"HOT SUMMER DAY"

The sound of the fountain

cools the imagination,

The shade of the tree

soothes any frustration.

Cold glasses of tea

sweat in your hand,

We sit and dream quietly

of beaches and sand.  jen

Time Well Spent : In the Garden :

At The Zoo :

At Graduation:

My "down time" was spent doing what I love, spending time in the gardens and with family, a very busy and full week....jen

TO ALL MY FRIENDS AND GROUPS......Friday nights storm put a crimp in my internet service......Cable company coming Tuesday morning

to check ethernet cable.....Hopefully I will be up and running by Tuesday afternoon.....HUGS TO ALL, I'M HAVING COMPUTER WITHDRAWALS !

  Today we headed South, took the car, cheaper on gas, I drove, Denny relaxed,He wanted to go to the Shawnee National Forest, which is located in Southern Illinois....I knew we would never make it there and back before dark, but I agreed and he was happy.

The skies were dark and stormy when we left here, but the futher South we drove, the clearer the skies became, a hazy sunlight, but at least it wasn't raining...The roads were pretty good with only a few areas under construction, and the traffic wasn't too bad if you don't count the drivers who were in a big hurry and got tired of following this "little old lady" doing the speed limit !...I was more than ready to get "off the road"!

By the time we came to a good sized town with an eating place, we were both starved .It was called "the Red Apple" and seemed to be the favorite place for families and locals, the food was good and the coffee was excellent ! By the time we finished it was almost five PM before we got on the road again...Denny is tired and so am I, After driving about thirty miles further, I suggested we turn around and head for home,,,I got no arguments from him !

So, even though we didn't make it to our destination , we had a good "long" drive, a good meal, and time together...We were both tired when we got home, I am a "little" woman and all those hours sitting really left their toll....NOTE TO SELF: Next time Take a cushion, and a Road Atlas !(There has to be a quicker route) !! jen 5/28/09

In Memory of my Father and Brother: Dad served in the Marines in WWII, and lost his life on Okinawa, My brother served in Vietnam, and spent the last years of his life in and out of VA hospitals.....

I will always remember the men and women who make this country safe for us...."GOD BLESS AMERICA"

Today, I sat and listened as the earth spoke to me,

softly at first, a whisper in the wind, a rustle in the leaves.

Then the water falling into the pond competed with the whispers,

and I heard the flow and splash of water, friendly and welcoming,

Feeling the breeze on my face and the warmth of the sun,

I gave a sigh, leaned back on the bench and just listened.........

I used my bare hands to place the rich dark compost into the pots, I could have used gloves, but then it would not feel the same. Today I planted a Bougainvillea, yes ! extravagant of me, but such a beautiful plant, it sits at the far right side of the pond, and coming up the path you can see it's red reflection in the water, what an added pleasure for me that is ! I will have to take this lovely lady inside in the winter, she cannot live outside in the cold.

I spent most of the afternoon around the pond, pruning and tweaking, moving and potting plants, and I rested a lot on the bench by the pond, looking at and listening to, the earth........jen             

Dancing in the kitchen,

Overnight it seems, the whole landscape has turned green ! The spring rains we've been having have found their way to the roots and bulbs and the very core of my garden.

Everywhere I look new growth has happened, magically it seems, the hostas are leafing out, the willow has fresh spring green leaves, the dogwood and hydrangea both have new green; The Flowering Almond is completely covered in pale pink blooms that just shout SPRING !, Clumps of sedem and Garden Phlox, the Lenten Rose with it's delicate pale rose blooms that look like they are carved out of wood...The pale yellow tulips that were fully open yesterday, have closed their petals to the rain.

On the arbor the honeysuckle is a dark splash of green; As I watch , the fat furry neighborhood squirrel climbs the trellis near the oak tree and looks over the flower bed trying to remember where he hid that acorn or walnut?, like an acrobat he jumps easily to a limb of the oak, and sits staring at me for a minute then leaves.

Birds are really busy this morning, the air is full of their chirping, and the mourning doves are heard in the background,, An owl calls suddenly, he's been in the neighborhood for a while, unseen but heard,,,Denny who is very good with bird calls, goes outside and gives his best owl call, a few seconds later he's answered,...Now they are talking, back and forth, Denny and the Owl, it's so cool !

The rain continues and my world gets greener...It's a good thing.....jen

Spring comes, Winter goes,

Sun shines, And then it snows!,

Birds sing, nests are built,

Frost comes, And flowers wilt!,

Breezes blow, and grasses sway,

Seeds emerge on another day;

Rains fall, almost daily,

Daffodills bloom, gaily, gaily !

                                    jen,2009

We woke up this morning to snow, It started late last night and was one of those really wet snows that stick to every branch and bud ! It wont be around long though, as the sun gets stonger the snow starts to melt, and by the time I took these photos the look of things had really changed.

 ..

Mother Nature does this to us every now and then, I remember last year we had snow on Easter_ Sometimes I think it's a reminder for us to "not get into a hurry" for Spring_ the seeds and garden will wait; flowers and bulbs will bloom when they are ready....Not when we want them too !