Open

I came home from work early today and caught the waterlily open.

Water Lily

Maw called me at work yesterday, very excited because he saw blooms on the water lily in the pond. Unfortunately, the blooms start closing up later in the day, so by the time I got home it was already closed. I went outside today when I got home and was able to see a little more of it this time. I guess it's going to have to wait until this weekend and I'll hope there's still some blooms then.

Guests

When I got home from work today, Quickbeam and I went outside with our camera to see what we could find. We took some pictures of a new mushroom that looked like a doppler radar tower that appeared in the backyard.



We snapped a couple of pictures of my rain lily that *finally* started blooming.

We also got a picture of the Betty Corning clematis that is blooming.

Then I decided to go over to the crepe myrtle tree and get a picture of its new blooms.

When I got close to it, this is what I found:

There was a bird there that took off as soon as I got close. I didn't see any eggs inside, so I'm hoping I didn't scare it off. It makes me happy to know that it has made a home in our tree. I'll be keeping an eye out for it.

Bugs

This has to be one of the buggiest summers that I have experienced in a long time. There are dead june bugs littering the walkways around the house. There are spiders with webs all over the bushes. There's a huge thing that is slightly smaller than a rhinocerous beetle that is on my front rose bush. There are japanese beetles all over the rose bushes. There's a dead katydid on my back porch. Work is a similar graveyard for insects. They get under the front glass double doors and wander through the building. One of the rhinocerous beetle thingies got in and was walking IN FRONT OF MY OFFICE. I am feeling very creepy crawly now.

Scaredey Fish

The picture above is a scene from a feeding frenzy in my pond in North Carolina. In that pond, within a couple of days of being added the fish would swarm all over and practically jump out of the water to be fed. Contrast that with this, a picture of my pond in Alabama.

These fish have been in the pond for several months now and I barely ever see them. Once in a while I will catch a glimpse of a flash of white or orange but for the most part I may as well have an empty tub. I have pondered why this difference in behavior might be. The pond in NC was 180 gallons and probably was overpopulated. This pond is only 35 gallons and I have 4 goldfish in it.

I first got interested in ponds from a friend of mine at work. He talked about when he was setting up his, and how so many of his early fish died. So when I set mine up I expected waves of fish casualties. Fortunately for me, since I'd done my homework before I set it up, I had maybe one or two fish die. And then I think I was a bit too overenthusiastic and kept adding one or two here and there before I finally stopped. So I ended up with way too many fish in my pond.

When we set up the new pond I greatly scaled down my scope. I didn't want a big pond (yet), just something to scratch the itch. So we did a pond that is big enough for a few fish, a waterlily and a plant or two. I don't have the time or energy to take care of a big pond right now (yet!). What I didn't take into consideration was that I wouldn't get to see my fish very often, because they aren't in that competitive of an environment. Boo. Ahh well, maybe when I have time to sit out there more they'll get more used to me. :)

Reprieve...of Sorts

I started classes on Tuesday and got a call my my academic counselor on Wednesday saying that they had to drop my class. There has been a problem with the financial aid year and an overlap or something and I won't be able to start back to class until October. On one side I am actually relieved by this, because it will give me more time to do other things that I like to do. On the other side, the money from the GI Bill was very useful for a single income family and it's going to hurt some while we wait for October. We'll still be okay of course, just might have to cut back on the several times a week Starbucks runs.

In gardening news, we still have quite a bit blooming including this succulent blooming on my bird feeder.

We got a massive rain last night which was greatly needed, even though it made the drive home from work very, very slow. Ah well, time to go curl up with a good book, since I don't have to worry about studying. :)

When in the course of human events...

"When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.--That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, --That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.--Declaration of Independence"

I am thankful for those brave men and women who cast their lot against the strongest nation in the world at their time and risked everything for Liberty. I pray that those amongst us today stop taking their Liberty for granted and cherish this prize that was won for us by our forefathers. It is maintained by us today for our children tomorrow. Teach your children about how their country was founded and what those ideals set down by our forefathers have done to bring Liberty to the rest of the world. Happy Independence Day America!!

What's Blooming 7/3/08

Here is Gingersnap, still plugging away.

A battered but still cheerful Black Eyed Susan

Sweet Alyssum in the gravel pathway

Thankfully the holiday weekend is here and I am glad for it. When I got home from work, Quickbeam and I went for a quick tour around the backyard to see what was blooming. My whole purpose with most of my plantings has been to find those that do well without a lot of water or attention and that seems to be paying off. Anything that needs a lot of pampering will die out quickly in my garden. :)

I have some plans to do gardening stuff this weekend, we'll see how far I get. I want to get some hoop supports for my floppy dahlias. I want to plant the items from the shade container at the back side of the flowerbed under my rose and camellia. I need to weed all around, and the filter in the pond needs to be changed out. I need to get some more bird seed in the feeder and get some mulch. So it is going to be a busy weekend if we get it all done. :)

Almost There

I can almost see the chorus of angels breaking out in song, and the fanfare of trumpets. This week is almost over, huzzah for holiday weeks. :) My boss has been out on vacation this week, so I've been doing her work, my work, and my second assignment work. It's getting crowded in my head wearing three hats. I am really over the whole thing. I am hoping that tomorrow goes better or I'll end up under my desk sucking my thumb. As enchanting as that sounds I don't think it would present a professional image. :) On the plus side, I stole a little time outside in the garden today, pulling grass out of the gravel in the pathways. Such a small thing, but an act of normalcy in this hectic week was dearly welcomed.