FF: 7/20/12

 What would have me up before the sun??? 

 THIS!!  New plants, and new soil!!  (I went shopping:)

  Also trying to 'play' in the dirt before THIS 

Grandboy Kale, 19 mos old

 woke up. 
Didn't happen. 
SO after grandboy, Kale, had some breakfast, we went back out to the front porch to do some 'dirty' work.  Ok, not really work, but we did get good and dirty. 

Kale models the Scheurich Sprayman aka Grandma's new toy

 Mr. Kale stayed on the porch while I re potted. 
First playing with this super cool watering can-sprayer thingy.
Kale demonstrating how NOT to use the watering can:). 
Shortly after I had to put it up, because SOMEONE was chewing on it. 
Little beaver boy.   

 Mr. Man enjoyed watching the machinery from the work site next door.  Wish this little guest house had a glass door so I could leave the wood one open and he could watch the activity all day. He is able to catch some action from a side window.  Poor tortured soul. 
 
 Then we upgraded to a dog water bowl full of water and a cup.  This lasted the longest. 

Horse herb, ???, strawberry, squash, Pigeon berry and Horehound along back

 I decided to add my new treasures to this grow pot (which is so cool).  It is a self watering pot. I brought three with me, but since the homeowner already has a garden, and all my food plants were murdered died, I don't think I will be using two of them. 

 The pooches watched from inside, until SOMEONE started pouring water on the screen door, and I had to close it.  Poor pooches.

 When we went on our road trip to Wisconsin, I saw one of these at Target, and bought it for a souvenir.  I decided it would make a nice 'salad bowl'.  (I have a smaller one with succulents back at home)  I'm going to try salad greens in the summer.  They are not recommended here in our hot weather.  We'll see-won't hurt, that's for sure:). 

Today's players:
 At the Lowe's clearance rack I found:
healthy rosemary (which I needed)

And three different verbena (which I wanted;)
We have a solid red and purple at home. 
These are hardy in our neck of the woods. 

Shampoo Ginger

 I hope these live.  They were in one of the pots hubby DID NOT water while I was away.  Shampoo Ginger. 
Mail order. 
Cha-ching.
Boo hoo.
Boo hoo. 

 Took him a while but, he finally sat in the bowl.  Fun, fun, fun!

Added: purple and lt green sweet potato, verbena, coleus, Mexican flame vine.

 Ta-Da!!  Over planted, and I don't care.  I'll be taking it home this fall and putting it in the yard, so right now it is 'intense' planting.  :)

Orchids up front

 Now to my sad sad orchids. 

 My mini Sharry baby, who bloomed so well for me this spring.  No medium left.  how long can the poor dried up thing function on nothing?  So shriveled.  :(  I'm trying a new orchid 'soil'  we will see how it does. 

 My other Sharry baby.  I took a deep breath, and just ripped all the shriveled parts off.  All that was left was these three tiny babies.  :(  At our old house (before we moved to mom's) this was in my bathroom, and was thriving.  Then it got neglected and it is barely surviving. 

 Currently I'm using the bottom of a plastic cup, later I'll switch to one of those small clay pots.  *sigh*

 I put them back in the planter they sit in, used the cut off part of the red cup as a 'brace' for the orchid.  Nothing else holding it up.  *sigh*  Like I said, I hope they like the new orchid soil. 

 That stack a pot thing in back (REAL hard not to put my new flowers in it, but its only for edibles:), window box planter, and dumb cane.  Had to move that dumb cane before the sun REALLY hit it. 

 Went thru my seeds.  Can't decide what greens to plant in the salad bowl.  Other than mescalin, spinach, kale (the plant not the grandchild) beets, rocket, any suggestions?   I've got lots of spots.

New watering can, and tomato starts that go in the garden

 One more look at my new watering can.  First, its purple.  I love purple.  Second, its thick plastic.  Third, it has a SPRAYER on it!!!  Fourth, its see through!!!  Fifth, its got a nice handle for hanging. 
And sixth, its cool looking:) 
Gonna enjoy this one. 
{Silly son asked why someone would want a sprayer on their watering can!!  I have failed as a mother.;}

 Back inside everyone was frolicking on the bed.  Oh, the silliness!!

 The dumb cane (b-day present from hubs) was upgraded to this cool planter.  (Just plopped in)   But, I'm going to have to remove all that plastic wrap and ribbon, it hinders my watering skills. 
(and we don't need that hindered:). 

 Pretty birds. 

Tired baby.  He is so wore out.  Water does that for some reason.  Kale likes to suck his thumb and rub a 'silky' when he is tired.  Here he is using Reba's ear, she doesn't mind. 

Hope your Fertilizer Friday is fabulous. 

Thankful Thursday: Urrrreeeeebbbbbaaaaa

Most of the month of June, I stayed at home in East Texas (while hubs worked eight hours away). We had church clean-up for the month, so I go to stay and help my mom and daughter. Good thing I did, because when we came home from our long road trip in the first of June, I found our old basset, my hero, and hubs' bestie, in sad sad shape.

Mellow was 17 years old, and had been our baby for a LONG time. His 'mellow' approach to life inspires me. This blog is named after my Mellow's attitude. He raised many a child, mine, foster kids, kids I babysat, and lastly the grands.
He was (almost) always very very mellow.
Dear Mellow Yellow, Mellywelly, Smellywelly, Mell, Mellownatar, Melly and on and on. 

Very camera shy Mellow, and Reba 12/10

Melly had quit eating, and drinking, and could barely move.
No AAARRRRRRRROOOOOOOOing.
None at all.  
I decided it was time to honor our (his and my) agreement.
He would go with dignity. (he couldn't even get up to pee)
My very sweet daughter took him in to the vet and held his paw while he passed. 
She sang "Mellow Yellow" to him, and brought his sweet lovingly wrapped body back to me, so that I could bury him in mom's yard.
I'm glad I was there, I'm glad everything went so smoothly.
I'm glad my hubs didn't have to make this choice, or see how bad our boy was.
I'm SO glad my sweet daughter did what I don't think I could have.

Rest In Peace, 
Run Free Our Dear Mellow Jo Santana. 

Your memory will live on.

Forever.

Reba 1/2012

This left his widow alone.  Reba, at seven, has never been alone.  Her whole life, she has always been right by Melly's side.  During the last month of his life, she lay by him, washing his head, and cried.  And cried and cried.  When my daughter took Mell to the vet, she stopped crying, and hasn't since. 
We didn't want to leave her alone, so we decided to try her on the 'road tripping' we are doing, with LadyBelle and LilDog.
Of course, she is not a FULL house dog, and a BAD traveller, but what the hey!

Reba, LadyBelle, LilDog 7/12

We drove eight hours here, and she barfed very little.
As you can see she caught on to the 'guest house' life fast. 

Camper hounds, Reba, LadyBelle, LilDog 7/12

Then we drove five hours to the 'camper' and she did even better.
Ms. Reba has never been to the camper before, but, here too, she caught on quick.
(Middle picture are basset eyes in the dark)

Sunset 7/12

The sunset at the lake our camper is at was AWESOME!!
And there was much romping on the part of the pooches.
Gonna have to try taking the girls to the actual water and see what they do.

In the actual camper, I saw this mess, what the hey?
Further inspection showed it to be a
SNAKE SKIN!!!!!!
EEEEEEEKKKKKKKK!!!!!
Hopefully hubs is right, that it's a rat snake, and it woke up, shed, realized there is no more mice in the camper (thanks to hubs poisoning:) and it moved on.  Oh, I hope it moved on...*shudder*

West Texas Critters 7/12

Then we drove five hours back to West Texas.
I actually remembered my camera on our weekly drive around the ranch.
These are regular sights, axis (orange) deer, white tail deer, jack rabbits.
Not pictured (yet) are antelope, porcupine, rattle snakes, skunk, fox, and more.
Then we made the drive eight hours back home.  East Texas. 

Grandboy Kale 7/12

We picked up this fella, granddarling Kale, and brought him, hubs, myself, son DJ, AND the three dogs back. 
Reba didn't barf once.  Go Reba!!

Brown nosier...LilDog 7/12

LilDog is always entertaining, and one loves to find scraps and bury them. 
This time in the sand.  Silly dog. 
Thanks to LilDog being SO house trained, she has set the potty schedule for first Lady and now Reba.  Thank you my little dog.

Reba, LadyBelle 7/12

Reba is looking shinier, and hasn't been such a food hog.
 I think we have figured out the carsickness issue.

Reba, LadyBelle, LilDog 7/12

Reba & LadyBelle 7/12

Gangster Reba 7/12

 She is actually playing some.  She has done real well with the house breaking, and is very tolerant of Kale. How thankful I am she was there for our Mellow. And the joy she brings hubby. What a wonderful dog family we have. I am thankful for the 'doggy' people hubs is working for. And, of course, I'm very thankful I got to go home for the weekend, see three of my kiddos, two of my kid-in-laws, and four of my awesome grandkiddos:).


Reba says: enjoy the moment.


Dear Reba has always lived 'in the moment'.

Cuteness Runamuck: Kale the toothbrusher

Grandboy Kale 18 mos, 6/12

I put Mr. Kale's feet in the sink to wash before bedtime, and he decided his teeth needed a washing too. 
He tried each one.  What a cutie. 

Thankful Thursday: June joy: part one

So much to be thankful this month, actually this whole year...
The year began with the hubs working 8 hrs west of home, I had decided to stay at mom's until
1.  DJ and Brittany were married in March (beautiful, beautiful wedding:)

Great people I got to enjoy in May!

2.  Taylor and Lindsey had granddarling #7 in May (beautiful, beautiful baby:)

THEN I was able to join the hubs at the work site, in our cute guest house (that HE remodeled with all the luxuries.)

Sweet guest house and 'new' pump house (on hill) that houses washer and dryer.

 After they tore down the old farm house, sweet hubs put a washer and dryer in the new pump house, just for me. 

Red-neck clothes line

 BUT the dryer wouldn't hook up, so I used chairs and PVC pipe to hang up our laundry. 

 We planned on being gone five days, so this was plenty of time to dry everything.

  {side note: the hubs got to put all this stuff up when he got back, and SOON after, a new dryer was found:)}

LadyBelle, after being BANNED from the bed, over seeing my packing:)

 Then it was time to pack, drive 8 hours to pick up mom, then drive 18 hours to Wisconsin.

Bride and Groom to be!

 For SS Aaron and Liz's wedding!!!
Day one was driving.
Day two was lunch with the couple, wedding rehearsal, and pizza dinner. 

Granny (mom) and her oldest GREATgrandchild, Audrey.

 Day three, precious grandgirl, Audrey stopped by and wowed us with her awesomeness.

FOUR generations!!!  Me, mom, Tiffany and Audrey 6/12

 Got my four generation pictures (why don't I do this with my grandboys????)
Girl power!!

Of course her mom, SD Tiffany and dad, Colyn came too.
Love these people. 

Colyn, Tiff, Audrey

 Not sure why I always seem to take pictures with TOO much sun.

 Behind our motel room was this stream and swan. 
 
 You can tell he is a pet, and used to people...

Every time he saw people, he FLUFFED up and showed his MANness. 

Audrey 5 1/2 yrs old 6/12

 

 Audrey is our oldest grandkiddo, and she is so much like her mama.
B.E.A.U.T.I.F.U.L.
We just spent our time drooling over her...(like good grandparents do:)

Me and the hubs!!!

 Then, we dolled up for the wedding!!!

THE flower girl...

 Ms. Audrey was the flower girl, loved her green dress...

Audrey and Granny

Colyn, Audrey, Tiff

Colyn, Audrey, Tiffany

The hubs, Groom, Bride, and Smiling Step-mom:)

The hubs, Aaron, Liz, Me, Mom 6/12

 Look short don't I?  I'm not, I'm just surrounded by GIANTS.

With mom...

With hubs...

Mr. and Mrs.

Proud papa (hubs with Aaron, hubs, Tiffany)

Princess...

Tiff and Colyn

Mrs. Swan and mom

 Day four, time to leave.
We had to take pictures of the beauty behind our motel.

 MRS. Swan...Mr. Swan liked to shoo her away, she was not aggressive,  unlike MR. Swan...

 Hubs, and I (and LilDog who had to come along because my dogsitter went on vacation:)
Evergreens like these don't do well in East Texas, so we just oooooo'ed and aaaaahhhhh'ed at the trees.  Also, there is a paved walk along the stream, winding through the trees, to a gazebo and back. 

 It was spring time there, so everything was green and in bloom. 

 The motel we stayed in, our room was the bottom left room, I think we had the best view, AND a back entrance.
Well done, Super 8, well done. 

Audrey burrito!

 We popped by Tiff's motel room to say goodbye AND  love on the grandgirl.
Mom had made quilts for all the grands and hand delivering this one to Audrey was perfect.

The hubs "Poppy" aka tickle monster

Mr and Mrs the 'day after'

 Then we drove by and hugged the new couple, they had partied til 3 am, so they were SO tired.
We then headed out of town, for home...
BIG thanks to Tiffany and Aaron for making us feel so special!!!
Congratulations to the new couple!!!!!

I am so thankful we have been able to do all this.
I am thankful for the great people to do it with.
Too see ALL my children, AND all my grandbabies within a month of each other is  huge.
Thank you God for these connections.
Help me honor them.
Bless my peeps.
They are awesome.

Happy Thankful Thursday:)