So far the month has been really busy...I may not be posting again for a while, but in the meantime, here's some pics from around the house and from my grandmother's.

African violets...

Beautiful white rose...

Blueberry leaves. Aren't they gorgeous?

Berries from some shrub in the woods (I think it may be Ligustrum)

Holly...

*Squeal* Mushrooms! Aren't they cute?

My Pentas...

and...(drumroll please) my early Christmas gift...

BOWIEA! :)

Yesterday I started working on the formal herb garden I'd been wanting to do for a while. Dad marked out a 12' by 12' square for me, and I set to work. I wanted four square beds, with a path through the middle, wide enough so I could plant my new rosebush in the center. As soon as I had finished laying down the newspaper, I realized it was getting dark, so I dampened the paper with the hose and went inside, thinking that since it was supposed to rain anyway, the damp paper would stay put until I could work on it in the morning. Great idea, right?
Wrong. I looked out the windows today, and lo and behold, there was all the newspaper--ALL OVER THE YARD. I spent the first half hour just chasing newspapers. The dog thought it was great fun and tried to help by  scattering them even further. Then, after I'd finally manage to get them all back in place (after reading the comics, of course :), I went to go get some leaves to put down on top. The minute I turned my back the wind started up again, and I was once again engaged in a game of tag-the-newspaper. I finished with the leaf layer and went inside.

Well, I guess I should go and finish that herb garden. I'll post some pictures later!

Annie's Sweater

*Sigh*

She never seems to like the costumes I make for her....;)

More Silliness

If there's one thing that I've learned while keeping birds, it's that they LOVE anything CRUNCHY. Ordinary food is good, but if you bring it to the crunchy level...wow.

So when Noname heard about Snowcones...

...I could almost hear what she was thinking....

Crunchy WATER! AWESOME!

(Not-so-Recent) Garden Pictures

These are some old pics from August that I forgot to post earlier. :) At least it's not so hot outside anymore. Well, almost.

Water lettuce in my birdbath (wonder how the birds feel about that?)

Dahlia

Basil blossoms (I know, I know, but they're too pretty to pinch off!)

Water hyacinth

Coco happily chewing Dad's shoe...

Pretty pink Mexican primroses

Morning Glories growing on a sunflower stalk

...and more morning glory vines waiting to strangle slow passersby...

Noname's "costume"

Noname has finally decided what she wants to be for Halloween!

A gargoyle!

The Build-a-Bed Workout!

I've been raking...

And raking....
and reading...

and more raking...

and digging...
and more raking...

until finally....

Ta-da! My new lasagna garden! Doesn't look like much, does it?

I am so tired of raking! :)

Here are the plants in the new bed:

Bearded Iris ("Clarence," "Cherub's Smile," "Full Tide" and "Immortality")

White Lantana

Pinks (Dianthus)

Crassula somthingorother ;)

Cobweb Houseleek (Sempervium)

Tawny Daylily & "Stella D'Oro"

Liriope (Monkey Grass)

Garlic Chives

Cinnamon Basil

Agapanthus "Queen Mum"

Madagascar Periwinkle

Dwarf Phlox

Spider Flower (Cleome)

Purple Coneflower (Echinacea)

Spider Lily (Lycoris radiata)

St. Joseph's Lily (Hippeastrum)

Bachelor's Button

Sunflower (Helianthus)

I can't wait 'til they all come up!

Ya know, it sure would be nice to have another bed...

Where's my rake? :)

Fun with Aloe vera

Okay, I know technically it's not Aloe vera any more, but I can't spell the other name. ;)

The ''gel'' from this succulent is often used on burns, sunburns, and is often called "The Medicine Plant."

It's probably the succulent I see the most, where it's thriving in a windowsill.

But this plant is useful for so much more...
It makes a great booby trap...
It's fun to take pictures of...

It makes a great Lego Army guy hideout...

Or a hedge....or a weapon...

The statue of....liberty?
:)

What's Going on in the Garden

I can finally call it a garden now, instead of a "yard!" Amazing what a new border,

a fence, and a deck can do!

My newly-acquired DOUBLE purslane hybrid, "Sleeping Beauty," in a strawberry pot with some succulents.
Beehive ginger, or summer tulip

I haven't gotten any actual beans, but the flowers are pretty! :)
My first ever dahlia, "Lorana Dawn."

A cute little chair by the front door, with chenille plant in a basket.

I finally got some water lettuce and water hyacinth! I love this trio of pots. :)

I got a bridge! :) Isn't it adorable?

More purslane

:)

Noname's Photo shoot

She loves to sing...

Super-fluff!

:-)