Every once in a while, I have a day...
you know the kind.
I've been having some of those lately.
My remedy?
My garden, of course, among other things.
I took some photos to share...
After a trying time, I know I can walk outside
and find something to cheer me.
First, the bright colors of blooms are always a good pick-me-up.
Yellow Snap Dragons
Orange Marigolds
Lady Margaret Passion Vine
Aloe Vera Blooms
Aloe Vera Bloom up close
Fire Bush
The Fire Bush will be the perfect compliment
for a fence row near a visible corner of our property.
We're nearly finished clearing the space.
Side Note: clearing overgrown fence rows is
the perfect job to release frustration and aggression.
A gander by the new vegetable garden really raises spirits too.
My husband constructed the raised bed
and my daughter and I did the rest
during the last weekend of February.
We planted peppers, tomatoes, cucumbers, squash,
cabbage, cilantro, watermelon, basil, and chives.
Just a few weeks later, the veggies look fantastic!
A couple of closeups bring a smile to my face...
A pepper bloom
A bright and cheerful cucumber bloom
This tomato bloom is a pretty little star, isn't it?
WAIT!!! What's THAT?!?!?!
This is NOT cheerful...
white mold on my squash.
I'll need to find a remedy for that.
And check out this Chinese Cabbage leaf...
vibrant colors and full of life!
Next to the vegetable garden
is my Lady Margaret Passion Vine.
Looks like we have dinner guests...
That's OK...these "pests"
are one of the reasons I keep passion vines,
a host plant to this caterpillar...
this is phase 1 for the lovely Gulf Fritillary butterfly,
or the Florida Monarch as many call it.
As I leave the sunny edible garden,
I move into the shaded portion of my property.
The mature trees provide a lovely canopy
that my previous paradise lacked.
I spot a fern frond unfurling....
try to say that 5 times as fast as you can!
These singular fern leaves pop out from the sable palm trunks.
I love them!
Another view of the same tillandsia.
I love this one...
bulbous at the base with long curling leaves
...so graceful!
Here's a first for me...
seed pods from a cardinal tillandsia...
at least I think it's a cardinal.
These are protected so I let them fly
where the wind would take them...
hopefully more in my yard!
A resident among the trees,
this Corn Snake is aggressive but not venomous.
He was tussled out of his tree top home
while my husband cut old dead branches down.
His colors and patterns are gorgeous!
But I'll have to watch out for him
when my sweet little pullets start laying eggs
...he'll enjoy them for dinner!
Cameron, the natural leader of the three girls,
might give an intruder a run for their money.
We don't have a rooster so her leadership qualities are not stifled.
Henny Penny is the sweetest of the three...
very docile and kind...shes curious, too,
as you can see in this photo...
always checking to see what's going on.
Penny is the largest of the girls,
although Cameron often appears larger
due to her ego-fluffed plumage.
Gina's speed makes it really difficult
to capture a good photo of her.
She's the smallest of the three...
her colors are coming out and are absolutely lovely!
It's hard not to smile around the girls...
they're so sweet, fun and lively.
Another girl who loves to play and tops this club
is none other than the lovely LOLA!!!
What a beautiful girl!!
We take some time out to play.
She's not biting me...
she likes to swing upside down and back and forth.
She uses her beak for balance sometimes.
See? The shot is a little blurry because she is moving...
she swings her head back and forth
in order to gain momentum,
similar to a child on a swing set.
She squeals with delight during this activity!!
Lola was having such a great time,
I couldn't help but record a video of her...
she gets pretty wild
when my son plays his 'screamo' music right next to her!!!
Just proving that Lola was Screamo
before Screamo was cool!!!!
Maybe if you're having "one of those days",
Lola can cheer you up too!!
