My latest Garden Discovery

I went out to my little garden the other day and found this little surprise.

Awhile back, I had used this area for a compost pile - then I decided to plant flowers, and I just covered up all the compost --

Well, seems something broke through. I knew it was a cantaloupe vine growing, but I never expected this!! ---

These photos were taken at two different times of the day. I notice that some insect is quickly eating into the vine. So, I don't know if I can save it. And, it's doubtful I can save the cantaloupe. I called a friend of mine who knows about these things, and she told me I have to find a way to support the cantaloupe because it will surely fall.

I don't know it's fate. But I was just pleased as punch when I found it hanging on the vine. Gave new meaning to 'hanging in there!'

Life is a celebration of awakenings, of new beginnings, and wonderful surprises that enlighten the soul. ~~ Cielo

My Pink Mandevilla

The are photographs of my front porch. The pink flowers on the edge of the porch are Mandevillas.

I noticed last week a real change in the plant, and so today I took a few leaves into the place where I bought them. Actually, they were a gift, but anyway -- I took the leaves in to ask what might be wrong with my Mandevillas, that I have grown to love so much.

I went over to the section of the store where the Mandevillas were and noticed that many of the ones there had leaves that looked the same as mine. A lady come around, and I showed her my leaves and she told me, "This looks like a mite has got them."

"But, they look the same as these right here." I said, and pointed to the ones for sale.

She started talking about mites and overwatering and pink mandevillas being more sensitive to things of nature as she lead me away from the flowers I was pointing to, and we ended in a section that sold fertilizer and treatment type things.

I listened to what she was saying and did buy a product that, she said, might save the Mandevilla, but I couldn't get out of my head that these people were selling flowers that might be diseased!

And she also told me that the leaves of the flowers needed to be discarded in an area away from other flowers as the other flowers, if sensitive to the same problem, could develop the disease, and I'm thinking, "Gee, you are not only selling flowers with disease, as your leaves look like my leaves, and you are leaving them right there together."

This was at Home Depot. This could be one of the reasons they are going out of business.

I am so sad about my Mandevillas. But doesn't that just represent life? It's here. And then, it's gone.

A 24 Hour Garden

Going to Home Depot used to be, to me, worse than having oral surgery. Now, I don't mind at all (Home Depot, not oral surgery). I spend all my time in the garden section whilst Mr. B doth fitter away looking at electrical fittings, tools used for wiring things that involve electronics, and such like that -- whatever --

The other day I was reading though the books there and found a suggestion for your garden - plant plants that bloom at different times of the day and night! There are catus, that have flowers that are just beautiful, there is a photo of one here, that bloom at night only, and different flowers are suggested for a night garden effect, like Moonflowers, and then there was a mention of different flowers that bloom in the brightest sun, and those that bloom only in early morning ...I really need to post photos of my own blooms.

I mean, it's all stuff that I probably knew, but you know what? I didn't realize it. And now it's dawned on me - and yes, this will be fun.

I've already noticed that gardens have a Monet kind of effect to them because depending on what time you go out to view, it will show you different colors, as some are sleeping late and some are rising early. I don't have any that bloom at night yet.

I'll probably make a trip to the library for a book on night plants before I head back to Home Depot for some more plants.

Right now, I need more dirt. Today I put down 160 pounds of dirt. My back is reminding me of that. I had to move two Rose Bushes that were stabbing me when I needed to go in and trim the Mandevillas. And I have been encouraging the Mandevillas to grow over this space I want them to cover by using fishing line to show them their direction. The roses didn't care for my intrusion on their space to work on the Mandevilla plan. So, today, I put them front and center -- Maybe they will be happier now.

From Annie Sullivan

" I am beginning to suspect all elaborate and special systems of education. They seem to me to be built upon the supposition that every child is a kind of idiot who must taught to think. Whereas if the child is left to himself, he will think more and better, if less slowly. Let him come and go freely, let him touch real things and combine his impressions for himself, instead of sitting indoors at a little round table while a sweet-voiced teacher suggest that he build a stone wall with his wooden blocks, or make a rainbow out of strips of colored paper, or plant straw trees in flower pots. Such teaching fills the mind with artificial associations that must be got rid of before the child can develop independent ideas out of actual experiences. "

-- Anne Sullivan

The School Schedule 2007/2008

I won't pretend last year wasn't difficult. We moved last year and whew! -- We are still finishing up a couple of things.

I thought about just going on the entire year, but that was just too much, so we took about three and half full weeks off -

My usual plan is that when school in my area officially starts, that's when I sit down and finalize everything, and we usually have school through the end of July. This year I had Madam Blueberry sit down with me to make up the schedule. I thought she was old enough now to do that --she is 17. (Wow!)

Basically I am just missing our math book -- Oh Madam B is all broke up about that (hahaha) --I'm going to order Geometry through Singapore Math --

We decided which books we would do together and what days. She helped me count the pages and divide them up - and we decided which books we would finish this first term...One is an economics book, "What Ever Happened to Penny Candy?" by Richard Maybury.

I'll write that all out later - I have to transfer my handwritten notes onto the computer and print out the schedule.

I'm using this journal. It has a list for notes on the right side of the page, and a calendar in each page. So, I'll have her write in the notes section what she read for each day, and make whatever notes I need regarding doctor appointments, etc., in the calendar. Now, to make sure I don't lose the thing every 45 minutes - there's a secret formula somewhere!!

From last year we are finishing the Book of Job, and our History (This Country of Ours) --My mother has suggested that Madam B read an autobiography of Eleanor Roosevelt. I didn't realize my mom really liked her.

Oh well, it will be about two weeks before things are running smoothly (if ever, maybe), but we'll give it our very best!

" Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire. "
-- William Butler Yeats

" What we want to see is the child in pursuit of knowledge, not knowledge in pursuit of the child. "
-- George Bernard Shaw

How does my garden grow?

My garden attacked me today. I made a huge mistake. I neglected to have a presence of mind that would reveal the fact that one must be able to get into a garden to weed and nurture it, and not plant bushes _with thorns_ that will prick you, and not real gently, should you get in their way!

Then I dropped the loppers on my knee. Nice big chunk of knee out.

Then my hat got caught in the Saw Palmetto.

The my back went into a spasm because I decided I could move a 40 lb bag of dirt.

So there I was sitting on the ground, and thinking to myself, "Who are you kidding? You are like a third grader in this project!" Actually, maybe a third grader would have planted some nice little seeds in a row and some bulbs in order of height and fared better!

But that's okay. It's all good, and it's all a learning experience.

I shall continue to learn and as the years roll by, there will be something out there for the neighbors, walkers, and whomever to enjoy. That is why I began the project anyway. Well, not really -- I began the project for privacy.

I live in a tiny house on a small lot on the corner of a dirt road and a regular road. The lot across from me will never be developed (60 feet of it anyway - but we'll see who comes up against the zoning board as one never knows about these things.) Across the street from me are houses that seem very close, and so I decided I'd make for myself a really nice area to build a privacy barrier.

Then it got into a feeling of, well, if people are going to walk by here or drive around this corner, they really should have something nice to look at ...

And, another influence was the image that Helen Keller gave me in her autobiography when she describes the foliage around the cottage where she played. I loved that. I want that. So in order to get that, you have to plant things and get them going!

One friend said, "Wow in 5 years, this will be great!" Okay, I'll take that. I'm in for 5 years for sure. If I had my way, I could get into gardening as a career, but right now, it's just a hobby, as I don't have the time for it (nor the money) I would love to put into it. It's so much more fun to be outside! (I have learned that from my three year old nephew who brought that feeling back to me.)

God made rainy days so gardeners could get the housework done. ~Author Unknown

(I could address that as truth! I tried to get things done in the house today, but I ended up outside with the dirt, and my hands are rough, and my back is sore, but it feels good.)

One of the most delightful things about a garden is the anticipation it provides. ~W.E. Johns

(My garden is small, but I can see the bigness of it. I can see it spread wide and tall with color. I've never seen anything that far ahead before.)

My Therapy Garden

You can bury a lot of troubles digging in the dirt. ~Author Unknown

I think that if ever a mortal heard the voice of God it would be in a garden at the cool of the day. ~F. Frankfort Moore, A Garden of Peace


My garden is growing. Last night a walker came by while I was working out there and said, "oh that's beautiful, just so beautiful!"

In my mind, the garden is not beautiful ~ yet. My vision of what it can be has not manifested itself. And I thought, wow, what a reflection on life is that.

Here is this Walker, who probably walks by my garden often and has seen the little things I have added and comments on the beauty of what goes into taking care of things and nurturing things and just constantly checking and working to make things better - so she calls out "Beautiful.."

And because I am still working on my vision, my unnamed goal for my little quiet spot, that I don't see the beauty she sees.

But that's okay ~ We stil each see Beauty, as we all know from the old adage, "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder."

Yesterday, I had added a Bird Bath that I have to set up on a paving stone. I love the look of it and can't wait for the birds to come round. There is a nest in a small scrub oak in my front yard, so maybe the babies will eventually bathe in my bath!

Some of the roots that were existing in the area are just to strong and rooty and can't be dug into, so I've had to use some 'out of the box' thinking in placing some plants in pots. I love it.

It's a little area that was existing when we got here. The main plants were a Saw Palmetto (ouch) and a couple of little lackey scrub oaks. Des wanted to nix them all, but I said no, please, give me a chance there.

I've added flowers and such, but what I really want in my garden and in my yard are the plants that are from my region. I grew up with them and would like one of each of them in my yard. They are the plants of my childhood.

Of course, I wish I had pictures from the beginning and I want to do that now as I progress out there. So Maybe, within the next few days, I'll have some photos of my Therapy Garden. I want to name my garden something. I have to think about this. I can't tell you how peaceful it is to think about my garden and what it needs.

My thoughts going there in my mind where my garden has taken hold in picture makes traveling there such a holy respite; I find such joy in thinking of the new things I will invite into my garden.

The greatest gift of the garden is the restoration of the five senses. ~Hanna Rion

Take thy plastic spade, It is thy pencil; take thy seeds, thy plants, They are thy colours. ~William Mason, The English Garden, 1782