This and That

This is my new friend here. I've been using the bike now for a week (well since It came to my house to visit). It's hard when first starting but I am quickly working up on my time.

Ya'll the change in blogger is going to take some getting used to for this gal who is not so proficient. The photos load different. I can't get my text to align on the left. O well. Some of the changes are better but...

Above - I believe this is a purple cone flower. I planted these seedlings back around the beginning or middle of May and they haven't grown much. I am still hoping for some blooms maybe late summer.

This my Rose of Sharon and a Purple Balloon flower. Yes they are very close together. The Rose of Sharon probably isn't going to grow much this year and the other flowers here will be relocated. The balloon flower was planted at the same time as the coneflower early May.

The purple jasmine (forgot the proper name) is doing well with some new blooms. I can't get close enough to get my nose down that low to the ground so I have no idea how much smell it has. I don't smell it when I

walk by.

I absolutely have no idea what I'm doing here the crap isn't doing what I want. I can't get my curser between these photos. I am gonna scream because I'm already not having a good day. Above is morning glory and evening glory.

I am a terrible gardener. My name is Rebecca and I have neglected my babies. They need me and have been calling but I didn't respond. The flowers have been asking if I could get rid of some of the ugly weeds blocking their beauty and oh please give us some food.  OK babies I'm coming with gloves and fertilize to take care of those unsightly weeds so the flowers can smile and I can see their smile as they put on another show.

Well look here - where my cursor landed this time.

Look what I got in the mail. Good to get mail besides bills. Yea! Lona from A Hocking Hills Garden shared her seeds. Thank you Lona. Ya'll if you haven't already go check out her blog. She has the prettiest gardens.








Under the pear tree the animals are enjoying the fruit. The ground is covered in half eaten fruit. I don't think that the honey bear has been here or there probably wouldn't be any sign of a pear. Besides the last time the honey bear came up he shook all of the fruit from the tree. Smart one isn't he.





The Gulf Oil Spill. Everyday there is new news on the oil spill. Hurricane Alex is giving us a wake up call - not that we needed one but everyone here has wondered and expected exactly what is happening. The storm though it is far from us the effects are felt all the way up to our beaches as the oil is pushed up even more. Local tv crews went out yesterday and dug what looked like 10 or so inches and there were several layers of oil beneath the surface. Only the cosmetic oil is being removed. Children building sand castles are getting what feels and looks like oil sheen mixed as they dig and the hole fills with water and oil. It doesn't sound safe. Wondering what will be the long term effects on humans who let kids play there and sun bathers.
The oil is in our estuaries and will effect marine for a long time. Animals are dying every day here. The recent suicide of one of our local fisherman-actually he had a charter boat business really hit home. The crisis is so personal here. Prayers for the family who lost this loved one. A local blogger knew this family and she has posted today on her blog. Check it out here http://linda-coastalcharm.blogspot.com/.

I have been enormously busy the past 10 days and haven't been able to get around to visit as I normally do. I WILL be around to visit as I can. It will get better.

Fertilizer Friday - TGIF

Are you glad it's Friday - I sure am. Hope you have had a good week. It's that time of week when we all get together over at Tootsie Time to join in the fun. Ya'll go check out who else has something blooming on Fertilizer Friday. Go here to check it out http://www.tootsietime.com/.



My sweet Little Buddy. It's too hot to stay out but maybe 10 minutes. This is an air conditioned baby here.

The Fourth of July is next week. The begonias look good next to the flag. This container is so full since the begonias are doing so well. These will bloom all the way into the fall.

Butter yellow zinnia. I like the softness of this color.

I love these zinnias. The plants are about 12-15" high. Plus they don't blow over in the winds.

These pink ones with a flower about 1-1 1/2" wide and these plants also are about 12-18" high.

I have a feeling these are the ones I received from Darla. When the plants are small they seem to have clusters of zinnias as shown here. And they are not the same flower but on the same bush. Go figure.

Cannas are displaying one flower at a time. I wish my red ones would bloom this year. They didn't last year.

Purple verbena.

Love these blue forget-me-knots. They keep giving once they started blooming.

Everything is behind on fertilizing. The gardens need weeding too. I will have to turn the sprinklers on them this evening. No rain up my way in at least a week. The plants are showing signs of conditions being too dry.

Hope you all have a great weekend.

Bloomin' Tuesday

Good Tuesday morning blogging buddies. We are gathering over at Jean's to join in the party. Ya'll head on over to http://msgreenthumbjean.blogspot.com/ to see who else has something blooming.

The okra hibuscus is still putting on a show here - but... as you'll see in the next couple of photos my gardens sustained some wind damage and the okra hibiscus was a victim.

Wind damage. Cosmos, Hibuscus, zinnias and forget-me-knots all received damage. I should have staked my plants and this wouldn't have happened. The dahlias were staked so they faired OK.

Blue forget-me-knots are still pretty.

Vincas are still pretty and growing like a weed.

Dianthus.

Love my begonias.

zinnias.

That's about it for today. I really need to cut things back and plant new babies in spots where the plants have been taken out and or bloomed out.

Not much else going on in my world. Still keeping an eye on the Gulf Oil Spill but that is another story.

Hope you all have a great day.

Bloomin' Tuesday

It's Tuesday Morning and ya'll know what that means. It's Bloomin' Tuesday - time to join our host Jean at http://msgreenthumbjean.blogspot.com/ . Head on over and see who else something blooming.


I've set my goals high today so I'll be busy today so I'm gonna keep this short.

I got out early this morning and there wasn't so much humidity today so I got a good shot. This afternoon it will be gone. Isn't it beautiful. Okra Hibuscus Yellow with Red Eye. Grown from seed.

Blueberries are ripening now. In a week the bushes will be loaded with ripe berries. Wish I could eat them but blueberries have seeds.

The bush is loaded and leaning with the weight.

I planted the jasmine this weekend in a tire. I think it is going to like it here. It will receive 6-7 hours of sun. Gotta get a trellis too.

I painted the tire yellow and plan to put a garden around the tire.

The Althea Rose of Sharon was planted this weekend.

Wild lantana. It is beautiful with it's yellow centers. I hate lantana growing in my flower beds. They can be very invasive when they begin to spread.

Most of these photos are blurry. Oh well some just turn out that way for me sometime.

Dahlias need deadheading.

Lovely smelling gardenia's. I filled a vase with flowers this weekend.

My first cosmos this season.

That's it for today. Hope you all have a wonderful day. Prayers for the families of the Arkansas flood and bad weather in other areas today. Hope you all stay safe. Becca

Fertilizer Friday

Good Friday morning to all of you blogging buddies. Today is the day we join Tootsie for Fertilizer Friday. After you check out my goodies head on over here http://www.tootsietime.com/ and see who else is flaunting their stuff today.



All I can say it's been so HOT here in lower Alabama. The heat index all week long has been in the triple digits and that makes it hard to do anything outdoors. I took the day off yesterday to be at the hospital for my son's surgery and there was a mix up between the hospital and the doctors office and the surgery is to be this morning and I can not be there today. My prayers are with him this morning.



Why can't I get my off days when I do not have to feel ill. Blood pressure dropped too low after I was out trying to cut my grass. It was very hot and I have never overheated before but that may be why it dropped. I don't know. I went in and just sat for a while and then ate since I had not eaten. I couldn't stand without feeling I was going to pass out. Pop thinks my potassium had maybe dropped. Whatever the case I am feeling better today even if the BP is up this morning to 157/103. Yesterday it dropped to 95/59. My gallbladder feels like it is about to explode any minute. Diverticulitis is also acting up. I am taking loratabs for pain and phergan. This will keep up till I have to go back to the hospital. Anyway that is enough of that.


Yesterday morning sky photo. The clouds are like small puffy mounds in the sky before it yielded for a very hot day.



Thought I'd show you the big picture of the front porch garden. This is looking east. Another morning of fogging the camera with humidity so high.

This is looking west. I have done a lot of deadheading and cutting plants back and pulling up a couple of spent plants. Yet to bloom are cosmos, daisy's, iris, dahlia and I forgot the others.

My flower of the week is this gorgeous hibuscus. This is Okra Hibuscus Yellow with Red Eye. The seeds came from Darla. These pretty blooms don't last but a day. This was taken in the morning and by 4 it was closing up and looked like it was dead. The plant resembles okra and the buds on the plant look like okra before it opens.

Canna is about to finish this flower and more are budding out. I sure hope my red one blooms.

I think this is my favorite zinnia. I love the petals on this one.

Forget me knots from seed.

Lovely dianthus.

Do you have a color theme? I didn't really plan that way but my colors in most of my beds are yellows, purple, blue, pinks and white. I like this combination as the yellows look good with any color.

What websites do you use for plant ID, specific growing information, gardening tips etc?

I'll be taking it easy this weekend and staying indoors mostly and visiting with my DIL and grandson - Ethan and Jimmy at the hospital.

Hope you have a great weekend.