there must be a Blogging for Dummies book?

New Blogger?! Well, I just got used to using OLD blogger! I am having a heck of a time trying to figure all this out. Like, where did my photos go? They were "in the tray" on my Picasa site but something turned left when I asked it to go right and now they are floating around in funky cyberspace? Still in the tray? Where's my wine? I think I "only" sprained my toe cuz it still hurts. Angela thinks I need a 12 step program for my pot addiction...flower pot(s) that is. (don't go getting all huffy on me.) True I am supposed to be paring down, not collecting. A move is possibly coming up next spring. (I don't really believe this but rumor has it...) But Raley's has the coolest pots for cheap.......I just had to buy 3. (THAT, Angela, is your fault. I used to be content to buy things in onesies and twosies but YOU buy things in threesies and fivesies!) Its rubbing off. And my brother and I are going on an adventure the end of May...be prepared for photos (if I can figure out how to post them again) of beautiful downtown Rugby, North Dakota! (Did I just hear a chortle?) Ramble, ramble. Hope to post pictures of the spring color in the yard. Hope to do that before August. toodles~

pretty flowers for a sad day

I just don't understand why someone would ever feel it necessary to shoot a bunch of innocent people. Obviously, the person was unwell. Too bad he had a gun. My heart goes out to all you folks in Virginia and to those everywhere who have friends and family caught up in that horrible event.

I hate guns.

 

A DAY of mowing

three tanks of gas. still not done, but its looking better. The BIG mower went to the mower hospital this morning. It will come home to eat the chasmanthe in about 2 weeks. The little mower is cowering in the tool shed, taking a much needed break. Good thing this was tackled yesterday cuz I smacked the 2nd to the littlest toe into a pile of magazines this morning and now just walking is a challenge. Never had such a technicolor toe before. Shoes are out. It will be a "socks only" week at work. ouch!!!!!!!!!!!

 

The Dutchess of Edinburg.

Well, she's simply beautimous! Looks more like a dahlia than a clematis, dontcha think? With any luck, the deer won't notice her. (they ate her cousins a few days ago) She's about 3" in diameter. I keep forgetting to see what that little brown spot is all about. It might just be tree dandruff.

The dark blue below is ajuga and the light blue is forget-me-nots. 

Happy Easter!

"Queen's tears" aka Billbergia nutans. Its a tough little plant with very rewarding blooms. The heaviest blooming is early spring but it has been known to bloom sporadically through the summer. Please ignore the baby Texas privet.
If I had a dime for every privet that pops up on this place I'd be going to Tahiti. Same goes for plums. And pecan trees. and vinca major. and wild garlic and/or onion. CHASMANTHE. There is another "weed" that pops up all over this place but its so cute that I don't mind it at all. Its..um...give me a minute...ah! Impatiens balfourii!
Scilla peruviana. Another bulb that almost becomes a "weed" here. But how can you not like it? All those perfect little blue stars and the purple bud-babies? There is another variety on this place that grows taller but with a more spear-like blossom end...rather than the "conical ball" shape of this one. I dunno what it is. Scilla something. I'll try to remember to take a picture tomorrow. IF the wind isn't blowing! Everything became a moving target in today's breeze. My brother calls everything that he can't ID "A Peruvian lily!"
Trees. Vines. Unusual annuals. Its his cop-out. ;>)

Someday I may learn how to make the photos and the verbage all line up. This paragraph is supposed to go along with the Chinese ground orchid photo. It IS lined up right now but the little computer elves change things somewhere between edit and publish. Anyhow, this is Bletilla striata. I was given some yellow ones last year by my gardening buddy but I can't remember where I planted them! They also come in white. Or did she give me white and we only considered yellow? I dunno.










The huge clem bud is beginning to open! I swear that I will eat Bambi's mother if she eats it. She dined heartily on another clem only 15' away from this buxom one last week.
I probably should attempt to cover it with chicken wire.

Pardon my typos. I am tired and about to lurch off to dreamland. 'night all! 

Silver squill, aka Ledebouria Socialis. At least, that's what I was told when I bought it. It certainly looks like silver squill. I guess I am confused because when I "googled" it, all the sites said "small plant only 6" in height..."
This clump has some 13" leaves along with the 6-inchers.
It must be the gardener in me. I was sure this was a Joe Camel planter. When I "googled" him, turns out he's supposed to be a can holder! Well, what do they know? He seems to have a fine head for sedum!
I check this bud every morning. It is a good 1" across making it the fattest clematis bud ever noted on this place. The flower ought to be spectaculendous! Since it didn't bloom last year but is planted in the white garden, it must be a white clem. The second bud is almost as big. Flower pictures will be posted just as soon as they can be taken.