Around the Ranch

Ms. Gray decided to have her kittens this past Wednesday.  She had 4 little babies that look pretty much exactly like her, but they seem to have a little bit of a stripe.  There are a couple of boys and a couple of girls.  Very sweet.  She had them on the deck in the back of a somewhat broken ceramic vase/pot.  It's perfect place for them.  More pictures as they grow each week.  We'll keep at least two of them, but the other two are available for adoption to a loving home. 

This weekend was "deadheading" weekend.  Meaning the roses had to be deadheaded.  This is before their trim.  There were massive blooms everywhere - the scent as we walked out the front door was heavenly.  This is our third year with the rose garden and it's looking great.  Because of the mealy-bug infestation last year (although they didn't get the roses), we've been putting Neem on everything in the garden since the first green shoots starting growing.

I had a huge wheelbarrow full of rose petals that had been trimmed.  Because of the spiders (I saw a couple of Black Widows while I was trimming) and because of the Neem, I decided not to keep the petals for sachets.  Also - there were so many I would have had pillow cases full of petals, not pretty little sachet packets.

Post trim.  What's left are the roses that have just bloomed and the buds that haven't yet opened.  I didn't take any off this time for cut flowers as I won't be home to enjoy them.  I figured Tim would enjoy them more in the garden than in the kitchen.

And we started to have our first crop of Strawberries!!!  Yum!!!  Right now we get a bowl full this size each day.  By the end of the season, we're going to have to be making strawberry pies and preserves to use them all!

Roses Galore!

The roses are about to burst forth with so much energy - there are probably a hundred buds ready to pop open!

I'm missing my rose garden this week while I'm in Calgary.

This rose bush has my favorite colored roses on it.  Although the color seems to change each season.  They were originally a two-toned orange.  Sometimes they come in looking pink now.

This is one of the two-toned that looks pink (below)

What delights have you discovered lately?

The Orchids

All three of my indoor orchids are blooming!  They are gorgeous right now.  I love the Orchid Shop in Richardson where I bought two of these plants.  

I've transplanted two of them - Gunter at the shop in Richardson told me that they should be transplanted every year.  I lost one last year - not sure if it was due to the transplant or some other issue, so I've been reluctant to transplant the third one.

I often think about buying Orchids when I see them at the grocery or Costco.  But then I remember the love and care I saw Gunter give them and the hundreds of orchids flourishing at his shop and I think 

"no - I'll wait until Gunter has his annual Orchid show and buy them from him".

What's one of your passions?

It's allergy season!

 

 I loved the texture of these leaves budding...

Well, it's that time of year again.  We have had some might weird weather this year...  we went right from snow to allergy season.  Only a day or two in between.

However, we are loving the temps even though our eyes are watering and we are sneezing...

  Tim is thinking that these bushes are called "Redbuds" - anybody know?

I took these shots a few days ago, and these little pods are already in full-leaf bloom.

I love using the macro lens.

Enjoy the day!

Spring is Blooming

The weather is finally getting gorgeous here.

Everything (almost) is starting to bloom. There are a few things not quite blooming yet, and I'm a little concerned that some of our plants (like the lime tree) might have perished over our very odd winter.

This is from one of the thousands of Oaks on the property.  Couldn't believe how velvety the tiny little petals were.

Can never remember the name of this bush - but it just looks pink and red 

all over from a distance.  It is a surprise when you walk up to 

one and see these delicate, precious flowers that make 

up the overall showiness of the bush.

This looked like a "flora" butterfly to me.  About ready to fly away.  The sturdiness of the buds impressed me.  They are hardy, ready to burst into their next stage.

And, for some strange reason, they looked very happy.

(There's probably some scientific study that proves that when I'm happy, everything around me seems happier - or maybe IS happier - as well)

Of course, I can't leave out the dogwoods.  

Wow - what a fragrance!  

They are blooming all over the property right now.  

I want to move some around and see if we can get even more of a springtime show from them.  

And, now that this posting is up, I'll go do some springtime weeding and bed cleaning.

Enjoy however spring is showing herself in your neighborhood!

The Finches are Back!

The Goldfinches are back!  I haven't seen the Purple Finches yet... but I'm hoping it'll be soon.  They aren't really purple, but a beautiful, deep red.

They've been out there all day - mostly three and four at a time. They love this particular food  - it's just something inexpensive from the feed store, but they are happy with it anyway.  

I had fun shooting with the telephoto lens. Although these are shot through a window.  They birds don't tend to come if I sit on the deck nearest the feeder.

I loved this fellow's downy appearing feathers - and their color!

We've also had quite a few Cardinals.  The Cardinals are here all winter, but in the winter we don't see as many females.  I noticed yesterday that the females are back in full force.  

Caught this guy with food on his face!

Look at the outstanding coloring on his back feathers!

Spring is beginning

The great affair, the love affair with life,
is to live as variously as possible,
to groom one's curiosity like a high-spirited thoroughbred,
climb aboard, and gallop over the thick, sun-struck hills every day.

Where there is no risk, the emotional terrain is flat and unyielding,
and, despite all its dimensions, valleys, pinnacles, and detours,
life will seem to have none of its magnificent geography, only a length.

 

It began in mystery, and it will end in mystery,
but what a savage and beautiful country lies in between.

 

~ Diane Ackerman ~

 

 

("found poetry" from A Natural History of the Senses)