We're starting the 6th day of January off with a soft snow, pretty but not really my cup of tea. I have always been and remain a "hot house flower" although I do think it's beautiful and I ventured out to take a few pictures. It's not like it's very much snow and next week it will have melted off so I am enjoying the beauty of it even if the temps are way too low for my tastes! HamBone is robust enough this year to scamper around and make his presence known by leaving his big paw prints everywhere. All the other smaller furbabies are napping inside.

The entrance to HamBone's house is actually in the back, the front door is just for looks. We must have charm, you know!

The stone chair above is still one of my favorite things. What a beautiful snowy throne it makes!

 Seize the Day!!!

This is one of the fairy houses, they're scattered all around. You can see HamBone playing in the background. 

Honey's doors. Honey is another one of our rescue dogs and she loves to sit under these doors.

My favorite HamBone story--about two weeks after he'd gotten home from the vet and was getting more comfortable with his surroundings we missed him one afternoon. I called and called and banged his metal supper bowl, that usually brought him running, but no HamBone. I stayed up late, still no sign of my sweet boy. I finally went to bed and right on the edge of sleep, oh, about 2:00 am, there was a baying that sounded like the Baskerville Hounds! It was not just a bay, it was a triumphant bay, a bay of celebration, a jubilant bay! I ran and slung open the front door and there was HamBone with a baby opossum at his feet, it was still and appeared to not be alive. I was upset, I hate hunting in any form or fashion but he was, after all, a hound and bred to hunt. And he was soooooo happy and ecstatic that he'd done what he was supposed to do, he looked as if to be saying, "Look, mama!!! Look, look, look!! They said I couldn't do it but I did, I Can! LOOK!!!" So I said, "Good boy, HamBone," and walked over to rub his soft ears. That made him happy and he went on into his house. I went to tell John he might need to bury little opossum the next morning and then went back to make sure HamBone was safe in his house. He was and little opossum was nowhere to be seen. He'd apparently been "playing possum" and gotten the heck out of there asap. HamBone has never done that again. He pays no attention to the squirrels or the deer. #ahoundthatdoesnthuntisthehoundforme
And this is my favorite picture of HamBone because it looks like he fell down laughing! At some point we officially made him HamBone Weedman. From the very beginning I said he needed to regain his nobility. He has and then some! He rules this roost and I love to see him racing around the pond and running to meet us when we get home. Last year he was so frail and stayed in his house most of the time, this year he has bulked up and loves this cold weather, he dances and frolics. Yes, who knew? I'm in love with a hound. A hound that doesn't hunt!

The story continues--A House for HamBone

So now you know how HamBone arrived at this destination or at least you know as much as we do. The next dilemma was his abode. You see, "Presentation is Everything" has been my motto for a very long time, I mean after all, that's what The Rose Garden was all about! So this big old UGLY igloo house repaired with gorilla tape to the side of my front door and even moved to the other end of the porch was not happening for me. I told John I wanted a dog house for Christmas. A house for HamBone. It had to be a house that would fit Over the igloo, I was afraid he'd gotten used to the igloo and would never utilize anything else and I didn't want to risk him not using it. Of course I wanted the house to be attractive, vintage rather, not just a regular run of the mill dog house. I saw someone's work and contacted her. Lori Rose built HamBone's house. And a very fine house it is.

HamBone wasn't too sure about all the construction going on around his igloo but he was a trooper and finally settled a short distance away, baying every now and then to let his presence be known.

#myhouseistoofoofooforyou

The crowning glory was the "HamBone" plaque that Gail and Ronnie Tyler made.

HamBone's Story

A little more than a year ago we sighted this pitifully frail hound on the property. It was around Thanksgiving and about to get really cold. We put food and fresh water out and started trying to get this skittish boy to come to us. {By this time I had named him HamBone. He was almost Beauregard but I just had a hankering for a HamBone.} He immediately came to the food as long as we weren't too close, he was so timid, but in a matter of days he came to us readily as long as no one else was around. To this day he still doesn't care for anyone else, just John and myself. With us he's playful and happy and carefree. With others he keeps his distance and bays with a bay that would wake the dead. Good watchdog.
Someone had donated some bales of straw and they were on the porch to keep dry. One night he dug into the straw and made a bed so I moved an old igloo house to the porch [ugly and repaired with gorilla glue] to see if he would go in. Thankfully he did and after a few days I decided I needed to get him to the vet, I wanted those family jewels taken care of. I hated to, I knew he would be terrified, but spay and neuter is the name of the game in rescue. I got him in the car, reluctant and scared, and got him to the vet for shots, assessment, neuter, the works and was there the next morning bright and early to pick him up. Well, I guess his spirit was crushed. He showed no recognition, no interest in me whatsoever, and his temperature had dropped dramatically. I think he thought he had found security and then was dumped again. [We have no idea how he got here but we feel like he was dropped off. He's not the type to leave his comfort zone, someone had to bring him here.] The vet had him on a heating pad and wanted to keep him a day or two, it was the hardest thing ever to leave him there but I wanted what was best for him. I called constantly and in a couple of days I just had to bring him home. [Yes, home. I knew this hound was never going anywhere.] On the way here he never looked at me, head hung low, the defeat was heartbreaking. I had moved his house to the other end of the porch to get it away from the west wind blowing in and he slunk into the house and didn't come out for almost three complete days, I thought he was going to die in there. On the day three I continued begging him to come out and I reached in yet again with a handful of wet dog food and this time he licked it. Oh, my heart. He licked it again and then seemingly painfully made it out of the house and finished eating from his bowl. Improvement started. He'd had a tumor on his back removed, benign thankfully, and it healed quickly. His brittle scarce hair thickened and softened. He started filling out and gaining muscle tone. Yes, I overfed him. Yes, I still do and will continue to do so. This old hound will never be hungry as long as I'm around. This is the first part of his story.

Those eyes! Those big beautiful trusting eyes!

 He had a spot under his neck that had been rubbed raw, guessing he was chained with a collar that was too small. Again, only a guess. It's not like that anymore.

Another New Beginning

Wow. 2017. It's been a while since I've blogged, years in fact. I've missed it but there's simply been no time. Reading that statement it seems ridiculous. How could there not be time enough to sit and write a few words? Yet it's true. I let my life take over in so many directions but this is the year to rectify. Rescue I will. Work I will. But in modification so that I can play in the dirt and do the things I've desperately needed and missed to be me, to bring the serenity I love and crave. I feel a sense of normalcy simply by blogging! So let me get you all caught up!

I've had a big room at Upscale Resale on the Covington Square for the last few years, I help periodically at Charlene's in Halls, I'm a core member of CARE [Covington Animal Rescue Effort], I still do custom florals, and that's besides gardening and all the regular ups and downs of life. We now have three new additions to the family since last blogging. Nora Ellen and now Twinkies, Graham and Griffin. My nieces have been busy!

Christmas was fabulous although rushed as ever and my goal is to get back to the point of having time to decorate, time to shop, time to do the things I love to do during that wonderful Season. I DO the things I want to do but in such a time crunch that I feel pressure, not enjoyment. I want to savor decorating the Assisted Living Facility, my nieces and sister in law's trees, my own tree, baking for friends, CARE events, etc! So its time to make a few small changes.

This year I made the decision to pull out of Upscale Resale, it's been fun and I've loved it but balance has to be regained. My dear Kimmie will continue to have an "Enhance" room there and I'm thrilled, she's talented and needs that outlet of creativity so I can play in her room and have the best of both worlds. I can still do Rose Garden custom work without the stress of filling an entire room. So that's one step to serenity, there will have to be several more but baby steps, baby steps!

We had a beautiful light snow last night and I hope to get my hot house flower self outside for a little photography later on. For now I've started to take the Christmas decorations down while keeping a wintry look. I hope you all enjoy reading and seeing glimpses of one person's idea of paradise.

Granddaddy's Pussy Willow

Granddaddy Tatlock had a pussy willow tree in his back yard. Unlike the newer strains his never got too tall and branched out ever so nicely. You could reach and gather to your heart's content. I was little and loved those soft catkins that grew up and down the entire branch. I rubbed them just as I would a kitten. No, my willows didn't come from Granddaddy although knowing how easy they are to root I wish they had. I do have offspring of his Fairy roses. But I do have several pussy willows and I still love the soft little catkins.

Aunt Lina's Grape Hyacinths

Aunt Lina had a huge old holly tree that had branches low to the ground. It was a lovely sheltered, shady spot in which I yearned to establish a "playhouse". However, the prickly dried holly leaves were vicious and I got wounded every time I attempted such a venture. The Most tempting aspect was the carpet of Grape Hyacinths that popped up every Spring. Mother and I both wanted to dig some for our "heirloom" garden but those darn holly leaves were a great deterrent! We did manage, with many piercings of holly, to get a few and mine still come up--not nearly as prolific as Auntie's but the sight of them bring her back to me in a second.

Signs of Spring coming--the Cedar Waxwings and the Goldfinches

I had never seen a Cedar Waxwing before until several years ago. Well, in bird books but not up close and personal. They came suddenly and covered a dogwood tree that was covered with red berries. They have masks and look like gray/brown cardinals masquerading as The Lone Ranger. In just minutes they lifted off and the tree was completely empty of berries. They then landed on the Holly tree, also covered in berries. Same thing. Amazing. This year they have settled in my Chinaberry tree and I appreciate it because those little dickens sprout up everywhere. Maybe I will have a few less to pull up and/or transplant for friends.
The Goldfinches come through early, they haven't even changed color completely. They are still army drab, it will be a bit before they turn that indescribable brilliant yellow. Still they brighten my day.
                                                         

and the bluebirds arrive!

There are few sights that give me as much pleasure, such a thrill, as bluebirds. I remember seeing them as a child while visiting relatives and we were tracking down an old family tombstone in a beautiful, secluded country cemetery. A flock had landed upon one of the huge monuments and, yes, when they flew they did indeed, as Thoreau said look like a piece of sky lifting off. I was mesmerized. Later as an adult I was determined to have them live here. I read about them and put up the regulation bluebird homes. Then I waited. And waited. And waited. They didn't come the first year. They didn't come the second year. But the third year I was leaning on the fence looking out over the property and there was an old apple tree right in my view. I caught a glimpse of blue in the branches. I looked closer and be still my heart! Perched on an old half rotten branch right in front of me was that fairy tale blue with russet breast! They come back every year now and I always have meal worms on hand for extra treats. They are like a prayer to me, a blessing from above.

My Bluebird poem----

Under a canopy of green, the feather pillows in the sky
There's a little bit of heaven--it's where the bluebirds fly.
There's quite a lot of mystery to this bluebird, he and she
Are they creatures of angelic means
Sent to grant serenity?
Are they messengers from Heaven?
Do they fly back to the throne
and give our Host their earthly news?
On all these thoughts I'm torn
between the spiritual, the logical,
the magical yet there's more
to these little birds of blue
than just coincidence, I'm sure.
I think they were sent for a reason.
I think they were sent for me.
I think they were sent to show me
and surely make me see
that this life on earth is such a blessing
and there's so much more to be
than merely just existing
in God's great menagerie.

My Brother's Feet

I hate that my brother Merrill, Megan's dad, was not here for this momentous occasion. But then again.......

When Merrill was born my daddy liked to uncover his little long feet and show them to people. Daddy found it humorous and mother thought it embarrassing! Last night when we got there Megan was showing someone Nora's little long feet and of course the first thing I thought of was Merrill's foot story. This morning I was drinking my first cup of coffee and thinking about it when it hit me like a ton of bricks. I could just hear my brother saying, "Hey! I'm here! Don't you get it? The FEET!!" So do I believe he was there? Absolutely. Energy doesn't die and why wouldn't it follow his family whom he loved and had a connection with in life? I don't care if anyone else believes it or not. As Merrill would say, "Whatever!"

Great Grandmother and Great Grandchild meet.

I laughingly say that her name is nora ELLEN and the nora is silent. I don't feel this way, of course, Nora is a beautiful name from Logan's side, his grandmother. Ellen is from Mother, Megan's grandmother, and myself.
I debated upon taking Mother to the hospital. It was a long ride for her, lots of walking, and I knew a lot of confusion on her part. Still it was a milestone that needed to be recognized and I knew that Megan would be thrilled. Today, Jan. 30th, is Megan's birthday. She was born 32 years ago at 12:20 pm. Nora was born yesterday at 12:20 pm. Just a day [and 32 years!] apart. Nora was the best birthday present and Mother being there would be the icing on the cake.
The day was warmer and Mother has been feeling quite chipper so the decision was made to take her. It would be a surprise for Megan. And it was such a lovely surprise. I wouldn't give anything for this picture. It is absolutely the sweetest.

Nora ELLEN has arrived!

We have a baby! Here is our beautiful mother with child. This baby came into the world with welcoming, loving arms waiting to hold her.

Sarah, my other beautiful niece, is handing Nora to her Great Grandmother. This was a Hallmark moment for all of us.

Come and Get It!

This feeding station on the outside of our kitchen window brings hours and hours of enjoyment. There is Always some little woodland creature perched there having a feast. Squirrels, chipmunks and birds of every variety find their way to our buffet made just for them.The birds are a little more camera shy but the squirrels and chippies seem almost tame. This week they have feasted greatly--I've been shelling pecans and they have gotten all the leftovers. It's amazing how quickly they can get every little bit and leave the hulls clean as a whistle! I just sighted our first Goldfinch of the season--still in it's olive drab winter clothing but not for long. The bright gold that makes them such a thrill to see will be coming soon. These are the pleasures of Winter.

Preparing a Soft Down-Filled Nest!

 Mr. Squirrel is on a mission! Mrs. Squirrel has told him under no uncertain terms that she wants a warm, comfy, insulated nest and he had better take care of it! So as a result my old down pillow is being torn apart and he is following orders! Do I care? Well, I did love those old pillows [yes, there were more but they are already in other various nests in the trees. I never know if there's a bird dropping a feather on my head or if it's part of my old cushions.] And a picture is worth a thousand words. I dare say I will enjoy these pictures much more than the pillows. There was never time to use them for resting. And it was time for new ones anyway. [Although since these did have such extremely nice stuffing I would have probably leaned toward having them recovered.] No matter, there are other pillows to be found and in the meantime Mr. Squirrel has fulfilled his husbandly duties and Mrs. Squirrel has a nice warm house for the coming babies. [I'm sure there are babies planned, these squirrels seem to be very adept at producing.]

Although it's January of 2013 I still have my Christmas/Winter arrangement on the front door. I sometimes do a basket of just greenery and red berries for the finish of the cold months but this evergreen and neutral look appeals to me so it shall stay longer.
I am actually just taking my tree down today. Or at least getting it taken apart and the ornaments put up. I didn't get to enjoy it before Christmas, life was too hectic to even give it a glance. So the last couple of weeks I have enjoyed it tremendously along with the gas logs and natural garland enhancing the mantel. My tree reflected the same look as the front door piece, I do try to coordinate to some extent. But it's time to take it down. Always a tad bit sad to me but I also enjoy the spacious feel it gives to the room when it's no longer gracing the corner. Candles are lit, fireplace burning brightly, and "Brandied Fruit" is on the lamp ring making it feel cozy and sweetly scented. It seems a better time to take a nap instead of taking the tree down but I must continue! Otherwise, my resolution of "not procrastinating" would already be broken!

A cold start to a New Year--January 2013

 I'm pretty sure I've expressed my dislike of cold weather at some time or other. It's no secret, I deal much better with warmth. I work better, play better, relax better with sun and heat. However, winter has it's place and now is as good a time as any! I do get a rest from the gardens [although to see them you would think I've been resting plenty--they need work!] and my mind needs some rest also. 2012 was a tough year. Although I have "semi-retired" I am apparently doing it all wrong. I worked way too much and too hard and missed out on a lot of my normally enjoyable activities. This year I have vowed to do better, to get some of that "balance" I've been talking about and to have more time to myself. No one believes me. I don't blame them, I've cried "Wolf!" way too many times. But I take my New Year's resolutions very seriously and to achieve some balance is one of them. Wish me luck!

This New Year will bring two major changes and additions to our family and we are very excited! First we will get little Nora ELLEN. [The Nora is silent.] Megan and Logan are having the first baby, the first grandchild, great grandchild, and great niece. Patti is beside herself, we all are. Then Forrest will be marrying in October and Michele will become a treasured member of our little clan. So as our family grows and is blessed by these wonderful events to come I give thanks. Even if my feet are cold at the moment.

Meatball Weedman

 I haven't focused on CARE [Covington Animal Rescue Effort] in my writing only because I sometimes need to get away from it, it absorbs most of my time now. However, I think Meatball deserves his story told. He's a wonderful little slew footed guy that we debated on pulling from the pound. Not because we didn't want to but because finances and foster homes were nil. No money, no place to put him. But that thin dejected little creature spoke to me. He was just so tired. I think what he had in store for him might have been welcomed by him at that point. I donned him "Meatball" on the spot and immediately delivered him to the vet where he had all vetting including a heart worm test and of course

he was positive. Again, no money, no place to put him! We had the treatment done [after yet Another fundraiser] and still no available place so I actually bought another kennel for him. He filled out with love, care, fresh food and water and his brittle dull coat softened until he felt like velvet. We had the little guy for about a year [once CARE rescues we rescue--they do NOT go back to the pound after a designated time!] and he got adopted!!! Now you may ask how could we let him go after so much time? Didn't we love him? Yes. We did. But my job as a foster mom is to be a halfway home and get these wonderful babies Out of the pound. We don't adopt them out because we don't love them, we adopt them out because we Do love them and to make room for others. That's it in a nutshell. So I did the adoption myself. Well. He got loose and ran off. I was devastated. It was here in the County so every day I went and looked and looked and looked. There were "Meatball sightings" but he wouldn't let anyone catch him. Getting discouraged and so tired I almost didn't go back that afternoon but thought, "What If.......?"  So I grabbed a dirty T-shirt that I had cleaned his kennel in, some of his bedding, and set off thinking maybe the scent would bring him to me. Apparently it and the higher powers did! A friend that was helping was about to leave and I was leaned against her truck when here came little slew footed Meatball right to me! So back home we came and home he stayed. He is now officially Meatball Weedman. I believe with all my heart that he loves us and Knows he's here to stay. There's a whole new attitude and happiness exuding from him, he dances with joy, we call it the "Meatball Dance". I don't know his history or where he's been but I know his future--love and care and a place to call home. So that, folks, is what CARE is all about.

A Place to Reflect

Since I'm all about reflection this time of year and since I Love sitting areas we have a new one! This darling table and two chairs were at Upscale Resale in Covington, the store where I have The Rose Garden room. No way was I passing it up, I had the perfect place--the corner of one of the little back porches off the new addition! It's been a little cool for sitting there in the mornings but by mid afternoon it's the perfect spot for a cup of coffee with Bailey's. I've made lists on this table, drawn floral designs for the shop, and I'm enjoying it tremendously!

The Autumns of our Lives

I've always heard the "old timers" say that a lot of berries on the trees and shrubs mean a hard winter is ahead. If that's the case we have a cold one coming! I'm personally not a fan of very cold weather, I freeze, but there are some aspects of winter that I love. Sitting in front of the gas logs and looking at the incoming seed and garden catalogs is one of my all time favorite things to do. It's the time when you can dream of a perfectly weed free vegetable garden with rows and rows of heavily laden vines of tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, and whatever else your imagination plants. But we're not quite at the point of gas logs. Right now it's a damp cold that's causing the leaves to turn color quickly and fall overnight. Our adopted Honey Girl loves this weather and you can hear the leaves crunching as she chases squirrels and chipmunks. All the fosters seem to enjoy the break in the heat, we had a terribly hot summer. The chrysanthemums are loaded down with blooms and the dogwood trees have more berries than I ever remember. Soon the cedar waxwings will be flocking and devouring every red berry they see. I love their Lone Ranger masks and exotic looks as they strip the color from the trees.

So Thanksgiving just around the corner and the thought of Christmas right after that brings a moment of reflection--

a lull in the hectic pace that my life seems to have taken on. A time for thought about next year and what I want to change and what I want to accomplish. I think I plan more resolutions this time of year than New Year's Eve. 

Autumn has always seemed a bit bittersweet to me, the end of color and production in the gardens, the end of the Season of Life, so to speak. Yet I love this time of the year. It's restful. And heaven knows, I need some rest!