Monday, August 30, 2010

The Mandala of the Sunflower and Other Special Sunflower Mixtures

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Special Sunflowers that are not all Yellow, but a rich color mixture for cut flowers.


The Mandala of the SUN Flower.

Wednesday, August 25, 2010

A Montage of Random Photo's of the Garden and It's Inhabitants

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A tomato worm

Friday, August 20, 2010

"I Am Somebody"~~~~An Old Negro Spiritual Song

OK.....I admit it.  I've tried and I've tried not to bring politics in my Garden, but to no avail. Politics has entered the Garden, my garden. This quote comes to us via Jesse Jackson.  I AM SOMEBODY.  For those of us Baby Boomers who came riding in on the coat-tails of Gloria Steinem et al, our gardens are not our grandmothers gardens, nor are they our mothers gardens. Our gardens are a mixed variety of  flowers and vegetables where our blogs about politics, our blogs about current events, our blogs about food all overlap like centrifugal circles. The politics of food overlaps and intertwines with The Garden.

We are more aware than our grandmothers, our mothers and our aunts of what is going on around the world, not just our little "neck of the woods", thanks to the Internet. We maintain ourselves, our social network of selves on the Internet, by blogging and using the new communication device of choice Facebook and Blogger and Twitter.  So for that reason, I've posted my sign.  My "I AM SOMEBODY" sign that was re-purposed from an old wine cask barrel to make the sign. Re-purposing, re-inventing and re-using is IN.


Why?
Because we can. 



And just to round things out so anybody who reads this blog regularly does not get the impression I am stuck on myself with my "I AM SOMEBODY" (an old negrolike spiritual song) sign, here's a few others I have made along the way. They have become my garden border signs and I love them, because they were my bright ideas. Now if I could only sell some of my bright ideas as an artist, that would be divine. I'd like some credit and credit-ability.





Here's a sign of Strength




Here's a sign of Courage
The Spiritual Sign that re-iterates the Song of the South...Que the Uncle Remus Disneyland Music NOW please. Or maybe Alabama's Song of the South would be more apropos. 
And bless Miss Sherrod's heart for NOT accepting the USDA's new job offer......Like I said, I tried to keep politics outta the garden and farm, but it just keeps showing up again and again.

And to further politicize this blogpost with a more well rounded worldly feeling why not donate to SOLES for SOULS, a charitable organization that Micheal Franti is part of, that puts shoes on the feet of the shoeless who cannot afford shoes. I know, I know it's hard to believe in this day and age of Jimmy Choos. But it's true.

Thursday, August 19, 2010

The Three Amigos In a Bucket

First we found one kitten in the field.  Then we discovered 2 more kittens plus the mother.  So we temporarily put them in this bucket till we could get their cage ready. Then we found a great place called Paws for Life that would take them so tey could be adopted.  They will not be euthanized and that was our main concern.  With a cash donation to the Paws For Life we feel better about the little guys and their future.

Monday, August 16, 2010

The Black Witch Moth That Stayed For 2 Days

So there I was at the hose faucet filling up my watering can when I looked up and saw this huge moth.  I ran in got my camera and proceeded to take these pictures.  This moth may not look like anything special to you, but moth-ers, not mothers. will know that this MOTH is special. 

I believe this moth is a Black Witch. Now the Black Witch has special meaning in  naturalitistic folklore, amongst other things. Their wingspans are about 3 1/2 to 6 inches long. This one was about 5 inches.Their usual habitat is tropical and subtropical forests where pea trees grow. They hide by day whereever they can find shade (under an eaves trough looks good I guess) in this moths case.

Personally any moth with a wingspan of nearly 6 inches is always a thrill to see, whether it's a Luna, or any of the other more common Moths.  But this one I know is unique and different, and it was a delight to see in my neck of the woods.

The photos above were on Day 1, Yesterday.

Today I found Our Black Witch who's visiting our neck of woods for 2 days now, on the side of our huge maple tree. The photo shoot was great. I got as close as I wanted (close enough to see the "fur') and proceeded to shoot the black witch from every which way.  Backwards Upside Down, Up Under, and all points in between. The results are below.



Sunday, August 15, 2010

Look What The Cat Dragged In.....

So there I was just minding my own business when I hear what appears to be a bird in the field.  Upon further inspection, it turned out that it was a kitten Meowing.

Saturday, August 14, 2010

Friday, August 13, 2010

Grasshopper, You Shall See Moon Flowers and Sunflowers

Homegrown Tomatoes + Garden EggPlant = EggPlant Parmesan


Yummy yummy yum....fresh eggplant and fresh homegrown tomatoes = Eggplant Parmesan

Wednesday, August 11, 2010

The Major TOM......The Butterfly......And The Sunflowers


This is the cat that came back after being on a 3 week haitus/ excursion/ vacation/ from home who we were worried sick over.





This is the butterfly that landed on a leaf as I walked around looking for new wildflower arrangements.




This is the sunflower that will eventually become bird food and human food for me.This is the Sunflower I cut down today so the goldfinches could have some black niger sunflower seeds to munch on and be happy.