Two short days on the road has us in Goshen, Indiana at the Elkhart Fairgrounds with perhaps 600-700 other owners of Fleetwood motor homes from all over the country and Canada for our 4th annual Fleetwood Motor Home Owner's Association Rally. Our next door neighbors are from Ontario, Canada. Finally the Association has begun to collect annual dues which has not appeared to decrease attendance. Fleetwood has been very generous sponsoring the rallies so there is no downside and most easily afford the $20 annual pittance. I found this great blog which tells lots about Goshen and has some dandy photos which I do not yet have to post http://www.lincolnhighwaygoshen.blogspot.com/
This was an easy trip, a fun time 463 miles from home only 9 hours and 20 minutes driving time over two days. We see the decrease in gas and diesel prices and a corresponding increase in traffic as families take to the highways. In May we filled up at Flying J in South Beloit WI at $3.85 per gallon with our RV discount card and yesterday it was $3.40 per gallon, cheaper than regular gas at home in La Crescent. Do you think with the decrease in cost of fuel that other prices will come down just as they escalated with the rising cost of fuel? Don"t hold your breath as Mom used to say. That'll be the day!
We found a delightful RV spot off I 80 in Utica, IL where we stopped last night, Hickory Hollow RV. We seldom travel I 80 coming east but this trip it was the easiest route.
We thought we would be early because the Rally events begin tomorrow evening, so arriving today was a day and half ahead, but others were already here. Maybe 2/3 of expected attendees are already in place. Tomorrow AM we board a charter bus to the Fleetwood Plant in Decatur to tour the factory where our 2nd homes are manufactured and put together. We stop in Decatur almost every trip going east and we have said many times that we should take the factory tour. Do we? No, so it was offered tomorrow and Thursday from the Rally and we will take advantage of that which means an early AM rising as the bus departs at 8:15AM. That early curtain call is a challenge for the likes of me who has become accustomed to sleeping in almost to 8:00AM and it's a challenge for Jerry who is accustomed to imbibing his entire pot of coffee and reading a newspaper before he ventures into the shower and then begins his day. We notice many RV'ers are early to bed and early to rise, but we have overcome that.
I continue to be amazed at the number of these people who cannot or choose not to walk short distances to the rally events in the buildings, , and or who all ride scooters or golf carts rather than get a little bit of exercise walking. So there they are almost immobile and then they climb behind the wheels of these big rigs! Something in not right about that, there should be a licensing and testing of RV drivers just as there are with truckers.
It has been very dry here in Goshen where rain is badly needed (but not while we are here) All the lawns are brown, dried up and the farmers are irrigating their crops. This reminds us of northern California where everything is brown after spring unless irrigated. Meantime Florida is getting the Debby Deluge. Mama Nature is just not fair. We are now adjourning for the party forming outside as the sun goes down, it is warm here. Bad new is 101 degrees predicted for Thursday! That's just too hot for me, but without rainfall it should not have the accompanying Indiana humidity, still hot is hot and I don"t like it. I"ll be inside at the activities in the heat of the day.
I created this blog to record our RV trips and ;morphed into life in our retirement lane and telling my tales of life. Now my tales of life are on widowhood, my new and probably my last phase of l I have migrated to Facebook where I communicate daily, instantly with family/friends all over. I write here sometimes. COPYWRIGHT NOTICE: All photos, stories, writings on this blog are the property of myself, Patricia Morrison and may not be used, copied, without my permission most often freely given.
Other blog dominating
Blogger insists on showing my posts and comments to others as my Books Blog, You can click on it to get here and vice versa....the Book blog is just that while this one, my first, original has miscellany
Link to BookBlog https://patsbooksreadandreviewed.blogspot.com/
Tuesday, June 26, 2012
Wednesday, June 20, 2012
Recycling the Death Jar
I despise nothing more in the garden than the miserable creature, Japanese beetle species Popillia japonica. It is about 15 millimetres long and 10 millimetres wide, with iridescent copper-colored elytra and green thorax and head and was
detected in New Jersey in 1916, having been introduced from Japan.
I was feeling smug about my rose gardens this year until just yesterday when I thought I saw one, then decided no, the body on that critter was not iridescent. But that sighting raised my antennae to full alert status so last night on my patrol of the garden I looked carefully and crap, there was a Japper. I cut it in half with my clippers and felt a great satisfaction. We have had two days of hot humid weather and maybe that"s why they have arrived. I did more internet research always hoping there may be a newly discovered cure but as of today, not so.
One of the best sites for me was the University of MN extension where I learned these things feast on foilage of more than 300 species of plants. So much for other advice online to cultivate plants that the beetles avoid--we'd have to eradicate all our landscape and woods. I also learned that this is the time of year they visit, last week of June or first part of July and so there was no need for my smugness. They were merely awaiting their cue, as with everything else this year, they are a bit early. http://www.extension.umn.edu/distribution/horticulture/dg7664.html
My day began early for this longest day of the year and one quick trip outside, I knew it was time to bring out the Death Jar and invoke my killer, show no mercy persona.
My introduction to Japanese beetles was long ago, as a toddler in PA, I remember my grandma Rose would put a pail in her garden with water and kerosene into which she would drop the beetles, and which she sternly told me to not ever go near or I would catch on fire. It was one warning I heeded because they were ugly and stinky and since she did not like them I wanted nothing to do with them. I remember her determination fighting these beetles by checking her roses and garden at least three times a day. When she found them they went swimming in the pail. If they fell to the ground she stomped them. Sometimes I'd spot for her and race inside to "tell on the bugs" she would come outside in a second and catch them for the pail. When the pail was as full of the uglies as she could tolerate, all contents, dead beetles and liquid were tossed onto Granpap's burn pile, I suppose the kerosene helped ignite the flames for their cremation.
2. Smother the beasts with a spray of good old insecticidal soap. Just be sure to spray the beetles, not the plants; soap sprays have to coat the bug to be effective. (My comment, right they hate a bath!)
3. Plug a vacuum cleaner (preferably a shop vac) into the nearest grounded outlet and hose the little nasties up like they was dust bunnies under a couch. (My comment, uh huh and to say nothing of vacuuming up leaves and petals too. Oh I can just hear Jerry when I fetch the shop vacuum.)
4. Make beetle-repelling “bug juice” with your catch! Whiz a handful of the sucked-up beasts in an old garage-sale blender with a pint of water (this alone should make you feel much better!), strain the resulting slurry and spray it on your plants. Old time farmers swear that pests won’t go near plants that have been sprayed with the remains of their relatives. (My comment uh huh a blender for beetles...who"s writing this Ima Gaarten?)
5. If you’re a wuss (or only have one blender), try making a more congenial repellent by whizzing up two cloves of garlic and a hot pepper in that pint of water instead of the pests. Strain, add a drop each of dishwashing soap and vegetable oil (or better still, insecticidal soap and horticultural oil), and spray it on the plants under attack early in the morning. (My comment, we are not cooking or manufacturing here and if this were so agriculture would have vat sized blenders to whiz up repel insects of all types...)
6. Or cut to the chase and soak plants under attack with one of those commercially available garlic sprays designed to deter mosquitoes; see last week’s Q (http://www.gardensalive.com/article.asp?ai=572) for all the details. It should work even better than a home-made spray, AND the area will be free of biting bugs for a couple of weeks as a bonus! (My comment, we live in mosquito land, they are the national bird of MN. Believe me garlic does not deter them)
7. If nothing less than an insecticide will suit you, make it a non-chemical, non-toxic one. The natural product Neem—derived from an Indian tree—should kill any beetles it hits and act as a ‘feeding deterrent’ to repel future attackers. (My comment I have found Neem to be useless for everything else. I suspect it is useful in making $$ profit for the sellers. Better to do nothing and save your $$)
8. Birds DO eat Japanese beetles. So create a beetle buffet by placing birdbaths, feeders and nesting boxes near the plants under attack. And don’t chase away starlings! These so-called ‘pest’ birds feed on both the adults AND their grub-babies in your lawn! (My comment, well we have and feed every bird known to the area including the gold finch nesting in a decorative by our front door. I have never seen a bird after these bugs.)
So I will continue my patrols, it keeps me busy but at least while we are home I can save some of the bushes from the gnawing of the beetles.
Local deer have been so far successfully repelled by the Crop guard spay so Kiss Me, one of Bambi's favorite snacks is blooming in glory this year. Some sprays have 15 buds and blooms, I did get tired counting. And the slight sweet scent is a reward to inhale/
But I did see that another front hosta provided a munch for Bambi overnight. Isn't it always something with nature's creatures?
Japanese beetle |
detected in New Jersey in 1916, having been introduced from Japan.
I was feeling smug about my rose gardens this year until just yesterday when I thought I saw one, then decided no, the body on that critter was not iridescent. But that sighting raised my antennae to full alert status so last night on my patrol of the garden I looked carefully and crap, there was a Japper. I cut it in half with my clippers and felt a great satisfaction. We have had two days of hot humid weather and maybe that"s why they have arrived. I did more internet research always hoping there may be a newly discovered cure but as of today, not so.
One of the best sites for me was the University of MN extension where I learned these things feast on foilage of more than 300 species of plants. So much for other advice online to cultivate plants that the beetles avoid--we'd have to eradicate all our landscape and woods. I also learned that this is the time of year they visit, last week of June or first part of July and so there was no need for my smugness. They were merely awaiting their cue, as with everything else this year, they are a bit early. http://www.extension.umn.edu/distribution/horticulture/dg7664.html
Look carefully there is what will become my first Japanese beetle death jar occupant this year |
These beetles are laziest in the early morning hours so that's when I find it easiest to swat them into the Death Jar. Apparently they are late sleepers. These pests are dominant only east of the Mississippi, so I did not encounter them in CA. From my studies as an ARS (American Rose Society) certified consulting rosarian in CA and an advocate of not spraying pesticides that can be harmful to the rest of the environment, I adhere to a studied Integrated Pest Managment approach. I do not spray toxic insecticides because we have so many bees, birds, garden and tree frogs, toads, dragon flies and other Mother Natures good guys that I do not want to harm. Besides I have long believed there l really is nothing to prevent nor cure the invasion of the Japanese beetles.
My introduction to Japanese beetles was long ago, as a toddler in PA, I remember my grandma Rose would put a pail in her garden with water and kerosene into which she would drop the beetles, and which she sternly told me to not ever go near or I would catch on fire. It was one warning I heeded because they were ugly and stinky and since she did not like them I wanted nothing to do with them. I remember her determination fighting these beetles by checking her roses and garden at least three times a day. When she found them they went swimming in the pail. If they fell to the ground she stomped them. Sometimes I'd spot for her and race inside to "tell on the bugs" she would come outside in a second and catch them for the pail. When the pail was as full of the uglies as she could tolerate, all contents, dead beetles and liquid were tossed onto Granpap's burn pile, I suppose the kerosene helped ignite the flames for their cremation.
Oh no she has the Death Jar |
Today nurseries sell Japanese beetle traps but my research shows they are not worthwhile. The beetles have been known to escape the trap (they don"t escape my Death Jar) and the scent of them attracts others. Once they are in a neighborhood they spread and unless everyone attacks them and keeps after them, they have arrived. One interesting tidbit about them is that it is not unusual for this pest to be abundant in one part of a town and not others, now that is just not "fair" to quote the occupant of our White House. (Clue: nothing is fair in life) Just get over it!
Here are the first swimmers of this morning Notice how they cling to each other so they float together. |
Here in MN I find myself plagued with the beetles. Similar to my Grandma I I patrol my garden but I have a Death Jar (an old plastic Welch's Grape Jelly Jar that I save each year. When I see a Japper, it's time for a swim. Some say to plop them into soapy water, but plain water is all I give them and sometimes a rose petal falls in with them. Then I put the cap on the jar and let it sit in the sunshine, baking them one on top of the other. I imagine their screams, "oh no she has returned with the Death Jar." I would like to imagine that they would be so terrified that they would flee from my roses. I would be merely hallucinating.
Death oven baking |
Better Homes and Gardens advice is: " The beetles release chemicals called pheromones into the air. These pheromones attract other beetles. So if you see a few of the bugs, they'll probably attract more. Get rid of Japanese beetles early, before they can invite more of their friends to feed on your plants." So today was early detection and strike with a vengeance. At last check not a beetle in sight, but there willl be no rest and I really fear leaving them next week when we depart for our trip. Last year my next door neighbor called me, frantic, "Come see what bug I found on my flowers...." I recognized it right away as a Japanese beetle and was surprised she did not know because she is a native of these parts. She said she would get some spray but I told her there is nothing that works and that she should begin to harvest them and showed her my remedy but she was grossed out looking at the Death Jar. Later on she showed me the various sprays she'd wasted money on to no avail. I warned her to save her $$ but she did not listen. She has grandkids around and I find it potentially dangerous to have such spray poisons around children.
The Gardens alive website offers various techniques, the most comical of which are 3, 4, 5. I have added some comments to their advice below. This is not rocket science nor gourmet cooking preparation.
1. Hand picking can be very effective. Get around their ‘drop and roll’ defense by snagging them early in the morning when they’re slow and sluggish. Place a pan with some soapy water in the bottom below the infested area, reach for the beetles from above, so they can’t fly away, and they’ll drop right down into the water. (My comment who needs soap?)2. Smother the beasts with a spray of good old insecticidal soap. Just be sure to spray the beetles, not the plants; soap sprays have to coat the bug to be effective. (My comment, right they hate a bath!)
3. Plug a vacuum cleaner (preferably a shop vac) into the nearest grounded outlet and hose the little nasties up like they was dust bunnies under a couch. (My comment, uh huh and to say nothing of vacuuming up leaves and petals too. Oh I can just hear Jerry when I fetch the shop vacuum.)
4. Make beetle-repelling “bug juice” with your catch! Whiz a handful of the sucked-up beasts in an old garage-sale blender with a pint of water (this alone should make you feel much better!), strain the resulting slurry and spray it on your plants. Old time farmers swear that pests won’t go near plants that have been sprayed with the remains of their relatives. (My comment uh huh a blender for beetles...who"s writing this Ima Gaarten?)
5. If you’re a wuss (or only have one blender), try making a more congenial repellent by whizzing up two cloves of garlic and a hot pepper in that pint of water instead of the pests. Strain, add a drop each of dishwashing soap and vegetable oil (or better still, insecticidal soap and horticultural oil), and spray it on the plants under attack early in the morning. (My comment, we are not cooking or manufacturing here and if this were so agriculture would have vat sized blenders to whiz up repel insects of all types...)
6. Or cut to the chase and soak plants under attack with one of those commercially available garlic sprays designed to deter mosquitoes; see last week’s Q (http://www.gardensalive.com/article.asp?ai=572) for all the details. It should work even better than a home-made spray, AND the area will be free of biting bugs for a couple of weeks as a bonus! (My comment, we live in mosquito land, they are the national bird of MN. Believe me garlic does not deter them)
7. If nothing less than an insecticide will suit you, make it a non-chemical, non-toxic one. The natural product Neem—derived from an Indian tree—should kill any beetles it hits and act as a ‘feeding deterrent’ to repel future attackers. (My comment I have found Neem to be useless for everything else. I suspect it is useful in making $$ profit for the sellers. Better to do nothing and save your $$)
8. Birds DO eat Japanese beetles. So create a beetle buffet by placing birdbaths, feeders and nesting boxes near the plants under attack. And don’t chase away starlings! These so-called ‘pest’ birds feed on both the adults AND their grub-babies in your lawn! (My comment, well we have and feed every bird known to the area including the gold finch nesting in a decorative by our front door. I have never seen a bird after these bugs.)
One spray of the Kiss Me shrub rose |
Local deer have been so far successfully repelled by the Crop guard spay so Kiss Me, one of Bambi's favorite snacks is blooming in glory this year. Some sprays have 15 buds and blooms, I did get tired counting. And the slight sweet scent is a reward to inhale/
But I did see that another front hosta provided a munch for Bambi overnight. Isn't it always something with nature's creatures?
Kiss Me Shrub in glorious bloom |
Monday, June 18, 2012
La Crescent Generosity
Park alongside the new pool |
One benefit of the pool is that while the line forms to enter, kids can use the park right there and its accouterments. This morning some Moms waited with others who were not in swimming lessons. We have many nice parks in La Crescent that get little use. I mean who's going to set out amidst the mosquitoes?
Nevertheless, the referendum passed, many saying, "well the kids need it." Oh baloney and humbug says those of us who have no kids, but we are now contributing with a higher tax payment. It was only a week after its passage that the old pool was opened ready to go another year, did anyone raise an eyebrow at that coincidence, no! Although it was perfectly clear that the property taxes would increase this year, many paid no attention until they received their new tax bills and then it was, "what's this!" And, comments like, "I didn't know it would cost me $$." Oh pray tell, you thought Santa Claus would pick up the cost for the good little boys and girls? And so this summer when we are home, and the pool is only several blocks away, I intend to get a bit of our money's worth. Two years ago I took a water aerobics class and enjoyed it so I signed up again this year, classes on Monday and Thursday 5:40-6:30PM.
Check out the great double slides, which folks say rival what is at the Dells, a spendy place |
The pool opened June 9 and a day last week I took my morning walk over to the pool just to check out the lay of the land. It is no longer just a community swimming pool; we generous taxpayers have subsidized an aquatic center no less. Those of you who live in bigger metropolitan areas likely pay $$ for memberships or daily passes, but our generosity allows $2 per day for residents and $3 for non-residents. In this area, non-residents come from across the river in La Crosse, WI because this facility is cheaper than what they pay across the river in their state. I told you we are generous, especially spending someone else's $$. Sound familiar?
Keep an eye on the boys at the fountain |
I gotta say, I got a big kick out of watching the kids, still not sure if this is worth what it costs me, but enjoyment is not cheap. And for any grandparents who want to watch the days entertainment such as the couple entering there with their backs in the photo, there are rows of very nice lounge deck chairs. The place really has something for all, an expanded diving pool, a climbing wall, the big slides which empty into another large area and a few lanes for lap swimmers who will have to get there during restricted lap time only as the kids are invasive.
Here's a crew just anticipating the wet. See the chairs |
This is the expanded kiddie pool, twice the size of what it was with a large Apple tree playhouse. Notice one little guy is quite reluctant to join the others. "Mom, I don"t want to go! Nooooo" |
Diving pool and climbing wall to the right of boards, center of this photo |
As I observed, I noticed some boys barely able to contain themselves from jumping in. But their instructor was adamant, "not till I tell you." BTW we are employing over twice as many lifeguards, etc for this as the previous. Great youth summer employment but more cost. When the instructor gave the, "OK get in the pool" all the boys jumped from the side. Except one, who jumped forming a cannonball, the choice of boys down through the ages, creating a big splash. To this there were giggles from the boys and "aaws" from the girls. The young man instructor said, ""I have told you to get in normal" and the human cannonball shouted back, "Well that's normal for me!" It was hilarious.
The boy who will become the human cannonball is in the middle, camouflage suit between two girls. This class has two teen instructors and the lifeguard perches in her chair |
"C'mon boys just sit here awhile..." "Nah, we want to get wet!" |
So it's time to walk on back home. Across the street, at Breyers, a local business, the John Deere's are lined up waiting for buyers, oblivious to the splashing fun going on so close. Breyers sells and services mowers in the summer and snow blowers, removers in the winter. Locally owned and operated for years. Next door was the old family home. The old folks are now gone and I went there when they held an estate sale. Just looking. It is a neat old house with an upstairs deck. Something different. It looks like they have not sold the old homestead but use some of it for the shop. Dave, the owner, has other talents and often sings with his guitar on a morning radio show, especially around holidays when he may have more time.
And speaking of something different on south 7th street is another small house with an unusual lawn decoration, perhaps they are retired dairy farmers.
This ends the introduction to our La Crescent Aquatic Center and adjacent sights.
Labels:
Breyers,
Cow statue,
La Crescent Aquatic Center,
Midwest,
property taxes,
swimming
Wednesday, June 13, 2012
Walk with me
Red Knock out roses adjacent to salvia in the front rose garden |
It doesn't take long to reach So. 14th. There is our local Community Center, aka Hockey rink and fields to the left |
Turn right and we are on South 14th |
We cross to the sidewalks on South 14th and go along |
Wild flowers anyone? A sweet scent wafts up. |
Approaching our destination, the track |
On the right is our local La Crescent High school, back side
|
Now we are closer and ready to cross the street
|
Right across the street and past the fence, the track awaits |
Enter and begin the serious swifter walking This is a gorgeous rubber based track and I have it all to myself |
Some hurdles left over this morning...here we go |
Almost to the first curve, looking back toward So. 14th from whence we came |
Second curve going down the back stretch looking toward stands |
Lap 1 done, to the right off track are more sport fields and hills
|
Lap two we can go faster now
We have warmed up
|
After four laps and we head back down south 14th |
Along the way home, this grass caught my eye The phone pole appears to have an eye on me |
Yellow mallow with salvia has me singing Mellow Yellow
Such are the entertaining thoughts that can enter on a
pretty sunny quiet morning. It's a good and bad thing I don"t walk with
earphones or any attachment. I can be content with my own thoughts
|
Approaching Cedar to the right, Hockey Rink to the left
Still quiet on the roads and all is well
|
Home again home again....you know the rest. Inside a K-cuppa will be good, hazlenut this morning I think |
We still wave old Glory |
Monday, May 28, 2012
Memorial Day 2012
Mom and Dad New pilot, Lewis S Ball Army Air Corps |
http://www.pbs.org/memorialdayconcert/features/losing-my-hero.html
This recalls thought of how ashamed I am of a niece who lives in Ohio and who made a political ad endorsing a candidate who helped her sort out something about a bill sent to niece's boyfriend who was deployed to Afghanistan. When I saw that on You Tube I was disgusted, there blabs my niece on and on about "a love one deployed..." and praising this congressional candidate; further the political ad touts help about her husband..NOT. So many thoughts shot through my mind along with the initial disdain of "how could you...." but I know she is striving for her five minutes of fame....and to some it doesn't matter whose coat tails they ride.
This appeared today in our local paper the La Crosse Tribune.....a story that needs to be told across the country. Somehow here in the Midwest and in the east we are better at remembering.
I was thinking that we used to call this Decoration Day, the day we went to the cemeteries to decorate the graves in Pennsylvania. I have found that was right and not until sometime in the 1960"s was it changed to Memorial Day. Whatever else we do today, let us lift a prayer of remembrance and gratitude.
Sunday, May 27, 2012
Just a test if this were a real post you would receive further instructions...o
Before I ascend upstairs with the mix and tequila to engage the margarita blender on this sultry day, I am testing to see if blogger is still insisting on rotating Van Gough....this is quite a puzzle as all the other photos are posting correctly. Have not had this experience before...some Google forums claim it happens when it is a direct camera or phone upload but these are not, they have already been saved to the computer....well this is mysterious...I switched to Google chrome to upload and here it still rotates...as I said previously WTH!!!
Let's try another photo. Well this of the backyard bird feeder area comes out just fine.
OK Blogger, whatcha got against garden gnomes? Call in the trolls, this calls for action!
Friday, May 25, 2012
Been BZ
Bumble bee on salvia |
Salvia next to cat mint at sunset approaching |
Red Knock Out roses, by Bill Adler, WI hybridizer |
Another champion Apple Jack rose, an Iowa Buck rose with Bon Chance below it..Apple Jack adds to the feast of bees and the smell is noticeable the minute we open the door |
Close up of an opened nearly spent Apple Jack bloom with many more buds to open yet |
Red Knock Outs Blue globe, dragon fly with vigilant smiling lady bug stick
First pink peo
|
Front rose garden looking down the cul de sac |
The dreamy creamy peonies are the first to bloom out along the back garden fence |
Even the tiny hens and chicks are running wild this year |
First pink peony just yesterday. I love these peonies even with the black ants swarming them to open their petals. |
Even as a child I adored the big peony bushes off our front porch. And I thought Mom a big grouch because she refused to allow me to bring a bouquet inside admonishing me about their resident ants. I learned soon after moving to Minnesota that she knew where of she spoke as I brought a huge pail of peonies inside. I could barely set them on the table before the ants came out and about.....oh me! Mom was right. I have heard that they can be sprayed to rid the ants but I am a natural gardener and do not use chemicals because we have so many beneficial insects and birds that I fore go anything harmful. If it is bad for a living creature it is probably bad for me too. Now if and when those nasty demonic Japanese beetles arrive as they are bound to do here, I become quite violent. I pluck them early morning and down into the death jar they go where they swarm and try to swim atop each other in a jar of detergent. You see I do have a mean streak protecting my roses. But it's all natural.
Let me close today by introducing you to Van Gough, one of my cherished garden gnomes. He was given to me by an elderly lady in CA who made him for my rose gardens there. She was almost 989 and still doing ceramics; each year I bought something from her at a craft show in April or so at the Auburn Fair grounds. Well, Van Gough is so named because he lost an ear, long ago who knows by what critter. It was in pieces and could not be restored, but he still keeps his pleasant demeanor and annually he gets to set with the newest of our front Alberta spruce trees. Blogger wants to post him sideways so I have removed the tree and try to show Van Gough alone here so you can see the detail of her work and perhaps his missing ear which he does not seem to mind at all......he has adjusted, as we all must do when life gives us what we do not expect.
My apologies but I cannot get this photo rotated...Tilt
WTH Blogger?
Labels:
Apple Jack,
bumble bees,
gardens,
peonies,
photos,
Red knock out roses,
roses,
salvia
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