Farmer Jane Here

"Unbeweivable!", I said to myself as I viewed the garden this morning.

"Why, it looks like you guys grew by leaps and bounds overnight!"

 "Holy, Moly!  Look at Beans!  And Zucchini!  I'm amazed at you."

And as a huge grin spread across my face, I thought to myself, "Wow!"

"I've got great plans for you, little zucchini!  And I can't wait to see what you're going to do with your life, little squash!  And cucumber, I may be the only one to appreciate you in this family, but I will!  Oh, how I will!"

And here they are, in order of appearance, from left to right:
(Drum roll, please)
Pole Beans, Cucumbers, Zucchini and Squash.
Ta-Dah!  
But... But...

... wait a minute!  Hold the phone!

What is this I see close to the garden?   

Why... it's baby rabbit poop!  

Ahhhhhhhh!!

I hope I don't wake up to a 

bare naked garden 

on 

Whippoorwill Road,

Bernadine

Keeping It Real II

The good news:

The garden is coming along well. 

So far, no unexpected fatalities amongst members of the plant family.

These are the cucumbers, planted from seed, finally poking their heads above ground.

The yellow squash is growing.
Just to the left, in the little round circles, is the zucchini.  Barely visible with the naked eye, beginning to germinate.

Tomatoes, peppers, basil are surviving.  

I haven't killed them off yet.

Every thing is growing.  Looking a little anemic, but growing.

I've got the summer geraniums in their urns.  And the little spiral evergreens planted last April have survived their first year.

The iris has quadrupled in size and blooms.  

The rose bush has big luscious blooms, right next to the potted mum that survived the winter.

If you look in just the right places, this seems like such a bucolic setting.

Manicured, manageable, meticulous.

That's what it seems...

...the reality, however, is this:
The weeds here look like remnants of the prehistoric age.
They're menacing, malicious.  You need tools to remove them.  
And protective gear.  Plus, I'm not a big fan of commercial weed killer.

Some weeds don't have the monstrous spikes.  
They're just monstrous, period.

To put it into perspective: 
See that Painted Fern?  I planted it last year and have fertilized it diligently, consistently, painstakingly since.
Seemingly overnight, that monstrous weed is twice as big, without a drop of fertilizer or extra water.  Hmph!

Remember Tree Mans neat little mustache?  His face has been swallowed up.  He's under that mess, somewhere.
He needs rescuing.

Baby monstrous weeds are invading a mulched bed.  
If I don't get them soon, they'll be as tall as the pot.

We have these random grasses that grow in the liriope.  
They look like corn stalks, minus the benefits of corn.
These things will take over a bed in no time.
Crazy Big 'Ole Nasty Dog grazes on these tall stalks of grass.

Then today, this web was created by the driveway.  
The builder picked the sunniest spot and decided to construct a condo.

This is a beautiful wildflower.  Dainty, delicate, delightful to see.

And it's right in the middle of this jungle of thorny weeds, fallen limbs and debris.
We'll have to be extra careful to protect it when we clean out this area.  

The front lawn that was so lush just last week is starting to bake in the dry heat.  
Or maybe it's the winter weeds dying off now.  I'm not sure.
Either way, our lawn is browning up nicely! (sigh)

Finally, all these flower seeds and two tomato plants still need a permanent home.  

I'm at a loss of where to put them.  

Lots of work still to do but

keeping it real 

on Whippoorwill Road,

Bernadine

The Empty Nest

  

Lately, there's quite a few empty nests around here.

Found this one in a bush.  

Love how it's decorated with a splash of blue.

I found this empty nest on the ground while watering the garden.

I brought it inside.  

I love looking at these things.  Each one is a marvel of architecture to me.  

And I'm pretty sure this one is now empty.  

Haven't seen the devoted mom in several days.  

I hope she was successful at raising her brood.

 One day, we'll have an empty nest too.  
As I look back to see how fast our two youngest have grown, I realize it's it's just a matter of time.

And then, we'll visit them

and eat their food,

and not have to clean the house,

they'll drive us around,

and pay for our entertainment

and make sure we have everything we need...

I look forward to that day on

Whippoorwill Road. 

hahahaha

Bernadine

Spring Break

We were spoiled once again by Super Host and Hostess, i.e. my brother in law and my sister.

At their house, it's a kids field of dreams.  They can target practice in the woods with the new Red Ryder BB gun.

They can relax watching animated movies. 

They can break into spontaneous huddles.

They can stretch out their muscles in the pool...

... warm up in the hot tub,

and enjoy every minute.

Here, nobody comments on "pool head".

Meanwhile, it's a resort for the adults.
While we lounge by the pool, my brother in law checks on the status of our Pina Colada's...

... and asks if we want more homemade, genuinely crafted potato croquettes from his outdoor kitchen.
Of which we all answer, "Well, Sure!"

Then it's time for a gourmet meal of Chicken Marsala or Baked Ziti created by Super Host. 
It's a delight for the eye and the appetite.

Easter Sunday was a special time of family, food and fun.  A great way to kick off Spring Break.  

I hope you're enjoying spring too.

From Whippoorwill Road,

Bernadine

Easter Weekend

Today I gave thanks.

Thanks for eyes to see,

Ears to hear,

Legs to carry me,

Hands to create.

And the gift to appreciate it all.

I gave thanks for the miracle of life.

Thanks for the power in a seed.
Power in soil, sun and water.

I gave thanks that I can find beauty in almost anything.

 Yes, today I gave thanks.
 That God put me in this green area, at this time, in this place.

Thanks to witness the fragile beauty of nature.

Thanks to see the colors, the variety, the individuality.
I sat looking at nature and all these thoughts came up and I directed them toward the heavens, with gratitude.

So, while a representative of this little creature can steal the show today, be thankful for what you have, who you are, and life.  

It's a notable time for gratitude 
on Whippoorwill Road.
Happy Easter,
Bernadine