SURPRISE!!!!

YIPPEEEEEEE, the first one of the season! My absolute most fav o rite flower of all times!!! Some call them surprise Lily, some naked lady,, I just call it spider lily, I just know I LOVE THEM even shortlived and short blooming as they may be. I scour the landside for them. I hear they bloom white in some places, maybe one day I'll find some!!

Fig Trees and Fire ants

Ok, well this is supposed to be about the fire-ants that almost killed my fig tree this year, but the Mila Monster somehow managed to get included in the picture, LOL, this seems to happen fairly regular.
But really, I almost ignored that one fire ant bed too long and this tree just about didn't' survive this spring, but wow look at it now, there may not be many figs this year , but once I did away with the fire ants, it has rallied and looks decent.
Its actually from a rooting at my Mothers house, which I planted a couple years ago. I'm not much into eating figs, but I love the trees, and after reading WIVES with knives today I had to do a post on my poor mistreated fig tree, or is it MILA MONSTERS fig tree, I actually it planted on the South side of her kennel to throw shade and privacy on her kennel.

Doesn't everyone have one?

A Garden Gnome that is that was gifted to me, that lives under a Mexican Firebush? I just couldn't leave him cement color. I painted the little guy a few years ago, he has aged nicely , although with a few cracks and chips here and there from being moved about.

this firebush doesn't appear to be the happiest in the world, it gets a bit too much shade apparently.

Angel Trumpet oh my the Smell

I finally managed to take a better picture of the Angel Trumpet, Its been planted for about three years now, and is finally getting more than just a couple blooms, I hear they are posionous , but my the strong perfume smells they create in the early Mornings. Mixed in you may see a loofa sponge, the antique roses , a green bean or two!

spinning wheels turtle

you probably can't see it here, but this poor little guy/gal was spooked by my walkabout and got in such a hurry to plop back in the water, that it was stuck for a moment on the stump. its little legs were spinning round and round like a windmill. Sorry but I had to laugh! IT did finally manage to flip off the stump and disappear!

kill the tree by way of the Mila Monster

Here we have the Mila Monster killing a tree, well really I had cleared off a cut thru for walking purposes. The tree I decided to use to prop up the birdhouse vines as the Gourds are weighing down the fence,tarp and strings. I was having a hard time cutting grass in the kennel. Milamonster just Knew I cut that tree down for HER to Kill!!! I did finally get it in the kennel and its serving a purpose once again. Till the next time Mila!!

A realllly favorite spot of mine! Jerktail cliff

This is a really favorite place my sisters and I used to take our horses and join friends in Emminence, MO in the Mark Twain National Forest (oops i think, i better check the memory banks on the Forest info).
I was riding the cliff when I took this photo of my sister on the Current river while sitting on the back of my trusty Leopard Appaloosa friend REBEL of many years ago.
The Cliff was called Jerktail, and could be scary indeed when riding up and down those cliffs some of solid rock.
OH THE MEMORIES!!!

Raymond Castle

here we have the Castle in Raymond, its been up for sale for a while now, price has been lowered, hmmmmm, i always wanted a castle, the deco inside leaves me a bit overwhelmed but then it was used for weddings and such for a bit. Love where its located, and the acreage that comes with, but still way beyond my means. I do soooooo remember when they had the Christmas drive bys!!! Maybe one day, I'll just add a turret to my corner of the neighborhood and ENJOY!!!

seeya,

visiting ducks

I snapped this photo early spring, I think I had about 5 duck visitors that day, they spent the night and away they went to wherever home may be for them. I do so love the visitors I get from time to time on the small neglected pond I share with a couple neighbors.

Stare Down

who do you think won the stare down? Bogemeister or the Tallyheifer (italian Greyhound) Acutally they do get along a bit. When Tally was younger , Bogy couldn't stand the IG. She was like a bowling ball, she just ran right over him.

Loofa Sponges and MORE

hay hay and Take no notice of the weeds at the bottom, if you can since I had to go and bring them up myself? Here we have the Loofa sponges blooming this year, I didn't even set them out, they came up from last years sponges that i left hanging. I plant them mostly for shade. (some were over a foot long, and If i would peel and clean them, make great sponges for cleaning etc.

HAAA , along with them are a few string beans, that did not do well this year. in the background to the right, Angel Trumpet (are they really posion?) and an antique Rose bush I bought at the Raymond, MS spring festival.

seeya, the best is yet to come!

Could I be Kin?

Well Gee, If Felder can grow stuff in the back of his truck why not me??? this is a Loofa sponge vine,, If memory serves me correct, I tossed a cured Sponge in the back of my truck to bring to the office for someone, I guess a seed escaped??? I just noticed this last weekend, Excuse the leaves and other bits and pieces, I get busy about the yard and don't always take everything out right away. I've a long way to go before catching up to Felders back truck planting! I get a kick out of reading about it though.

seeya,

L

who is that stranger in the mirror?

Ok, I know the yard is a bit messy at the moment of the picture, I was in the middle of doing a lot of spring planting, but I had to stop and bag the Mirrors on my truck as the Male Bluebirds seem to think that pretty bluebird in the mirror is trespassing and must be fought and excommunicated. For about a month I had to cover my mirrors. Bogmeister (cat) was just waiting to join in and make a meal of them.

More Tomato Gravy

Hay People,

Ever since tomato season exploded this year, I've been experimenting with my tomato Gravy, (thanx Ramona)

once again early this morning, I "played" with a pot of TG.

NOT bad, but still needs a bit of something or just MORE of my spices. I'm always afraid of getting to much of one or other spice and ruining it. I've especially tried to cut back on salt, although i sure do love my sea salt.

Any and all suggestions would be much appreciated!!

This batch has bacon, a touch of local honey, a bit of tomato paste added in with my own home grown tomatoes, which are now not near so prolific.

seeya,

PS, did I happen to mention , Orange is my fav color?

L.