Signs of things to come

Did I mention the hummers are back? They are only not in numbers yet..


Did I mention we finally got the sign to put up?? We are official. We are a tree farm Grow little seedlings, grow! (they are doing well)

This is where I like to spend time after school. Lately the weather hasn't cooperated. Stormy and rainy, but I am hoping it will turn off nice for the long weekend.


Bob takes his 'dog' Quarrie for a ride on the 4-wheeler...not often you will see a cat riding on one, but I think he is getting tired of the dogs getting all the attention..


Today I got home to find the kitchen cabinet open. Hmmmmm. Didn't leave it that way.



But, there on the floor near the cats dish was a tiny present. Dead mouse. Good boy Mac. He's the mouser and has been diligently checking in and out of the cabinets in the kitchen lately. Apparently he can hear the little devils when I have no clue...other than the torn paper lining the silverware drawer! I have had to put all the silver in the dishwasher twice..but Mac has also gotten 2 mice!
Good boy Mac.

May ramblings

These are stolen moments from my hectic schedule...Bob is mowing, the dogs are fed and run, but dinner still awaits the end of todays mow. The grass is growing too fast to keep up with, and so are all the wildflowers, some of which I captured on the run, today. I had to start with Penny cooling off in her favorite creek spot.

The Mountain Laurel is in full bloom. It scatters its lovely shapes and color all throughout the fast greening landscape...

This wild grapevine has found a good stake atop this semi-dead cedar..

My porch plants are also loving this humid weather...this 'Shrimp cactus' is loving its new place outside. Some say it's a confused 'Christmas Cactus'...

This is my 'Chocolate' orchid, and it does smell like chocolate! Its blooms are tiny, about an inch.

This crazy, stormy one minute, sunny the next weather has made for some really cool late afternoon skies, when the sun drops low enough to shine under the storm clouds..eerie.

The wet weather is also producing some wild looking fungi growing in the crevice of the wheel chair ramp out back...

This is the only turtle I have seen to date on the property, and beleive me, I have been looking!

...just some May ramblings down here on the farm in Virginia.

Grandsons

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Caine and I had a little rest after eating shrimp and "O-gurt". Well, thats what he ate.
Bob cooked his famous 'Baltimore style' steamed shrimp and I made a big potatoe salad. We had a rest, Mommy and Daddy fell asleep, and then Caine and I and Pop-pop went out to play.

Caine helped Pop-pop feed the birds. He filled the cup while Bob poured the feed into the feeders. He would only fill the cup with a small amount of seed so it took along time, plus he had Bobs gloves on so it was harder for him. Bob is so patient with him.
.

Carrying his sippy cup full of apple juice to join me on the swing...

He is such a happy little guy and he sure loves it here. We have to drag all his toys and things from the shed and play in the dirt.

These cowboy boots were his Dad John's when he was a boy. Michele said they found them in the attic and Caine won't take them off...

my little cowboy on his wonder-horse Tex. I used to have to wrap the hard plastic mane with padding so he wouldn't bump his face.

Not anymore, he runs full tilt on his Tex....My Mom said I wore out 2 sets of springs on my horse, Jim Jump.

Another great afternoon with Caine. I'm renewed. He is such a joy, and Pop-pop- has alot more fun with him now that he's mobile!

Too much of a good thing...

The creek is very high during the rains...chocolate milk or light coffee and really wild.

Penny isn't put off by the speed or the color, it's still the creek.



Even the side runs that normally trickle are fast and dangerous.

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Next morning brings a sky that you have to photograph...so colorful, a spiritual thing.

The creek has subsided...it has rushed to Pigg River and returned to a lighter shade.
Belle likes this taste better.

Debris litters the banks and rocky ledges that rise like dinosaur backs.


Penny has her favorite holes to soak in along the run route.

The sun has shone for several days now.The flowers are up and the tree buds are popping.
More rain is forecast for tomorrow and the next day, however I don't think that they will be the torrential rains of last week.
Gentle rain is good, the fields will green up nicely. Those downpours wreak havoc with the driveway,the fields and the streams.
The old adage applies:
Too much of a good thing, isn't good.