Book Club Adventure

As I type this I am humming the Sesame Street song, "One of These Things Doesn't Belong Here..."  Can you guess which picture was not taken at my house? 

The past two weeks in my garden...

That's right - The Butterfly.  In March, my book club read Flight Pattern by Barbara Kingsolver and we had our meeting during the first week in April at the Fort Worth Botanic Garden - lunch and a tour of the butterfly exhibit. We visited just before the Asian butterflies left town.  A good time was had by all.



This exhibit was amazing.

The butterflies were beautiful.  I wasn't allowed to touch them or bring one home with me. It's just as well, we are getting really serious about our kitchen redo. So serious that I am trying to make room in the house for all the kitchen stuff that has to be moved during the remodel.  No room for the odd butterfly or two and, to show my husband I can "get rid of things," I am giving away my copy of our March book.

If you would like to own Flight Pattern it just so happens I have a copy that I would love to send it to you. Just let me know in the comment section and I'll put all the names in mixing bowl and let Mr. J&C do the honors. 

The winner will be chosen the next time I post a blog or next Wednesday - which ever comes first.  Chances of winning are if-y to a sure thing depending on how many / if anyone comments and if I can find a mixing bowl.  I'll contact the winner to get your mailing address and send it to you - yes, I'll even send it to far away places like Dallas or New Zealand...

I made these photo collages using iPiccy - the version I use is free and it has been updated to include ready made sizes like Facebook Cover and Twitter Picture. I used iPiccy to create my header and that's also how I 'signed' the pictures in this post...

Lucky Me

I love to plan and I love it when a plan comes together.  Some might call it luck, but I believe "Luck" happens when hard work and preparation come together at just the right time.

Something I didn't plan was this sunflower. 

A sunflower blooming the first week of May is new for me - I'm lucky (there's that word again) if I can get them to bloom by August.  I first have to tell you I did not plant it.  A careless squirrel or bird got this beauty started for me. 

Mid April.
Yes, it seems the birdfeeder is always be slanted, I think it's because of the squirrels
or maybe I just need to get out there and straighten up the pole.

When I noticed it coming up, right next to the bird feeder, my first impulse was to pull it up.  But I just left it to see what would happen.  As I explained in my post "Moving On" (June 2011) the squirrels and I have a running battle over the bird feeder here outside the kitchen window.  This particular bird feeder ("Texas Star" - got it at Lowes) is metal.  I have had it almost a year and I love it - so do the birds and squirrels.

Last Friday I noticed that 'someone' had used the sunflower to break a fall or as a climbing aid.  Either way the flower was broken.

Too bad. I saw this and thought
"Next time I mow, I'll get rid of the poor thing."

Now here it is Tuesday morning and "TA DA!"  How lucky am I?  I have a sunflower blooming just outside my kitchen making even this cloudy day seem sunshiny.

Talk about blooming where you are planted - no matter what.

I have to put away my computer and get busy.  The carpets are scheduled to be cleaned this week, the guest room looks like a quilt bomb went off in it (I really, really need to finish my sewing room), and my neighbor stopped me while I was outside taking pictures for this post to ask me if I'd seen the article in this morning's paper about all the snakes around town...  He asked this just as I reached down to pick a few blackberries.

He looked at the blackberries in my hand and then back at the garden (imagine eyebrow raised to suggest weeding might be in order) and told me how lucky I was I didn't get snake bit.

I better get busy. 

Don't worry about me.  I will get the rooms cleaned and be ready for the carpet cleaners, I'll get back outside and finish weeding the garden (I'm sure all the snakes will have left our side of town by then), and - I've saved the best for last:  All my financial needs will be taken care of.  That's right, I got this email yesterday so I'm sure as soon as this sweet, old thing kicks the bucket, I'll be in the money. 

Maybe I was just born under a Lucky Star.



_______from the email of joyandcomfort@sbcglobal.net

__________________________*******

Re: A Call From Above,

What I am about to do is based on blind trust, hoping and praying that you will expand my wishes as desired. Just recently I have notified my bank that I am willing my fund over to you for a good, effective and prudent work.

I have lost hope because Doctors said that my chances of survival are very poor because several diagnoses confirmed that I have Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma Cancer since the past two years.

My happiness is that I have also adjusted my WILL and notified my lawyer about the adjustments; all you have to do is to contact my bank through my lawyer and present yourself as my appoint charity partner if I don’t make it out from the major surgery that I will be undergoing next week.

I don’t have a child of my own and that was why I decided to will/ this huge sum of amount to you for the good work and also to help the less privileged children and widows.

Mrs. Alimatu Zainab Khalid
__________________________________********


One more thing from cJoy:  Being lucky is one thing.  Being gullible and 'just believing' may not be the way we were meant to live this life.  I'm a bit creeped out by the fact that my good fortune depends of the death of this grammatically challenged woman.  Having blind faith may not be the best way to plan for the future.  And as we all know "HUGE AMOUNT" depends entirely upon your point of view. 



*

Spring

I love this time of year. 

Longer days, shorter nights.

Warmer winds, everything trying to grow - all at once.

We have been blessed with just enough rain 

and  the earth smells wonderful.

My garden gate.

Clematis.

Roses.

Winter was so mild that morning glories are blooming in March.

 

The Onion Patch - March 18.

Onion Patch - March 24.

UPDATE:  Here's my terra cotta rabbit.  I got my husband to tip it over -
 no snake.  So I happily continued to weed this flowerbed.

I did find a little (about the size of a new Number 2 pencil -
only it was light brown instead of yellow)
 ground snake (aren't they all?) in the daylillies -
yes, that was me you heard screaming Saturday morning.
No snake picture. 
I moved the rabbit to remind me where the red yarrow is planted.
I have no idea where the snake went.


*

Another Day in the Country

My mom's home is one of the most peaceful places you could visit.  The best place to have your morning cup of coffee is on the deck watching the birds raid the bird feeders, sun softly shining through the trees, gentle breezes.  It is beautiful with lots of trees, birds, deer, flowers, peace.

One of the many bird feeders my mother has collected and uses around her house.

When you are in the country and your neighbors are not able to see or hear what's going on at your house (like when you flush or change the channel on the t.v. or drink coffee on the deck in your pajamas) life is different.  Relaxing.

Red Camellia, yellow and white daffodils, moss (green) - I love the country.

Mom has flowers around the house.  Then flowerbeds.  Then, at the edge of the garden, just where the woods begin, she's blurred the flowers and the countryside.

I spend most of my time in the city, so the country is a special place to visit.

If you don't have time to get out in the country today here's two morning minutes for you to enjoy.  The picture isn't that clear, but the morning sound is what I was trying to capture.  Rock, Mom's trusty dog, is there beside me trying to be good.  Pushing and pulling me every now and then to put a bit of movement in the picture.

Sorry about the car going by, it was rush hour.



*

Tears of Joy

I spent Saturday evening staring at these flowers, yes, it was just like this - a little blurry, looking through the happy tears of a mom.  I found myself doing mother of the bride things and saying (truthfully) how happy we are that our only daughter has found a good man and we hope and pray the rest of their lives will be blessed.  They seem made for each other - perfect for each other in lots of ways.  He's even a nice fit for our family (I sometimes feel like Dad chose him - he likes a lot of the same things my husband likes - except he cheers for Texas and Dad is an Aggie and will always cheer for Texas A&M - but I understand that this can happen in the best of families).

We (mom & dad) got to plan the dinner for the reception, everything else was Baby's idea. The cakes had to taste homemade and they had to look beautiful (no fondant). She chose all the flowers - arrangements, bouquets and boutonnieres. Candles, low lighting, blazing fireplace, and bubbles (no rice). I won't go into the wedding dress details - I need a drink every time I think about it. At some point (last week!) I gave in and returned my beautiful blue dress and went with the black outfit she picked out (I wouldn't do this for just anyone).

After all the weeks of craziness everything came together and we had a wonderful evening.

The ceremony was sweet, made all the better by the minister, the groom's cousin.  He and his family came from Tennessee to be a part of this happy occasion.  It seemed like everyone was there - from four grandmas to a trio of little nieces (something new for Baby) - lots of family and friends.  We had a fun evening, lots of food and flowers and music.  Got to dance at my Baby's wedding and it was a good thing.

Now we are cleaning up, and taking back the rented and borrowed items that helped make this day special. 

My house, so full this past week that family was sleeping on the floor, is quiet. 

Some day soon things will return to normal - it will be a new normal, we will all adjust.  I've promised not to call after 7 p.m. and I don't expect them to be with us at every family event in the years to come.  Do parents become unnecessary after a wedding?  Will she not need me to comfort her when she skins her knee or a friend buys to same earrings and insists on wearing them when Baby is wearing hers?

I brought a few of the flowers home and although they look purple in
 this picture, these hydrangeas were maroon on Saturday night. 

Baby is very creative and her flowers were beautiful - she even mixed in a little maroon with all her orange and white blooms. I got a call from her on Sunday, lots of thanks, a few quick stories, and a favor to ask. "Mom, could you save me a few of the hydrangeas?"

Of course I can. I'm mom - it's good to know I'm still needed.

*

Autumn

I love this time of year. 
Shorter days, longer nights.
Cooler winds, falling leaves. 

We have been blessed with rain and  

the earth smells wonderful. 

 The plants seem to be playing catch up,

knocking themselves out to bloom. 

My garden has a mid-May look to it. 

Daylilies and roses, blooming for all they are worth. 

They are not as tall as normal and some of the roses
don't have the usual number of petals,

but still they are doing

what they were put on this earth to do.

That's a great lesson for all of us. 

Just live.