Joy In The Garden

I grab my gloves and the little black basket with its pink embroidered "F" on the front. I slide my feet into my floral print Sloggers and open the back door. As I step out onto the deck, the thick Texas heat engulfs me. Yet the shadow of a smile begins to play at corners of my mouth.

I stroll across the driveway, the basket swinging from my right hand. I walk to the far side of the garden having decided to start at the opposite end today. Halfway down the first row, pink tomatoes peek out from behind lush green leaves. The smile tugs a little tighter on my lips.

As I walk up the next row, my eyes begin to scan the pea plants searching for the dark purple hue of the mature pods. In the distance I hear the low rumble of summer thunderheads. The smile on my face grows a quarter of an inch, at least.

I wander through the squash vines which look as if they are about ready to give up the ghost. I tug at any fruit that appears ripe enough for the kitchen. Tucked under a large squash leaf is a stray cucumber that has 'escaped' its place and managed to remain hidden until it rivals in girth and length anything that has grown this season. My smile grows; a little more visible to anyone who might be watching.

Though the sun is shining and the heat is pressing in, I begin to hear the light "spit, spit, spit" of raindrops on the elephant-like okra leaves behind me. The drops get larger as I valiantly search for the perfect sized cucumbers. I see the leaves begin to shake and I hear them rattle as the rain drips all around me. My smile grows wide.

With sweat on my brow and my basket filled with the fruit of our labors, I swing open the back door and allow the cool air from inside to wash over me. As I begin to prep the fresh squash for our dinner, I listen to the rain pouring onto the roof, and I notice the smile is still there.

"The kiss of the sun for pardon,

The song of the birds for mirth,

One is nearer God's heart in a garden

Than anywhere else on earth."

by: Dorothy Frances Gurney

(This verse hung in my Grandma Fulton's kitchen for as long as I can remember. Since writing this post on Monday, I haven't been able get the quote out of my head.)

Finally Fall

I have had a plan for my front driveway that has been smoldering in my head for over a month. I finally got the time to make it a reality yesterday.

I love fall. It is my favorite season. I love the colors of fall (even though we don't get many changing leaves here in SE Texas). Last year I went so far as to buy hay bales to decorate my front yard...but it all ended up being bedding for Goat because I never got around to fixing up the yard.

This year's plan started one day in early September while I was running a wedding errand at Hobby Lobby. I found the cutest crow and couldn't resist taking him home. A few cute pickets for the mailbox soon followed. Brianne picked up hay for me a couple of days later, since Goat needed hay anyway. Since then I have only needed a few mums and a couple of pumpkins to complete my project. Seems easy enough...unless you drive a two-seater...then there is not enough room for pumpkins or mums!

Several times I had planned to drive Jim's truck home and stop by the garden center on my way. It seemed that something came up in either his schedule or mine at the last minute.

Today I finally made it to the garden center! We had to load it all in the suburban since Jim drove the truck to Arkansas before heading to Montana. It was quite a load...but we managed to fit it all in eventually.

After about an hour of unloading, potting flowers and moving everything into place...this is the view as you enter in our driveway.

I love it! It makes me smile to see the cute crow sitting with his foot propped up on a pumpkin and surrounded by the colors of fall.
Here is a close up of my charming crow. We had to prop his foot on a pumpkin because we could not get that leg to bend. It looks like his leg has been broken...poor thing! I still think he is cute though.
As usual, I bought too many flowers! I always have either too many or not enough...never just right! We put a mum in each of my Chinese water buckets. One we set on the back deck. This one we set on a stump with a pumpkin in the front yard.
And the one on the right is the one that will probably have my crow ripped to pieces by the time I get home tonight! He was already sniffing the crow while I was taking pictures!

Now, if I can just get my dining room table set with nice, festive, fall colors...it will probably be time for Christmas!

Just A Weekend Rambling

I woke up leisurely this morning, thankful that today is Saturday and I have no schedule to keep. The boys and I are heading out to get some vacation shopping accomplished. The whole family will be making our way to South Padre next weekend for a 'business' trip and they really need new beach clothes. (Bri has plans to spend the day with Josh since he leaves for Africa again tomorrow...she will have to do her shopping next week.)

Last night, I put in a request for a beach house in Surfside for the 4th of July. It is two doors down from my dear friend who gifted Jim and I with our anniversary weekend at her beach house last weekend. We had considered just getting a hotel room for a couple of nights...but I feel a deep desire to spend an extended time away with the family. Surfside is close enough that Jim and I could make a trip or two into the office if necessary, but far enough away that we would only do so if it were to become necessary!

After reading this post I am so glad that I decided on the full week instead of just the weekend. So cross your fingers...and say a prayer that we will get the house. If not, we will try again for after Casy's surgery later in the summer.

What plans are you making for this summer?

Move Over Mr. Atlas

I have a confession to make: Last week I watched Transformers - twice! It was a delicious diversion full of 'eye candy'. Hollywood personalities usually do not have much influence on me...but I have to admit he makes me swoon!

Don't worry, Jim knows all about my Hollywood fantasy beau. He even whispered to Kelli as we were watching it with them, "Your mom is going to be over here glued to her seat in just a minute."

And I was. But tell me, who can resist this kind of muscle?