Monday, April 18, 2016

A Rock Wall

More work outside.  I decided to cut the ivy to show the nice rock wall as you come in the front gate.  The whole driveway has a wall along it just like this, but it would take a tremendous amount of work getting the ivy, periwinkle and dirt off of it.  Maybe at a later time . . . maybe we can hire someone.  What a concept!


The stairs lead to my little rose garden.  

I have a tray of Mexican Primrose seedlings growing in my potting shed  that will be planted along the wall. 


Also getting the courtyard garden ready for visitors.

It was 85 degrees today, so it was time to get the fountain going.  This year I used rock found on the property.  The sound of water is cooling and the birds and butterflies touch down from time to time to get a drink.  I think Panda likes it, too, that is one of his favorite afternoon spots.


Many of these trees are blooming on our property and I have yet to get my tree guide to find out what it is, but the scent smells like cotton candy!

All of the planters have their hostas and ferns blooming, making the seating area a pretty little spot.




A welcome visitor.  I make sure my dogs never see him or bother him.

I started these tomatoes a month ago and this weekend they can be planted, no more chance of frost.

The tiny iris I brought from the Georgia woods are doing nicely in a planter.  This week at the farmhouse, the plumber returns to put a new pipe in for the hot water.  A lot of cleaning is going on for the arrival of our visitors!  

Friday, April 8, 2016

Angry Deer, Owls and More!

The sky looks different today, and tomorrow we are supposed to have record lows, the mountains may get snow, so tonight all my plants and seedlings will be covered.  Happens every year.

Starting off to be a good weekend.  On my way to a church yard sale I have been waiting for, but I'm an hour late.  Hope something is left!

Jackpot!  I love this old town, so many great finds to be had.  A nice pile of granny square throws, old doilies, big slabs of beeswax, a huge hammered tin serving platter, amber glass cake stand, some owls, and the things I like the most . . . two old heavy cement bootscraps, one is a frog, the other a hedgehog.  Everything from .25 to $3.  Can't beat that!




The frog's brush will come out and he just may become a planter for moss.




A new owl for the mantle, the tall guy in the background.

Two foil owls and an owl candleholder from a friend as a housewarming gift.  I guess the word is out that I like owls.


My two heirloom roses arrived from Texas today, Eden and Glamis Castle which is a David Austin rose in pure white which I have always loved.


Everything still looking bright and beautiful.  Hoping the cold snap does not turn everything brown.

Wisteria is everywhere.  I even found some pale lavender, almost white wisteria down by my mailbox.


Okay.  So for the angry deer part.  I erected a great deer feeder before winter, a pvc feeder that I saw on Pinterest.  One morning I spied a huge buck laying down by the stream with a huge rack.  If only I had had my camera with me.  I wanted to lure him back, so I erected this feeder, never to see him again, only groups of does in the morning for the dogs to chase.

At first I thought they just knocked it down and maybe it rolled into the stream, but the main part of the feeder was nowhere to be found.  Down in the stream in the sand, there was the evidence, the bear is out of hibernation, and he STOLE my feeder.

The next day I saw Roman down by the stream sitting so still and watching something.  As I started down the hill, I could hear the bear run down the stream, he has not been back since, so no photos.  Safe to say I will put up a new feeder next winter and take it down earlier before Mr. Bear can rip another out of the ground and carry it off.

On the rescue front, this is Nick.  Bob brought him home from Georgia last weekend and I took him to my friend Vickie on the other side of NC the next day.  

This is Jade, Vickie's new chow puppy.  Vickie says she's a terrorist.  

And this is Boe, a 12 year old lab that the Lancaster rescue wanted and I was to drive to Virginia this weekend, but that all changed when a local rescue in Atlanta took him.  I am really glad about that, didn't want to drive 10 hours, but would to save him.  Now I can concentrate on the tiny farmhouse and get more things accomplished.  The electrician showed this week and put up a few antique lights.  I'm thrilled, it's coming together, and my guests will be here soon!