Paths in the Woods

Last week He-Man and I went to the Georgia State Botanical Garden.  We are fortunate that the State Garden is only twenty minutes away.  We strolled through the Shade Garden.  I love the paths here.  There are several other gardens too but this is my favorite.
There are paths for the rain waters.

Paths of ground covering.

Paths to inspire of what can be done in my own woods.

Someone placed flowers here.  Perhaps they loved this tree.  Or perhaps they just wanted others to be pleasantly surprised.

On the way to the Cafe, there is a beautiful statuary representing a children's field trip.

I just love how it expresses children taking in the wonder of nature...

... under the admiring eye of their guide. 

After touring the Shade Garden, we stopped for coffee in the cafe which also houses the Tropical Garden.

When the weather is a little cooler, we'll go back to stroll through the rest of the gardens.

In the meantime, I'm thankful for those who care for such a wonderful place.  

Love 

from Whippoorwill Road,

Bernadine

Follow Up: Wisteria, Nests, Daughter Planting

The nest on our front porch keeps getting taller.

This little mother remains hard at work.  I'm sure she has several little peepers in there.  

She's a diligent little mother.

On a totally different note: my husband found this nest in our garage, above his weed eater machine.  He thought it was empty so... (sniff, sniff), he threw it away yesterday.  
I looked in the garbage because I love to look at nests and thought it would be better to use it in the compost bin.  At first it did look empty.  But I found the opening, and to my great sadness, found this little egg.  
I cried.  
I cried for the mother and cried for the egg.
I put the nest in the compost bin after looking at the hard work this little mother put into it's creation.  
I put the egg among parakeet and cockatiel eggs I kept from previous pets.  I still feel sad.  I need medication.

When I mentioned yesterday about the out of control wisteria we have in this region, I thought I would try to capture what I mean:

It's pretty but it's everywhere.

 We have a saying here in the house.  It goes like this: "It's All About The Girl".  Because we were insecure that the seeds she planted yesterday were too old, we went out today to buy fresh seed.  And fresh garden soil.  And a seed starter kit.  And even more seeds.

But I don't mind.  I mean, look at her...

... all concentration.  And joy.

Hoping all our efforts bloom 

on Whippoorwill Road,

Bernadine

Happy Weekend

This little bird began building her nest on our front porch last week.

It's on the narrowest of ledges, only 1 1/2 - 2 inches, max.

This is how it started.  Then it got higher and higher.

 She perseveres in all types of weather.

 A skittish little thing.  I try not to harass her too often.  

I'll be following her progress.

I woke up this morning to find our dog still had his St.Patrick's Day necklace on.  He slept in it.

He's celebrating all weekend by sleeping and eating.  Mostly sleeping.  

Buns is thrilled Smarty-Girl is home.  That just means more attention.

And sleeping.

Hope you had another relaxing Sunday 

this St. Patty's Day weekend,

Bernadine

I Thought We Were Being Robbed

 I arrived home after work Wednesday and found this strange car parked in my driveway.    
The tag was out of state.  My husband wasn't home, New-Man was at school and the dogs were no where to be found.  The automatic garage door was wide open.   
My heart started pounding.  I was sure I caught a perpetrator red handed. I imagined him (or them) having a field day inside the house.


Being the daughter of a retired detective, I tentatively pulled my truck up the driveway and snapped a few photos so the police would have the make, model and license plate number for a positive ID later.


I wasn't sure what to do next.  Do I call the police now?  Or should I turn around and call them at the entrance to our long driveway, thereby blocking the only escape route for the getaway car? 


I was just about to start dialing when all of a sudden, someone opened the door to the house and the dogs bounded outside.  HUH?
I stared with bewilderment.  Did the perps know I was outside?  Had they seen me?  Were they about to make a run for it? 


Then the door opened again!  And lo and behold, it was...

...Next Eldest son.   Home for a surprise visit (in a rented car)!  

After my heart settled down and my breathing returned to normal, I gave him a big "Welcome" greeting.

Buns is just thrilled to have someone new to explore.

I think they're having a staring contest to see who will be the first to look away.

We don't throw baseballs or footballs around here.  To welcome one of the sons back to the homestead, we throw Lacrosse balls.

It's our family's national past time.  All three sons played in high school.  

After Next-Son, Clay threw this ball, he yelled, "INCOMING" at me.  Sometimes you have to pay the price to "get the shot" in order to store a great memory on disc.  I'm fine.  It missed.  Thanks for wondering.

Now that you know we weren't robbed and I wasn't clobbered by the Lacrosse ball, let me divert your attention elsewhere.  

Let your eyes float downward on the picture above.  Notice anything?  How about the sad condition of this lawn?

It was lovely when we put in new sod but the trees soon shaded it to oblivion.  Now, it's just a long green expanse of some grass but mostly weeds with a touch of my favorite green earth covering: MOSS.

I truly love this stuff.

I was coming out of the hairdressers and spotted this.  I hesitated.  

Then, throwing all dignity aside, I snapped these photos even though it was almost dark.

Moss in Georgia 2012

This is a lovely carpet of moss growing on a lawn in Maine.  It was in October 2011.  It was so lush, soft and green.  It was calling my name.  I wanted to lie down on it and roll all over.  I refrained from doing so.  I didn't want to lose friends. 

A close up of the same lawn.

Moss on my friends front door brick steps and guard rail in Massachusetts.  October 2011.

Moss in the woods in Wilner, Switzerland.  2009

I wish I had taken more pictures of the rocks, fallen logs all covered.

Moss in New Hampshire woods.  2007

I know I've taken you on a lengthy tortuous journey on this post but bear with me.  Wrapping all this up, remember the boys playing Lacrosse in the back "yard"?  Imagine, that whole strip of green weeds being a dense, lush carpet of thick, soft MOSS.  Wouldn't that be a sumptuous delight for the eyes and feet?  

Imagining on Whippoorwill Road,

Bernadine