Cuteness Runamuck: I Shall Call Him Smoochy...

Smoochy Grandboy, Jeremiah, is 5 months old!!

Quality Control

I finally got around to buying our old basset an actual doggy bed.

Hubby (who is old basset, Mellow's best bud), has been pestering me to get him one for years.

I wanted sturdy, washable, dark colored, and (of course) cheap.

(Mellow is very camera shy, so pictures of him doing anything but sleeping or retreating, are rare)

I found the perfect dog bed, and as a surprise for hubby, left it on the table for him to see.

I came back through to see this, cats on the table.
My cats aren't allowed on the table.
Guess they thought I had finally wised up and given in.
Good news, the dog bed meets the requirements of the Good Queen Uno.
And, around here, that is all that matters.
(she is such a 'paws-on' ruler)

~This message has been approved of by Queen Uno~

~Long Live The Queen~

Cats On Tuesday

Where there is a will...

We went to the beach (20 hour drive) for a week, and on the way back, "just happened" to drive right by some plant nurseries.

(happy happy joy joy)

At the first nursery I bought a couple of beauties, both in 5 gal pots, which hubby made room for in the back of the truck by laying them on their sides.

Then I made a mega haul at the next nursery.
"Where will you put all that?" hubby (always) asks.
"Oh I'll find a spot."
Some road in a empty corner, some in an empty cooler, some in a bucket-under the black tent bag.

This Gerber Daisy (a freebie from the first nursery) rode up front,
these treasures in the bucket,
Hubby put the tent bag on top to protect them...

The Hawaii Hibiscus started out in the back, but due to the FREEZE warning in Austin (it NEVER freezes in Austin, TX), this baby was moved up front, to ride in the cab of the truck.

Luckily (for me) we had taken extra coolers, just in case they caught lots of fish, and after emptying out all the dirty clothes we had stuffed in the cooler...
It was filled with more treasures...

These hardy babies rode well in the corner for the 20 hour road trip home...

Finally home, everyone was unloaded fawned over...



I don't know what is more fun,
buying new plants,
finding a place for them at home,
or actually getting in the dirt.

I added a new begonia (dark maroon in the middle) to my kitchen window pot.

I bought a lot of different colored pothos, which I call arrowhead ivy, and added them to my kitchen table spider plant.
I also added in a purple leaved shamrock. I'm interested to see how these do together.



I added the Gerber Daisy to my tropical pot.
Can't wait for spring to really be here, and take this pot back outside and watch it go wild!!
Inside, I have to keep cutting the poor thing back.



Most of the other 'stuff' was just put in this pot with my Hawaii Hibiscus (which I cut all the way back).
Later I will spot light what is what in this pot.
Curious who will do well, and who will need to be moved here too.



Not sure what this is (not hardy, not a spirea), later it will go in my tropical pot.


My 'purple' blue bonnets smell yummy...

Beautiful and sweetly scented...
my hardy orchids (white and purple) are wonderful.

Uno was out this morning, overseeing the photo taking,
ever helpful, that's my old girl.
Have a Lovely Blooming Tuesday!!!!

Guess Who?

Guess who, all excited to be on the 'other side' of the yard while I went and fed the rabbits, refused to come back to the doggy side with the rest of the dogs?
Guess who refused to go back and let her back on the doggy side of the yard, with the rest of the dogs?
(Even though everyone knows how much she HATES to be alone, even just separated by a fence, from the other dogs)
Guess who laughed at her from inside the house?
And guess who took pictures of this torture, and posted them on her blog for all to see???

Miss Reba Marie Waddlebottom, butt of my jokes, tortured soul, pretty basset hounddog girl:).

Hounddog Thursday

Tri-Color Hau Tree

TRI-COLOR HAU TREE
Hibiscus Tiliaceus

This is the unusual tri-colored variety of the Hawaiian Hau.
The heart-shaped leathery leaves colors are green, a creamy white, and rusty-red.
They tend to flower in spring and summer, blooming with lemon-yellow flowers that fade to apricot, then finally turn red all in one day.

Indigenous to Hawaii, the Hau tree is normally found in moist areas near the ocean.
Hau has a history as a very useful plant.
The bark fibers of the hau were used by Polynesians to make strong ropes, net bags, tapa, shark nooses and sandals.
The trunks were used to make canoes, weapons, tools, fishing gear, games, strainers, and for rituals, ceremonies and healing.
Flowers of the tree were used for medicine.
They were eaten to cure dry throat.
Sap taken from the tree was used as a laxative, and was also used to reduce pain on a woman in labor.

Hau is very adaptable to pot culture.
It can easily be grown in a large pot and pruned to an attractive shape.
Give it sandy well-drained soil that is kept moist over the summer months and let go drier over the winter.
It enjoys full sun, and is hardy down to about 40 degrees.
It should not be allowed to freeze.
All these pictures AND info comes from alohatrading,
a seller on EBay.
(I have not used this seller, and other than enjoying the info and great pictures, can not recommend them)
I just bought one of these at a plant nursery ($10 for a FIVE gallon pot (insert BIG smile)).
Mine looks tattered, and I will be cutting it back, then posting pictures of it later.
I'm VERY excited.

I'm VERY pleased to rejoin MsGreen"thumb" Jean for Blooming Tuesday.
She had taken a break, and I must admit I was going through withdraw.
Bloom withdraw is NOT a pretty thing to go through. (just as my hubby:)

Have a great Tuesday!!
And thank you Jean for hosting us:)

Princess Frog-gee-girl...

My pretty tortie.
This girl is hard to get a good picture of, she always closes her eyes.

Cats On Tuesday

Son-Day: "In The Garden"

In The Garden

I come to the garden alone
While the dew is still on the roses
And the voice I hear falling on my ear
The Son of God discloses.

And He walks with me, and He talks with me,
And He tells me I am His own;
And the joy we share as we tarry there,
None other has ever known.

He speaks, and the sound of His voice,
Is so sweet the birds hush their singing,
And the melody that He gave to me
Within my heart is ringing.


And He walks with me, and He talks with me,
And He tells me I am His own;
And the joy we share as we tarry there,
None other has ever known.

I’d stay in the garden with Him
Though the night around me be falling,
But He bids me go; through the voice of woe
His voice to me is calling.


And He walks with me, and He talks with me,
And He tells me I am His own;
And the joy we share as we tarry there,
None other has ever known.

~God Bless You In Your Journey~

Strawberry Tower

Last Saturday was SO nice outside, potting up this strawberry tower is just what I needed. (Tomorrow is supposed to be just as nice out too! I'm very excited:)

My ever bearing strawberries have been in this white pot for years. It is low on dirt, root bound, low on nutrition. They are VERY healthy and do produce, but not much.

So, because I love hubby so much (who loves strawberries), I bought this Topsy Turvy Strawberry Planter. It has room for 15 plants.
Potting it up was super easy, I will be adding 4 June bearing strawberry plants (June bearing produce all at once, ever bearing produce sporadically, but never as much as the June bearing do).

It is too heavy to hang, so I'm going to try it as just a tower.

Looks like a red fire hydrant to me.
(hopefully no poochies think the same way;)

Uno approves.


~This message has been approved by the Queen~

All Hail Queen Uno

*Long live the Queen*


Fertilizer Friday

My New Pal

In January, this beauty came to live with us...
I finally got around to taking her outside and getting a good picture of her. She has a soft, medium wavy coat, black and white spots, a fluffy tail that lays over her back, and is not much bigger than my chihuahua.
She likes to stand (dance) on her hind legs,
and she has done very well letting me know when she wants to go out. She is VERY gentle with the girls I babysit, they love having a lap baby:)
She is submissive (but not too much) so she fits right in with the other dogs.
(She would like to kiss the cats, but they are not having it!)
Her name was Misty, but we have a daughter named Misty, so hubby named her Squiggles, because she squeals and wiggles.

Squig (really she deserve a prettier name) came from a good home. She was rescued at the pound by her old mom, and was her baby. When life forced changes on the home, and her mom had to go to working long hours, Squig needed a new home. I really feel like this is a perfect match. I'm in love.

Meet Squiggles, the Ballerina...

Camera Critters

Hound Dog Thursday

Sing OUT LOUD...

(Grandboy Jeremiah)

Sing...

Sing a song...

Sing out loud...

Sing out strong!!!!

Sing

Joe Raposo

Sing sing a song
Sing out loud sing out strong
Sing of good things not bad
Sing of happy not sad

Sing sing a song
Make it simple to last
Your whole life long
Don't worry that it's not good enough
For anyone else to hear
Just sing sing a song

(Sing sing a song)
(Let the world sing along)
(Sing of love there could be)
(Sing for you and for me)

Sing sing a song
Make it simple to last
Your whole life long
Don't worry that it's not good enough
For anyone else to hear
Just sing sing a song
Just sing sing a song

Meer*cat*

~Duchess Midnight overseeing the pooch patrol guards~

*Duchess Barbie (after her rescuer) "Midnight" (hubby's idea of a joke) is a rescue. A friend found her trapped in a tree by her dogs. The poor kitty was wet, cold, dirty, and very hungry. She took her in, cleaned her up, feed and loved her, then, not being able to keep her, she called me, and we had room for her. She is solid white, pretty girl, and hubby is very fond of her.

Camera Critters

Cats On Tuesday