Been another quiet week here

in the 'Heartland' - the garden continues to slow down although a few plants are just now coming into their prime. The moonflower vine and the morning glories are beautiful every evening and morning. I have tried for years and years to grow moonflower vine and never had any success. This year SUCCESS!!!!! Not sure what that means but this has been a summer of 'firsts'. I never realized how large the flowers were - I always thought they were the same as a morning glory only bloomed at night instead of morning. The scent is lovely just like you read in all athe garden magazines. We are starting to pull out some tired plants and clean up some areas. I guess we have had most of our baby butterflies for the season but now they dot the yard with their beautiful wings. It is just a pleasure to stand and watch them dance from flower to flower.

We did have some excitement about a week ago. Tom and I were standing on the front porch and noticed a lot of activity in the 'deer' garden. We looked over and saw a flock of bluebirds in the lantana, birdbath and up in the pine trees. they all seemed to take turns junping into the birdbath and taking a bath - they also seemed really interested in the lantana pecking around. Not sure if they were going after seed or insects. I know they are mainly insect eaters. Also at the same time there were yellow finches, hummingbirds, and many butterflies. It was just a beautiful sight to watch nature at work but that is what this yard is all about - letting nature do her thing.

Beets and musculan got planted in the new veggie beds and have sprouted. Four season gardening is great. In about 3 weeks we should have fresh lettuce again and on through the winter - yummy. The new garden on the other side of the driveway is ready for planting now. We want to get camellias and some other shrubs in there and also spring bulbs. Gardening never ends here but we love it that way.

Tomorrow morning Tom, Ruth and I head up to Wellsboro PA to get Mom and bring her back home. She has been up there since we got married. It has been nice having this time alone to get to know each other better and settle into our routine but we are both excited to get Mom back. Her rooms are waiting and her flowers and birds are still right outside her windows. Plus her cat Tinkerbelle misses her and I KNOW she misses him. It will be nice to show Tom the area of the country where I was born. Even tho I have never really 'lived' there - it is a big part of my life as I have visited there almost every year. The mountains are gorgeous - I don't care for the winters but it is wonderful every other time of the year.

Again keep our fellow Americans to the south in your prayers - I can't even imagine what most of them went through. We thank God every day for our little piece of paradise and just really try and concentrate on the simple pleasures.

Until next time.........

~~he who plants a seed - believes in tomorrow~~