Happy Birthday!

 

Happy Birthday C!

Nothin' but love on your special day!

May God bless and keep you

all the days of your life.

Birthday Wishes

 

Happy Birthday Boo!

You are loved more than you know!

Twenty-three years sure goes quickly.

A Very Special Birthday

 

 

sister's favorite crop

 

 

Happy Birthday

Sweet Sister!

 

I am so glad you were born.

What a blessing you are in my life.

We have so many wonderful memories

of time spent together

and I cherish each and every one.

May God keep you all of your days.

 

Birthday Wishes for Boo

 

 

 

My boy C is turning 20 today!

Where has the time gone?

 

Hoping your day is what you want it to be.

You are my heart.

love,

Momma

 

Birthday Bliss!

 

Sunday was my birthday, a milestone for sure.

This year, I bought myself a gift.

Now, anyone who knows me, knows I'm not into clothes or jewelry,

and I already own my dream car, Ginger.

So, what could I possibly wish for?

 

Why, an eglu cube chicken coop, of course!

 

It arrived just two days after I had ordered it,

which was perfect timing, as I had the weekend off to put it together.

 

It came in several boxes, 

and packed well without a lot of extraneous packing material.

I like that.

Look at these adorable egg crates that came with the order.

 

With Big K standing by, 

I decided I wanted to try to tackle the assembly by myself.

I, unlike most men, do read directions,

but I still needed a little bit of help from my super-duper handyman.

 

The metal frame allows the coop to sit up off the ground,

which not only gives the chooks a shady spot underneath,

but makes it easier to retrieve eggs and clean the coop.

 

This side of the coop has a door to the nesting boxes,

making egg retrieval easier.

There is even an interior door which can be closed at night,

so that the chooks don't sleep there.

This keeps the nesting boxes clean when the girls do their magic!

So far, so good!

 

The nesting box area is on the left while the right side

is designated for their evening roosting.

The green tray underneath the roosting area

slides out for easy emptying of the shavings and prized chicken poop.

I've started a separate compost pile for the shavings 

so that it can be added to the spring garden.

 

Thankfully, once assembled, it fit perfectly on our lawn trailer,

and we were able to transport it to its resting place.

 

The side yard is fairly sloped,

so I leveled it as best I could.

With the shavings in place for the girls,

it was ready to go.

 

The beauty of this coop is that it is mobile.  

I will most likely be getting the wheel attachments,

so that I can move it about on the property as often as I like.

Another fabulous feature is the ease with which it is maintained.

I'm not a fan of plastic, but this coop will actually keep the chooks healthier

because mites have no place to hide, unlike in wooden coops.

The only drawback that I've seen so far (aside from the price),

is the ladder.  They don't seem to know how to exit and enter easily.

I imagine they'll get the hang of it.

 

 

 I've ordered the run that attaches to the coop,

but for now I'm using some mobile netting to keep them in one spot.

It's been wonderful letting them free range during the day,

but I only feel comfortable doing this when I am out there working.

We have dogs who run loose and hawks overhead,

so I like to be able to keep an eye on them while they are grazing.

Going into my 60's as a chicken keeper is a good move.

The feeling of camaraderie with these creatures helps me feel

that I am continuing on my path.

We are both doing our part in this endeavor.

I feed them, they feed us.

It's a win-win,

and one of the best choices I've ever made.

 

Garden Friday

It's Garden Friday

and it also happens to be my birthday!

The giving starts here with these shots of the garden

taken with my new phone.

C'mon, let's take a stroll.

Tuesday night brought a fierce storm

with ferocious winds and about an inch of rain.

The poor sunflowers held on for dear life

and I have no way to prop them up because of their size.

Some of these are upwards of 12 feet tall!

Thankfully, most of the garden was unharmed.

This butternut squash should be ready to harvest within days.

I see soup in my future...

The pumpkins started flowering this week

and were promptly fertilized.

No doubt the rainfall helped them along their way.

Last year, I grew okra in a raised bed.

This year, they are in raised rows,

and they are much more difficult to harvest 

because they are low to the ground.

I have a couple in a straw bale,

so I'm hoping those will be a bit easier.

The magic of beans, in this case,

Red Ripper beans.

Here they are in two stages,

fresh and dried on the vine.

The dried beans will be used to make soup

and also used for sprouting.

The loofah is really taking off now.

It seems to thrive in the heat

and doesn't mind one bit if it stays dry for a while.

This is the first gourd I spotted on the trellis,

and it's now turning yellow.

Never having grown these before,

I'll have to do a little research about peak harvest times.

This plant is a delight to grow and I will continue to add it 

to the summer garden each year.

It asks for very little and the sweet golden blooms alone

make it worth growing.

The melons are starting to suffer from something.

Many leaves are turning yellow or brown

and it's too late in the season to try to save them.

There is one hanging on the arches that looks promising.
Even if it's the only one we get, I'll be over the moon!

Here's a little bitty one just getting started.
This is one crop I will try to do better with next year.
We can't get enough melon around here!

Considering that I wasn't planning to grow tomatoes this year,

these volunteers sure look healthy.

I picked a couple of them so that the critters couldn't get them,

and I'll most likely give them to a neighbor as they come in.

(I'm avoiding tomatoes at the moment.)

Aren't these sweet potato blossoms just the cutest things?

The bees love 'em and I often see them fighting for space inside.

The black-eyed Susan vine is enveloping the straw bales

where the cucumbers refused to grow.

Works for me.

With summer coming to a close in the next month or so,
the butterflies will soon be bidding us adieu for another season.
They have been plentiful and spectacular this year,
and for that I am truly grateful.

Today I start the last year of my 50's.
Where has it gone?
I'm thankful to have had another year with my family,
friends and neighbors.
I hope this year is filled with opportunities to give back.

Enjoy your weekend!

Lake Norman State Park

I celebrated another year on the planet
by doing one of my favorite things in this world!

We spent the morning at Lake Norman State Park
in nearby Troutman.
This park is special to me because
we almost bought a house right in its backyard.
Much of the appeal of that house
was the location.
Can you imagine having a state park just steps away from your front door?
For a nature lover like myself,
it would have been a dream come true.
Just the photo ops alone had me drooling.
Alas, it wasn't meant to be.

In 2011-2012 when we lived in Central Florida, 
we decided to visit one state park each month.
State Parks are a phenomenal chance to get up close
with the natural world.
We have visited several state parks here in North Carolina
over the years that we have been vacationing here.
I'm hoping we will take more time to explore them
now that we are full-time residents of this great state.
You can find more on our State Park visits from both states
underneath the header.

Inside the visitor's center,
you will find information about the state park system,
as well as historical facts about the area.

Over 30 miles of hiking and biking trails await the adventurer.
We opted for two shorter trails
and were not disappointed with the views.

Although it was mid-summer,
the canopied trails had a cooling effect.

We kept our eyes open for unusual sights,
like this collection of winding branches.

Each trail is clearly marked
and is focused on educating the hiker on the local flora and fauna.
Kiosks with pertinent information keep the backpacker engaged.
This is such a wonderful homeschooling opportunity.

Boating, fishing and swimming are some of the water activities available.

With so much to see and appreciate,
even my "non-hikers" enjoyed the trek.

The trails meandered through thick brush,
keeping us in suspense about what might be lurking around every bend.
From the website:
"Though most of the park's animal species are rarely seen, at least 35 species of mammals have been found in the area around the park. Upland communities are home to coyotes, Virginia opossum, eastern cottontail, gray squirrel, red and gray foxes, and white-tailed deer, as well as the eastern mole and several species of shrews and mice. Muskrat and raccoon may be seen in the marshes along the creeks and lake."

The peaceful setting invites hikers to follow the trail,
and  
              savor 
                      the 
                                      serenity.

Fallen trees abound and no doubt create 
ample habitats for the wildlife living here.

Canoes, kayaks, and paddle boats are available for rent,
and personal watercraft are welcome within the park's boundaries.
We saw one person paddle boarding and thought 
it was a stellar way to greet a summer morning.

Though most of the park is shaded,
we did spy some pollinator-friendly plants near the water.

If these logs could talk...

We made note of a medley of mushrooms along the way.
Sister (who abhors them), thought they didn't look real!
What a fabulous forest of fungi!

As I get older,
the need to slow down and reflect becomes more centering.
This peaceful place lends itself well to that endeavor.

Along with free admission to the park,
there is no charge to use picnic areas.  
Picnic shelters can also be used at no cost,
and accommodate visitors with restrooms, tables and grills.

Campsites are open to tents and trailers,
although there are no hookups at this park.
A bathhouse is located near sites for campers' use,
but no laundry facilities are available.
Those who enjoy a more rustic experience,
would no doubt be right at home here.

Found treasure!

After our hike,
we took advantage of these inviting rockers
overlooking the lake.

Someone else made himself to home.

What a blessing to be able to spend time
with those I love on my special day.
With surroundings like this,
the day couldn't help but be magical.

State Park Posts:

Crowders Mountain
King's Mountain
Morrow Mountain