Forest For The Trees

I took Quickbeam out this evening when I got home from work. We checked the mail and then went into the backyard. She likes to grab the windchimes and ring them wildly. I let her do it as long as my ears can stand it and then we look to see what is blooming. I was checking over the creeping phlox that is blooming, and the butterscotch jessamine. The 'pink chintz' thyme even has a few blooms on it. And then I suddenly realized that the Lady Banks rose had buds all over it and that some had even started to open...go figure. I almost didn't see the forest for the trees. :)

A Visitor

This morning my 15-month old daughter was standing looking out the front window as she likes to do sometimes. I heard her tapping around on the glass and didn't think much of it. Then she came over and sat on my lap, and the tapping was still going on. So I went over to look and imagine my surprise when I saw the gentleman above, sitting on the windowsill. He would sit there and look intently, I am assuming at his reflection, and then would start fluttering around and pecking at the glass. We have a tint on the windows that reflects light out so I couldn't get a very good picture through it. He kept at it for almost an hour this morning, and his lady girlfriend was sitting on the rosebush outside the window being mightily impressed by her man.

I actually had big plans for this weekend, we were going to finish cleaning up the front flower beds and do some weeding in the back, but a big storm yesterday and this morning put that off of the table. It actually sounded pretty scary last night and we were under a tornado warning for a while. Thankfully it blew over and we didn't have any problems except for some clutter from the back porch blowing around in the yard.

Alas, I guess the weeds in the scree garden will have a few more days to grow. Hopefully the weather will be better next weekend!

Gaylord Opryland Resort - Nashville

We're finally back from our Nashville trip and very glad to be at home. My dad stayed at the Gaylord Opryland and we visited him there Friday and Saturday. We packed up before the sun came up this morning and headed home. I am definately glad to be back. The Gaylord was beautiful but was really crowded and really expensive. We stayed at a nearby hotel and drove over. Here are some of the pictures that I took. For those that haven't heard of it the Gaylord is a huge hotel/resort/convention center almost like a big greenhouse. There are waterfalls, rivers and even boat rides in it.

There were beautiful plants everywhere. I lusted after quite a few of them.

And there were fish in the ponds and streams.

And there was other wildlife too.

Overall it was a fun visit, and it was good to see my family. Now I am back to reality and have to get ready for work tomorrow. Boooooo!

Spring Fever

I don't like to complain...oh nevermind I really do. I have been down with the flu since Saturday evening. After a couple of really bad days I have felt quite a bit better but my low grade fever has been dragging on and on. I really hope it is gone today because my dad and his wife are coming in to Nashville this weekend and we are supposed to go up and see them. Of all of the weekends the flu had to walk in on, it had to be this one. ;) So enough of my crying...

All around outside spring is happening. My creeping phlox is a blanket of color right now. The Butterscotch Jessamine above actually had buds on it back in January and was the first thing to bloom in the garden this year.I even have a bloom on my strawberry plant. :)

And finally my daffodil is getting ready to bloom too.

Why Primroses are a Bad Idea

Okay, maybe not for everyone in every situation, but definately for me and mine. I planted them in a couple of our houses and apparently they didn't do very well. I've always been enchanted by their pretty flowers as pictured here.

The problem is that they spread seedlings EVERYWHERE. I mean there are hundreds of them coming up in the front flower bed, long after the original plants got yanked up. If I ever get these things eradicated they will never be planted in one of my flower beds again. Unless I have a really big area that needs to be naturalized I guess. :)

In Like a Lion

We woke up this morning to a blustery snowy day. I know that my readers farther North are probably not impressed but this is the first snow that we had this year that stuck. I got my little one up and dressed and took her outside to see the white stuff.

I still only have the flowering quince that is blooming and got a similar picture this time last year.

And to make things even better I got this in the mail yesterday.