Blooms

Only have a few things blooming in the yard. Guess that is a result of not planting much. Survival of the very fittest here. 

 

Blue eyed grass from Ed's parents. I think it is really called  spiderwort. What an awful name. 

 

They are so vivid right now. 

English dogwood never gets very big. 

 

When I took this there was a jumping spider on this bloom. Where did he jump to? Hope not on me. 

 

 

Not sure where this one came from. 

 

One little violet plant. I dug up and moved tons of these from Mom and Dad's yard but they never took off. I know that some consider them weeds but I love them. 

 

The Man, my jade plant is growing like mad. I moved him inside during one of the few freezes we had. He never made it back to the deck. He seems happy on the back porch. 

Little creatures

All the little creatures in our yard are enjoying spring. I was happy to see one of the toads returned under our back porch. 

 

I was worried that his hole had gotten destroyed during foundation work. After the ground settled , Ed said his home is now a mansion. 

 

He was very patient for this picture. 

 

Bev sent me this picture of her porch frog, Stanley. 

 

Isn't he cute? 

 

Apparently I like frogs because I see 3 on my deck. 

 

Got this one out of someone's trash. 

 

This little guy (or what is left of him) was bought with birthday money from my Mamaw Ellis. Why would a kid want this? I remember buying it at the old Callaway's near Meadowbrook. They had a pet shop inside it which even featured an ocelot. Does anybody else remember that?

 

This was not my yard but on Jan and my walk this morning. We moved him off the street so he wouldn't get smushed. 

Walks

Ryan and Mary Grace are still making progress on the screen porch project. The next stage is walkways down the sides and around the end. 

 

They asked me to ride along to the stone yard in Flora. 

 

So many pretty ones.  

She has always loved rocks. 

 

 

Selected and loaded up. And here is the best part...it is next door to another walk...  

 

As in Cock of the Walk! We had the best catfish, onion rings, greens, slaw and pickled onions. Our waitress even flipped our corn bread in the air for us. 

 

Back home the hard work began. Unloading and placing the stones. 

 

Thank goodness Chris came to help. 

 

He is home for his Spring Break. 

 

Dupree likes to perch on the raised bed behind the porch. 

 

Doesn't it look like an ancient stone path? 

Daphne kept going inside the house to cool off and then back to inspect. 

 

The back gets done. 

 

My vantage point as supervisor. Tomorrow sod gets installed. 

The wall

The retaining wall at Mary Grace and Ryan's house is almost complete. 

 

Tons of hard work on Ryan's part and lots of support from the peanut gallery (me). 

 

French drains all around. He said Dupree was running in the trenches. 

 

The project supervisor. 

 

The comedy relief. 

 

It is going to be beautiful. 

 

And in upsetting news...I can let the thimble go but I always picked the baby shoe. I guess since I haven't played Monopoly in years and wasn't a big fan even then, I don't get a voice. 

It is the brief season for these weird little bobble headed bugs. They fly slow and clumsy. I just have to wonder about their purpose in the cosmos. Uh , and get a manicure please. 

 

 

They are only mildly irritating and don't bite. Live and let live. 

Katherine's big day

Getting ready. 

 

Puff pastry asparagus quiches. 

 

Another wedding shower! Jill's daughter Katherine. She was one of the big group at Madison UMC that were Sophie's age. 

 

They arrive at Sheila's beautiful house all smiles. They look like twins! 

 

The table was loaded. 

 

Pam and I did the flowers. We cut some from her fabulous yard and purchased the rest. She did the big one. 

I did the 3 small. That bacon is beautiful too. 

Those chocolate covered strawberries by Priscilla. 

Tomato tart, asparagus quiche, fruits, coffee cake, blueberry bread. All so good. 

 

 

Michelle was our mixologist for mimosas. 

Presents! 

 

We dig in. 

 

 

She was so happy. 

 

Smiling with her good friend and bridesmaid. 

 

Her friends. 

 

The hostesses. It was such fun.