How my garden grows

How my garden grows...cont'd

Some flowers have come back from last year, a lot have been planted by us this winter and spring. The fence is new and some of the old fence has been utilized to provide screening from our next door neighbors. We like them, but it is more pleasant for both of us is we feel like we are alone. There is so much reward from the work put into a garden. The extra tomatoes in the little white cell planters will be potted up for our fall garden. Our garden is very large....and keeps us busy. And we still have a lot of plants to get in the flower beds. I failed to get pictures of the red amaryllis while it was blooming before the pink lillies bloomed. I'm still awaiting the Star Gazer lilly's bloom. My cousin gave it to me last year.

Breaking News...something else to make me go hmmm

This just in a little while ago....Women who took estrogen and progestin are more likely to die if they get lung cancer from smoking in the past. My question is....DOESN'T EVERYONE die from oat cell carcinoma?? I haven't heard any happy stories on that front ever.

Here is the link to the story
http://health.yahoo.com/news/afp/healthcancerscienceresearchmenopause_20090530214748.html


Melli-Got the dusting done and I'm so glad you looked at that knitting page. That just stunned me. Yard stick size needles would really be unwieldy for me. The yarn ball was enormous!

Anil P-So glad to see you and I will try to get a slideshow made tonight or tomorrow.

Maribeth-You've had you puppy kids to deal with lately. Hands full!

NW1-I'm thinking about having to get someone to help me with the tasks around here. I've found someone to help my mother in law and I may ask her to come to my home, too.

Quilly-already told you I'm on my way to Hawaii to dust your house!

TGIF and more

Must clean house today! I've lost some time this week and we have been, well, make that hubby has been planting flowers out in the garden this week. I have helped when I can and supervised a lot. I've fallen in love with perennials and am so happy seeing them come back this year. Since we cut back the Vitex to be able to put in the new fence there are LOTS of purple cone flowers that have been languishing in the shade out there for years. They have their perky pink heads up tall and proud now.

There are some new flowerbeds and I'm going to put the seeds saved from last summer in them. That way, there will be another bed of purple cone flowers, butterfly bushes, and peppers-real and ornamental to come back every year from now on. That is a very good thing.

I've Hubby has got my cantaloupe/squash bed started. Pics to come later.

Later when I have time I'll post the pictures of the lillies when they bloomed. The stargazer isn't quite ready yet.

Now I must go and clean before we die from dust.

Well, I really am going in just a minute to dust...and other things cleaningwise. But first I had to go out an plant a couple of things and weed a little, very little, and take a few pictures. Then I had to check to see who actually did win the Byron Nelson golf tournament, cuz I just forgot to keep up with it. Now all the golfers, except Tiger Woods is over here in Ft. Worth to play at Colonial. Amber Star and her family do not belong to Colonial Country Club, but I have been out to watch the tournament from time to time. It is very, very elite and snazzy and all.

Like all the other sports I don't play golf, but sometimes like to watch. My son does play golf and is pretty good at it and did caddy for one of the better players during a practice round or the Pro Am, when he was taking golf as a subject in high school. It put him on cloud 9 to be in the action up close and all. He is much older now, 45, and understands why I always wanted a cart. He thought I was such a weenie then. HA! Now he knows.

For real I'm off to dust. bbl

Before I get started dusting there was this magazine just laying on the sofa next to me...calling my name. There is an article in there about an ENORMOUS rug made from the wool of shorn sheep that has been felted and the knitter made her own needles the size of yardsicks to be able to get the gauge and size she wanted. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. Be sure to click on her name to see how HUGE the yarn is and the knitting needles!!

http://www.nature.org/design/

see more Lolcats and funny pictures



see more Lolcats and funny pictures

Storms in the night

We had big storms around here early this morning. The sound of the wind blowing woke me and I almost never wake up when it storms during the night. I got up at 1:03 to check the weather radar and it had pretty much blown through by then, but it had sounded like what I would think a tornado would sound like. In true Texas style I turned on the radar. If it had been light out, I'd have gone and stood on the porch looking for it. I'm a true Texan alrighty.

The past couple of days I've not been feeling well. The medicine for the rhuematoid arthritis I take on Monday makes me feel pretty bad on Tuesday and by Wednesday I still feel like I've been hit by a Mac truck. Maybe tomorrow I'll feel better. This week has been worse than the past ones.

Memorial Day

In Flanders fields the poppies blow


Between the crosses, row on row


That mark our place; and in the sky


The larks, still bravely singing, fly


Scarce heard amid the guns below.


We are the Dead. Short days ago


We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,


Loved, and were loved, and now we lie


In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:


To you from falling hands we throw


The torch; be yours to hold it high


If ye break faith with us who die


We shall not sleep, though poppies grow


In Flanders fields.

John Macrae (1872-1918)

Remembrance graphic by Li'l Doc's Patriotic Graphics

You may want to visit the virtual wall-a virtual Vietnam Veterans Memorial is at that link. You can look up names of those lost, leave a memorial, or find out the MIA status of a loved one who did not return.

Those of you who have known me for a long time know that among other things I'm very patriotic and have practically been called the "Flag Nazi" for suggesting to others their flag is up WRONG! Just so you don't make this mistake that many do, you know, I'm putting a link to the Betsy Ross website where you can learn how to display the flag on any occasion at any time under any circumstance, and how to care for your flag.

Remember "She" served, too. Many forget about the nurses, doughnut dollies, and other women who served their country during times of war. Here is a webpage dedicated to those women who served, died, and came home with PTSD just like the men from the wars. Click here to see what "She" did in those wars from the Revolutionary War to the wars in these times.


Memorial Day originally honored the men who lost their lives during the Civil War, but now it also honors those from the Spanish-American War, World Wars I and II, Korea, the Vietnam War and all others.

No one really knows when or where Memorial Day was first observed, but according to tradition it originated during the Civil War. Southern women chose May 30th to decorate soldier's graves. They placed flowers on the graves of the soldiers of the Confederacy, and the Union soldier's graves as well. That is how the name Decoration Day came about. Flowers and flags are placed on the graves of servicemen. Military groups have parades and picnics follow on this day.

After World War I veterans sold paper poppies to help disabled veterans. I remember nagging my grandmother for a few cents to buy one to help disabled veterans. It was as important to me then, as it is now.

The above was originally written by me and published on my website at AmberStar's Place on May 8th, 2000

After the patriotic remembrance pile in the car and head to Ennis again! They are having the National Polka Fest there this weekend! It isn't far from here and it is such a quaint little town. Take a picnic along or buy corny dogs and cokes there. But, it is supposed to rain this afternoon, so get your polkaing done early.

http://www.nationalpolkafestival.com/

Remember, if you drink, don't drive. It would be too much to have on your conscience if you hurt someone. And it would be a real tragedy to have to spend time in prison.