tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-72476678965830083642011-12-04T18:00:28.292-05:00There are Fairies at the bottom of this garden.JMMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05621391019768137975noreply@blogger.comBlogger1281100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7247667896583008364.post-13295278068975653802011-11-20T15:24:00.004-05:002011-11-20T16:34:20.955-05:00

With 2011 approaching its end, and in the spirit of the season, I am thankful for our blessings.These blessings include: our wonderful family. . . they love us, warts and all. Our very special friends who live much closer than our children and keep an eye on us when the children can't. Their love and kindness is one of our greatest gifts from the Creator. My online friends and readers of this oh

JMMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05621391019768137975noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7247667896583008364.post-50713463437239494182011-11-01T22:23:00.001-04:002011-11-01T22:23:32.984-04:00

  One of the reason’s I’ve let this blog sit unattended this year has been due to multiple sick animals keeping my hands full. We lost Tennyson 3 weeks ago to kidney failure and today had to put Amber in the animal hospital with a possible heart issue. So, we are swallowing our pride and asking for help. Be Blessed. JMM  

JMMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05621391019768137975noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7247667896583008364.post-8560200785604799932011-06-30T07:25:00.001-04:002011-06-30T07:25:53.638-04:00

Finally!! I finally have a stretch of time before me in which to do what I want and need to do around the cottage! Oh happy day! There is so much to do in a landscape that has been totally neglected this spring and summer. The to-do list rolls out like a child's list for Santa Claus. Weeding (consisting mainly of pulling out pesky wild honeysuckle vine and poison ivy from each and every flower

JMMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05621391019768137975noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7247667896583008364.post-83658479883825596972011-06-25T07:12:00.001-04:002011-06-25T07:12:27.078-04:00

I have no pictures to post of the sad state of affairs in my garden. I’m too ashamed and any picture right now would look like a solid mass of green foliage anyway. Almost daily rain from thunderstorms has led to this abundant growth. A case of flu for my husband and myself has caused me to get weeks behind in pruning, mowing and cultivating.  Never fear though. I can straighten it out with a

JMMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05621391019768137975noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7247667896583008364.post-20544973655030954872011-05-28T01:12:00.001-04:002011-05-28T01:12:33.676-04:00

This is the front bed, recently redesigned. The clematis has been in this location for three years now. The variegated hydrangeas' since last fall. I put in the hosta  earlier this spring. This big pot of catnip was one of the first garden plants to “green up”this spring. . . much to the delight of Thomas T. This clematis bloomed for the first time this year. It is still very small, but I

JMMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05621391019768137975noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7247667896583008364.post-73798742208724749322011-05-24T10:22:00.001-04:002011-05-24T10:22:58.790-04:00

I was dismayed when I checked the blog and realized I hadn’t posted since March. Oh, shame on me!!! What’s happening at the Hollow and in my life? Well, my excuse for not writing is my work. We have been very busy with overtime and tight deadlines. Therefore, this old girl comes home at night dead tired and brain-dead. Thus, no midnight blogging. Mornings have been busy…. mostly getting chores

JMMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05621391019768137975noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7247667896583008364.post-66381419376942199842011-03-14T08:09:00.001-04:002011-03-14T08:09:15.429-04:00

Since first learning of the disaster in Japan Friday morning, I have been praying for the people as they endure unimaginable hardship. I have been profoundly worried about co-workers of mine who are in Japan, and their families. Over the 12 years that I have worked for my employer (a Japanese company) I have been blessed to know many Japanese engineers and management personnel who have since

JMMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05621391019768137975noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7247667896583008364.post-82062341612036273292011-02-24T10:07:00.001-05:002011-02-24T10:07:17.585-05:00

A walk around the gardens reveals numerous signs of spring. Crocus are up and blooming. Daffodils are up with their buds at the ready. The hazel nut bushes around the perimeter are blooming. Buds are swelling on countless other shrubs as they count down the days before bursting forth. I’m planning the gardens for 2011.  Which vegetables will I grow this year? What type of tomatoes, squash, and

JMMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05621391019768137975noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7247667896583008364.post-21787563871630169222011-02-20T09:46:00.000-05:002011-02-20T09:47:11.269-05:00

Yesterday I had the opportunity to sit down face to face and have lunch with my cousin, John. We had not seen or talked to each other since we were both children. We are  life-times away from being children now. He was my mother’s favorite nephew. I was her only child. He grieved for his aunt when she died young. I wondered where Mama had gone and why she left me. Its hard to understand death

JMMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05621391019768137975noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7247667896583008364.post-85958117101182398362011-01-02T08:10:00.001-05:002011-01-02T08:10:54.733-05:00

Rain yesterday carried away the remaining Christmas snow. Yay! I love to watch snow fall, but am getting to the age where clearing it away and driving in it just isn’t fun anymore. So good riddance to the snow and I hope you wait a full year before returning. Go somewhere else. Its going to be a busy day at the cottage. My granddaughter is bringing her brood to visit today. I haven’t seen

JMMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05621391019768137975noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7247667896583008364.post-6175426947923399742010-12-30T13:47:00.001-05:002010-12-30T13:47:32.869-05:00

This week has always been a sort of week-in-limbo for me. First there’s the excitement of Christmas. After a day of recovery, my birthday creeps around yet again. Then comes that period of anticipation of the new year ahead. It’s like we all pause and hold our breath, waiting for the new year to arrive, wishing for a better year to come with the changing of the calendar date on January first.

JMMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05621391019768137975noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7247667896583008364.post-4770658088644075692010-12-14T09:16:00.001-05:002010-12-14T09:16:46.277-05:00

Last Sunday, we awoke to three inches of “30% chance of snow.” No biggie, it was Sunday and we didn’t have to go anywhere. I had stocked up on necessary items the day before. I had a “feeling” that the forecast was wrong. About midday I decided to get laundry done and with a heaping basket of dirty cloths, headed off to the laundry room in the basement. The basement floor was covered in water!

JMMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05621391019768137975noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7247667896583008364.post-75901538025288299142010-12-07T10:44:00.001-05:002010-12-07T10:44:00.614-05:00

It is COLD!!! It isn’t even officially winter and the temperatures are plunging into the teens at night with single digit wind chills. Brrr! We are staying warm enough. I got the insulated drapes up in the nick of time. The bulbs are inside and the shrubs are planted. The potted shrubs are in a safe place to overwinter. I almost waited too long though and am thankful I listened to my inner

JMMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05621391019768137975noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7247667896583008364.post-62822712711817344752010-11-30T08:15:00.001-05:002010-11-30T08:15:55.446-05:00

I’m proud of myself. I actually got the cannas dug and hydrangeas planted late Sunday afternoon. Now Mother Nature is watering the hydrangeas in with a deep soaking. We’ve had 2 inches of rain since yesterday afternoon and its supposed to continue raining all day today. My timing was perfect. Of course, I’ll be even happier after I recover from the stiff, sore muscles I have as a result of

JMMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05621391019768137975noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7247667896583008364.post-87252970373553926302010-11-28T10:37:00.001-05:002010-11-28T10:37:04.052-05:00

Every day as I drive to work, I hope to see that beautiful deer again. I want to see him and I want to avoid hitting him if he doesn’t give me as much time to stop. My husband and I are both spending a lot of time in the morning and evening looking across the creek into the field beyond, wanting to get a glimpse of “my” buck or the doe our neighbor saw. We keep thinking we will see them down

JMMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05621391019768137975noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7247667896583008364.post-16403052105874825882010-11-18T10:18:00.001-05:002010-11-18T10:18:30.940-05:00

I was rounding a curve in the road, taking my time and thinking my own thoughts when he leaped down the bank ahead of me. Stopping at the edge of the road for a moment, he then pranced across. Big and beautiful, sleek and well fed. I slowed to a crawl as I watched in awe. Prancing across the road, he looked at my approaching car and it seemed he gave me a nod. Then with one smooth flowing leap

JMMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05621391019768137975noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7247667896583008364.post-63974937012533369202010-11-17T11:04:00.001-05:002010-11-17T11:04:23.909-05:00

The leaves have almost all fallen. It seems to me that there were more leaves this year. The shade was deeper this summer and the layer of leaves deeper this fall. The green grass lies covered in a blanket of brown. Moving quietly across the yard takes all the training my daddy gave me as a child. I remember our walks in the woods vividly. He taught me the names of trees and plants. He taught

JMMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05621391019768137975noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7247667896583008364.post-65721162037057715482010-10-23T20:48:00.001-04:002010-10-23T20:48:02.314-04:00

October is generally a happy time at Shady Hollow. Most years we spend time getting ready for the winter months; planting trees and shrubs, bringing in plants, digging bulbs to store for next spring. My husband’s birthday is in late October and early in the month my thoughts were on planning a birthday party for him. The plans haven’t been made and nothing mentioned above has been done. The

JMMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05621391019768137975noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7247667896583008364.post-51052116300515105072010-09-20T09:53:00.001-04:002010-09-20T09:53:30.888-04:00

The first tinges of red, yellow, and gold are touching the trees, bushes and undergrowth at Shady Hollow. The tulip poplars have been dropping leaves for awhile now. I’ve already removed them from the deck once and its ready for another cleaning. Acorns and hickory nuts are falling. The sound of a big hickory nut landing on the metal roof of the garden shed is common at this time of year.

JMMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05621391019768137975noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7247667896583008364.post-65608636862949659682010-09-04T09:22:00.001-04:002010-09-04T09:22:23.485-04:00

A few weeks ago we noticed a tiger swallowtail butterfly that had just emerged from its cocoon and was drying its wings. The years I’ve spent planting flowers and shrubs that are attractive to butterflies have paid off. Many various butterflies have stopped by to sample the nectar this summer. This one, however, in his or her stage of hatching and drying, was still long enough to have its

JMMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05621391019768137975noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7247667896583008364.post-89385113876860346522010-09-03T09:21:00.001-04:002010-09-03T09:21:49.335-04:00

I haven’t posted to this blog in ages it seems. I wanted too. Really I did. Time just kept on slipping by and “I’ll do it tomorrow” turned from days into weeks. Now, suddenly, it’s Labor Day Weekend. I have a few days off work and a list that’s as long as I am tall that I want to get accomplished. Can I do it? Not totally, I’m sure. I think I can make a dint in it though. First this morning I

JMMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05621391019768137975noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7247667896583008364.post-2539875701721941282010-08-15T10:16:00.001-04:002010-08-15T10:16:07.191-04:00

I absolutely LOVE home-grown tomatoes. After 19 years of gardening at Shady Hollow and losing my tomato crop to blight every year, I finally got a little smarter and decided to use a fungicide this year. I began spraying as soon as the plants were in the ground. So far it seems to be working. The plants have grown well beyond their cages and are producing beautiful tomatoes. These are the

JMMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05621391019768137975noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7247667896583008364.post-9223906824958993412010-08-15T09:37:00.001-04:002010-08-15T09:37:40.033-04:00

This spring I decided that instead of potting up cannas for the deck I would plant vines. I planted moonflowers, a hybrid morning glory, black-eyed Susan vine, and cardinal creeper. I gathered sticks for them to climb on and waited. Soon they were up and growing: They grew and grew, but no flowers. Now, at long last, they are blooming. I don’t have a picture of the cardinal

JMMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05621391019768137975noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7247667896583008364.post-43728061645992482582010-08-09T10:34:00.001-04:002010-08-09T10:34:52.731-04:00

My cannas were attacked by an insect that made it’s home on their leaves by winding a fine strand of silk around them before they opened. The caterpillar then lived inside the tube it had created, eating the leaves and finally making a cocoon. I have no idea what this insect is. I was mainly concerned with breaking the silken threads and letting the leaves unfurl. As I neared completion, one

JMMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05621391019768137975noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7247667896583008364.post-78774613426976330542010-07-26T10:06:00.001-04:002010-07-26T10:06:29.851-04:00

July is winding down. As August approaches I can’t help but wonder if it will surpass July in the number of super hot days. We have had some real hot ones here lately, as has most of the country. The heat has taken its toll on me and on the gardens. My single remaining hibiscus has started blooming. I told hubby yesterday that I will be ordering more seeds and starting more this winter. I

JMMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05621391019768137975noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7247667896583008364.post-22836741874290661592010-07-18T23:51:00.001-04:002010-07-18T23:51:47.280-04:00

I knew that sooner or later one of those hit-or-miss thunder storms would have to pass over Shady Hollow. The law of averages had to kick in. I was beginning to wonder though. Yesterday we had a string of storms pass over and another storm today. The grand total in our rain gauge was about 2.2 inches. A quick check of the veggie patch this evening showed me that there will be bean picking to

JMMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05621391019768137975noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7247667896583008364.post-32250105999796818502010-07-07T08:52:00.001-04:002010-07-07T08:52:02.540-04:00

Every time it gets hot and dry like it is now, I have to wonder to myself, why did I plant so much stuff? I hate to go outside, all the plants from the oaks to the container plants are crying for water. Of course I can’t water everything. My budget isn’t set up for a water bill that large. So the veggie patch gets a drink, the container plants and a few other plantings as well. That still

JMMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05621391019768137975noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7247667896583008364.post-22325485279847260612010-07-05T10:35:00.001-04:002010-07-05T10:35:09.558-04:00

I am on my last day of vacation. It has been wonderful to be at home with my husband, our little dog and the kitties. Yesterday I had to water the gardens. From the looks of the weather forecast, I’ll be doing more of that in the next week or two. The debate now is how much recycled water to carry in buckets and how much fresh water to use (running the meter at full blast while I do) I

JMMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05621391019768137975noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7247667896583008364.post-90189402734574975332010-07-02T08:03:00.001-04:002010-07-02T08:03:58.304-04:00

One of my grown-from-seed Rose of Sharon bushes bloomed this week. It had one blossom, but at least now I know what color it is. A grown-from-seed cannas is also in bloom. I love collecting seed and propagating plants. It is a way to be frugal and still have a beautiful garden. Although I sometimes embarrass my husband when in seed collecting mode. The Rose Of Sharon seeds were collected

JMMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05621391019768137975noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7247667896583008364.post-23088216366514109512010-06-29T07:53:00.001-04:002010-06-29T07:53:01.235-04:00

It’s dry here. The grass is turning brown and will soon be crunchy to walk on. The gardens are wilting. By midday everything looks pathetic. I watered the veggie patch Sunday evening. I’m watering the container plants daily.  Everything else is on its own, at least for now. During the last drought I used bath water, rinse water from my washing machine, and a rain barrel to collect water and

JMMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05621391019768137975noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7247667896583008364.post-82880845916521535922010-06-26T08:30:00.001-04:002010-06-26T08:30:56.349-04:00

The high temperatures have been getting to me this week. I’m usually the one who absolutely loves it when the days get hot, but this year the heat is almost too much. Maybe I’m getting old or something. The gardens are blooming, but right now they need rain. The little veggie patch is doing good. My makeshift fence is keeping the rabbits out just fine. It may not be pretty but it works. That’s

JMMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05621391019768137975noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7247667896583008364.post-7380664666500964672010-06-26T01:50:00.001-04:002010-06-26T01:50:59.988-04:00

Thanks to our friends Bill and Linda, Jim finally got to go fishing two weeks ago. It had been nearly three years since he had ‘wet a hook”. Bill managed to arrange the trip to a private farm pond with easy access. I was pleased that we could drive right down to the pond and park in the shade. It made it so easy to get Jim out and fishing in no time flat. Best of all, the fish were hungry.

JMMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05621391019768137975noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7247667896583008364.post-21923855499284468562010-06-23T01:27:00.001-04:002010-06-23T01:27:05.348-04:00

I think there is a neon sign over the cottage. It’s invisible to me and my husband, but it’s there none the less. This sign stands about ten feet tall, blinks on and off and says: Drop Off Your Unwanted Cats and Kittens Here Our two new arrivals were found Monday morning on my walk with Jay Jay. I heard a small meow, looked and saw a tiny kitten walking down the center of the road toward me

JMMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05621391019768137975noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7247667896583008364.post-23101055155270645172010-06-10T01:27:00.001-04:002010-06-10T01:27:52.661-04:00

I am happy to report that the beans I replanted after the rabbit invasion are up and growing fast. The row was replanted with a combination of yellow and purple beans which should be interesting. (Sometimes the “artist” in me just has to express itself.) I have three baby cannas which have come up from seed I planted last year and one so far from this years seeds. I have a multitude of

JMMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05621391019768137975noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7247667896583008364.post-25904700829761193732010-06-06T23:25:00.001-04:002010-06-06T23:25:46.214-04:00

While Saturday was spent doing major house cleaning, today was a day of leisure spent with our best friends. Life just doesn’t get any better. As parents and grandparents, we have plenty to talk about. We fill each other in on the escapades of the adult children and grandchildren. Then there are the cute things done by the younger grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Of course we fill each

JMMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05621391019768137975noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7247667896583008364.post-22648614477109164372010-06-02T02:07:00.001-04:002010-06-02T02:07:21.814-04:00

I had worked all day in the gardens. The pruning, dragging brush, carrying buckets of finished compost, hoeing, and planting had left me extremely tired. All I wanted to do was enjoy the evening out on the deck with my husband. Proudly I began pointing out my accomplishments. “I replanted the gaps in the bean row”, I said. “Look, a rabbit!” Said rabbit hopped across into my neighbor’s yard, hop

JMMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05621391019768137975noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7247667896583008364.post-27461535225480836302010-06-01T01:46:00.001-04:002010-06-01T01:46:21.226-04:00

I had lots of yard work to do over the weekend. While there is more awaiting my not-so-gentle touch; I did get a lot accomplished. Yes, there was plant brutality involved. Just ask those pesky poison ivy, Virginia creeper, and Asian Wintergreen that were attempting to climb one of our ancient oaks. Their remains are now turning to dead vegetation at the far end of the meadow. Accompanying them

JMMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05621391019768137975noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7247667896583008364.post-18118808460859792892010-05-28T01:46:00.001-04:002010-05-28T01:46:19.399-04:00

Upon walking around Shady Hollow yesterday, I made a decision to do some massive pruning on my Burning Bushes. I already butchered (yes, I meant butchered) two that shaded too much of my vegetable garden. I could almost hear their screams of horror as my clippers and I set to work. Almost. The begging of beans, squash, tomatoes, and cucumbers  for sunlight drowned out the burning bush’s

JMMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05621391019768137975noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7247667896583008364.post-2007532406751790762010-05-22T10:47:00.001-04:002010-05-22T10:47:31.219-04:00

It’s wet at Shady Hollow this morning, so instead of gardening, I’m working on my blogs. The gardening will have to wait until it dries off a bit outside. More plants are blooming or have just finished.   The clematis and roses are very happy growing together. This bush, a pass-along cutting from a work friend, bloomed happily earlier this month. The blossoms are a light pink color.

JMMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05621391019768137975noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7247667896583008364.post-46555112412110274802010-05-21T10:22:00.003-04:002010-05-21T10:42:14.851-04:00

I've been working overtime at my job. I'm much too old to be putting in this many hours, working late into the night. But with today's economy (and all my vet bills) and the influx of work we've had: well its necessary.I would rather work late during the week than work on the weekend. However, I'm waiting for my boss to ask me to do that too. He actually told me the other day that I could, "work

JMMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05621391019768137975noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7247667896583008364.post-28914263537394819542010-05-16T06:18:00.003-04:002010-05-16T06:57:57.871-04:00

The grass was so tall I could have had it baled as hay. Heck, it had started blooming and setting seed. The weeds in the "meadow" were also tall and mingled with young pivot hedge bushes, Asian Wintergreen vines and the ever present wild honeysuckle vines. Shady Hollow was a mess. It was stormy yesterday afternoon, but I set to work between thunder storm threats mowing and trimming. The mowing

JMMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05621391019768137975noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7247667896583008364.post-35466557869198049852010-05-09T07:44:00.003-04:002010-05-09T09:05:50.242-04:00

Last weekend I finally got the garden tilled and planted. Oh, sure, there are more things I want to plant (and will), but I got the "big-job" part done. I have gotten to a point where I don't like big jobs. I prefer several smaller jobs. I can easily mark them off the list and feel like I accomplished something. Big jobs seem to go on forever.Just as I was finishing up my tilling, the tiller (a

JMMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05621391019768137975noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7247667896583008364.post-38459480017508127732010-04-27T00:37:00.005-04:002010-04-27T00:54:18.608-04:00

I've mentioned that my garden chores have fallen behind, along with just about everything else around Shady Hollow. I think I need to clone myself. (Scary thought, huh?)But I did get some wonderful help with the flowering magnolia the other day. My sweet husband decided to help prune out some dead branches. He did a good job too. My love and thanks to him for his help. Once upon a time he did all

JMMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05621391019768137975noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7247667896583008364.post-4196757933068769332010-04-24T23:58:00.004-04:002010-04-25T00:29:15.602-04:00

The only plants I've started under lights this year (so far) have been tomatoes. They have done well and I'm hardening them off now. There were 15 at last count, so if the dreaded blight doesn't get them first, we should be good to go on 'maters. Wandering around the gardens this morning I discovered we will really be 'good to go' on 'maters' because I found scores of little volunteers. Some are

JMMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05621391019768137975noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7247667896583008364.post-37865571660033951182010-04-15T08:45:00.000-04:002010-04-15T08:45:41.188-04:00

Spring burst upon us here in Western North Carolina with a vengeance over the past two weeks. In an amazing twist, the super cold and snowy winter seems to have invigorated all the plants. These daffodils have faded now, but I wanted to share them with you... The forsythia was beautiful and made a golden arch for my pathway steps. The tulips... I've never seen so many blooms on the flowering

JMMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05621391019768137975noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7247667896583008364.post-49168307411674852782010-04-09T08:51:00.000-04:002010-04-09T08:51:15.384-04:00

Spring is definately underway at Shady Hollow. The flowering magnolia put on quite a show last week. I don't remember it having this many blooms, ever.

JMMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05621391019768137975noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7247667896583008364.post-56514579356331819132010-04-08T08:46:00.001-04:002010-04-08T08:46:46.288-04:00

If you write, you know about the dreaded condition known fondly as "writer's block". Also known as "a dry period" it comes on like a thief in the night, stealing words, ideas and ambition and carting them away.Sadly, there is no pill, no treatment, no magic formula or other quick fix to the problem. The writer has to work through it or wait it out. I have a mild case of writer's block. I also

JMMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05621391019768137975noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7247667896583008364.post-72670274088192522202010-03-28T00:10:00.000-04:002010-03-28T00:10:54.964-04:00

Here are some flower photos taken so far this spring.

JMMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05621391019768137975noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7247667896583008364.post-3295635965121273502010-03-26T00:54:00.001-04:002010-03-26T00:54:40.146-04:00

Over the past month I have either been busy or under the weather. I finally came to the realization that my 'under the weather' was a flare-up of my RA, and that I would have to treat it as such. I've been taking it easy and am on some meds to (I hope) make some of the symptoms go away. I think between work, sick cats, politics, and the general state of everything I stressed myself into this

JMMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05621391019768137975noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7247667896583008364.post-27246638528279686422010-03-20T07:49:00.001-04:002010-03-20T07:49:13.751-04:00

I spent some time yesterday checking out the gardens to see what might be taking place as spring approaches. The crocus are blooming their little hearts out. (I have pictures to upload later.) One daffodil was in bloom, with others sure to be open today. There should be some flowering quince blossoms open today and the flowering magnolia buds are showing some color. It was the worst winter we've

JMMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05621391019768137975noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7247667896583008364.post-90712935126841470332010-03-08T00:43:00.001-05:002010-03-08T00:43:53.194-05:00

Finally! It is supposed to get warmer. I just checked the Weather Channel and the forecast for this week is wet…but wet due to rain. Highs are predicted to be in the 50's and the lows in the 40's. Maybe, just maybe the wet stuff will be rain this time. Maybe the snow-every-week cycle will be broken.I discovered three crocuses in bloom yesterday. The flowering quince has buds showing red, within

JMMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05621391019768137975noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7247667896583008364.post-61926681997433760162010-03-03T09:03:00.001-05:002010-03-03T09:03:41.604-05:00

It snowed yesterday, and once again the weather service estimates were wrong. Our local paper reports we received 9 inches of the white stuff. The prediction was for 3 inches. So far this winter, we have watched almost 3 feet of snow fall. Lucky for me, I was able to get my driveway plowed and our street was plowed this morning. There are some benefits to living on a school bus route, even

JMMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05621391019768137975noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7247667896583008364.post-36220656322524768862010-03-01T08:26:00.001-05:002010-03-01T08:26:41.311-05:00

I just checked the Weather Channel website for Western North Carolina. Here we go again. My heart goes out to the folks up north who have received feet of snow in the past few weeks. However, several inches of heavy snow can create the same havoc here. We just don't do snow very well. At least I don't. Let's see, I went to the grocery store Saturday, so have plenty of milk and bread. Maybe I can

JMMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05621391019768137975noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7247667896583008364.post-86701953234031603412010-02-16T01:44:00.000-05:002010-02-16T01:44:23.860-05:00

Today marks the first anniversary of this blog! I entered the blogging world with no idea what I would write or how it might turn out. I decided to write about my home, garden, pets and life in general. It has been a blast. Some posts are better than others, some I almost go back and delete. Some make no sense to anyone but me, but that's OK. Sometimes the urge to blog is almost a compulsion. I

JMMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05621391019768137975noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7247667896583008364.post-88867750202991125042010-02-15T07:21:00.000-05:002010-02-15T07:21:09.626-05:00

I don't mean to complain to the Mother, but enough with the snow already! I'm longing for spring right now, warm breezes and new growth. I want to see a hint of green in the landscape instead of gray, brown, and white. I miss my flowers. I miss trudging up and down the hillside tending the plants. I miss shoveling dirt and compost. Shoveling snow does not have the same meaning to me. Shoveling

JMMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05621391019768137975noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7247667896583008364.post-69610830568637095542010-02-13T07:15:00.000-05:002010-02-13T07:15:57.164-05:00

It was absolutely beautiful as it fell from the sky. The tiny flakes glistened as they fell past the window to settle onto the remnants of the previous snow. This morning a glance out the window shows a winter wonderland scene. Tree branches with a beautiful coat of white stand out in the ghostly glow the night time takes on when the landscape is covered by fresh snow. I stand and look out at the

JMMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05621391019768137975noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7247667896583008364.post-70577591926682016062010-02-09T01:56:00.000-05:002010-02-09T01:56:48.957-05:00

Why do my cats have a path from the bed to the dresser that includes a leap to my computer desk, followed by a stroll across the keyboard, and completed by a jump to the dresser? Why do they insist in using this path while I'm trying to type? Why do a select few of them think the mouse is a nice item to sit on in the middle of the night, causing the computer to come to life and awaken me from

JMMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05621391019768137975noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7247667896583008364.post-7405869394977573272010-02-08T07:10:00.000-05:002010-02-08T07:10:26.356-05:00

It's Monday, again. I had an unplanned four-day weekend due to the weather and managed to be about as lazy as one-woman can during that time. Other than normal household chores I mainly buried myself in a history book I'm reading and let the world flow by on its own. Maybe I needed the downtime. I don't even feel guilty at not doing all those things I might have done. We had the ice storm that I

JMMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05621391019768137975noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7247667896583008364.post-76045470417330133812010-02-06T14:58:00.000-05:002010-02-06T14:58:16.969-05:00

After 3 above average snowfalls, and below average cold weather that lasted for a longer than average length of time; I am ready for some sign of Spring. A ray of hope, just a small one will suffice. And the Goddess said, "OK. Here you go." "How about two?" The daffodils and iris are working hard at making their way up through the snow, responding to the returning light and other forces

JMMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05621391019768137975noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7247667896583008364.post-64373637100324135952010-02-05T15:29:00.012-05:002010-02-05T16:12:31.504-05:00

Jim made the scratching post around 19 years ago. The construction was simple: a birch log attached with screws to a stained board base.We had tried many store-bought scratching posts and pads, some covered with carpet others with sisal rope. None received a passing glance from the queen-in-residence. She much preferred the trim on the kitchen cabinet doors. When he brought it upstairs and placed

JMMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05621391019768137975noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7247667896583008364.post-47016701864544268842010-02-05T06:58:00.001-05:002010-02-05T06:58:28.055-05:00

I woke up at 5:00 a.m. wanting coffee and to know what the weather was doing. The coffee is delicious, but it's still too dark to tell much about the weather. Since the outside temperature is holding at 30° I figure at least part of the rain that's falling is freezing on contact with everything. I do know that the little white pine looks ice laden; I can see it in the glow of the outside light.

JMMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05621391019768137975noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7247667896583008364.post-78581689996535299502010-02-02T09:06:00.001-05:002010-02-02T09:06:41.175-05:00

I was sick yesterday, but still managed to get Tigger to the vet. I stayed home from work though. Factory work can be rough when you're sick. I'll get back to work tonight and try to get my ducks in a row here today as well. One day of almost total down-time takes me about 2 days to catch-up and make right. Pa helped a lot yesterday though, bless his heart. Today will be a catch-up day here and

JMMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05621391019768137975noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7247667896583008364.post-66962946239289877752010-01-31T14:01:00.001-05:002010-01-31T14:01:24.191-05:00

"Here we go again," I thought as early reports predicting another Southern snowstorm started appearing on the Weather Channel last week. Sure enough, at 2:35 p.m. Friday afternoon, a wall of snow swept over our neighborhood as The Ice Crone struck again. We were well prepared with groceries, back-up heating, well charged electronics, and a positive attitude. Snow depths were varied over the area,

JMMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05621391019768137975noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7247667896583008364.post-72894882938052578512010-01-24T14:38:00.001-05:002010-01-24T14:38:12.308-05:00

I'm sitting here in the cottage, snug and warm, protected from the rain outside. High winds are predicted as the cold front passes through, and I do worry a bit about that. Who wouldn't, with all the huge trees all around? Thinking about the rain and wind caused my musings to go back in time to some other places I've lived and the war of the weather we fought on a regular basis.Once upon a time I

JMMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05621391019768137975noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7247667896583008364.post-8368100345884602912010-01-23T10:14:00.002-05:002010-01-23T10:26:26.294-05:00

Tomorrow is my "baby" son's birthday. He will be 31 years old. (Thinking to self that I am NOT a spring chicken anymore.)Yesterday said "baby son", his older sister and her son, came by to visit. I had not seen this particular grandson in about 3 years. My grandson is man grown and mighty fine. They are all mighty fine to me.It never ceases to amaze me, when I look at my children and

JMMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05621391019768137975noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7247667896583008364.post-61853912630809152862010-01-18T08:54:00.003-05:002010-01-18T09:08:44.328-05:00

I have to get my car inspected. It's one of North Carolina's ways to get cash for the treasury. If your car fails the emissions test you have to get the problem fixed. If you try and it won't "fix" you can still get your approval on the car, for a hefty fee. So what point is the inspection? To get cash for the treasury, not to keep polluting cars off the road.So, as my car ages, I dread

JMMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05621391019768137975noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7247667896583008364.post-53811101151507219762010-01-17T09:55:00.002-05:002010-01-17T13:19:56.846-05:00

It had been over twenty years since I had seen Andrea. We reunited last spring on Facebook, a reunion that also included her sister and father. Yesterday, we finally had a chance to sit down face-to-face.The teenager I remembered has turned into a polished, articulate woman who knows who she is and has a mind of her own. I'm proud of her.We talked for hours. I'm glad our husbands were able to

JMMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05621391019768137975noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7247667896583008364.post-64307565780554198102010-01-14T09:08:00.002-05:002010-01-14T09:08:57.535-05:00

I've not been sleeping well this past week. Part of the reason is my old bones don't like this cold weather and I'm having a hard time finding that comfortable spot that lets sleep come and allows it to stay. I think I managed 4 hours last night, and that may be an exaggeration. Needless to say, my body aches and my brain is numb.On the bright side, there's something to be said for a numb brain.

JMMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05621391019768137975noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7247667896583008364.post-48831947317421538912010-01-11T00:05:00.002-05:002010-01-11T00:07:03.641-05:00

I had the weekend off. I could have tackled some projects at the cottage that are begging to be done. I could have, but I didn't.The cold weather had attacked my husband and me to the depth of our being. Stiff and sore, we decided to stay inside and do nothing. He watched movies and I read. I'm reading the Mists of Avalon series of books again. When things get turbulent in my world, I feel a tug

JMMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05621391019768137975noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7247667896583008364.post-69344309850241548582010-01-08T09:25:00.002-05:002010-01-08T09:26:44.764-05:00

The threatened snow passed us by, but the cold air behind it arrived on schedule. Yesterday was almost balmy, with temperatures in the high 30's. This morning it is 10° and windy.The seed catalogs are here though, and when I have a chance this weekend I may start deciding what I want to plant and where. It will make the cold much easier to take. While the landscape is barren and gray is a great

JMMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05621391019768137975noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7247667896583008364.post-18371767586131778732010-01-06T09:08:00.001-05:002010-01-06T09:08:00.448-05:00

That's what my Daddy would say. "If snow lies on the ground for 3 days, it's waiting on more".Daddy left for a better place in February of 1979. Almost 31 years later I can still hear his dire predictions when I was a child and snow would persist in staying around more than Daddy's 3 days. The snow that still lies across the hillside at Shady Hollow has been here much longer than Daddy's limit.

JMMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05621391019768137975noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7247667896583008364.post-13041083269583517492010-01-03T10:25:00.002-05:002010-01-03T10:28:46.012-05:00

It is cold. I mean really COLD!!! At 10 a.m. the temperature has managed to creep up to 13 °. It was 12 ° an hour ago. Only 1 ° per hour, nope, it is NOT going to get warm today. I find myself wondering about this global warming stuff. I'd love to have a word with Al Gore this morning and say "OK big boy, explain this!"The pine needles are drooping with the intense cold. The ground crunches when

JMMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05621391019768137975noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7247667896583008364.post-74078158627668593712010-01-01T17:55:00.006-05:002010-01-01T18:56:15.984-05:00

Happy New Year to all my readers. If you were out celebrating last night I hope you had a great time. We did. Pa (my pet name for my husband) went to bed early. I curled up with a book and read until 2 a.m. Midnight came and went with only a few local shotgun blasts by the neighbors to mark its passing.I took notice of the sound, checked the clock (they were a few minutes late getting those

JMMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05621391019768137975noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7247667896583008364.post-30013391583783545662009-12-31T09:03:00.001-05:002009-12-31T09:03:44.801-05:00

Today is the last day of 2009. It is time to reflect on the year gone by and to dream and make plans for the year ahead. Last year, I looked backward at a year full of illness for my husband. I looked back at a severe drought that had threatened to starve every living thing of life giving water. This year, I can see the trials and tribulations we've had with the pets being ill; but nothing as

JMMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05621391019768137975noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7247667896583008364.post-55599383287180097342009-12-25T08:49:00.001-05:002009-12-25T08:49:23.074-05:00

It is Christmas morning at Shady Hollow. The cats have been fed and the coffee made. Rain is falling from the gray skies, attempting to wash away last week's snow. So far it hasn't had much luck. There are areas where the good earth is peeking through the snow pack, but it will take much more rain to finally wash the snow away.While they gleefully rode the snowflakes to earth last week, methinks

JMMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05621391019768137975noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7247667896583008364.post-76825281883742339762009-12-21T08:30:00.001-05:002009-12-21T08:30:45.715-05:00

I stood at the window; it was just too cold outside, and waited for the rebirth of the Sun. The Eastern sky gradually lightened and turned a pale blue. Slowly it brightened as I waited. Finally the first ray of sunlight shot across the land. Bright and full of promise the ray sped by me and onward across Shady Hollow and toward the western sky.There was no sound as the Silver Wheel clicked a

JMMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05621391019768137975noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7247667896583008364.post-54308284478205684122009-12-19T20:07:00.010-05:002009-12-19T21:01:18.593-05:00

It snowed at Shady Hollow on Friday. Serious snow. We knew it was on the way and had stocked up on supplies. Tigger was brought home from the vet's the day before with prayers that he didn't take a turn for the worse after getting home (prayers are answered so far on that one).I told my boss the night before, "Remember, I don't do snow." He nodded affirmative and said that was OK because he had

JMMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05621391019768137975noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7247667896583008364.post-40855929440920840702009-12-12T01:24:00.001-05:002009-12-12T01:24:03.980-05:00

I don't know who she is. We meet every night on the same stretch of road traveling in opposite directions. On the afternoons I take that route to work, we meet again, headed in different directions to different destinations.I am sure we both work second shift, I know from meeting her in daylight that we are close in age. But, I don't know who she is. Sitting at the red light one night I saw which

JMMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05621391019768137975noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7247667896583008364.post-63718477284042018262009-12-11T10:06:00.001-05:002009-12-11T10:06:53.289-05:00

It is 10:00 a.m. as I write and the temperature is hovering at 22°F. Brrrr! I haven't gone out to get the newspaper. I haven't forced myself to believe the latest news is worth the effort. It's a long way up the hill when it's this cold. I can read most of what I want to know on my computer anyway. The cats have even avoided sitting in the windows this morning. I guess winter has finally

JMMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05621391019768137975noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7247667896583008364.post-65214231120921519622009-12-07T01:01:00.002-05:002009-12-07T01:21:15.427-05:00

It is cold at Shady Hollow. After getting to see a few snowflakes on Saturday morning our weather took a definite turn toward winter. Serious winter, with temperatures in the low 20's Sunday and at 29°F as I write early Monday morning.We had all wanted a little more snow. It was the weekend after all, and we wouldn't have to travel anywhere. It worked out alright though, for with the snow came

JMMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05621391019768137975noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7247667896583008364.post-84106874673374994052009-12-04T01:05:00.001-05:002009-12-04T01:05:53.903-05:00

If the weather forecasts are to be believed, we may get some rain/snow showers here Saturday. I'm getting the cameras ready in anticipation. I'll do my shopping tomorrow: milk and bread. It's a Southern Thing. I've had people who aren't from around here ask me many times why we southerners run out for milk and bread whenever the forecasters say the word 'snow'. I don't know about anyone else, but

JMMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05621391019768137975noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7247667896583008364.post-78398198462155534982009-12-01T01:43:00.001-05:002009-12-01T01:43:29.925-05:00

The flowers were not killed the other day as I expected. Judging from the outside temperature as I write (in the wee hours of the morning again) they will probably succumb tonight to winter's chill. If not, I will have salvia, impatiens and begonias blooming outside on December 1st. In two weeks I will be starting my begonia seed for next summer. In the months after I'll be busy in the plant room

JMMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05621391019768137975noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7247667896583008364.post-82703640575542881862009-11-30T08:54:00.000-05:002009-11-30T08:57:40.810-05:00

M5XSUERAYKS2

JMMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05621391019768137975noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7247667896583008364.post-53987215827974975092009-11-28T08:55:00.001-05:002009-11-28T08:55:08.813-05:00

Temperatures at Shady Hollow dropped below freezing last night. I haven't checked, but I'm sure the impatiens, begonia, salvias and cannas that have been hanging in there all fall finally took a death blow. I can't remember a time in the twenty years I've lived here that the summer blooms have lasted so long. Of course the poor plants were bedraggled and far from lush, but they were still alive

JMMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05621391019768137975noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7247667896583008364.post-57257262608768260352009-11-26T01:29:00.002-05:002009-11-26T01:32:39.249-05:00

We have much to be thankful for today at Shady Hollow. To name a few:Jim has made an entire year without a hospital stay. During 2008 I was on a first name basis with the staff of 2-West at Pardee Hospital. Wonderful people, each and every one, but I don't mind not seeing them.We made an entire year without losing a beloved pet, although our little dog Jay-Jay and Tigger the cat gave us and our

JMMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05621391019768137975noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7247667896583008364.post-19095705668050434482009-11-22T01:01:00.001-05:002009-11-22T01:01:37.716-05:00

Got your attention, didn't I? It has been a crazy week and most of the crazies are due to venison and flat tires. Stay with me and I'll explain this unlikely combination.A young man I know is an avid deer hunter. He and his cousins spent every possible moment hunting deer and other wild game. Deer, however, is their favorite prey. What these young men do with the deer and wild game they harvest

JMMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05621391019768137975noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7247667896583008364.post-15094265499142605832009-11-15T23:49:00.001-05:002009-11-15T23:49:38.766-05:00

Almost all the leaves have fallen. I had intended to get out the big leaf blower and do some yard clean-up this weekend. It didn't happen, so now I'm wishing for a strong wind to blow them away for me. The Great Mother takes care of many things for me. I am grateful to Her for that. I don't think she will do the leaves for me. Some things we have to do for ourselves. I took my husband for an

JMMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05621391019768137975noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7247667896583008364.post-88587981884304091752009-11-12T12:35:00.002-05:002009-11-12T12:37:56.274-05:00

Sometime ago I wrote about how trilled I was with my battery powered edger and leaf blower. I'm still thrilled with them. I admit I've used the leaf blower the most. It is a necessity here. It takes almost daily effort to keep Jim's ramp and the deck free of leaves.I have not cut my hair since early 2004, and it reaches my waist. I always wanted really long hair and decided it was now or never to

JMMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05621391019768137975noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7247667896583008364.post-31948061024744370512009-11-09T00:21:00.001-05:002009-11-09T00:21:11.933-05:00

Saturday afternoon I was attempting to turn leaves into mulch with the lawn mower when my next door neighbor and his son came walking down the drive with a ladder. John said, "Hi Joyce, we've come to clean your gutters." He and his son walked past me and set to work. Before they were finished, John's son-in-law was also in on the act. They cleaned out the gutters and even took a leaf blower up to

JMMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05621391019768137975noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7247667896583008364.post-51450481207592996272009-11-07T01:52:00.001-05:002009-11-07T01:52:49.212-05:00

Friday's news stories about the massacre in Fort Hood were interrupted by news of more shots fired, death, and injuries in Florida. I have been telling my closest friends for months that I foresee more and more violence. I tell them to be ready to protect themselves and their loved ones from dangers they cannot imagine. I stand by my vision. I have seen this thing that comes for many years in

JMMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05621391019768137975noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7247667896583008364.post-52594463721800243672009-11-06T01:23:00.001-05:002009-11-06T01:23:15.539-05:00

I frequently check FaceBook and Twitter on my cell phone while I'm at work. I also have my email forwarded to my phone, like so many people do these days. I hadn't been at work long yesterday when I got an update saying a massacre had taken place at Fort Hood, Texas. I immediately texted my husband and he turned to Fox News for information. Text messages flew fast and furious. As a retired Master

JMMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05621391019768137975noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7247667896583008364.post-20722179238583038852009-10-27T10:46:00.001-04:002009-10-27T10:46:57.233-04:00

It isn't raining yet, but the clouds moved in last night. They are low and heavy with moisture. The forecasted rain is expected to be torrential and flood watches and warnings are already posted. One thing I've noticed about the Mother: When she breaks a drought, she does so in a big way.Shady Hollow is high enough on the hillside as to be safe from flooding. We may have water in the lower

JMMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05621391019768137975noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7247667896583008364.post-67354645488972837312009-10-26T06:20:00.001-04:002009-10-26T06:20:29.324-04:00

It is Monday, right? I'm having an issue with days starting to run together. I just worked a 7-day week for my employer and now its Monday morning, but it feels like. . . I don't know. I'm a little foggy. Early this year about half our workforce was permanently laid off. Now that work has picked up we are all having to hustle and make sacrifices to get the work out on time. I'm eternally

JMMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05621391019768137975noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7247667896583008364.post-1508707045113624702009-10-19T08:15:00.001-04:002009-10-19T08:15:21.576-04:00

It's a frosty morning at Shady Hollow. A few plants were nipped yesterday, but with the temperature hovering at 30 degrees I expect more to succumb this morning.The garden spot is bare; a light covering of poplar leaves lies where the zucchini, green beans and tomatoes flourished only a short time ago. Yesterday I spent time uploading and sorting through pictures taken this summer and summers

JMMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05621391019768137975noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7247667896583008364.post-23194966619761333832009-10-18T10:05:00.001-04:002009-10-18T10:08:06.551-04:00

Enjoy.

JMMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05621391019768137975noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7247667896583008364.post-22130104035027310192009-10-18T08:27:00.002-04:002009-10-18T08:28:11.370-04:00

It's a cold and windy October morning. The temperature is hovering in the high 30's and the wind has knife blades that cut through your clothing and chill you to the bone. We have a frost warning out for tonight with temperatures expected to be at the freezing mark or below.Between the rain and wind our poplar trees are almost bare. We can now see across the creek into the bottom land beyond to

JMMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05621391019768137975noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7247667896583008364.post-61246368365332687002009-10-16T22:30:00.001-04:002009-10-16T22:30:56.578-04:00

I've been using electrically powered gardening tools for several years. My tool shed sports two electric chain saws, an electric trimmer/edger and leaf blower. All these tools have made my hillside much easier to maintain as I've grown older. Their limitation is the length of power cord and the hassle of dragging the cord around. After the untimely demise of my electric trimmer I decided to

JMMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05621391019768137975noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7247667896583008364.post-38168966051269927732009-10-13T09:33:00.001-04:002009-10-13T09:33:27.574-04:00

My husband used to get embarrassed at my passion for seed collecting. We could be walking along Hendersonville's main street and instead of window shopping, I would be checking out the huge planter boxes that line the streets. Oh sure, the flowers were beautiful. I enjoyed them each summer when we would go uptown. During fall I would be scanning for seed pods. My neighborhood walks, trips to the

JMMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05621391019768137975noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7247667896583008364.post-90656650372419121262009-10-11T01:41:00.001-04:002009-10-11T01:41:31.930-04:00

As I have grown older time seems to fly past at warp speed. I was checking back over previous entries to this blog and realized it had been 8 months since I started writing about the gardens, cottage, and myself. The summer of vegetables and flowers has moved into the season of leaves to rake and mulch to put down. My instincts tell me that we will have more snow this year than last. I foresee

JMMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05621391019768137975noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7247667896583008364.post-63600307954713919512009-10-07T01:35:00.001-04:002009-10-07T01:35:16.563-04:00

Plants & GardeningIt's about time to bring the houseplants inside for the winter. I dread it. First of all there's the 'where in the world will I put them all' issue. Secondly, there's the "will the cats totally destroy them within the first half-hour' issue. Thirdly since I'm bringing in the houseplants, winter must be near and that is depressing.I brought the African violets inside and put them

JMMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05621391019768137975noreply@blogger.com1