This is the time of year when one can walk through a field of corn..........

and never be seen again.........

it is so tall and so thick....

and so wonderful to eat........

but you wont find corn growing in my gardens.........I have to purchase it from stores or farmer's markets........

from those who somehow.........can grow corn

I have tried.......every year.........to grow corn. It sprouts.......it grows tall.......

it starts to get big ears of corn on the stalks........... I get excited...........

and then.....moths lay eggs in the ears and the larvae eat the corn.......

what ever is left........birds.......by the dozens.....

camp out around the garden ......

and peck away every kernel......

I have tried scarecrows......wrapping foil around the stalk...(advice from a farmer)

but nothing works.......

so now.........I purchase......enviously and enjoy.

I can grow flowers.....and pumpkins......but never corn......

any advice??

Speaking of pumpkins.......this year I have fairy tale pumpkins on the vine

and weird gourds with warts

and large yellow gourds.....with more fairy tale pumpkins.

and I have the usual long and large pumpkins

I started growing pumpkins years ago......for one reason. I wanted dozens of pumpkins to decorate the porches and tables with.......

dozens of pumpkins and ornamental gourds.......

cost dozens of dollars......which I did not have.

The first year that I planted and raised pumpkins,  I had so many pumpkins that I ran out of places to decorate.........

which I loved. 

I still grow pumpkins for decorating.......and I love fresh pumpkin for pumpkin pie......

but the main reason I grow them now.......

I love the large leaves and the large space that the vines and orange globes take over. 

I look out of my window........or walk up the path

and my heart is happy to see 

their large leaves blown by the breeze ......as if they are waving.......

saying ......."welcome home!"

How about you?

Do you grow vegetables well?.........including corn??

Do you grow decorative plants such as flowers and pumpkins?

I would love to hear!

Sophie is

a hot dog

a chilly dog

a corn dog

a sweet dog

the best dog..........

ever

B hopeful, B happy, B cheerful, B kind,

B busy of body, B modest of mind,

B earnest, B truthful, B firm and B fair...

B watchful, B ready, B open, B frank,

B manly to all men, whatever B their rank;

B just and B generous, B honest, B wise...

B temperate, B steadfast, to anger B slow.

B thoughtful, B thankful, whate'er may B tide...

B pleasant, B patient, B fervent to all,

B best if you can, but B humble withal.

B prompt and B dutiful, still B polite;

B reverent, B quiet, and B sure and B right...

B grateful, B cautious of those who B tray.

B tender, B loving, B good and B nign,

B loved thou shalt B, and all else B thine.

"A Swarm of Bees," 

The British Bee Journal, and Bee Keeper's Adviser, 1882 February 1st

Sunflowers as big as my vintage dinner plates

are now growing on the grounds...........

they are such a delight to see each day out in my garden. 

The pomegranate tree has got quite a few fruit on it's limbs

and the ornamental gourds and pumpkins are starting to fill out their beds with their vines and large leaves

with an assortment of different 

and colorful gourds

and my favorite........pumpkins

the Lantana bushes are all in full bloom

and I have planted zinnia in containers........

and in one very large garden space.......

that I hope ,soon, will bloom and I can show you. 

The prairie is still full of colorful wildflowers.

The Mexican Hat Coneflowers have caught my eye

and my imagination...........so I captured them in my embroidery.

It has been extremely hot ........sometimes, humid.......

yet we have gotten wonderful rain.

So tell me..........what is growing in your gardens?

How is the weather treating you?

Taboo's mouth and whiskers quiver,

and his tail thumps...........in his deep sleep. He is having the wildest dream.......

and I know what about...........

He had a most interesting and exhausting day.......

for a cat ........on his first day out

Taboo has been sitting by the window......most of his first year of life here, 

watching us outside.....and wanting to be with us.

It is extremely dangerous.......I do not want to lose him,

so I have been placing him in a harness and he has had little 

visits in the backyard........with Homer

he watches Sophie catch her Frisbee

and he acts puffy and silly when Sophie approaches.

Now he has been walking the grounds with Sophie and I.......

today was an adventure for him, 

he got to visit the chickens in the chicken yard, as I placed a few eggs into my pocket, 

he was drawn to the buzzing of busy bees as they were trying to 

make a home into a hole on the outside of the house

just as we made it into the front .......a very hot and thirsty raccoon came to make his daily visit

The coon now knows me well and does not mind if I sit to talk to it for a few moments....

Taboo........is safely tucked away behind me...........

terrified of what he thinks is a strange new cat.

I will not allow Taboo close to any wild animal........another good reason

to have him on a harness

He sniffs out a new scent at the base of an old mesquite tree

and discovers a nest.......with 

5 warm and snugly baby bunnies in it.

I pull Taboo away before he gets to introduce himself.........

then.......he gets into a crouching mode.....you can see his interest all over his face.........

but no way....Taboo

this hornet is almost 2 inches long and can deliver a very painful sting

Just as the day is growing tired.........and starts to push us home for the afternoon.....

A bobcat comes out of the brush behind the chicken yard......

and 3 lively and bouncy bobcat kits come out with  her. 

They jump and roll just like domestic kittens do......

and I lingered to watch them play

a little too long perhaps..............

soon the mother bobcat noticed me..........time for Taboo, Sophie and I to head home

So here lies.........a very tired cat.......

dreaming about his adventures of the day.

A few weeks ago , I posted about the wild Algerita Berry

bushes that grow abundantly and were full of blossoms and buzzing bees

( March 13 2016 post)

well, now they are heavy with sweet edible berries. 

The berries have a sweet tangy-ness to them.......safe to eat.......

but full of seed much like a black berry. Most people gather them to make jelly.

The leaves are very pointed and sharp and they hurt your fingers when trying to remove the berries.

I have heard of people laying a cloth underneath the bush and then whacking it with a broom to remove the berries easier. 

The Cherry Laurel is also heavy with berries. It grows wild here as well.  Although, not good for human consumption, the birds love to eat the juicy berries. 

My cactus was showing 

"its heart" to me the other day. I don't know how this sometimes occurs, but once in a while I spot a heart shaped cactus.

You have asked if I am in the middle of the terrible flood waters here in Texas.........no....

I am far away from that, however, as I was walking with Sophie, I saw this quickly approaching

in no time the whole sky was dark and orange and the dust so thick and choking.

Horrible dirt storms are sometimes a constant when the wind is blowing hard.

The next day, my car looked like someone poured a load of dirt all over it.

It covered the grass and the pumpkin plants out in the garden.

But in a day it was over and gone.

Hope this finds that you are having pleasant weather.