One Wintry day in February

I remembered....

the lucky little girl who lived in the country who loved to run outside after school and play in the woods.

She would find a clearing and lie down on moss-covered ground, close her eyes and listen to the whispers of the forest, birdsong, trees swaying, and the sounds of babbling water in the brook.

Looking up, she could see through the treetops towards the sky, and it seemed the earth was moving but it wasn't. It was only the clouds racing across the sky.

Always there would be clouds to count, and later...the ground to search for indian arrowheads

or the joys of discovering a carpet of sweet-scented wood violets.

In May it was a ritual to search for ladyslipper orchids that grew in the shade of a huge old oak

There were salamanders to catch, and tadpoles too. And if she was very lucky, she would find the best treasure of all - a newly-hatched baby turtle.

Childhood memories....golden nuggets of the past recalled on a wintry day in February.

Welcome February…..

The Groundhog saw his shadow on Saturday, so that means we’re in for 6 more weeks of winter. Well, I knew that was going to happen - I'm just looking forward to Spring.

Thought I would share some photos of my feathered friends and some other pictures to bring a touch of Spring to everyone longing for warmer weather.

A Garden Tour is just the cure....

for the midwinter blues! It’s been awhile since I blogged, no excuses here…just that life managed to get in the way and blogging ended up on the back burner.

But the good news (I hope) is now I’m back!

Christmas was a blur this year, and look, here it is the end of January already.
Time just seems to fly past so quickly.

A cure for Winter blahs, for me, is a visit to Longwood Gardens.

Enjoy the pictures...

This one's for Mary. A Stinker...I know..it's the only kind of Heron for you.

Why can't my Christmas Cactus look like this??

27 Years Ago Today.........................

We were wed!

Through thick and thin, we muddled through
the good times and the bad...

We're going out to dinner tonight
to celebrate.

"...and they lived happily ever after."

COME SEPTEMBER.....

Thank goodness, God threw a switch on our heat and humidity and September has gifted us with cooler temps, low humidity, ……a bonus for sleeping with the windows open.

The blogging inspiration fairies abandoned me in August, which brought unexpected health and other problems with our pets, family, and two of my dearest friends. I've been shell-shocked and bereft until recently, when things are finally starting to look up.

And although we have not had weather as bad as Mary or Jayne have experienced, between the heat and my neglect this summer, our garden has not been the garden of which I'm usually so proud.

Being a gal who is descended from strong stock, determined to set aside the negatives and let nature do some healing - I worked outside in our gardens weeding and mulching, and worked on our waterfall fountain/pond. The sound of the waterfall does the trick. Nature heals.

This month we are celebrating our 27th anniversary. We gifted each other with bright red Kayaks and we're looking forward to spending more time out on the lake enjoying nature.

August did bring one very nice trip - a week in Florida with our granddaughter. She taught me how to text message, how to download and maniupulate files on an MP3 player, as well as some very cool sudoku tips. We enjoyed the beach, collecting shells, swimming in the Gulf of Mexico, visits to the Mall and bookstore. A trip to Mote Aquarium on Longboat Key to see how dolphins and sea turtles are rehabilitated was one of the highlights of our time together.

I'm trusting that during September, things will continue to stay positive for everyone. I'm keeping my fingers crossed, and I am so very thankful for answered prayers.

BARNS ALONG THE WAY……

Each day I pass by quite a few barns on my way to work.
One day I had a 'lightbulb moment' and I finally decided to count them.
There are no less than 25 barns…most of which are in varying states of disrepair.

I’m a bit of a barn freak…I pretty much love
all of the barns I see, whether they’re in good shape
or bad. There’s something magical about a barn, about what
could be inside the barn. And the decrepit barns always make
me wonder how they must have looked in years gone by, when
they were new. I think old barns have character.

Here is a sampling of some of the barns I pass by each day.




















TONS upon tons the brown-green fragrant hay
O'erbrims the mows beyond the time-warped eaves,
Up to the rafters where the spider weaves,
Though few flies wander his secluded way.
Through a high chink one lonely golden ray,
Wherein the dust is dancing, slants unstirred.
In the dry hush some rustlings light are heard,
Of winter-hidden mice at furtive play.

Far down, the cattle in their shadowed stalls,
Nose-deep in clover fodder's meadowy scent,
Forget the snows that whelm their pasture streams,
The frost that bites the world beyond their walls.
Warm housed, they dream of summer, well content
In day-long contemplation of their dreams.

Roberts, Charles G. D. (1860-1943)

More views from Fordhook Farm…….

I had such a hard time deciding which photos to post yesterday, so thought I’d add more today. Here for your viewing pleasure….



Hidden Pathway



A bit out-of-focus, but I couldn’t resist…….



Antique Seed Barn



Purple Smoke Bush – (I thought the foliage was so pretty)



Side porch view



A Carolina Shade Garden



Ligularia Dentata Othello (for MaryPat)