BLOOMING TUESDAY

I have been invited to join Bloomin Tuesday
These are some of the flowers you will find in my yard this week.

To save space I put my annuals on one picture.I think the is my Hibiscus it just is opening 2 new blooms
and has a few new buds. What a suprise.

This is

Asiatic Dayflower, Blue Dayflower
Commelina communis

next to hosta blooms.

^Free flowers from Mother nature ^Golden rod And birds. As see through my kitchen window.

Jean FOR Blooming Tuesday

Don't let life pass by you.

Stuck in time.

My creative side is still here today. Oh what a joy. Thoughts are running about. I spoke to a dear friend in St. Louis today. We shared our lives on a deeper level today.
I told her about how in my first year here at this new home. I was stuck in time. She knew I was having a hard time dealing with a new life. And dealing with my husband who was recovering from bypass and prostate surgery. I was also dealing with packing and moving 2 times. Once in Jan 05 then again in June 05. Buy the time I got this house livable enough for us to survive. And have some sort of normal luxuries. Like running water. Bathroom. And some heat source. I then broke down. I did not call or talk to any one for months on end. I was stuck in the past. Time did not move forward for me. I so missed my life. I so missed my home. I so missed my family & friends. I got to the point of no return. Then I decided to get help. Believe it or not. Lexapro is the reason I am here today. I have never wanted to take something to depend on. But with in 4 days of taking this med. I wanted to live again. I wanted to talk to friends.
From this episode. I learned to live in the moment. But also I learned If we get caught in the past. Or program our brain. By saying there is no hope. There is no future. Your brain will trap you for ever. I also shared that. This summer was the best for me. Because I did not let my brain say no. You can not do this. I went on the boat with my kids and got in a raft and was pulled in the water. Knowing I could drowned. I put all my faith in that life jacket. I did not let my self go to the point of fear. I did not say to my self no.

In the past I let my life slip by with saying "no I can not do it". But today I am saying." I can not do it today my body will not let me. But I have hope that some day I can do it again."
This is what I have learned about self talk. The more you tell your self I am not able. I can not do it. Or I am fat. I can not loose weight, I can not do it........The more we believe there is no hope. The less self confidence you will have.

You have to say I will try, I will not quit. It is ok if I try and it don't work out.

I am so thankful that I had so much fun this last summer and my kids have new memories of what we did together. Maybe they can forget all the times I could not be there for them. All the days I could not take them places. Because I could not sit or walk. I let the fear of going some where ,and my back or legs would go out. Then I would not be able to get home.
This summer I was also at my friend daughters graduation. I did not make it through sitting in the audience. I watched it at the entry door. Because I could not breath through all the perfume.I also have allergy induced asthma.With the beginning of copd.

You may be saying boy she is a mess. Or she is a toon. I am a normal person who has been beat down by life.And I have survived allot of bad thing. And now I am trying to be a normal person again. With hopes and dreams.

See all the smiles I would have missed
if I would have let my brain say
No you can not swim.
You may not make it through the day.

I did have to go home early but at least I did not miss out on life for this day.

Exploding mind.

Wow, I think my mind is awake today. I am in the mood for input. Like a computer. Over my life time. I have had spurts of learn learn learn. RRRR. Today is one of them. Now it is like ideals just pouring into my brain. I have not felt like this in a while. In 2003 or 4 my husband and I were at a red light waiting. The light turned green and at the same time a police car was coming up beside us. My hubby had no choice but to stay put. But the car behind us stepped on the gas and poured right in the back of our s15 small truck. She picked us up in the rear and turned us sideways in the middle of the intersection. I hit my head on the back side then went up in the air to hit my head on top of roof. This was the start of me loosing my mind. I found that spelling a simple word like Illinois was no longer in my head. This word I wrote allot. As I was doing family tree research at the time. Next thing I found I could no longer make my hands do what I wanted them to do. I tried to install a plug on the out side of our house in St. Louis. I found I could not turn the screw. I could not hold the flap open. It took me forever to put the wire around the terminal. And turn the screw. I had to go in and get hubby to do it for me.
I have always learned to do things my self. It was very hard to say I can not do it.
Today I want to plan a hanging wall garden. I want to continue making this yard a Feng shui garden. I want to build a Zen garden to have a place to sit and think. I want to make a topiary out of a bush. These are just hopes and dreams. As I know my body may not cooperate. At this time it is hard to just do what I need to do. But I find I need to dream of a future . But only recently I have learned to live in the present time. I have learned to be content. But I still have hope. With out hope it is hard to be happy.
In St Louis this was my favorite seat. I sat in the yard and enjoyed nature and my plants.
I placed veggies among the flowers. My yard had balance. Pretty flowers with sustainable food. Here in this yard my wonderful glider sits among weeds and tall grass. My husband had Bypass surgery in Jan 2005. So he can no longer do as much as he could before. It is hard to use the gas weed whacker.And I do not use weed killer. I have use salt to kill weeds. But it would take a truck load for this. So we just pretend it is not there, as it is out of view. But there is rock under this glider. Next year I will lay down plastic and have more rock dumped on top. This will be my Zin garden. In another post I will tell you of my Feng shui garden if you want to here how to do it.

This is some of my hostas I brought from St. Louis to here.

Its here

I received my Oct-Nov issue of Mother earth news magazine yesterday. And they did print my picture of Uncle Quacker. I did not get paid for this it was just an honer that they picked my pictures as an editors pick. 3 days ago I received another email from them that my Antique tractor show pictures made editors pick. Wow that makes 3 collections of my pictures picked.
I really like this magazine. But I like the web site better. You can learn so much there. Like on the picture below my duck, shows a garden done with bags of top soil.
When I first read about doing this on there web site I thought how tacky. Then I thought there is no benefit for the plant in the bag. But after seeing this picture. I thought that don't look that bad with all the mulch. You could also cover the bag with mulch so it is not seen. Also you could add compost and manure or peat to the bag to give the plants good soil and make then organic. After those thoughts I feel I may try this next year. It would make an easy no did garden. I would be good for people with hard clay like we have here and there in my yard. It would be an easy way to expand my garden with out digging.
OK I guess I sold my self on the Ideal. But would it be cheaper to use potting soil ? I will have to see. So next year I will try the bags like this, and the self watering 5 gallon buckets. Like on the recycling blog I wrote. This may turn me into a container gardener.
This would be cheaper than having a truck load of dirt brought in. Dirt is like gold here in mid Missouri. We have a high rock table. My friends mom had to hire a backhoe to plant a pear tree in her yard. My yard is not as bad as hers. But we flood.

This is a picture from my kitchen window today

This is a picture of what the birds are looking at.
We have baby bull frogs in the water.We keep a board in there in case any thing falls in.
I started doing this after I found a squirrel swimming
for its life in a free standing pond I had in St. Louis.
It also helps the birds to get water.
So you can call it my wild life tub.

Click here to see my photo collection.

The truth be told

Finding Happiness in an Unhappy World
This is something I wrote in 2002.
Click on the picture to enlarge for reading

Tonight I have been awake all night reading Wendy's blog
COPD - Caregiving is NOT for Wimps!
I started at the beginning in 2007 and read 2 years. And cried quite a few tears. I saw She has gone through allot that I have felt my self and more that I have not gone through yet.
My life has been turned upside down and inside out. With both my husbands health and my health. I started this blog for something to take my mind off of life and maybe make a few friends. I had started another blog on depression but changed my mind. I thought I should just do a fun blog. To make me feel better.

What is ENLIGHTENMENT?
It Is the Purpose of Human Life

Apples

We drove to the Dutch country store to buy what was advertised as
"Waverly Mo. apples $11.99 a bushel". And this is what we got. There are stickers on the apples. and on the box you can see in small print product coated with food grade vegetable, mineral, or lack-resin based wax. Buy looking they are 2nd rate with the spots on them. I do not mean this to be a complaint.

It just makes me feel like there not farm fresh.
And wonder if they have pesticides on them.

When you go to a Mennonites store you think you are buying home grown fresh fruit and veggies.

COMPANION PLANTS

NASTURTIUMS
They can discourage harmful pests without losing the beneficial insects.








I planted them around the corn, Broccoli, tomatoes, cabbage, & cucumbers, They seem to work for the corn & tomatoes the best. I saw no sign of the tomato horn worm this year in my garden.Last year they destroyed my corn.

Marigolds
I planted these every where. I fail to read the size of the diffrent types. The ones I planted by the tomatoes are as tall as the tomato plants.




The French Brocade Marigold has the added benefit of nematode suppression because its roots emit a substance that repels nematodes in the immediate area.

Sweet Basil:
Grow is said to repel aphids, mites, and mosquitoes. Basil acts as a fungicide and can slow the growth of milkweed bugs.
I planted it with the Broccoli, cabbage & NASTURTIUMS.
Next year I will plant it by my Tomatoes It is said to (improve growth & flavor)


My garden protectors.
Reba & Crash
They keep out unwanted moles and critters. These 2 are something else. They chase and kill crickets, grass hoppers. Locust. And just about any thing that moves. My old cats in the city were not like this. They are true country cats.



I spread used coffee grounds in the garden to keep my cats from digging in the soil. Ground coffee is high in nitrogen so it is good for the plants also.
It is said that coffee has the ability to help suppress late blight. Also it can help reduce the ravages of slugs and snails.

Green News

An eco-friendly peat alternative

Coconut Coir Fiber

I asked the same thing What is it? Whatis it used for?
I was reading more on Inside Urban Green tonight.He uses this to start roots for his Ficus cuttings in soda bottles. He don't use soil. So I looked up Coir on google at Wikipedia I find it is coconut fibers make up about 1/3 of the of coconut pulp. The other 2/3 is called the pith or dust,

It is is a coarse fiber extracted from the fibrous outer shell of a coconut
it is biodegradable but takes 20 years to decompose, and it is resistance to bacteria and fungus growth.

Coir coconut fiber works anywhere you would normally use peat moss, rockwool, vermiculite, perlite, or pumice...and worms love it! It contains no nutrients. It is also used in hydroponic growing

Also used in ropes, mats, brushes, caulking boats

Note this is not intended to promote use of this , it is for educational purpose only.

Please use a search engine to find out more on your own if you think it would be of use to you.

Seed saving

I am learning to save my seed for next year. This is from an heirloom tomato my daughter brought to me Saturday. My tomatoes did not do well this year so I will not try to save any seed from them other than a grape tomato. it was very prolific. But not sure that the taste was so good. I will save the seed and see if it is better next year.
first yesterday I removed the seeds and placed in this bowl I added some water. Next I will cover it with a paper town and let it set 3-4 days. I will post a picture then along with what to do next.

On my beans and green peppers.
Beens I let get brown on the vine and removed the seed from the shell.
Peppers I removed seeds before use and placed in a open jar to dry.

Today while drying my hands I had a close call with a brown recluse. He was on the towel. But I was able to squish him be fore he got to me. They can be very bad if you are bit by them You will need to go to the hospital.

We have the wolf spider that look some what like him. I have a picture here. of one in my garden. They mostly kill bugs.

recycling plastic

How creative is this. They took 50 gallon drums and placed them on old dollies and turned them into fun for the kids. click on the pictures to enlarge.
The boy in blue shirt is my grandson.



Picture was taken at the tractor show. In Eldon , Mo. The train engine is a lawn tractor. Made to look like a train.



This year I used empty Icing buckets that were headed for the trash at my local grocery store. I cut a 2 inch hole in top and bottom and placed 4 coffee filter in the bottom. They were cut to go around the stem. I held the plant while placing dirt in bucket. So that 3-4 inches were covered by soil. I used potting soil mixed with peat moss & grass clippings. We bought 3 4x4's to make the frame to hold them. There is room to add 2 more buckets. And if we add to the out side it will hold more.


In this picture I have a empty soda bottle hanging from the tree. I cut a hole in it and added a peace of PVC pip for the birds to stand on and eat seed from the bottleNext summer I want to try planting some of my plants in double 5 gallon pails like on this video. I found this video on Green Roof Growers Also check out Inside Urban Green
This site will show you how to use empty soda bottles to propagate plants.
I am going to try it to see if i can keep my seed starts alive for next year.

Antique tractor show

I love petting zoo's. As you can tell I am like a kid again.

This is an antique hay bailer, ran on a belt.

My grandson on back left of kids hay ride.





These were miniature donkeys & horses.

Blogs I found of interest today were
earth home garden
And Musings from Fairlight Farm

Fall is here

Today starts out quite foggy, I can hear a loud crash and running across the roof, It must be walnut time. I go out side and find my cat looking up at the tree















Next thing you see is the squirrel grab a walnut and jump to the roof he makes it to the top before I can even get the photo. Next I hear another noise and its another squirrel to the right side of the roof. This one is in the pecans. So it will be quite a noisy day today.
And I will have to wait my turn for the left overs they drop. Nuts are up to $8.00 in the stores so I want to keep and freeze as many as I can.

This is my only pumpkin this year. it's small but cute.
My oldest daughter and her family are here this weekend for the Antique steam engine and tractor show. This will be quite a fun event for the whole family I will post pictures.And I hope you all have a wonderful weekend.




Blogs I found of interest today were
THE TIN HOUSE and Greenwoman

A poem from my friend

"My friend E...."

This is what E.... means to me...

Her friendship is as solid as a beautiful oak tree.

When you look closely enough,

She has a very gentle spirit neither rugged or ruff.

God sent E.... into my life at a time when I needed a friend most.

E.... is kind to me even when she hears me boast.

Sometimes I have a tendency to brag.

So, I will brag on E.... , she's like no other friend I've ever had.

She came into my life when there was no one else.

I felt like an empty piece of potted clay just sitting on the shelf.

E.... didn't give up on me.

She let me be myself the way I was intended to be, free.

She listens and helps you with your problems...

When I didn't think there was anyway else to solve theme.

It was E.... to the rescue...

And she was always right on cue.

So, if you see what I see in E.... my friend.

I see compassion, devotion and especially a life without pretend.

Her character you can depend on.

Because her light so shines through God's love and is now strong.

E.... can be your friend too.

Given half the chance she will be a friend tried and true.

I thank God for a friend like E.....

I know in my heart we will spend our lives together throughout eternity.

God Bless you E.... in everything you do...

Friends Always Tried and True.

I received this in my email last night.
From a very special friend.

She brought joy to my heart and tears to my eyes.

Mountains

I found a blog today where they live on the French alps. It was so awesome. It made me Think of where I was born in West Virginia. The homestead is on top of Williams mountain. I know I could never live there. It is such a hard life for my Aunt who is the last one left on the family place. She has my cousin down the road from her. But what a drive it is to get to the store. Up and down the roads. The coal trucks had broke the edges of the road so bad, last time I was there. It was scary you had to stay to the right and worry of on coming cars, for fear of going off the edge of the road.
The first day I was back there, my Aunt and I were up before the sun looking for air to breath. The fog was every where. It was not till about 10:00 that the fog lifted. Then it was easier to breath. To this day she has to cut firewood & hall coal in to heat the house all winter.
I have another Aunt in Ripley Wv. She is near 80 and the most wonderful person you would ever meet. She lives in what they call a holler. She is on a small amount of flat ground between 2 mountains. I love it there. The mountains seem to protect you. She has a creek that runs past the other side of the road. And a chipmunk that comes up to the porch and begs for bread scraps.
Time has a way of standing still in West Virginia. It is wonderful to visit. But I think I do like it here in Missouri. We have hill almost as big as small mountains. We have the lake of the Ozarks not far from us. There are views here almost as nice as the ones in Arkansas.

Missouri Views

This was March 08 with the lack of trees you can kinda see the views.

This would be a hill.

This is fun on the lake in July 08