Dangerous Plants

My little chihuahuas are very important to me even if they do get on my guest's nerves with their barking.  They are with me day in and day out and when they came to live with me, they became part of my family.  They live here - my guests don't. 

Last week I was researching sago palms.  Mine are dried and brown after a very harsh winter and I needed to determine if I should give them some time or dig them up and replace them with something more hardy.  In the process I found that Sagos are poison to animals, especially the seeds.  Thankfully my little ones don't eat plants, but I was glad to find this information so I could be more vigilant. 

After finding this tidbit of information, I proceeded for research other poisonous plants and foods and found an interesting site from Squido with much information on poisons, symptoms and treatment.  The Humane Society also has a good site for dangerous plants and foods as does The Earth Clinic.  My chihuahuas will eat most any food dropped on the floor, so now I have to be more careful of the tidbits they consume.  I once had a horse, Smokey, that love to share a cup of coffe with me every weekend morning.  I didn't realize that coffee could be detrimental to his health, but that danged old horse is still alive and kicking (just not so high).  The best we can figure, Smokey is close to 25 years old. 
 What animals like to eat, is not always what they need to eat.  I know a few humans with the same problems.  For those of you who treasure your animal friends, please check out these sites.

Happy reading!
Belle

Happy Friday!

Oh how my girls are growing!  Today, my middle granddaughter graduated from pre-K.  Her learning journey has just begun and I can't wait to see her inquisitive little mind develop and grow.  Of course she is smart, being my granddaughter, but now we will watch and wait for the twists and turns her little mind takes.

My oldest granddaughter turned 8 on Friday.  Growing much too fast for Nanna, she is growing into quite a young lady.  Demure and quiet, she will astound you with her voracity when provoked.  Looking very elegant and poised she can climb at tree, hike, and tussel with the best of them and then grab her fishing pole ready to bring in the big one.

My grandson, now 12 is changing rapidly.  Not only is his facial features becoming more refined, his mind is working differently as his body is growing.  So proud of the young man he has become!

My youngest is the joy of all of them, as she still has enough baby to drive you crazy, but filled with love and happiness that will melt your heart.  She absorbs everything the three older ones say or do.  She has my temper and will throw a fit in a minute, then fling her little arms around your neck and make you do exactly what she wants.

I am so enjoying my grandchildren this weekend, but while they are fishing and camping, I wanted to share a minute with you.  My wish for all is a fun filled happy Memorial Day.  I thank each of you who served in our armed services for the part you have played in keeping our country free and safe.  To the families that have lost a loved one in service, I wish for you peace in the knowledge that your loved one gave themselves for the freedom and rights of others.

Happy Memorial Day to All!
Belle

Sago Palms, Hostas, and More

We all thought the Sago palms were done for and I had planned to take them up next week.  I have been patiently waiting for new growth to appear after a horrendous winter, but I was tiring of the brown fronds.  Surprise, surprise - New green fronds started showing themselves this past weekend. 

This week we were blessed with Hubby's lilly opening up.  It was a little slow this year, but the blooms are beautiful and more are ready to pop!

This giant hosta was a Mother's Day gift from my son and his family.  It is gorgeous and in the fall I will divide and share.  I love new plants and additions to my little garden!  Still have to get some mulch around this beauty so it will survive the hot days ahead.

The hostas I put in last year have tripled in size and have bloomed also.  Bulbs and tubers really thrive here.

My rosa rugosa is spreading its roots and new shoots are coming up all around.  I am excited that it likes its soil and light enough to expand.  Sorry I don't I have pics to share, but I will post more later.

Where did all the fabric stores go?

Kids Are Coming!

My quarterly visit from my grandchildren from the north is happening this coming week!  This is really a joke as I do get to see them about every 3-4 weeks, but it just seems like it is only 4 times a year! 

My Boy Scout grandson and my clogging granddaughter seem to grow at least 3  or 4 inches between each visit.  Growing up and will soon beg not to have to go to Nanna's.  Thank you Jesus for a loving and caring daughter that drags them south to make sure Nanna and PawPaw are okay!  My children are the most wonderful children in the world and I am blessed that they are both good providers and loving parents. 

I am almost done with my major chores so my time can be spent visiting with them and storing up until the next visit. 

The Hummingbirds are dive bombing today!

The Hummingbirds are dive bombing today!

. . . and it came to pass, after weeks of hoeing, weed pulling, fertilizing and waiting, the garden brought forth green string beans, squash, beets and lettuce and the family ate heartily giving thanks to God for the provisions of FRESH vegetables.

YES! I have fresh vegies with more on the way!  Tomatoes are growing plump and juicy while the eggplant is slowly putting on growth.  The zucchini and cucumber are spreading out and putting on blooms as are the bell peppers.  I haven't grown broccoli before, but my plants are beautiful, but oh how I wish I had put in onions.

Veggies

I am loving the beets, lettuce and squash out of my garden! 
More good things to come!

The grass grows faster than I can cut!

My week at a glance

I will start with an update on my chicks - growing fast and trying to settle into their "pecking order".  Some days I have gathered a half dozen eggs, most days I gather 4 which keeps us full of eggs.  My son's duck was beheaded by some creature from the depths of his lake, so I am now incubating 4 duck eggs.  Wish me luck!

The garden is beautiful!  I had a wonderful salad from the lettuce out of the garden and yesterday I fixed up some beets.  Hubby and I do like beets.  The green beans are blooming which means beans are not far behind.  Same with the tomoatoes and yellow neck squash.  Haven't had a problem with insects so far, but I am well aware that they will soon be flocking into my paradise.  The broccoli, bell peppers and egg plant look very healthy, now if they produce I will be extremely happy.  I wish I had some onions planted as their price has sky rocketed over the last few weeks.  Never thought I would see yellow onions reach $4.00 for a 3 pound bag!  My asparagus bed is shaping up nicely and I am pleased with all the new shoots.  All ten crowns of asparagus survived my ignorance so I am blessed! 

My rosa ragosa is spreading and blooming and looking lovely.  Roses are at their prine this year and the beautiful pink bloom was a little over 6 inches in diameter and smelled divine!  I received two rubber trees for Mother's Day and they are coming right along.  I have to do some research on these babies as I know absolutely nothing about them.  They have made a lovely addition to my garden, however and seem to fit right in to the landscaping I already had going! 

I have encountered a few more little black snakes than usual this year.  I don't know if the chickens are luring them into the yard or the lushness of the plants.  With all the rain we were blessed with this year, the foliage on shrubs and plants alike are thick and beautiful.  The little snakes are driving my chihuahuas crazy and we are experiencing a lot more barking and whining than usual.  The two little redneck dogs just can't understand a snake.

I have enjoyed the search for fellow classmates this week.  I am trying to locate some hard to finds from our graduating class as hopefully we will have a class reunion this summer.  We have lost so many from our class and we really need to get together soon.  It has been exciting to find these people and talk to them.  Most I have not seen or talked to for 40 years.  It is strange to be so close to someone during school and then lose all contact. I look forward to seeing these friends and re-establishing contact.

Haven't done much writing for the past several weeks, but plan to get back to it soon.  My quiet time has been short and interruptions frequent, but things will settle down again soon.  

I would like to thank those of you who have offered up prayers for my cousin injured in Afghanistan.  He is stateside for now, but it looked pretty serious for a few days. It looks like some surgery will be needed before he returns to his unit, but for now he is safe and healing nicely and spending some time with his wife, kids and dad.  Keep praying that his recovery will be complete.

The lettuce must be picked (mine isn't on the recall list), so I will leave you for now.  Thanks for dropping by and until next time . . .

Happy reading!
Belle

I love new plants! 

Happy Mother's Day

Today is the day of Thanksgiving for the Mother's of this world.  For me it is a day of Thanksgiving for my children and grandchildren.  The times of getting up in the middle of the night, getting through the terrible twos, the sometimes terrific threes, the sickness, the injuries, the stubbornness, all the trials and tribulations of childhood are forgotten by the smiles on the faces of just one accomplishment.  The minutes, hours, and days of happiness and joy brought about by a child are irreplaceable.

I am proud of the people that my children have become in spite of my inexperience.  My children have provided me with the greatest gift I could ever receive and that is my grandchildren.  To my son-in-law and daughter-in-law, thank you for being the parents that you are and instilling in my grandchildren the joy of living and the love of God.

I thank you!

To the rest of you Mother's and Grandmother's out there I hope you have a peaceful, joy filled day.  Some of you have children and grandchildren serving our country on foreign lands and will not be seeing them this year on this special day.  My prayer for you and them is for a safe and happy day.   May they return to you unharmed with a smile on their face and joy in their hearts. 





Happy Reading!
Belle 

The first month of Spring has been most delightful even though I seem to have floated through it with a hazy mind either from the antihistimines or packed sinus cavities.  I could, however, see through the haze and what I saw was trees that leafed out seemingly overnight, the hostas that burst forth from the dark and dry grass, and the roses which grew inches in a days time.  We all attribute this abundance to the gross amounts of rain we have had over the winter and the rush of hot days before Spring actually arrived.  Thankfully the heat only abounded for about a week before the cool days and cooler nights returned and provided comfortable "working outside weather."  We had an extremely harsh winter and much had to be done to straighten out gardens, lawn, and trees.

Of course, along with those plants that we were delighted to see came the weeds that sprouted with profusion all over the yard and in the garden.  One of the more pesty plants I have been fighting for a couple of years is a variety of sand spurs.  We ordered a load of sand and the sneaky seeds of this sand spur were delivered along with it.  As I love to shed my shoes in summer, this has caused endless pain and frustration.  Last Spring I "butt"crawled across the back yard pulling each and every little plant I could find destroying any sign of a spur.  This year, they are back with a vengeance and seem to have spread to new areas.  Looks like my only respite will be some villianous chemical that hopeful will not harm the wildlife nor my wildflowers and herbs. 

I am anxious for a visit from my cousin and his wife as she just completed the "Master Gardener" program.  I hope she has some suggestions for my yard and even though we have different taste and style, I value her suggestions and observations.  Due to her creativity she always has innovative ideas for the yard and garden.

May is shaping up into a very busy month as several "get-togethers" are in the works, but it looks as if the weekends will be rain filled so we will adjust and continue to move forward.  Until next time, I am going to enjoy this rain and cool air . . .

Happy reading!
Belle

I have had a most enjoyable few days with my oldest grandchildren.  My grandchildren never cease to amaze me with the way their wonderful minds work.  None of the four are alike, but all seem to play well together and other than vying for the attention of either their PawPaw or myself, entertain each other well.  I believe my grandson will probably be a writer (he has the most vivid imagination) or any attorney.  He informed me this weekend that he was descended from Al Capone through my grandparents - he explained it all to me as we all had a great laugh over his tale, but alas, there is no way.  He and my youngest granddaughter can take a little bit of information and build a huge story out of it - the facts get a little scrambled, but the story is there.

I could sit and listen to them for hours.   It is so amazing at the things that draw their attention and how they process, interpret and relay information.  I am so pleased at their level of maturity and ability to ask intelligent questions and comprehend information.  Yeah, I know I am prejudice, but that is the perogative of a grandmother.

As I had business at the Clerk of Court's Office this week they accompanied me.  They had a great time meeting friends at the Courthouse, touring the building, and getting a quick explanation of what each office was responsible for and how the court system worked .  Then we made a trip to the Old Jail Museum and was given a great tour courtesy of the curator.  The curator is the most knowledgeable person around for the history of our area and she is not even a native of our county. 

The following day, they toured the local cemetaries, located an old tobacco drying barn and last but definitely not least visited the new Super Wal Mart in Forsyth.  It was a full afternoon, but an enjoyable one.  My grandson enjoyed meeting family almost everywhere we went and was even invited to a cousin's house to ride a goat.  I am sure that goat will still be waiting when he makes his next trip south and the invitation will still be open.

It is a secure and comforting feeling to know that so many people know you or are related to you in an area.  It gives you a connection that provides stability and security.  It is something that is so often taken for granted, but is so precious. 

Thanks to the ever expanding flock of chickens, there is work to do tomorrow, so I will close for now.  Until next time,

Happy reading!
Belle