Blessings

Remember the Bing Crosby tune about counting blessings instead of sheep? That's what I was doing last night. I just wasn't tired, and it took me a long time to fall asleep. It was cool enough to sleep with the windows open, and the frogs and crickets were in full voice! If I fall asleep before they get started, I have no problems, but last night the little creatures beat me to the punch!

Dave spent most of his vacation week working in the garden. He said he needs another week to finish up, but since gardens, yardwork, and housework are always works in progress, I'm pretty sure he just meant that he didn't accomplish all he wanted! This picture is of my favorite little flower bed. I can see it from my computer/sewing room. There's a honeysuckle vine climbing up the pole... the yellow and white kind that smells so heavenly! Dave's pink oleander tree is in its third season, and the trellis he built will soon have mandevilla climbing to the top. I have several bird baths in the yard, but this one is the favorite. I've seen robins, finches, and cardinals in it so far this year. See all those beautiful rocks? About 15 years ago, Dave made deliveries in southern Indiana, and there was a farmer who had piles of rocks. Dave asked the florist about the rocks... the florist knew the farmer... the farmer wanted the rocks gone... and Dave collected rocks for the entire summer! The girls would groan every Wednesday (or was it Thursday... maybe Tuesday) because they knew we would be unloading rocks at the end of the day! But, we have rocks accenting all of our garden areas, and all they cost us was some time and labor.


Here's my resident gardener resting for a moment. When we first moved to the farm 26 years ago, there were no trees. A man stopped by one day and asked if we would like to trade vegetable plants for trees. We said yes, and expected to receive maybe three trees. After all, trees last a lot longer than vegetables! Jake gave us 44 white pines... enough to plant a wind screen on the north and west sides of our little trailer. Some have died out, and Dave's cut off a lot of dead lower branches, but is was the beginning of our landscaping project.


When we first moved to the farm, the only sounds we heard came from the semis and cars passing by. It was very lonely. But now, thanks to my wonderful husband and his love of gardening, we hear frogs, crickets, birds, and the sounds of water from the pond/waterfall in the front yard. I can sit on my front porch swing and read or do handwork and enjoy all this beauty... until the mosquitoes attack!