShpOzrAesroMOX_JJk3llA7tv3sbzZ2numRXI8x9VqC4REThA5gnb61DYRQfg8UVBF177qMGwO9ffxgTpe0xTFdUntMSIHRFJMF-ryThRqJjjRCsYNdBM43eXt0a4TYqyac3XQpZVxQMfLZUYEYboraryOIGtBDkt-sf5UdepxA/s3995/1%20(23).jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3995" data-original-width="3883" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgczERAtZpEBcmGzCrShpOzrAesroMOX_JJk3llA7tv3sbzZ2numRXI8x9VqC4REThA5gnb61DYRQfg8UVBF177qMGwO9ffxgTpe0xTFdUntMSIHRFJMF-ryThRqJjjRCsYNdBM43eXt0a4TYqyac3XQpZVxQMfLZUYEYboraryOIGtBDkt-sf5UdepxA/w622-h640/1%20(23).jpeg" width="622" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;">Ladybugs wandering amongst the sunflower leaves offer very exciting photos because the tighter the shot and the zoom, the greater detail. I'm not sure which I find more intriguing: the hairs on the sunflower stocks or the large, wicked looking lady bug mandibles. </span></div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAsCjMy3Y3niz3aD4IZbRLtSP0wEWf206DNXbSQEnTwlXaJl9BUmH57KVG-5UAjW2cIKXX014GGMXs1fW3OMunAPPDebf8y4oTKVU3MbDIytPqh6cHNwXxlqGJ3mWyTY1pLoW9kslIWwipXC4zgiKhAXWlnaPG-2AFsU9tokacv78PLrPLE7z9fIu_Lg/s6000/1%20(24).jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAsCjMy3Y3niz3aD4IZbRLtSP0wEWf206DNXbSQEnTwlXaJl9BUmH57KVG-5UAjW2cIKXX014GGMXs1fW3OMunAPPDebf8y4oTKVU3MbDIytPqh6cHNwXxlqGJ3mWyTY1pLoW9kslIWwipXC4zgiKhAXWlnaPG-2AFsU9tokacv78PLrPLE7z9fIu_Lg/w640-h426/1%20(24).jpeg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;">While the HG planted 6 cabbages, we only have two mature. I think they are ready to pick, which means that I'll be making krautburgers in the near future.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;">Even cabbage offer interesting photography opportunities</span></div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZnXz25NMdes4aIAApV6E-pYXkUxXT_R9ac7m56NCqlPCsafUMVukm6BOKHDDhmMBMHTbvD-3CpVA1ftABBp1B3yy6lI1066I_yRW310lFHQNqVxcQetaDW4pd6_sUiSv5CHFwKGisiPL6am-e7C_FD2W3cxz1-3K9zQnXt_jFIpXuEUVfahWqXlMn6w/s6000/1%20(26).jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="6000" data-original-width="4000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZnXz25NMdes4aIAApV6E-pYXkUxXT_R9ac7m56NCqlPCsafUMVukm6BOKHDDhmMBMHTbvD-3CpVA1ftABBp1B3yy6lI1066I_yRW310lFHQNqVxcQetaDW4pd6_sUiSv5CHFwKGisiPL6am-e7C_FD2W3cxz1-3K9zQnXt_jFIpXuEUVfahWqXlMn6w/w426-h640/1%20(26).jpeg" width="426" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;">Still wet from the rain, the cabbage with an interesting texture can be fun to explore once the photos have been downloaded. Like that black speck on the water droplet. It could be just a speck of dirt.</span></div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOZxpnwEreh3h6HKvc_FcoBXns7n_4BjbQRRaxMaANkT5lIUpZgOXNlUy1y3zBjqkeN819pnorQWCRUYmYR3HPvuCXg1GAoHgvZgGAD3AaKvKDxEVkyHLq_ZPM1NkCVbfEWUHN0wgXVs7FksSPlORFih0NeAfOYCIdO7MPAHEVSfnlWRqz2QerTkZn6w/s6000/1%20(27).jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="6000" data-original-width="4000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOZxpnwEreh3h6HKvc_FcoBXns7n_4BjbQRRaxMaANkT5lIUpZgOXNlUy1y3zBjqkeN819pnorQWCRUYmYR3HPvuCXg1GAoHgvZgGAD3AaKvKDxEVkyHLq_ZPM1NkCVbfEWUHN0wgXVs7FksSPlORFih0NeAfOYCIdO7MPAHEVSfnlWRqz2QerTkZn6w/w426-h640/1%20(27).jpeg" width="426" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;">I began with a wide shot, then began zooming in to get more detail. As I did so, the black speck flew away, but not before I got its picture.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;">Cute little guy that I never would have seen had I not zoomed for a closer image of a rain droplet. </span></div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmdI30U9_BAXnhoN-NqgEHAqW9wde0SkSH-sTI2aahP_Bg6UfUjFnFz9tTmH2CAPS2qXsiYFwdNUZnzYwB2D_nWFtacvWjDRLUURZJg-3z-o-DCYTq921AV4pBPw6oa7qKJ1AwdElEwRXacqabdnDN97-LztHczp1FozlyEjUdWj9xF5LnZTDljC5O3w/s2125/1%20(28).jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2125" data-original-width="1657" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmdI30U9_BAXnhoN-NqgEHAqW9wde0SkSH-sTI2aahP_Bg6UfUjFnFz9tTmH2CAPS2qXsiYFwdNUZnzYwB2D_nWFtacvWjDRLUURZJg-3z-o-DCYTq921AV4pBPw6oa7qKJ1AwdElEwRXacqabdnDN97-LztHczp1FozlyEjUdWj9xF5LnZTDljC5O3w/w501-h640/1%20(28).jpeg" width="501" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;">Cabbages are not nearly as much fun as the sunflowers laden with ladybugs, though. Here's another tightly cropped photo with more detail.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVBWB6nscAoptbD8KjWOxChT7NAXJcmoRz3PtHQic9khHRtFuO5rqADmfukhquXRBbZhlb2-x3lOI-AwfLmL3traEkeSyJiiM4QM3nm7V1Wl-MRlKg08A7Fx_TpAblZcM_OkCb6BqF5ml0g00K78bK4W3jOMvG23O2bRVejW-qA9rcIfGsgBeXSgucbw/s2347/7.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2347" data-original-width="1896" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVBWB6nscAoptbD8KjWOxChT7NAXJcmoRz3PtHQic9khHRtFuO5rqADmfukhquXRBbZhlb2-x3lOI-AwfLmL3traEkeSyJiiM4QM3nm7V1Wl-MRlKg08A7Fx_TpAblZcM_OkCb6BqF5ml0g00K78bK4W3jOMvG23O2bRVejW-qA9rcIfGsgBeXSgucbw/w518-h640/7.jpeg" width="518" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;">Most of us don't like to be photographed from our back side, but the sunflowers don't mind.</span></div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd_o3ZSVQN82QNTVx0keHhyTKgPZ4eD6m8bFSNJt2KEQcwsQCraFb3FsLGsdgxLQJFu15laTzZyL1DivK2ZWUVavZwLUnvLLcoW_CQhnDwfXZJRlit08ohvtoczeb4C2ugK2mBYlnj78GmOLTQ-Vdr2cQE_tGOAUGz8t1u62tCYyU6kYEEmNVFgFnNcw/s6000/1%20(30).jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd_o3ZSVQN82QNTVx0keHhyTKgPZ4eD6m8bFSNJt2KEQcwsQCraFb3FsLGsdgxLQJFu15laTzZyL1DivK2ZWUVavZwLUnvLLcoW_CQhnDwfXZJRlit08ohvtoczeb4C2ugK2mBYlnj78GmOLTQ-Vdr2cQE_tGOAUGz8t1u62tCYyU6kYEEmNVFgFnNcw/w640-h426/1%20(30).jpeg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;">Isn't Bug World grand! Look for the rain drops on the lady bug's back.</span></div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4BpZakWZ4PeSwlQSWRmVpsEqJOe1Bfe6oNel0Ai3UhdmZZY4Xwh1kn_hgZTrOdpqINHfxh5fSODBChTYw9JxOsMi5TXbJqGGXNH5Yi4AzM5kZBeeKfBFQCsurg1ii9Xkz4iyjs3t4XqF8PZo3TQAhh64okQwhp3btqGIaP_UE5P2cbV1O6eT51v0HtA/s2836/1%20(32).jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2215" data-original-width="2836" height="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4BpZakWZ4PeSwlQSWRmVpsEqJOe1Bfe6oNel0Ai3UhdmZZY4Xwh1kn_hgZTrOdpqINHfxh5fSODBChTYw9JxOsMi5TXbJqGGXNH5Yi4AzM5kZBeeKfBFQCsurg1ii9Xkz4iyjs3t4XqF8PZo3TQAhh64okQwhp3btqGIaP_UE5P2cbV1O6eT51v0HtA/w640-h500/1%20(32).jpeg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">From the wild sunflowers to the newly planted hybrid roses, the Garden Spot has plenty of stories. The rose story continues with little drama.</span><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: times; font-size: x-large;">One of the transplanted roses is ready to bloom, but on a stalk set off from the main graft, so I have a feeling that is from the old rose, but because it is pink, it may be First Prize, a Weeks registered tea rose. We shall see. Still the roses are doing well; all are showing new growth. It's doubtful that any of them will bloom this season, but maybe depending on when the first cold weather ends the growing season.</span></div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWd2BhJ1ct59CExanI4PQjJCt0Vvu8DweQK7SwbjK5r6kNvQGOkBXtx2qy0XUJMYLs5LN1ABrRb0bkHbk-ywZ5azqUP2o8p_ERwHWQn1MntZP5d-sRthExOIFsQVDScnTqh7ON-ah7fMVmC6snFZnW8S0Q6GaPOMoejUQ6fGLaiDe9WNbvA7xvBAzG-Q/s6000/1%20(34).jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="6000" data-original-width="4000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWd2BhJ1ct59CExanI4PQjJCt0Vvu8DweQK7SwbjK5r6kNvQGOkBXtx2qy0XUJMYLs5LN1ABrRb0bkHbk-ywZ5azqUP2o8p_ERwHWQn1MntZP5d-sRthExOIFsQVDScnTqh7ON-ah7fMVmC6snFZnW8S0Q6GaPOMoejUQ6fGLaiDe9WNbvA7xvBAzG-Q/w426-h640/1%20(34).jpeg" width="426" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: x-large;">This giant girl showed up one her own. She's probably a descendant of the agricultural sunflowers grown as a cash crop in the area, her seed carried in by a bird. I didn't get around to planting any other sunflowers this spring because it was so cold, so I enjoy the self starters, the wild ones that always make me smile.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: x-large;">So these are my two favorite garden things: Pop begging me to open the gate so that he can go eat his breakfast and the sunflowers.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4wh0y-z8vUlMjPZ3iBFMIbKf1Sl1v3NSkKacwJfb1Pmqgk9-QSXyg3HMXZ_6S7afEj6g1fIt0fig7wDby7V0KZ2LXXaTC7z_1j9kPTjiR3WXXrzb5q0aW3FAZKuClMdN2mRSNguXZiztjPBQ46JCT10kDx7eneXLhMp5kTBkeuL-JejeIo_ex7LbvJg/s6000/6.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="6000" data-original-width="4000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4wh0y-z8vUlMjPZ3iBFMIbKf1Sl1v3NSkKacwJfb1Pmqgk9-QSXyg3HMXZ_6S7afEj6g1fIt0fig7wDby7V0KZ2LXXaTC7z_1j9kPTjiR3WXXrzb5q0aW3FAZKuClMdN2mRSNguXZiztjPBQ46JCT10kDx7eneXLhMp5kTBkeuL-JejeIo_ex7LbvJg/w426-h640/6.jpeg" width="426" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: times;">Meanwhile back in Haxten. While wheat grower Dave Anderson lives in town, if we want to see much of him during a short visit, a trip out the family wheat farm is a must. The dryland corn </span><span style="font-family: times;">(not irrigated)</span><span style="font-family: times;"> </span><span style="font-family: times;"> is a total loss. Not enough moisture for it to grow. The wheat crop yield will be low this year, too, for the same reason--no snow over the winter and no spring rain. The winter wheat is planted the late in the summer then harvested the following July. Andersons farm nearly 15,000 acres--just a small family farm. </span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: x-large;">We leave the main highway, taking the country road. Sherry knows exactly where her husband and the crew are cutting the last of wheat.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY0DPzVJBibXGzZ4A7Qxms8uvmzMuNrm9QCX8BedO1fT1Z90G9fdLOIspw8Z2QOGWjZyXVxFJaFb20aujSdTqjKSBY9eWtRA4y9dqtF0dKhq40QRsRJ-rLXLHW0Fi1OEN1mPWck2wpFYWIzCF_SI97CmjlNjRysP5L1Eyg5HCcJP5o71cph7cbTgUZUA/s6000/4.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="6000" data-original-width="4000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY0DPzVJBibXGzZ4A7Qxms8uvmzMuNrm9QCX8BedO1fT1Z90G9fdLOIspw8Z2QOGWjZyXVxFJaFb20aujSdTqjKSBY9eWtRA4y9dqtF0dKhq40QRsRJ-rLXLHW0Fi1OEN1mPWck2wpFYWIzCF_SI97CmjlNjRysP5L1Eyg5HCcJP5o71cph7cbTgUZUA/w426-h640/4.jpeg" width="426" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: x-large;">With the wind generators on the not so distant horizon, half a million $$$ worth of equipment brings in the load of wheat.</span></div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieqCNc3IugznwnSP0th9GRnYPO7SfCLNiZUfldv1_4hZ87n6dFNNJjQVzPfm47hOfzFxnw0fwjCWi1voArNr-s5Hx5vHJxVn6wy9mDhDzJOvDH0637ZOp4xjJi-bTLlDYsV00AmWyFPFDpTsBNneSwENlT_tJxowctVRAMXMU8mXnyi5UQR-pRypE4Wg/s6000/1%20(36).jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieqCNc3IugznwnSP0th9GRnYPO7SfCLNiZUfldv1_4hZ87n6dFNNJjQVzPfm47hOfzFxnw0fwjCWi1voArNr-s5Hx5vHJxVn6wy9mDhDzJOvDH0637ZOp4xjJi-bTLlDYsV00AmWyFPFDpTsBNneSwENlT_tJxowctVRAMXMU8mXnyi5UQR-pRypE4Wg/w640-h426/1%20(36).jpeg" width="640" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: x-large;">The HG rode along with the combine driver, learning about the technology that not only guides the giant combine, but maps the field as it goes and provides data on the crop.</span></div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRJEl61HgXDs18xlOLeI3qG1n__D2x9GVxnps9MhtmIemLlkTlGUzxhl3MCbrSGJoh-bYq1O8lAeAlzgyZghwIj5kqQ4keTQYjLWiwfXyNulJ45Q97XORqq69NPlyLftrBPHs1s8o8tF4Ug-8qwX5O57CiozeFRP7Y32V526H4IR5EN8Hf8vrQzaki5A/s6000/2.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRJEl61HgXDs18xlOLeI3qG1n__D2x9GVxnps9MhtmIemLlkTlGUzxhl3MCbrSGJoh-bYq1O8lAeAlzgyZghwIj5kqQ4keTQYjLWiwfXyNulJ45Q97XORqq69NPlyLftrBPHs1s8o8tF4Ug-8qwX5O57CiozeFRP7Y32V526H4IR5EN8Hf8vrQzaki5A/w640-h426/2.jpeg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: x-large;">From the combine, the wheat is off loaded into the grain cart where the weight for that load is calculated by onboard computers scales then it is transferred to the semi trailer that will haul it to the storage bins.</span><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"> </span></div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRAqZFMGrl0O9trtQ4UB6etPNv9HhCp55Kj3As8sVXfw566zMDtTiBdncgb7Rb-Dq4WaoAEpzXDwbBWYjBy9kmZb5Cu7qnkzCsxYDbc1eESkxCaFSX60W4X42dsAmbLcOb653BjijjzLF2o9b9skIRuCblzoPXVAKx-ZhG1Ubdzn2k7Gab1r9nJGTVbg/s6000/3.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRAqZFMGrl0O9trtQ4UB6etPNv9HhCp55Kj3As8sVXfw566zMDtTiBdncgb7Rb-Dq4WaoAEpzXDwbBWYjBy9kmZb5Cu7qnkzCsxYDbc1eESkxCaFSX60W4X42dsAmbLcOb653BjijjzLF2o9b9skIRuCblzoPXVAKx-ZhG1Ubdzn2k7Gab1r9nJGTVbg/w640-h426/3.jpeg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: x-large;">Our Colorado farmers had a rough season with a cold, low moisture spring, increased production costs, availability of fertilizers, pesticides, and machine replacement parts, insects, and more weather. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: x-large;">Thanks for visiting. It's always a pleasure to be with you. I'll be joining <a href="https://tentoesinthewater.blogspot.com" target="_blank">Angie at Mosaic Monday </a>where you will enjoy other wonderful stories with their beautiful mosaics. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: x-large;">This week, my mosaic tells the story of the self starters at the Garden Spot where the little quotation "Bloom where planted" offers inspiration for those times when we don't land exactly where we intended--like the asparagus seed that was transported from the Garden Spot over to the pond. At first first I tried to pull it out, but it kept coming back--now that is perseverance. I hadn't identified it as asparagus. Now it gets a reprieve. I'm curious as to what it will do next season.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhavp9LZMVEHniYQCCdFtzTn9T3S7D8DxOETU7KpzCRn5qPlNKU5aLlw5OM6-7NvKCw1dQy5d_cvBjH1C8owqmdSxsk356SOAKIzLehQMnTsNGZ6cTTCQrmlY9-ksaBd9VofxwFslRpogQXxa6aqkDFUxrSNHqn1V1yy7gjKXydmPIaCVRtSQtrJ633nA/s800/self%20starte.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhavp9LZMVEHniYQCCdFtzTn9T3S7D8DxOETU7KpzCRn5qPlNKU5aLlw5OM6-7NvKCw1dQy5d_cvBjH1C8owqmdSxsk356SOAKIzLehQMnTsNGZ6cTTCQrmlY9-ksaBd9VofxwFslRpogQXxa6aqkDFUxrSNHqn1V1yy7gjKXydmPIaCVRtSQtrJ633nA/w480-h640/self%20starte.jpg" width="480" /></a><br /></span></div><div><p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;">Join me, too, at <a href="http://annsdollhousedreams.blogspot.com" target="_blank">Ann's Dollhouse Dreams</a> where I indulge my inner child and chronicle my adventures in the land of miniatures. </span></p></div>annhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01668006270534204954noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6460244051990142578.post-82785247920947096512022-07-10T13:19:00.000-06:002022-07-10T13:19:11.253-06:00Blessings <p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div> The front garden right in the middle of the driveway, has been such an awkward space to work with. When we first moved here 13 years ago, the pine trees were toddles, barely 6 ft high. The previous owner had mulched the front half of it with river rock--mini boulders--not gravel. It had an underground water sprinkler system and even an underground electrical hook up to Christmas lighting. I thought: "What a wonderful garden spot." That first spring red tulips popped up and continued to do so every year until this year they didn't bloom because we had an unusually dry spring( just say the ugly word, <i>drought) </i><p></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMfPjI3po1mZSJG94lRK810qJss-Z7ZEQPpVkEAZ0jKzs8KyTTfsr4vSoqCdJpBO1SM1KXU5P-aYrR0zg0jdEXegUcQBKNqLEQF9sPAVV2cxluTo71XI0bUbCBS5ChpV0WeLAE-wnyLZvSmsH7XTgauOHDE7Us6DZG_1WD382J33Ywbh0Q0zYgB_iOJQ/s6000/DSC_0020.jpeg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMfPjI3po1mZSJG94lRK810qJss-Z7ZEQPpVkEAZ0jKzs8KyTTfsr4vSoqCdJpBO1SM1KXU5P-aYrR0zg0jdEXegUcQBKNqLEQF9sPAVV2cxluTo71XI0bUbCBS5ChpV0WeLAE-wnyLZvSmsH7XTgauOHDE7Us6DZG_1WD382J33Ywbh0Q0zYgB_iOJQ/w200-h133/DSC_0020.jpeg" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p>Once the aspens and pine trees (truly Colorado natives) were large enough to provide shade, I began my plan to create a shade garden, adding more and more shade loving plants. Most of time I was able to keep the bind weed, wild morning glory, and thistle under control then last spring, a very wet one, we had an gave growth power to to both the desired and undesired plants in the center circle--actually tear shaped--was out of control. The bad guys--bind weed and morning glory-- took over on the shade side, covering everything, chocking out some of my favorites cultivars. The vinca crossed the path, filled the path, and combined with the wild morning glory to cover everything, creating a tangled mess of unwanted plant material.</p><p>On the sunny side of the trees, Canadian thistle took over and continues to be a huge problem, even after a lot of mitigation. One generation is killed, while the new generation pops up. </p><p>We began working on a plan to clean up the mess, but last year, but didn't follow through, hoping, I suppose, that Mother Nature would take pity and miraculously take care of the undesirable plants. The plan had been to use the push lawn mover to cut it all down, which the Head Gardener finally did last week. We had transplanted our favorite plants: hostas and bleeding heart earlier, along with some columbine and the knofphia. I so hated to dig them, but the were being choked out, making center circle redo necessary. My neighbor at the old house had given me a start of the beautiful orange and yellow spiked plants, and when we moved from that house here, many of my plants came with me, including my knophia. </p><p>We dug some of the Columbine, transplanting them, too. They have a huge main root, so hopefully they survive the move. </p><p><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZRnudM7UKdKkxFDuXUo5zQxKGnVF_n6zDA1uj0YrdBlK3n2opWfJo5QMG_OcZJ_Jjg-rEdY0Sq54IZMJRAG9M_yMwFw5XJXybdSeUEp3YireMfebtSbZoZWAGzugW54GnM5sDf6_nCqmZabOgFNYNSNVIfwFWR8z9myuFsER2SgKe1P74OumqEqJc2g/s1280/IMG_3705.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZRnudM7UKdKkxFDuXUo5zQxKGnVF_n6zDA1uj0YrdBlK3n2opWfJo5QMG_OcZJ_Jjg-rEdY0Sq54IZMJRAG9M_yMwFw5XJXybdSeUEp3YireMfebtSbZoZWAGzugW54GnM5sDf6_nCqmZabOgFNYNSNVIfwFWR8z9myuFsER2SgKe1P74OumqEqJc2g/w480-h640/IMG_3705.jpeg" width="480" /></a></p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;">The path that I once created with the river rock had all but disappeared with spreading vinca that has taken over this garden. The Weed Eater made easy work of cleaning the path.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNJ0ARTvUwWLEcIgtGK4L5hHY6rOvS2-U70YV8XvXy2Fig8FYalXwRcHfs7TlQNDg70Jp3zrZ_vaS1WYzBqJ6MzazZJ6wNBS2WqKP8wslPrU1STBQwuBpVXNOEZc3zxjgNsPltFY2qn5CFbVgTu8hnjJJEHTSBIteqfaJUAQFgAdVfzBfQzDNcv55AyA/s1280/IMG_3693.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNJ0ARTvUwWLEcIgtGK4L5hHY6rOvS2-U70YV8XvXy2Fig8FYalXwRcHfs7TlQNDg70Jp3zrZ_vaS1WYzBqJ6MzazZJ6wNBS2WqKP8wslPrU1STBQwuBpVXNOEZc3zxjgNsPltFY2qn5CFbVgTu8hnjJJEHTSBIteqfaJUAQFgAdVfzBfQzDNcv55AyA/w480-h640/IMG_3693.jpeg" width="480" /></a></p><p style="text-align: center;">We tried pulling some of overgrowth just to make the chore easier for the mower.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2uZJXMKC8I8Hu1TmvTnzkXhNKvpd4bz-J_1OVcSb7Nwb0qToKEYJCXA6SBpN0XV-LSlUoLfSmb_zM5Q-Tni1y1ucE2N4tO4h-YXS4bjhCO8T03k8A0PsBBYH7-9LbWRk8HFFSXTnba7_5tlxyysIkn45qFe_D817Yjr9FheerXMB27fQMQzxE1oHJaQ/s1280/IMG_3688.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2uZJXMKC8I8Hu1TmvTnzkXhNKvpd4bz-J_1OVcSb7Nwb0qToKEYJCXA6SBpN0XV-LSlUoLfSmb_zM5Q-Tni1y1ucE2N4tO4h-YXS4bjhCO8T03k8A0PsBBYH7-9LbWRk8HFFSXTnba7_5tlxyysIkn45qFe_D817Yjr9FheerXMB27fQMQzxE1oHJaQ/w480-h640/IMG_3688.jpeg" width="480" /></a></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmOrAVsCj8aDt7VdM_Jv2V81RLkzbwD-TjzkI-jczlfYuEoZCfkx0fO34srqazkhbIv7ydqyq9s1y9jn6X_MKQksl8ZZbdx37XN7oSJhzTCulgWwAvfBNyzKvUnAa1sXQpPfF8Nrqa5q6OR8LEw8LnzgWYbFaG3L6oaqlCV0J69MwHH9k6ZPHY6cotJA/s1280/IMG_3694.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmOrAVsCj8aDt7VdM_Jv2V81RLkzbwD-TjzkI-jczlfYuEoZCfkx0fO34srqazkhbIv7ydqyq9s1y9jn6X_MKQksl8ZZbdx37XN7oSJhzTCulgWwAvfBNyzKvUnAa1sXQpPfF8Nrqa5q6OR8LEw8LnzgWYbFaG3L6oaqlCV0J69MwHH9k6ZPHY6cotJA/w640-h480/IMG_3694.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhooQmWZHwfMzvWUuVyRa7uE0tcc8h3PzVY1FVc2GP6dZl3v_JA5v3rw1nn75O9MGr-IRMxzypikUlrA9qf4uPKWVmTLTxaTojaEO0nrEea-kCMiuhbF-xxAKIlpGIHNAkGaUO9GIOZNebCq_-3_ApYAhGbgoG3PpodXiNNsuJ77bLa_v9VRnV4XvhLGA/s1280/IMG_3704.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhooQmWZHwfMzvWUuVyRa7uE0tcc8h3PzVY1FVc2GP6dZl3v_JA5v3rw1nn75O9MGr-IRMxzypikUlrA9qf4uPKWVmTLTxaTojaEO0nrEea-kCMiuhbF-xxAKIlpGIHNAkGaUO9GIOZNebCq_-3_ApYAhGbgoG3PpodXiNNsuJ77bLa_v9VRnV4XvhLGA/w480-h640/IMG_3704.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I'm hoping to save the Malva plants had spread nicely, but the weeds had taken over. Once we cut back the bad stuff, I thinking that it can be irradiated and we can sod around the Malva, leaving it in place.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf0b47KOZ2jCSQ3xjBlCiOoqbmGzN44HX2lLQm-uS32L3wiZ5JRoztosTP8Mq3okAEWqGC_xByjR6cMt0QABGGkIiyoK7Yf0gmYE56Txg-ZLdlZaCnJ0hUTFt4ZnLNeJdXLYjD9JzGZYYAdEwSYpweu6iTsfw5UF0RVkzlDDb7pWKYYDbFNNvSC1ZFFw/s1280/IMG_3699.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf0b47KOZ2jCSQ3xjBlCiOoqbmGzN44HX2lLQm-uS32L3wiZ5JRoztosTP8Mq3okAEWqGC_xByjR6cMt0QABGGkIiyoK7Yf0gmYE56Txg-ZLdlZaCnJ0hUTFt4ZnLNeJdXLYjD9JzGZYYAdEwSYpweu6iTsfw5UF0RVkzlDDb7pWKYYDbFNNvSC1ZFFw/w480-h640/IMG_3699.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj2xilXIJzY5xlcl0_lWaL1oy53SrLLaSeQaNVGQtSM5BefdgXrEXHPYCz1rAuuzjIgQMdJz8-8cQjx58bDhO0cH5fJJaeIvijLxce7TCL42HTGLGN77Nxt37rsIyAWkRDE7k05omtE5qy_TbVeIIxSDFik5GRE5NXrziwMltS7miHL_Y9IbxDPfEh4Q/s1280/IMG_3706.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj2xilXIJzY5xlcl0_lWaL1oy53SrLLaSeQaNVGQtSM5BefdgXrEXHPYCz1rAuuzjIgQMdJz8-8cQjx58bDhO0cH5fJJaeIvijLxce7TCL42HTGLGN77Nxt37rsIyAWkRDE7k05omtE5qy_TbVeIIxSDFik5GRE5NXrziwMltS7miHL_Y9IbxDPfEh4Q/w480-h640/IMG_3706.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Canadian Thistle continue to plague this part of the garden. Hollyhocks replant themselves, by-passing the garden plan. The iris and Oaks registered day lilies that were moved from our previous garden 13 years ago, have been relocated the vegetable garden where they will be nurtured and perhaps replanted in other places. Now the weed mitigation continues. Soon the Head Gardener will get the rototiller in to work the soil and hopefully sod by summer's end.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcd8ZBIePjb1vTP-Bdk9IzKryO8cbehOxc-rPf6rckf7qpkaP1jd_obfb9ithgf6G8fX_-MPJMpMeRC_hl9Datk-2VNmuK-JCrDgDVnvm0i1xHT2AvtoszrXUHsz5PD825rIWHxRjP6Xwz528gYx-P3qM3e-JNTEVCkUhwVeWmV6Eqcj-VSyYKU71xug/s1280/IMG_3708.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcd8ZBIePjb1vTP-Bdk9IzKryO8cbehOxc-rPf6rckf7qpkaP1jd_obfb9ithgf6G8fX_-MPJMpMeRC_hl9Datk-2VNmuK-JCrDgDVnvm0i1xHT2AvtoszrXUHsz5PD825rIWHxRjP6Xwz528gYx-P3qM3e-JNTEVCkUhwVeWmV6Eqcj-VSyYKU71xug/w640-h480/IMG_3708.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p style="text-align: center;"><b>Around The Garden</b></p><p style="text-align: center;">Just playing around with the camera, taking photos of the wet rocks around the pond as the lawn sprinkler splashes over the water, lily, and rocks.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBQDkZ8O010Z3Q38WaGenPejZmxnB11iraq8XPEBDHpWE3LkOKeaMSw_2NLb-Hm1WLCSzN_qURbC6NUZw6bIorRSzP9r9OGDy0mx8tLPIaHbus_0oAa5TTphQ43KKhEWHtzHXxdnPCuUKtGKxvrcEs3_OxM_tVfxHpTHM51uDLwduufstFQleAI0akqw/s6000/DSC_0002.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBQDkZ8O010Z3Q38WaGenPejZmxnB11iraq8XPEBDHpWE3LkOKeaMSw_2NLb-Hm1WLCSzN_qURbC6NUZw6bIorRSzP9r9OGDy0mx8tLPIaHbus_0oAa5TTphQ43KKhEWHtzHXxdnPCuUKtGKxvrcEs3_OxM_tVfxHpTHM51uDLwduufstFQleAI0akqw/w640-h426/DSC_0002.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;">I like wet rocks. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3CHFZyR1MSMUj7c62XfhnAq7nKTqJYthczl_1USBRyqG6fi3jbnHbRThd0L4T6md1BD28-FMtEZ6NLDlux6VvBkwzQFF2F-1Hr5-1K--mQcz-x15qpnl3McyQzAbIpG_PhJNHFirsxYGmJOfzbXdD1aT-A-YzLtZX5Wduouk8-wOhUcZ8yK0Ru457nw/s6000/DSC_0006.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3CHFZyR1MSMUj7c62XfhnAq7nKTqJYthczl_1USBRyqG6fi3jbnHbRThd0L4T6md1BD28-FMtEZ6NLDlux6VvBkwzQFF2F-1Hr5-1K--mQcz-x15qpnl3McyQzAbIpG_PhJNHFirsxYGmJOfzbXdD1aT-A-YzLtZX5Wduouk8-wOhUcZ8yK0Ru457nw/w640-h426/DSC_0006.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;"><br style="text-align: left;" /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Plenty of critters in the garden last week, too. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Up close and personal, watching a lady bug chomp on a wild sunflower.</div><p style="text-align: center;"><br style="text-align: left;" /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaRVEORGTwH8K5d_35cKuph5ffdV_K0aRVdh_SBpRWGQxln4o6KqrH1a5stsaxMq3QqWcW3upp5cqGWuK7ue0Arjf8lz86LE-a0-3-4p60JfN4Qymux_VksQSjDTkppCOyhOWiX12GfBfzwWtTiLyy204LRdwPrGfh014EnC4XYP_TkP8M6akqgVSRDg/s2595/DSC_0053.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2271" data-original-width="2595" height="560" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaRVEORGTwH8K5d_35cKuph5ffdV_K0aRVdh_SBpRWGQxln4o6KqrH1a5stsaxMq3QqWcW3upp5cqGWuK7ue0Arjf8lz86LE-a0-3-4p60JfN4Qymux_VksQSjDTkppCOyhOWiX12GfBfzwWtTiLyy204LRdwPrGfh014EnC4XYP_TkP8M6akqgVSRDg/w640-h560/DSC_0053.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;">The imposing caterpillar feeds on the same sunflower along with several others. Once it has had it fill, it will begin its metamorphosis into a beautiful fritillary butterfly. I looked this little guy up on Youtube. You'll enjoy the video, too.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7nmt9FcHlLA" target="_blank">"Raising a Variegated Fritillary From a Caterpillar"</a></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgILFev7z-e2I_Rny189dEv9O71c55ZIg5jO9rmOiJoPP6x1J0dFDhU_1VwwmZvwOrIVq8mHFkAPsSfJP63CuqPW3r33Z_dJIvD48N4DImIWFwIftxTBFlyaw_F7I4UBGcnkszZDnf9LX5NLsFxKJPU-sHtROQ3cRJaI_Ttm57lORzqwuIa5I0uSZZsGQ/s6000/DSC_0055.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgILFev7z-e2I_Rny189dEv9O71c55ZIg5jO9rmOiJoPP6x1J0dFDhU_1VwwmZvwOrIVq8mHFkAPsSfJP63CuqPW3r33Z_dJIvD48N4DImIWFwIftxTBFlyaw_F7I4UBGcnkszZDnf9LX5NLsFxKJPU-sHtROQ3cRJaI_Ttm57lORzqwuIa5I0uSZZsGQ/w640-h426/DSC_0055.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Unrelated, this little Taxiles Skipper has been hanging around the flowers in the garden bed around the back patio.</div><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcyskv9jr4Ydbc3s5PGgR9pe-TC4TVzgd3ffUAuLnFg9xX0gSP9GBPUvS1MOHYz_G0s0Mv2XCEZTMiz-YrPGJoDk_4sxUS7NT_NwF__SOvEQK8GZm-w8qCydlVBTR_kYruZGqGX835nPX9qZj0yFBBuK1wuY2aNK00Qavu7MCkP7ghuHJul_3_vC4w-g/s2514/DSC_0211.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2514" data-original-width="2497" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcyskv9jr4Ydbc3s5PGgR9pe-TC4TVzgd3ffUAuLnFg9xX0gSP9GBPUvS1MOHYz_G0s0Mv2XCEZTMiz-YrPGJoDk_4sxUS7NT_NwF__SOvEQK8GZm-w8qCydlVBTR_kYruZGqGX835nPX9qZj0yFBBuK1wuY2aNK00Qavu7MCkP7ghuHJul_3_vC4w-g/w636-h640/DSC_0211.jpeg" width="636" /></a></p><p style="text-align: center;">And the bees have been busy, too, raiding the hollyhock by the patio. </p><p style="text-align: center;">Gathering pollen is messy work.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0IgqQR_FLRBpTJPjhW1QYkdtqdO66EWjo_7VgNfEhgSyTzhZv7s8ZON5cJkkdEzPiUTD1TMnkef2GufSTgvhs4ydK7m-17IEcYofOf-7fcxU5tKD3nSDo7mSgmlQiSZUSD2BBH_VywIKCGeOVYh389dL9uIGBvOpXmCldUqvrSCbm47g6K-XPTO4d4Q/s2102/DSC_0166.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1985" data-original-width="2102" height="604" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0IgqQR_FLRBpTJPjhW1QYkdtqdO66EWjo_7VgNfEhgSyTzhZv7s8ZON5cJkkdEzPiUTD1TMnkef2GufSTgvhs4ydK7m-17IEcYofOf-7fcxU5tKD3nSDo7mSgmlQiSZUSD2BBH_VywIKCGeOVYh389dL9uIGBvOpXmCldUqvrSCbm47g6K-XPTO4d4Q/w640-h604/DSC_0166.jpeg" width="640" /></a></p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;">It's common to see the Gold Finches feasting on the cone flowers in the fall after they have died back, but in summer? This was quite a lucky shot.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUrb41L6gE6HHmfy4tYRRPm9pAdTkT-DbN3o8ogRZaNnBfoVb3wDHDiMwKkTWEkqdgQ9I5BLkCg0db0LEjnsXEsOl8nYX5rZKF9DSYQejXE8TqphkVWbp_ZbxQ1o-ImBNGvGIccYKS4kOQIQ-DwOtgxe4_nvU0_TnG9Chtxu-nrR8WYO0CPWDvQcu1YQ/s1385/DSC_0153.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1239" data-original-width="1385" height="572" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUrb41L6gE6HHmfy4tYRRPm9pAdTkT-DbN3o8ogRZaNnBfoVb3wDHDiMwKkTWEkqdgQ9I5BLkCg0db0LEjnsXEsOl8nYX5rZKF9DSYQejXE8TqphkVWbp_ZbxQ1o-ImBNGvGIccYKS4kOQIQ-DwOtgxe4_nvU0_TnG9Chtxu-nrR8WYO0CPWDvQcu1YQ/w640-h572/DSC_0153.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;"><br style="text-align: left;" /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfk9JXIUabgtIyExoCcSi100oN00PbgcggUeIZ5M5UouXRbMy5AGz4rnv3bWFYahWLuL0mvrNNBWP3I7GqCC03QtjBtwDYpd7kC9NnZzfZPdYtCt7-iZkuUV0yUMWTbMAOu3VdK3P9d2A6QV3jQ5PdO2GQEGZXgacLBnRN0ZdydwzsiYBvn1h4WAT3SQ/s6000/DSC_0154.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfk9JXIUabgtIyExoCcSi100oN00PbgcggUeIZ5M5UouXRbMy5AGz4rnv3bWFYahWLuL0mvrNNBWP3I7GqCC03QtjBtwDYpd7kC9NnZzfZPdYtCt7-iZkuUV0yUMWTbMAOu3VdK3P9d2A6QV3jQ5PdO2GQEGZXgacLBnRN0ZdydwzsiYBvn1h4WAT3SQ/w640-h426/DSC_0154.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;">Poppies are late spring bloomers here, unless you plant them late then you get a surprise later on.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtnam8XCPjx1_km_DB68fO6ZMd8kreRsF_ZZvEgMWZefeJcW2AyALGSy6DiGbkhuT94-EyrCs0xVjB4UuLDcDF8UAqx0gew_ClfSNLDdfXESKIrA0tDZjfsWKIdZxraVg4eCNMMYTW3e7l-yDRZjBsAZaqo4qYjEizWu8A-PxQepbAO1jZsVJ9-qklZQ/s6000/DSC_0992.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtnam8XCPjx1_km_DB68fO6ZMd8kreRsF_ZZvEgMWZefeJcW2AyALGSy6DiGbkhuT94-EyrCs0xVjB4UuLDcDF8UAqx0gew_ClfSNLDdfXESKIrA0tDZjfsWKIdZxraVg4eCNMMYTW3e7l-yDRZjBsAZaqo4qYjEizWu8A-PxQepbAO1jZsVJ9-qklZQ/w640-h426/DSC_0992.jpeg" width="640" /></a></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">But the brilliant orange blossom does not last long and soon produces its<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /> seed pod.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3z4MLtzjW0aQu4zxPeq2CrZCPILN5BbV-QWOMoYlGaHANz7CVYYpy1hEs97boj1C7ZXx27QaAUce5LmwbHYXHzWXdkLqw6S918LfV78dlYInsJe3unBtpYmzR5XMSHKsn3FCVwZxJt2eb_RpiajM50WS4D4Bh6JjYDMIa3-EzY03da-DccoKbbsHBkw/s6000/DSC_0096.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3z4MLtzjW0aQu4zxPeq2CrZCPILN5BbV-QWOMoYlGaHANz7CVYYpy1hEs97boj1C7ZXx27QaAUce5LmwbHYXHzWXdkLqw6S918LfV78dlYInsJe3unBtpYmzR5XMSHKsn3FCVwZxJt2eb_RpiajM50WS4D4Bh6JjYDMIa3-EzY03da-DccoKbbsHBkw/w640-h426/DSC_0096.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;">I love doing close up photos using my Nikon D3500 with the 70-300 telephoto lens. I don't have bend, stoop or put myself in compromising positions the might cause a fall to get a nice close up.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZtBXFcoH00ruLbwOV7mPxq4iAkfdsw9jG7-_2qz7lY1eXrGe9ztrYMQWtqC_4pb2vdX-leETYQxY-8nJi2PPfzwQUIkzghG6jVLdKflEtg3YmHmSMT7WIbYWl98OOdZnhG9CYYHm_Yqt3vivaA05ImuhWCWkAKH2MrHEkzXpnxNnAiVmNKzy0MiARvA/s6000/DSC_0997.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZtBXFcoH00ruLbwOV7mPxq4iAkfdsw9jG7-_2qz7lY1eXrGe9ztrYMQWtqC_4pb2vdX-leETYQxY-8nJi2PPfzwQUIkzghG6jVLdKflEtg3YmHmSMT7WIbYWl98OOdZnhG9CYYHm_Yqt3vivaA05ImuhWCWkAKH2MrHEkzXpnxNnAiVmNKzy0MiARvA/w640-h426/DSC_0997.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Even in the end of its cycle the poppy had a certain beauty. Who says purple and green don't go together?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH5Yfont2d8kuKGs3Ap8gFij6d8r8j-fSxUCWnd3F4jru5ovUvaSfOcUIGT_j1U7MCW0tE3tFnuAdF8ExOLJcpHI496mhYkflMpQVY1-0LtkG1W_olRcBV4OOv2NOOcm-ZCRmmo0rs7oZqhADLN4KbIjUMUg9HrqLko853vzEsN5fdesx8t4hWTt3JcQ/s6000/DSC_0089.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH5Yfont2d8kuKGs3Ap8gFij6d8r8j-fSxUCWnd3F4jru5ovUvaSfOcUIGT_j1U7MCW0tE3tFnuAdF8ExOLJcpHI496mhYkflMpQVY1-0LtkG1W_olRcBV4OOv2NOOcm-ZCRmmo0rs7oZqhADLN4KbIjUMUg9HrqLko853vzEsN5fdesx8t4hWTt3JcQ/w640-h426/DSC_0089.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>Rose Update</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> So far no new growth on the rose transplanted from around the corner from the dark side of the house. In fact, this rose looks rather stressed.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiQwBlxlMfta1pHloZWvZX5m3uctpI2kIa_1tXG25rPXjgn_HXPIiFqi03gEVZOyp1x3kFouSBv7E-9iZnaoUYyCyde9k2rPq5f9AocbhZpiiGaTDXjjbSWudBJKIC1zLRmD6JZfQugg6lMeMvrg_Eb7WJyg4o5Zi4e2B7xPgVfyKsFtEgdCqCkjzUEA/s4032/IMG_3746.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiQwBlxlMfta1pHloZWvZX5m3uctpI2kIa_1tXG25rPXjgn_HXPIiFqi03gEVZOyp1x3kFouSBv7E-9iZnaoUYyCyde9k2rPq5f9AocbhZpiiGaTDXjjbSWudBJKIC1zLRmD6JZfQugg6lMeMvrg_Eb7WJyg4o5Zi4e2B7xPgVfyKsFtEgdCqCkjzUEA/w480-h640/IMG_3746.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p style="text-align: center;">But those three moved to the vegetable garden next to the hen pen are all showing signs of grown on the branches above the graft, meaning that the hybrid teas roses have been save--at least for the moment. So very exciting.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH-2tkT7YEvBDIcgYmrXUMQ6Sa3C74Y_EmDXv5M2K2qUlu8yth7pD_h0_kfvEPT9ulBivhJ7hjZfQTbtBhlc4W733LhHhiayYWiXcY5jRT64gz_v4mZQXm4NS7RNgz4Y2VcC7HBA3tXJG_I2A6-Yu52X5hTuBIdRMe-ojKlOSRIAiLRUkLZSX2GqGUbw/s4032/IMG_3740.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH-2tkT7YEvBDIcgYmrXUMQ6Sa3C74Y_EmDXv5M2K2qUlu8yth7pD_h0_kfvEPT9ulBivhJ7hjZfQTbtBhlc4W733LhHhiayYWiXcY5jRT64gz_v4mZQXm4NS7RNgz4Y2VcC7HBA3tXJG_I2A6-Yu52X5hTuBIdRMe-ojKlOSRIAiLRUkLZSX2GqGUbw/w480-h640/IMG_3740.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;"><br style="text-align: left;" /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLCLemK4jhaSiIoAZrnBTjA4E-fxnGgkciPLM7YiLiBUQkNun_Ofn4HWPWcO70gQxxR74tCZnivfcVssxr5GCxSQcdWToK5__gmbqqV2E3MMJocA00qGN-lp8qsTJMG4UrLugvk1i_xX1C9Np7UzxE5JzLthzwAZwa7TQepRhNpTFqA_y-ZFV-whUgzg/s4032/IMG_3742.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLCLemK4jhaSiIoAZrnBTjA4E-fxnGgkciPLM7YiLiBUQkNun_Ofn4HWPWcO70gQxxR74tCZnivfcVssxr5GCxSQcdWToK5__gmbqqV2E3MMJocA00qGN-lp8qsTJMG4UrLugvk1i_xX1C9Np7UzxE5JzLthzwAZwa7TQepRhNpTFqA_y-ZFV-whUgzg/w480-h640/IMG_3742.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;"><br style="text-align: left;" /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx_ELrPKr0WvLuBytd6r0R9SPPnCllhXyutkyM9B2JzftiNBTyUKc7pk7zt6yYF5ouYQ69UQRh_dqW2Vvz3pjJf3L0rXEjNg56TUOfBTvCIvukecUuDPUeUVR6OaD7tdKwulFiFTVCMN1hNbj99dJY5Mn2RBnnFFoyL4ha3whnJTn2d5AwDVF-iTqOCg/s4032/IMG_3743.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx_ELrPKr0WvLuBytd6r0R9SPPnCllhXyutkyM9B2JzftiNBTyUKc7pk7zt6yYF5ouYQ69UQRh_dqW2Vvz3pjJf3L0rXEjNg56TUOfBTvCIvukecUuDPUeUVR6OaD7tdKwulFiFTVCMN1hNbj99dJY5Mn2RBnnFFoyL4ha3whnJTn2d5AwDVF-iTqOCg/w640-h480/IMG_3743.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;">The vegetable garden looks amazing. We are eating lettuce from the garden now.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRkBWad12nQp4aLdnjgeg4cNI4QenJ_ota9i6WyzKciqgkcCsyqyc6yKvNbUDIKLHk0Wg7CWDlB3c0SjFQiEREX5nHQjaDHu5bIFYqdiOnMZe147XaJakkdqMt2gd6XzfQRZavn63jrij8bwbfb7ndWQH5-pYI5W2QW54IiWmcZgf597EMWOlKaYDGdw/s4032/IMG_3744.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRkBWad12nQp4aLdnjgeg4cNI4QenJ_ota9i6WyzKciqgkcCsyqyc6yKvNbUDIKLHk0Wg7CWDlB3c0SjFQiEREX5nHQjaDHu5bIFYqdiOnMZe147XaJakkdqMt2gd6XzfQRZavn63jrij8bwbfb7ndWQH5-pYI5W2QW54IiWmcZgf597EMWOlKaYDGdw/w480-h640/IMG_3744.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;">Finally the first wild sunflower shows a shy face.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2VnUtpZoEmIyJCaw3ZuRynXnPoymlP8iDmnho8gzeKTq-2f6eAPIfLn2Mn06-pRz0sNI5IIO7YI0fzVT4fVSvKRjB5vZdaW1qcXycC6-OxLgCyRXTFP9bIrdOgCnjut0VBanm4YgqBe45MUdJqHjduuj1E_3zg4TW3RGBIVz64cXEGLogvyGDul403g/s4032/IMG_3745.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2VnUtpZoEmIyJCaw3ZuRynXnPoymlP8iDmnho8gzeKTq-2f6eAPIfLn2Mn06-pRz0sNI5IIO7YI0fzVT4fVSvKRjB5vZdaW1qcXycC6-OxLgCyRXTFP9bIrdOgCnjut0VBanm4YgqBe45MUdJqHjduuj1E_3zg4TW3RGBIVz64cXEGLogvyGDul403g/w480-h640/IMG_3745.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>Potpourri of Good Things:</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Lucy and Mariah gearing up for county fair; a lost ladybug; Brody on squirrel duty, old, blind kitty, and a sweet baby's hand--the little blessings in life not to be taken for granted. </div><p style="text-align: center;"></p><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: -webkit-standard; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"></p><p></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: -webkit-standard; letter-spacing: normal; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; word-spacing: 0px;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglvFkMQDIbAxqHKXrXSFMdNMwjqShEQxiBnZAYoQIzfMKQARK0CgXEA8jbmwhCcLox4tQdItZXmlqjKCSEey1CZI4Gyw8EohsCaUn0Hv62dvJlIaQTKuwitF10GBG4YelM1aEpTEku8lZSXsfsKjJli0F70TUrbUfxTX_sVJXem2VJ_rcVcRMM3W8zqg/s800/sweet%20baby%20hadn.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglvFkMQDIbAxqHKXrXSFMdNMwjqShEQxiBnZAYoQIzfMKQARK0CgXEA8jbmwhCcLox4tQdItZXmlqjKCSEey1CZI4Gyw8EohsCaUn0Hv62dvJlIaQTKuwitF10GBG4YelM1aEpTEku8lZSXsfsKjJli0F70TUrbUfxTX_sVJXem2VJ_rcVcRMM3W8zqg/w480-h640/sweet%20baby%20hadn.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div>Have a fabulous week. I'll be joining <a href="https://tentoesinthewater.blogspot.com" target="_blank">Angie For Mosaic Monday.</a> See you there.<div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><br /></div></div>annhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01668006270534204954noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6460244051990142578.post-1504020912781167152022-06-26T12:20:00.001-06:002022-06-26T12:20:14.208-06:00June Blooms<p style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">June Blooms</span></b></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">It's cool this morning, unseasonably so at 59 degrees. By Tuesday we'll be in the 90s again, so we'll enjoy the respite while it lasts. June, though, is about spent. This week the notable new blooms include the Red Hot Poker (<i>knophia)</i>, a newly planted poppy; and pure white daisies planted late last summer. A lot of hot color cooled down with white daisy.</span></p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtain4UuwxvsY9Z47eq22i5GLVv99ONkOS8njODiHZkPlhodCSLUY4c4IYFtLq_DzyrKtMCUy4bd4Ttcr0k_9R1l-wk-qoxnceQThbG1LOL0tbw05-2qb_1y51zoOdBs-kTf00T6EmeBlvd8RtJ1ghj93GRwromH_nZhm6uipUhPJxbu5dLxAcnrzfgA/s6000/1%20(6).jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="6000" data-original-width="4000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtain4UuwxvsY9Z47eq22i5GLVv99ONkOS8njODiHZkPlhodCSLUY4c4IYFtLq_DzyrKtMCUy4bd4Ttcr0k_9R1l-wk-qoxnceQThbG1LOL0tbw05-2qb_1y51zoOdBs-kTf00T6EmeBlvd8RtJ1ghj93GRwromH_nZhm6uipUhPJxbu5dLxAcnrzfgA/s320/1%20(6).jpeg" width="213" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw1EEY_OsO4NR3ycwPnPdb6mIR02ACrvguwyIKXbMKLtTCP7HncjYcnwjPcKpN_u42hLU3MMMOdNaL2Kfu7OiVCUKfxcjqKIIp4fVd6a4OwYKmkADgZsBEtwQYafIp-BMuyy4yjy62DWmZi0JZA_u-PAER2u3Iwf5veJK_chdifsGIpNrGVNRDFDXHrQ/s6000/1%20(5).jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="6000" data-original-width="4000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw1EEY_OsO4NR3ycwPnPdb6mIR02ACrvguwyIKXbMKLtTCP7HncjYcnwjPcKpN_u42hLU3MMMOdNaL2Kfu7OiVCUKfxcjqKIIp4fVd6a4OwYKmkADgZsBEtwQYafIp-BMuyy4yjy62DWmZi0JZA_u-PAER2u3Iwf5veJK_chdifsGIpNrGVNRDFDXHrQ/s320/1%20(5).jpeg" width="213" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWcU6P-K_FcIFB_4zOHPmPI6bdM5PlGXCX8cd-_Ds1MmwSrVXhTliYwBVWqBsdSfrKyt40XZUAAuXcIWRk9duleWpaNfoLdOB9CUkFruZgiKE6J8iCMHUEbHmvatrN_zchrM6DIke-KLtb8tVIIa3gtCFZv9sTCbNplpzRQCqSJ8IxUmkVTGVDSNweWA/s6000/1%20(7).jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="164" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWcU6P-K_FcIFB_4zOHPmPI6bdM5PlGXCX8cd-_Ds1MmwSrVXhTliYwBVWqBsdSfrKyt40XZUAAuXcIWRk9duleWpaNfoLdOB9CUkFruZgiKE6J8iCMHUEbHmvatrN_zchrM6DIke-KLtb8tVIIa3gtCFZv9sTCbNplpzRQCqSJ8IxUmkVTGVDSNweWA/w247-h164/1%20(7).jpeg" width="247" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYmLeYiewJn0CgMUHUjWf3gUn4A-5XIJozU4TWhW2FxwEMJPvDbBk50f4phzauSYadnaZVMOXjH2EDQQ6WzQo_1m9guXtwZoRVivP2z3uN26qdafJpMz-IFmo2xSNhRd-x1q6oUDViCO53uANU5kFSJf5hdZUj0I-BVklGTzO9c6nz_Q-eDxNT_iKXhA/s6000/1%20(8).jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="164" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYmLeYiewJn0CgMUHUjWf3gUn4A-5XIJozU4TWhW2FxwEMJPvDbBk50f4phzauSYadnaZVMOXjH2EDQQ6WzQo_1m9guXtwZoRVivP2z3uN26qdafJpMz-IFmo2xSNhRd-x1q6oUDViCO53uANU5kFSJf5hdZUj0I-BVklGTzO9c6nz_Q-eDxNT_iKXhA/w246-h164/1%20(8).jpeg" width="246" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAQQhNW3FV9Um8-JllqB8hlKYSsbmczqE_a0wLw9CLz3HSKhTuwUVueo3KPAJh6ITPdoQSJxE7r_9Bmaf4G7bhWHMlmJJrrFpQflcZRsCbpOFXhi4ouh5Nm36SfXP0hpNRgdeOnY98sGwBfKSzXEdvavWmoWZFnYPyKFiqjxenY_2dtfcL_UisuD4bkQ/s6000/1%20(10).jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="176" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAQQhNW3FV9Um8-JllqB8hlKYSsbmczqE_a0wLw9CLz3HSKhTuwUVueo3KPAJh6ITPdoQSJxE7r_9Bmaf4G7bhWHMlmJJrrFpQflcZRsCbpOFXhi4ouh5Nm36SfXP0hpNRgdeOnY98sGwBfKSzXEdvavWmoWZFnYPyKFiqjxenY_2dtfcL_UisuD4bkQ/w264-h176/1%20(10).jpeg" width="264" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT3LYO_Zzy6HDxASE8Dj08LWHN3R2QI4mNb6zBkYxt5NymVG6Lq6YMQ8fUDQmK_5YdQOMx2ZUoVn6hweydE5qQuextLtTOswz1S-BqkNaPEI4UH8RVvbss-4l4_rP_5UiAH1OFn_lGJFaos6SBN2bwr3qm7FkLmgVRiQLdI6uxeCtJv8D6bUq7tKJRMQ/s6000/1%20(9).jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT3LYO_Zzy6HDxASE8Dj08LWHN3R2QI4mNb6zBkYxt5NymVG6Lq6YMQ8fUDQmK_5YdQOMx2ZUoVn6hweydE5qQuextLtTOswz1S-BqkNaPEI4UH8RVvbss-4l4_rP_5UiAH1OFn_lGJFaos6SBN2bwr3qm7FkLmgVRiQLdI6uxeCtJv8D6bUq7tKJRMQ/w269-h179/1%20(9).jpeg" width="269" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">The water lilies began blooming a month or more ago. In the center pond rests a giant clump of growth that for a while we thought was maybe a lotus, but alas, it is not. I've featured this water lily through the years of garden blogging. My dad originally brought it from Texas decades ago and planted it in his own farm pond. Winter hardy, it literally grows as a weed, escaping its pots to form one large clump. This summer the blooms have been spectacular and large. </span></div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDYFjoNDCoaSAlP1YSlzXcaKGmoWe7rwVYenrJuyzp2yPcao3hzjOj7nJ8rczYqa_iK618qt3sVdTkSAg2yWO5raIw4rItClKvhUXWaWSUl4BAg-LYowL6FtxwUNyLwKFg-PVt78TK5AjjTQXV-nCyVNIyowxlAbXtJuWwPdl3MSvJHFGhyRJNaRJbUA/s6000/1.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="182" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDYFjoNDCoaSAlP1YSlzXcaKGmoWe7rwVYenrJuyzp2yPcao3hzjOj7nJ8rczYqa_iK618qt3sVdTkSAg2yWO5raIw4rItClKvhUXWaWSUl4BAg-LYowL6FtxwUNyLwKFg-PVt78TK5AjjTQXV-nCyVNIyowxlAbXtJuWwPdl3MSvJHFGhyRJNaRJbUA/w274-h182/1.jpeg" width="274" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsKXEhXurJ6QibD3tQoSRXyAEqlYw42okb5w_oyPu8nnMmwKaS9X8LzjppBetVHvVom-_oz0U6pG1w22odG6DgiNDbvz42Cf9xMkk_edtVJOmeCPj9wgg-P8cnXP2NCt3hlO4eOoiNfycDn2Pqe4Q7qs6jAXuS5cxmFXCqWjdqti0lDF9et_rCpXOTkw/s6000/1%20(3).jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="186" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsKXEhXurJ6QibD3tQoSRXyAEqlYw42okb5w_oyPu8nnMmwKaS9X8LzjppBetVHvVom-_oz0U6pG1w22odG6DgiNDbvz42Cf9xMkk_edtVJOmeCPj9wgg-P8cnXP2NCt3hlO4eOoiNfycDn2Pqe4Q7qs6jAXuS5cxmFXCqWjdqti0lDF9et_rCpXOTkw/w279-h186/1%20(3).jpeg" width="279" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">I've added two new lilies. Well, one is not new. It broke off from somewhere, I repotted the small tuber and it is now growing new leaves. The one tiny leave amidst the the red rock is a new pink lily since my pink one did not bloom this summer. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">To start new water lilies, divide the wood tubers with a sharp knife then simple plant them in a container will good drainage. Put a layer of small gravel in the bottom then add some garden soil, place the tuber on top and cover with more garden soil--straight from the garden, not commercial soil. I cover that with a layer of pea gravel or ordinary gravel from the year to help old the soil in place. If there are any leaves on the tuber, don't cover them. I also put a commercial tablet of fertilizer in the soil too. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">These new plants are planted in the clear plastic containers that strawberries are sold in-- a nice recycling. Of course as the lilies grows they will be repotted in larger containers. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">You will be amazed at how fast the water plants grows.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQBOV3OnIR1IPW1IenBxjAuY46g9_wBXbTqODaSFssGvh-RvBwifkT7HGRzl6RpXTomBWxMJ94qDyoy7pUmblX46zeeL5mauAKC9lYkba-JghI8KN9SddvJkK4AH0BNvFyR3PeLVS8gxreuyii_YHjRxpqbVSj3cxoyY_0keCw4lkszRfhqP-DTC6yhA/s800/waterliy2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQBOV3OnIR1IPW1IenBxjAuY46g9_wBXbTqODaSFssGvh-RvBwifkT7HGRzl6RpXTomBWxMJ94qDyoy7pUmblX46zeeL5mauAKC9lYkba-JghI8KN9SddvJkK4AH0BNvFyR3PeLVS8gxreuyii_YHjRxpqbVSj3cxoyY_0keCw4lkszRfhqP-DTC6yhA/w480-h640/waterliy2.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">New this last week, the yellow lily surprised me. The blooms don't last more than a few days, but hopefully she will have more.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHSpE9cQTyyi-GbOAmCB1fH_7z3sRZ0HHlptuIqAZtVoqA4dhPq9yaodXIgTEF4YlqLDLCJLyPVZrHDpyQtXsHnocINqC_qHKOvQf0L6BBdT-EBjN8gdv7CRbztSm_vPSEK9oeVY0SbcyqzJRVWpoVl4Tzgy5RTBVBYFbkfon_sPISoLkAy8toeZs0yw/s6000/1%20(2).jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHSpE9cQTyyi-GbOAmCB1fH_7z3sRZ0HHlptuIqAZtVoqA4dhPq9yaodXIgTEF4YlqLDLCJLyPVZrHDpyQtXsHnocINqC_qHKOvQf0L6BBdT-EBjN8gdv7CRbztSm_vPSEK9oeVY0SbcyqzJRVWpoVl4Tzgy5RTBVBYFbkfon_sPISoLkAy8toeZs0yw/w640-h426/1%20(2).jpeg" width="640" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">I had to photograph two together to make sure that the new bloom was indeed yellow.</span></div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXhD57ftm-rFlNOSB-4r1iVZp27oSv69c-2dOo3JP7W2QczC8WPPKM8jYtWqAHQd-mTn769o-drVdxH0HfYsw0b9j0jyiwlP2RZ_s3f3MAnTng7OSV8DRSAC-69JX0tNPwov8JQJjXnRtxDBxPJmssgCJI6pJS-2dsFn7f3hG99XtbQXCuYU3u6LY6GQ/s6000/1%20(4).jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXhD57ftm-rFlNOSB-4r1iVZp27oSv69c-2dOo3JP7W2QczC8WPPKM8jYtWqAHQd-mTn769o-drVdxH0HfYsw0b9j0jyiwlP2RZ_s3f3MAnTng7OSV8DRSAC-69JX0tNPwov8JQJjXnRtxDBxPJmssgCJI6pJS-2dsFn7f3hG99XtbQXCuYU3u6LY6GQ/w640-h426/1%20(4).jpeg" width="640" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy-xcfCXLuA0wFZEsd3h4a9YWq9-1tXxO3qbU56aVDsF9J_VxIpq2krLcyM_dHCp0DJiplCeH8IUkBnt29gtB0DC1hGL3KV7TzF3XSQ08JNkhJZShWrVxgZMcbYe2fVUaTDBGoDJOYjf5e9FevP0GrImfng6FT5lmU3y1lvkO-_i7eGXBkaeLw0NM7ew/s6000/1.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy-xcfCXLuA0wFZEsd3h4a9YWq9-1tXxO3qbU56aVDsF9J_VxIpq2krLcyM_dHCp0DJiplCeH8IUkBnt29gtB0DC1hGL3KV7TzF3XSQ08JNkhJZShWrVxgZMcbYe2fVUaTDBGoDJOYjf5e9FevP0GrImfng6FT5lmU3y1lvkO-_i7eGXBkaeLw0NM7ew/w640-h426/1.jpeg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">Even though he's fake, the Blue Heron keeps watch over the gold fish. Were he real, he'd gobble up my little fish. The decoy keeps the real ones away.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkgvF7Ll4HAOXa0ZWCmif6dr6qgIZSTyc9iy84Wm0AH5GGvPbePbD6k9Xc1bdsR3-ia_Lv24Pk5BJT8v3l7TH50OSfjX5F5ZbNLq1Y8xCdCOaedtrDHGatY725slXZlA7fHhuDRuwdvffymW3HxmuPpELWursDA4Mgrf21H-DLO7lP3yUGArip26PTKw/s6000/DSC_0911.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkgvF7Ll4HAOXa0ZWCmif6dr6qgIZSTyc9iy84Wm0AH5GGvPbePbD6k9Xc1bdsR3-ia_Lv24Pk5BJT8v3l7TH50OSfjX5F5ZbNLq1Y8xCdCOaedtrDHGatY725slXZlA7fHhuDRuwdvffymW3HxmuPpELWursDA4Mgrf21H-DLO7lP3yUGArip26PTKw/w640-h426/DSC_0911.jpeg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">More in the Barn Circle</span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">The barn circle garden continues to take shape. The newly transplanted hostas and the elephant ear have taken to their new home nicely, so this week we added 3 new plants, <i>Brunnera Marcophylla</i>, aka Autumn Forget-Me-Knot. I don't know why Autumn because they bloom in the cool of spring and they are shade plant.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">I love the delicate little blue flowers, but I especially enjoy the contrast of the colorful leaves, which is why I chose them to go with the blue hostas. This plant is in the shade garden on the north side of the patio.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghW9zMMsx1h9Mo6LjZ2ryV8LkI9o4qhTxO1pthPu346bxuJXUHWORvcfTA2g8V7NjQdmYtAMyNYZ0vzvl8bMQFdQxz2VzK5FDsKH6h2jJTV1b39mnZXidxlkWev_RF4PU8LjWPa78mYFni8IZAWotMu80yAQPkCd2-FBgLuBDVxeWQw4ir6C1m2OhbKQ/s6000/DSC_0588.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghW9zMMsx1h9Mo6LjZ2ryV8LkI9o4qhTxO1pthPu346bxuJXUHWORvcfTA2g8V7NjQdmYtAMyNYZ0vzvl8bMQFdQxz2VzK5FDsKH6h2jJTV1b39mnZXidxlkWev_RF4PU8LjWPa78mYFni8IZAWotMu80yAQPkCd2-FBgLuBDVxeWQw4ir6C1m2OhbKQ/w640-h426/DSC_0588.jpeg" width="640" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCZO6r6YHVVffJibVh-1UtgOEDn9f9Zmf5pQoCbsq1vNQ03zs--8xb7DCy7NEtlIHIo3yugezEcVlb-Dpy3Tn9M2PqK1fOnC3bZfH27H3YNXJS5wIehmU7MlQIa1DIFwkKi4Tnfxj4xDUM7vOXwfdhNt7xhm_IR9KgYCg8tSpT84oureox9eUrsfDoSQ/s6000/DSC_0594.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCZO6r6YHVVffJibVh-1UtgOEDn9f9Zmf5pQoCbsq1vNQ03zs--8xb7DCy7NEtlIHIo3yugezEcVlb-Dpy3Tn9M2PqK1fOnC3bZfH27H3YNXJS5wIehmU7MlQIa1DIFwkKi4Tnfxj4xDUM7vOXwfdhNt7xhm_IR9KgYCg8tSpT84oureox9eUrsfDoSQ/w640-h426/DSC_0594.jpeg" width="640" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj2xT1XFrLz3NbwzUGJxiq8RxUX2TLeDLgP_hxRH7dz-x6Q-rQyWCu2lJWhNfNkKa9SC1o4goz8K37oA4YwJQShzLwXEqoesUKsZdAca04eKXZZN4alN8yU0iD4kKhIMNphHbtgjSga1HT2J2irlKPUJcMc86ifenuqgtqypJMCccx4jR5cphkdQQnBw/s1280/IMG_3407.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj2xT1XFrLz3NbwzUGJxiq8RxUX2TLeDLgP_hxRH7dz-x6Q-rQyWCu2lJWhNfNkKa9SC1o4goz8K37oA4YwJQShzLwXEqoesUKsZdAca04eKXZZN4alN8yU0iD4kKhIMNphHbtgjSga1HT2J2irlKPUJcMc86ifenuqgtqypJMCccx4jR5cphkdQQnBw/w480-h640/IMG_3407.jpeg" width="480" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">The new plants are off set with the large hostas with the the bluish green leaves. As the for-get-me-nots mature I think that their colorfully veined leaves will create a beautiful contrast of texture and color in the garden. </span></div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrV8sJMohTi6X3vKS7psRwYBKOBIdD-1l5HaqYs0rdOlRbI8Ewz0jTQNo0sj-TAeOYytioI2Rj--btYIxi0aYVE_IX9jbBjc0mxADekfU5A37rgMf_znT0Y07Q1QzfOPp92MBPsAjDp8Hz_x7STYs22s7Dm2dNq5EEtFkT-U4wF5H4Nez0kqNbhjU3Kw/s1280/IMG_3402.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrV8sJMohTi6X3vKS7psRwYBKOBIdD-1l5HaqYs0rdOlRbI8Ewz0jTQNo0sj-TAeOYytioI2Rj--btYIxi0aYVE_IX9jbBjc0mxADekfU5A37rgMf_znT0Y07Q1QzfOPp92MBPsAjDp8Hz_x7STYs22s7Dm2dNq5EEtFkT-U4wF5H4Nez0kqNbhjU3Kw/w480-h640/IMG_3402.jpeg" width="480" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-K9d9F5ifmR0IjsaoUMi8GgTHy4D31c-zMzJ5blwkdq0YYmB4h4VrttQXWI2GDydSW57APKqhGVx3m4GRWHxJnhfwOEeRwPzSBOSKP5indH69GgEFLcX1H9nXfuziEMmlElYY8VTCYC2zGthcrrN5ZurcdkpB8O-DgdNZLiKTZuMDEhAy19i7PYADGg/s1280/IMG_3403.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-K9d9F5ifmR0IjsaoUMi8GgTHy4D31c-zMzJ5blwkdq0YYmB4h4VrttQXWI2GDydSW57APKqhGVx3m4GRWHxJnhfwOEeRwPzSBOSKP5indH69GgEFLcX1H9nXfuziEMmlElYY8VTCYC2zGthcrrN5ZurcdkpB8O-DgdNZLiKTZuMDEhAy19i7PYADGg/w480-h640/IMG_3403.jpeg" width="480" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">As we walked through the shade plants at the garden center, I looked for shade loving summer blooms, but they didn't have any, except for coral bells, so I if I want color I may just have to go buy some of them. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">Here's a view of the barn circle from the patio, my favorite garden spot at the moment.</span></div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg7C2IHIELJ7XprkoVKh0CjndtZOIKnLwVICGDAnRrgxpzgyQJnM9JDGgVmwDNQfp3DI_-lDXOP-kYTsVGaHzIPxa0gIbKg2EdmkH6qqIMgQwpWR3w2ticcLMvbXz3ds9WmMnFqZta5MRXU-pN9gRaEnx8GHRp5VMFAR9gSGChqwj8ak5QOCsBwW5rcA/s1280/IMG_3408.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg7C2IHIELJ7XprkoVKh0CjndtZOIKnLwVICGDAnRrgxpzgyQJnM9JDGgVmwDNQfp3DI_-lDXOP-kYTsVGaHzIPxa0gIbKg2EdmkH6qqIMgQwpWR3w2ticcLMvbXz3ds9WmMnFqZta5MRXU-pN9gRaEnx8GHRp5VMFAR9gSGChqwj8ak5QOCsBwW5rcA/w480-h640/IMG_3408.jpeg" width="480" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">On the Move</span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">Dug up from the north side of the house that receives little sunlight, these 3 roses appeared to have retuned to the original old rose, which is common for the hybirds to do when the graft dies. I should have moved them last summer, but we never got around to it. You know how that goes. Now they have been relocated to an irrigated bed along the east chicken pen where they are on a timed watering system with a good drip head that will give them plenty of water that will help stimulate good root growth thus bringing on new leaf and stem growth. We shall see. </span></div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG2MFjulElPX-LFIXfxJ8zkqCcSQVwMUnnSMk89IO3fMgKST20R8WHykHixqD-LK_Kw4jTME6BPkuo-imWM_DroJ768nH0vJ_CS9ycloqqHaAXvk-1FzjF05uFznAor3rRhVy_EG2Tb4rVXiiKmpd8oEv3JZt91OxMa3fzDixMOLmTHZ1xNo0fBzjqRw/s1280/IMG_3360.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG2MFjulElPX-LFIXfxJ8zkqCcSQVwMUnnSMk89IO3fMgKST20R8WHykHixqD-LK_Kw4jTME6BPkuo-imWM_DroJ768nH0vJ_CS9ycloqqHaAXvk-1FzjF05uFznAor3rRhVy_EG2Tb4rVXiiKmpd8oEv3JZt91OxMa3fzDixMOLmTHZ1xNo0fBzjqRw/w480-h640/IMG_3360.jpeg" width="480" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyjbOYTFI8X5IvPeULv4X64aqTI8O9SQbeYeijaqPCxGPYSpRS-LABOdtL9q7_nWOMSIzPb1XGjF8m7sSlV6kqBaVNQeDDSem9RIULrTUL1FOS9YNt3HoOs3W9-LoSZIMDHVXJ66R55b89OXT9srios_N2VnpjGFAyqJFV29Nmkwf4sh3APNklcltvPA/s1280/IMG_3361.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyjbOYTFI8X5IvPeULv4X64aqTI8O9SQbeYeijaqPCxGPYSpRS-LABOdtL9q7_nWOMSIzPb1XGjF8m7sSlV6kqBaVNQeDDSem9RIULrTUL1FOS9YNt3HoOs3W9-LoSZIMDHVXJ66R55b89OXT9srios_N2VnpjGFAyqJFV29Nmkwf4sh3APNklcltvPA/w480-h640/IMG_3361.jpeg" width="480" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">Jackson and Perkins rose: Veteran's Honor came out with any sort of root system.</span></div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF9CClwiyGM420pwEvTi1eyJ1xED20EWP51oi5MjszFzJo6s2AjqveLw43myqh0gED5yHA7OolBKtGpGznXsL1f5LM8F5e9MSmvcQ003yVj5ecy8VKXt12buLuyC_xljpiKvZ9EtfEa_dyoxh_biuQSpmKJFviylNcB7Q5QXWMXseh--Ns0fJ4ogmluQ/s1280/IMG_3363.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF9CClwiyGM420pwEvTi1eyJ1xED20EWP51oi5MjszFzJo6s2AjqveLw43myqh0gED5yHA7OolBKtGpGznXsL1f5LM8F5e9MSmvcQ003yVj5ecy8VKXt12buLuyC_xljpiKvZ9EtfEa_dyoxh_biuQSpmKJFviylNcB7Q5QXWMXseh--Ns0fJ4ogmluQ/w480-h640/IMG_3363.jpeg" width="480" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_hxEUn86nMKP5II20-47iQkke57gdcx5DCZhFtWfeRtTDutM5Zcls_ABAYPijxyt0wggmrdg-vF6dP-Nd9PinBTURdhIAbYrJhYRFqEJLgewaxDfNgV0Za4JRrT2DlLFGzc8CCwpWVMl3IEdqIFcmvRyw9DbdauAY-H4iEisniwTzk5JSNQJvaZPcyQ/s1280/IMG_3370.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_hxEUn86nMKP5II20-47iQkke57gdcx5DCZhFtWfeRtTDutM5Zcls_ABAYPijxyt0wggmrdg-vF6dP-Nd9PinBTURdhIAbYrJhYRFqEJLgewaxDfNgV0Za4JRrT2DlLFGzc8CCwpWVMl3IEdqIFcmvRyw9DbdauAY-H4iEisniwTzk5JSNQJvaZPcyQ/w480-h640/IMG_3370.jpeg" width="480" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">David Austin Winchester Cathedral may be all old rose, and has only one tree sprig with leaves a couple of inches away from the main root system. We are hoping that the main root system will generate leaves. We can try. </span></div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlWWJMXAiZTPla5UBSQDCHbFuCOj4r5dipDcdtk9WqQFmpOQUkKE4lIgqoTvt6fPW3UZF2a-GUI5B_eV49AcwoRA1SgzRjfXhC1DK9IhDwRC3UMGv5_9PR1P2wBKqqOqxyEKFQF_l9eVgRbhKkrCWUE1JPez-s4e91r-Zpdp4Thy28c79xNrcBCAwUFQ/s1280/IMG_3374.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlWWJMXAiZTPla5UBSQDCHbFuCOj4r5dipDcdtk9WqQFmpOQUkKE4lIgqoTvt6fPW3UZF2a-GUI5B_eV49AcwoRA1SgzRjfXhC1DK9IhDwRC3UMGv5_9PR1P2wBKqqOqxyEKFQF_l9eVgRbhKkrCWUE1JPez-s4e91r-Zpdp4Thy28c79xNrcBCAwUFQ/w480-h640/IMG_3374.jpeg" width="480" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU7KMhwqBcHhuc4AZVzb_SCK-4KyIzDTABINQlFCl0glKdptbtSaMezuhgui9DgdlMHN0uzNtSBoZemoiTR21svihpH5hIVShGkDd9oF8z0ZCMLPVEZhf5Jj12Ulb74d2NGbVhXMPrKx-DoyNUNhYJ8wSI8B7yyOyMn35xS9e1jt3NfLML-0wIuLi12w/s1280/IMG_3375.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU7KMhwqBcHhuc4AZVzb_SCK-4KyIzDTABINQlFCl0glKdptbtSaMezuhgui9DgdlMHN0uzNtSBoZemoiTR21svihpH5hIVShGkDd9oF8z0ZCMLPVEZhf5Jj12Ulb74d2NGbVhXMPrKx-DoyNUNhYJ8wSI8B7yyOyMn35xS9e1jt3NfLML-0wIuLi12w/w480-h640/IMG_3375.jpeg" width="480" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">Another Jackson and Perkins rose, St. Patrick may need a lot of tender loving care, too. She did bloom, so I know that she is the hybrid tea rose. I gave her a sever pruning to force new growth. I hope that works.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">Thanks so much for stopping by. I'll be linking up with <a href="https://tentoesinthewater.blogspot.com" target="_blank">Angie at Letting Go of the Bayleaf for Monday Mosaic.</a> See you there. </span></div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span><p><br /></p>annhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01668006270534204954noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6460244051990142578.post-15808587956615529392022-06-19T21:30:00.009-06:002022-06-19T21:32:41.021-06:00Roses, Hostages, Hogs and Hay<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">I have to admit that when it comes to roses, I am bit of a rose snob because I only purchase registered roses, particularly Weeks roses. I consider them an investment in the perennial garden that will bloom all summer long, grow with few demands or complaints, and last for years. I've had some real rosy fiascos, too. Most memorable, expensive, and disappointing were the David Austins that just didn't thrive in our harsh winter climate; not so much because of the cold; rather, because I would guess, the dry winters. Or maybe they didn't like the dry summer heat. Who knows?</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"> I have one of those lovely roses left, the climber Gertrude Jekyll, certainly a favorite. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">On one our early visits to the local garden center, roses were not our shopping list; tomatoes and peppers were the mission, but a stroll through the rose collection did me in. I came home with two lovely Weeks hybird tea roses.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><span> Painted Porcelain </span><span>Legends</span><span> </span><span></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg5Zbca1RMjn-fbKpHkO_xz63kacHg-FTqO1RtKwy4WKWpWIYIL51ZRyDsSCLNu3Ku1UsmIMMn7QuhWmKZEXoNBCed8WqZFACjRy5lhSN1OTPGRn8SQ8TqjNubtUhkcSKWSK_Stz4Y_o0MlNiufx4G4RIGtRSoOcnXuVKa6tuXtyI87yGc_TVZWh2Gog/s1800/EE0DA0DE-CFCB-4ADF-844D-578D9A8E615F.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1800" data-original-width="1440" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg5Zbca1RMjn-fbKpHkO_xz63kacHg-FTqO1RtKwy4WKWpWIYIL51ZRyDsSCLNu3Ku1UsmIMMn7QuhWmKZEXoNBCed8WqZFACjRy5lhSN1OTPGRn8SQ8TqjNubtUhkcSKWSK_Stz4Y_o0MlNiufx4G4RIGtRSoOcnXuVKa6tuXtyI87yGc_TVZWh2Gog/s320/EE0DA0DE-CFCB-4ADF-844D-578D9A8E615F.JPG" width="256" /></a><span style="text-align: left;"> </span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik3zt-pn6rzW-UBlSykGRK1Qcogr8PZvQGPyiPtMNW2xMBNFRo5H16SKSacIhqIa_FBZIlg6hN8YLzz-exoqTHAdVCFkvMJWzcmFJyXkAy6depDxVeY6PWPL_yJNoUBeo7QNzTjE7E-NOGHM30zWRx7Tmy265P84wjYNq6YJG7oa4h248aDumO-D7Ajg/s4032/IMG_2685.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik3zt-pn6rzW-UBlSykGRK1Qcogr8PZvQGPyiPtMNW2xMBNFRo5H16SKSacIhqIa_FBZIlg6hN8YLzz-exoqTHAdVCFkvMJWzcmFJyXkAy6depDxVeY6PWPL_yJNoUBeo7QNzTjE7E-NOGHM30zWRx7Tmy265P84wjYNq6YJG7oa4h248aDumO-D7Ajg/s320/IMG_2685.JPG" width="240" /></a></span></div><div style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">Gertrude, known for her fragrance is planted in our front entry courtyard. Her sweet perfume scents the walkway. I love her pink layered petals as they gradually swirl open. I don't often cut the roses because I just enjoy seeing them out my kitchen window, but I cut a few the other day to dry the petals for Lucy to try in homemade soaps. </span></div><div style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">For best results and most fragrant, the roses should be picked when they first open, but I just couldn't do that, waiting instead until the blooms were waning. I picked on red rose, Veteran's Honor and some of the little miniature roses that I purchased years ago on the sale rack at the supermarket. I stripped the petals away and spread them on a thick layer of paper towels and just let them air dry. The kitchen did smell wonderful.</span></div><div style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><span><span> <span> <span> <span> <span> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br /></div><div style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span> <span> <span> <span> <span> <span> <span> <span> <span> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br /></div><div style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwCeaT27gCAJ2xmbBVofsZYws2wlo2yaC2YwdUjvUc2YLEsRrNiA0hZGOLJZ_prVCkj95M7cqkXGdDalYCSXKhoYKKu1VWl3ucG_NeqEahUa7zJhrWG1kDpCd254MreHoDd2z-_Px2hxD5qenhbfQzgfqhlZf1NI8JGOEAVvXLzfIlZRv-1CaFhpNReA/s800/roses.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwCeaT27gCAJ2xmbBVofsZYws2wlo2yaC2YwdUjvUc2YLEsRrNiA0hZGOLJZ_prVCkj95M7cqkXGdDalYCSXKhoYKKu1VWl3ucG_NeqEahUa7zJhrWG1kDpCd254MreHoDd2z-_Px2hxD5qenhbfQzgfqhlZf1NI8JGOEAVvXLzfIlZRv-1CaFhpNReA/w640-h480/roses.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">Look at that pink!</span></div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvDbAVSvDfIptcNuLkGQ4y0BwohQtrPOEiqClqJI29QVcspikTXaSsS2_63JVTMGZiSCwpMuft5wf92VhdWqbisOvRIdTnwmnSuYwtVp0ZXcRUtAyUtrGmPbEuKNNkSPZv6I3Ry3L56Ht9aP8R89ctQ68U4xxcap4dG_XQmPywDlZgdTomi_C6w1EQaA/s4032/IMG_3256.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvDbAVSvDfIptcNuLkGQ4y0BwohQtrPOEiqClqJI29QVcspikTXaSsS2_63JVTMGZiSCwpMuft5wf92VhdWqbisOvRIdTnwmnSuYwtVp0ZXcRUtAyUtrGmPbEuKNNkSPZv6I3Ry3L56Ht9aP8R89ctQ68U4xxcap4dG_XQmPywDlZgdTomi_C6w1EQaA/w480-h640/IMG_3256.JPG" width="480" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">I had a really hard time deciding where to plant the new roses. I really wanted them in the courtyard with the other roses because they do so well there, but there isn't any room, so I opted for the eastern exposure at the back of the house. This bed is relatively new. Though it was original to the house, it had a small evergreen tree that wasn't doing well, so we had it removed, giving plenty of room for the two new roses.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">Yesterday we planted the roses next to the butterfly bush--Buddleja-- along with the infant hydrangea that survived the winter and my hibiscus.</span></div></div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijsiA3E4KXUhNBY1s7HyYY7I0omKLMcRUZJjbkav_EOKzPk27Zm_CoEQfcYPCXt4odQno2NFYypbM5V4bBHel6QaL7QVdO-fhB-hoXVAmBV9zpOivDTPqpXv21UI8VblinAR2CDNp2MA2bbpy8RVBoXeAQfWrGfEOl2FodEUqrcu1Z_sweGMreQzvC7g/s1280/IMG_3290.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijsiA3E4KXUhNBY1s7HyYY7I0omKLMcRUZJjbkav_EOKzPk27Zm_CoEQfcYPCXt4odQno2NFYypbM5V4bBHel6QaL7QVdO-fhB-hoXVAmBV9zpOivDTPqpXv21UI8VblinAR2CDNp2MA2bbpy8RVBoXeAQfWrGfEOl2FodEUqrcu1Z_sweGMreQzvC7g/w480-h640/IMG_3290.jpeg" width="480" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ7ITUQyVuBEDdNpvi-qf4658t5alQ_DrelGIrW1_Qf3gQ-Fk3AF4qq213MvktDJYrFRqHFoOYqZjSZ7kS4-nXEWMHdksiBU9q3AMdCbcr9oKbAdI5jZVdENbU2oBA7XKNSwxqbiGfj9UjFwkTSu4WroY7IZpnMcEVFDyQr9O1faMqZxmxko7mfKmSFw/s1280/IMG_3293%20(1).jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ7ITUQyVuBEDdNpvi-qf4658t5alQ_DrelGIrW1_Qf3gQ-Fk3AF4qq213MvktDJYrFRqHFoOYqZjSZ7kS4-nXEWMHdksiBU9q3AMdCbcr9oKbAdI5jZVdENbU2oBA7XKNSwxqbiGfj9UjFwkTSu4WroY7IZpnMcEVFDyQr9O1faMqZxmxko7mfKmSFw/w480-h640/IMG_3293%20(1).jpeg" width="480" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjReQE9yJbtrLOm3_xBR_lHTU9XiPAGnsvaZWIfGsPPkLZ3oAuy001KmnCi40xJL4s0MOQcJz5LSuTOBJN128b968_K2QTB4hXq90RLUsZ21m4MyEYEwemLg_HTpf1ui_Kus3a8kMqXGFZ1JPhvWXma9xbFhkctDBNHdwb14xkPSfpnan4hUCz-paZBDg/s1280/IMG_3294%20(1).jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjReQE9yJbtrLOm3_xBR_lHTU9XiPAGnsvaZWIfGsPPkLZ3oAuy001KmnCi40xJL4s0MOQcJz5LSuTOBJN128b968_K2QTB4hXq90RLUsZ21m4MyEYEwemLg_HTpf1ui_Kus3a8kMqXGFZ1JPhvWXma9xbFhkctDBNHdwb14xkPSfpnan4hUCz-paZBDg/w480-h640/IMG_3294%20(1).jpeg" width="480" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">This morning the roses looked wonderful and didn't seem to go through any shock.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzbviqlh38Vr4YJ0k9rRiF0kqkISB7qofBQaUZKMvXklaNspKMzKjNOCbqiUts3ZLWMZiA-k6W96AnK_Kt5_ngPIurhnzu5t85m49DaZKs_JN-nXGoquDMsNQaqYWM5dPh9x0_5aCiLltHNladgJGwEl8djT17yGJcx54CQ_zT0xORVGe3f-0hhQN6Uw/s1280/IMG_3295.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzbviqlh38Vr4YJ0k9rRiF0kqkISB7qofBQaUZKMvXklaNspKMzKjNOCbqiUts3ZLWMZiA-k6W96AnK_Kt5_ngPIurhnzu5t85m49DaZKs_JN-nXGoquDMsNQaqYWM5dPh9x0_5aCiLltHNladgJGwEl8djT17yGJcx54CQ_zT0xORVGe3f-0hhQN6Uw/w640-h480/IMG_3295.jpeg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjka03J34EytFJeWTunSbpJ3h71spiRfBpmAqha3e5BKnRfn5ylWnt8BfWrHB25xJgY2RgTdhnIyMLNAN-HNiWURJPK96vtfCwmw4KKVQ-CJSi5Z4zjS-3oqGCqJukl7c5vY8L7VP3RdF18rp4TTRx5l7_RX6AvmtmDCO8trp8XAGk7UsGXflzaCnbDUw/s1280/IMG_3331.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjka03J34EytFJeWTunSbpJ3h71spiRfBpmAqha3e5BKnRfn5ylWnt8BfWrHB25xJgY2RgTdhnIyMLNAN-HNiWURJPK96vtfCwmw4KKVQ-CJSi5Z4zjS-3oqGCqJukl7c5vY8L7VP3RdF18rp4TTRx5l7_RX6AvmtmDCO8trp8XAGk7UsGXflzaCnbDUw/w480-h640/IMG_3331.jpeg" width="480" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><span>So we have Painted Porcelain, Legends, and older Home Depot rose, Shakespeare, that is really having a hard time. T</span><span>he pine tree was choking it out, so hopefully it will recover and grow. I look forward to seeing how this little garden grows. In the fall, I'll replant some spring bulbs for some early color.</span></span><div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">Earlier in the spring the granddaughters were helping with spring clean up. With the center circle in the front growing on a wild rampage of bindweed, Canada thistle, and tons of self-seeded giant alums, the time has come to clean up this bed and redesign it, but first we have to remove the good stuff. So I talked to the girls about helping move the hostas. Little 9 year old Lily asked after a hour's worth of debris removal when were we going to move the hostages. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">We transplanted 3 that day, waiting for the others to make their way through the soil and over growth so that we find them to dig them out.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">So today we took more hostages and relocated them in the newly redesigned barn circle. Come along to see the transformation.<br /></span><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3QwI-b4BMaghT5L7DltpOf9cMhjosIodK7BXjpuAWu5mfqRU6mSU1XDwfOwpIhLs7XLifCi40f7vYW_YIuZ0Kdk4Z_WuW1bcx8utULvIyIzB8qRSSGlZoPFdO3eGxek6Fn5QeFpABuS8M6gJC7eI6v7tD_EzxQYmmfrB9lvnMH0AxaEPlIMy9ZXSPJQ/s1280/IMG_3311.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3QwI-b4BMaghT5L7DltpOf9cMhjosIodK7BXjpuAWu5mfqRU6mSU1XDwfOwpIhLs7XLifCi40f7vYW_YIuZ0Kdk4Z_WuW1bcx8utULvIyIzB8qRSSGlZoPFdO3eGxek6Fn5QeFpABuS8M6gJC7eI6v7tD_EzxQYmmfrB9lvnMH0AxaEPlIMy9ZXSPJQ/s320/IMG_3311.jpeg" width="240" /></span></a></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">The Head Gardener was able to dig two healthy hostas which sort of naturally divided when he lifted them out of the ground, giving us 5 new plants. We also dug up a bleeding heart that will transplanted to the new Barn Circle shade garden, too.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">I have a lofty plan for this nightmare of garden space. It went crazy wild last year with a particularly wet spring. The bind weed and morning glory weed took over, along with vinca, columbines, and the alums, which are an onion and are a large bulb, and they self sew and come up just as aggressively as the weeds do. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">The plan: transplant the good stuff--if we can find those plants. Some will have to go through their blooming cycle before we move them like red hot poker (knophia) and some mounding mallow. Once the bloom cycles end, the Head Gardener will go with the week-eater then the mower, then the rototiller, with the final step to lay sod. The project take all summer as the plants do their thing. I'm excited to have grass instead of weeds. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">The EZ-Go suffered a fatal engine malfunction last year, so we finally took in to have it repaired and now it is back on the job. What life-saver it is<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhXa5JhFRCbFoz-QoPGZzLWnuQbbfPmm9xo5ft46hCc5yauKl_8pT4mL1EzU3xFWvU3_vecV0uM6iA1lk7fdjdax5gGyLldTa0yzm7cSQTstBh7H4bise148x5Yna9I-GPDNa4gQYx0Hz6LD-PGhxtw3GhsK12ADUpFMcKc1If_egfjyqx9aUkKlY4cIA" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhXa5JhFRCbFoz-QoPGZzLWnuQbbfPmm9xo5ft46hCc5yauKl_8pT4mL1EzU3xFWvU3_vecV0uM6iA1lk7fdjdax5gGyLldTa0yzm7cSQTstBh7H4bise148x5Yna9I-GPDNa4gQYx0Hz6LD-PGhxtw3GhsK12ADUpFMcKc1If_egfjyqx9aUkKlY4cIA=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjRgpEPWXQl7N15YpA6bBaQA_uS-GtQTN8RUVywP0Gvm6-YvG6kKjADZ5HnEhg59SPyxix9W4PxtHGiRWSisl3isZs-zET7t5Q63F0jALHX4AJ2_8IM6ovxQVJISocZmoIKtH2Gqb305lHBMmPEUlccYhPtio7s3a6S1OXjCSi9fLUxAeBrYKh5-7fdFQ" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjRgpEPWXQl7N15YpA6bBaQA_uS-GtQTN8RUVywP0Gvm6-YvG6kKjADZ5HnEhg59SPyxix9W4PxtHGiRWSisl3isZs-zET7t5Q63F0jALHX4AJ2_8IM6ovxQVJISocZmoIKtH2Gqb305lHBMmPEUlccYhPtio7s3a6S1OXjCSi9fLUxAeBrYKh5-7fdFQ=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></div><br /><br /></div><br /> as as we haul our payload from one spot to the next, along with tools and mosquito repellant.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">I<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUNdcOvbyERtRVUmPJwyvwSM7rsZ18Xq4lEPf6R6n0e1cwvqSvvFbwYYJtxIzWQKg7mDxkvTgNoc2vgt2QjoCEXBWODy7J09Opas5uDaCxVVsRdrzw_4AzxLGrszh3JsTpwBFldFwL-w1Q53PIpFPTZfX_rRWD4qFparp1zfJJY3brLLug4OekOHWqcg/s1280/IMG_3310.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUNdcOvbyERtRVUmPJwyvwSM7rsZ18Xq4lEPf6R6n0e1cwvqSvvFbwYYJtxIzWQKg7mDxkvTgNoc2vgt2QjoCEXBWODy7J09Opas5uDaCxVVsRdrzw_4AzxLGrszh3JsTpwBFldFwL-w1Q53PIpFPTZfX_rRWD4qFparp1zfJJY3brLLug4OekOHWqcg/w480-h640/IMG_3310.jpeg" width="480" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">I thought I had written about the transformation of this garden out by the barn, but I guess not. In 2019 we held the HG's 50th class reunion here and the next week had a wedding in our barn. This spaces was a mass of over grown pine tress and weeds. The HG pruned the pines tress--raised their skirts as the arborist calls it--dug out weeds then rototiled it and laid sod. Today it is a beautiful shade garden in progress. These are 3 hostas that we transplanted earlier. They are doing quite well. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTanjg0vjJiKIg0CsuJPfo78v4CEqDYTMHI3yYGqxf-e1Tpi_9Ul_DK276YT5ahUgW-gUeiW-reC6ikGCSRLNU17CX8Pfll2nK45f8a3WN4d9ovuA-YBkE4U2rufvrqMQTEbKbqPvcV9GQOszMTfKCjD44zogrQ_nXloWTtXV4f50laJoIWyyeFXjKVQ/s1280/IMG_3312.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTanjg0vjJiKIg0CsuJPfo78v4CEqDYTMHI3yYGqxf-e1Tpi_9Ul_DK276YT5ahUgW-gUeiW-reC6ikGCSRLNU17CX8Pfll2nK45f8a3WN4d9ovuA-YBkE4U2rufvrqMQTEbKbqPvcV9GQOszMTfKCjD44zogrQ_nXloWTtXV4f50laJoIWyyeFXjKVQ/w480-h640/IMG_3312.jpeg" width="480" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">I planted the bleeding heart at the base of the old stump, thinking that its pink blooms will look pretty next to the old, gray wood.</span></div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrj5OC7NX9s_lR-2mGA3OMz0X1sLBX378NsqkAvr0Rser-CxM0fushLZFGu9M2uPald5GorNUPDPneiKjG3QIaZenXOBA61bqrv9CNgEtYZmw5w0v4GgrT2rcgwWxrEpkGAQPTL-6M5vnLFcNhs6pxsSdZ5eK8YVWhSIQmS7v4JxoVaUTt-Qyg7DhDoQ/s1280/IMG_3313.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrj5OC7NX9s_lR-2mGA3OMz0X1sLBX378NsqkAvr0Rser-CxM0fushLZFGu9M2uPald5GorNUPDPneiKjG3QIaZenXOBA61bqrv9CNgEtYZmw5w0v4GgrT2rcgwWxrEpkGAQPTL-6M5vnLFcNhs6pxsSdZ5eK8YVWhSIQmS7v4JxoVaUTt-Qyg7DhDoQ/w480-h640/IMG_3313.jpeg" width="480" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">Three of the green hostas joined the elders, sort of following the outline of the bed.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm3JaEZHKLJuuTYcB4CPPTydJYZA1LV4MtFF-VWFYLGxHrgPcQQdr03Yahyxs7ra5oZ1QdfWYgrRMZzsGyfF5Ko9i94vO7nS7RlRls3RhG8rz1DvmXATMdzbwoIIocDfXzZra4wmq2cwL90XqJXm1j4A403QAD8TvL_9qEm12mv6AeamNiGknSVT9w9w/s1280/IMG_3315.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm3JaEZHKLJuuTYcB4CPPTydJYZA1LV4MtFF-VWFYLGxHrgPcQQdr03Yahyxs7ra5oZ1QdfWYgrRMZzsGyfF5Ko9i94vO7nS7RlRls3RhG8rz1DvmXATMdzbwoIIocDfXzZra4wmq2cwL90XqJXm1j4A403QAD8TvL_9qEm12mv6AeamNiGknSVT9w9w/w480-h640/IMG_3315.jpeg" width="480" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">The two variegated ones were placed in the smaller bed beneath two aspen--that pine tree must be take out. It was a self started, so it's very crowded.</span></div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4T6v_K32Fc36PPEA1igf3LfgTMYN3KFXwqTwfb15hVBw6yF_fq83ctWJqFiQ9pfJq915jg-FXCa7O-DH_3wiUBr_0R5aouDCFU6KrjRADFJrEtX2laaPKCi1Bkum3-xj9iVaiRx5O3OiPPhfmqnnKqOqUK6v9xSMypKE8VjP2s_A0iZ-mZHoPDL9Wcg/s1280/IMG_3314.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4T6v_K32Fc36PPEA1igf3LfgTMYN3KFXwqTwfb15hVBw6yF_fq83ctWJqFiQ9pfJq915jg-FXCa7O-DH_3wiUBr_0R5aouDCFU6KrjRADFJrEtX2laaPKCi1Bkum3-xj9iVaiRx5O3OiPPhfmqnnKqOqUK6v9xSMypKE8VjP2s_A0iZ-mZHoPDL9Wcg/w480-h640/IMG_3314.jpeg" width="480" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">Heather grew this elephant ear from the the bulb last year and gave it to me this year. She starts the bulbs in the house after the first of the year to get the plant growing then the plants them outside, and in the fall brings the bulbs in and lets them rest for the winter</span></div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkHNolNVC1by6mtKtk56ESIaygC7arE1_Ca3o3tKAY0wrbRdh5t4E69sWcWeR5GFutz3K2fMrFR367oSg8wfL6-7GR4eH0cSs3fI1ctrk7Ot8i7pH7x8qQCrbklzrBRUmB2hZgE8bewZx9MFCD_yktzLVf8s70iHrcfo-m1I845zenDhn8JTDg5NdxPA/s1280/IMG_3316.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkHNolNVC1by6mtKtk56ESIaygC7arE1_Ca3o3tKAY0wrbRdh5t4E69sWcWeR5GFutz3K2fMrFR367oSg8wfL6-7GR4eH0cSs3fI1ctrk7Ot8i7pH7x8qQCrbklzrBRUmB2hZgE8bewZx9MFCD_yktzLVf8s70iHrcfo-m1I845zenDhn8JTDg5NdxPA/w480-h640/IMG_3316.jpeg" width="480" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">I FaceTimed her to make sure that this spot between the two variegated hostas was good and it was.</span></div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgNuB6gQkQucWWjN4E4VAYO75HByF2E5rtL0diBNANt-M3BVnEKVtjM_b-rfDpgWwTfi9YjZ7jjzJF_0lJjNmpCfPuk0-lPLv3RDKJ0JLZzpEUWr0yC3djfYh2SHOlnP53P_MpSQGoGpgrxvKM0AwZ0e4-cAUepflJwt0xaUOD581Fsox2ow9M2ETNLA/s1280/IMG_3318.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgNuB6gQkQucWWjN4E4VAYO75HByF2E5rtL0diBNANt-M3BVnEKVtjM_b-rfDpgWwTfi9YjZ7jjzJF_0lJjNmpCfPuk0-lPLv3RDKJ0JLZzpEUWr0yC3djfYh2SHOlnP53P_MpSQGoGpgrxvKM0AwZ0e4-cAUepflJwt0xaUOD581Fsox2ow9M2ETNLA/w480-h640/IMG_3318.jpeg" width="480" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl9syXAxoGV5i1V8BL7KrjZxzdRruVeQWC7vwlcPORZqbNITsjageP_V03-yY2m0hefBEHRySr2NzY3XQvKYiX7lQyrNQBcjwHvM3SVfjZaIrdmtYqjkSZXxGhMQL9GwE3Mo9boDtkIuOiw_QaeEgy7Q23N61-Hbz0FZi0CGHkcoCGKnzeR28FRcocFA/s1280/IMG_3321.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl9syXAxoGV5i1V8BL7KrjZxzdRruVeQWC7vwlcPORZqbNITsjageP_V03-yY2m0hefBEHRySr2NzY3XQvKYiX7lQyrNQBcjwHvM3SVfjZaIrdmtYqjkSZXxGhMQL9GwE3Mo9boDtkIuOiw_QaeEgy7Q23N61-Hbz0FZi0CGHkcoCGKnzeR28FRcocFA/w480-h640/IMG_3321.jpeg" width="480" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw18tl6cZUJ8XH06rUnd6KD-DeFPWax51ZaAqNwWfTaT1K-jihAq1Cv5BaGd9xZunXXVt-_AHNSZ-lyqnbMG8q1xeHtbP-E-CRYcql22oG0kmlfQb31TzfVcn0xF3iU00jR09E65DUl02yr49tBnV9fNFqDJPgvkfHm7WgO4fjKXhIOeY2T4lOfIDqkA/s1280/IMG_3325.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw18tl6cZUJ8XH06rUnd6KD-DeFPWax51ZaAqNwWfTaT1K-jihAq1Cv5BaGd9xZunXXVt-_AHNSZ-lyqnbMG8q1xeHtbP-E-CRYcql22oG0kmlfQb31TzfVcn0xF3iU00jR09E65DUl02yr49tBnV9fNFqDJPgvkfHm7WgO4fjKXhIOeY2T4lOfIDqkA/w640-h480/IMG_3325.jpeg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">And I said: That pine tree has to go.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">So it went.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhieQDqO80dw0zsAXyqW8oJfbBnfjhuIc_6HIpg1vwoZWacaeq5QZuby2nvdapuGxOayuWYmpVrvImtpqR2w93fpDATPxiklXfLuxKDl6K-B6b1MEvsmHRIqc8l_x2plUQmHMzai_vWfobRSGYuqLVVU7Q9PgqphhTW7bDPbM10YtnLndKsg-CDyhyGFg/s1280/IMG_3326.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhieQDqO80dw0zsAXyqW8oJfbBnfjhuIc_6HIpg1vwoZWacaeq5QZuby2nvdapuGxOayuWYmpVrvImtpqR2w93fpDATPxiklXfLuxKDl6K-B6b1MEvsmHRIqc8l_x2plUQmHMzai_vWfobRSGYuqLVVU7Q9PgqphhTW7bDPbM10YtnLndKsg-CDyhyGFg/w480-h640/IMG_3326.jpeg" width="480" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9u-qB3Z6CSa54_EZ5hH0QP-1TNnVCRyrZsObyvmPIZnxPoESjSw1rEL4syyCDIxshc0epL4vt_DPrrPckcjlAE1K8uW_g20kxqslMr_qVXabE5XAdIsB2nn-8r4AcAmiLbKGYDHX2PDiyQX5sbrHsXOkGHGxHYqCpdQWRHVyItOBjvCO-Q8QqGKuJHQ/s1280/IMG_3327.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9u-qB3Z6CSa54_EZ5hH0QP-1TNnVCRyrZsObyvmPIZnxPoESjSw1rEL4syyCDIxshc0epL4vt_DPrrPckcjlAE1K8uW_g20kxqslMr_qVXabE5XAdIsB2nn-8r4AcAmiLbKGYDHX2PDiyQX5sbrHsXOkGHGxHYqCpdQWRHVyItOBjvCO-Q8QqGKuJHQ/w480-h640/IMG_3327.jpeg" width="480" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">As if all that wasn't enough, the neighbor cut the lay earlier in the week and today put it in windrows then baled it. Fastest hay cycle ever! </span></div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk0PXp9YoJ-vO_HotgJ4y2ernGeXs3_rjTRd4MpohutM8PIe_CJGNMVhstz9d_kdZoWPr_hkJ0Wgm_Jb2D1AMRvUU5yaLueDKTFLH3y53e6ufLz72vlfkogTQzchtPXEf2B2tS2i0Orv-duzEXhMc-7ziy3Kz1hHT1PSA9rXAXJEoZ8rV4sDWZgUNntQ/s1280/IMG_3322.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk0PXp9YoJ-vO_HotgJ4y2ernGeXs3_rjTRd4MpohutM8PIe_CJGNMVhstz9d_kdZoWPr_hkJ0Wgm_Jb2D1AMRvUU5yaLueDKTFLH3y53e6ufLz72vlfkogTQzchtPXEf2B2tS2i0Orv-duzEXhMc-7ziy3Kz1hHT1PSA9rXAXJEoZ8rV4sDWZgUNntQ/s320/IMG_3322.jpeg" width="240" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi20JHhx__y57Jgwo5nBRUJdCKsizjxMo95Rgxi1-_UjhLthWsBXtU8imRiIoqCvPa8xoZg41hACpg77h68yIFEow9FOt-cgREh5SFrqVsr6mqI-nxLg2lEqPTXlnq_uZS3YIeunJ4pviWb6Db6pIdaUCamcCMFYK5n5zB2LMMnawpRICZU7whzqEmZVg/s1280/IMG_3335.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi20JHhx__y57Jgwo5nBRUJdCKsizjxMo95Rgxi1-_UjhLthWsBXtU8imRiIoqCvPa8xoZg41hACpg77h68yIFEow9FOt-cgREh5SFrqVsr6mqI-nxLg2lEqPTXlnq_uZS3YIeunJ4pviWb6Db6pIdaUCamcCMFYK5n5zB2LMMnawpRICZU7whzqEmZVg/s320/IMG_3335.jpeg" width="240" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">I took a moment to savor the fragrance of newly baled hay. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHCqsWRQ2ScDbVQ3sUrOFQBKYHYv3vhxOaq1nv1qHTOfbYpII5RMCQ-R4XPRe_sEHyF9NeeeeYBcGadmG8uOnS5YvYsFuxakA9q37iJHg4eDrvdRJ3adSLVmizMUIEDLvqrr2xVg8jaQXIC02Hv3OMKRPnvyu96jLmptSV0DctzLV1CudjCh04uyO9wA/s1280/IMG_3337.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHCqsWRQ2ScDbVQ3sUrOFQBKYHYv3vhxOaq1nv1qHTOfbYpII5RMCQ-R4XPRe_sEHyF9NeeeeYBcGadmG8uOnS5YvYsFuxakA9q37iJHg4eDrvdRJ3adSLVmizMUIEDLvqrr2xVg8jaQXIC02Hv3OMKRPnvyu96jLmptSV0DctzLV1CudjCh04uyO9wA/w640-h480/IMG_3337.jpeg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">With Sundance gone and Pop not able to chew hay, all the hay goes for the granddaughters' horses, so it's family affair to load up the hay. </span></div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4xa3SLNpySgaEcdbCh0ksZZEz2qs7qcXWZEJgsT4l4zHsk26ybfi1eCjXm3t6fivi02rsAsJMMbnNb_tjonQmScwLMhfdHrs6D3URMZnCFVA8_IoTEFMyJVJrJ8Z5ix1EpzWu51PeR3NKYDAR7ZmnuJzF0ZyJsVrEB4FeThQbzZ44tJtt_OICm5QvhA/s1280/IMG_3338.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4xa3SLNpySgaEcdbCh0ksZZEz2qs7qcXWZEJgsT4l4zHsk26ybfi1eCjXm3t6fivi02rsAsJMMbnNb_tjonQmScwLMhfdHrs6D3URMZnCFVA8_IoTEFMyJVJrJ8Z5ix1EpzWu51PeR3NKYDAR7ZmnuJzF0ZyJsVrEB4FeThQbzZ44tJtt_OICm5QvhA/w480-h640/IMG_3338.jpeg" width="480" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">From roses to hostage transplanting, to hay we end with Frank the Hog.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">Hogs really don't get much respect. Supposedly they are ranked higher on the intelligence chart than dogs. I'm not sure what made Elinore decide to take on a hog 4-H project, but this is Frank, the marshmallow loving pig. He's in training now for his big show debut. She uses a hog whip--don't really know what it is called--to herd him, rather than lead him. He's fairly cooperative, especially for marshmellow rewards.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUo3_dNULOZxYzDuV5JZ8pvtgzv7gJa7N_MIZBJLvKGGGJzR_ZHJ1YejutrLRuakB6YW8NP37Qwbj0O3b8J2JoK6uUjCEfPENb_B2KzyiBF6JRjDG8BKK8TAXf2mlJT_BwBvH8ByCily_HH_fp0B4Y51kZblPaBWSLpszBKc0z5A40kWiiwyY6Dn2C2Q/s800/Ellie%20hay%20hog.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUo3_dNULOZxYzDuV5JZ8pvtgzv7gJa7N_MIZBJLvKGGGJzR_ZHJ1YejutrLRuakB6YW8NP37Qwbj0O3b8J2JoK6uUjCEfPENb_B2KzyiBF6JRjDG8BKK8TAXf2mlJT_BwBvH8ByCily_HH_fp0B4Y51kZblPaBWSLpszBKc0z5A40kWiiwyY6Dn2C2Q/w480-h640/Ellie%20hay%20hog.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">So there you have it.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">It's what happens at the Garden Spot.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">I'll be linking with Angie at <i>Letting go of the Bay Leaf</i> for Mosaic Monday.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">Join us there</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">And thanks so much for visiting.</span></div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /> </span><p></p></div></div></div>annhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01668006270534204954noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6460244051990142578.post-37532842674648858842022-06-12T14:06:00.000-06:002022-06-12T14:06:08.458-06:00Pink Ladies and More<div class="separator"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsjOtc9dzEiYOV3k2PzDeeZQAZHsr1MV3p5p1Aj1O6EEhjZVbFeXWU3Vn9x0tghsiznMxV7STtIOGPMhttu_jI0kmTYeOmmv_D6KjfoHDptwGd4ZCYUx4BnT8vacJEzOaJlJD4jrwDx3A9rF1MEAQBPXLNGlPeAGHEuzMJo2uvB14ubsyzkZ9ziHVjCw/s6000/1%20(17).jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></a></div><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNpxuix_hKd0POpVEokHeFNEkeMXjJtxh2vg2yTxxmye49hGExiKaxAHXc2Eur1HgEQzLe95e-XxmbNPR2lXy0DFtNYKDQkYhZCfAbEYCdjd_kiqF1Si8-g7bW-sJX0YgkiF2EcNMI6rKCJjtIRRNTczUAjfd_kgSOFYMEqBIiRQ9rZqRb2wImxm39Qw/s1280/IMG_3131.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: x-large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNpxuix_hKd0POpVEokHeFNEkeMXjJtxh2vg2yTxxmye49hGExiKaxAHXc2Eur1HgEQzLe95e-XxmbNPR2lXy0DFtNYKDQkYhZCfAbEYCdjd_kiqF1Si8-g7bW-sJX0YgkiF2EcNMI6rKCJjtIRRNTczUAjfd_kgSOFYMEqBIiRQ9rZqRb2wImxm39Qw/w300-h400/IMG_3131.jpeg" width="300" /></span></a><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: x-large;"> While the boys--Head Gardener and Grandsons--headed to the hills for an archery target </span></div></blockquote><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: x-large;">shooting event, I stayed home where I assumed chore duty, which really isn't saying much because the HG has things pretty well set up when it's my turn. I actually enjoy feeding the critters because they appreciate it.</span></div><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: x-large;">The young hens, now about half grown will soon join the flock on the other side of the henhouse. They are shy and not tame, but these two girls are beautiful, the gray Lavender Orpington and the Domnique. </span></p></blockquote><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTGMJveTNfkOg743SJoSnig7P6KTAONs9WkvTmlyjfSlsXONz2WWGBJRAJZ2PTZ4Prt0Akr2xWIVdEvE27EFfGOsKMWHm-0DihD2GFA5MxIkBgxJgqImb5WkiMdFavIuJha9wlUg2Bz6uUQ7f39Yhr8MO1aFAFBg0dNrmNIThgfrUq87maIdx4aJ3IjQ/s800/hens.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: x-large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTGMJveTNfkOg743SJoSnig7P6KTAONs9WkvTmlyjfSlsXONz2WWGBJRAJZ2PTZ4Prt0Akr2xWIVdEvE27EFfGOsKMWHm-0DihD2GFA5MxIkBgxJgqImb5WkiMdFavIuJha9wlUg2Bz6uUQ7f39Yhr8MO1aFAFBg0dNrmNIThgfrUq87maIdx4aJ3IjQ/w300-h400/hens.jpg" width="300" /></span></a></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: x-large;">As the June heat ramps up toward 90 and above, the peonies seem to be blooming out quickly, and soon they will done. I photographed Raspberry Parfait each day as she began to open. What a beauty she started out as, but as she matured quickly, she has lost some of glamor. Still she smells wonderfully.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: x-large;"> <b> Raspberry Parfait and some of her sisters.</b></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2igb-df43pSE6wu5Z0wIQZ-7M-aR5Ikkunl2Pgi83P1r0524ZJsge9GYyTH5HC3xUf0IgK1WmAUPq3zfG-cVFIO2vpaVr6jHHyHF5HX35BJ3HLTeGu_iHDF51yMsoxgCjxbkALUzlIQl38bladrrCLdb2XhaTd_wAASoeG9KT4M74s2k0egWGVuTnmg/s800/Pink%20Parfett.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: x-large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2igb-df43pSE6wu5Z0wIQZ-7M-aR5Ikkunl2Pgi83P1r0524ZJsge9GYyTH5HC3xUf0IgK1WmAUPq3zfG-cVFIO2vpaVr6jHHyHF5HX35BJ3HLTeGu_iHDF51yMsoxgCjxbkALUzlIQl38bladrrCLdb2XhaTd_wAASoeG9KT4M74s2k0egWGVuTnmg/w480-h640/Pink%20Parfett.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: x-large;">While the pink ladies thrive in the summer heat the hostas prefer shade, lots of cool shade. The top of the mosaic shows the two that still need to be transplanted from the front garden when we lost a shade tree to the back Barn Circle garden where the pines and aspen will shade them. I call this mosaic <i>Happy Hostas</i>, but really there are a couple that aren't. You can barely pick them out in the over growth of bindweed, giant alums that take over the space, and some vinca that inches it way all over the place. </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcTiQQIuQehVHkfGLxhCa3m5poYTfZOcLYDzRIUKdLa0tCerx-PdDEtMtbxq05ZVI-xZ9Ke6S6eyvqI2d8HrQJcC3fF5QoNcGacFR72TXpyh-wH6ORV_CNX6oreZ4bu5ptpiy95VG1yF_w1509M6IRP0Yq_Pv4aANiywnYbDWNkQlWIZv24xwnIioMUQ/s800/happy%20hosta.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: x-large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcTiQQIuQehVHkfGLxhCa3m5poYTfZOcLYDzRIUKdLa0tCerx-PdDEtMtbxq05ZVI-xZ9Ke6S6eyvqI2d8HrQJcC3fF5QoNcGacFR72TXpyh-wH6ORV_CNX6oreZ4bu5ptpiy95VG1yF_w1509M6IRP0Yq_Pv4aANiywnYbDWNkQlWIZv24xwnIioMUQ/w480-h640/happy%20hosta.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: x-large;">While the prairie ranches need moisture, our hay field looks pretty healthy, thanks to well water irrigation. No, not city or treated water, but the farm wells that were here when these acreages were a farm. We are fortunate to have that water source.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOa7G94UDKN4isA8J259wvD9ZCIHBLMmhTLENo7Fj_6v6BbQADfKroTxjiuOgBVGxJ1K4Ai2q3b-kEaXl0hGEJPxPZrEY_RQds6QaU37X0XJ3HcWC-vNmAd_a2ZKepnUA5sz02LGt3RWkQcHleoe0CKGyDL2ooZipASHu6j-2oBJPm_zrtxmejkQ43-Q/s1280/IMG_3167.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: x-large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="708" data-original-width="1280" height="354" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOa7G94UDKN4isA8J259wvD9ZCIHBLMmhTLENo7Fj_6v6BbQADfKroTxjiuOgBVGxJ1K4Ai2q3b-kEaXl0hGEJPxPZrEY_RQds6QaU37X0XJ3HcWC-vNmAd_a2ZKepnUA5sz02LGt3RWkQcHleoe0CKGyDL2ooZipASHu6j-2oBJPm_zrtxmejkQ43-Q/w640-h354/IMG_3167.jpeg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3VhuFvD9_cr2QVrC3S-7hl9gaM-w4EFNtNKmhkD_PCHkgIqjQ_Ls8g1QwT9mCaHC4Vn0sPVVbjHPu3WSqpH5WGI2IUjiIsSHar9zngFfWRTfHcz-Ixf_v35Nre4JGBpwpziyc6xuWhXeqIdWPEDlfKyk95HWq7z9RAsdzvUIPC68F1i9iTH-TsmExWQ/s1280/IMG_3168.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: x-large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3VhuFvD9_cr2QVrC3S-7hl9gaM-w4EFNtNKmhkD_PCHkgIqjQ_Ls8g1QwT9mCaHC4Vn0sPVVbjHPu3WSqpH5WGI2IUjiIsSHar9zngFfWRTfHcz-Ixf_v35Nre4JGBpwpziyc6xuWhXeqIdWPEDlfKyk95HWq7z9RAsdzvUIPC68F1i9iTH-TsmExWQ/w480-h640/IMG_3168.jpeg" width="480" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: x-large;">We've had better stands of grass, taller grass, but this will get the granddaughters' horses through the winter.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirHLXzDrWNAXDWpp149iDKNAa-2xsZbFKmkFgHY8gC3XFQKwJiIS1FrVWUAWqDdaiKv14ybDdMArkOnqN_dOB22Ynme8uAKOVeRCRgs74E4W64OfEQoZ_htjWXPwHazWE0lHAKtcyRb06aqXo1W5_UbNex_ncjalirfVUxVKo7hq8ZIn2PoXws5lQjEQ/s1280/IMG_3171.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: x-large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirHLXzDrWNAXDWpp149iDKNAa-2xsZbFKmkFgHY8gC3XFQKwJiIS1FrVWUAWqDdaiKv14ybDdMArkOnqN_dOB22Ynme8uAKOVeRCRgs74E4W64OfEQoZ_htjWXPwHazWE0lHAKtcyRb06aqXo1W5_UbNex_ncjalirfVUxVKo7hq8ZIn2PoXws5lQjEQ/w640-h480/IMG_3171.jpeg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: x-large;">The HG mowed a path for the neighbor to come in to cut, but it will be a day or so before he cuts the hay.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: x-large;">Although I have photographed these Columbine hundreds of times, I just cannot get enough of their beauty. I'm using a Nikon DLS D3500 with a 75-300mm telephoto to get my close up shots. This camera gives such crisp, clear photos that I just can't stop clicking the shutter. I use Auto, which is the lazy way out, but I like the results. A long time ago when I used my Pentax Spotmatic with film that did not have Auto, I knew all the technology to set the camera, but those days are long gone--for me at least.</span></span></div><p style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgpxIQB4DwzbJP7f15tvPKNsQThlsanMPJUalMgnush7jG-tZEb_Hslyplu9OXQgtPH7qxm1QqTNiHVCSvovO5rJxge-2LCJWQ2mCwAzIHnsvr6IwRSIZh8hC4nEtqP62v29s23jGeJvbuKqsvSelUlMtQxxsln-ufcJjOmbhkEtJ8eH2w5rL8TWuXTA/s6000/1%20(20).jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: x-large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgpxIQB4DwzbJP7f15tvPKNsQThlsanMPJUalMgnush7jG-tZEb_Hslyplu9OXQgtPH7qxm1QqTNiHVCSvovO5rJxge-2LCJWQ2mCwAzIHnsvr6IwRSIZh8hC4nEtqP62v29s23jGeJvbuKqsvSelUlMtQxxsln-ufcJjOmbhkEtJ8eH2w5rL8TWuXTA/w640-h426/1%20(20).jpeg" width="640" /></span></a></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: x-large;">I especially like how it stops action. Sometimes I use the athletic mode that allows the shutter to keep taking photos as long as the button is pressed. I use that for the girls when they ride and often when I'm stalking wildlife, like this honey bee. Actually, this is one of those surprise shots that if we planned it, we couldn't get it right.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsvYBABI--sg1RbhScc-u6v-1yhTsw7r-tm7gxbB39ket8RoKnDWkCWQ_90XJg_vgkjN19kFNt-zhKXbl1Ku8eKVHwODfD60pENQ3rW2hTOn7j7FUvYavzzniZ50OtMl707V3TBjDkPzbs0MzwfmJEkPnV1j21TKURXIKej0wSZ6_zn5q2PXJP5ss7EA/s6000/1%20(19).jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: x-large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsvYBABI--sg1RbhScc-u6v-1yhTsw7r-tm7gxbB39ket8RoKnDWkCWQ_90XJg_vgkjN19kFNt-zhKXbl1Ku8eKVHwODfD60pENQ3rW2hTOn7j7FUvYavzzniZ50OtMl707V3TBjDkPzbs0MzwfmJEkPnV1j21TKURXIKej0wSZ6_zn5q2PXJP5ss7EA/w640-h426/1%20(19).jpeg" width="640" /></span></a></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: x-large;">June is also Tiger Swallowtail Time. Newly hatched butterflies have voracious appetites and Miss Kim lilac is the hot spot to dine. Again I've taken hundreds swallowtail shots, always captivated by their beauty and grace, wanting to get the perfect photo.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: x-large;">There are actually two butterflies feasting here.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL9t7BrVLmO9EKBT9O1TP5OOpVqNx2gbuDEFemN3pm74uTFnaqLT_kfTaEUzNdZZqYSBXbCP16xG_i6GaJxVOGfo7jyy7cl3zs_pMHIZgA9Fw9v4Mr80oZ2czThVf790FXuVG7ZLnpUG3ItOCFDJwzwS1KuVCbg4mJ-wFcbwjvr3GbtsnavYV_HCoPEw/s6000/1%20(16).jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: x-large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL9t7BrVLmO9EKBT9O1TP5OOpVqNx2gbuDEFemN3pm74uTFnaqLT_kfTaEUzNdZZqYSBXbCP16xG_i6GaJxVOGfo7jyy7cl3zs_pMHIZgA9Fw9v4Mr80oZ2czThVf790FXuVG7ZLnpUG3ItOCFDJwzwS1KuVCbg4mJ-wFcbwjvr3GbtsnavYV_HCoPEw/w640-h426/1%20(16).jpeg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: x-large;">#1</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtuiX7si1QeMUcw3_2PwrLhu4pNjYwaghnS_7Zo6ADtadX8nHCHIieIcRHokssANjxF9oGazgnglnvLdygViPJ1ZY-OvoHHfv_NJu9PpNHW1Qq5gbWnAQM35NOO5n2SLRp-DSgwcwrrmHo6hCbPrxaWJCODo_7PH5qms65FcihGB34LW9MyNJ-ayYy-w/s6000/1%20(15).jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: x-large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtuiX7si1QeMUcw3_2PwrLhu4pNjYwaghnS_7Zo6ADtadX8nHCHIieIcRHokssANjxF9oGazgnglnvLdygViPJ1ZY-OvoHHfv_NJu9PpNHW1Qq5gbWnAQM35NOO5n2SLRp-DSgwcwrrmHo6hCbPrxaWJCODo_7PH5qms65FcihGB34LW9MyNJ-ayYy-w/w640-h426/1%20(15).jpeg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgadd9ZFCusG9Wjno7nwFhKfIDLFmCYOhSAvnZO0mJbOETeAuNglGeSGsoL5fNMW5f9q0_NXJ5cXMzg83iZ5G036D4i-8QjQBZu21UACGC6zxx9ol9FWT1HC1y-R_zOuoHnjhWgWlJHL6QVqcS-s3-ySoQ92OG1fD1eHDkDLEVfdJxPzLC4b_R6eATU4w/s6000/1%20(14).jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: x-large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgadd9ZFCusG9Wjno7nwFhKfIDLFmCYOhSAvnZO0mJbOETeAuNglGeSGsoL5fNMW5f9q0_NXJ5cXMzg83iZ5G036D4i-8QjQBZu21UACGC6zxx9ol9FWT1HC1y-R_zOuoHnjhWgWlJHL6QVqcS-s3-ySoQ92OG1fD1eHDkDLEVfdJxPzLC4b_R6eATU4w/w640-h426/1%20(14).jpeg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXVbMRDZvzZM_1vHJPKvSQmuF9n5wQEzH3Pg-vKvMquX6_P41d1MJl-rDQ7EkCdhxPIviOERuy-uxBYDRrbbaAnIkhcf_T1aQ-vdoziarbqpb9BYQd9UvC2Hu__fopi9GxEEIuTP64nFtgH5zwTxgksIKofnIk36A6zj0ryikNxhXmKFWa99V_uKx2Gg/s6000/1%20(13).jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: x-large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXVbMRDZvzZM_1vHJPKvSQmuF9n5wQEzH3Pg-vKvMquX6_P41d1MJl-rDQ7EkCdhxPIviOERuy-uxBYDRrbbaAnIkhcf_T1aQ-vdoziarbqpb9BYQd9UvC2Hu__fopi9GxEEIuTP64nFtgH5zwTxgksIKofnIk36A6zj0ryikNxhXmKFWa99V_uKx2Gg/w640-h426/1%20(13).jpeg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: x-large;">#2</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWwoFNy-bKqVqaezs1OeDRkpggzn1S8HpbXJ1QPV_1BNNDMiRujZs21MSenn3SoME2yjemmGV1-j6pie9gYe9GERne0wCXWMOMwOacoV1NWaVgpZrUjIM3R-Jrnq4xYDUhU44rJWZ8LaCXjo2er1zfRUgGT3t0VleaYpgt2juMJju3Y61o-NGuf7Hmwg/s6000/1%20(12).jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: x-large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWwoFNy-bKqVqaezs1OeDRkpggzn1S8HpbXJ1QPV_1BNNDMiRujZs21MSenn3SoME2yjemmGV1-j6pie9gYe9GERne0wCXWMOMwOacoV1NWaVgpZrUjIM3R-Jrnq4xYDUhU44rJWZ8LaCXjo2er1zfRUgGT3t0VleaYpgt2juMJju3Y61o-NGuf7Hmwg/w640-h426/1%20(12).jpeg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: x-large;">Sometime it feels like all work and no play, here at the Garden Spot, we do take some time to enjoy a drive. With Nathan here for two weeks, it was an opportune time take a drive out on Pawnee Grass Lands to see--or not--the early summer blooms and wildlife, but there weren't any blooms because the spring was so dry, but we did see some wildlife and some not so wild.</span></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMAmBCjyg2zi6qXID8SDtb2h6J_L3Dj3PEbFaPxb8yb4HwxCgbnHyB7gfoV2x8V6G9lMOR9rgTYAvhy9Fp0fo_1KGM2je8rtYraWlos4z4q3wkO4LkAMpcbb7xcq5lAmdt1UIMkSH7Et0FVVBDJWCkT8005NVvhye_GcRA0f34yLJfVUABCJyl-si0ig/s6000/1%20(26).jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: x-large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMAmBCjyg2zi6qXID8SDtb2h6J_L3Dj3PEbFaPxb8yb4HwxCgbnHyB7gfoV2x8V6G9lMOR9rgTYAvhy9Fp0fo_1KGM2je8rtYraWlos4z4q3wkO4LkAMpcbb7xcq5lAmdt1UIMkSH7Et0FVVBDJWCkT8005NVvhye_GcRA0f34yLJfVUABCJyl-si0ig/w640-h426/1%20(26).jpeg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: x-large;">My telephoto just isn't strong enough to get good bird photos. The is best I could get of this lark.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN37KNBWIuggIpzhjn7ZTAPelZWd7BX6TgZgvTkdMcJWu5BoqqP7o2A5-AOB_R5fI1KOIiGMvxQ-njbmmSotAleDySX2xe0cmbf1_d_83lNfPvnjr4-e-IzdTLX3k9USyPAZPYepHOoYVpeOB76BlQbNQR5iTDbrK_uZdZdXyG6B29_gG-WoePdkHPoA/s6000/1%20(25).jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: x-large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN37KNBWIuggIpzhjn7ZTAPelZWd7BX6TgZgvTkdMcJWu5BoqqP7o2A5-AOB_R5fI1KOIiGMvxQ-njbmmSotAleDySX2xe0cmbf1_d_83lNfPvnjr4-e-IzdTLX3k9USyPAZPYepHOoYVpeOB76BlQbNQR5iTDbrK_uZdZdXyG6B29_gG-WoePdkHPoA/w640-h426/1%20(25).jpeg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: x-large;">The prairie dog was little easier to get decent shots of.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjypaQlKD23fAhbwiox5-WFOEyxroaP5QbAMCy-s8Sp-Rx8beQhr-KbjVHrSOwwUGXmQXzKuHyqganYcEgRkFx-nP8EqFUitP5HYUU-q_98-a-g3US5xSakP4dVHDlgUV70o0z_4-PDlvAW5r2rgH8AAG1HP3Ay1lfEjdv4Fkl3A_Y5MeloKbYvPDKi8w/s6000/1%20(24).jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: x-large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjypaQlKD23fAhbwiox5-WFOEyxroaP5QbAMCy-s8Sp-Rx8beQhr-KbjVHrSOwwUGXmQXzKuHyqganYcEgRkFx-nP8EqFUitP5HYUU-q_98-a-g3US5xSakP4dVHDlgUV70o0z_4-PDlvAW5r2rgH8AAG1HP3Ay1lfEjdv4Fkl3A_Y5MeloKbYvPDKi8w/w640-h426/1%20(24).jpeg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: x-large;">He knew something wasn't right, so he poked his head out of this den to see what the rumble was shook the ground floor of his home.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGrpxetYLdEmylvrk8sJZPSbotkfunCOJcMXoH70PJDqv_AvcZ0IrusiAtyW-bqYr8gBKzGIXk7WSVC9c7pkhzxiG5QYen-QcmMaUO2nZmixylRRBIkSoBl8K4QD853_aAZpu9HfsIxrQTeNRw0M465oNdW-FNOkC02jFdSrx5ayjhiM_8J9zyklxMwg/s6000/1%20(23).jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: x-large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGrpxetYLdEmylvrk8sJZPSbotkfunCOJcMXoH70PJDqv_AvcZ0IrusiAtyW-bqYr8gBKzGIXk7WSVC9c7pkhzxiG5QYen-QcmMaUO2nZmixylRRBIkSoBl8K4QD853_aAZpu9HfsIxrQTeNRw0M465oNdW-FNOkC02jFdSrx5ayjhiM_8J9zyklxMwg/w640-h426/1%20(23).jpeg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: x-large;">He sent out his shrill whistle and wiggled his tail to let the rest of the colony know that something large was lurking about--a Ford F-350 pickup truck! Certain danger for sure.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0hGoCU_s3KigsfMgkxW_au7kDEh-Jbl1uj8W0eDoRg9SefJZt5Y5tB0qcTOhW3jP6nvv_bXLDs-Q8ZOA6MphrLagMJdpwIOo4CjtLY3kvBkvImZzW_K0pQXzowizfPyFV2h8-Dhi9XG7PR2a6rkFl6Fc8JiNyfTje357llQEFFvnezZKfBVBDRicBRg/s6000/1%20(22).jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: x-large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0hGoCU_s3KigsfMgkxW_au7kDEh-Jbl1uj8W0eDoRg9SefJZt5Y5tB0qcTOhW3jP6nvv_bXLDs-Q8ZOA6MphrLagMJdpwIOo4CjtLY3kvBkvImZzW_K0pQXzowizfPyFV2h8-Dhi9XG7PR2a6rkFl6Fc8JiNyfTje357llQEFFvnezZKfBVBDRicBRg/w640-h426/1%20(22).jpeg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: x-large;">He tested the wind. Got his bearings. Came up with a plan.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ2GZEoyCad1J3OiZoHQXGx72Ie9Bj2Wxq32E13iYMuCkuS6J-ApmdfoFpWLzQf4z0W7vG0lrIe3dMcm50lE-kZXmVXASsHOsFj_Kz9gC0U0hsCaGOmr7p-DQT5FaqVp_64gUFeOXqJ-aZq4S1AbCERi6JZZ-2HAZQMc5WeJcE12l5wGEUl7Ozq4Zm9w/s6000/1%20(21).jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: x-large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ2GZEoyCad1J3OiZoHQXGx72Ie9Bj2Wxq32E13iYMuCkuS6J-ApmdfoFpWLzQf4z0W7vG0lrIe3dMcm50lE-kZXmVXASsHOsFj_Kz9gC0U0hsCaGOmr7p-DQT5FaqVp_64gUFeOXqJ-aZq4S1AbCERi6JZZ-2HAZQMc5WeJcE12l5wGEUl7Ozq4Zm9w/w640-h426/1%20(21).jpeg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: x-large;">And was on the move to a safer den.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: x-large;">Cute and entertaining as they are, prairie dogs are not ranchers' friends. Their destructive hole digging tears up useful grasslands and poses certain dangers for broken legs on cattle and horses. Still, it's always fun to watch the little critters.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: x-large;">We do love cows.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWx30oN3L2wE1gH0yivhQSBtjBa3w1HPfMOVya3NT9EIQ_dxPL8t6c6uAeiGRYOaThEGSfM9vQ7DWtdWPNKKNwghgQLCrBvsZNAirnXGvOwvpJE_6V2hj-n0gF4D3T5hHZ-ame92BJgzi9n71tDtBEDlFlYAD5xhotjNS54OiFIDN5TNAbWLnPAl1S7Q/s6000/1%20(27).jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: x-large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWx30oN3L2wE1gH0yivhQSBtjBa3w1HPfMOVya3NT9EIQ_dxPL8t6c6uAeiGRYOaThEGSfM9vQ7DWtdWPNKKNwghgQLCrBvsZNAirnXGvOwvpJE_6V2hj-n0gF4D3T5hHZ-ame92BJgzi9n71tDtBEDlFlYAD5xhotjNS54OiFIDN5TNAbWLnPAl1S7Q/w640-h426/1%20(27).jpeg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: x-large;">A mamma cow takes rest with her calf nearby</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge75MsfD2-TFnwjmBKwDmCE0ugEv_CJkjkBEINibqz2o1RK4PHJzJk_v_p1naber36GX2cR8XSDzjvDZH6WGmlla6RSZZBaWoHBE9hl7aO6x7Ox_KafOZSShJI13UEmcQir9_eMyIX18edTso_c4eBFfluvBfF3SYEDH26JcqR7TrrP4hKVZ_j4TQcCA/s6000/1%20(28).jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: x-large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge75MsfD2-TFnwjmBKwDmCE0ugEv_CJkjkBEINibqz2o1RK4PHJzJk_v_p1naber36GX2cR8XSDzjvDZH6WGmlla6RSZZBaWoHBE9hl7aO6x7Ox_KafOZSShJI13UEmcQir9_eMyIX18edTso_c4eBFfluvBfF3SYEDH26JcqR7TrrP4hKVZ_j4TQcCA/w640-h426/1%20(28).jpeg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: x-large;">Right now Northern Colorado cattle ranchers are worried about the future of their herds as they face sending them to market because of the drought. We've heard this story over and over again as each part of Rural America goes suffers through a drought that affect them the most. With the lack of moisture on grasslands and ranch pastures, the grass doesn't grow; thus, there is no feed. And then the cattle are gone.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: x-large;">The Orchid Saga</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSiGgO8Gd0nxld1dhUpt3FyrOI-EMbky0dJzay4jeS1TA8H6PRzb_5O_tpmjtKfPtotJ0sPlCG1ppCpl9VxWpIacFg4XxS7sd823qF6UYkcFZFpq5bC6dMP0Sx6liY4olD6ufg1rw6OshOSXtopjKdA6PUU28EvbTgZQK2VIwv56xZYhRb6XeTRAgzPA/s1280/IMG_3197.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSiGgO8Gd0nxld1dhUpt3FyrOI-EMbky0dJzay4jeS1TA8H6PRzb_5O_tpmjtKfPtotJ0sPlCG1ppCpl9VxWpIacFg4XxS7sd823qF6UYkcFZFpq5bC6dMP0Sx6liY4olD6ufg1rw6OshOSXtopjKdA6PUU28EvbTgZQK2VIwv56xZYhRb6XeTRAgzPA/s320/IMG_3197.jpeg" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgobCZjoLGQIJss_KuB9jSfKpQM1XUKKW5j5o4L61f4c44_cQbIpAO6zNfGcHvVzDBjnPTuail5LGy0rLsqB6t3Da3iHwwr89fDzAAPbu37f6E-5lxlOCLp5LeE9wtCPE2253XLKMofNIdG5OtBDNre41O_7rdFjoPP_RA9galPsJOSKt9FdoMrZkWHwA/s1280/IMG_3194.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgobCZjoLGQIJss_KuB9jSfKpQM1XUKKW5j5o4L61f4c44_cQbIpAO6zNfGcHvVzDBjnPTuail5LGy0rLsqB6t3Da3iHwwr89fDzAAPbu37f6E-5lxlOCLp5LeE9wtCPE2253XLKMofNIdG5OtBDNre41O_7rdFjoPP_RA9galPsJOSKt9FdoMrZkWHwA/s320/IMG_3194.jpeg" width="240" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: x-large;">Sadly it looks like the bud on the stem in water has withered. I was hopeful for a while, but the mother orchid has her second stem beginning to bloom. It is a bit thrilling to watch beauty happen.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: x-large;">Have a wonderful week, and thanks for visiting. I always love your comments.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: x-large;">I headed over to Angie's @Letting go of the Bay Leaf to link up with Monday Mosaic. See you there.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><br /></div>annhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01668006270534204954noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6460244051990142578.post-23537075187597930432022-06-05T21:44:00.004-06:002022-06-05T21:53:35.876-06:00June Blooms and More<p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"> After the spring bulbs, June blooms put on quite a show, too. This year our spring flowers failed due to the lack of moisture, but the irrigation system is on now, so the June flowers are glorious. It's hard to pick a favorite. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">Most know this beauty as <span class="w8qArf" style="caret-color: rgb(32, 33, 36); color: #202124;"> </span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e" style="line-height: 22px;"><span style="color: #202124;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(32, 33, 36);">Aquilegia, but here in Colorado we know our state flower as Columbine. In our garden they self seed and we never know what colors will show up, but our favorite is the periwinkle. They bloom, profusely and grow in large clumps, looking breezy and spectacular.</span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e" style="line-height: 22px;"><span style="color: #202124;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(32, 33, 36);"><br /></span></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVX_8n1bfk69vh7WGfRSwEumS1v7HjU2tMvEnmn1ISFlSj1mQshpTKKMKHjPNIsadhADbfCvyklD6K5SbU7eHfD8do_WrI-7Jv-ACP903ZYYnAtK1dZBhcL-St3-Z6B6H6-Khc4dZYhqUhYJBDhvmPttFhMw7nevO8S16j3OS-B8dMyL5U-UQnlCDpcw/s6000/16.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVX_8n1bfk69vh7WGfRSwEumS1v7HjU2tMvEnmn1ISFlSj1mQshpTKKMKHjPNIsadhADbfCvyklD6K5SbU7eHfD8do_WrI-7Jv-ACP903ZYYnAtK1dZBhcL-St3-Z6B6H6-Khc4dZYhqUhYJBDhvmPttFhMw7nevO8S16j3OS-B8dMyL5U-UQnlCDpcw/w640-h426/16.jpeg" width="640" /></span></a></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">Ours range in colors from this vibrant purple to a very pale yellow.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBPCvUbxu43fu8t8LCuidc65Z8CVO2TcIup92UD7Jm6Hxgl98tpQx4AMWtIeCTHLEbXf-2XSrg5HzgOUuRSXys_BGV0uIIbF44EanyfqNtdWlo86C5u4SvTGbsZW9dpHsniP6hsYm5x2Lwxy7S2fK6hz5zXpYyImpSf81zk7tS-SVuxd1D0SwVmZPlLw/s6000/7.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBPCvUbxu43fu8t8LCuidc65Z8CVO2TcIup92UD7Jm6Hxgl98tpQx4AMWtIeCTHLEbXf-2XSrg5HzgOUuRSXys_BGV0uIIbF44EanyfqNtdWlo86C5u4SvTGbsZW9dpHsniP6hsYm5x2Lwxy7S2fK6hz5zXpYyImpSf81zk7tS-SVuxd1D0SwVmZPlLw/w640-h426/7.jpeg" width="640" /></span></a></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrYLpi3IKtbOQFQ_wPl5gradnQYH2qbdohM0bTz1annJaXToAd9bySPxkA8YanPUE_OdRgxOHdo96KtTQ4HM6X0pfnSWhYEJ1SYYleQ2Mr1gI8-Gro--l9jDXJUNeTC0SSpdcStZnPn36jtx7NpDNC98Uf9Pst3y6qFJU9yhnf7KC6Hydv8u5JNNW1vA/s6000/5.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrYLpi3IKtbOQFQ_wPl5gradnQYH2qbdohM0bTz1annJaXToAd9bySPxkA8YanPUE_OdRgxOHdo96KtTQ4HM6X0pfnSWhYEJ1SYYleQ2Mr1gI8-Gro--l9jDXJUNeTC0SSpdcStZnPn36jtx7NpDNC98Uf9Pst3y6qFJU9yhnf7KC6Hydv8u5JNNW1vA/w640-h426/5.jpeg" width="640" /></span></a></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">Iris are another favorite, too. We dug up our big clumps in the front garden and moved them to the vegetable garden where they live for a while. We have a horrible Canadian thistle problem in the front garden so we're moving all the desirable plant material ignorer treat the aggressive noxious weed. This one lives in the flower bed on the north side of the patio. It has such a rich color.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPSPNI7o02GxsIO3naKdOqNq8brqA9kwGdapvmME1ugMr6e8AL2UqNoYRuVRwq3dUquRL-eiDC4OkBOUT17zDbTg_cz4O0oyXih5XP1_KQpNyIeShzSJzxd5Opp-ujGlODKJKb3Z9Rdybkaswcf5hw49gM5RhbMalAq9paKpDWNg5VbOzXV4PdQTSxeQ/s6000/11.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPSPNI7o02GxsIO3naKdOqNq8brqA9kwGdapvmME1ugMr6e8AL2UqNoYRuVRwq3dUquRL-eiDC4OkBOUT17zDbTg_cz4O0oyXih5XP1_KQpNyIeShzSJzxd5Opp-ujGlODKJKb3Z9Rdybkaswcf5hw49gM5RhbMalAq9paKpDWNg5VbOzXV4PdQTSxeQ/w640-h426/11.jpeg" width="640" /></span></a></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">The bleeding heart is waning now. She always struggles in the spring with its lingering freezes, but this year she didn't freeze clear back to the ground. She was large and glorious this year. The bumble bee forages for a meal, begging me to takes its photo.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYdyxFvWwcuP4xPVAxViYsap2UMf_vlEST9VuBxaQukh36LC8bk6ConbwHA3C8nxASV0oVAdlr0tVZUD_5id-IuKZ-diuDAZW-KL4RZzrXCMYcfBuckLv3B2zwOS_5YWqAouszwRymDEO6hGFhGuC7neiIZpiRzXtNrGnwWschckpyP33DNwdV30n7LQ/s3168/3.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3103" data-original-width="3168" height="626" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYdyxFvWwcuP4xPVAxViYsap2UMf_vlEST9VuBxaQukh36LC8bk6ConbwHA3C8nxASV0oVAdlr0tVZUD_5id-IuKZ-diuDAZW-KL4RZzrXCMYcfBuckLv3B2zwOS_5YWqAouszwRymDEO6hGFhGuC7neiIZpiRzXtNrGnwWschckpyP33DNwdV30n7LQ/w640-h626/3.jpeg" width="640" /></span></a></p><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">While pink is always my first choice and I have a really hard time passing up pink flowers, orange in the garden adds such drama. Today's Monday Mosaic brightens up the post with the newly blooming poppy, another favorite little spot of orange, a geum, and finally a delicate, shade a loving potted begonia that hangs in a basket on the patio. </span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEietyRg7uxGLHELWN2bRXmpAJFoh_ZQ-rqZMOxOnCarZO0TPhDRzGpLPeBMA9m12m1PVdbGeUJUuMZaWpaxpL--bpYhklnoQ3xzCgOYC1PTMbg-AMcT8S3zO-arn3NZXUguUfnew-oTLlTPlI_jbV5jZWwUDftyOr6tCCo_rGugj7s-nPw4zEIqOdvhyg/s800/for%20the%20love%20of%20orange.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEietyRg7uxGLHELWN2bRXmpAJFoh_ZQ-rqZMOxOnCarZO0TPhDRzGpLPeBMA9m12m1PVdbGeUJUuMZaWpaxpL--bpYhklnoQ3xzCgOYC1PTMbg-AMcT8S3zO-arn3NZXUguUfnew-oTLlTPlI_jbV5jZWwUDftyOr6tCCo_rGugj7s-nPw4zEIqOdvhyg/w480-h640/for%20the%20love%20of%20orange.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">I'm waiting for the peonies to pop open, the roses to blush, and the tiger lilies the strut their stuff. Next week--we think. </span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">There is plant drama inside, too. I've always kept African violets and have a new collection going on my kitchen table. They like filtered light with a northern exposure, but we don't have any windows on the north or south sides of the house, so these get the best light in the kitchen with its west window until the summer sun get's too strong. </span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnu-sxJEwsm3AanixCidysDX1U16s1hIW7r03NsSD1AWRaVA3-FVQpxBAJRWoCDoJGnlCCZT-r3NMZWENl0Tvm7A9io_DZacXLb7RosWLz3P2E9BNO0spqIw8FtwuZ8MMg_8dEXXS8sboKaIF64KDRk1FqWbUuR1B0AjDVF4kXQmgZD2oKTwsBpka0Hg/s1280/IMG_1567.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnu-sxJEwsm3AanixCidysDX1U16s1hIW7r03NsSD1AWRaVA3-FVQpxBAJRWoCDoJGnlCCZT-r3NMZWENl0Tvm7A9io_DZacXLb7RosWLz3P2E9BNO0spqIw8FtwuZ8MMg_8dEXXS8sboKaIF64KDRk1FqWbUuR1B0AjDVF4kXQmgZD2oKTwsBpka0Hg/w480-h640/IMG_1567.jpeg" width="480" /></span></a></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">I have to admit that I love orchids almost as much as I like violets, but they seem to be quite an extravagant guilty pleasure because once they have bloomed out, they are not a very attractive plant and usually end up in the compost pile for lack of dramatic blooms. I have been told that, "If you can grow violets, you can grow orchids. Sure.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">The Head Gardener loves orchids, too, so one year for Father's Day I purchased him a moth orchid or <span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(77, 81, 86); color: #4d5156;">Phalaenopsis. She lived in the bathroom for a long time with a bit of southern light, but she bloomed out and then just sat there. My daughter has her orchids in a western window in a bathroom where they bloom </span><span style="color: #4d5156;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(77, 81, 86);">profusely, so I decided that instead of composting this old girl, I'd move her to the office west window.</span></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXR5g5QX_mTFNT6Z47UNn3FwhMoI5KAHUIotvmG297TWndLYP62Te30oQoJqvQg-7L5ux3DoXKQEV3HU2XRCeFV7q0-_-NQmYobzxgqPE8u7QPGT5ZOzYboxl8PlG3QnVFh1g8UsN8AqSLvo4QsFGGuIf8L21ZvOtja1uLukPFfSbCQhVQ_wvwpUOpBA/s4032/IMG_0887.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXR5g5QX_mTFNT6Z47UNn3FwhMoI5KAHUIotvmG297TWndLYP62Te30oQoJqvQg-7L5ux3DoXKQEV3HU2XRCeFV7q0-_-NQmYobzxgqPE8u7QPGT5ZOzYboxl8PlG3QnVFh1g8UsN8AqSLvo4QsFGGuIf8L21ZvOtja1uLukPFfSbCQhVQ_wvwpUOpBA/w480-h640/IMG_0887.JPG" width="480" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">Months later my husband called me into the office to show me his discovery. The orchid had a new bloom stem growing at the back of the plant next to the window. With original bloom stem still in place, she forced a new one. In this photo, you can see the tiny bloom buds that were just forming. We were so excited. I wish I had found the stem earlier so that I could have trained to grow straight and tall. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7Tft1H5IRHkiHkANyGh5mDvDXuVWC2G1P6GNtUl4B4-ksijG2j-Xvf7lDamL4ZTYf5ak5YV01KyTpHBgoHKTd9VNl5YUei6gA_yIju0etjAWu67EEd1bJmUTgHY9CCpB-3EO0_XFB3vQjgizmYBIiSYo2bDmyzwhmr5IWWJO4sQ3_frlWSNLtZZ0SCg/s4032/IMG_1184.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7Tft1H5IRHkiHkANyGh5mDvDXuVWC2G1P6GNtUl4B4-ksijG2j-Xvf7lDamL4ZTYf5ak5YV01KyTpHBgoHKTd9VNl5YUei6gA_yIju0etjAWu67EEd1bJmUTgHY9CCpB-3EO0_XFB3vQjgizmYBIiSYo2bDmyzwhmr5IWWJO4sQ3_frlWSNLtZZ0SCg/w480-h640/IMG_1184.JPG" width="480" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">Soon the first blooms appeared at the bottom end of the bloom stem.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjedmsl3sser8iQAKHVXsmgypap0fB_S2a9m42jfXBRpRNz5CJP4iCnBRuoWKxKEo0c8fRgMiB5tes4ZRHY_etnMyuCF5iMaspfJLQ6e7puSWZt4poNhcCBlGDjxFHU-fu8d0JnQU_nzzarOvQnxfxQx_LEccjdnslU1sMYegRFRxtKKWAe4MbKh9tywg/s4032/IMG_1301.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjedmsl3sser8iQAKHVXsmgypap0fB_S2a9m42jfXBRpRNz5CJP4iCnBRuoWKxKEo0c8fRgMiB5tes4ZRHY_etnMyuCF5iMaspfJLQ6e7puSWZt4poNhcCBlGDjxFHU-fu8d0JnQU_nzzarOvQnxfxQx_LEccjdnslU1sMYegRFRxtKKWAe4MbKh9tywg/w640-h480/IMG_1301.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">And more blooms. We were so excited.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpFnTavEub5vYNnNMTNrznYJqhpPj_xcW1c1wiUzSWpTZPmNrkn62XDmo5FaYHgl7e9xKkB8ogdBfJ0sN3K9XUbUaAINlgor8FF_J1rLQPQc6whS-gxfTsTV5d7__zhzK04TuxRdpUeV43FAwaC_Pm5h2WL0hbzXaFpqRFCqTS7LmL54bAgACG9ygAVA/s1280/IMG_1553.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpFnTavEub5vYNnNMTNrznYJqhpPj_xcW1c1wiUzSWpTZPmNrkn62XDmo5FaYHgl7e9xKkB8ogdBfJ0sN3K9XUbUaAINlgor8FF_J1rLQPQc6whS-gxfTsTV5d7__zhzK04TuxRdpUeV43FAwaC_Pm5h2WL0hbzXaFpqRFCqTS7LmL54bAgACG9ygAVA/w480-h640/IMG_1553.jpeg" width="480" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">By now the stem was nearly bloomed out, making it so heavy the the long, heavy stem reseted on the peace lily. Then one day in an effort to take photos I broke off the bloom stem. Oh my, I was so disappointed and upset with myself. Darn it.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">I put the bloom stem in water and placed it on the table with the violets where the blooms lasted for weeks. Even if they were still attached to the mother plant, the blooms eventually would have faded, so I enjoyed seeing it everyday in the kitchen.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9EM2Etf1aq8m_S8y50rt0ncuPXZy3TXvF6I9S7yF_egxX1Rsq5h08SOPAglRVfv-gQdQyNINWqxn_09EA7bpKrsA0a4VNd-cb53tihBWD_R2n1wpmxTHPhTpv2zgxcDGA7pB9O_vwpyo9UFJ2deV5BEjkXScvve6EERY5KFxkluefjMyp6hYcHzyRoQ/s1280/IMG_1570.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9EM2Etf1aq8m_S8y50rt0ncuPXZy3TXvF6I9S7yF_egxX1Rsq5h08SOPAglRVfv-gQdQyNINWqxn_09EA7bpKrsA0a4VNd-cb53tihBWD_R2n1wpmxTHPhTpv2zgxcDGA7pB9O_vwpyo9UFJ2deV5BEjkXScvve6EERY5KFxkluefjMyp6hYcHzyRoQ/w480-h640/IMG_1570.jpeg" width="480" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">I loved to take its picture with the late afternoon sunlight filtered through the transparent petals.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGMH4GUkvYGUScVTtBnz7JUOkVd7CBbEOoIDC69f3P4K4Ccm5hGuZcuGVAlvZcwuRqr_eEKTO-8U5_dj7AztBCb8CqEvtQmwCtszRsgXieiiKqMBpFx-t7RBWKhU7XShfmTquP1z9DIno_YO1QUS-kYOaUYg12gjRoH7qh3BL68su6-FYGY7RI25YXMw/s1280/IMG_1565.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGMH4GUkvYGUScVTtBnz7JUOkVd7CBbEOoIDC69f3P4K4Ccm5hGuZcuGVAlvZcwuRqr_eEKTO-8U5_dj7AztBCb8CqEvtQmwCtszRsgXieiiKqMBpFx-t7RBWKhU7XShfmTquP1z9DIno_YO1QUS-kYOaUYg12gjRoH7qh3BL68su6-FYGY7RI25YXMw/w480-h640/IMG_1565.jpeg" width="480" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">And then they are gone, too.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">But wait. Not all of the buds had bloomed at the very end, so I just kept the stem in the water to see what would happen and guess what? There are buds on the very end that will bloom on a stem that is just in water.</span></div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSiikqF219SVJQTfnENjTBjgKClam13UdmsKSI0cpLlrZXlMtYBgy_hlzHE6KLDwSDb-FkUf_rRKR9N6CWan1HfJtud2rayfmQsFZZUnDbR_Vg_8BR01rTrUBeIWdSZtKBBaTuOPo76uKQrGRA9idV9ywfdQ_9gQD6a3ci8PQxUVuxWPvstppgz4Tc-g/s6000/14.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="6000" data-original-width="4000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSiikqF219SVJQTfnENjTBjgKClam13UdmsKSI0cpLlrZXlMtYBgy_hlzHE6KLDwSDb-FkUf_rRKR9N6CWan1HfJtud2rayfmQsFZZUnDbR_Vg_8BR01rTrUBeIWdSZtKBBaTuOPo76uKQrGRA9idV9ywfdQ_9gQD6a3ci8PQxUVuxWPvstppgz4Tc-g/w426-h640/14.jpeg" width="426" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiinnGBthnczBDYvbL6tzdwc7e21FpEEIJAr-icxTI8tQyzNEPxmUpPnbS0GW_k9c7DrcT5wiTOOvbhE4YHC9oVRpi1UnPV_hS8CWE3D2gFMxviqD3TnyNaMEmwzZfJfT5ftmDG7t7tJ_kRB0qLTZUvbm3dYxUETKZ0JvQ0juWpCxoDyVBkPcUf5xNf8Q/s6000/13.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiinnGBthnczBDYvbL6tzdwc7e21FpEEIJAr-icxTI8tQyzNEPxmUpPnbS0GW_k9c7DrcT5wiTOOvbhE4YHC9oVRpi1UnPV_hS8CWE3D2gFMxviqD3TnyNaMEmwzZfJfT5ftmDG7t7tJ_kRB0qLTZUvbm3dYxUETKZ0JvQ0juWpCxoDyVBkPcUf5xNf8Q/w640-h426/13.jpeg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">But wait there's one more surprise. While it's not a a very good photo, the Mother plant is doing to bloom again, too. The broken bloom stem has sent out a second bloom stem that is loaded. I've done reading on the moth orchid and have not seen this behavior. In fact, the literature says that the plants bloom once a year in just the right conditions--maybe.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">Hmmm. Is neglect one of those conditions. I water once a week. that's all I do. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">So. If you bring home one of these beautiful flowering plants, place it in a western exposure--well in the northern hemisphere, anyway. </span></div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-LISMcOEo_6ygUhlaZ4JknOO7Ua11jDXMRNQa8DWB1wCvMQv0QyyhPxz6UwvtaEKMw89ZtnBOdnqsh9Kh29ZO56KGGFZ7W_IaxN5UN-Rgk5EkDgfolo5sbiLuyBuNnkS61v-_4oT1Kn7b76DtRhsB829XbfFprJOij3lXOZ5fdZOw3LKpU0dCS6Xfow/s6000/15.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-LISMcOEo_6ygUhlaZ4JknOO7Ua11jDXMRNQa8DWB1wCvMQv0QyyhPxz6UwvtaEKMw89ZtnBOdnqsh9Kh29ZO56KGGFZ7W_IaxN5UN-Rgk5EkDgfolo5sbiLuyBuNnkS61v-_4oT1Kn7b76DtRhsB829XbfFprJOij3lXOZ5fdZOw3LKpU0dCS6Xfow/w640-h426/15.jpeg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">Yes, it's a weird photo. It's just water as it drips out of the bottom of one the hanging baskets. I just like to photograph water to see if I can. Sometimes I can get a good image.</span></div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIAc_mc45hNjEjsbXKVbxUPkzsZHHVwi7Wu2J1MEkJc-hxj3dzXe0znXfVY5GhahaYcpFfbNFAn2JhcfcpGpvlHytSnPHOPLZMg_DRia-7o3wZIhPeqA36lAnZfwcQFsrIB6M-sBN1WuZifo5extbCg7NOl_tk2Is6H3NxtA-LoKrVPe4XZVTT0K5OKw/s6000/12.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIAc_mc45hNjEjsbXKVbxUPkzsZHHVwi7Wu2J1MEkJc-hxj3dzXe0znXfVY5GhahaYcpFfbNFAn2JhcfcpGpvlHytSnPHOPLZMg_DRia-7o3wZIhPeqA36lAnZfwcQFsrIB6M-sBN1WuZifo5extbCg7NOl_tk2Is6H3NxtA-LoKrVPe4XZVTT0K5OKw/w640-h426/12.jpeg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">I like to take pictures of POP the pony, too. </span></div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7LONJaqtBb8wocBJCDJ0KH9W38HSOkTfMELe9S0cpJdsHN_fsHw-MkyShUv9hcoIaIVTQfIsLhZvCstDxtNyUMI_K-v8oty61oUaFkvaxybuCxhgRrsL4rDj2sh3ON5n7xGeo3aBZG7LMY44Qv6Z9X8x0uPPW6zNusSyG8hmuB0lOJ5uOA6s-fkV1ug/s6000/6.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7LONJaqtBb8wocBJCDJ0KH9W38HSOkTfMELe9S0cpJdsHN_fsHw-MkyShUv9hcoIaIVTQfIsLhZvCstDxtNyUMI_K-v8oty61oUaFkvaxybuCxhgRrsL4rDj2sh3ON5n7xGeo3aBZG7LMY44Qv6Z9X8x0uPPW6zNusSyG8hmuB0lOJ5uOA6s-fkV1ug/w640-h426/6.jpeg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">And I close with a dog picture--Brody. Just because we 💕💕 dogs. </span></div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguhbx3CD8GstOsJG95B4Pj8n24WifzUdUBKXf60D7-zVdLec95KWYHMupyClN267pzdc6gzjwrQybIuFJ5JJXjx0R3qboK473IHrxgUvUe4rnS1rw9urR6ejVvXgDjk_5O8iAqZzV6duNJRCqR2mYJfOqnr8XOemgv8kDNCMHefJMKETmAeAVD6fN0bw/s6000/1.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguhbx3CD8GstOsJG95B4Pj8n24WifzUdUBKXf60D7-zVdLec95KWYHMupyClN267pzdc6gzjwrQybIuFJ5JJXjx0R3qboK473IHrxgUvUe4rnS1rw9urR6ejVvXgDjk_5O8iAqZzV6duNJRCqR2mYJfOqnr8XOemgv8kDNCMHefJMKETmAeAVD6fN0bw/w640-h426/1.jpeg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">Thanks for visiting.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">Have a wonderful week.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">I'll be joining Angie for <a href="https://tentoesinthewater.blogspot.com" target="_blank">Mosaic Monday.</a> See you there.</span></div><br /><p></p>annhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01668006270534204954noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6460244051990142578.post-25097733305143897382022-05-29T14:18:00.003-06:002022-05-29T14:20:58.209-06:00Hamliton's Back<p> It's good be back--good to catch up with old friends and make some new ones. </p><p>We are still waiting for the weather to turn warm here in Northern Colorado. Right now the wind has kicked up and I can hear the dull roar of distant thunder. Often we get the windy fury of the storm, but it rolls on by. We can see the storm clouds gather above the mountains to the west and watch them chase themselves east then just before they get here, they split and miss the Garden Spot. So I'm wondering what this storm will do.</p><p>The garden is mostly all planted. The usual: 15 tomatoes--some the Head Gardener started; others we purchased. Red and regular cabbages; potatoes; peppers--Anaheim and jalapeños, but no bell peppers. Onions. Carrots and lettuce. Cucumbers and squash. It's plenty to take care of.</p><p>Our hens are laying again. We have about 8 of the old ones, 5 are laying eggs so we get 3-5 eggs every other day. They didn't give one egg all winter then in early spring the girls got busy. So we debated about getting more chicks then we began hearing those murmurings of meat shortages and eggs and chicken and yadayadayada, so we bought 6 babies and brooded them here in the house. Last week they went out the hen pen. <br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDL74VZUtOmRG3-WO6avPwIZKPqNFld2JLzf-80NFkTvS5aTFnY1fKs_Pk2l1UXynHHPiB_C0dYqjj6o1-CZgH_yWfhe1wsvX6hwJFJBlzb90eOpIKX5qudi74tic_30YnMistx1EyKwanHk0lxxr968T8OHP3k-HMQ8Hc4ljjl3tdzyHFF4C6UIckqg/s800/hens.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDL74VZUtOmRG3-WO6avPwIZKPqNFld2JLzf-80NFkTvS5aTFnY1fKs_Pk2l1UXynHHPiB_C0dYqjj6o1-CZgH_yWfhe1wsvX6hwJFJBlzb90eOpIKX5qudi74tic_30YnMistx1EyKwanHk0lxxr968T8OHP3k-HMQ8Hc4ljjl3tdzyHFF4C6UIckqg/w480-h640/hens.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I had a couple of stipulations: pretty hens and green eggs--or a variety of colors. They won't begin laying until fall. Still separated for the old girl, the little girls are just learning how to peck and roost and be free to make their own choices and do their chicken thing. Right now they share their corner of the coop with the pigeons while the other hens are on the other side of the chicken house.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFPhu8rN12DQDmra1maOt0LarQnMurwqpwF_IH3qqMRFIk4gGnCbdv_psBQXkDadeAUuHHjznvrSVZ6fCIrwQCUW5awHXwnRWB0p7idyKkSvosGyA5URvehy0y9vwxFIFjgPrUUxd5cDHsqx5DxunUuvjPZj2IA5-C-aCkTaGvNp3bBabHyiCiyGU9Bg/s1280/67545007384__FF51726D-4C0B-479A-B64F-9A9DEC14672A.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFPhu8rN12DQDmra1maOt0LarQnMurwqpwF_IH3qqMRFIk4gGnCbdv_psBQXkDadeAUuHHjznvrSVZ6fCIrwQCUW5awHXwnRWB0p7idyKkSvosGyA5URvehy0y9vwxFIFjgPrUUxd5cDHsqx5DxunUuvjPZj2IA5-C-aCkTaGvNp3bBabHyiCiyGU9Bg/w480-h640/67545007384__FF51726D-4C0B-479A-B64F-9A9DEC14672A.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">And who doesn't love a good a mouse story--as long as it as someone else's house!Hamilton has returned. Do you remember the story about Hamilton? Here's my first encounter with mouse in the hen house who later became known as Hamilton due to some sort of texting auto correct. Check out <a href="http://annsgardenspot.blogspot.com/search?q=mouse" target="_blank">A Flight Plan</a> to meet the original Hamilton. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">This little guy has made his home unearth the fence beam. He'll be well fed and have plenty of water and as long as he stays in the coop, safe. There are plenty of cats on patrol, a hawk or two, and Brody, so he best stay behind the fence that keeps the hens safe from predators, including a chainlink top.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf1YPpMtJuXspwQNWYljwYHyyRVSY1nMxjcSDtAhr-DZDq0AwTFLdtmwZrNInBES4244JDMrDLsM9dLE2UUKk15VTrKnvtSi5oiKH6yrTOyUIOX6zkjCtXBxy8hFDAKjjhyG_UbEYaSz2G22-_EtOEsTVPUideUClKaDibQ7BNSo5jXUTZHupsBlbfPg/s1280/IMG_2956.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf1YPpMtJuXspwQNWYljwYHyyRVSY1nMxjcSDtAhr-DZDq0AwTFLdtmwZrNInBES4244JDMrDLsM9dLE2UUKk15VTrKnvtSi5oiKH6yrTOyUIOX6zkjCtXBxy8hFDAKjjhyG_UbEYaSz2G22-_EtOEsTVPUideUClKaDibQ7BNSo5jXUTZHupsBlbfPg/w480-h640/IMG_2956.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaNMl8DbzhSn1G52t_cqVY1bUICkoV115E0aBw5jTYD0NBG41Za61itiNKkx5vlS4BetIFFRhFnoVQgSenUEkAmZHDtxdeUx0L8WHEq97MQZFMDIKSzHHxjMCowfctrXqt2WhKp_H8it2Ss_Qd4ipG0mFC_kjl0BAn9pndQ8CtkgOhg-qJmq8MQa4maQ/s1280/IMG_2953.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1011" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaNMl8DbzhSn1G52t_cqVY1bUICkoV115E0aBw5jTYD0NBG41Za61itiNKkx5vlS4BetIFFRhFnoVQgSenUEkAmZHDtxdeUx0L8WHEq97MQZFMDIKSzHHxjMCowfctrXqt2WhKp_H8it2Ss_Qd4ipG0mFC_kjl0BAn9pndQ8CtkgOhg-qJmq8MQa4maQ/w506-h640/IMG_2953.jpeg" width="506" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I should always take my camera to the garden with me--the good one-- because I always have a opportunity to get great photos, like this bumble bee searching for food. I used my iPhone to chase him down and chronicle what might be his first quest for food. He was quite determined to find the nectar in that tightly closed iris bloom.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQt9bMKU-iPuqJsnw-YVAzhiHhtTQkWkHv2FRGqbLBHnvI5ElRxXQ6T3ZLv49yDpHSY-H4BryOrD-KNO1xscfAO65lxHCDct9rl_gFYUQ0q0pFaf69OdDLE1KnwXhAnQJWE3vrkrjEYWhjArU-i733z0wfyNDjYORHh6zMzZ2f7KKD3fIfkxQxyP3V6w/s1280/IMG_2894.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQt9bMKU-iPuqJsnw-YVAzhiHhtTQkWkHv2FRGqbLBHnvI5ElRxXQ6T3ZLv49yDpHSY-H4BryOrD-KNO1xscfAO65lxHCDct9rl_gFYUQ0q0pFaf69OdDLE1KnwXhAnQJWE3vrkrjEYWhjArU-i733z0wfyNDjYORHh6zMzZ2f7KKD3fIfkxQxyP3V6w/w480-h640/IMG_2894.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Coming in for a landing. These little guys are such awkward fliers.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXZTm-njtCXDhGfv09Oy3T7k68CypjcUL3nX4txURnT3hEcaOUGloJ5qj4s-c5JpMr0GbFO-fIpp8qjz1aDY3DSP6ERQuc-kI7c4hDnHN1wO3tbcwYHBkOoBgCwsBQ1f4bF1sQKOTvMEDNCQkvMFnx08Vv4SDnTF8rUbSCG_2EodNo2BIAbaLkBKzzgg/s1280/IMG_2906.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXZTm-njtCXDhGfv09Oy3T7k68CypjcUL3nX4txURnT3hEcaOUGloJ5qj4s-c5JpMr0GbFO-fIpp8qjz1aDY3DSP6ERQuc-kI7c4hDnHN1wO3tbcwYHBkOoBgCwsBQ1f4bF1sQKOTvMEDNCQkvMFnx08Vv4SDnTF8rUbSCG_2EodNo2BIAbaLkBKzzgg/w480-h640/IMG_2906.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">And they are determined.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixvjRhrVaID4JAQouCoJ8YSuI2T5HGzLfojwzco4AZV3xoU5np6dZarQi0KhsxxDrj41ywcbRH9Y9GRa1Tv7wbgI7opJOkv_C1L7s7Fg_b2aX3Itdt-JiQEfWJvKEgurry3zdYA2J9zYztzVMjLcdMb8vaXv-RBfo_f276xVnaqfBGsKPWMOfuqAK3WA/s1280/IMG_2903.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixvjRhrVaID4JAQouCoJ8YSuI2T5HGzLfojwzco4AZV3xoU5np6dZarQi0KhsxxDrj41ywcbRH9Y9GRa1Tv7wbgI7opJOkv_C1L7s7Fg_b2aX3Itdt-JiQEfWJvKEgurry3zdYA2J9zYztzVMjLcdMb8vaXv-RBfo_f276xVnaqfBGsKPWMOfuqAK3WA/w480-h640/IMG_2903.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">He squeezes in.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIBc14x8KijYGM2dJVaup15S9Htdc4w57opz55am2dGjl81GuZ_3Ge_6bvVLDZOIgV7MGlu1PHjrHv7NxjFg-hB8heV0PnYxWnePBv7x5CHnpRKvy2ABuWQr2PAQmETweYwHddPQCa3YhqdtPmnyRW3oL04sSQGcRNlMr67o-YMq-9GPIcRR3gO6F-ug/s1280/IMG_2902.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIBc14x8KijYGM2dJVaup15S9Htdc4w57opz55am2dGjl81GuZ_3Ge_6bvVLDZOIgV7MGlu1PHjrHv7NxjFg-hB8heV0PnYxWnePBv7x5CHnpRKvy2ABuWQr2PAQmETweYwHddPQCa3YhqdtPmnyRW3oL04sSQGcRNlMr67o-YMq-9GPIcRR3gO6F-ug/w480-h640/IMG_2902.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Nothing like a <i>good </i>butt shot.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU95kARQ8BOsQ1cJU-8JVSjbCjHS2ag0gWxdABd-xZO7NsNScUliXruJx0PXB3E3XEQtjTEhvBoT1idpr4INHCSCuFkP5yJa8LZ--xca7bFR1U5M5FHXQUhv2QilB9KwTfJqLChGWMtlPu02_DWGtL19mjfn3ipY5R23Pv_4ZAuXe_J0RP__TSFRBH8g/s1280/IMG_2901.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU95kARQ8BOsQ1cJU-8JVSjbCjHS2ag0gWxdABd-xZO7NsNScUliXruJx0PXB3E3XEQtjTEhvBoT1idpr4INHCSCuFkP5yJa8LZ--xca7bFR1U5M5FHXQUhv2QilB9KwTfJqLChGWMtlPu02_DWGtL19mjfn3ipY5R23Pv_4ZAuXe_J0RP__TSFRBH8g/w480-h640/IMG_2901.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">And he's in!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoTiw6qHMIurv3hTZ5hr4Q6XA5qGZgBaVLkD8UO0PRHr-K3tNuww-sGMXRQ3JiLU5Zn9i5XNQ3zQFt4Mu5Gh4P5DlEsnkgkwvz4HP4Iv2s7e0XGykegwJSo3EjALimhLwhutcXxp5D0pqmn7XLN6RF82Slw9LPGN1pa39vSp-kWdhnbbD-oO1DfEFFtw/s3100/DSC_0393.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2199" data-original-width="3100" height="454" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoTiw6qHMIurv3hTZ5hr4Q6XA5qGZgBaVLkD8UO0PRHr-K3tNuww-sGMXRQ3JiLU5Zn9i5XNQ3zQFt4Mu5Gh4P5DlEsnkgkwvz4HP4Iv2s7e0XGykegwJSo3EjALimhLwhutcXxp5D0pqmn7XLN6RF82Slw9LPGN1pa39vSp-kWdhnbbD-oO1DfEFFtw/w640-h454/DSC_0393.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The humming bird moth zoomed past me the other afternoon as I sat on the patio. He was a bit harder to photograph even the DSLR camera, but I managed on good shot while he zoomed around the azalea looking for a meal. They never sit still.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">It's raining now. I can tell. The air is fresh and sweet with the fragrance of spring rain.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj6zd-PouJ7JOPdpxMv3syovNjkEi44Th2WD6ZiYuIhIv1FlM4PQ07UNN2XMnfPc3rNu4sHGSashT5pZXjGV9bgEH37gat17YmkbHnSxyibFncvB5IC3LMFu-Dc6yxwHNofnNKsHBduf6ZYaoHr_Uigpg6vEAgWrGK-VMXb0qN9h4ahI0MaybaxQ1vW8Q" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj6zd-PouJ7JOPdpxMv3syovNjkEi44Th2WD6ZiYuIhIv1FlM4PQ07UNN2XMnfPc3rNu4sHGSashT5pZXjGV9bgEH37gat17YmkbHnSxyibFncvB5IC3LMFu-Dc6yxwHNofnNKsHBduf6ZYaoHr_Uigpg6vEAgWrGK-VMXb0qN9h4ahI0MaybaxQ1vW8Q=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">It must be nap time. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheAxDH9Fjtinbjh3R180rNpJX4Pj_RO_nzPoGy5E9D3P5BDBibYOTrtpOoHOF5GEWbtnCYCY-6R86MfolcpFRgd2QhzQMaIdGDNXF8U6z5EYeF8CqazEIzpbJEJmrPpeHWZjoJd1VSLjuMoB-84wAxjcgxLW2tdbUF3gF_ok5IV7n2YGcKGjlNK1vQHQ/s1280/IMG_2968.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheAxDH9Fjtinbjh3R180rNpJX4Pj_RO_nzPoGy5E9D3P5BDBibYOTrtpOoHOF5GEWbtnCYCY-6R86MfolcpFRgd2QhzQMaIdGDNXF8U6z5EYeF8CqazEIzpbJEJmrPpeHWZjoJd1VSLjuMoB-84wAxjcgxLW2tdbUF3gF_ok5IV7n2YGcKGjlNK1vQHQ/s320/IMG_2968.jpeg" width="240" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_mTVZtoZGtfvxOszQGvKO2-eF0UxGPdVgMkOBn9-P0olKfuGrQfkjl1ltNwyyUE1tR-JoZPEuE1y7rxv57HPFzzs7kScfSTyYcNl8Y6e1Y1K_DWZ2OvtJiqLuqPsbldnP4crom8dRZlxt6mDrq-sinQUwWZ9g1QG_pc58bRFRFpV-ehvir6BQDGxENw/s1280/IMG_2957.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_mTVZtoZGtfvxOszQGvKO2-eF0UxGPdVgMkOBn9-P0olKfuGrQfkjl1ltNwyyUE1tR-JoZPEuE1y7rxv57HPFzzs7kScfSTyYcNl8Y6e1Y1K_DWZ2OvtJiqLuqPsbldnP4crom8dRZlxt6mDrq-sinQUwWZ9g1QG_pc58bRFRFpV-ehvir6BQDGxENw/s320/IMG_2957.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Thanks so much for visiting. I'll be returning to <a href="https://tentoesinthewater.blogspot.com">Mosaic Monday</a>. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgU89hGQncmuGgWa77lSaD0M3fwwE4OnbmZNrvBIEB_Wo0i6g2XdwZqwdabrvSOQo8o4r8GY8XXqJMdD0HvkDH1BuMOQH2QGRjitXxoukQBlWhTZHmQIXmEx3iMYCoYYgbslQF7vZEkSjyIaOAk40ck4f6RWvLRsCgMh60sfQXU2J3gf1EsKqRdShfkKg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="182" data-original-width="563" height="129" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgU89hGQncmuGgWa77lSaD0M3fwwE4OnbmZNrvBIEB_Wo0i6g2XdwZqwdabrvSOQo8o4r8GY8XXqJMdD0HvkDH1BuMOQH2QGRjitXxoukQBlWhTZHmQIXmEx3iMYCoYYgbslQF7vZEkSjyIaOAk40ck4f6RWvLRsCgMh60sfQXU2J3gf1EsKqRdShfkKg=w400-h129" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Take time to remember our fallen heroes: the men and women who gave the ultimate sacrifice for American Freedom. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">If you served or currently serve, we greatly appreciate you and your family's sacrifice <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">and service.</div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">God Bless America</div><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="blob:https://www.blogger.com/53a6d7d8-34c4-4795-8ee3-d1eefc48228c" /></div><p></p>annhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01668006270534204954noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6460244051990142578.post-86286256428851290002022-05-23T22:21:00.002-06:002022-05-23T22:22:09.422-06:00Once Again<p><span style="font-size: x-large;">Well, hello there. I've been mulling over in my mind returning to the <i>Garden Spot</i>. I last posted in March 2021, and then just didn't. It seemed to me that the posts were become so repetitious, as things don't change much around here at the actual Garden Spot--we are just growing older and slower. </span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">I've not left blogging, nor have I fallen off the earth. I've posted consistently on <i><a href="http://annsdollhousedreams.blogspot.com" target="_blank">Ann's Dollhouse Dreams </a></i>where I chronicle my adventures in mini making. I also post day-to-day happenings on <i>Instagram </i>where a few of y Blogger friends hang out. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS0NYo0Wa0Q1xYjfnPij3CqyThUiowrsOqQFZEARs6JT9A9pa4LJ1UEfyTE3Fsv2cWBaJ2vTYxoR_DL49GutAcjmjkB55ipjX85IH94qWgFqXqgkreSujDGOK5GaoTDKoiFyKrU6vX96s-kuJ3uzyl5MmXVhprx_qvtNt1vsnpVCzdgbu3yssYTt4YGQ/s1280/IMG_2511.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS0NYo0Wa0Q1xYjfnPij3CqyThUiowrsOqQFZEARs6JT9A9pa4LJ1UEfyTE3Fsv2cWBaJ2vTYxoR_DL49GutAcjmjkB55ipjX85IH94qWgFqXqgkreSujDGOK5GaoTDKoiFyKrU6vX96s-kuJ3uzyl5MmXVhprx_qvtNt1vsnpVCzdgbu3yssYTt4YGQ/w240-h320/IMG_2511.jpeg" width="240" /></a></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;">But I think I'm back. I checked my settings only to find that this last year the spammers have had a heyday commenting. I just deleted a couple dozen of their comments waiting and turned on comment monitoring, which I hope helps.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;">We've kept a pretty low profile the last year--you know. A new, more guarded lifestyle, staying close to home. There's plenty to do around here.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;">It's hard to know just where to begin when I've been MIA for just over a year. Maybe in the garden. The only thing growing right now are two rows of onions and asparagus that has gone wild. We have had a very cold, windy, dry spring so we are behind with a lot of yard work.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;">I like to keep track of the the wildlife that wanders through the yard--nothing exotic like bears, mule deer, or elk--we're on the prairie, not in the mountains, but we do get an interesting variety of birds. This creature is watching us from the neighbor's garage roof. He'd been stalking our gold fish and I'm afraid that he caught one of our larger Koi cross goldfish. The blue Herons are common here, nesting in large rookeries along the river basins, but they have to travel for food. My little goldfish make taste snack for their fledglings. </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2v6SBLNE12g3LaMtcyhBpovjAYKTeR8nrUPpZXgsDM17h23aQcai27_BvTw5cFr9sjWBc2dBIbXY49tuPgXcHybR36zwypzzUpK5JjNMnsRRGKEJZlI2IyDd32FB7TMleOeeF9RpEzbExKLFojre22YU3No0OpIOAc-7dBNGQ_4GXUkhR12L-Cq2JjA/s1080/2F9F2C51-A320-41E8-9CB3-D413ADA00B7D.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1080" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2v6SBLNE12g3LaMtcyhBpovjAYKTeR8nrUPpZXgsDM17h23aQcai27_BvTw5cFr9sjWBc2dBIbXY49tuPgXcHybR36zwypzzUpK5JjNMnsRRGKEJZlI2IyDd32FB7TMleOeeF9RpEzbExKLFojre22YU3No0OpIOAc-7dBNGQ_4GXUkhR12L-Cq2JjA/w640-h426/2F9F2C51-A320-41E8-9CB3-D413ADA00B7D.jpeg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">We fooled him though by covering the pond with wire mess. Not a very aesthetic solution, but it keeps him from eating my fish.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Summer visitors have arrived, the Bullock's Orioles. They will feed on the cheapest grape jelly that we can find until their little families are raised. First 4 males arrived to check out the food supply and now we see a female and an immature male. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfQ5t9y_0OZyA6CxqI1qlPRRZsr549OeVvw8fCML15Bijj8Tw4h1Lrb6RttsGUZaM20Jjr7VCH8iaE-8xyeiZ34Ve5Z1wbB4fXyRuUqKEJY6h5tUAkwjwludAwycK4cvjPOxlR40naBePXZEQvqar_r9I8RT1SckxugmqNfhyOpDGpesN8n1yQiCFlzQ/s6000/DSC_0323.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfQ5t9y_0OZyA6CxqI1qlPRRZsr549OeVvw8fCML15Bijj8Tw4h1Lrb6RttsGUZaM20Jjr7VCH8iaE-8xyeiZ34Ve5Z1wbB4fXyRuUqKEJY6h5tUAkwjwludAwycK4cvjPOxlR40naBePXZEQvqar_r9I8RT1SckxugmqNfhyOpDGpesN8n1yQiCFlzQ/w640-h426/DSC_0323.jpeg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">The Lazuli Bunting stops to refuel on his way to his far northern USA and Canada nesting grounds. Actually the map that shows his range does not include Colorado, but we seem to see at least one male every summer. They come from as far the lower tip of Mexica, so he's got a ways to go. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHBPwMRJ5tuy7O5zc5s4Tw2mjGcZasWtiFec1FSZOvls_fPlwDVcleq76IN71Jakkw_I7eBC4VdytkQFx5TYOCJ6QdSaFaa3t1J80dw-6XzsPW9s28_mRNV-_S59oFcPZP32fG5dTss5d4tI70VNvhEts7bZqkGZXYjxpxYNmvb0CxGrsrfQPzX1M1vA/s2186/DSC_0342.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1415" data-original-width="2186" height="414" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHBPwMRJ5tuy7O5zc5s4Tw2mjGcZasWtiFec1FSZOvls_fPlwDVcleq76IN71Jakkw_I7eBC4VdytkQFx5TYOCJ6QdSaFaa3t1J80dw-6XzsPW9s28_mRNV-_S59oFcPZP32fG5dTss5d4tI70VNvhEts7bZqkGZXYjxpxYNmvb0CxGrsrfQPzX1M1vA/w640-h414/DSC_0342.jpeg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Pop turned 35 April 1st and now has the pasture to himself. We lost Sundance last May. He had fractured his pelvis 4 years ago and had a really tough summer and a hard winter. Putting him down was constantly in the back of our minds, but since he was Jennifer's horse it was her decision and she just couldn't bring herself to end his life. I told her that he would let her know when it was time and he did. Pop, now blind and maybe deaf too, gets around quite well, is sound and healthy. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtzZrbmyqSEmVeDpqhklXZ8KJH9CqSEjW4RhQZEcYgMr-6HhkbVt1_Excll2JNGPGZJf9n1K2RApKCUNPep8y9l-6I7ZWHGzw0d8dVL8juozd_ZQw42obMa9P2NvwhQezddkWGm3p4qBo92Qj3jAEXrvJu-_HxQwx6qd5OO4Eow2Ae1gRrCMq5ZQ9iyg/s1280/IMG_2550.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtzZrbmyqSEmVeDpqhklXZ8KJH9CqSEjW4RhQZEcYgMr-6HhkbVt1_Excll2JNGPGZJf9n1K2RApKCUNPep8y9l-6I7ZWHGzw0d8dVL8juozd_ZQw42obMa9P2NvwhQezddkWGm3p4qBo92Qj3jAEXrvJu-_HxQwx6qd5OO4Eow2Ae1gRrCMq5ZQ9iyg/w480-h640/IMG_2550.jpeg" width="480" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4KPPQleEiVgKWTRUIrztk7BmqwNOEgqsLQugkMSOqsQXDoarVao-YUxQp1xDqzNKVJhE-nKKXzDytK_TSvVSOudSLOK7VkqWksPy5LDi0PKKOkAxjZRiXN5aSGGkges-dfdVKo6MGzRFMyzJYXZ_5RYP--k7ze7_4cD815o_klgdt5WCd59ONvq6sfA/s1280/IMG_2576.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4KPPQleEiVgKWTRUIrztk7BmqwNOEgqsLQugkMSOqsQXDoarVao-YUxQp1xDqzNKVJhE-nKKXzDytK_TSvVSOudSLOK7VkqWksPy5LDi0PKKOkAxjZRiXN5aSGGkges-dfdVKo6MGzRFMyzJYXZ_5RYP--k7ze7_4cD815o_klgdt5WCd59ONvq6sfA/w480-h640/IMG_2576.jpeg" width="480" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">The boys were the headline of my last post along with this sweet kitten that was just a baby then. Heather took him and named him Early Gray, but Nathan called him Moaky. Well, little Moaky got sick a few weeks ago. Heather and Nathan took him to the Vet ER and didn't bring him home. He had a massive tumor wrapped around his heart and lungs. He was only 18 months old and a devastating loss for the 13 year old by who loved him--heck, for all of us.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpjJo87S-HhUHNCFLMtQU3qgPPgZrHsY4KkN9zcRqnOqapiLhsj9EzFS3sUcjQveLJQLsbFLW8DjAPsb8NqfzbmoYuHcB-WtRFaMD28Y3gLVgQSiGdewos3n6zOg6NzVsdhf15znwWmPkn5S8HUpijsxKSZdGMNEst4fCAgNUplXhGxA1SsAtzcH9UCg/s1024/IMG_1314.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="768" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpjJo87S-HhUHNCFLMtQU3qgPPgZrHsY4KkN9zcRqnOqapiLhsj9EzFS3sUcjQveLJQLsbFLW8DjAPsb8NqfzbmoYuHcB-WtRFaMD28Y3gLVgQSiGdewos3n6zOg6NzVsdhf15znwWmPkn5S8HUpijsxKSZdGMNEst4fCAgNUplXhGxA1SsAtzcH9UCg/w480-h640/IMG_1314.jpeg" width="480" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">But Nathan has a new kitty. Yugi. He's a sweet boy, adopted from the local humane society. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh22IT4XtCL1pN1hEIQfl-vgGSeWSsOWMtI8G6d7m1jjMhlPZ1FMOEhn6F67_pTteGjbkgkWQ5xuZqAIkLGMUVlYDvmw-xJEKGWf4jexdnNquXEtqEDMtBSyLtQP80zU72NqJD1KDWPqkIQcJeyK3-VRGLYrT-q5TtNKxNHik0glgQA0w9qCohTPUfcPA/s1280/IMG_2523.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh22IT4XtCL1pN1hEIQfl-vgGSeWSsOWMtI8G6d7m1jjMhlPZ1FMOEhn6F67_pTteGjbkgkWQ5xuZqAIkLGMUVlYDvmw-xJEKGWf4jexdnNquXEtqEDMtBSyLtQP80zU72NqJD1KDWPqkIQcJeyK3-VRGLYrT-q5TtNKxNHik0glgQA0w9qCohTPUfcPA/w480-h640/IMG_2523.jpeg" width="480" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">While Nathan turned 13 this spring, his brother Jacob, 19, (how can that be?) goes to community college where he studies accounting and works. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">The girls are busy too--into everything! While they still have their horses, they've added goats to their little farm. Ellie and Lily have meat goats that they are working with to so at the 4-H fair in August</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxtsh8OcjiGgvGjc_saZ7yt1ZmpVkbASGXxQjCHgu1yHwLrBnjfNIKkuIXGmZDZYQUHTdkISecUcKT7Whp343KHg6W5MEi-FYklFdFWJE7mTjBlRI3qPiQta62gsn1xYGqs6n-NQdwWVPnFciatWx6V6aTIiOpScRnE8spTVyfkbKX43sOGA0olI5HQw/s1280/IMG_2609.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="254" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxtsh8OcjiGgvGjc_saZ7yt1ZmpVkbASGXxQjCHgu1yHwLrBnjfNIKkuIXGmZDZYQUHTdkISecUcKT7Whp343KHg6W5MEi-FYklFdFWJE7mTjBlRI3qPiQta62gsn1xYGqs6n-NQdwWVPnFciatWx6V6aTIiOpScRnE8spTVyfkbKX43sOGA0olI5HQw/w191-h254/IMG_2609.jpeg" width="191" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV80n6VrOrIM86GnSl3zGUG7OeC7J4DE9Q3WRsSW9p_Dpu6LSmxDd6Rt6_3wOHLEWicq0Vrriu2dPSXXFYXDiPl7cTgDvGn-_NWkQSvh3Ecm0OYL_jofSvvaw7KX5HRGGYEFMa7d01rilhcl5gtEDVTLFsIwYw09WhM-UUdAVFp5wH-Yd9z8NNED8KyA/s4032/IMG_3785.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV80n6VrOrIM86GnSl3zGUG7OeC7J4DE9Q3WRsSW9p_Dpu6LSmxDd6Rt6_3wOHLEWicq0Vrriu2dPSXXFYXDiPl7cTgDvGn-_NWkQSvh3Ecm0OYL_jofSvvaw7KX5HRGGYEFMa7d01rilhcl5gtEDVTLFsIwYw09WhM-UUdAVFp5wH-Yd9z8NNED8KyA/w188-h250/IMG_3785.jpeg" width="188" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFl5pVzV2Eor40mpHNGSSl7rrYQGGz-qydhf7ACWATgeqAWPv8OHA91n8JfMcEujrJToNcjCPyrOv6V4nST-IPnUQhfY8IRQBk9qjWfhwZ-OFUn0Ea7qwl9DnYqP1eNLdW822TVxVn-6YxGl3Yzk6aMQlZ3omUpnILW3Nkn9ErgIB4ulTdqSqo-cEKrg/s4032/IMG_3784.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFl5pVzV2Eor40mpHNGSSl7rrYQGGz-qydhf7ACWATgeqAWPv8OHA91n8JfMcEujrJToNcjCPyrOv6V4nST-IPnUQhfY8IRQBk9qjWfhwZ-OFUn0Ea7qwl9DnYqP1eNLdW822TVxVn-6YxGl3Yzk6aMQlZ3omUpnILW3Nkn9ErgIB4ulTdqSqo-cEKrg/w180-h240/IMG_3784.jpeg" width="180" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br />Lucy decided to get milk goats. These two little cuties are still babies that she bottle feeds. She has big plans for them and their milk. She's learning how to make goat milk soap that she hopes to see. We've spent the last two Sundays making goat milk soap, using milk that her mother purchased from a nearby goat dairy. This is going to be a very interesting enterprise.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiCPidOVYwkngLu9jwoSQSGrPZYUo4iLyoCpolwvPZmRMTW-B9BNBYcosW1n7heeKuhkKYzGcl-HZtqgFK43bdUS3SpEkiouj2FQROOOSfDScuz2hJA68Pr6LNj57A2ScVxHCYeXaOw9DB449oC7bIaej_9kd1aL9we__OKCEtQZ92AX38FkjWHzUE7Q/s4032/IMG_3430.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiCPidOVYwkngLu9jwoSQSGrPZYUo4iLyoCpolwvPZmRMTW-B9BNBYcosW1n7heeKuhkKYzGcl-HZtqgFK43bdUS3SpEkiouj2FQROOOSfDScuz2hJA68Pr6LNj57A2ScVxHCYeXaOw9DB449oC7bIaej_9kd1aL9we__OKCEtQZ92AX38FkjWHzUE7Q/w640-h480/IMG_3430.jpeg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Mom helped her with the first batch, a lemon lavender fragrance. She's using lye based recipes, so she has to be very careful with the caustic ingredient. Her dad made her two molds out of clear lucite.</span></div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLPiw53pmacHM62tzffiMeacsnINLhawBGbWAYsaRwEayT2d6hNGwLttrMaUzyBxYWa2k7LA-tfs7E4m2bvKp51GSFDFblZwfrfKZoZhdMHrqEqI7Es6HkFhbYOV6sXs_CYMr4CSaAT8kv7iF8XFEHfKa7DzL7YsZL3YvEYrMLsTBtREdYQJm1ifjwmA/s1280/461B4EF7-DC65-4690-AE17-4974FCD012B9.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLPiw53pmacHM62tzffiMeacsnINLhawBGbWAYsaRwEayT2d6hNGwLttrMaUzyBxYWa2k7LA-tfs7E4m2bvKp51GSFDFblZwfrfKZoZhdMHrqEqI7Es6HkFhbYOV6sXs_CYMr4CSaAT8kv7iF8XFEHfKa7DzL7YsZL3YvEYrMLsTBtREdYQJm1ifjwmA/w512-h640/461B4EF7-DC65-4690-AE17-4974FCD012B9.jpeg" width="512" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">The soap will cure or saponify--the reaction between the triglycerides in the animal fats and sodium hydroxide or lye that combine to make soap--that's the over simplified explanation. So here is the first batch. It'll cure for two weeks than we'll see what kind of soap Lucy made. </span></div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo3HZhDaau5zRKOiJNqxY5LicHSmWmsg13BZfUqnNF79IKbUt-1wCKw4lf60PIWOMpPqrQp99rwDrmqAHY22LEDtPZfPSDjqoPFSsUEYG_rWYwSm1ckmTU66Yl_eU3QelnARLWqztTbQtm3Y8Y_Vy_eEbtY_gC4ndLgIg3vQ71xcaAZR8Cj_NrjggRwQ/s1280/B2B9B320-7408-41EC-9232-EC2ECDC88ACF.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo3HZhDaau5zRKOiJNqxY5LicHSmWmsg13BZfUqnNF79IKbUt-1wCKw4lf60PIWOMpPqrQp99rwDrmqAHY22LEDtPZfPSDjqoPFSsUEYG_rWYwSm1ckmTU66Yl_eU3QelnARLWqztTbQtm3Y8Y_Vy_eEbtY_gC4ndLgIg3vQ71xcaAZR8Cj_NrjggRwQ/w512-h640/B2B9B320-7408-41EC-9232-EC2ECDC88ACF.jpeg" width="512" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Soap making is pretty simple process--mostly just adding ingredients including a variety of oils, lye, and milk the mixing it, and during into the molds. </span></div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgennoTAChjj4E7NGh9dUK2Aij-YA5s_-ct2YwL_iVckMQNtDQzQwA1YkSmwcGjb3YI3PZm7iZT_gAtJtS3562-VB5vRmQVY34iO1lvkkz-cYRLfEJg5ae4ldZujDGdkTpANu3ewXVqM7C7zmbAlmINyYq4n0ZolV0lWuvDGJqL2czQYLt8uzIPMUKhrw/s1280/IMG_2712.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgennoTAChjj4E7NGh9dUK2Aij-YA5s_-ct2YwL_iVckMQNtDQzQwA1YkSmwcGjb3YI3PZm7iZT_gAtJtS3562-VB5vRmQVY34iO1lvkkz-cYRLfEJg5ae4ldZujDGdkTpANu3ewXVqM7C7zmbAlmINyYq4n0ZolV0lWuvDGJqL2czQYLt8uzIPMUKhrw/s320/IMG_2712.jpeg" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2yyEiwjnBL9rgmtrIq0CMzxVPUY4hQuTHN4X0V2_oocTZ_4ko4z0q_OVGf_eBjJ61jxVCRhDAGs-3Pu3z2R_xZDM5KTtz9s_zBW-xXrK9tlNEEIBm9hskSsedHu3PZ5rMUL_vEBBG5c2ketIFx7c06TcF5ETg9O87z4Ul355p4OXWBdYXsdllmNCr3Q/s1280/IMG_2713.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2yyEiwjnBL9rgmtrIq0CMzxVPUY4hQuTHN4X0V2_oocTZ_4ko4z0q_OVGf_eBjJ61jxVCRhDAGs-3Pu3z2R_xZDM5KTtz9s_zBW-xXrK9tlNEEIBm9hskSsedHu3PZ5rMUL_vEBBG5c2ketIFx7c06TcF5ETg9O87z4Ul355p4OXWBdYXsdllmNCr3Q/s320/IMG_2713.jpeg" width="240" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">This first batch seemed pretty thick and heavy. She probably stirred it with the emulsifier too long. And it's a dark color than what they wanted because of the type of olive oil that they used.</span></div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqBySSGYy0abteIPIN1g13KDmuMCX5v__iQao3_wOVOMBtuvIxjKz8KxtGoXtMy4Wh0G5Gu-2chhQs4Y6Wqim1vj-5mkZa45h6t4Gy5JPZJF7fyhflGem-hdT6PQztOFhUSjtt4WbI9brhcW2IMlZIkVS_gvs9jUq0XbMUtMCbrJJp9eTEpCPJwEPPlA/s1280/IMG_2714.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqBySSGYy0abteIPIN1g13KDmuMCX5v__iQao3_wOVOMBtuvIxjKz8KxtGoXtMy4Wh0G5Gu-2chhQs4Y6Wqim1vj-5mkZa45h6t4Gy5JPZJF7fyhflGem-hdT6PQztOFhUSjtt4WbI9brhcW2IMlZIkVS_gvs9jUq0XbMUtMCbrJJp9eTEpCPJwEPPlA/s320/IMG_2714.jpeg" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5oqMfJ34Fax_qUjZYDW841_wAaudYcSBhUIFQ99O10AGAz_PsulQodBbrefwp12P6NiX_yvQ_26mU3zLK_Nl5Rzajq6pUmDS74qMO5F6HVi_tB16JztYIpjvgh6Z2qQIJf6WNushDvRunxkd5GHs0z5tiA69UMv-Kn2MS_ZtdudblvnKMgvJL8xsmGA/s1280/IMG_2719.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5oqMfJ34Fax_qUjZYDW841_wAaudYcSBhUIFQ99O10AGAz_PsulQodBbrefwp12P6NiX_yvQ_26mU3zLK_Nl5Rzajq6pUmDS74qMO5F6HVi_tB16JztYIpjvgh6Z2qQIJf6WNushDvRunxkd5GHs0z5tiA69UMv-Kn2MS_ZtdudblvnKMgvJL8xsmGA/s320/IMG_2719.jpeg" width="240" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">But this batch yesterday made with a different recipe, a lighter olive oil, and less stirring made a creamier mixture.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiieDDtzfgaDQlcqiQtC4TiVAxxaJzJXMXJUxmWrhZ8YIm05HLtDhnWUqYKLc9sIbTsKp2Qv1gqTbEKvSs4ENK_lafOnVIGv6wrbbNOTWgO-pr93Fw5axZldJfwqXu6-vb_-Oy9zdCtysrOYsEn6ccmcpRbfgrVza02yhl4WMK4wx2oWAkxT9d9uHwIvA/s1280/IMG_2798.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiieDDtzfgaDQlcqiQtC4TiVAxxaJzJXMXJUxmWrhZ8YIm05HLtDhnWUqYKLc9sIbTsKp2Qv1gqTbEKvSs4ENK_lafOnVIGv6wrbbNOTWgO-pr93Fw5axZldJfwqXu6-vb_-Oy9zdCtysrOYsEn6ccmcpRbfgrVza02yhl4WMK4wx2oWAkxT9d9uHwIvA/w480-h640/IMG_2798.jpeg" width="480" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Lemon Poppy Seed bars. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyAz2SYatieh2R0bYves_yAaq_fFdZ90hohbYB1OgTfUBwVB0GDyXLkUUzsf6uI3AdWoD1bXw25dx_mJvUFK6bABM9EsJa_HB6WcVRMwQP4lmyXdY_fKA_kJZAd3Pc-TcbeR2npcU_iu_vxO21NeTcsbUXQ6spqVWoL1betEWqUShf3erqdUm4P2q3UQ/s4032/IMG_3776.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyAz2SYatieh2R0bYves_yAaq_fFdZ90hohbYB1OgTfUBwVB0GDyXLkUUzsf6uI3AdWoD1bXw25dx_mJvUFK6bABM9EsJa_HB6WcVRMwQP4lmyXdY_fKA_kJZAd3Pc-TcbeR2npcU_iu_vxO21NeTcsbUXQ6spqVWoL1betEWqUShf3erqdUm4P2q3UQ/w480-h640/IMG_3776.jpeg" width="480" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">The girls still have their horses. Ellie is training Hank to run barrels, while Lucy is doing cow work and ranch events with Mariah. Lilly still rides, but not as much since she doesn't have her own horse. Oh. And the Pigs. I forgot the pigs. I haven't met them yet, but I hear that they are characters. One belongs to their neighbor where they live and one is Ellie's that she will show at fair.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgawRaWerXePAo9pYH_yHM2f2UvWiBW2dMmAy6pyZD1v5dPHB9lJyb0L-E_8DgxZV8tllc3Fl-DTKXFq45lkmqsCEtRN0K99nc3rzW0EuaVd3bIkQNQyOVo5QKxVljya_eI2y5SHsMKcfStPK9N1MdXYq0e-W6pbfGgv0u-_HKRfBIYkXE_BKRbewcS5w/s4032/IMG_3533.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgawRaWerXePAo9pYH_yHM2f2UvWiBW2dMmAy6pyZD1v5dPHB9lJyb0L-E_8DgxZV8tllc3Fl-DTKXFq45lkmqsCEtRN0K99nc3rzW0EuaVd3bIkQNQyOVo5QKxVljya_eI2y5SHsMKcfStPK9N1MdXYq0e-W6pbfGgv0u-_HKRfBIYkXE_BKRbewcS5w/w480-h640/IMG_3533.jpeg" width="480" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">And there you have it. Hopefully I can share more with the garden. It's cold this week and we may get some snow. Yes, I know. It's May. June is almost here and we have to protect our tender plants from the cold. I planted all of my hanging baskets, but they are on the patio to avoid freezing. Around here we just say, "It's Colorado." </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Well, it feels good to be back. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Thanks for visiting. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Have a great week. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /><br /></span><p><br /></p>annhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01668006270534204954noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6460244051990142578.post-72975216671603132722021-03-07T15:32:00.000-07:002021-03-07T15:32:49.134-07:00Just a Hint of Spring with a Dose of Cuteness<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">It's not safe to say that Winter has made his exit. He's still hanging around waiting to surprise us. We know the routine: freezing cold followed with a few days of Spring-like weather, teasing a warm up followed by more cold with some snow just show us who's the boss. We are in that cycle now. Today it is very warm, but there are threats of cold weather returning--please just bring some moisture.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">Pop may be enjoying the warm sun during his afternoon nap, but he really isn't doing the best. He's not liking his feed, preferring the pasture feed. We are doing all we can, but he's got his own way.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKdobJXBKP6vdzTwDsSMOAF5eVyhw4UUR_LVU-ZZXCD269SEmymw5j4jMJS32SAQrclNyDIHfqe96e-4QQLsh_rf-sqinq4c-PuI4oe82Y6cwWoezir4QFUpMm1oBsmibsnSD7y3giT7aM/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKdobJXBKP6vdzTwDsSMOAF5eVyhw4UUR_LVU-ZZXCD269SEmymw5j4jMJS32SAQrclNyDIHfqe96e-4QQLsh_rf-sqinq4c-PuI4oe82Y6cwWoezir4QFUpMm1oBsmibsnSD7y3giT7aM/w480-h640/6+%25281%2529.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">The extreme cold weather caused other problems. The components on the horse tank froze and caused a flood before we discovered it, which I must say pales in comparison to what Texans are going through.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKuOBXHeYVtHSPRMFAULYNM3ffA1SlqEsE_i40OQYkjYOoETVoqYP8bhvTnLNvZAZ51pfAdMH5Oe-hZ8k2B9Z2hz306O6d5qKSPCCTaWbWd1aIYWQUgAx0HQJ6uui4sT0X-9tX-0kr7WPL/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKuOBXHeYVtHSPRMFAULYNM3ffA1SlqEsE_i40OQYkjYOoETVoqYP8bhvTnLNvZAZ51pfAdMH5Oe-hZ8k2B9Z2hz306O6d5qKSPCCTaWbWd1aIYWQUgAx0HQJ6uui4sT0X-9tX-0kr7WPL/w480-h640/7+%25281%2529.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">This one of our Black Jersey Giants, or should I say the remaining one. So is she green or is she black? Well, both, I'd say. </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6x-adV1y0x8-E2xWHqTgmsydapq2WdX27m-pomb-6Q0ti3o2EIIKeu8tx0MLCaj3Y58AIMkGSQxBoY6CaZuQEYRI410jfnbHTsijB2QKCExaywYu1D6sExXlyWOJowYDPFSShNHkFWkxt/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1280" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6x-adV1y0x8-E2xWHqTgmsydapq2WdX27m-pomb-6Q0ti3o2EIIKeu8tx0MLCaj3Y58AIMkGSQxBoY6CaZuQEYRI410jfnbHTsijB2QKCExaywYu1D6sExXlyWOJowYDPFSShNHkFWkxt/" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsAjLF3z2-IES8ivzVOmAgBnIOI83cBspZoNRHdCbPbR7BviDL4FWdq7Y17c_KOeheohANbLRE9HZDmEpq9Ho66dIOIXoANGTJeov13r2f_p_pkLipGsjl0w9_Tlvec7nZ0UM4Yta-6rUk/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1280" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsAjLF3z2-IES8ivzVOmAgBnIOI83cBspZoNRHdCbPbR7BviDL4FWdq7Y17c_KOeheohANbLRE9HZDmEpq9Ho66dIOIXoANGTJeov13r2f_p_pkLipGsjl0w9_Tlvec7nZ0UM4Yta-6rUk/" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">While we cuddled and admired her, the other ladies escaped. They loved scratching in the freshly tilled soil.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5-KOnxHRwT1h3dS13G2CFkdJP-JLoeTHqJxOWbq8uME781jCb50udMIWIPpE3_aKJd-_wRMsFruqBOsb1C0EAptinbOdCDgQ5Be5Sxf72ab1OQtVj5mkBkib2B6DUjXmEMDQuk1R76viu/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5-KOnxHRwT1h3dS13G2CFkdJP-JLoeTHqJxOWbq8uME781jCb50udMIWIPpE3_aKJd-_wRMsFruqBOsb1C0EAptinbOdCDgQ5Be5Sxf72ab1OQtVj5mkBkib2B6DUjXmEMDQuk1R76viu/" width="180" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6hVJxrVhTUIFYFtPZvh707mZVE9GnmY3SRbqZRyTFKnp2sTHEjRYAIclg6VuvQ1ZTd-BLNvN6CXSQYq9xdA0EpTxPVZAhfi5Iz_77qu56q6nye_ziWAknSoP-_bx60A_XMRlo-_2hlRv0/" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 238); margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6hVJxrVhTUIFYFtPZvh707mZVE9GnmY3SRbqZRyTFKnp2sTHEjRYAIclg6VuvQ1ZTd-BLNvN6CXSQYq9xdA0EpTxPVZAhfi5Iz_77qu56q6nye_ziWAknSoP-_bx60A_XMRlo-_2hlRv0/" width="180" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><span style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5-KOnxHRwT1h3dS13G2CFkdJP-JLoeTHqJxOWbq8uME781jCb50udMIWIPpE3_aKJd-_wRMsFruqBOsb1C0EAptinbOdCDgQ5Be5Sxf72ab1OQtVj5mkBkib2B6DUjXmEMDQuk1R76viu/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1280" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXwufy_83hzX7GMFpG14kjGeiiKS75NBWPI_V-jicpTkIjVOsKSIAb5nWFUpdsJsHCHyGcevuxROOmX79u1a_b44iy8202BLvj0_TfLq7y78H_vDFJXwkQM_RlRKM-sjF7j0sn2-B5JOfc/w640-h640/5.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5-KOnxHRwT1h3dS13G2CFkdJP-JLoeTHqJxOWbq8uME781jCb50udMIWIPpE3_aKJd-_wRMsFruqBOsb1C0EAptinbOdCDgQ5Be5Sxf72ab1OQtVj5mkBkib2B6DUjXmEMDQuk1R76viu/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;">Callie, the barn cat, has two more babies. I didn't get an appointment to have her fixed over the winter, so that is on the list for this week to make an appointment. The granddaughters may take this little gray-black kitty. I think they have bonded.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu_fhyE8C9C1dZymNTOPJfG3VplbKRy9ePEPrLkai806ygTr-EPiAJilZ9NbbYrQEG1hsTGJIj_eHa22puwkzkaGteOx8CPi8ItPdrBjHirgDnjL-1g7MDPrDYel8fvFfObSy8PKZEtM08/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu_fhyE8C9C1dZymNTOPJfG3VplbKRy9ePEPrLkai806ygTr-EPiAJilZ9NbbYrQEG1hsTGJIj_eHa22puwkzkaGteOx8CPi8ItPdrBjHirgDnjL-1g7MDPrDYel8fvFfObSy8PKZEtM08/w480-h640/cuteness.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #0000ee;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 238);"><u><br /></u></span></span></div>I'm not sure just how cute turtles are, but they are interesting to watch. Just to get out of the house for a spell, we visited two of our garden centers. The Head Gardener was looking for onion sets, but we were about two weeks early, so we watched turtles at the one nursery. As the HG walked around their habituate, I know they were watching him as they 'sunned' themselves underneath the heat lamp. <div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9iIxaaWSdaQ2WgD2_PYPBVbOXEi-NeDP6HaB4bDtLU-jbKSyfz7urU9LUP8iQlQZmGTW4ULHlfKZRPEdf0u2NFp2fYwKj1qciKMLonkjG3Z-3Fg2fLAV4xEzhP_nTo70JiTJHuwRowgyK/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9iIxaaWSdaQ2WgD2_PYPBVbOXEi-NeDP6HaB4bDtLU-jbKSyfz7urU9LUP8iQlQZmGTW4ULHlfKZRPEdf0u2NFp2fYwKj1qciKMLonkjG3Z-3Fg2fLAV4xEzhP_nTo70JiTJHuwRowgyK/w480-h640/turtles.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">And that's life at the Garden Spot this week. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I hope you had a good week. See you next time </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">and</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">be sure to join me at<a href="http://tentoesinthewater.blogspot.com"> Mosaic Monday hosted by Angie.</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Thanks for visiting.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /> <p></p></div>annhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01668006270534204954noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6460244051990142578.post-14817855960550313872021-02-15T10:00:00.004-07:002021-02-15T20:09:55.199-07:00<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /> When we look at today's weather map, we all see the same thing: the Polar Vortex that covers both Canada and most of the USA. Our sub 0 temperatures began late last week. Inside we stay cozy and warm, but we have to worry about the outside critters--rather the Head Gardener who tends to them has to problem solve the effects of such extreme cold, like the -15 degrees that held through most of the night. Even at -6 and a heat wave of 0 cause certain problems for horses. Take POP for example. At 34 while he looks robust and even acts robust, but the cold is hard him. The HG dug out his winter blanket late last week and covered him up. Sundance suffering from arthritis is stiff and presumably, like we humans, probably has cold aggravated pain. <p></p><p style="text-align: left;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMsVMKGqHiVf9oSFMJU6WjfoHwyVfPEzt0vfHFvD7xUhqD3AnCu-ulIOMQxKoxuQhGktYlC0pUwetUdjWVWIjD5DzTQfcXEM8X-KYKMZYxCW7zYkO8_hSsK2zyEkxumRhGkTS-K6CQofej/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="1440" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMsVMKGqHiVf9oSFMJU6WjfoHwyVfPEzt0vfHFvD7xUhqD3AnCu-ulIOMQxKoxuQhGktYlC0pUwetUdjWVWIjD5DzTQfcXEM8X-KYKMZYxCW7zYkO8_hSsK2zyEkxumRhGkTS-K6CQofej/" width="240" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif6R8Rk_NXHBvtehQq_cQqmEa6ybxA74JUBWDVRd9YPuuuBOX91QHDLz6hV8joaKD1HaE2pUtN3L1t3LfFDA-eipksbNpKu0tssefOjy9xMtGbNOmADvqKohDaTY7kGjYVJSh_tGwDeSPc/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="1440" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif6R8Rk_NXHBvtehQq_cQqmEa6ybxA74JUBWDVRd9YPuuuBOX91QHDLz6hV8joaKD1HaE2pUtN3L1t3LfFDA-eipksbNpKu0tssefOjy9xMtGbNOmADvqKohDaTY7kGjYVJSh_tGwDeSPc/" width="240" /></a></p><p>Experts will say that horses are build to endure the cold, that blanketing isn't all that necessary, often overheating them, even in this extreme cold. The most important way to keep a horse warm is feed, which as the Vet told us fires up the horse's internal furnace. So Sundance can graze, but POP can't because he doesn't have good enough teeth to grind up forage, so he gets pellets that become a warm mash with hot water added. Only, yesterday his mash was freezing before he get it eaten, so late in the evening when the HG became frustrated that he couldn't keep the mash soft, I suggested using the dog's heated dog food bowl and it worked. We felt much better knowing that POP would get his full ration of food, hoping to help keep him warm.</p><p>The Barn Cat Callie is quite spoiled with a heated lamp above her dog crate home, still her water freezes, as does the pigeons' water. The hens stay toasty in their house with another heat lamp. The ponds are frozen, so we try to keep the bird bath filled and the feeders full.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio-DOKA32mokV8x51cBrR_1khv5ZRZ3eaH1R_d2IAZqfVd2qrHWcB1_mrTJvnU1w4BCrYl8WEDTAB2_jXn3ZjAlmUkwgi-HS8sXjjsbR0Vhz3eDBO3qOYBlVoR1YicZNlXH2_nDwdHuShT/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio-DOKA32mokV8x51cBrR_1khv5ZRZ3eaH1R_d2IAZqfVd2qrHWcB1_mrTJvnU1w4BCrYl8WEDTAB2_jXn3ZjAlmUkwgi-HS8sXjjsbR0Vhz3eDBO3qOYBlVoR1YicZNlXH2_nDwdHuShT/w240-h320/IMG_7604.JPG" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzKTmkjH-v23qjLCrfeX-EbUEHYI4YtCU_cWoR2MuqG_tVOrV5fW44_Q2qrWb6wpOu4W7c5HWBXXqp4tUPYVZaTVK5t9GCN0DGDRli5CVLuG6dXT9AIM6o2uceV8Tg9ZFOuJ45tzWFkR30/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzKTmkjH-v23qjLCrfeX-EbUEHYI4YtCU_cWoR2MuqG_tVOrV5fW44_Q2qrWb6wpOu4W7c5HWBXXqp4tUPYVZaTVK5t9GCN0DGDRli5CVLuG6dXT9AIM6o2uceV8Tg9ZFOuJ45tzWFkR30/w240-h320/IMG_7605.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Today the sun shines, giving hope that it will soon warm up. The weather app says that it reach 14 by 4 PM. Not much improvement there. There's a gradual warming trend all week that will take us above freezing. I'll be enjoying that.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Mo doesn't worry about the weather; he just sleeps through it. He's taken to sleeping in my chair by the kitchen window on the soft cushion, made even softer with a towel that I laid over the cushion to keep his hair off of it. He'll sleep here for hours then demand some food or water--but only from a dripping faucet. He's 20, so I guess he has the right to be so demanding.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhym5-Aj7BFHo7-yFRX37NFYCjM77fMJwGsg9hBNf25-hbI2JfnidhZjaaisGSV8bBRMq2d1ma6AzRoEvIWt61BoYsnnzmcwCJnHikdOPNI9yG5fCwAvHhJyuZecZJOcH8PhLKiVtduv71h/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhym5-Aj7BFHo7-yFRX37NFYCjM77fMJwGsg9hBNf25-hbI2JfnidhZjaaisGSV8bBRMq2d1ma6AzRoEvIWt61BoYsnnzmcwCJnHikdOPNI9yG5fCwAvHhJyuZecZJOcH8PhLKiVtduv71h/w480-h640/IMG_7602.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br /></div><p><br /> I've been keeping myself busy making greeting cards for my DAR (Daughters of the American Revolution) chapter to ship to Cards for Soldiers in Michigan, an organization that takes handmade cards and ships them all over the US, but mostly to soldiers deployed overseas. I host card parties here in my basement where several DAR members will join me every few weeks to make cards. Our last party created valentines for the residents at the Cheyenne VA nursing home.</p><p>This group of cards are all occasion cards that soldiers will be able to send home to loved ones. As an avid scrapbooker, over the years I have acquired quite a stash of embellishments and papers, so I dug it out and began to create. Mostly we have done Thank You for Your Service themed cards in red, white, and blue, but this program gives us the opportunity to be more creative. It's relaxing and gives us a great sense of contribution to the men and women who serve in the military.</p><p> <br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwthA4N2_-6B_odfiscx3WUEkeBPxTIu1E474evOJhDNoyBkGNT073Un5bIIzXNgOW94Eqycv7XHX0JeIE-rTnWRzJ2gPYTqnkABmitJrUni6P5nadqS7ARd0GPX1g_e2tu7O0VztCQDkX/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1414" data-original-width="2048" height="442" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwthA4N2_-6B_odfiscx3WUEkeBPxTIu1E474evOJhDNoyBkGNT073Un5bIIzXNgOW94Eqycv7XHX0JeIE-rTnWRzJ2gPYTqnkABmitJrUni6P5nadqS7ARd0GPX1g_e2tu7O0VztCQDkX/w640-h442/IMG_7591.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihuO-VKnlvPEy9rq1Irs232YfFJW9zPsWOk-xgXS9-PZnkEXuUjOtX9WoscSNhexwvI_jJzgrhsYXLBG-16cHQXGDwjj3I-F1YfqeKAp7AhtehyJZ3mReSlXyf5gzFXZweAplg9o9_uHmd/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihuO-VKnlvPEy9rq1Irs232YfFJW9zPsWOk-xgXS9-PZnkEXuUjOtX9WoscSNhexwvI_jJzgrhsYXLBG-16cHQXGDwjj3I-F1YfqeKAp7AhtehyJZ3mReSlXyf5gzFXZweAplg9o9_uHmd/w480-h640/IMG_7592.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Your can find Cards for Soldiers on Facebook while you are at it, take a look at our Overland Trail Chapter, NSDAR on Facebook, too. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I am going to close with a personal note, not something that I normally write about--health, but I feel that I should share my experience with my COVID-19 vaccination, more as an FYI just to let you know what you could expect and sort of as a cautionary tale.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Know that I am not making a recommendation to get the vaccine or not to, just to let you know about how I reacted to the shots. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I took my first shot January 19. I had just turned 74, so I fell in the age range, so my health organization UC Health of Colorado sent me an invitation (as it is being called) to accept my pre-assigned time. I could choose my location: Pueblo, a 3 hour drive; Colorado Springs, a 2 hour drive; or Poudre Valley Hospital in Ft. Collins, a 20 minuted drive. You know where I chose. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">There was no line; the shot was given, and I was asked to wait 15 minutes to make sure that I did not have a server reaction. My arm got sore, just as the news reports said it would and then it hurt even more and then the 3rd day I barely knew that I had a shot.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">February 9th I reported to the hospital for the second injection, expecting to walk in, get the shot, wait 15 minutes and leave. Not so.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The line began almost at the elevator when I stepped off it. It moved quickly and soon we were at the entrance to the cafeteria where the shots were being given, but this time we were directed in other direction.with a very long line, all the way down one side the hall and all the way back up the other side. It took about 20 minutes to make the journey down one side, turn at the end of the hall and moved back toward the cafeteria. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I asked the nurse about the line and she explained that in the beginning the hospital was assigned only a few hundred; now they are doing 1600 a day from 7 AM to 7PM. Despite the wait, it is actually a very efficient system.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">If you research side effects, they will vary from none to pretty sick with fever, chills, body aches, headache and last 1.5- 2 days or 48 hours, as mine did. I spent the next day in bed, not eating, drinking a bit of Gatorade throughout the day. The night was the same. The next morning I was feeling better, but couldn't taste my breakfast and went back to bed. By mid afternoon I was feeling better, but had a headache which steadily got worse through the night and then diarrhea most of the night. At this point, I'm not sure if these were side effects or maybe stress related from not taking my normal prescriptions and not eating and drinking enough, but it was a rough couple of days.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The good news: simply that my side effects were not out of the range of what the medical experts say are normal and are a sign that the body is working to build up the antibodies. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The bad news: I gained an important insight into my age related health problems and this is the point that I want to make. As a diabetic on medication with high blood pressure, taking daily doses is important in order to keep those functions under control; however, when one gets sick those medications that require food to be taken and one's not hungry and skips those medicines, well that's where the trouble can start. The blood sugar can easily get out of wack as will the blood pressure. I'm sharing this more as a precaution to remind even healthy folks that when you get sick, you have take care of yourself, even go to the doctor to make sure that you are doing all that you can to regain your health because once one block loosens, the rest will tumble, too. I am thinking that as an older woman, my good health can be rather frail when it becomes challenged, so this experience has made me realize that I have to be even more cognizant of taking better care of myself when I do get sick, even asking for help if I need to. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;">I'll be joining <a href="http://tentoesinthewater.blogspot.com" target="_blank">Angie for Mosaic Monday</a>--I guess I'd better whip up a mosaic.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpbSc9GDjmTKqEAUAtmTm1x0gYzbe1xu5Z-1Tr40uUP3wGY6I9j84t4O0vDsj_vijJrV9rup6ViOUmlWapLkyjSMZHsG_owHGxuzMK6O08-CXJ_NXhIV1W4qSy-rzzouqg_EFefkAytWbn/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpbSc9GDjmTKqEAUAtmTm1x0gYzbe1xu5Z-1Tr40uUP3wGY6I9j84t4O0vDsj_vijJrV9rup6ViOUmlWapLkyjSMZHsG_owHGxuzMK6O08-CXJ_NXhIV1W4qSy-rzzouqg_EFefkAytWbn/w480-h640/Untitled.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">One of our favorite spots during the summer is the Colorado State University test garden in Ft. Collins, CO where you can see the new varieties of your favor flowers, a real alphabet from A-Z of the newest beauties along with some interesting garden structures and visitors. The garden has grown to the the side of the street, with fountains and more walking paths. This day we were treated to a not so rare, but not often seen, Queen butterflies, easily mistaken as a Monarch, it can be found on the Colorado prairie, but seems very much at home in the city nibbling on the butterfly bush. </div><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;">Thanks so much for joining me today. I hope everyone keeps warm and stays well.</span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><br /></div><br /><p></p>annhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01668006270534204954noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6460244051990142578.post-10556331100824956272021-02-01T08:31:00.000-07:002021-02-01T08:31:30.447-07:00January to July<p>Not to be negative, but what a mess January has been. Usually we can at least look forward to National Western Stock Show. I took the girls last year. We had such fun.This year the big stock show where ranchers, cowboys, and cowgirls come from all around to compete and show their animals that they have groomed, fed, and trained to compete for generous awards was canceled due to the pandemic. The grand and reserve grand champion beef, sheep, and hog are auctioned off with the winner receiving the proceeds which also are shared with the organization to provide scholarships and to fund the next year's event. Last year the top steer brought t$150,000. </p><p>Here, too, COVID cases shot up along with the controversies that seem to define the pandemic. I took my first vaccine shot with only soreness at the injection site. I get the second one February 9. The Head Gardener has not received his invitation from our health care organization. We continue to be cautious about going out. I use the Click List for my grocery store and do parking lot delivery. It is so much easier than trudging through the store where I am inclined to over spend. I go to Hobby Lobby routinely, but it's never crowed, so I feel less intimidated shopping there. And that's about it. </p><p>January brings the end of year bookkeeping and tax prep. Ugh. </p><p>Yesterday we loaded up Brody to take a drive out on the prairie, the Pawnee National Grasslands. This time of year a dead, brown landscape meets the pure blue sky. The land is dotted with the remnants of century old, abandoned homesteads, such as the black circle in this photo that isolates the homestead of my husband's great grandparents, Pete and Ella Rasmussen. As the story, goes they were the first to lose their homestead when the government began reposing properties for back taxes. We used to be able to drive up to the site, but the roads have been shut down. While this road serves the windmill, only the rancher has use. Along that ridge are the remnants of teepee rings where the plains Indians camped. The area, bland as the land is, carries a rich history of the growth of the west. </p><p>I always find myself imagining the very harsh living conditions year round; it is little wonder that farmers went broke and lost their farms. And before them the Indians who no doubt traveled their own paths, headed to the mountain hunting grounds.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioUcPzMqnd7NgUme7_0G82vYB6FF4xRtXrf1spteLXNS1Eo7yYvbi29TqPiM1DZPUk-XQ92t4IsTDTlQllci4lW5K_zfdisyZ3v1zLVxYGEdEfgnRoRYwGVT8BRrN_Y1iW6fpkPxbcIMP7/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioUcPzMqnd7NgUme7_0G82vYB6FF4xRtXrf1spteLXNS1Eo7yYvbi29TqPiM1DZPUk-XQ92t4IsTDTlQllci4lW5K_zfdisyZ3v1zLVxYGEdEfgnRoRYwGVT8BRrN_Y1iW6fpkPxbcIMP7/w640-h480/home+stead.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p>While Montana is known as the Big Sky state, eastern Colorado had plenty of big sky, too. </p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiJbV-xQ0sCXEbA1OpCzd4FqweW9fC940lQu5MK-9LUoQ-M56hXBXYa6uZ50oB24VSt0cIl5ZWauyBG5jE1l8l4e8p825CYwWy-Rt9FY6pghRJrn8McBoRuPsUvayu4Sbrl7h5r32eq1MM/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img alt="" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiJbV-xQ0sCXEbA1OpCzd4FqweW9fC940lQu5MK-9LUoQ-M56hXBXYa6uZ50oB24VSt0cIl5ZWauyBG5jE1l8l4e8p825CYwWy-Rt9FY6pghRJrn8McBoRuPsUvayu4Sbrl7h5r32eq1MM/w640-h480/5.jpg" width="640" /></a></p><p>And then as we return back west to head home, the Rocky Mountains suddenly appear, less snow capped this year with the snow pack far before normal. We're in for a drought wrought summer.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxTUTvtM3NVeWJ4X0_8eScSTIqagDmFvXfjOoBEjyBk4DHElOWKDjZMrQ-VJ6SYxs2tXf-yMPU3Bm4vONtUcSPqUUxJ1OyagFkSXfaaloidJUhrK7byCodAl9QxDRNVebN8pIBjUrmdJGo/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img alt="" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxTUTvtM3NVeWJ4X0_8eScSTIqagDmFvXfjOoBEjyBk4DHElOWKDjZMrQ-VJ6SYxs2tXf-yMPU3Bm4vONtUcSPqUUxJ1OyagFkSXfaaloidJUhrK7byCodAl9QxDRNVebN8pIBjUrmdJGo/w640-h480/6.jpg" width="640" /></a></p><p>July will be the hot month. I had to take this photo last summer as I returned from shopping one day: 100 digress at 1 PM. On this cold, dry winter morning, the warmth certainly sounds inviting.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS4wmHXPYeVi9Jv5cRdoE0XbE_ZrclSBYsCmCSJXk5lBGV7fbHIQegw5j5jEt6PMGAFgza3q4v60u_c25xfeoeFZjYDuOYmy2Ev9qxWQmEm2zlLi40w1Ocn9voAWh_uFrq4i7hWpzKrRIe/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS4wmHXPYeVi9Jv5cRdoE0XbE_ZrclSBYsCmCSJXk5lBGV7fbHIQegw5j5jEt6PMGAFgza3q4v60u_c25xfeoeFZjYDuOYmy2Ev9qxWQmEm2zlLi40w1Ocn9voAWh_uFrq4i7hWpzKrRIe/w480-h640/1+%25281%2529.jpg" width="480" /></a></p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><p style="text-align: right;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0TZKLXwjqelOvby8aT5QRuSwiiE0JiyE6G_5qybjdSJQnnJjV_j4vyiZxVITbeLAtC08LR8ti-grIRiHc05ZPyRUEVYZ4crgC433FxlunIWPaojaV6FxcmZWv9UEjFih42VmH0y6Dhwfs/" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 238); clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img alt="" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0TZKLXwjqelOvby8aT5QRuSwiiE0JiyE6G_5qybjdSJQnnJjV_j4vyiZxVITbeLAtC08LR8ti-grIRiHc05ZPyRUEVYZ4crgC433FxlunIWPaojaV6FxcmZWv9UEjFih42VmH0y6Dhwfs/w480-h640/msaic.jpg" width="480" /></a></p>July--red, white, and blue, the patriotic month as Lucifer corcosmia give that splash of red in the center garden that is irroestiable. <div><br /></div><div>My little super market red, white, and blue baskets lasted all summer and served the humming birds too. <div><br /></div><div>Larkspur added the splash of blue that lacks in the garden. This spot is a very hard spot to grow because the red ants eat the vegetation, but I did add a pop of orange with the poppy. She survived the winter, so hopefully she will thrive this summer with some special attention. Some one warned my about the poverty plant taking over, but that's okay. I need spot fillers. <p></p><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;">I bought a new DSLR camera, too. It has a photo editing feature that allows you shoot in that mode to get interested photos without editing. A fun feature to play with.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoc1O-zB7gs-ilF3z_x0WtutxX5fx_o6y4t_bfx8el3MIS1VwXVMT1b2VKSzObbBWu80Y8U10GF4gc91N77MrM5oNdQ9nR5_MPbd0MtB16hWqHdDm1UEuBw3eOiho31QRUEuRLCwYtkJnO/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="853" data-original-width="1280" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoc1O-zB7gs-ilF3z_x0WtutxX5fx_o6y4t_bfx8el3MIS1VwXVMT1b2VKSzObbBWu80Y8U10GF4gc91N77MrM5oNdQ9nR5_MPbd0MtB16hWqHdDm1UEuBw3eOiho31QRUEuRLCwYtkJnO/w640-h426/1+%25286%2529.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3MXxBD6XLCAjU4eqeDfuOQO9KkODnTcGuAVZxO1l6-eKtD0lkIhXR75ypmWxabyAsZEmryjzRqevnh-pbHUiI161_MQnhZW8WBzEmBwWYpfb6HeAeM_BHD1Mijlei1SO2w6rLoT5WRk7X/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="853" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3MXxBD6XLCAjU4eqeDfuOQO9KkODnTcGuAVZxO1l6-eKtD0lkIhXR75ypmWxabyAsZEmryjzRqevnh-pbHUiI161_MQnhZW8WBzEmBwWYpfb6HeAeM_BHD1Mijlei1SO2w6rLoT5WRk7X/w427-h640/1+%25285%2529.jpg" width="427" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">From the heat of red to the cool of white, the cosmos bloom all summer long</div><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6Ql_kculPsf7bjmD7-F4JXg_8I-u1qvrBYyIxkmj4xE4gMeUXLN5rIWSbAnmOLuaZbnB-XRop4vIy1WxI60gpa47WWJkD_ftBzRpd5XfSkjfxbNbcDSZ1kAwL12Zd0O7gy0J6WUhKiMiM/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="853" data-original-width="1280" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6Ql_kculPsf7bjmD7-F4JXg_8I-u1qvrBYyIxkmj4xE4gMeUXLN5rIWSbAnmOLuaZbnB-XRop4vIy1WxI60gpa47WWJkD_ftBzRpd5XfSkjfxbNbcDSZ1kAwL12Zd0O7gy0J6WUhKiMiM/w640-h426/1+%25288%2529.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsjr26JovEH_ZOojMPbqrOuk26czJdi0sGUxcqKAjhdi3zZ5YHX0kEFOjDpV68kJ9f4mjJue84wB76pdVQQijawlEk8VE9VfMnGLCG0N0M83O2SZSYiXK28hU1LEl0M6Keqfvnpk0X1wRI/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="853" data-original-width="1280" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsjr26JovEH_ZOojMPbqrOuk26czJdi0sGUxcqKAjhdi3zZ5YHX0kEFOjDpV68kJ9f4mjJue84wB76pdVQQijawlEk8VE9VfMnGLCG0N0M83O2SZSYiXK28hU1LEl0M6Keqfvnpk0X1wRI/w640-h426/3+%25281%2529.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwvlru9LG_TP8BieaO65n-JmYcSrWkQ5igmPpQZjF7wEFC20_kr3_pNRp4O8qTQl1Iem0xRKXXhH0Je6gZ7IDvoYvGIk8BVvSkER-HBUvTqPs8O0VnBltCc3pdeRycp4P8eoJUvJ1Bm5pV/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="853" data-original-width="1280" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwvlru9LG_TP8BieaO65n-JmYcSrWkQ5igmPpQZjF7wEFC20_kr3_pNRp4O8qTQl1Iem0xRKXXhH0Je6gZ7IDvoYvGIk8BVvSkER-HBUvTqPs8O0VnBltCc3pdeRycp4P8eoJUvJ1Bm5pV/w640-h426/2+%25281%2529.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6KTTnBRTvPXCVYdD7rbH2s2tJoIIR7H_AiOc5d5PCY4CgZfL8911ADLtPETeqf3Nu3LYVKVwhd6kJTT0UouYed-E18S4N1gWRGP_059go5i_pU76MeegFbDvrNc6Th7rlp9N1WQEnyFdJ/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="853" data-original-width="1280" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6KTTnBRTvPXCVYdD7rbH2s2tJoIIR7H_AiOc5d5PCY4CgZfL8911ADLtPETeqf3Nu3LYVKVwhd6kJTT0UouYed-E18S4N1gWRGP_059go5i_pU76MeegFbDvrNc6Th7rlp9N1WQEnyFdJ/w640-h426/1+%25284%2529.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;">The Head Gardener got tired of weeding and decided to do some fishing, but first he had to customize his little pontoon and then take it for it's maiden voyage. Brody had his first introduction to water. </div></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiudSRdOMRtHC0yQp9th4SCjbAFc8KAEYiJ38959fd89qvJODPf-JhkZN_uq_1RDVRnrixfJ_o7WJUvikRQbZ_HIUWSvl97_cu0EH5W0I6wIKHecL-T8bmAUdZxWAJOkGB2CVZ5XnBzfnJg/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiudSRdOMRtHC0yQp9th4SCjbAFc8KAEYiJ38959fd89qvJODPf-JhkZN_uq_1RDVRnrixfJ_o7WJUvikRQbZ_HIUWSvl97_cu0EH5W0I6wIKHecL-T8bmAUdZxWAJOkGB2CVZ5XnBzfnJg/w640-h480/1+%25282%2529.jpg" width="640" /></a></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaJzqyZHMVGiAfESYS62sPWI5FkyILzGEOQCYnPPEKB9k2Bc1vbh7e_jCj2ZW_2trUOJyU2iTxnl8HcNFOL2m3GsJcA07r64Yja00BcygRR4Sf2LcFtMh2OlLkNTVQahs3_EoJzlU-10Gj/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigUpfCiXkkn6m2KRletes_aqqOsFsIxo6yqRfl-9Tj5gn-VM0zkFMMy25N_4xtevk3So3X8eYrf0oTVSRPPflE_DbuzmT856GEz8mJIxUJ0LiqCR1nUfngwM8vIpHYffOxDa-B3U5dUNI-/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div><p style="text-align: center;">He likes it.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigUpfCiXkkn6m2KRletes_aqqOsFsIxo6yqRfl-9Tj5gn-VM0zkFMMy25N_4xtevk3So3X8eYrf0oTVSRPPflE_DbuzmT856GEz8mJIxUJ0LiqCR1nUfngwM8vIpHYffOxDa-B3U5dUNI-/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigUpfCiXkkn6m2KRletes_aqqOsFsIxo6yqRfl-9Tj5gn-VM0zkFMMy25N_4xtevk3So3X8eYrf0oTVSRPPflE_DbuzmT856GEz8mJIxUJ0LiqCR1nUfngwM8vIpHYffOxDa-B3U5dUNI-/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglJXVwKXM7eqA5jTrqq_9V-zCsfu8hBlNgYOaYdQDaG-f8ReWMrlpkqJBqbCAnDgTZPaYPj6qtUyAh01ZJ735pOklMDCweGNbwPps58vbguOdbiX4q4qPFhoexPWOqoU0rrVG2B9K4g1kr/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglJXVwKXM7eqA5jTrqq_9V-zCsfu8hBlNgYOaYdQDaG-f8ReWMrlpkqJBqbCAnDgTZPaYPj6qtUyAh01ZJ735pOklMDCweGNbwPps58vbguOdbiX4q4qPFhoexPWOqoU0rrVG2B9K4g1kr/w640-h480/1+%25283%2529.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">As January leaves us, February brings the glow of love. The granddaughters spent the afternoon making things. I had some soap making supplies, so we melted the soap blocks and made pink hearts. I also shared my Valentine card making supplies and they spent the afternoon making Valentines for friends.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Little Lily brought me a bouquet of dead things that she found outside. I loved the thought and enjoyed the variety of material that she found to make a little arrangement. It will spend the rest of winter here. I pulled my Lenox tea set out of the cupboard to make a sweet little spot. </div></div><br /></div> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMSmuamYurTrQeVboDax8DGqHDfoodBOVv6nfZ2iVfGaVN1LbJOtl9t8N4Kbf_kS3elTBEkhjvMaHZE6YOLhjBrOA_UoSaa_zWkmcOB_EW_ksIcTqmtlxo34p6F4VC-RJ4wchVXOcDJ7M5/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="347" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMSmuamYurTrQeVboDax8DGqHDfoodBOVv6nfZ2iVfGaVN1LbJOtl9t8N4Kbf_kS3elTBEkhjvMaHZE6YOLhjBrOA_UoSaa_zWkmcOB_EW_ksIcTqmtlxo34p6F4VC-RJ4wchVXOcDJ7M5/w260-h347/1.jpg" width="260" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvQpWyMJX5hUq_UsWOppHzuJ5ErMC1zVwfeScFjm5q_ReoHUtJZwhr7muyFLJUfahjtr5ghSeazaJtGAVGWTVK7Q3K3PwKqyTL5TysJb1mszg_ap0TxdATFSP8A1Fm2zEhsdvSz84HHxim/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="349" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvQpWyMJX5hUq_UsWOppHzuJ5ErMC1zVwfeScFjm5q_ReoHUtJZwhr7muyFLJUfahjtr5ghSeazaJtGAVGWTVK7Q3K3PwKqyTL5TysJb1mszg_ap0TxdATFSP8A1Fm2zEhsdvSz84HHxim/w261-h349/3.jpg" width="261" /></a><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>One bright spot in January: the arrival of the season's seed catalogs. Burbee's arrives first The Head Gardener is already after me to pick my favorites as he has his overly ambitious plant list made. Why do two old people need a dozen tomato plants? </div><div><br /><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpJtXXUOTobJzrIG0yakICMkBtr70-qgLyagZAZMZtO4RDjrECrWHE1hglFzuHGzQM8DyD0b7RlXzK5YbcYApeSDWWyIaiKklw9eaE8NK2DwnK5qB9J4o_yjwxoFdrTdRb5sdEfDKaN8So/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpJtXXUOTobJzrIG0yakICMkBtr70-qgLyagZAZMZtO4RDjrECrWHE1hglFzuHGzQM8DyD0b7RlXzK5YbcYApeSDWWyIaiKklw9eaE8NK2DwnK5qB9J4o_yjwxoFdrTdRb5sdEfDKaN8So/w480-h640/Untitled.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">My list will include lots of my favorites: a variety of sunflowers and an awesome collection of zinnias.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Now, it's time to get dressed, eat some breakfast, and get my day started.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Thanks for visiting. Drop by <a href="http://tentoesinthewater.blogspot.com" target="_blank">Mosaic Monday</a> where I'll be linking my own Monday Mosaic.</div><br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p></p></div></div></div></div>annhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01668006270534204954noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6460244051990142578.post-32777747871085886062021-01-11T10:44:00.015-07:002021-01-11T10:51:00.316-07:00Keeping Busy<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br />It's more that it's winter and cold and there's snow on the ground and probably patches of ice here and there that's keeping me home, while I still have to admit that the pandemic has something to do with my limited movement in the outside world. Regardless of why we are staying close to home, we have to keep busy. What has kept you busy these cold, dreary winter days? <p></p><p>I always pick up my crochet hooks in the winter to keep my hands busy and to make things for the grandkids like these little cloche or beanie hats. I got started early because Nathan explained that he had lost the hat that I made for him last year, so I him another one: black with red, green, and blue stripes along with the fingerless mittens that he really likes. I made several hats for the girls with flowers and matching fingerless mittens, but didn't take photos. There will also be a new baby girl in the family to spoil, so I made her a little sweeter and hat. She's not yet arrived--any moment now--so I still have time sew on the flower. Right now I'm making myself beanie. </p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVW8qqr7omJrRO_LvzvKlkQJKPGkjPOwpWuq9PkH77Ogt29s0zLqR3g_MzniKjdhDcTOpzTGvtysvlpLgwxu4vl67mhfw1FP8Q8zswuaS8ByfmI5XpzhAcvBDHG0r1OHsYhVZbIc-NMHgK/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="878" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVW8qqr7omJrRO_LvzvKlkQJKPGkjPOwpWuq9PkH77Ogt29s0zLqR3g_MzniKjdhDcTOpzTGvtysvlpLgwxu4vl67mhfw1FP8Q8zswuaS8ByfmI5XpzhAcvBDHG0r1OHsYhVZbIc-NMHgK/w275-h400/1.jpg" width="275" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieLaz-NRnu7Rsb2jVrvYfNknB5oPmfILoF8bewhFQCJa432fvz4FPRzzUmX4LRZTl84Q2DRbzZW197Qjc9oLRHRzwrkj_Rqk-o4AKhRPIYdhlfqwvceDIZXuCOXvMaPhyphenhyphenXpCT29e91RPLT/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieLaz-NRnu7Rsb2jVrvYfNknB5oPmfILoF8bewhFQCJa432fvz4FPRzzUmX4LRZTl84Q2DRbzZW197Qjc9oLRHRzwrkj_Rqk-o4AKhRPIYdhlfqwvceDIZXuCOXvMaPhyphenhyphenXpCT29e91RPLT/w300-h400/1+%25281%2529.jpg" width="300" /></a></p><p>I've started a new dollhouse project, an ambitious one with an addition shown on the left. I picked up this 1998 Dura Craft kit for $40 on Craig's List. Just what I needed--another house. </p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk4bINMediKCZq0z7u2UUVcA5uKZU93FasGGpwsjQxIr1s482b1p_Fm19YjHCMdiyrqz-UK_k8LFnh3iHzw3TnMu_jLidBdpUynnXwjlWfaBhDmRnmpk6at1RbC39vBJYiy8HzPPX-us61/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="927" height="376" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk4bINMediKCZq0z7u2UUVcA5uKZU93FasGGpwsjQxIr1s482b1p_Fm19YjHCMdiyrqz-UK_k8LFnh3iHzw3TnMu_jLidBdpUynnXwjlWfaBhDmRnmpk6at1RbC39vBJYiy8HzPPX-us61/w273-h376/1+%25283%2529.jpg" width="273" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgKFxzxmkPYyJOkRYpzaWOL-E8gO-uB82Y-gOBp4MxbKxq7CkpPBM7WLSfGQbhuxcFLvWS9raeguzFbxXTi2BWPvX1xrs-QdhEClIcEozbu3POb5Pb6adWCh_MC5_X2oy9nZZL5pI8Ymix/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1140" data-original-width="960" height="375" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgKFxzxmkPYyJOkRYpzaWOL-E8gO-uB82Y-gOBp4MxbKxq7CkpPBM7WLSfGQbhuxcFLvWS9raeguzFbxXTi2BWPvX1xrs-QdhEClIcEozbu3POb5Pb6adWCh_MC5_X2oy9nZZL5pI8Ymix/w316-h375/1+%25282%2529.jpg" width="316" /></a></p><p>I always do a dry fit before I start glueing just to work out the assembling process and to figure out where all of the pieces go. It's very easy to get confused and put pieces in the wrong place.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6Tf5E27w9aiK8Z_Tjotnd6CbOHZkhJr5-etvUDdsg7SCoS-GfJckVlhVlc4zOvAffhYWC65N7KPLIlj7by9-K4G49NEm6nm_gMNnkHJefPyN_7qi_nuCzYa22AXwV-Q_DPBbCghQd2n7k/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img alt="" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6Tf5E27w9aiK8Z_Tjotnd6CbOHZkhJr5-etvUDdsg7SCoS-GfJckVlhVlc4zOvAffhYWC65N7KPLIlj7by9-K4G49NEm6nm_gMNnkHJefPyN_7qi_nuCzYa22AXwV-Q_DPBbCghQd2n7k/w640-h480/1+%25285%2529.jpg" width="640" /></a></p><p>It's a large house to begin with and adding two more rooms will make it a very spacious house.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCTONgwFqLLt6bU3XHfOk6sXRWkFi4RRpq-xUws4s9oDnBGjS0DSflNRmqEcLPkPqigDYK7MeLwO-AcGRUrzJ8TfQqgzAnSYPSI4Y66K6DlKldRri2wAE3zgzwyVB9iLwVXTetkD1QCVXJ/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img alt="" data-original-height="762" data-original-width="1280" height="382" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCTONgwFqLLt6bU3XHfOk6sXRWkFi4RRpq-xUws4s9oDnBGjS0DSflNRmqEcLPkPqigDYK7MeLwO-AcGRUrzJ8TfQqgzAnSYPSI4Y66K6DlKldRri2wAE3zgzwyVB9iLwVXTetkD1QCVXJ/w640-h382/1+%25284%2529.jpg" width="640" /></a></p><p>I am waiting for new windows to arrive and a door that will connect the addition, which I am thinking will be the kitchen. You will be able follow my progress on the dollhouse blog <a href="https://annsdollhousedreams.blogspot.com" target="_blank">Ann's Dollhouse Dreams.</a></p><p>As I look out on the snow-covered landscape, I can't help think about the lovely summer flowers. With the pond is covered with ice, it's fun to look back over the summer's photos to remember how pretty the flowers will be come spring and how good it will be to watch the goldfish and the Big Boy koi scoop up a dozen food pellets in on gulp.</p><p><br /></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbrS704HcnAaSlA3i8HdkM6k953nGoLON0IsaxAbL107Jhjfk4ycCvGuuYx8gzx4F0SZEUQRSsQtCk9Aem6XTnCWtLXM3gpidVid40xO9HOS0_JbjXcmkZB9mG612tUQKk88nxxbnjWCHX/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbrS704HcnAaSlA3i8HdkM6k953nGoLON0IsaxAbL107Jhjfk4ycCvGuuYx8gzx4F0SZEUQRSsQtCk9Aem6XTnCWtLXM3gpidVid40xO9HOS0_JbjXcmkZB9mG612tUQKk88nxxbnjWCHX/w300-h400/2+%25282%2529.jpg" width="300" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9G-2sN1jq3J4sZ-L_l9LguVF8vlgT1Lleasb7IGMBx-hComwE9KVBZAOUT9iO8O_yVNPlhTdwHow_LIfrEk77_mJtw5YvTZTbwLDyI-BDBfFxRxwlxG9_j9UopXEMJhWXy5b13Xgp-sBI/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9G-2sN1jq3J4sZ-L_l9LguVF8vlgT1Lleasb7IGMBx-hComwE9KVBZAOUT9iO8O_yVNPlhTdwHow_LIfrEk77_mJtw5YvTZTbwLDyI-BDBfFxRxwlxG9_j9UopXEMJhWXy5b13Xgp-sBI/w300-h400/1+%25284%2529.jpg" width="300" /></a><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFw151UMfhaEbfF5KFMEFdx0riB73C3OJA1DH9XqsMF5VKucEhyS37R6HlCWPq2GXRGZhkxCwD5xAs7emqDynthPCfIbomgsy2bWGDqy93Wn38x6l9C4LcDVMDmJUWIQphQvZUeg3lMQUP/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="853" data-original-width="1280" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFw151UMfhaEbfF5KFMEFdx0riB73C3OJA1DH9XqsMF5VKucEhyS37R6HlCWPq2GXRGZhkxCwD5xAs7emqDynthPCfIbomgsy2bWGDqy93Wn38x6l9C4LcDVMDmJUWIQphQvZUeg3lMQUP/w640-h426/7.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The water lilies were spectacular last summer with all three colors blooming at once: the white, yellow, and pink.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6K0fOZsFkgmr4tlLr5NIr6Zh8lNO2uGSttrsth6QYMUtGYBKyG2eZK3f3hQj-OPeKc5M9OhjBvNhlJ0POSDGG9ue7uDjBfd0joNeeOoc46EBgfDALRNBxvna-QXbgDaiAbiufCnFJF97F/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="853" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6K0fOZsFkgmr4tlLr5NIr6Zh8lNO2uGSttrsth6QYMUtGYBKyG2eZK3f3hQj-OPeKc5M9OhjBvNhlJ0POSDGG9ue7uDjBfd0joNeeOoc46EBgfDALRNBxvna-QXbgDaiAbiufCnFJF97F/w427-h640/6.jpg" width="427" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrh65RPE6zwdRYwdDPwD-6uTjU8A5sm12z9zS8rMbAO_nU1gFUwKPUE7UbQ-NwxdkHEl1kjJnY-kK1mtgz8aVX5pmD25sh_-w5BlnHn8nMy4ndTv5YLopdFUsdmZ2aIi6LE4LPpLXxaDKx/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="853" data-original-width="1280" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrh65RPE6zwdRYwdDPwD-6uTjU8A5sm12z9zS8rMbAO_nU1gFUwKPUE7UbQ-NwxdkHEl1kjJnY-kK1mtgz8aVX5pmD25sh_-w5BlnHn8nMy4ndTv5YLopdFUsdmZ2aIi6LE4LPpLXxaDKx/w640-h426/5.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">And I'm addicted to the pink Echninacia. I must have taken a hundred photos of this one plant.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmiu8ZVldacxH1-cK74xQWOUE-N_aXmU-avDDYdOE3Do3qhWV2bwmbzwbJ-5iEsLxrU9JYSmd39a2ikDVOFxL8OjXN2bx7lf2dkRs-RFl6PEx_YiH39TDcPbfzjjzjc4pTlCLXOoatJs9h/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="564" data-original-width="348" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmiu8ZVldacxH1-cK74xQWOUE-N_aXmU-avDDYdOE3Do3qhWV2bwmbzwbJ-5iEsLxrU9JYSmd39a2ikDVOFxL8OjXN2bx7lf2dkRs-RFl6PEx_YiH39TDcPbfzjjzjc4pTlCLXOoatJs9h/w395-h640/2+%25282%2529.jpg" width="395" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">In June we continue to enjoy the early garden vegetables, growing a (rare) nearly perfect head of leaf lettuce. We made a mistake and grew burp-less cucumbers which turned out to be a very good thing. They were sweet, delicious, straight, and prolific, which made a very tasty salad.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYw00Ls60idLWQyKlcp1646YxRP0yMT-7Vrl9pt3pbvTsnE_bKuyR9SNHPRC5RxmClZDSVlSzB-3lF11V-br5gPGS3xDCQWZmo9c-JNo7VSUlPpHnSkrhi9UFP5gCMmFLNAhUk1dBlXfYv/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYw00Ls60idLWQyKlcp1646YxRP0yMT-7Vrl9pt3pbvTsnE_bKuyR9SNHPRC5RxmClZDSVlSzB-3lF11V-br5gPGS3xDCQWZmo9c-JNo7VSUlPpHnSkrhi9UFP5gCMmFLNAhUk1dBlXfYv/w640-h480/veggies.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">And that was June.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Speaking of Anns' Dollhouse Dreams blog, did you noticed that I inadvertently posted the Garden Spot post over there? Once I figured out my mistake, I just left it. Oh well.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Thanks so much for visiting today. I'll be linking with <a href="http://tentoesinthewater.blogspot.com" target="_blank">Angie at Mosaic Monday</a>--for real.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Have a great week, friends. </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p></p>annhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01668006270534204954noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6460244051990142578.post-47349969225175765472021-01-04T20:13:00.003-07:002021-01-04T20:13:29.622-07:00Oops<p> I just discovered that I posted today's Monday Mosaic on my dollhouse blog.😩😕😖, so I will redirect you there. <a href="http://annsdollhousedreams.blogspot.com" target="_blank">http://annsdollhousedreams.blogspot.com</a></p>annhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01668006270534204954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6460244051990142578.post-89271309860078578712020-12-28T17:04:00.003-07:002020-12-28T17:04:53.442-07:00Bringing Home the Hens<p>In March our lives changed. I doubt that any of us were prepared for what was to come. Who would have thought that Main Street also a state highway in our little town--and yours--would be empty? </p><p>Life, though, at the Garden Spot just a couple of blocks south of the main highway continued on, quietly and steadily. The horses were glad to find fresh blades of green grass beneath the winter's thatch as March began to warm.</p><p>The Head Gardener prepared the garden, just as he did every other year.</p><p>He built an hot spot in the corner of the barn to start his tomatoes.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBZsHsSreYX6ueEEJQT4nxxRpdY6MrntXlXnugMzLNU2-boePHzSlogUOvrzgMBNAappdXH88y-PYVw4OCGc90YmtuzA9RLL8gKjfgvDiKhL60cdEvKd1EzzCVf7ams-dC9tuEh-kDNv2k/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img alt="" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBZsHsSreYX6ueEEJQT4nxxRpdY6MrntXlXnugMzLNU2-boePHzSlogUOvrzgMBNAappdXH88y-PYVw4OCGc90YmtuzA9RLL8gKjfgvDiKhL60cdEvKd1EzzCVf7ams-dC9tuEh-kDNv2k/w480-h640/quarentine.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Mother Nature, unfazed by government mandates to social distant, wear masks, stay home, and wash hands, put on her Spring Show and we were so thankful that she didn't let us down.</div><p style="text-align: left;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV9CQyUoIVL84N1KWSgqdtJdmEseO-H1OMwZxOPtU27gtX6WgPN0f3saXzlzipzz9N81thTDzHxTavyMO31JfMm9pXz-smB1E-foomJvIShIkWUYj1FLYY2phAagMZoH7_0-8sCBa-W_bY/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV9CQyUoIVL84N1KWSgqdtJdmEseO-H1OMwZxOPtU27gtX6WgPN0f3saXzlzipzz9N81thTDzHxTavyMO31JfMm9pXz-smB1E-foomJvIShIkWUYj1FLYY2phAagMZoH7_0-8sCBa-W_bY/s16000/spring.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">To pass the time, I retreated to the basement and built a replica of our Hen House. You can watch me build it on my other blog that I did keep up: <a href="https://annsdollhousedreams.blogspot.com/search?q=Chicken+house" target="_blank">When the Hens Come to Roost</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUKdJnnSbWwh29reqfTaNQVM4FjkLTXQrfAi-OVsOPXU2_uAKrmxRGDhM1nuauZE2ZWFHfWOC_s0fAeJG2M_5zcIh6XLxWORG82e8nGAPpJByijAZddUNLmKoNX_3kYbTgwTWr_DyzPixx/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUKdJnnSbWwh29reqfTaNQVM4FjkLTXQrfAi-OVsOPXU2_uAKrmxRGDhM1nuauZE2ZWFHfWOC_s0fAeJG2M_5zcIh6XLxWORG82e8nGAPpJByijAZddUNLmKoNX_3kYbTgwTWr_DyzPixx/" width="180" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWY2FwQ7MERzQXE6nGrWlUpBNUEPEB8xjHl-dYcpTGgQ3bTveM-NGfN6z6MKL1ndCnaGlMG3atAMDNcsQjNuj05QUJ3kUdzLtTGwKuQKFB-vORK4Yx392bDOL7oaYgtghaMa-V5yl1jbcF/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWY2FwQ7MERzQXE6nGrWlUpBNUEPEB8xjHl-dYcpTGgQ3bTveM-NGfN6z6MKL1ndCnaGlMG3atAMDNcsQjNuj05QUJ3kUdzLtTGwKuQKFB-vORK4Yx392bDOL7oaYgtghaMa-V5yl1jbcF/" width="180" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I even made the chicken feeder and waterer.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAETZ4f8i9ZxbNXeIpe4MB-ZwWIAIh4nZBNqox1k_i3cK4-bcSjQPfw0f4YfN1zCGwjjlo2HyXtpCbHXfgllbVFHjxhLgZS8XYhyphenhyphenZhk3iFBeCXH4ejRefqkSzwGL_iyKyzKx110nt883sy/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="429" data-original-width="512" height="537" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAETZ4f8i9ZxbNXeIpe4MB-ZwWIAIh4nZBNqox1k_i3cK4-bcSjQPfw0f4YfN1zCGwjjlo2HyXtpCbHXfgllbVFHjxhLgZS8XYhyphenhyphenZhk3iFBeCXH4ejRefqkSzwGL_iyKyzKx110nt883sy/w640-h537/3+%25281%2529.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /></div><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVmz4KFbPKjYjEitIMQQN46lcseVX3AeC9ZsuSEwpSQGbq0VpmuC-d_xlywuFNsn3mGpy8m_zHVRk1-ckM4vDCrzL4ve6MuEmr5EiUzZ1uyUJIjJRIF1TrN9_f0sqH5kSvOC6zumyzVol9/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVmz4KFbPKjYjEitIMQQN46lcseVX3AeC9ZsuSEwpSQGbq0VpmuC-d_xlywuFNsn3mGpy8m_zHVRk1-ckM4vDCrzL4ve6MuEmr5EiUzZ1uyUJIjJRIF1TrN9_f0sqH5kSvOC6zumyzVol9/w480-h640/4+%25281%2529.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Nothing like a basketful of fresh eggs!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I even put bears in the window like others did all over the country, only no one saw them since we are so far off o the road.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7LhGOoF85U5gOkke6OYYxDEfQvPIvPV2y0kwZRPW5djY1VPbROZqUcj-m75OfA8JBLZuqSnnHF0qx-G7Wj-k3na3WIi18tFiwyawL88Dj5Rvbv1QJ5MKAnKcwFWzEtwyHPixWomtjM-nq/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7LhGOoF85U5gOkke6OYYxDEfQvPIvPV2y0kwZRPW5djY1VPbROZqUcj-m75OfA8JBLZuqSnnHF0qx-G7Wj-k3na3WIi18tFiwyawL88Dj5Rvbv1QJ5MKAnKcwFWzEtwyHPixWomtjM-nq/w480-h640/1+%25282%2529.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">As 2020 ends, we are still social distancing, still hiding in the basement on these cold, wintery days, mostly because it's cold and snowy outside. We've stayed healthy and kept ourselves entertained. We look forward to a kinder, gentler year for 2021.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">To you, my friends, Happy New Year. Be Well. Be Happy. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Thank you for visiting. <a href="http://tentoesinthewater.blogspot.com" target="_blank">I'll be joining Angie for Mosaic Monday.</a> See you there.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p></p>annhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01668006270534204954noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6460244051990142578.post-22252472996979021962020-12-20T21:32:00.002-07:002020-12-20T21:32:37.749-07:00Sending You our Holiday Wishes for A Joyous Season<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;">Some time ago, Sundance fell. We don't really know when or how, but he was badly hurt and lame in his right hind quarter. Jennifer sought the </span>veterinary clinic and the round of tests and exams began, followed with attempts at physical therapies. The diagnosis was a broken pelvis. The vet felt that he would heal with stall rest where he was confined for six weeks. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Months of lameness followed. It was painful to watch him as he'd take his daily walk to the front pasture. Some days he wouldn't even attempt the walk. Other days he'd only go half way. He was put on Prevacox, a arthritic anti inflammatory for dogs, but it didn't seem to help much. He went on CBD oil and we thought that he made some improvement then we changed brands and he had a set back. Jennifer tried acupuncture, chiropractic, and massage therapy but the cost became a burden and didn't seem to be working. Last summer he was so crippled that the end was inevitable . Both the veterinary and the farrier' recommended putting him down. The vet prescribed short term a powerful pain reliever that would hard on his stomach to make him comfortable until the decision could be made. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Sundance's movement began to improve slightly. He still was terribly lame, but he didn't seem to be in pain, nor did he show signs of stomach distress. Now months later he has improved noticeable. Jennifer found a therapist who does an electromagnetic treatment combined with massage; thus the white hose that you see over his back delivers the electric current. It seems hocus-pocus, unless you've had any chiropractic work done, you will understand the concept of using electric current to open pores to improve blood flow, especially to the injury. Along with the magnetic treatment, Nicole does massage on the sore muscle tissue. He really is sore all over because he has to compensate for the damage done to the hind quarter.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Finally after several treatments, Sundance shows improvement. He will always limp, but now his gait seems more fluid, easier. The old boy still has spirit and would love to run out to his favorite grazing spot, and he tries. It is that effort that lets us know that he feels better and that his treatments are bringing him some relief. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdprByBlj4PilklLC4Hu1J0JrOMoKoL1YhPqXJOzyxoiB8fhhQqIWRJc-X2BLQAwMTv3M094g7JQK7twak1wMjeKPOmU1t0yF7w9EI-QG_D744bWoec1YePWJ8t0okOp-grb06JphtZdFk/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdprByBlj4PilklLC4Hu1J0JrOMoKoL1YhPqXJOzyxoiB8fhhQqIWRJc-X2BLQAwMTv3M094g7JQK7twak1wMjeKPOmU1t0yF7w9EI-QG_D744bWoec1YePWJ8t0okOp-grb06JphtZdFk/w400-h300/1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> Jennifer is very thankful that she has found Nicole who patiently and lovelingly works on Sundance. At first he refused to recognize that she was trying make him fell better, ignoring her. Now he seems to welcome her therapy. Horses have a way telling us what they are thinking.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Realistically we know that one day that very hard decision will have be made, but this 24 year old boy is going to be around a while longer, a lot longer, we hope.</div><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0 0 0 40px; padding: 0px;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div></div></blockquote><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0 0 0 40px; padding: 0px;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div></blockquote><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYDEpPugykdhUznvHqoWidTURU1bvA-JFm4NHwsXesJSFEyMcCK4fzylMVBDhB5Too2iQyVxCes_QX3JVRvL6sFmzhaDO6TBu_4n4HFCINWeYyCaMH2aLBE7JRC3vYV8p50lFkZ4ZAo0CB/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="218" data-original-width="256" height="341" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYDEpPugykdhUznvHqoWidTURU1bvA-JFm4NHwsXesJSFEyMcCK4fzylMVBDhB5Too2iQyVxCes_QX3JVRvL6sFmzhaDO6TBu_4n4HFCINWeYyCaMH2aLBE7JRC3vYV8p50lFkZ4ZAo0CB/w400-h341/1+%25281%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">His ears are forward. He's enjoying his massage.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSBM4L02nr64P0mu02MCAKSILW0zMgeEAMAB0UpA4bSbgZoCVMRfekO3z2IdfH38DVqabBTOIntOySMhYKXgpBRkjidW1yx_siwYH2b5wp-t4zSyYWrHm6-fVhvy84A7Z-HCItbRJruqis/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="218" data-original-width="256" height="340" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSBM4L02nr64P0mu02MCAKSILW0zMgeEAMAB0UpA4bSbgZoCVMRfekO3z2IdfH38DVqabBTOIntOySMhYKXgpBRkjidW1yx_siwYH2b5wp-t4zSyYWrHm6-fVhvy84A7Z-HCItbRJruqis/w400-h340/1+%25281%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">When the sun goes down, the lights come on. We've put lights on our trees along the front road most years that we have been here. The trees are out growing their 3 strands of lights. We added lights to the fence, too. Two 400 light strands--the length longer than a football field.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkhy2FwBGJkQC77ssZ6NumhPX61w-py-uMHuNGZW2mCxvVO0ghnmenIVQcrG8rx3jMJn41cIF90pI1fz0tE7Cf6M0RrOrZk8iJsFaB3Qv-lRMFJ2gHnq5F2vfFwBiRqUN99Fofm6M0BWGu/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="512" data-original-width="512" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkhy2FwBGJkQC77ssZ6NumhPX61w-py-uMHuNGZW2mCxvVO0ghnmenIVQcrG8rx3jMJn41cIF90pI1fz0tE7Cf6M0RrOrZk8iJsFaB3Qv-lRMFJ2gHnq5F2vfFwBiRqUN99Fofm6M0BWGu/w400-h400/3.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The lights are hard to photograph at night, too; thus the blurry effect that I rather like.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2MKGFrD5q6Rpv48TBv39QodB3VugPv-2oY_istSU7jjRzkzqG7eb-CPk_o_bio3tyaDaRAean9eorixtEsBb41vCsWhBGFMMW-OOm-PVfve3FaMQWjuH2tZKMrZoe-AIIpFTkH4ziAxAA/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="512" data-original-width="512" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2MKGFrD5q6Rpv48TBv39QodB3VugPv-2oY_istSU7jjRzkzqG7eb-CPk_o_bio3tyaDaRAean9eorixtEsBb41vCsWhBGFMMW-OOm-PVfve3FaMQWjuH2tZKMrZoe-AIIpFTkH4ziAxAA/w400-h400/4.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We had a little visitor and I do mean little. Some how a nuthatch found his way inside. Actually it was pretty easy; we left the front door open. So there he was at the window looking out, wondering, I'm sure why he couldn't penetrate the glass.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhrFXM5h0zt4CymvTusulaIXs6k8oGG74vNXHcm6rxa3Ld0Jstz3qXNXWW7sTERQnt8ckihrCKJkTSNVgBwjDvhyphenhyphen8tINT0CuXe6pSH3DjbPy92dKuLhmgjSZ63bhI7pdtO5iSFvg0b2akv/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="512" data-original-width="489" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhrFXM5h0zt4CymvTusulaIXs6k8oGG74vNXHcm6rxa3Ld0Jstz3qXNXWW7sTERQnt8ckihrCKJkTSNVgBwjDvhyphenhyphen8tINT0CuXe6pSH3DjbPy92dKuLhmgjSZ63bhI7pdtO5iSFvg0b2akv/w611-h640/1+%25283%2529.jpg" width="611" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">He was rather tame. The Head Gardener was able to get him to sit in his hand.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_Gczy8A8esvmWZM167f3qo05tH9Jn5d4O-bLusLtykFwlQNf-kMmhaDK2evuD1jK_AfKpJEto03y2snqAV7k0LHWnrOMnF6ZQNYQwkiInSRQu7ujPtF-vtAJNTKF78aJYdhyphenhyphennKMJwA8gy/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="256" data-original-width="192" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_Gczy8A8esvmWZM167f3qo05tH9Jn5d4O-bLusLtykFwlQNf-kMmhaDK2evuD1jK_AfKpJEto03y2snqAV7k0LHWnrOMnF6ZQNYQwkiInSRQu7ujPtF-vtAJNTKF78aJYdhyphenhyphennKMJwA8gy/w300-h400/1+%25284%2529.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Thinking that he really friendly, we decided to take more photos and then the little guy flew through the kitchen into thelivingroom and right into the back patio door that he hit full force and knock himself out.We worried that he had fatally injured himself. He sat motionless looking dazed and injured, but we put him in a spare bird cage and waited for him to come around. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">By bed time he had recovered and was ready to fly. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">We released him in the morning. All the HG had to was to open the cage door and he zoomed right out.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwCjkykOHHIUlte-hceIPW_q40dVtrosmRAoFTHDjxL6iJU2z7qI19WxfxNlLkltZq0g0YQ_6NW-tlakLByfnIfR1-uaPDAgAAj-ZKmD34cIBNyyXpj4LmzoKkYoSid4tmiUOa6slV-8X5/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="295" data-original-width="166" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwCjkykOHHIUlte-hceIPW_q40dVtrosmRAoFTHDjxL6iJU2z7qI19WxfxNlLkltZq0g0YQ_6NW-tlakLByfnIfR1-uaPDAgAAj-ZKmD34cIBNyyXpj4LmzoKkYoSid4tmiUOa6slV-8X5/w225-h400/1+%25285%2529.jpg" width="225" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHXRhm87rFyLx1MHy5xLsHpR9wkVtcMiynCzsIbBd6TjYdFRIMvgLxCOIIYcXp5RCL65GzKUgPMvbWNA4-5cg6V78RzhsqtlGBLrHHzm3_WrbPGyCsqupRFgWtwbK-8kdX-Yay796QjtvJ/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="256" data-original-width="192" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHXRhm87rFyLx1MHy5xLsHpR9wkVtcMiynCzsIbBd6TjYdFRIMvgLxCOIIYcXp5RCL65GzKUgPMvbWNA4-5cg6V78RzhsqtlGBLrHHzm3_WrbPGyCsqupRFgWtwbK-8kdX-Yay796QjtvJ/w300-h400/1+%25286%2529.jpg" width="300" /></a><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div>We're all lit up inside, too. We exchanged the everyday lights out of the chandelier, replacing them with colored lights. We don't get much light, but I love the effect.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDxIL4Yar5InkbDYi6bbUd6CoWvtQ9tQLCgj3YHnupfeZu6iWHehiIOiYXaC316A_YM6PFO1ecuVQKZzjBOC4uXeGbu7JX8PhAegEP-Hn1VfdW6E00YnCooW16_fZxD8Q0u14GxN0wMe1V/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="256" data-original-width="245" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDxIL4Yar5InkbDYi6bbUd6CoWvtQ9tQLCgj3YHnupfeZu6iWHehiIOiYXaC316A_YM6PFO1ecuVQKZzjBOC4uXeGbu7JX8PhAegEP-Hn1VfdW6E00YnCooW16_fZxD8Q0u14GxN0wMe1V/w613-h640/1+%25287%2529.jpg" width="613" /></a>. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The village is all set up. Several years ago I wrote my favorite post on the village. You can revisit it here:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://annsgardenspot.blogspot.com/2012/12/my-town.html" target="_blank">My Town</a><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX7PHbfX25B8-hX28U8TKtbrPj8JFJ7hZ4ZzhQptFnWzFVt6g9qpOXv43sNeq88NosGYOda4xcJbzEmoQ81AMD7BxKhEriIOf_nrZlPFVlWKPYIHuDDtbUqDCxyTsklhp6FOZbx77AMCyL/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="256" data-original-width="192" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX7PHbfX25B8-hX28U8TKtbrPj8JFJ7hZ4ZzhQptFnWzFVt6g9qpOXv43sNeq88NosGYOda4xcJbzEmoQ81AMD7BxKhEriIOf_nrZlPFVlWKPYIHuDDtbUqDCxyTsklhp6FOZbx77AMCyL/" width="180" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuoXIwyoTu2ho5lRXA0Ugzph9bxr2H0jHR3PbFPSpSf2XzGBFOv1oT3tRjvTMC2-pbBhZvbiqhETa5XULoXQxkuzX3iCAre6uXIPf9obCwpwGBC6WF69yUODEzkqEHMdNI2g8N7TjOfSQJ/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="256" data-original-width="192" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuoXIwyoTu2ho5lRXA0Ugzph9bxr2H0jHR3PbFPSpSf2XzGBFOv1oT3tRjvTMC2-pbBhZvbiqhETa5XULoXQxkuzX3iCAre6uXIPf9obCwpwGBC6WF69yUODEzkqEHMdNI2g8N7TjOfSQJ/" width="180" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Just playin' around.</div></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: left;">I went with the traditional colors this year instead of my favorite pink tree, using the multicolored lights on the tree and the vintage decorations that represent a hundred years of family memories with ornaments from grandmother's tree, my mom's tree, and our first tree in 1974. I've collected those battery operated candles that are self timers. They light for 5 hours then go to sleep. They are so realistic and so much safer.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcZCCuevCCg0BzLTuRcSEVvvjy7bxXplip34v1hUWtXs714zEQcZPCO0mXPkpRfDJpactAd5T51M6GVGVThSj8bOXiLKCQVTgp8G8YJg3FEr9sLvtsj3tuw3MziGETYtZV2mxqsL7L-EJF/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="192" data-original-width="256" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcZCCuevCCg0BzLTuRcSEVvvjy7bxXplip34v1hUWtXs714zEQcZPCO0mXPkpRfDJpactAd5T51M6GVGVThSj8bOXiLKCQVTgp8G8YJg3FEr9sLvtsj3tuw3MziGETYtZV2mxqsL7L-EJF/w640-h480/1+%252810%2529.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibfuIAbx8bk0at3fQ_WUtLgu0Y6luHY91ZYPVTERRK6EfOQhLxM3Fmyrq3gy4NiakAytLdMop9lp_5_LhUcJqhQzpfLdMErpROMEZ9daL162_pljwFGnQBsNs030prAe1ZRdGfFzn2WdBP/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="256" data-original-width="192" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibfuIAbx8bk0at3fQ_WUtLgu0Y6luHY91ZYPVTERRK6EfOQhLxM3Fmyrq3gy4NiakAytLdMop9lp_5_LhUcJqhQzpfLdMErpROMEZ9daL162_pljwFGnQBsNs030prAe1ZRdGfFzn2WdBP/w480-h640/1+%252811%2529.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Even though I scaled back in decorating, I did decorate the tree for the kitchen dedicated to the birds. </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA41y3CvRhBVl5K1Ggcvw9B33ygHz5HNhoXGWfsHzH1z9YbBdoq4i5yOkJMZS3S37cKz2qxLJ7qQlTu0rjbXWQWLVQeuVUUlsZ8pHbdzP0VU-NiwPYx5b9MnVTZsFcx9C0aZvwy7VOH1gB/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="256" data-original-width="192" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA41y3CvRhBVl5K1Ggcvw9B33ygHz5HNhoXGWfsHzH1z9YbBdoq4i5yOkJMZS3S37cKz2qxLJ7qQlTu0rjbXWQWLVQeuVUUlsZ8pHbdzP0VU-NiwPYx5b9MnVTZsFcx9C0aZvwy7VOH1gB/w300-h400/4+%25281%2529.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">This village looks pretty much the same. I'm getting better and setting it up after all of these years.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Some of my friends are not just scaling back, they are done with Christmas. No decorating. No gift buying. Maybe some gift cards. I'm getting slower this year. I have yet wrap a single package; nor have I baked a single cookie. We just don't need the sweets tempting us as we watch our sugar intake and weight. I still have the spirit and love the holiday season. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I've got a busy week ahead.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">This year's village. It looks pretty much the same as it always does.</span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4uISA1r6SPMkJ5JBl-E4j8i9JdNROM6gn58KRiXGdtQMeXBEyIQu50WcpxxM5NPnMQdZP9z-J9Fj3jcM6ecexwY4LtN7B8lGFtEwYf1JaAENaJ7wb9o2HVOx8sgMwD1uCcUjaqwTt9-Tb/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="192" data-original-width="256" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4uISA1r6SPMkJ5JBl-E4j8i9JdNROM6gn58KRiXGdtQMeXBEyIQu50WcpxxM5NPnMQdZP9z-J9Fj3jcM6ecexwY4LtN7B8lGFtEwYf1JaAENaJ7wb9o2HVOx8sgMwD1uCcUjaqwTt9-Tb/w400-h300/2+%25281%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy0Z4CpowMkGFW66kf7I7XmzospmKA0s7aQq_FqyhkGu5PBqk1y9eGzXehKl_naL2lpzGCGMMV2nIvm12mTJz-_ARZcoe89zMIdmaXMOz8_V3p2-o1S-qE1mztAwV2ebXkc5hpCLgt33tY/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="192" data-original-width="256" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy0Z4CpowMkGFW66kf7I7XmzospmKA0s7aQq_FqyhkGu5PBqk1y9eGzXehKl_naL2lpzGCGMMV2nIvm12mTJz-_ARZcoe89zMIdmaXMOz8_V3p2-o1S-qE1mztAwV2ebXkc5hpCLgt33tY/w400-h300/3+%25281%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI1bL18ZVaNEJdjgZaIsFprJQ1iCcs1e3-ZU5UlQEFUHIypKnCX78cuCq89ynrQob0vDln98EbXi2IUZzvwiRjv2QXRqdl713bHi2t01cGe4rQzsusB7moACieroc3QJbJl5ezyQf4Xybg/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI1bL18ZVaNEJdjgZaIsFprJQ1iCcs1e3-ZU5UlQEFUHIypKnCX78cuCq89ynrQob0vDln98EbXi2IUZzvwiRjv2QXRqdl713bHi2t01cGe4rQzsusB7moACieroc3QJbJl5ezyQf4Xybg/w640-h480/horse+merry+christmas.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />Thanks for visiting.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I'm linking with <a href="http://tentoesinthewater.blogspot.com" target="_blank">Mosaic Monday.</a> See you there.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /> <p></p>annhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01668006270534204954noreply@blogger.com2