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Friday, April 30, 2010

I Bet - I Lost - But I Won More at The End!

I’ve posted photos below - but first…

If it’s not one thing - it’s another. And this is that time of season where things around the house go nuts - which has been the case here over the past few days.

We’ve had ‘dog issues’ here - and the only one bound to be happy about that will be the girls I spend time with while covering up the gray in my hair. I give most of the credit to - the two dogs residing in this house. And if they think they’re getting cookies for such deeds - huh… right.

Last year - TVA’s crazy methods of lowering water levels really screwed up the spawning season for all the fish in the waters. And just like the confusion the weather has caused here in planting - same has affected the spawning of the Crappie - this year.

Dwayne and I tend to fuss over which place is better to fish. I put him to the challenge - yesterday. He’s been the one choosing the spots since we moved to Loudon. I decided to make a wager with him. He gets to choose the spot this time. If we don’t catch any fish - we get to go to my favorite spot next time.

He decided to bid one up on me - letting me have my way for the day!





This is a Canola Sunflower field - one of a few that a handful of local farmers decided to get together and try for an experiment this year.  We drove by the fields on our way to the river.

It’s been such a long time since we’ve gone fishing down on the Tennessee River - launching the boat down at the dock in Louisville. Things have been pretty strange around here. This spring season has be so off-the-wall that the old folks are even expressing feelings of not knowing what to think.

I love spending the day in that area - even if we don’t catch one single fish. I dunno - I think it might be the fact that the abundance of wildlife in that area can provide so much ambiance for helping one relax and release a lot of tension.

It’s absolutely beautiful. And despite the fact that you may not be able to see them all - you can hear so many birds - so many varieties, too! There’s a peacefulness that allows you to hear the splash of a bass from a very long distance. Just offers a real true sense of peace and serenity.

My challenge backfired! Dwayne caught two fish - a Crappie and a huge Sun perch ( almost as big as the dad-gum Crappie ! ) - but - the perch made an escape out of the Crappie basket!

I only got one bite out of the entire day. But - I did manage to catch a few things - other than fish!





 
I caught aircraft!  Ta!  The Topside Road Dock in Louisville is only a few miles from McGhee-Tyson Airport!



Locust trees - can't stand 'em.  They're as invasive as nutgrass!  Yet - they have clusters of blooms in the spring that have such an intoxicating perfume!




Blue Herons - they're everywhere!




Some of them have attitudes.  This guy would stand there and wait until we came closer - and then he'd move a few feet upward - until he got to the end of the dock - and flew away.  But I win!  And he still doesn't even know it!




It's fun to be so close up with them!



A baby turtle!  Cute - huh!  Yep - until you get stupid enough to try picking this one up!




 A Mama - An Eagle - arriving to feed her babies!  Hey - check out those - branches - used for her nest!




A Mama - A Goose - with her brand new baby Goslings!




A Daddy - The Drake - doing the typical thing - relaxing in the shade watching Mama being driven nuts by the kids!

Until we got close enough to get the shot of Mama and the kids - anyway!  Yeah - right!  Like - what was he gonna do?  Shoot us?

Sunday, April 25, 2010

Today is Sunday?


Thursday was Earth Day. While I was out in the veggie garden - facing The Gang of 50 while they beat Holy Hell out of me - Dwayne was tackling the staircase to our front porch.






To this very moment - neither of us can figure out where the mind was left behind - that being the mind belonging to the person responsible for the original construction of this staircase - before plugging in a saw to get started on this mess.






I mean - funky - is an understated description. Close to Hubby’s choice of words. But I won’t even go there.






Why would anyone decide to chew up the landing area - with a set of steps?






Why would anyone decide to butt something up so close to - a basement door - which is used all the time?  ( Pay close attention to the Azaleas under the staircase ! )

I had to help with getting posts lined up - and putting a little dirt under a couple of them to make the whole thing square before dumping the cement. Other than that - the ever-lovin’ Hero in this house has almost finished putting all the pieces back together - the way they should have been constructed in the first place.






You see more landing here. ( Actually - you can even see where the top steps once sat on the landing. )  The steps from the porch can’t be seen in this view. But they are there. And he’s moved the gate from the porch entrance - to the entrance for the landing from the lower stairs. ( Well - he's gonna get around to that ! )






He still has part of the railing and a few of the pickets to install here. But you begin to see the distance from the house. And you can even see the top steps - if you look closely.

What's really cool - he improvised his own plan for stabilizing the landing while moving it - all by himself - over to the proper place.  He had dismantled the stairs.  But he ended up having to motivate eight 4"x4" posts - not just four - underneath the landing - which also had to be moved over.






I really like the way he managed to fix this mess while still being able to keep the whole thing on the concrete - without robbing more of the yard to pour more slab.






Nope. Those posts will be cut off and made flush with the railing. But I can’t help giving the man props for not taking out my azalea bushes! I mean - c’mon ! How many Rednecks would bother worrying about - some bushes?






And this shot - this shows the huge difference! The gas meter reader's gonna love it.  *snicker*  I remember the two of us standing there looking at the whole structure after taking photos. Dwayne made the statement - “ Look! We can even carry furniture up there, now ! “

Very true. And we can also - shove the pit - the tiller - and all the other equipment through the entry doorway without having to open up the big door. That’s just huge here - especially when the temps hit the single digits during Winter.

The very last thing both of us will be doing to this staircase will be - power washing and sealing. That will leave us with that side of the house and the back porch deck to power-wash and seal during this summer.

After that - fixing the botched job and painting the trim around windows - if we get lucky.

Dunno. Graveyard shift is coming - again.

Hey - They just wrapped up the 2010 NFL Drafting Mayhem!  And we have a bunch of guys being let out to spread their wings around the world of Pro Football.

A great song is never written for only - one specific - crowd.

Soooo - here's something to celebrate all of - those guys playing with eggs on steroids - wrapped in leather.  And only God knows what stories may parallel with that one by the time we make it to the Super Bowl.  Ya' know ?!


Saturday, April 24, 2010

No, Wait - It was a Gang of 50

It’s a pleasant morning here - promised to meet up with the Devil this evening. We’re awaiting the arrival of some pretty nasty thunderstorms.

I went to bed last night - feeling like someone had beaten the Holy Hell out of me. I woke up this morning - convinced I was wrong. I’d swear - it was a gang of 50 that beat the holy Hell out of me.

 This past Thursday was Earth Day. The Farmer’s Almanac told me that I only had a couple more days to plant under the right moon for my garden to produce what I deserve!    ;)~ Ta!    And the Weather man said - “ Actually, Teresa - you only have about 24 more hours.” So - I became One With The Earth.

And then the Weather man woke up on Friday and laughed at me - “ I lied ! “

That particular storm decided to go north of us - after I battled with dirt - two different kinds of garden rakes - and water hoses - like there was no tomorrow. I got all but corn planted.

Sounds so easy - “ Ahhh, nuthin’ to it ! “

Until you consider the fact that I had to use two different garden rakes with that dirt - the entire surface - all by myself. Some would consider I was blessed with a gorgeous harvest before even planting - once again.

Look, Teresa ! More rocks grew - just for you ! “

Hubby spent time out in the Garden on Saturday morning - while I bathed and groomed Zucker. Ohhhhhh - he was such a filthy pig! But - we’re not wasting any time this year. The seeds are in - we’re getting that hay set out before the weeds even think about waking up - not to mention before the storms get here.

Come 3pm yesterday - Dwayne decided the house could burn down for all he cared.

We took our nice - clean - handsome - wonderfully smelling - Zucker - for a little ride.

We went fishing.

Hubby cleaned fish - while I tended to animals - vacuumed the mess he made me leave behind after grooming Zucker - got clean dishes put away - dirty dishes washed - dealt with the ice chest and other supplies we'd taken with us - and made egg salad.  Spaghetti was just too much to be eating that late at night.  And it would have been around 11pm before it was ready.  I had eggs already boiled.  And I'm not that nuts!

Finally - we sat down with egg salad sandwiches - just in time to watch Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution!

Always pays off to keep a steady inventory of boiled eggs in the fridge!

Have you signed the petition? Find the button down on the menu to the right here!  -->


Wednesday, April 21, 2010

Hey, Commandant !!


Only a couple weeks ago - there was harmony in the home - on the porch - out in the yard - all around the hayfield.






These two seemed like they were inseparable.






You’d think neither could find the heart or the energy to explore - without the other.






But then - these moments would come.






Zucker seems to be having serious issues - lately.  I’m thinking it has to do with the enormous amount of growth that Carlie is taking on - in such a short amount of time.






The little brat has become quite the force to be reckoned with - to be only coming upon the age of 5-months-old.  She’s reached the point where she can - easily - T-bone Zucker.  And she knows it.

Her mouth full of teeth seem to be formed in a much more defiant shape for defense - compared to Zucker’s.  And she knows this - as well.

Zucker weighs 21 lbs.  - at the age of 3-years.  Carlie has already passed up 30lbs.  And the recent acts of pinning him down while wrestling on the rug in the living room show that she is - also - aware of this fact - as well.






The beginning months of a puppy’s life entail quite a bit of training - meaning the demand for extra attention - and extra cookies, as well.






But for a canine that spent 2.5 years of his life being the only dog - Top Dog - The Dog - The Boy - The Baby - selfishness is beginning to take a toll.  Defiance is becoming an understatement.

None of our efforts to include him - even giving him cookies when Carlie succeeds - or making sure he receives one-on-one time with the two of us - they mean absolutely - NAWWWWTHINNGG !! - to this Miniature - German - Schnauzer.






Hence - “ The Commandant “ is back in training this morning - himself.






We’ve had to put the radio collar back on Zucker.  We’re having to push back.  We’re having to take back the Alpha role in this house.

We’re having to remind Zucker who butters his bread.






I don’t know.  I just needed a different view.

Monday, April 19, 2010

Blooms and Prayers

I’m beginning to worry about the Granny Smith Apple tree we purchased this year.  It was the first to arrive - and the first to be planted.  Yet - the others already have signs of coming alive - while this little girl seems to continue sleeping.





The grapes are popping their little nodes - all three vines - which I’m very pleased about!





But my heart spills with pure joy over this precious sight!





This is the Kwanzan Flowering Cherry tree we purchased from Nature Hills - to honor a wonderful - wonderful friend that we lost just before this past Christmas.  This is “ Monica’s Cherry Tree “ - and I am just amazed by the surprise it’s putting out there!

Normally - you buy a tree - a young tree.  You plant that tree.  And for the first year - you expect nothing more than leaves on something that will look so spindly and frail - giving exception to blooms that can appear on young fruit trees after their first planting.

I expected leaves this year.  But I had not even imagined to find these blooms coming this first year!  This will be - surely - be one beautiful tree - just like the lady it was planted to honor!






I was first introduced to this gorgeous specimen when we moved into the home we rented on Melody Lane in Maryville.  Absolutely gorgeous!





The tree loads up with an overflowing abundance of clusters that can stop you in your tracks and capture your attention for a while!  Each flower is about 1.5 inches across - and looks just like a petite David Austin English Rose - layers and layers of petals!

I can't wait to see how gorgeous Moni's tree shapes herself!

Here's somethin' from another one of  - " My Girls " - that I just hold so deep in my heart!  I just love this woman!  I had to pray for her for a long time - and pray hard.  She needed to listen - to the words coming from her own gift from God - the same way I did for many - many years.  They gave me strength.  They helped me get through my life - day by day - step by step.

God answers prayer.  When our hearts are in the right place - and we're praying for something good - that the world can benefit from - be nurtured by - He answers our prayers.

He answered prayers to help me get through life.

And - he answered my prayers for - this Lady!  Thank You, God - for letting her find herself - again!!


Sunday, April 18, 2010

Dogwood Delight






















I always get so excited when the Dogwoods begin blooming!  I find it to be a lot of fun watching their flowers progress until they reach full bloom.  This is one of the flowers - just as soon as it bloomed enough that it looked like a full flower.  It was only about an inch across - at this point.

























Everywhere I’ve gone around Knoxville and Loudon County this spring - without failure - I have had folks around me mentioning how their Dogwood trees did not bloom out this year - like they normally do.  We’ve had the same experience.


























This is what our tree looked like last year.









































The native white Dogwoods that grow wild around here put on a gorgeous show of flowers this year!  I just can’t figure out what caused the ones everyone planted to do so poorly.





















Amazing how a flower changes during its growth!  The flowers on our Dogwood tree in the yard are about 3 inches across once they have completely bloomed.





















I don’t know why I continue calling this a Red Dogwood.  It’s more than obvious - this is no Red Dogwood.  The flowers are a solid red on that particular breed.





















And I just love the way the pink moves down to tint the edges of the blooms!

They won’t be around much longer.  But that’s okay.  The Wild Rose will be blooming shortly!

I made the mistake of buying a Rhubarb plant.  They require a 4’ x 4’ growing spot - where they can remain for years - because they’re slow growers to begin with.  With the plans Hubby has for moving the garden and all the dirt around here - I’m forced to wait.

I ended up sending the plant to work with Dwayne - along with extra onion sets that we don’t need.  Somebody at the hangar is bound to want one - or the other - or both!

In the meantime - I’ve got more planting to get finished.  But - here's a beautiful story about the Legend of The Dogwood!

Friday, April 30, 2010

I Bet - I Lost - But I Won More at The End!

I’ve posted photos below - but first…

If it’s not one thing - it’s another. And this is that time of season where things around the house go nuts - which has been the case here over the past few days.

We’ve had ‘dog issues’ here - and the only one bound to be happy about that will be the girls I spend time with while covering up the gray in my hair. I give most of the credit to - the two dogs residing in this house. And if they think they’re getting cookies for such deeds - huh… right.

Last year - TVA’s crazy methods of lowering water levels really screwed up the spawning season for all the fish in the waters. And just like the confusion the weather has caused here in planting - same has affected the spawning of the Crappie - this year.

Dwayne and I tend to fuss over which place is better to fish. I put him to the challenge - yesterday. He’s been the one choosing the spots since we moved to Loudon. I decided to make a wager with him. He gets to choose the spot this time. If we don’t catch any fish - we get to go to my favorite spot next time.

He decided to bid one up on me - letting me have my way for the day!





This is a Canola Sunflower field - one of a few that a handful of local farmers decided to get together and try for an experiment this year.  We drove by the fields on our way to the river.

It’s been such a long time since we’ve gone fishing down on the Tennessee River - launching the boat down at the dock in Louisville. Things have been pretty strange around here. This spring season has be so off-the-wall that the old folks are even expressing feelings of not knowing what to think.

I love spending the day in that area - even if we don’t catch one single fish. I dunno - I think it might be the fact that the abundance of wildlife in that area can provide so much ambiance for helping one relax and release a lot of tension.

It’s absolutely beautiful. And despite the fact that you may not be able to see them all - you can hear so many birds - so many varieties, too! There’s a peacefulness that allows you to hear the splash of a bass from a very long distance. Just offers a real true sense of peace and serenity.

My challenge backfired! Dwayne caught two fish - a Crappie and a huge Sun perch ( almost as big as the dad-gum Crappie ! ) - but - the perch made an escape out of the Crappie basket!

I only got one bite out of the entire day. But - I did manage to catch a few things - other than fish!





 
I caught aircraft!  Ta!  The Topside Road Dock in Louisville is only a few miles from McGhee-Tyson Airport!



Locust trees - can't stand 'em.  They're as invasive as nutgrass!  Yet - they have clusters of blooms in the spring that have such an intoxicating perfume!




Blue Herons - they're everywhere!




Some of them have attitudes.  This guy would stand there and wait until we came closer - and then he'd move a few feet upward - until he got to the end of the dock - and flew away.  But I win!  And he still doesn't even know it!




It's fun to be so close up with them!



A baby turtle!  Cute - huh!  Yep - until you get stupid enough to try picking this one up!




 A Mama - An Eagle - arriving to feed her babies!  Hey - check out those - branches - used for her nest!




A Mama - A Goose - with her brand new baby Goslings!




A Daddy - The Drake - doing the typical thing - relaxing in the shade watching Mama being driven nuts by the kids!

Until we got close enough to get the shot of Mama and the kids - anyway!  Yeah - right!  Like - what was he gonna do?  Shoot us?

Sunday, April 25, 2010

Today is Sunday?


Thursday was Earth Day. While I was out in the veggie garden - facing The Gang of 50 while they beat Holy Hell out of me - Dwayne was tackling the staircase to our front porch.






To this very moment - neither of us can figure out where the mind was left behind - that being the mind belonging to the person responsible for the original construction of this staircase - before plugging in a saw to get started on this mess.






I mean - funky - is an understated description. Close to Hubby’s choice of words. But I won’t even go there.






Why would anyone decide to chew up the landing area - with a set of steps?






Why would anyone decide to butt something up so close to - a basement door - which is used all the time?  ( Pay close attention to the Azaleas under the staircase ! )

I had to help with getting posts lined up - and putting a little dirt under a couple of them to make the whole thing square before dumping the cement. Other than that - the ever-lovin’ Hero in this house has almost finished putting all the pieces back together - the way they should have been constructed in the first place.






You see more landing here. ( Actually - you can even see where the top steps once sat on the landing. )  The steps from the porch can’t be seen in this view. But they are there. And he’s moved the gate from the porch entrance - to the entrance for the landing from the lower stairs. ( Well - he's gonna get around to that ! )






He still has part of the railing and a few of the pickets to install here. But you begin to see the distance from the house. And you can even see the top steps - if you look closely.

What's really cool - he improvised his own plan for stabilizing the landing while moving it - all by himself - over to the proper place.  He had dismantled the stairs.  But he ended up having to motivate eight 4"x4" posts - not just four - underneath the landing - which also had to be moved over.






I really like the way he managed to fix this mess while still being able to keep the whole thing on the concrete - without robbing more of the yard to pour more slab.






Nope. Those posts will be cut off and made flush with the railing. But I can’t help giving the man props for not taking out my azalea bushes! I mean - c’mon ! How many Rednecks would bother worrying about - some bushes?






And this shot - this shows the huge difference! The gas meter reader's gonna love it.  *snicker*  I remember the two of us standing there looking at the whole structure after taking photos. Dwayne made the statement - “ Look! We can even carry furniture up there, now ! “

Very true. And we can also - shove the pit - the tiller - and all the other equipment through the entry doorway without having to open up the big door. That’s just huge here - especially when the temps hit the single digits during Winter.

The very last thing both of us will be doing to this staircase will be - power washing and sealing. That will leave us with that side of the house and the back porch deck to power-wash and seal during this summer.

After that - fixing the botched job and painting the trim around windows - if we get lucky.

Dunno. Graveyard shift is coming - again.

Hey - They just wrapped up the 2010 NFL Drafting Mayhem!  And we have a bunch of guys being let out to spread their wings around the world of Pro Football.

A great song is never written for only - one specific - crowd.

Soooo - here's something to celebrate all of - those guys playing with eggs on steroids - wrapped in leather.  And only God knows what stories may parallel with that one by the time we make it to the Super Bowl.  Ya' know ?!


Saturday, April 24, 2010

No, Wait - It was a Gang of 50

It’s a pleasant morning here - promised to meet up with the Devil this evening. We’re awaiting the arrival of some pretty nasty thunderstorms.

I went to bed last night - feeling like someone had beaten the Holy Hell out of me. I woke up this morning - convinced I was wrong. I’d swear - it was a gang of 50 that beat the holy Hell out of me.

 This past Thursday was Earth Day. The Farmer’s Almanac told me that I only had a couple more days to plant under the right moon for my garden to produce what I deserve!    ;)~ Ta!    And the Weather man said - “ Actually, Teresa - you only have about 24 more hours.” So - I became One With The Earth.

And then the Weather man woke up on Friday and laughed at me - “ I lied ! “

That particular storm decided to go north of us - after I battled with dirt - two different kinds of garden rakes - and water hoses - like there was no tomorrow. I got all but corn planted.

Sounds so easy - “ Ahhh, nuthin’ to it ! “

Until you consider the fact that I had to use two different garden rakes with that dirt - the entire surface - all by myself. Some would consider I was blessed with a gorgeous harvest before even planting - once again.

Look, Teresa ! More rocks grew - just for you ! “

Hubby spent time out in the Garden on Saturday morning - while I bathed and groomed Zucker. Ohhhhhh - he was such a filthy pig! But - we’re not wasting any time this year. The seeds are in - we’re getting that hay set out before the weeds even think about waking up - not to mention before the storms get here.

Come 3pm yesterday - Dwayne decided the house could burn down for all he cared.

We took our nice - clean - handsome - wonderfully smelling - Zucker - for a little ride.

We went fishing.

Hubby cleaned fish - while I tended to animals - vacuumed the mess he made me leave behind after grooming Zucker - got clean dishes put away - dirty dishes washed - dealt with the ice chest and other supplies we'd taken with us - and made egg salad.  Spaghetti was just too much to be eating that late at night.  And it would have been around 11pm before it was ready.  I had eggs already boiled.  And I'm not that nuts!

Finally - we sat down with egg salad sandwiches - just in time to watch Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution!

Always pays off to keep a steady inventory of boiled eggs in the fridge!

Have you signed the petition? Find the button down on the menu to the right here!  -->


Wednesday, April 21, 2010

Hey, Commandant !!


Only a couple weeks ago - there was harmony in the home - on the porch - out in the yard - all around the hayfield.






These two seemed like they were inseparable.






You’d think neither could find the heart or the energy to explore - without the other.






But then - these moments would come.






Zucker seems to be having serious issues - lately.  I’m thinking it has to do with the enormous amount of growth that Carlie is taking on - in such a short amount of time.






The little brat has become quite the force to be reckoned with - to be only coming upon the age of 5-months-old.  She’s reached the point where she can - easily - T-bone Zucker.  And she knows it.

Her mouth full of teeth seem to be formed in a much more defiant shape for defense - compared to Zucker’s.  And she knows this - as well.

Zucker weighs 21 lbs.  - at the age of 3-years.  Carlie has already passed up 30lbs.  And the recent acts of pinning him down while wrestling on the rug in the living room show that she is - also - aware of this fact - as well.






The beginning months of a puppy’s life entail quite a bit of training - meaning the demand for extra attention - and extra cookies, as well.






But for a canine that spent 2.5 years of his life being the only dog - Top Dog - The Dog - The Boy - The Baby - selfishness is beginning to take a toll.  Defiance is becoming an understatement.

None of our efforts to include him - even giving him cookies when Carlie succeeds - or making sure he receives one-on-one time with the two of us - they mean absolutely - NAWWWWTHINNGG !! - to this Miniature - German - Schnauzer.






Hence - “ The Commandant “ is back in training this morning - himself.






We’ve had to put the radio collar back on Zucker.  We’re having to push back.  We’re having to take back the Alpha role in this house.

We’re having to remind Zucker who butters his bread.






I don’t know.  I just needed a different view.

Monday, April 19, 2010

Blooms and Prayers

I’m beginning to worry about the Granny Smith Apple tree we purchased this year.  It was the first to arrive - and the first to be planted.  Yet - the others already have signs of coming alive - while this little girl seems to continue sleeping.





The grapes are popping their little nodes - all three vines - which I’m very pleased about!





But my heart spills with pure joy over this precious sight!





This is the Kwanzan Flowering Cherry tree we purchased from Nature Hills - to honor a wonderful - wonderful friend that we lost just before this past Christmas.  This is “ Monica’s Cherry Tree “ - and I am just amazed by the surprise it’s putting out there!

Normally - you buy a tree - a young tree.  You plant that tree.  And for the first year - you expect nothing more than leaves on something that will look so spindly and frail - giving exception to blooms that can appear on young fruit trees after their first planting.

I expected leaves this year.  But I had not even imagined to find these blooms coming this first year!  This will be - surely - be one beautiful tree - just like the lady it was planted to honor!






I was first introduced to this gorgeous specimen when we moved into the home we rented on Melody Lane in Maryville.  Absolutely gorgeous!





The tree loads up with an overflowing abundance of clusters that can stop you in your tracks and capture your attention for a while!  Each flower is about 1.5 inches across - and looks just like a petite David Austin English Rose - layers and layers of petals!

I can't wait to see how gorgeous Moni's tree shapes herself!

Here's somethin' from another one of  - " My Girls " - that I just hold so deep in my heart!  I just love this woman!  I had to pray for her for a long time - and pray hard.  She needed to listen - to the words coming from her own gift from God - the same way I did for many - many years.  They gave me strength.  They helped me get through my life - day by day - step by step.

God answers prayer.  When our hearts are in the right place - and we're praying for something good - that the world can benefit from - be nurtured by - He answers our prayers.

He answered prayers to help me get through life.

And - he answered my prayers for - this Lady!  Thank You, God - for letting her find herself - again!!


Sunday, April 18, 2010

Dogwood Delight






















I always get so excited when the Dogwoods begin blooming!  I find it to be a lot of fun watching their flowers progress until they reach full bloom.  This is one of the flowers - just as soon as it bloomed enough that it looked like a full flower.  It was only about an inch across - at this point.

























Everywhere I’ve gone around Knoxville and Loudon County this spring - without failure - I have had folks around me mentioning how their Dogwood trees did not bloom out this year - like they normally do.  We’ve had the same experience.


























This is what our tree looked like last year.









































The native white Dogwoods that grow wild around here put on a gorgeous show of flowers this year!  I just can’t figure out what caused the ones everyone planted to do so poorly.





















Amazing how a flower changes during its growth!  The flowers on our Dogwood tree in the yard are about 3 inches across once they have completely bloomed.





















I don’t know why I continue calling this a Red Dogwood.  It’s more than obvious - this is no Red Dogwood.  The flowers are a solid red on that particular breed.





















And I just love the way the pink moves down to tint the edges of the blooms!

They won’t be around much longer.  But that’s okay.  The Wild Rose will be blooming shortly!

I made the mistake of buying a Rhubarb plant.  They require a 4’ x 4’ growing spot - where they can remain for years - because they’re slow growers to begin with.  With the plans Hubby has for moving the garden and all the dirt around here - I’m forced to wait.

I ended up sending the plant to work with Dwayne - along with extra onion sets that we don’t need.  Somebody at the hangar is bound to want one - or the other - or both!

In the meantime - I’ve got more planting to get finished.  But - here's a beautiful story about the Legend of The Dogwood!