Gardening and Birding

What have I been doing you ask?  Gardening!  Oh and mowing!  4 acres to keep mowed keeps us busy!  Having a garden this big has taken a huge amount of my time - but I am not complaining, in fact, I love it!  Take a look at it:

Doesn't it look great?

Steve, Megan and I spend a lot of time out there, and we have some more veggies to add so our supply keeps coming in all summer, but we cannot wait to reap the results of our labor.  It is so nice working here early in the morning.  It is still cool and comfortable so I go out and tweek/water it early every day.  I bought timers so I am not wasting so much water.  Steve is going to drill a water well so we can water from it and not pay the municipal district for our water.  We will still drink their water though!

The straw is working great.  There were a few seeds in it, but I just shuffle the straw and break the roots and it seems to be working fine.  It is definitely keeping the moisture in.  I water once a week right now.  I am sure that will change as the summer comes in, but the straw will definitely keep it down to a minimum. 

Steve made trellis' for the tomatoes to be tied to yesterday.  Now our 'maters can stand up straight!  So far, I have (all) baby 'mators, acorn squash, cucumbers, cabbages, onions, radishes, summer squash and 'tators.  How fun to see them grow!  Gotta love God's little seeds.

Do you see these little bitty trees?  LOL...

This is TEN trees from the Arbor Day society that we paid $10 for.  The last two are cypress trees and we got them free from a fair downtown.  Anyway, we planted a couple in the ground and the rest we planted in pots:

They seem to be doing good in the green house.  We want them to grow up a bit so we can see them when we mow.  All of them but the cypress trees are flowering trees.  Our yard will be so darned pretty!

I have orchids again!  I love them.  They sit in my kitchen window and smile at me every day... or maybe I have that backwards, I smile at them.  They make me smile!

We also have roses!  In Louisiana, I have not been able to keep them alive and pretty.  So far, here they are doing great.  So far.  We shall see.  This was supposed to be a Tropicana rose, but it isn't.  I have no idea what it is, but it has a very strong rose scent and I still love it.  I must get a Tropicana though!  In my rose gardens I need a World Peace Rose, a Peace Rose, a Tropicana, and a Mr Lincoln.  Gotta work on that, but I am so thrilled with how our gardens are thriving!

And we have birds!  Oh looky at the birds!

 

They set outside of our dining room window and munch all day long.  Today I had a special visit from a indigo bunting!   See the little blue guy up there?  I hope he sticks around, but he is bashful.  The goldfinches are not.  

What has been going on in my life in the last couple of weeks?  Of course, Steve's surgery was 2.5 weeks ago and he is doing terrific!  He is working on strengthening now, but overall his progress is amazing!  How did I expect anything less?

I also created a little excitement this week... not by choice.  I had been taking some antibiotics for another round of diverticulitis.  I had just taken another pill about 30 minutes before, and I was sitting in the recliner feeling weird.  I sat up and realized my tongue and throat were swelling closed!  I told Steve I needed to go to the ER and we hauled last to one.  Reality hit that we needed to know exactly what to do out here in the boondocks if such a thing happens again.  I did make it, thankfully and the hospital reacted quickly and reversed the effects.  Thank God!  I have since found out who to call and how to get help right away.  I have also called the ambulance service and air med service to join their services.  Wow, what a scare!  Anaphylaxis is not cool. So glad to be here to write this!

I also want to say, even though we love our place, we miss our friends and Louisiana tremendously.  Living close to family doesn't seem to change things.  I seldom see any of my family and honestly could live in ten buck two and see them as much.  I miss being able to chat about anything with a friend that cares.  I miss hearing about her kids and how they are doing.  I miss seeing Ms. Dottie.  I miss being with Steph and Punkin', getting together with everyone and having great times together.  I haven't forgotten you and I hope you haven't forgotten us.  I hope you come to see us and guess what?  We will be in Louisiana the 26th or so of May.  I can't wait to see you!  I will make time.  'Cause I loves ya!

And now you are caught up to another round of our story.  Some days I think it doesn't pay to write, but I enjoy it so much and I do go back and read on the blog occasionally.  Oh the fun of reading where we have been!  I hope you enjoy it as well.

And I miss you.  Each and every one of my friends; stateside and overseas friends.   I miss you.

*sniff*