I Think I Died and went to "Orchid Heaven" ...

 Today my sister and I went to a street fair featuring "Plants", lots and lots of Plants.

Then we came upon quite a few vendors showing off their "Orchids".

And what a display they had!

I have 7 of my own "Orchids" growing on my large Oak tree in the front of the house and I told myself, "I'm here today to look and not buy.  I'm so proud of me and did not buy any!  

I'll just leave you to drool along with me as you stroll through the street and feast your eyes on such beautiful Orchids.

Really, "I did not buy any"

I'm linking this post to

Bedazzle Me 

Fertilizer Friday 

 

Taking a Stroll Around My Yard and The Grand Prix...

Today was a beautiful day in my area of Florida.  We have had thunder storms this past three nights, small ones, but the sound and rain just makes me feel wonderful.  

It tells me Summer is on the way.

I got out early and took a stroll around my yard, to see what plantings were coming up and I was just so happy to see the new buds of some and flowers on others.

The Gardenia tree is full of new buds that should turn into the sweetest smelling flowers, in about a week.

There must be hundreds of these little buds. Soon walking past my front door will be heavenly.

Seeds from last years Black Eyed Susan's have sprouted and each of the dozen plants are different heights. This means I'll have blooms all summer and into the fall.

I was surprised to see the pineapple is growing back.  It was much too chilly for it to have survived?

This yellow Day Lilly was a surprise.  

I found the tubers laying on the side of the house and put them in a large pot with other plants from last year, about a month ago...

My little bud vase had the pleasure of "The first cuttings" of the spring.

For all of you in need of something to do this weekend..  today the "St. Petersburg, Grand Prix" is winding in and around the roads and it's only 15 miles from me.  Each year the streets of the city are turned into a raceway and thousands of people come into town to watch big names in racing.

If your interested in Racing click here to learn more.

Now that is enough to make me smile.

"Have a dirty hands week everyone"

* * * * *

I'm linking up to

Tuesdays Garden Party 

Outdoor Wednesday 

Leaving Guam and Knitting....

I'll always remember a sign that hung, years ago, over my Moms  washing machine.

 It went something like this;

There are 7 wonders of the world

and the 8th I long to see

the bottom of the basket

smiling vacant like 

at me

As you can guess, it was about the laundry basket. 

Well, it's my knitting basket I'm talking about today.  It's full of projects that need to be done by September, or around the time winter hits in Oklahoma.

I'm so happy to say, "My daughter, her Coast Guard husband and their three children will finally be shipped out of Guam after a three year tour of duty" 

For this grandma it will be so nice to have my three grandsons all a short flight away from me, once again. They will be moving to Oklahoma where the Coast Guard has their headquarters and what they do there, I have no idea?  No water around the state, but I'm guessing it's paper work at that sector.

Gina said to me, "Mom, we have been living in hot steamy Guam and none of us have any winter clothing".  Oklahoma gets down below 0 at times.. "Please can you make us all Hats and Scarves, and can they be heavy, long and wide, so we can wrap them around our faces on blistery days."

Gina's first set is almost finished.  I just need to weave in all the end strands of yarn.

I also made her a one piece neck wrap.

For my son-in-law, I chose CG blue, so he could use it for work. I'm happy to say my cables are coming out quite nice.

For my three small grandsons, I asked each, what colors they wanted.  Well they all knew right away.  The first set are of bulky wool to keep their little heads warm when the temps dip in the single digits.

Then the left over yarn went into a fourth.  

They can fight over this one later.

 Once I get these finished I will start on a lighter weight set for each.  The boys want green, blue and red. I think I'll do a pattern on each of these... maybe? 

The nice thing about knitting is I can bring it with me to appointments. You know the ones that leave you waiting in a seat for long periods, it makes the time pass so much faster

Now all I need, is to see 

"The bottom of that basket smiling vacant like at me"

It is wonderful  knowing, in June,  my kids are leaving that tiny island of Guam, smack dab in the middle of the So. Pacific. 

Gina said, "Mom, just think, no more daily earthquakes"

She said, "Every day the wall photos move, or the light over the dining room sways.  The water in the glass swishes in your hand. Then when your sitting on the side of the bed you think someone just jumped up and down, when no one is in the room with you".

I give my girl a lot of credit.  Three years and she never complained of living on a Navy Base with Guam Jungle all around her. 

She loves her husband that much.

I had to laugh at her words, "The moment the plane lands on US Soil she is going to hit the tarmac and do (tarmac/snow) Angles and kiss the ground.  Oh, and when she gets into Target she will be the "Target Lady" and skip through the isles.....

Now that is a good reason to get out of there!

Thank God for our Military Men and Women scattered around the world, Protecting Us! 

I'm linking up to

Saturday Night Special

It's Overflowing with Creativity 

Better Homes and Gardens "Pin Board Contest"... hurry!

You heard it right,,, Better Homes and Gardens is having a Pinterest contest.

BHG Pin and Win Contest 

Create your Better Homes and Gardens Dream Home 

How to Enter

1. Create a board on Pinterest called “My Better Homes and Gardens Dream Home.”
2. Pin at least 10 images from BHG.com onto your board and tell us why it would be a part of your dream home. (Your board can only contain BHG’s images).
3. Submit the board URL to our editors below. Example URL:
   http://pinterest.com/username/my-better-homes-and-gardens-dream-home

When you enter to win you'll become a member of BHG.com and get access to exclusive tools, apps and content.


Although I don't want any of you to WIN... "I want that pleasure" I'm just letting you know about this contest... Sounds like fun, Don't you think...
I'm not being paid for this either... It's just  I know all of blogland would love to win  $5000.00 and all you have to do is create your "Dream Home"  Pin Board using BHG's photos...
Just click on the URL above....

 Good Luck to me.... not you!!  

Spring Thunder Storms and Delphinium's.....

After walking out to the driveway this morning I had a panic attack when I saw my brand new, two month old white car, totally (and I mean totally) covered with the first blooms of Spring, from the tall trees surrounding my house... I have no idea what they are called but the little nasty things look like worms... they produce thick green pollen that bothers so many of us in So. Florida.

After using the hose to clean off my car I headed to the Home Depot for the largest tarp they sold, to cover my car during the nights heavy rain and hale. (it always rains after 3pm here during rainy season and it might have started yesterday with our first thunder storm)   

There will be no more of these little things on my new car. Each year they stain the sidewalk so you know what they will do to the car. 

     

I think the tarp needs to be longer....

Well... as you can guess, I had to walk through the garden section and there were the first " Delphiniums" of the season.  I grabbed three as I made my way to the check out.

 First I went to my upstairs balcony to survey the back yard. 

 Where would this blue, beautiful color stand out best?  Over there, by the large bird bath, was the perfect spot.  

As spring comes in I've forgotten all the plantings from previous years and took a chance putting them in this area.  Also, the Butterfly's tend to congregate here.  I do know some Day Lilly's are coming up and the Caladium are showing their little sprouts.. we will see what happens in a few weeks.  It's ok though.  In my mind I say "The more color and the more flowers, the better"  

You would think I'd have a garden map?

Ok... I think that will be the last purchase in the garden stores for the season.  At least that is what I've told myself.. haha, 

Until the next time I walk through one.

And my car, well it's protected somewhat from Mother Nature.

"It's Spring... oh Happy Day"

I love my bloggie friends when they come to my rescue, "Diana from

Chickadee Garden 

Said, "Those wormy things are catkins (flowers produced by trees, like oaks).

We are deluged by that now here in the Memphis area, too! I've never seen it this "bad". Pollen is everywhere."

Thank you Diana

I'm linking up to

Fertilizer Friday 

Potpourri Friday 

The Iditarod And The Mother Child Relationship....

“The mother-child relationship is paradoxical and, in a sense, tragic. It requires the most intense love on the mother's side, yet this very love must help the child grow away from the mother, and to become fully independent.” Erich Fromm

We raise our kids and give them wings, then when they do fly, the relationship changes and it leaves a Mom with a heavy heart.

I've spoken of my son on other posts but this story must be told. How many get to go watch the mushers come in at the finish line of such a famous race?

From an early age tom's wings have been flapping and has always wanted to be where the action is. I have had to tie those wings on several occasions to keep him on the ground.

He made that dream happen 20 years ago when he joined the Coast Guard.  His dream was to be near and in the thick of Ice, Snow and Mountains. 

He has jumped out of helios, sliding down on a rope to rescue someone in distress. Climbed Ice and gone down into the crevices to pull a hiker out.  Dunked in the oceans to pull a stranded boater to safety. Climbed a mountain to reach a downed plane only to retrieve several who did not make it.

In the first phase of the mother child relationship I could have told him, "No" you can't do that, you might get hurt!  Now, in this new relationship we have, all I can do is sit home and pray for his safety.

 "T" will be spending his time in the next few weeks teaching the Alaskans in a tiny town in Nome, boat safety.

On his way to Nome,Tom was able to complete one item on his bucket list.  To see the Iditarod.  (I know he would have rather been at the helm of that sled but just being there, will do)

  

Here he is with a friend, standing on the frozen Bering Sea waiting for the mushers at the end of the journey across the ice and snow, as they come in on the last stretch of  the  Iditarod  Race.

 

 

(toms words)

Siren went off and I rushed to the Bering Sea to see this musher come in. 9:15 PM, sun setting made for a great photo. These dogs were fairly excited and ready to stop for the evening. -10F degrees out...

#48 from Haliburton, Ontario, finisher of the 2012 Iditarod!! Welcome to Nome!! Such happy dogs when they came in. The blurry little girl to the left is his daughter.

 

#48 Itidarod finisher from Haliburton, Ontario

 Seconds after arriving into Nome... and having just completed 1049 miles of running…. these amazing dogs were tired and done!! Good day!!

The 'twinkle' in Tom's eyes tell me,  "He is living his dream"

 Now on to the town of  Little Diomede, the Western most US village sitting on the International Dateline. 

"Fly High my Son"

Fair Winds and Following Seas, Tommy

"What more could a Mom ask for"

*****

 I'm adding a few more photos,  T has been sending them as they happen, to me. He landed on the ice runway in the tiny town in Alaska, all of 1.2 miles from Russia.

( the view from the stairs of the plane)

(his words)

The view from Little Diomede! That is Big Diomede in Russia. 23 hours ahead of us! Gorgeous day, hope for Polar Bear traffic soon!

Trekking on the Bering Sea here in Diomede, Alaska

I just can't imagine any place looks this frozen. I'm here in Florida celebrating this 'first day of spring'.

I spoke with my daughter-in-law last night and she said, "Don't worry Mom, T has his survival back pack filled with all that he needs in case his survival is in order.  Freeze dried food, little cook stove/heater, ice picks and other things to keep him going in case of a problem. 

"Sometimes I forget, this is the guy to call when you need saving"

My new adult relationship with my son leads me to believe,

 "Tommy" is in his glory"

(burrrrr!) 

****

March 20 was the day for tom to leave the little Island town, but the weather was so bad they could not fly out (high winds).. Stuck? No, they sent a taxi to take him to "Wales", to catch another flight. Looks like a snow mobile to me.

We made it off of Diomede Island and arrived in Wales, Alaska. We even had a taxi waiting for us to take us into the village. March 22

 

I'm linking up to

White Wednesday 

Wow Us Wednesday 

Jenny Matlocks, Alphabet Thursday, Letter R 

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