holiday happiness ~ 12 days of christmas

i am going to make an effort to join my sister, meems @ hoe and shovel.blogspot.com/ in posting from the garden or outside decor...the 12 days of christmas...it is day 2 and i am a little late so i will post two things today.

if you want to join in on the fun just let me know and i will come check out your 12 days of christmas.
make sure you check out her 12 days...she has a beautiful garden in central florida.

the smile box is for day 1.

click on smilebox to have it play for you...a fun homeschool project abbey and i did this week.

and day 2...

like meems i keep my eye on things...this planter was something i kept watching...

until i felt like the price was more reasonable...

buying containers in the off season is the way to go...this was originally well over a hundred dollars and i went in the other day to my local nursery for some live wreaths...of course i had to walk around and see what was in the gardening part of the nursery. they had finally marked it down to $ 50 but i asked for a better price and got it for 25...it was home and planted with white violas that day.

it is rustic and hopefully the dogs will stay away.

happy days of december to all.

our summer bounty

this is my entry for the
gardening gone wild photo contest.
they are asking for an abundant harvest photo.....we had a
wonderful abundance of these delicious melons and
berries....something we enjoyed all summer long.


ps...don't miss the last post before this about our f/farmer's market.
i included a lot of links you can shop from.

contrast of seasons

this time of year reminds me of new beginnings but in the reverse order.

things are getting ready to rest...dying off.

it is spectacular...september bliss.

this is the time when things are changing.

the leaves seemingly transform hues effortlessly.

berries are emerging....readying themselves to be eaten.

goldenrod is always a sure sign of autumn...the bugs are enjoying the cover it gives.

the corn stalks need to be cut.

wild grasses verses cut grass....the war of the grasses.
especially with all the rain.

flowers are dying out but left for the birds to eat the seeds.

dead sunflowers stand against a beautiful sunset like soldiers.

the zinnias are somewhat fading. still there are new blooms.

comos showed up late...

....but we love them just the same.

grasses stay up longer because it is just too wet to cut for hay. soon/maybe.
these days are cooler, less humid...

happy autumn.

scrapbook page

i found this site to make scrapbook pages. i love to scrapbook and spend a lot of time doing it.

i have been playing with it. my first attempt has some odd pictures but it did let me load the original movie i made for "day spent walking" with the music, thus i am posting it. just ignore all the ucky pictures of me.

also forgive me in advance as i made a few of these that i am going to post.

click on the play button

you might have to do it twice.

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

day spent walking

this is the view right outside my front door across the street.
dusk brings out the beautiful golden hues of the leaves.


nandina bushes heavily laden with berries are all around our property.
for some reason i have taken notice of them more this season with their reds, oranges and deep burgundies.



our 7 plus acres is partly pasture but their is a wall of dense
trees to the left that divides us from one neighbour.
as we take our leave to walk, the trees are our guides.




the leaves have been falling profusely creating showers of colour.
as they leave the trees, the berries all around show off their many varieties.








for me there is something so telling, so beautiful about spent...leaves, wildflowers, and fields.

since our frosts have tipped all the greenery in brown

the berries are just waiting for the birds to come and eat.

pleasing to my eye is the wispiness of the thistle.

i love the look of sepia in natural wild scape's.

this old tree holds many secrets of birds lives.






queen anne's lace is still pretty even though bitten.







nature is the best inspiration for fashion.

just take a look at the red, green, brown, grey...or the orange with black polka dotted leaves.

this walk has been rejuvenating for me and dh.

taking time alone, together, it is a blessing.

taking note of the beauty in nature always does the heart and mind good.