Sugar Blossoms

If I had attended the Royal Wedding this morning

I would have made my way down the aisle

and squeezed into the seat

right slap-dap beside

Sir Elton John.

I would have designed my hat

after this,

my first

Sugar Snap Blossom

which made its appearance in the garden yesterday.

Or is that too much of a Flying Nun motif?

I wouldn't want to look like the Flying Nun

sitting by Elton John

at the wedding of

William and Kate.

That would just be weird.

Perhaps if I wore it on the side of my head

rather than the top?

I like the way the British women do that.

Hair pins?

Or maybe it would be less Flying Nunish

if I added some Sugar Snap tendrils?

The tendrils would stick out every which-a-way.

Up and down and all around.

Twisting and turning.

Adding whimsy to the royal affair.

A Sugar Snap Blossom on my head

Tendrils all over the place

Asking for Elton's autograph

While the Queen Mother prays.

I'm beginning to see why I wasn't invited. 

P.S. WooHooHoo!! My Sugar Snaps are a-blooming!!!

So Sad

My thoughts and prayers go out to everyone affected by yesterday's storms.

I'm lucky.
My house is still standing.
No trees down in my yard.
I have power.
Everything in my little world is safe and sound after last night's "historic" storms.

Everything except my tomato plants.

Red Globes

Could today be the day?!
My first Red Globe of the season?!
Should I?!
Ya think?!

Been growing this baby in a container.
From driveway, to porch, to driveway, to garage, to driveway.
Just depends on the weather where it has spent its days and nights so far.

What do you think?
Would you?
Or would you wait one more day?
Or two?
For an even redder red?

Is today THE day for my first Red Globe of the season?
I can't decide.....

MaryJane's Sweet Lena Irises

I posted on The City Farmgirl Blog over at http://www.maryjanesfarm.com/.
Come over and visit with me there.
I'm talking about BAD Coffee.
Anybody know how to make GOOD coffee?
Help!
Here's the link.

I have a bit of MaryJane's farm in my yard.
Her Sweet Lena Irises.

Gorgeous purple blossoms.
Purple is one of my colors. Yours?

And the aroma!
Most Irises I've known don't have much of a fragrance.
Not this baby.
This baby is wonderfully scented.
The smell is simply divine.
I can't describe it.
But I'll try.

Sweet, heavenly, intoxicating.
With an undertone of Grape Kool-Aide.

The other day I was working in the area of the Sweet Lena Irises when suddenly I got that wonderful whiff.
I knew immediately.
The first Iris had opened.
They are always in bloom around here close to Mother's Day.
So Mother's Day must be close?
I need to check the calendar.

Now I have dozens in bloom.

You can order MaryJane's Sweet Iris June through November. So bookmark this link and come over in June to order.
You'll be glad you did next year when they pop into bloom.
And ah.....
Sweet, heavenly, intoxicating, Grape Kool-Aide.

Someone Save Me

I will have nightmares tonight.

For sure.

I will feel them crawling all over me when I lay my head down to rest.

I just felt one on my neck.

Spiders freak me out.

Bet I haven't mentioned that one before,

concentrating as I do on the snakes.

But

"I don't like spiders and snakes.

And that ain't what it takes to love me..."

Remember that song?

I'm so predictable.

Here's a cute you tube link: It's Dolly Parton and Jim Stafford.

And here's my poem of the day.

Warmer weather is here.

The eggs have hatched.

Lord have mercy.

Bathing Beauties

Looking out my aforementioned window view this morning...
I saw a flash of blue above my computer screen.

A BlueBird sat on the fence.
I grabbed my camera.
I took these pictures through the window and the window screen.

So excuse the blur....

How's the water this morning, Mr. Bluebird?

(This is a male bluebird. I do not know snakes, but I know my birds.)

Perfect, he answers me.

In fact, it's so perfect that...

I simply can't resist...

He flies back to the fence to preen.

Then he's gone.

Refreshed.

And Gorgeous.

And then a Cardinal arrives.

The Bathing Beauties this morning are dudes.

How's the water this morning, Mr. Cardinal?

Perfect, he answers.
In fact, it's so perfect that...
I simply can't resist...

And then the Chickadee showed up.

"Excuse me, Chickadee. I'm not quite finished here."

"Are you finished now?"

"Now?"

"How about now?"

Chickadees are small yet persistent. 

They both flew off.

Frustrated with each other.

And then the Chickadee came right back.

Ah...

My turn.

This all happened within the span of 10 minutes.
Cool, huh?

Notes to self: Level the bird bath.
                      And.
                      Clean the bird bath.
                      And.
                      Also.
                      Keep the bird bath forever.

Six Feet Under

I scooted my home computer desk the other day.
Six feet over.
To the window.
And now behind my computer screen is a slice of my world.
Not the best slice,
just a slice.

Better than the "Sienna Sand" colored wall.
Behind the default breath-taking scenes that are my screensaver

Are my every day scenes.

Every day: Where I try to never accept the default.

Scenes that take my breath.

My child playing.

Three dogs looking for trouble. 

Birds building a nest in the bush.

Water falling from the sky.

My small sugar snap pea patch.

And my old beat-up rusting-out pick-up truck.

My truck.

Which I have loved for 20 years.

My truck.

Which my daughter named Elvis the Blue

After her cat-love, Elvis.

Until Elvis, her cat-love, died.

And now she doesn't call it anything.

Because it pains her.

"Should we re-name the truck?" I asked.

"No," she said, "It wouldn't be right."

I am missing asparagus too.

Especially now that it is spring.

I pass by those thin little bright green stalks

in the produce section

and think of their crisp deliciousness.

I pass by

Because Elvis her cat-love loved asparagus

and ate it with us.

One day, I tell myself.

One day soon.

Someone else might park

the truck known as Elvis the Blue

out of this view.

Out of sight.
Out of mind.
For Elvis is dead.
The other one is rusty.

But at this moment

outside my window

above the pea patch

above the red bird at the feeder

above Elvis the Blue

there is a ribboned pink sunrise

coming over the tall trees.

And all of that makes me smile.

This Little Figgy

I planted a fig bush in my yard yesterday.

So the question is this: why?

Why did I plant a fig bush in my yard yesterday?

Is it because I like fig newtons?

No. I have never liked fig newtons.

The only ones I've ever eaten are the strawberry "fig newtons." ha. No figs at all in those.

Is it because I love fig preserves?

No. I do not like fig preserves. Bleh.

Is it because I enjoy figgy pudding during the holidays?

No way. Well, I'm guessing no. This southern girl has never tasted figgy pudding.

It is for one reason and one reason only.

My Daddy has a fig bush in his backyard.

Always has. Always will.

Brown Turkey Figs.

Tradition.

His Dad had one too.

I thought it was about time for me to follow suit.

My canine kiddos approve of my tradition.
Strudel (black), Oreo (black and white),
and Blue (tawny and white)


Some Reference Information:

• How to dry figs: http://www.ochef.com/9.htm
• Fig recipes: http://www.meccagold.com/recipeindex.htm
• Some great information: http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=24
• Note to self: Try this one, sounds delicious: 

Rosemary Fig Confit

1 cup figs, chopped fine
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup water
3 tablespoons honey
1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary leaves
In a 1 1/2-quart heavy saucepan stir together ingredients and simmer, covered, 20 minutes. Remove lid and simmer mixture, stirring occasionally, until most liquid is evaporated and mixture is thickened. In a food processor coarsely purée fig mixture. Confit may be made 5 days ahead and chilled, covered. Bring confit to room temperature before using. Makes about 1 1/4 cups.

My Snag

I posted over at http://www.maryjanesfarm.com/ about my little patch of the earth. Come over and tell us about yours. Here's the link.

I also promised to show off my very own snag. The one in my front yard. The illustration shows how beneficial snags are to various kinds of wildlife.
I know, I know. It looks like my 4th grade daughter drew it.
But rest assured that she did not. I did.
And to be honest, it's much better than my usual. In fact, this might be my best ever. Maybe it's because I was looking at a diagram in a book while I tried to draw it.

My snag is quite tall. I couldn't photograph the top 1/3, but it is riddled with woodpecker holes. I'm sure all kinds of creatures are using those holes for shelter.

Here's the side of it.

And a close-up of the bottom on one of the sides. Cool, huh?

Holes, moss.

Here's the other side. That's my house in the background.

As you can see, it's far enough away not to hit anything when it finally falls down.

In the meantime, it serves a wonderful purpose.

And here's the other side.

Isn't it lovely?

 What do you think of my snag?

Joy in Sharing

Beauty, joy.
It's all around us.
 Take time to

EnJOY the BEAUTY of the day....

And then call someone you love.

Over.

And share it.

Hey you! 

Come over here a second....

That's exactly what I'm doing now.