Archive for the ‘My World’ Category

My World: Sempervivum

March 30, 2010

Sempervivum in our yard, Fairfield Glade, Tennessee. March 28, 2010.

This is my post for the My World meme.  It is hosted by Klaus, Ivar, Sandy, Wren, and Fishing Guy.  To learn more about our world or to join and share your part of the world, click HERE.

We’re still waiting for Spring to come to the Plateau and stay.  We didn’t have any rain on Monday, but it was still cold and dreary.  We almost have a daffodil in bloom — I think it’s just waiting for some sunshine and warmer weather.

I did notice that our hens and chicks (sempervivum) are coming back to life.  We have several different varieties of sempervivum scattered around the yard and they have different shapes and colors.  The semp pictured above is near our small rose bed, and I like the red tips on this particular hen.

My World: Signs of Spring

March 23, 2010

Pickwick Crocus, Fairfield Glade, Tennessee. March 19, 2010.

This is my post for the My World meme.  It is hosted by Klaus, Ivar, Sandy, Wren, and Fishing Guy.  To learn more about our world or to join and share your part of the world, click HERE.

We had some light snow yesterday (Monday).  It didn’t stick on the ground, but there was a light covering on the roof and deck in the early morning.

In spite of this, we are seeing some signs of Spring here on the Plateau.  The grass is beginning to green up and we have crocus in bloom.  Hyacinths, daffodils and tulips are pushing through the ground, but we’ll have to wait to see any of these in bloom.

In the meantime we’ll just enjoy these cheery blossoms for as long as we can.

********************

Today I’m very thankful that my Beautiful Bride married me 105 months ago today.

My World: Remembering Our Roses (5)

March 16, 2010

More of our 2009 roses.

This is my post for the My World meme.  It is hosted by Klaus, Ivar, Sandy, Wren, and Fishing Guy.  To learn more about our world or to join and share your part of the world, click HERE.

Spring has been put on hold here on the Plateau in Tennessee.  We’ve had four days of dreary clouds and rain with cold weather.  Today (Tuesday) is supposed to be better although our temperatures are still supposed to be below normal.

So I’m still using pictures to remember our roses from last year.  Hopefully we’ll soon have warm, sunny days and new growth to enjoy.

My World: Remembering Our Roses (4)

March 2, 2010

More of our 2009 Roses

This is my post for the My World meme.  It is hosted by Klaus, Ivar, Sandy, Wren, and Fishing Guy.  To learn more about our world or to join and share your part of the world, click HERE.

March started out just as February ended — dreary, gray and cold.  I know Spring is supposed to officially arrive this month, but I’m still impatient.  To help me get through another day without sunshine I’m sharing some more of our roses from last year.

********************

I’m grateful for safe travel.

My World: Is Snowy

February 16, 2010

Betsy under a redbud tree in front of our house, Fairfield Glade. February 15, 2010.

This is my post for the My World meme.  It is hosted by Klaus, Ivar, Sandy, Wren, and Fishing Guy.  To learn more about our world or to join and share your part of the world, click HERE.

Betsy and I came back home to Monday afternoon to a very snowy world.  Betsy looks very happy in the picture above, but I’m not sure if she’s happy we made it home or if she’s happy because of the snow.

We went down to Fort Payne, Alabama, for a weekend at the DeSoto Falls State Park lodge.  Their weekend package included a special Valentine dinner on Sunday and breakfast Monday morning.  It was a deal too good to pass up.

But, as you might suspect, the big attraction for us was the waterfalls.  We’ve been to Fort Payne a couple of times before and really like the area.  In addition to the park we also visited Little River Canyon, which is sometimes called the “Grand Canyon of the East”.  In addition to a waterfall, the canyon also offers some spectacular views from the Canyon Rim Drive.

I had this trip planned for a several weeks, but last week they started talking about a major snowstorm over the weekend.  Betsy was really torn as to whether or not we should go.  She gets a little nervous about traveling in the snow, but felt that if we stayed here it wouldn’t snow and she would miss both the trip and the snow.  If we went away she felt the Glade would get the kind of snow she really likes and she would miss it.

Betsy was right — we went and the Glade got the kind of snowfall she really likes.  But we made it back safe and sound and the snow continued long enough after we got back that she could still enjoy it.

I’m almost afraid to ask which she liked most — the trip or the snow!  What do you think?

********************

Today I’m grateful for safe travel.

My World: Remembering Our Roses (3)

February 9, 2010

More of our 2009 Roses

This is my post for the My World meme.  It is hosted by Klaus, Ivar, Sandy, Wren, and Fishing Guy.  To learn more about our world or to join and share your part of the world, click HERE.

We’re still stuck in winter here in the Glade and I’m still thinking of Spring.  As the next storm heads our way I’m remembering more of our roses from last year.

My World: Remembering Our Roses (2)

February 2, 2010

More of our 2009 Roses

This is my post for the My World meme.  It is hosted by Klaus, Ivar, Sandy, Wren, Louise and Fishing Guy.  To learn more about our world or to join and share your part of the world, click HERE.

We had two beautiful days here and I finally got the driveway clear.  There were a few cars going up and down the road yesterday (Monday) and the mail got through so I guess the Glade is slowly recovering from our storm.

But just as I was beginning to feel good about our weather Betsy said a wintry mix was  predicted for us Monday night.  I really didn’t need to hear that!

So tonight I need another reminder of warmer, greener days ahead.  This is another collage of some of the roses we had blooming in our yard last year.

My World: Remembering Our Roses

January 26, 2010

Some of our 2009 Roses

This is my post for the My World meme.  It is hosted by Klaus, Ivar, Sandy, Wren, Louise and Fishing Guy.  To learn more about our world or to join and share your part of the world, click HERE.

We’re definitely in the middle of winter.  We had snow flurries yesterday (Monday) and the weather service is threatening us with a winter storm later in the week.  I know this should be expected in January, but I’ve had enough of Winter.  I’m looking forward to Spring.

Spring means that our roses will start showing signs of life.  The collage above shows some of the roses we enjoyed in our yard in 2009.

My World: Thinking of Spring

January 19, 2010

Daffodils in our yard, Fairfield Glade, Tennessee. Spring, 2009.

This is my post for the My World meme.  It is hosted by Klaus, Ivar, Sandy, Wren, Louise and Fishing Guy.  To learn more about our world or to join and share your part of the world, click HERE.

Although our bitter cold weather has passed, it is still obviously winter here on the Plateau.  I was able to walk the yard Monday, but there wasn’t much to see except leafless trees and flower beds without a bit of green (or any other color as far as that’s concerned).

I can hardly wait to see some color again.  Last year we had quite a few daffodils and we hope to have even more this Spring.  The collage above shows most of the varieties that bloomed in 2009.

To see these pictures and others, click HERE.

********************

I’m grateful for the delicate beauty of flowers and the bright cheerfulness of each bloom.

My World: Wind Chimes and Icicles

January 12, 2010

An icicle-encrusted wind chime on a corner of our house. January 10, 2010.

This is my post for the My World meme.  It is hosted by Klaus, Ivar, Sandy, Wren, Louise and Fishing Guy.  To learn more about our world or to join and share your part of the world, click HERE.

We don’t often get icicles at our house, but this winter has been unusual and it is still quite young!

Sunday we had blue skies for the first time in a week.  It was still quite cold, but I got outside and noticed the wind chime at the corner of our house.  Over the past couple of weeks the icicle has grown and it now prevents the chime from chiming.

We put the wind chimes up to discourage the Pileated Woodpeckers from dining on our house.  I don’t know why or how the wind chimes work, but we haven’t had problems with the woodpeckers since we  put them up.  Although the Pileated Woodpeckers have been coming to the suet feeders during this cold spell, I hope the temperatures soon warm up enough to enable the chimes to chime again.