Catching up - part II
There is a saying that 'time flies when you are having fun' - well time sure has flown and yes we are having fun. I can't believe it has been so very long since we have blogged. Thank you all who kinda gave us gentle nudges through e-mails to bring our story up to date.
First off there is some really good news to report. BIL Bobby has gone through his concurrent chemo/radiation and as of the latest CAT scan - the tumor has shrunk dramatically and he is feeling pretty good. We certainly thank God for being with him during this time. What once was a dire diagnosis has turned into good news. When you have been touched to the core with cancer the way both Tom and I have been, everyday a loved ones beats cancer is a good day. Tom went and did Relay for Life with the church group just this past weekend. I had to stay home with Mom but he brought back her survivor shirt and was able to tell her about some of the events. We all went 2 years ago and she did the entire walk around the lake but now she is too frail to walk that far. Even a wheelchair is too much for her with her needing the oxygen and all. Mom is doing OK given her age and oxygen capacity. We do get out to church and SS about 1/2 the time - the other times she is just too tired but we are thankful for all the times that she can go. She loves her church and her missionaries who she faithfully prays for.
Other family news has Kevin and Jenn coming down the homestretch with the building and opening of the Animal Hospital at Briar Creek. Equipment is going in and they are looking at an early July opening. This has been a dream of Jenns since childhood. She is partnering with another doctor. The location is an excellent one just outside Raleigh off a new by-pass exit where there will be alot of new housing growth and hopefully lots of 4 legged furkids that will need vet care. Celeste continues to grow by leaps and bounds and is such a joy. We don't get to see her near enough and when we do lots and lots of pictures are taken. She is starting to put a couple of words together and is such a little grown-up playing with her dolls and all. She is just growing up way too fast.
The boys are all finishing up the school year and it was a very good year for all 3 - good grades and having fun with their various sports. Dawn and Elex have had a masterbedroom suite built on the house with an upstairs 'guy' room for all of Elex's computer equipment so they have been busy with that. Most of it was contracted out but they have doing all the painting, ect. The boys will now all have their own rooms which they are very excited about. Each have their own theme they want to go with - Brad wants sun,moon,stars sort of a universe theme blue/gold colors. Andrew wants an NCState theme red/white and John wants Army camaflouge. They are all gowing up fast also - lol guess that means we are too **wink**
Now to the gardens - gosh I don't even know where to start. Let's just say that we are out there everyday that weather permits. Several new gardens have even been added since Tom posted the pictures taking us through March. Our best planning time is late at night with XM country music playing in the background and candles lit on the back porch and we are just talking - it usually starts out with Tom asking me "so what are your plans for tomorrow?" -" what gardens will you be working in?? "- that way he will know to start watering in the opposite part of the yard (no rain means lots of watering) - then I will answer with "I saw something really neat in a garden magazine" and the planning begins - lol . We toss around several ideas and the next thing you know we have a new garden planned. Of course anytime we see Mom thumbing through a garden catalog we know we are going to have to make room for more plants. Just last week we were able to dig up several hundred $$'s worth of hosta from a neighbor who is moving and told us to take what we wanted. These are the HUGE leaf hostas and will look so good in the woodland gardens. Of course this means more deer food for the deer but what the heck - eventually I will get enough plants out there that they will leave some alone - at least that is the plan.
This summer I am propagating a lot of hydrangea, azaleas and viburnum in order to increase those plants in the woods. The price is right besides it is fun. WinterSowing was so-so this past winter/spring. We had such warm temps early on that things germinated and grew long before they should have and then the Easter freeze zapped alot of the seedlings. We still had alot of survivors and just re-sowed what we had lost. Tom will be posting pictures of all the new gardens in their spring glory. We are now going through a change over in flowers and veggies so color is hit or miss right now. It is such a thrill to go out everday and walk our little piece of paradise and see what is new.
On to other news - we had a really nice vist with some internet friends Eric and Alli a few weeks back. They stayed with us overnight on their way to and from the Nascar Darlington race. We have also had internet friends from England spend several days with us. In a couple of weeks Tom and I along with Alli will go on our annual trip to Charlotte and meet up with a group of other internet friends. It is amazing how many life long friendships we have made over the last couple of years through the internet. Tom and I have also met several gardners from in and around the Raleigh area in a gardening forum and we get together twice a year to swap plants. The group is now making plans for garden tours of our various gardens which should be very interesting and alot of fun.
I know I have left stuff out or forgotten (not getting any younger) but I need to close this out. We both promise not to be so long between updates. This blog is as much for us as it is for our friends. By writing things down it helps to bring us back to the simpler things in life and makes us stop and dwell on what we have created - a haven for birds, butterflies, humingbirds - for all God's creatures - great and small.
Other family news has Kevin and Jenn coming down the homestretch with the building and opening of the Animal Hospital at Briar Creek. Equipment is going in and they are looking at an early July opening. This has been a dream of Jenns since childhood. She is partnering with another doctor. The location is an excellent one just outside Raleigh off a new by-pass exit where there will be alot of new housing growth and hopefully lots of 4 legged furkids that will need vet care. Celeste continues to grow by leaps and bounds and is such a joy. We don't get to see her near enough and when we do lots and lots of pictures are taken. She is starting to put a couple of words together and is such a little grown-up playing with her dolls and all. She is just growing up way too fast.
The boys are all finishing up the school year and it was a very good year for all 3 - good grades and having fun with their various sports. Dawn and Elex have had a masterbedroom suite built on the house with an upstairs 'guy' room for all of Elex's computer equipment so they have been busy with that. Most of it was contracted out but they have doing all the painting, ect. The boys will now all have their own rooms which they are very excited about. Each have their own theme they want to go with - Brad wants sun,moon,stars sort of a universe theme blue/gold colors. Andrew wants an NCState theme red/white and John wants Army camaflouge. They are all gowing up fast also - lol guess that means we are too **wink**
Now to the gardens - gosh I don't even know where to start. Let's just say that we are out there everyday that weather permits. Several new gardens have even been added since Tom posted the pictures taking us through March. Our best planning time is late at night with XM country music playing in the background and candles lit on the back porch and we are just talking - it usually starts out with Tom asking me "so what are your plans for tomorrow?" -" what gardens will you be working in?? "- that way he will know to start watering in the opposite part of the yard (no rain means lots of watering) - then I will answer with "I saw something really neat in a garden magazine" and the planning begins - lol . We toss around several ideas and the next thing you know we have a new garden planned. Of course anytime we see Mom thumbing through a garden catalog we know we are going to have to make room for more plants. Just last week we were able to dig up several hundred $$'s worth of hosta from a neighbor who is moving and told us to take what we wanted. These are the HUGE leaf hostas and will look so good in the woodland gardens. Of course this means more deer food for the deer but what the heck - eventually I will get enough plants out there that they will leave some alone - at least that is the plan.
This summer I am propagating a lot of hydrangea, azaleas and viburnum in order to increase those plants in the woods. The price is right besides it is fun. WinterSowing was so-so this past winter/spring. We had such warm temps early on that things germinated and grew long before they should have and then the Easter freeze zapped alot of the seedlings. We still had alot of survivors and just re-sowed what we had lost. Tom will be posting pictures of all the new gardens in their spring glory. We are now going through a change over in flowers and veggies so color is hit or miss right now. It is such a thrill to go out everday and walk our little piece of paradise and see what is new.
On to other news - we had a really nice vist with some internet friends Eric and Alli a few weeks back. They stayed with us overnight on their way to and from the Nascar Darlington race. We have also had internet friends from England spend several days with us. In a couple of weeks Tom and I along with Alli will go on our annual trip to Charlotte and meet up with a group of other internet friends. It is amazing how many life long friendships we have made over the last couple of years through the internet. Tom and I have also met several gardners from in and around the Raleigh area in a gardening forum and we get together twice a year to swap plants. The group is now making plans for garden tours of our various gardens which should be very interesting and alot of fun.
I know I have left stuff out or forgotten (not getting any younger) but I need to close this out. We both promise not to be so long between updates. This blog is as much for us as it is for our friends. By writing things down it helps to bring us back to the simpler things in life and makes us stop and dwell on what we have created - a haven for birds, butterflies, humingbirds - for all God's creatures - great and small.
Thanks for stopping by - we love sharing our little piece of paradise with you. All we ask is that you take some time each day to gaze around you and see that life is good - life is beautiful - it is all around us in nature.........
Lynne ~~he who plants a seed - believes in tomorrow~~
posted by Lynne | 7:19 PM
2 Comments:
As always thank you for having me in your home. Eric now knows what I mean by it's just like walking into my own home. I feel that comfortable there. See you guys next week.
SO gorgeous!!! I love the pics!!! Laura and her boys 06-29-07
Post a Comment
<< Home