In My Backyard

Just checking in....

2009-06-29T12:08:00.004-05:00

Life is so unexpected, I have a job now. Considering how hard it is for everyone to find a job right now I consider myself very fortunate. I also have another grandson Donavan he is 3 weeks old and so precious I just want to hug him up every time I see him.

My camera hasn't been working well for a while and it finally quit on me. That's ok though I haven't really done anything new with the garden and it's getting overgrown with weeds in the hard to reach spots. Getting attacked by those hornets last year didn't help any either. I'll find something to put on here by the time I'm done.

Since I have a job now the walls and the playground are shaping up nicely. And I don't have to explain to my husband why he needs to buy dirt anymore. I just need to find time to get into the garden and pull those weeds.

I read in Mother Earth News to grow my tomatoes in a bag of dirt. So I'm trying that this year I have 4 tomato plants going and they seem to be happy. I hope this works because I have the hardest time with tomatoes. I'm hoping it's my dirt they don't like and not me, because I love tomatoes.

I've moved a few plants and I've trimmed a lot of branches off of trees and bushes this year. The yard looks like it has a very bad haircut right now. But I'm hoping next year it will all be filled out nicely.

I am surrounded by neighbors that let trees grow wherever they want. sometimes when I go for walks I wish I had my loppers with me. I have gone into one neighbors yard and cut out some wild things, but he doesn't mind cause his fence is over our property line and we have to go in his yard to keep the trees and weeds out of our garage.

I only have Saturdays off and some Fridays so most of that time is spent with my kids. They are so used to having me 24 hours a day it took a couple of months for them to get used to me working. My husband is still having a hard time, because I work at night so he has to do his own supper now and sometimes bring me mine. I spend the mornings cleaning the house and doing the laundry and he does the grocery shopping now. I was pretty hungry the first month, because of my limited diet. But he's getting the hang of whole grains, fresh fruit and vegetables now;)

Been busy with my social networking, I've had a myspace for a few years now, but I just joined facebook. I go there a lot because my relatives do myspace and facebook and it is amazing how easy it is to keep up with each others lives and hardly ever see each other. If you would like to find me just look for Beverly Hagge and I'll be there;)

2008-09-07T09:14:00.007-05:00

It's been a while and I'm a bit rusty, but I just couldn't stay away any longer. I have my health under control and I've lost 50 pounds:) My babies are all getting big and Baileigh is walking now.

I haven't done anything with my yard other than mow and pull weeds. But here and there I take a picture or two.

My Azalea is not well and I'm hoping it will be ok next Spring. I'll give it a shot of miracle grow and see what happens. It's over 20 years old so maybe it's ready to die:(

Today my uncle is coming over to help me build more of my wall, so I should get out there and get everything ready. See Ya!

my babies love flowers too:)

2008-08-09T21:17:00.004-05:00

At least I'm not lazy;)

2008-04-24T12:17:00.011-05:00

I came home yesterday and the white tulips that have been growing in the middle of my lawn every year were yellow. What is up with my yard that the white flowers turn into yellow ones?

I know I haven't been blogging as frequently as I used to and I haven't been commenting as much either. I also haven't been able to keep up with my gardening or other things in my life.

I thought I was being distracted or maybe just plain lazy. But it turns out after spending a few days in the hospital, that I have some diabetes and thyroid problems. Somehow that made me anemic and so I guess I've been sick and didn't even know it.

I'm going to be taking some time to get back on track, so I don't know how often I'll be posting. But I do think of you and check on your blogs often. And I'm going to leave you with a little something that made me smile today:)

SMILE;)

Garden Bloggers Bloom Day

2008-04-15T23:26:00.011-05:00

I have flowers blooming! Not too many, but I still have to clean out the beds so that's ok. Let's see now, first I found the yellow daffodils that were supposed to be white when I bought them.I still haven't bought any bulbs from Home Depot since then.

Then I saw a few Periwinkle or vinca vine whichever you prefer. I prefer to call them invasive weeds.

Right below that is a Hyacinth,and there are purple and white ones in the front yard.

Last of all are these little white flowers I forget what they are called.

The crocus are done now and the tulips are just starting to think about getting buds. It's nice to have a few pretties come up before the grand show;)

Please visit Carol at May Dreams Gardens for more about Garden Bloggers Bloom Day.

First Day of Spring

2008-03-20T22:21:00.010-05:00

Spent most of the day spring cleaning. Still have a month to go before I can clean out the flower beds. I've been enjoying flowers all winter long inside. This Christmas Cactus has been blooming like this since November.Maybe I should call it a winter cactus.

The Hibiscus I was keeping warm decided to get bugs. White fly and scale, I hosed it down in the shower, sprayed it with insecticidal soap, and trimmed off all the bad stuff. It's an ugly thing now, but I'm sure it will get better.

I went outside after seeing these Crocus from the window.

The Surprise Lilies are in for a surprise when it snows again. The yard looks horrible right now, I can't wait for April.

2008-01-20T08:04:00.000-06:00

It may be cold outside, the first real winter in Iowa for a long time. But at our house we have flowers year round.

I've saved six outdoor plants from winter death. My mother-in-law gives us her Hibiscus every Fall,before she moves back to Florida. I have two now and I'll have to start giving them away if I get anymore.

This plant was too pretty to let die, and I had a perfect spot in the south window to hang it.

Of course I'll always have my favorite winter flower on standby if all else fails.

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Happy New Year!

2008-01-02T09:46:00.003-06:00

After my last post my second son informed me he was getting married in two weeks at a courthouse. What! We haven't recovered from the last wedding yet. So he got married November 2, 2008. Small wedding and a very small reception at a restaurant, and off to Branson they went for a nice honeymoon. They also moved out of my house and now we are down to 5 people:)

I'd talk about my garden but there just isn't much to talk about. I got a new gazebo to replace the one that blew away. But we couldn't get the tarp off without dismantaling it. I kept the snow off of it okay but the ice storms were too much for it and it is now ripped in four places:( I also have almost 1/3 of my wall in the secret garden finished. The bricks are pretty expensive so I get them a little at a time. For Christmas I recieved some Menards cards for more bricks, I might be able to finish it this Spring:)

The main reason I've been too busy to blog is Austin, Michael, Jayson and Baileigh. We have been spending lots of time together and by the time Austin goes to bed at night I'm too tired to type. Austin is potty trained, Michael is off the binkie, Jayson is walking, and Bailiegh is crawling and I'm glad I was here to see it. For me playing with babies is more fun than flowers:0

My mother is back up here for a while. She had another mini stroke on Christmas Day, I really wish she would quit smoking. There is not much more I can say about that.

I am now the Family Readiness Leader for my husbands unit up in Minnesota. I will probably be going there almost every month this year because they may be deployed by this time next year and we have a lot of training and work that needs to be done. Hopefully I will get a laptop and I will have more chances to blog, I mean work;)

Here's hoping 2008 is a good year for everyone, and a better year for my flowers and shrubs. This year I'm planning on doing a lot of seeds and spending the plant money on walls and paths and an arbor or two. I'm going to be using a lot of pine needles for mulch (it's free!) and I'm still pruning the lilacs a few branches at a time.

Trying To Be Green

2007-10-15T00:18:00.000-05:00

Today is blog action day. It's a day for everyone to write about the environment. I've been thinking all week about what I should write about. There are so many issues that it would take more than one post. So I decided I would write about the little things we do around here and provide some links to some interesting sites.

We have been recycling for over ten years now, I started composting last year and now I have 2 compost bins. We replaced some of our light bulbs for compact fluorescent bulbs and this year we are giving them to the kids for Christmas. I joined Freecycle last year, I always try to buy our food locally , and whenever we buy a new appliance we always get one with the energy star.

There are other little things we do like trying to conserve water, growing our own food, and turning off the lights when we are not using them. And we never litter, I think it was those sad commercials we watched when we were kids.

I've been interested in green building for about 3 years now, ever since I read about a straw bale house in Mother Earth News. I've found quite a few different types of homes on the web like this earthship made out of recycled tires and this cute house in Wales. I would like to learn more about green roofs,solar water heating and using graywater.

Maybe someday we will have our dream house on our dream land and we will grow and raise our own food and have solar energy and live off the grid:) A hybrid car would be nice too. But until then we will just have to do what we can to make our environmental footprint smaller,one step at a time.

2007-10-07T14:21:00.000-05:00

I was looking out the window this morning and saw this pretty rose, so I grabbed the camera and took a walk around the yard.

I saw a lot of weeds and trees that don't belong, and here and there little flowers to make me smile:)

Next year I must plant more Dahlias around the yard.

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2007-10-02T09:02:00.001-05:00

2007-09-30T06:17:00.000-05:00

Perfect time of year for Pansies:) They were my great grandmothers favorites according to my grandma so we always have some around the yard here and there.

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2007-09-24T11:53:00.000-05:00

My baby got married last week. We had the wedding down in Derby at my dads. I decorated the house with twinkle lights and flower garlands everywhere. Michael wore a tux to match his dad and Baileigh was in a pretty white dress just like her mama. After that wedding we went to 3 more, 2 on Saturday and 1 on Sunday. It was pretty hectic and now I must take a nap;)

2007-09-18T13:19:00.000-05:00

My birthday was Saturday so instead of staying home by myself with no car I went with HB to Minneapolis for his Army stuff. On the way there I heard over the radio that we were going to have a frost. Oh no! All my house plants are chilling outside with the container plants! Not to worry sometimes children can be useful;) I called them up and they put every plant inside, even the dead ones:) I'm gonna have to make them some homemade pizza soon to thank them.

When I got home there was no damage to any of the annuals so I don't think it was much of a frost here, but in Minnesota we had to use the ice scraper on the windows.Other than being quite chilly on Saturday the weekend was beautiful.

This weekend I went to see the Minnehaha Falls. We went for a walk and found a whole bunch of pagans celebrating the Earth. There were lots of different people young and old if HB hadn't of been there I would have joined in but he's not into being different and I wasn't dressed for dancing, so I just made him sit and listen for a while with me and then we went out to eat at a restaurant called Sunsets, it was very nice,the atmosphere was calm and relaxed and the food was mmm good.

On Sunday I went to the Ren Faire and spent some time listening to music, chasing fairies, and talking to vikings. I had never been to one that big before but I did manage to see almost everything before I had to go pick up HB. Next year I'll wear a costume and really have fun:)

One Down - Four More To Go

2007-09-10T12:57:00.000-05:00

Congratulations! Mr & Mrs Richardson, I hope your having a wonderful Honeymoon;) The wedding was beautiful,the food was good and the dancing was fun. See ya soon:)

A Little Trip

2007-09-02T07:44:00.000-05:00

Last month I went with HB to Minneapolis, it was raining so I didn't get to do much. I went to a farmers market and bought some white phlox and honey. It was wet and cold and I didn't think to bring a jacket with me, took me the rest of the day to get warm again:(

The next day was a little nicer and I found my way to Como Park Zoo and Conservatory. It was really nice, there is no admission fee all they ask for is donations. I went through the zoo first watched some polar bears that were lounging around, and found a sloth sleeping in a tree. It's a good thing I went outside first because as soon as I got inside it started pouring rain.

The Conservatory was like heaven to me:) Each room has it's own special atmosphere. One room had about 12 bonsai trees in it, one of the trees was 45 years old. There was a fern room and a room with spices.

But my favorite room was full of flowers. Once I found that room I just sat down and started breathing in the wonderful smells. Listening to the water trickle, somewhere I could hear a bird chirping. The upper windows were open so you could see raindrops leaving little ripples in the water as they slowly dripped down.

There was a lot more to that park that I didn't get to see because of the rain, so I'm going to go back and finish my visit sometime soon. I also have a few more gardens on my list and another farmers market. I sure hope it's not raining next time:)

Garden Bloggers Bloom Day

2007-08-15T16:18:00.000-05:00

It's Garden Bloggers Bloom Day and I didn't miss it:) Starting from the front and working my way to the very back of the yard. I have the following blooms.

Cheap Lily from Walmart, Delphinium, Coreopsis, Perennial Verbena,

Balloon Flower, Blackeyed Susan, Phlox, Calendula,

Dianthus, 1 lonely Daisy, 2 Butterfly Bushes, Rose of Sharon,

Augastache, Impatiens, Perennial Sweet Pea,

Dahlias, lots of Begonias, Stella De Oro Lily.

The Hibiscus doesn't have any blooms today,it's been blooming like crazy for 3 weeks now. But today it must be shy.

Well that's it except for some mystery flowers and a few petunias, I hope I have a bigger list next year.

Please visit Carol at May Dreams Gardens for more about Garden Bloggers Bloom Day.

2007-08-12T15:26:00.000-05:00

I don't know what kind of flower they are,but they sure are pretty:)

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A Morning Stroll Through The Garden

2007-08-09T10:51:00.000-05:00

A little bit muggy this morning, not as bad as Tuesday. I walked around the yard this morning making a mental to-do list. And taking pictures for this months. Garden Bloggers Bloom Day

I found a few flowers in between corralling Michael and Austin. Hey they only tried to make a break for the street once. Michael enjoyed some Lantana and Austin contemplated splashing in puddles.

I have been trying to keep up with the garden and the blog, but 4 babies are taking up quite a lot of my time. Since they won't be babies forever I guess I'll not fret about it and just sit back,relax and enjoy.

Finally got all the mulch I need, just waiting for free time to get it done.We got rid of a huge Flowering Quince and I have some plans in the future for this spot.

We dug out the yellow rose bush from the Moon Garden and now I have to figure out what will grow there. It has to like getting a bit wet at times and it's mostly shady there. Maybe I should paint something really cool on the side of the neighbors shed. Something with a moon and a white picket fence.

The Secret Garden is full of weeds as usual, but there is actually a plan now. There are some perennials back there amongst the weeds. Some Phlox, Russian Sage, Butterfly Weed, Daisies, Columbine, a few Stella De Oro Lilies and some struggling Iris.

The old gazebo is at the East end of the garden waiting for something to climb it. Once I'm done laying out the mulch I will begin to make my paths.

The one that will lead to the playground area will be a hopscotch path. I'm thinking of having some kind of tunnel too;)

I have been trying to catch up on all the garden blogs. I have so many favorites now that it takes a long time. I missed Garden Bloggers Muse Day at Sweet Home And Gardens Chicago, Garden Bloggers Book Club at May Dreams Gardens, and quite a few Green Thumb Sundays..

Dear Blog, I'm sorry I have been ignoring you. I promise to do better:)

Green Thumb Sunday

2007-07-15T01:16:00.000-05:00

Tomatoes! Yummmm! I have 6 plants this year. I moved them closer to the house into some fresh new dirt. They seem happy:)

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The Good ,The Bad, & The Ugly - In My Backyard

2007-07-14T13:07:00.000-05:00

When you have a lot of flowers it's easy to find some good, even though this year most of my yard is bad & ugly.

Like Old Roses I do not have a plan where my flowers will go, they just find a spot and live or die. This year a lot of them decided to die. I still have the tried and true, it was the new ones that got hit the hardest.

Last Fall I started a big project and a little one that became a big one. So I have been working on them. I have decided to work on the paths, walls, and beds before I plant any more perennials. Needless to say my yard is a mess and with half my flowers gone it's been hard to blog about it.

Out of four Clematis I only have one that is thriving The Jackmanii.

My Henri has some serious clematis wilt and I am removing it:( It's been struggling for 3 years and this one was the worst.

For the bad I have a confession, sometimes I take close ups of the flowers because that's the only way I can make them look good.

This bed is bad but it's only a temporary thing. I'm thinking strawberries might be happy here.

Other than that Clematis I'd have to say the ugliest thing in my yard right now are my lilacs. I finally got a chainsaw and I've been pruning them hard. I've been doing it a little at a time, because it's hard for me to make things ugly on purpose.

Visit Colleen at In The Garden Online for more info on The Good, The Bad, an The Ugly.

Garden Bloggers Muse Day

2007-07-01T00:16:00.000-05:00

My favorite flower poems have always been the Flower Fairies by Cicely Mary Barker. I copied the picture and the script from The Official Flower Fairies Website. I chose bindweed because that's what I need to take care of in the garden before it goes to seed;) I have friends who like to grow it because it's a pretty flower. Since they don't live by me I'll let their neighbors worry about it.

The White Bindweed Fairy

Song

*

O long long stems that twine!
O buds, so neatly furled!
O great white bells of mine,
(None purer in the world)
Each lasting but one day!
O leafy garlands, hung
In wreaths beside the way-
Well may your praise be sung!

(But this Bindweed, which is a big sister to the little pink Field Convolvulus, is not good to have in gardens, though it is so beautiful; because it winds around other plants and trees. One of its names is "Hedge Strangler". Morning Glories are a garden kind of Convolvulus.)

Folklore

The bindweed is the emblem of humility because it is too shy to show its flowers until it has gained the support of another plant on which it climbs.

Fairy Meaning: Insinuation, Humility

Secret

Hedge Strangler

The White Bindweed Fairy looks innocent, but you would not wish to invite her to live in your garden. She grows rapidly and winds round other plants and trees in a very persistent manner.

Please visit Carolyn Gail at Sweet Home and Garden For more information about Garden Bloggers Muse Day.

2007-06-04T10:22:00.000-05:00

HB bought me some pretty Marguerite Daisies, it was a nice surprise, he usually leaves the flower picking to me.

The Scabiosa that I planted last Fall is doing well:) Everything has changed in the garden this year, even some things in the Moon Garden are gone now making room for more.

Something new and blue, it's a perennial Bacholor's Button.

I had to dig these out of the compost I guess they wanted to live:)

Time to go dig and pull weeds(of course). As soon as I'm done hugging my babies;)

Garden Bloggers Bloom Day

2007-05-15T01:30:00.000-05:00

It's that time of month again,instead of a list I decided pictures could just say it all. Not as many flowers this year.

Out of all my Iris only 4 survived and only 2 of them have blooms. Some are struggling and might make it next year, but who knows. I guess I'll start over in August.

The Endless Summer Hydrangea croaked again. I will not be wasting anymore time or money on that! I guess it's time to give the yard a major overhaul. I'll try not to show too much of the ugly.

The gazebo is up in the secret garden where we are ready to start building a wall. What secret garden? Shhh! It's such a secret it doesn't even know it's a garden yet;)

For more information on Garden Bloggers Bloom Day go visit Carol at May Dreams Gardens

My 2 New Flowers; Just In Time For May Day

2007-05-07T22:28:00.000-05:00

I wasn't kidding when I said when it rains it pours around here. Last Monday on the very last day of April, both of our baby girls were born 3 hours apart. At the same hospital, so we had fun running back and forth. Well my mom doesn't run very fast but she gets there.

Baileigh Lynn was born at 12:48 pm and Leijla(Layla)Mae was born at 3:49 pm. They are both beautiful and healthy. My mother has been waiting a long time for a grandaughter and she got 2 great grandaughters on the same day:)

I've been waiting a long time to buy cute girl clothes. They are gonna love going shopping with me;)

Moon Garden

2007-04-29T06:51:00.000-05:00

Finally some white daffodils for the moon garden. I tried to get these on last week but the pictures weren't loading right.

I've been real busy at the hospital so I haven't much time to garden. My mom was sick and then we had 2 babies on the same day:)

Everything is finally starting to calm down. Until next week;)

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Garden Bloggers Bloom Day

2007-04-15T14:46:00.000-05:00

Two days ago I didn't think I would have anything blooming today, other than some droopy tulips and a few bent daffodils.

But then I noticed some bright yellow flowers in the lawn and started to get my hopes up:)

I found some creeping phlox on the wall, I'd like to get some other colors this year.

What's this! It's suposed to be a Mount Hood Daffodil, but it just doesn't look white enough to me.

It would be nice if at least one daffodil in my moon garden would turn out to be white. Well that's it for blooms in my garden. Better luck next year, I hope;)

What's Blooming Inside

2007-04-15T14:36:00.000-05:00

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2007-04-10T11:06:00.001-05:00

It's been a week of cold weather and I have no new blooms to report. I did cover some of my tulips that were not quite ready to pick, but after 3 days of fighting the wind I decided it was pointless. It even snowed in April I wasn't surprised, were you?

The night before the freeze I picked all my blooming flowers and enjoyed them inside, they sure do make your house smell good.

The Crabapples and the Serviceberry both had buds and I don't know if they will bloom this year or not. The Lilacs don't look happy but I think they will be fine:) Everything else is just chillin & waiting for some sunshine.

We had our annual Easter egg hunt Saturday, everyone put on their coats and had a great time finding the eggs.

One more month and my newest grand baby will be here:) It's a "GIRL" we haven't had one of those since, well let me think, Oh Yeah! Not since I was born. My brother is waiting for his first grand baby another "GIRL" When it rains it pours around here. Here is a pic of Jayson at 2 months:)

Flowers Before the Cold & One Lonely Butterfly

2007-04-10T09:56:00.000-05:00

First Blooms

2007-03-23T11:09:00.000-05:00

After waiting and watching for about a month now I finally caught a glimpse of color in the yard. I had to take a second look just to make sure it was a flower and sure enough there it was, the first bloom of the year.

For three days all I saw was yellow blooms and not very many considering I planted 50 of them and they were supposed to be mixed colors. I was a bit disappointed at first, until today when I saw this cute little white one. So I just need to be a bit more patient and see what else pops up.

This is my first year for Crocus, but I like how they blend in with the grass and surprise you. I'll have to plant some more this Fall:)

2007-03-18T07:43:00.000-05:00

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African Violets were on sale this week and I couldn't stop myself from buying 3 of them. Never mind that I have run out of pots and they have been very hard to find lately. I finally found 2 at Lowes and then decided to kick another plant out of it's pot. I'm sure it will be happy in it's plastic pot.

For some reason my African violets don't do well in plastic pots so I only put them in clay or ceramic. The hardest part is finding pots that look good together.I have 2 windows like this. 10 plants total but I have room for 2 more if I can just find some more pots.

I bought this one because I have never seen the flowers shaped like this before. Aren't they cute? I'm hoping to have outside pictures next week. Things are popping up everywhere, but I don't dare clean out the leaves protecting them from the weather. I am waiting till they are about ready to bloom or Easter, whichever comes first.

Icestorms and Blue Jays

2007-03-07T08:36:00.000-06:00

It's been a busy month since I've been able to blog. What with ice storms, power outages, and problems with my internet. I really do hope that saying is right about March coming in like a lion and out like a lamb. I don't know about you, but I'm ready to get the yard cleaned up for SPRING:)

I did manage to get outside and take some pretty snow pictures. And I finally got some pictures of an elusive Blue Jay. They must be able to see better than the other birds cause he won't come around if I'm at the window. He usually stays way back in the yard and waits.

First he perched on the crabapple looking around for enemies. Then he swooped down and started munching away. He didn't see me crouching on the floor with my camera up in the air blindly snapping away. Of course I missed him so I slowly raised my head to get some better pics and he let me take a few more shots before he flew away.

It could have been a girl Blue Jay because the sexes look alike according to my bird book. But I always refer to them as male because they are so cocky and sometimes can be real bullies to the other birds. They sure are pretty for such fiesty birds.

As I was writing this the Jay came back and he's out there right now screeching at the other birds and guarding the bird feeder. I can't take a picture because I sent my camera with Austin, so his grandma can take a picture of him meeting his idol Spiderman at the kids fest.

Green Thumb Sunday

2007-02-11T11:40:00.001-06:00

I was missing the warmer weather just a little bit this week. I've been wanting to do some more slide shows and this weekend seemed to be a perfect time to do one. These are just a few from last year. Enjoy:)

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2007-02-06T23:53:00.000-06:00

I received this great book from DK Publishing last week. This is a beautiful book with lots of pictures of different plants. It has a plant hardiness zone map inside the front cover and a plant heat zone map inside the back cover. There are over 5,000 entries so I haven't had a chance for more than a glance through. But it is lighter than my other plant encyclopedia so that's a plus. It has gardeners notes here and there with information and useful tips. I'm sure I will be using this book a lot in the future.

Green Thumb Sunday

2007-02-04T06:01:00.000-06:00

I'm pretty busy this weekend with the Army so I thought I'd do just a quick post and pic. Of course the computer doesn't want to co-operate so this picture took me an hour to get on here. This is Bella and an aloe plant. She looks like she is mad because she has an obnoxious kitten tormenting her constantly:)

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Visitors

2007-02-03T00:37:00.000-06:00

This week I have had a lot of visitors at the bird feeder. One day stands out more than the others. I happened to glance out the window and I saw red. Lot's of it. I crawled across the floor getting the camera set up and slowly raised my head to look out the window.

There was a cardinal convention in my backyard. I have never seen this many cardinals in one place before. They were everywhere they were even in the neighbors bushes waiting their turn. I don't know how many were there but I counted seventeen at one time. I know there were more but as soon as I moved my head to look at the serviceberry bush they flew away:(

I'm glad I got to enjoy such a wonderful sight. All I could think was how much my grandma would have loved to have seen it too. Michael and Austin kept popping their heads up to see but the birds didn't seem to mind them at all. Probably because they didn't have a camera.

2007-01-21T09:52:00.000-06:00

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For my first Green Thumb Sunday I have a picture of my Jade plant. I have had it for 3 years:) It seems to have developed a problem and I was hoping someone could identify it for me.

Little white powdery spots on about 5 leaves. Can I just remove them or do I need a spray? Poor little Jade plant:(

A Warm Welcome

2007-01-20T08:53:00.000-06:00

We have been a little bit busy this week.

Ladies and gentlemen I am proud to introduce to you...

Jayson Tyler born Thursday January 18,2007
weighing in at 8 pounds 4 ounces
and stretching out to 20 and a 1/4 inches long.
His interests include sleeping,eating,burping, and being cuddled by his whole family;)He's looking forward to lots of good times with his new buddies Michael and Austin. I love being a Grandma, it's so much fun:)

About Time!

2007-01-14T10:20:00.000-06:00

It's starting to look and feel like winter around here. The birds have found their new bird feeder and the flowers stayed underground like their supposed to.

I enjoy winter and if it didn't snow or get cold around here I might just have to move north. HB gets irritated with me when I'm happy about inclement weather. He doesn't like it because he works outside;) Well I don't know about you, but it felt weird to me to walk outside without a coat or long sleeves in Dec-Jan. So even though my hands and feet are freezing, my skin is dry and itchy, and I have to dig out the ice scraper from who knows where. I'm glad Old Man Winter finally woke up.

2006-12-24T05:58:00.000-06:00

You Are an Angel

A truly giving soul, you understand the spirit of Christmas.

What Christmas Ornament Are You?

My Favorite Plant - edited by Jamaica Kincaid

2006-12-11T17:04:00.000-06:00

Today I started reading the book selected for this month on the Garden Bloggers book club at May Dreams Gardens. I've been waiting for it for a week. I tried to find it in our library but they didn't have it. Then I found it on e-bay and was the only bidder until the last minute when I was busy with Army parties and someone out bid me by 50 cents. I went over to Amazon and paid $5.00, which was a better deal then the book on e-bay.

I've been trying to figure out what my favorite plant is and I just can't pick one. I decided to start with plants I actually have. If I picked a houseplant I would say it's a toss up between the African Violet and the Christmas Cactus. I grew up with the African Violet. My grandmother always had many different varieties all over the house. I think that is one of the few luxuries she allowed for herself. She had other plants, but it was the African Violets that would get you into the most trouble if you dared to disturb them.

The Christmas Cactus I've only been getting to know for about 7 years. It's been a nice 7 years they never give me any trouble. They don't care if I'm a little late watering them. They will stay in the same pot for years without complaining. And every winter they reward my neglect with beautiful flowers.

My plants outside are probably all a favorite plant, just at different times of the year. I planted for the first time some Crocus bulbs. They should be making me smile in a few more months. Daffodils come next and I wouldn't have a garden without some. I've always thought of them as happy flowers:) My mother's favorite flower is top on my list. I love the many different colors and styles of the Iris. The smell is sweet and they are so easy to grow, all you need is dirt and sun.

During the summer I can always count on Daisies. Every Memorial Day I take flowers to my loved ones graves. Sometimes there are Columbine, Peonies, Roses or Iris in the bouquet, but every year there are Daisies. I can't forget my annuals what would summer be like without Petunias, Allysum, Snapdragons, and Rose Moss, just to name a few.

In the autumn Mums, Asters, and Pansies are something to look forward to. But it's the changing colors of the trees that really catch my eye.

My Favorite Plant was a nice read, it was similar to Chicken Soup for the Gardener's Soul which I also liked. Last month's selection I didn't really like, I quit reading it after the 4th chapter. I'm going to try to find next month's book at the library. But if I can't find it I'll be reading Eat More Dirt by Ellen Sandbeck. I checked it out at the library and couldn't get enough of it so I bought a copy for myself.

It is impossible for me to pick one favorite plant. If there is a plant that is easy to grow, blooms all year long, smells real pretty, and doesn't mind a little neglect I might pick it. But only if I can keep all my other flowers too:)

2006-11-29T19:00:00.000-06:00

Strawberry plants in the Fall.

2006-11-29T10:59:00.001-06:00

Making babies;)

2006-11-29T10:59:00.000-06:00

A gift from a friend, Thank you Mrs King:)

2006-11-29T10:57:00.000-06:00

My winter flowers.

2006-11-29T10:50:00.000-06:00

First bloom.

2006-11-29T10:47:00.000-06:00

I brought the fuchsia in for the winter. I wasn't done enjoying it yet:)

2006-11-29T10:45:00.000-06:00

Kalanchoe

Veterans Day Salute

2006-11-11T06:50:00.000-06:00

It's 6:45 a.m. and pretty soon my favorite veteran will be getting ready for work. Have you hugged your favorite veteran today? I saw my second favorite vet last week at the store. I asked if I could blog him today and he said yes:) His name is Robert B.J. Jackson, and he is a pretty amazing young man.

I've known BJ since he was a teenager hanging out with my son. He was one of the few friends I actually got to meet. He married another one of JD's good friends Abby and she is pretty amazing too.

For me their story started a long time ago, before 911, before the Afghanistan war and before the war in Iraq. But for the rest of the world it started on August 7, 2003. I'll never forget the day JD got the call saying BJ had been seriously injured in Iraq. He was so upset and there just isn't anything you can do but sit around and wait for the next phone call. I could tell you the whole story but that would take too long and I think BJ tells it better here.

It took a little while but he finally came home. We saw him here and there and in the newspaper or on TV. He always looked so proud and strong standing there shaking the Presidents hand or showing Oprah how well his new legs worked. Last year I saw him out trick or treating with his 2 daughters. I could tell it was not easy for him walking up and down the hills and on the uneven ground. But he was having a wonderful time with his kids and that was all that mattered to him.

It could have been different he could have sat around and felt sorry for himself decided not to walk again, but I don't think for him that was ever an option. Instead he chose to fight for a life and now he helps others do the same thing. It's been over 3 years since that horrible day in Iraq. BJ has a great job being an Iowa Representative for the Coalition to Salute America's Heroes. BJ and Abby have a new son and they have welcomed 4 other children into their family and their new home. I'm glad that his story has a happy ending or should I say his new life a happy beginning.

BJ you are a wonderful person, a loving husband and father, a loyal soldier and I am very proud of you and your wife. My husband and I salute both of you.

Madison County, Iowa

2006-10-22T09:09:00.000-05:00

Friday JM,Michael,Austin and I went to Madison County. I wanted to get some pictures of the Fall colors and a few other things in that area. I didn't find much color but we did manage to find 5 of the six remaining bridges.

This is a picture of the Hogback Bridge it turned out the best. If you want to see pictures of all of the bridges and learn a little of their history go here. Some of the bridges were rebuilt after an arsonist burnt them down. I found an article about what they are doing to prevent any more fires.

Besides the bridges there are other points of interest in Madison County. My favorite place to go is Winterset City Park. When you go in, there is a place to park so you can see one of the bridges. But if you keep on going down a winding road, eventually you will reach the Clark Tower, where you can see a great view of lots of trees and this cute little house.

The park has a great playground for the kids and a campground. After I got home I found out it also has a hedge maze. So next year I will have to go back just to check it out. Of course we couldn't leave without driving by John Waynes' Birthplace. We didn't go in because the babies were getting tired and so were we.

It was a nice day and JM got to see some things she hadn't seen since she was little. Like her parents initials carved on the wall inside the Hogback Bridge.

Windy Weather

2006-10-19T12:50:00.000-05:00

I've been really tearing up my yard this Fall. And now Mother Nature has decided to lend a hand. Last week a gust of wind picked up my gazebo and flung it onto my neighbors car. There was broken glass and headless fairies everywhere. I got the thing off of the car and there it sat.

The neighbor came out a little later and helped me roll it up the hill. He wasn't as upset about his car as I was. And he was very nice about the whole thing. Whew!

My deck looks naked now:( But I now have a gazebo to put in my secret garden and grow vines on. Maybe the vines will hold it down better than the nails did. JD bent the corners back where they belong. It looks ok, but now it has weak spots. The awning was torn up, so I had to trash it.

JD is so sweet he has been looking all week for a new one for his mama. I told him good luck they are more expensive now and it's not the right season to find them at any stores. Maybe I'll get a new one for Mother's Day next year. Wishing and Hoping;)

2006-10-10T13:10:00.000-05:00

I'm back from vacation and it's raining right now. I've been trying to finish up on the yard and get everything planted before winter.

I ran around this morning taking pictures of everything that is still blooming.
The petunias are really outdoing themselves, they must know their days are numbered. I have more flowers blooming now than I did last year at this time:)

The Dahlias are great:) They started out kind of slow but really took off and surprised me. I will be planting more next year.

I haven't planted Morning Glories in the yard for years. But that doesn't stop them from growing anyway.

I used to have them growing on the front deck, but I had to trim them all the time so the Mailman could get through. Someday I will find the perfect spot for Morning Glories.

2006-09-27T15:44:00.000-05:00

Time for the Snapdragons to put on a show.

2006-09-27T15:43:00.000-05:00

I See You.

2006-09-27T15:39:00.000-05:00

Bella has been sleeping in the Artemesia.

2006-09-27T15:38:00.000-05:00

Encore

2006-09-27T15:35:00.000-05:00

Nicotiana, one reason why the hummers like it here:)

2006-09-27T15:33:00.000-05:00

My Mini Cactus Garden

2006-09-27T15:31:00.000-05:00

Black-eyed Susan

Catching up:)

2006-09-22T10:28:00.000-05:00

Ahhh! September, my favorite month of the year. JL has started High School this year and so far he's got straight A's and been invited to the Homecoming Dance by 4 girls:) He's only going with 2 of them. Question, does he just buy a corsage for his girlfriend or does he get corsages for both girls? The girls are friends with each other.

The backyard doesn't look the same anymore. JAC has been helping me dig out all the Rose of Sharon trees that were growing on my second tier. If it ever stops raining and I'm not busy with birthdays and babies I will amend the soil and start planting new things. While JAC was clearing out the row he found the yellow tea rose that was buried in there. I was hoping he could leave it since I don't have much luck transplanting roses, but it was out before he saw it.

Some flowers are still blooming but nothing that hasn't been blooming all summer long. A Cleome decided to grow in my Moon Garden. I really like them and couldn't find any last spring that didn't cost too much, so I let it grow. I've been collecting the seed pods before they open, hopefully none will sprout there next year.

Gas is down to 1.99 a gallon, which is good because we are going to Branson next week for a little vacation. I haven't been there since I was 12, so it should be interesting. HB gets 2 rounds of golf and I get to go shopping and listen to Bluegrass. Maybe I'll find a garden or two while I'm wandering around.

Gotcha!

2006-09-03T22:19:00.000-05:00

I finally got a picture of a hummingbird:) I shot it from the hip and didn't have time to set the camera on high speed, but I caught it about 4 times. This was the best shot. I was hoping to get a clearer shot but every time I saw one I didn't have a camera. And every time I had a camera they were nowhere around.

A cardinal showed up to have his picture taken. He hopped all around the tree whistling and posing for the camera. As soon as he saw Bella creeping around the moment was over. This year a couple of new birds have been coming to my garden. Besides the hummingbird I've seen a goldfinch and a red headed woodpecker. I hope they bring some friends with them next year.

2006-08-31T10:29:00.000-05:00

Lovely Lantana.

2006-08-31T10:27:00.000-05:00

Dahlias

2006-08-31T10:23:00.000-05:00

A double and a single on the same stem. Is that normal, or do I have a Walmart mutant on my hands?

2006-08-31T10:19:00.000-05:00

Rose of Sharon

2006-08-31T10:18:00.000-05:00

Good Morning Sunshine:)

Life is Like A Butterfly

2006-08-28T00:24:00.000-05:00

I saw a butterfly in flight
And how it enlightened my life
for one bright , fleeting instant, I forgot about my problems and strife.

It hovered over the succulent vegetation
until it's wings began to spread,
and then it glided toward the bed of flowers
of orange,pink and red.

I thought how fragile this butterfly-
The same is true of life
which comes and goes so quickly
when we become entangled in worldly strife.

Take the time to enjoy the offerings of nature,
make the best of each emerging day.
For life lingers like the delicate butterfly,
It sort of silently flutters away.

by Joseph T. Renaldi

Overland Park Arboretum & Botanical Gardens

2006-08-19T11:08:00.000-05:00

I visited the Arboretum Sunday morning before we left Kansas. The weather was perfect not too hot or humid. I didn't know what to expect and I was pleasantly surprised by how beautiful everything was. The first garden we came to was the Monet Garden. It was dedicated in 2003 and was designed to capture the blending of soft colors and shapes found in the original Monet gardens.

At the end of the path of the Monet Garden, there was a nice place to rest and look at the water pond. It was very peaceful and the butterflies were in abundance.

The Erickson Water Garden has been here since 1996, it's a popular spot for weddings in the summer. This garden includes bird and butterfly plants. (including a Buddelia collection).

They also have a sculpture exhibition, they are for sale but the cheapest one is $500. The one I liked the best was Summer at the Pond by Robin Richerson. But even if I had a pond to put it by, $3750 is just too much for me to spend on yard art.

These sculptures are made of clay and they want $ 2600 for each one. I took the picture because of the Lisianthus. I'm thinking of trying to grow some white ones next year. They have been selling them as cut flowers at the farmers market and my curiosity has been piqued.

It was very peaceful walking through the woodland gardens. There was a stream of water that ran beside the path as you walked down a gracefully curving hill. At the bottom was a path that led to an open area that had a little shed with windows surrounded by bird feeders. They wouldn't pose for me and the batteries started going dead on the camera so this is the best I could get.

Next and last stop was The Children's Discovery Garden. This picture was taken from the top of a man made hill. At the top of this hill is a tepee frame with a bench to sit upon. It gives you a nice 360 view of the Gardens. The Children's garden has a frog pond,a story tree,a shrinking tunnel,a grass maze and a council ring. The only thing it was missing while we were there was children;)

We didn't go on all the trails (nearly 5 miles of them) and we missed a couple of gardens (due to lack of time). But it was a nice 2 hour walk and I had a good time with my new friend Mrs. King:)

Rose Garden at Greenwood Park

2006-08-14T05:49:00.000-05:00

Happy Anniversary HB

2006-08-14T04:16:00.000-05:00

Today is our 2 year anniversary. I was going to blog about it last year, but with my grandma dying and Michael being born, it was kind of put on the back burner. One of the things I'm grateful for is that my grandma was there to see me marry my wonderful husband. She even danced with us at the reception in her wheelchair:)

We got married at the Rose garden in Greenwood Park. It was a beautiful summer morning and I still smile whenever I think about it. JL was the Best man, and my oldest son JD walked me down the isle. When we got married our children stood up there with us because I felt we were joining a family not just a couple.

A couple of weeks ago I went to the Rose garden and took some pictures for this post. I made a slideshow of some of the flowers and a few of the features of the garden. It is a truly magical place to get married. I go there often just to sit and relax and smell the roses. I hope you enjoy the show.

Today I'm Humming

2006-08-09T20:06:00.000-05:00

I had a tiny visitor this morning. I was sitting on the back deck at 6:30 and a little hummingbird came over. First it stopped at the Hibiscus and sampled a couple of flowers. Then it checked out the Nasturtiums and flitted among the Verbena. Next stop the Petunias, had a few sips of petunia nectar and then it flew right towards me. It came so close I thought I was going to have to dodge it, but then it went past me and hovered over the Begonias. When I turned my head it flew away:(

Of course I didn't have my camera handy for that brief 30 seconds of delight. Next spring I'm putting up a couple of feeders. I've done it before but the only thing interested was ants. I decided then I would wait till I had enough flowers to keep them happy. Well I think that time has finally come:)

Since I couldn't get a picture I found a few sites you could go to that does have pictures. One my mom sent me in an e-mail it is a series of pictures of a hummingbird nest. The other is the Hummingbird Society they try to save endangered hummingbirds.

Not So Hot

2006-08-05T07:31:00.000-05:00

While we had that hot spell I stayed inside.I only went out when it was time to water and take pictures. Now that it is cooler I need to go pull weeds and dead head a lot of stuff. I also need to rearrange some plants. Dig out some beds, give them new dirt, and replant the Iris.

Next weekend I'm going to Kansas for an Army thing. I get to stay in a fancy hotel and go shopping while HB does his duty for our Country. Then I get to dress up and go to a formal dress party and smile and be sociable. On Sunday I'm going to go visit Overland Park Arboretum & Botanical Gardens.

The other day I went to Holub Greenhouse because they are closing forever:( Now I have to find a new greenhouse to go to. They had annuals for 25 cents, I couldn't stop myself I might get almost 3 more months out of them. That's worth 25 cents to me. Now I just have to figure out where they are going to go.

I did find a spot right away for this Dianthas, Babys Breath and Geranium. The moon garden is doing fine. I have to move a Daisy and pull some strange weeds that I think came with the mulch or something. The petunias need some help after all that heat. And my nasturtium finally got it's first bloom. It was supposed to be pale yellow, but someone goofed because it looks orange to me.

2006-07-30T15:16:00.001-05:00

My Surprise Lilies are blooming:)

2006-07-30T15:16:00.000-05:00

So are the Hibiscus.

2006-07-30T15:15:00.000-05:00

I didn't want to waste all the dirt in the pot that held my poor dead Ficus tree. So I planted flowers around the stump.

2006-07-30T15:13:00.000-05:00

The only thing I can get to grow in this bed so far is Sage, Thyme, Daylilies and weeds. This is one of next years projects.

2006-07-30T15:09:00.000-05:00

The Endless Summer Hydrangea is hanging in there. The creeping charlie loves all the water and plant food it gets. I hope it needs less attention after it gets established.

2006-07-30T15:05:00.000-05:00

The Moonflower vine is starting to grow like crazy, but no flowers yet.

2006-07-30T15:00:00.000-05:00

Looks like my first ripe tomato this year will be a German Johnson.

More Plants

2006-07-25T16:59:00.000-05:00

I went to the Farmers Market downtown. I bought some tomatoes that were supposed to be from Iowa, if they were picked in Iowa it was a few weeks ago when they were still green. They had no taste and no juice inside. I also got a strawberry rhubarb pie that turned out to be a blueberry rhubarb pie. That's ok though, because HB really likes blueberries. Those were the only things edible I bought, the rest were plants:) Not too many, I left most of my money locked up in the car. I knew there would be plants and that I would spend every penny in my pocket on them.

The first thing I found was a variegated cinnamon rose Scented Geranium/Pelargonium. It was 3 dollars cheaper than at the nursery so I snatched it right up.

Down the street a bit what did my wandering eyes find? A little miniature Iris called Bumble Bee Delight. I'm thinking of putting it in one of the beds in the front yard. Of course where there is one Iris there are usually more and I was hooked.

I couldn't resist the colors of this Honeyglazed Iris. I have tons of purple ones so I've been trying to add other colors this year.

Babbling Brook caught my eye because the petals look so delicate and wavy. The picture looks a little purple but it's really supposed to be light blue.

And Laced Cotton got picked because it's white and I like the ragged edges. They had healthy rhizomes and were 4 bucks each. I found cheaper Iris on e-bay last night but I need to stop for now. I already have over a hundred Iris to plant and replant this year.

2006-07-23T01:30:00.000-05:00

You Are a Blue Flower

A blue flower tends to represent peace, openness, and balance.
At times, you are very delicate like a cornflower.
And at other times, you are wise like an iris.
And more than you wish, you're a little cold, like a blue hydrangea.

What Color Flower Are You?

2006-07-19T07:06:00.000-05:00

I'll put flowers in just about anything.

2006-07-19T07:04:00.000-05:00

The Phlox are blooming now. When I first moved here I thought they were weeds and I pulled them out before they could flower. Now that I know better I find I have a lot of Phlox in the yard.

2006-07-19T06:54:00.000-05:00

Portulaca Grandiflora- Rose Moss

2006-07-19T06:51:00.000-05:00

Leucanthemum Superbum- Shasta Daisy

2006-07-19T06:42:00.000-05:00

Platycodon Grandiflorus- Balloon Flower

2006-07-19T06:36:00.000-05:00

Calendula-Pot Marigold

2006-07-13T10:23:00.000-05:00

Agastache

2006-07-13T10:20:00.000-05:00

Thistle Flower I picked at the Lake.

2006-07-13T10:19:00.000-05:00

Purple Coneflower and Fennel.

2006-07-13T10:16:00.000-05:00

The newest member of our family. Welcome Natalee :)

A Walk In The Moon Garden

2006-07-09T00:05:00.000-05:00

The Moon Garden is really starting to shape up. I put black mulch down and it seems to make the whites even brighter.

The Rose Moss is finally growing, they must be slow starters. So far only one plant has croaked. It was a Jacobs Ladder and apparently it didn't like wet feet. I'll have to watch watering the perennials unless they are very dry.

The White Liatris is getting ready to bloom. They always seem to be a week or so behind the purple ones. I haven't decided if I like where it is planted, so it might get moved this Fall.

My newest plant is an Artemisia 'Silver Mound'('Nana'). I moved a daisy that was just too big for that spot. I was looking for Silver King but this one was 2.00 at the Farmers market so I got it instead.

The Lambs Ears seem to be enjoying their spot in the garden. This winter I will look for more plants that have silver foliage.

I've never grown Hosta before, but I'm thinking they might eventually outgrow this spot. I guess I'll cross that bridge when I get there;)

This variegated Sage fits right in. The tag said it was a tender perennial so I'll have to protect it this winter. Anyone have any ideas?

Great Weekend

2006-07-05T09:54:00.000-05:00

I hope everyone had a happy and safe holiday weekend. Our weekend was beautiful here. The weather was perfect for being outside so I spent most of the weekend planting and transplanting and buying plants that were on sale.

I was looking for a hanging planter at wal-mart and they wanted $5.00 so I went on over to look for plants for a $1.00. I found 6 healthy big pink petunias for a dollar so I got them. On my way out I saw some hanging plants for $2.50 and I picked out this red white and blue one for the fourth. I just trimmed all the dead stuff off and watered it. In a few days it should be looking good.

The rest of our weekend was filled with cookouts, babies, birthday cakes and fireworks. Sunday was HB's birthday so we had a party. We grilled kabobs and played horseshoes in the backyard. It was a great time with our family and friends.

I have some Lemon Verbena on the deck and everyone was enjoying it's scent. This year I have Lemon Balm, Lemon Verbena and Lemon Basil. Can you tell I like lemons:) I also have a Strawberry Scented Geranium and some Pineapple Sage. People spend some time smelling things when they come to visit me:)

2006-07-02T10:52:00.000-05:00

You Are Sunrise

You enjoy living a slow, fulfilling life. You enjoy living every moment, no matter how ordinary.
You are a person of reflection and meditation. You start and end every day by looking inward.
Caring and giving, you enjoy making people happy. You're often cooking for friends or buying them gifts.
All in all, you know how to love life for what it is - not for how it should be.

What Time Of Day Are You?

2006-06-29T23:20:00.000-05:00

Fiesta Burgandy Rose Double Impatiens

2006-06-29T23:19:00.000-05:00

This bird flew into the side of the house. It stood there in the driveway for about 15 minutes. Bella was too busy in the backyard teasing the dogs, so she missed out on lunch.

2006-06-29T23:15:00.000-05:00

Hollyhocks

2006-06-29T23:11:00.000-05:00

Double Hollyhock

A Room With A view

2006-06-25T23:57:00.000-05:00

I love Eastern Iowa, we had fun camping out. We stayed at Bellevue State Park, which is right next to the Mississippi River. There is a Butterfly Sanctuary at the park that was very interesting. I took pictures of it with my other camera and I haven't had time to develop the film yet so I guess that part will be blogged later.

Austin and Michael were with us so that was interesting. They were both very good and neither of them got poison ivy or bug bites. JoJo did get poison ivy but she had lots of fun getting it. All together we totaled 17 campers with 9 tents. My brothers tent wins the prize for most interesting. Even the Park Ranger came down and asked him about it. He made the tent himself for the Ren Faires he participates in. He must have inherited that sewing gene that I haven't found yet.

Saturday we went to Maquoketa State Park to explore the caves. The boys and I were there a few years ago and we camped at the campground, but there aren't too many spots and you have to get there on a Wednesday or early Thursday to get a spot. Only a few can be reserved, the rest are first come first serve.

There are 15 different caves in a canyon that circles the campground and picnic area. My favorite one is the ice cave, It's a nice place to stop and cool off. I don't like small spaces so I only go in the caves you can walk in.

HB and the boys like to crawl around in all of them. They have told me about one that you have to go under the water to get to the other side. Better bring a ziplock baggy for your flashlight for that one.

We all got there at different times so when we found everyone they were on top of a hill. So we climbed it, took a while but we made it. After that I was done for the day so I took Austin to the park while they climbed in more caves.

We were going to go back the next day before going home, but it started raining around 4 a.m. and didn't stop till after JL's tent flooded and we had packed everything up. It would have been too slippery and muddy at the caves so we headed for home.

We had a great time and HB is already talking about going back next year:)