Just sittin' for a bit

Sometimes you just need some time to sit and enjoy the view.

That's what happened to me on this gorgeous Tuesday morning. The temperature is perfect, there is a slight breeze--just enough to let the leaves dance as they fall from the trees. Tomorrow is certainly the start of Fall. And, all is well here in the Ozarks.

I had just finished mopping the kitchen floor, so I decided to take a minute to chill on the front porch while the floor dried. I went out to sit for a while, my feet resting comfortably atop a homemade stool.

All of a sudden I looked down and realized I wasn't alone. There was a young opossum drinking out of my cat's water dish. I don't know where it came from or when or how it got here. I must have really been deep in thought because the little critter seemingly just appeared.

I haven't seen many possums in the yard. They rarely have rabies, and they are generally nocturnal, so this one was probably asleep and like the rest of us have experienced, he got up because he was thirsty.

I watched for a short time before I decided to get my camera. I didn't get a picture of him drinking, but he did stick around long enough to pose for a few shots. Then off he went.

Funny, as I watched him walk across the front yard, I had an idea where he was going. We have a pretty large oak tree at the edge of the woods that has a huge hollowed out spot near ground level. I swear, that tree must be a neighborhood all its own. That's where all the raccoons run to and from in the night when I catch them stealing bird food. I've seen a squirrel or two take refuge there as well.

And one time, there was a guinea hen sitting on a branch of that very tree, squawking. I couldn't figure out what the heck it was until I got the binoculars and saw it.

There must be something about that tree.

Not perfect, but in a pinch...

One of the things that I love about living in the Ozarks is the tendency for folks make do with what they have. It isn't uncommon for some to assume that when something is broken, you pitch it and buy a new one, whatever the case may be. 

I subscribe to a different adage. If it's broke; fix it. I believe in and really admire those who use their head rather than just your wallet. Efficiency might as well be my middle name. And nothing gets me more fired up than solving a problem.

For the last several weeks, I have been ticked off at the aggressive bullying squirrels around here this year. They have cost me a fortune by eating more than their weight in bird seed, and in doing so decimated several bird feeders, eaten my plants, and broken pottery. They have generally been a big fat nuisance. I was so angry that I was inspire to write about my ongoing battle with the furry varmints in a previous blog post with the hope that others can relate. Misery does love company, you know!

So, this is my solution! And it works!

So far so good anyway! It occurred to me that despite this once pretty feeder being a little cockeyed from too many trips to the ground, it is basically still useful in that can still hang from a hook. It just no longer holds seed, a pretty serious flaw for a bird feeder.

I reasoned that just because the glass insert was smashed to smithereens, didn't mean I couldn't fix the thing. I scoured closets and china cabinets for a glass vase to put inside, upside down, to hold the seed. There were obvious problems with that solution, but the least of which was that each vase I had was either too wide to fit or too short to clear the metal rod that holds it altogether.

First thing this morning, I arrived at my solution. I finally cut the top and bottom off a quart container of half-and-half, just emptied with our morning coffee. I covered it with aluminum foil, cutting out little tabs at the bottom to allow the seed to flow into the holding tray. I filled it with seed and got my first feathered visitor shortly thereafter.

Oh, the squirrels were trying to get to it, but I used a pellet gun to scare the bejesus out of them. I'm not a very good shot, but the noise was enough to do the trick. They haven't been back. I'm sure they will be though, and I'm all loaded up with pellets in case they do.

Life is good here in the Ozarks once more!

Time for gardening

The garden is finally planted. All the doctor visits are out of the way for at least six more months, John is doing well at physical therapy, and my energy level is picking up a tad. Rarely do I wait until May to plant my vegetable garden, but this has been the year from hell. Hopefully, things will turn around.

I always start my gardening tasks with the highest of hopes only to have them dashed when one or more of a gazillion things defeats my efforts and deflates my dreams.

Perhaps this will be the year that all my efforts pay off. I hope to so many tomatoes that I exhaust myself cooking and stirring and canning and eating a bounty of delicious, juicy, heirloom tomatoes. I hope to have so many that I get so sick of fresh salsa and the sweet fragrance of basil mixing with tomato juice that runs all the way up to my elbows.

I know it doesn't look like much right now, but this little raised vege bed holds all the promise I can muster. It still needs a little fencing around it, but since Mother Nature is watering this morning, the fence will have to wait. I doubt the neighborhood critters have even noticed yet. I must get to that chore soon, however because the animals have no mercy when they are hungry. In addition to several heirloom varieties of tomatoes, I've planted my favorite Serrano peppers, yellow squash and cukes along with green bean seeds.

Gardening in the Ozarks is not easy, but I am determined. 

I also planted the herb garden. What a mess that was. Note the pile of leaves and 'vinca that ate Arkansas' at the top of the pic. I'm growing lots of basil, rosemary, sage, thyme, lemon verbena, lemon balm, last year's chives, one lone garlic plant that popped up out of nowhere, and the yummy asparagus that I enjoyed earlier this Spring from seeds I planted three years ago.

While these are not great photos, I suspect they will get better as the plants grow. Even at this early stage, they do represent high hopes. There can be no bigger thrill than growing, nurturing, and consuming fresh, wholesome home grown food.

I used to have a green thumb, but I never realized how easy it was to grow a garden in the rich topsoil I became accustomed to in Illinois. A bountiful harvest was nearly effortless. But that was before moving to the Ozarks. Things here are a little more labor intensive. Admittedly, I've had little success since living here. Whether it is soil, water, drought, too many bugs, plants too close together, the deer, rabbits, squirrels, skunks, raccoons, possums, and armadillos, eat that the plants, each year has been a learning experience. Perhaps this will be the year!

Beautiful, foggy, moody morning in the Ozarks

Foggy, moody morning

It is Springtime in the Ozarks, in what might be considered the rainy season.

Personally, I love everything about this time of year, especially the rain. We have had pretty dry conditions the last several years, so any amount of rainfall can only be considered beneficial.

Bleeding Heart weeps

Not only do April showers bring May flowers, but it also invokes a kind of moodiness that I just love.

My favorite lilac

Today is actually the first day in a while that it hasn't rained. At least moisture wasn't falling from the sky. Instead, moisture was all encompassing. It provided a thick blanket of fog and heavy dew. Moisture was everywhere; it might as well have been raining.

Leaves were covered with droplets, making this Bleeding Heart look like it was shedding real tears.

I took the opportunity to walk around the house. I let my nose lead the way, directing me toward various stands of lilacs. The fragrance was intoxicating.

My favorite is this double white lilac, which I've written about before. It is special to me.

Its leaves were also spotted with water droplets.

It's the little things

What a difference it makes to have a new ceiling fan just off the kitchen.

When we downsized from a five-bedroom house in the Chicago suburbs to our Ozarks country ranch house, I had no place for a sewing room. So, I claimed this little breakfast nook in our little house, as my sewing area. 

Its prominent feature is a huge window that faces south. Not only does it offer wonderful natural light, but has a great view of the backyard and a busy bird feeder right off the deck. The sunshine though, does make that space pretty warm. 

Yesterday, my husband and I installed a new ceiling fan. 

What a difference. I'd say this is our best and easiest home improvement fix in a long time. 

Not only will it enhance my sewing experience, but cooking should be greatly improved as well. There are no windows near the business-end of our galley-like kitchen. I think about those Christmas dinners when the turkey roasts in the oven for hours. Or there is the prep for Thanksgiving when non-stop cooking fills a holiday table with plenty of good food. 
 
Installing a ceiling fan was such an easy, inexpensive solution. I am all about problem-solving. This little solution really fills the bill. 
 

May Day in the Ozarks brings new friends and a little magic

Summer Tanager

It seems that every year I forget how spectacular Spring can be. It seems that every year I am reminded that this is my favorite time of year.


I noticed a Summer Tanager now lives among us. This little guy has been singing his head off, sitting on a branch right outside my office window. Look, you can see his mouth--er--beak open as he communicates with another. 

I love these guys and have been looking for them since I first spotted one when we first vacationed here in 1997.

I was a little worried about the hummingbirds a few weeks ago. They were late coming, with my seeing the first one on April 5. For the longest time I saw only one or two, then three. Well, no more worries, except perhaps how to afford all the sugar to feed them. We are inundated. That's OK, because I love these little critters. Yesterday, I counted six on one feeder. I don't usually see that kind of behavior until very late in the summer; never this early. Normally, they don't get along so well, fighting when somebody tries to eat nearby. Not this year though. We have five feeders in the yard and each of them has its share of active participants.

I just went onto the deck this May Day to bring out a bird feeder. We bring them in at night, because of raccoons and whatever else roams around. I was wearing a magenta chenille robe. One of the hummers, a little green female actually landed on me, just below and to the left of my chin. I had my camera with me, but there was no way I could turn it around fast enough to capture this sweet, apparently hungry, little bird. So, I just enjoyed the the moment. She was only there for an instant before making her way to the feeder. Magic moments!

For the winter weary, Spring is here!

I consider myself among the winter weary. Even here in the Ozarks, this winter was a little too cold, a little too snowy, and a lot too long. Despite it all, the calendar says it is Springtime, and until this weekend, that was good enough for me. I decided to take a walk around the property though, just to check it out--to make sure. I liked what I saw. I did!

The following are just a few of the subjects I had the pleasure to enjoy as I walked. 

I can't wait to enjoy the sweet fragrance and beautiful colors of the lilacs. This particular plant was here when we moved here nine years ago. It was among several bushes planted in the shade of the house. Then never bloomed until one year when we dug them up and moved them. Now, we get a few more flowers each year.

These lilacs are getting their leaves

Below is a Bradford Pear, intent on flowering. It won't be long now. We have a pair of them in the yard. I'm sure there will be more in the future as they are just delightful little trees. I always marvel at how early they flower. Often times, these are used by landscapers who use them to line driveways, sidewalks, or to decorate a small suburban front yard. We had no such organizational plan when we planted it, except as an anchor for a small garden. Basically, I just like it. Flowering is a plus on this attractive, perfectly shaped, conical tree that is beautiful in every season.

Bradford Pear about to bloom

Oh, the sweet scent of the hyacinth...Is there anything more lovely? I have always loved this sweet staple of the Springtime garden. Rarely do I see the flowering bulbs in a garden center, that I don't go over to take a whiff of its intoxicating fragrance. As one of the earliest flowering bulbs, it remains one of my favorite Springtime garden pleasures.

Soon-to-be white hyacinths

Our property, which sadly doesn't have many wildflowers, is peppered with these lovely little Wild Asters--at least I think that is what they are. They are tiny little lavender clumps and are abundant at this time of year. When I first moved to the Ozarks, I was amazed at the wildflowers that grow in some of the most unusual places. If only people chould be as strong as these tiny woodland flowers. They appear every year, no matter the weather, even if snow is on the ground. They can be found in pathways, in lawns, gardens, and anywhere else they feel like growing. They are tough, little flowers that only make me want more. Their perfect little daisy-like petals are simply lovely. And what a beautiful sight for winter-weary gardeners.

Wild asters

It is a ritual of Spring to look for the daffodils. Like clockwork, they bloom each Spring with a satisfying reliability. They too are tough little flowers that have the ability to brighten any Spring day. It won't be long before these turn into that sunshiny, yellow cupped flower, some of which always make it into the house. Often times, they are the first bouquet of the year. These plants were also here when we moved in. We moved here in January, so I had no idea what was planted previously. What a delight it was to see them pop through the layers of dead oak leaves, and then to produce their lovely yellow flowers. I have since planted many more, in different colors and varieties. I love them all.

Daffodil buds

Who doesn't love the look of a Crab apple tree in full bloom? I am still waiting for that lovely view. This young tree, planted a couple years ago to commemorate Earth Day, just one month away, is still young, but I'm hoping it flowers this year. On our woodland, rocky property, I'm just grateful that any tree we plant survives. This one looks to be in good shape, which pleases me greatly. Crab apple trees are a delicacy for deer. I don't now how they missed this one, since they are never too far away. Lucky, I guess. This will be a pink flowering crab, and I can't wait to see it in bloom. Maybe this is the year...For now, I'm just thrilled to call it a sign of Spring.

Crab apple tree

This is the bud of a magnificent Magnolia tree. I was very worried since just as the buds began to swell, we had a cold, and snowy day, complete with freezing rain. There is a little damage on some of the buds, but overall, it looks like we will have a tree full of flowers very soon. I just love the look of magnolias in bloom.

Magnificent Magnolia

Yes, there will be strawberries! This year, I will mulch with straw, apply diatomaceous earth, and spray a mix of garlic and peppers to ensure that I will get berries. These plants produced beautifully last year, but I didn't get any of fruit thanks to the slugs and sow bugs that ate them all. My turn this year!

Strawberry plants

Finally, one of the best signs of Spring in our yard is 'Bout Time Creek. This is actually a dry creek bed, but as you can see, it is now wet. Love Springtime! In fact, it is about time it is wet, thus the name. This runs through the back yard and as the water trickles from the higher ground east of us, it makes the most lovely music. I could listen for hours.

'Bout Time Creek

Deerierres!

I couldn't resist posting this picture. I call it Deerierres! 

I've seen deer in the backyard all the years we've lived here in the Arkansas Ozarks, 

but I've never seen an entire herd foraging like this backstage view of a line of chorus girls before.

I love living in the woods!

Winter weather is upon us

Winter weather can be scary. I'm hoping that isn't the case today and tomorrow with Winter Storm Cleon...

As I write at my desk next to a window, an icy rain is falling. It is noisier than the usual precipitation as frozen pellets bounce along the ground and bombard the remaining red oak leaves still attached to branches and twigs. There is a kerplunk every time ice chunks hit the metal surface of the heat pump just below my window. The poor thing is working hard to crank out enough heat to warm the house even as it gets pelted from the frozen rain falling from a near colorless sky. Work harder I say, since it is never quite warm enough in the winter for my liking.

This atmospheric onslaught is the first of what promises to be a long couple of days, according to the experts who meticulously study their computer models. I fear they may be right, as the coating of ice is covering most of the ground now and drops of liquid has frozen in place, defying gravity as it hangs from every surface. Parts of the trees are now frozen in place, stiffly moving as a unit when a breeze blows, rather than as individual leaves, branches, and twigs. The wind seems to be picking up a little too. That isn't good.

This is the kind of weather we in the Ozarks have been dreading.

Arkansas' 2009 ice storm was pretty devastating to trees and shrubs

No one wants a repeat of the dreaded ice storm a few years ago that left so many of us without power for days. My husband and I didn't have electricity for five days. The ice storm was one of the worst things I'd ever seen. The damage was widespread. We still have some damaged trees on our property. I hope it doesn't get this bad!

The latest word from the weather watchers is that the temperature is continuing its downward spiral. The result will be that the icing turns to snow. We could get a significant amount of it too.

Snow is OK with me, just as long as it doesn't become excessive. All things in moderation...

 I hope I can provide a weather update tomorrow or the next day. That would require electricity, which I hope we still have. For all the people in the way of Winter Storm Cleon, stay safe and warm.

Fall 2013, a magical time in the Ozarks

It isn't often that we see bucks in the backyard. I can count on one hand the number of them that we've seen in the 9 years we have lived here in the Ozarks.

I can't help but wonder, as I look at this fine fella, if I had seen him before, perhaps as a little spotted fawn obediently following his mom around the yard.

An imposing figure, this buck

Bucks certainly do grow up to have a different look than the does we've seen. And then there is their attitude. Clearly, they are more aggressive in their behavior. But then, it is rutting season after all.

This was actually the second buck we saw--two in one day--which probably indicates it was a busy day for the local deer population.

I can only wonder what took place in our woods earlier in the day. I just hope it results in some new little friends in the Spring. I dearly love watching the does with their fawns as they romp around the yard, grazing and playing. I like to call them deer puppies because they scamper just like pups. I suppose all baby animals do. I just don't have much experience with animals, other than household pets. Oh, I've seen all the television shows and of course been to the zoo, but I certainly never dreamed I would have a wild kingdom right in my own backyard. To me, this is magical.

As I look at this guy, I know my eyes see him so differently than others might. After all, I live in an area where hunting is an established way of life. Venison is a staple here in the Ozarks. I try not to think about that, but plenty of people eat venison on a regular basis. I can certainly understand hunting for food, but. I dislike hunting as a sport. Sorry, that's just me.

So, here's to Fall in the Ozarks, a truly beautiful time of the year. And this year, has been one of the most beautiful I can remember.

A much younger buck whose antlers are just starting to grow

Rain is done; back to watering

'Bout Time Creek after about 8 inches of rain

This summer has been spectacular, in my view. With cooler temperatures--right now it is a comfortable 69.6º at 10:00 a.m. It may reach 75º at the hottest part of the day. I call this perfection, especially for the middle of August in Arkansas. The windows are open and the breeze feels heavenly.

We have finally had enough rain! After two weeks, the rain finally ended a couple days ago. In fact, I had to water my plants again. They are now spoiled after enjoying such a good soaking every day. The Ozarks experienced a very rainy spell--like nothing I have seen before--at least not during an Arkansas summer.

It rained nearly every day for days on end. Some areas north and south of us were inundated, receiving far more rain than we did. It resulted in flash flooding that destroyed property and even took lives. That wasn't the case here. In fact, the dry creek bed that traverses our property flowed at hardly more than a trickle. 

A few years ago, my husband, John, named our creek. One spring after a heavy rainfall--13 inches I believe--the water rushed like a torrent, draining areas of higher elevation. It sounded like Niagara Falls. He said it was 'bout time there was water in it. So he started calling it 'Bout Time Creek. The name stuck. By the way, I haven't heard it like that since.

Our total rainfall was nowhere near what others received. Unfortunately we didn't monitor rainfall totals over the entire event. Rather we simply noticed two inches here and three inches there. I think the most was four inches at one time. Other communities north of us received two and three times that amount in one day. Here, the ground was so deficient it never really got saturated to the point of becoming mere runoff which explains why the creek never raged. The photo above was taken just a day after the last rainfall. 

I loved waking up to the sound of rain and going to sleep to it as well. I never had this affinity for rainy days before, but I now look at rain as nurturing and so necessary to the survival of all living things. I have come to really enjoy a good rainy day. At times I sat on the front porch enjoying it and watching the birds, seemingly frenzied, as they scurried back and forth from a nearby tree to their feeder and back again. In my mind, they seemed to enjoy the moody days too. 

Some of my friends began to complain about the dark and dreary conditions. I just couldn't relate. 

I suppose I remember all too well what it was like just a year ago when temperatures hovered over 100º for days on end. We couldn't get a drop of rain to save our lives. I watched clouds form overhead only to disappear before my eyes. I didn't think it would ever rain again. I was afraid our well would run dry or all our trees would die. I watched all my plants that I so carefully planted and cared for during the spring months perish in the parched conditions, the unyielding sun burning everything beneath it. The drought was considered extreme. It was really bad. 

So a few days ago when the rain finally ended, I was disappointed. The result of our many rainy days is renewed hope for my garden, which is now thriving and producing. My flowers, some of which I feared would die after becoming lunch for the deer, have recovered and are now blooming again. The rain was like waving a magic wand over the landscape. I plan to enjoy the benefits until we receive our next rain event. Until then, I don't mind watering. It is one of my most favorite chores.

Gardening can be a challenge

Springtime Azaleas 

One of my favorite summertime tasks is watering the gardens. That is a good thing, because it never seems to rain at our house. I cringe when I hear news of flash flood warnings, 30 miles to the north or south of us. Here, nary a drop. This lack of rainfall is becoming habitual. We sure could use the rain.

While watering is my favorite chore, calling what I have 'gardens' may be a misnomer because since moving to the Ozarks, I have been completely garden-challenged. I used to pride myself on having a green thumb, but that was in Illinois, the land of perfect tilth in a rich, deep layer of topsoil. I really do miss Illinois dirt.

I have gardening successes now and then, such as my herb garden that is sporting a rosemary plant so healthy it may take over the entire back yard or the vinca that stands up to anything and grows and spreads wherever it can. I let it have its way, because it is alive, pretty, green, and has flowers. Besides, there are snakes living in it and I see no reason to disrupt their happy home. I can also grow hot peppers extremely well, which is one of my favorite things to grow and to eat. However, high achievement generally is not the norm. When I set out my first plants with all the hope and expectation of a new, novice Ozarks homeowner, I never counted on the animals that live in the woods eating everything I put into the ground or the extremely hot conditions that turn healthy plants into crispy critters, or the nitrogen-starvation in the soil that prevents anything other than trees to grow in my woodland landscape.

Still, I try. I will conquer this gardening thing!

I thought I solved my tomato gardening escapades when my husband built a lovely raised bed garden for me. Last year, I actually ate tomatoes, albeit not as many as I had hoped. Tomatoes will generally grow anywhere, except at my house.

The current condition of the many different heirloom varieties I've planted are now just sticks. Something is eating them, although I have no idea what. I can't find a single tomato hornworm, and I have checked at various times of the day. Thankfully I have tomatoes planted all over the place in pots on the deck, the patio, on the stairs--places the deer haven't gone yet. I refuse to be tomato-free this year. Whatever is eating the leaves is very curious. There are little drills in the dirt that look like ant hills, but with a large shallow hole the size of a marble in the center. I have no idea who is making those. I don't even know if they are coming from the surface and escaping under ground or if they are living under ground and coming up.

Flowers don't do much better at my house. My husband and I just spent some quality time moving landscaping bricks from the backyard herb garden. He recently enlarged it, to accommodate the rosemary. He used landscape timbers. Our aim was to build a small retaining wall, since our front yard is heavily sloped. We have tried various plants, but so far, the only thing that grows are lilies, daffodils, and irises. But there is another problem. The deer help themselves to every flower they see. They have even walked on the front sidewalk and onto the porch to grab something.

A flower garden in the making

Deer just make themselves at home here. I'm flattered, but stop eating my flowers!

I just planted some cone flowers--native plants--thinking they will do well. I've tried amending the soil with bone meal to add phosphorous and blood meal to add nitrogen. The plants were actually showing signs of life. I watered carefully every day during the hot weather. I woke up one morning and the flower heads which were just about to show color, were gone along with most of the leaves. It is my rogue deer friend, Sarah. Not only does she drink from the bird bath, as state in a previous post but she helps herself to flowers too. She and her friends have eaten every living thing that I've put in the ground. We have sprayed all kinds of natural products that promise to repel deer and snakes and chiggers and ticks, apparently to no avail.

This is disheartening, but it is also a learning experience. I will not give in. I will grow beautiful flowers and vegetables if it kills me.

Ozarks adventures with Sarah the rogue deer

Sarah, my rogue deer friend

The weather has warmed up significantly here in the Ozarks, after a long string of spectacular summer days. In fact, it is now downright hot outside, just like summer. So, my most important chore, aside from watering the plants is to fill the bird baths. We have three of them in the front yard, strategically placed so the birds can partake whenever they like. 

This morning, after I finished filling them, just as I turned to rehang the hose on its holder, I noticed my rogue deer friend, named Sarah after another creature that liked to call herself a rogue, watching me intently. I consider her a rogue because she seems totally fearless and is always by herself. She has even made her way onto the front porch to nibble on my plants. 

This morning, she kept eyeing me, almost as if to ask my permission to drink from the bird bath I had just filled. I began talking to her, of course telling her it was alright. While she is very bold when there is no one around, she was a little less so with my standing there gawking at her. She inched her way, always keeping her eyes peeled in my direction. Finally she made it all the way there and began to drink. She was thirsty alright, drinking all the water before running off into the woods. I filled it up again right away. This must be done several times during the day when it is this hot. Funny, I'm sure she'll be back.

I wish I'd had a camera handy, but alas, a photo of Sarah looking at me from a few days earlier will just have to do. 

It is this kind of encounter that keeps me pleased with our decision to move to the Ozarks. My husband and I absolutely love it here. Despite the challenge of trying to mix gardening and wildlife adventures, I couldn't be more pleased with the opportunity to be up close and personal with these beautiful animals. I love and respect all living things, except snakes. They have my respect; love, not so much. The deer though, are my absolute favorites.

My life is becoming all about healthy food

My idea of a perfect breakfast 

Despite this not being a perfect picture, this is an image of a perfect breakfast.

It consists of two eggs over-easy, yolks in tact, swimming in hot sauce. The fruit are fresh, organic, homegrown peaches, I picked myself.

I've decided, that in my quest to eat healthier, I would forgo the toast with butter and jelly for a piece of fresh fruit to go with my eggs. I eat whatever is available. Sometimes it is fresh strawberries, but with these luscious peaches available, they made for a great morning addition. Who needs bread, gluten, unhealthy genetically-modified wheat when I can eat fresh, organic, homegrown peaches. To me, this is the kind of no-brainer that has become the guiding principle of my eating healthy lifestyle.

Unfortunately, there are setbacks. I am married to a junk-food junkie who still brings me my favorite potato chips from the grocery store. I'm not complaining. It is a lovely gesture. And the bags are the single-serve size. No matter the size, bags of chips are mostly air these days, so I don't think it is hurting me too, too badly. And for some reason, I love the flavor of Ruffles Sour Cream and Cheddar potato chips.

I will atone for eating them by making a great big salad for supper and no lunch. I don't mind combining lunch and supper. That seems to be the natural thing. I'm not really hungry for lunch, especially after such a great, delicious breakfast.

I have a little guilt over those beautiful peaches, though certainly not from eating them. My guilt is from picking them. This is the first year for our tree. I've since read that fruit should be pinched off the first couple years in order to establish the tree's roots. Well, here in Arkansas, I'm not sure I'll get another year, since all the deer in the neighborhood will probably eat the thing--they are eating everything else. I can't really complain too much about that. After all, we moved into their forest. We are fortunate they let us live here.

Because we just planted that peach tree last year. I was astonished that it had flowers this year, let alone

Home grown, organic peaches

peaches. I looked at it every day. Though it was quite a ways from the house, I could see the peach-colored fruit across the yard. I knew the dozen or so peaches on it were starting to get ready to be picked. Every day I looked at it until the other day, I didn't see my peaches. I thought the worst. As it turns out, I didn't see the peaches because the entire top half of the tree was leaning toward the ground, heavy with the ripening fruit. Immediately I picked them. They weren't quite ready, but I figured they could finish ripening on the counter. They did just that. The tree is now standing tall and proud once again, and my breakfast plate has a perfect companion to my over-easy eggs. Bottom line--life is good in the Ozarks.

Latest gardening challenge in the Ozarks

Such a busy springtime in the Ozarks this year. Weather has been the watch word of this season with such monster tornadoes in too-close-for-comfort, neighboring Oklahoma. I spent half my time hoping the storms wouldn't come here and the other half hoping they would, with all the rain and  none of the accompanying fury, of course. 

Here in north-central Arkansas, we haven't really gotten much rain. There been an inch here and an inch there, but nothing that will make up for the hideous deficit we carried over from last year's drought. Last weekend we got 1.75 inches, which was quite welcome. It was the remnants of the storm that blew through Oklahoma and drenched most of Missouri. I guess we were lucky to get as much as we did. It usually just blows on by. 

This morning, Brandon Beck of KY3 News, reported that most of the station's Springfield, MO viewing area was far ahead--with upwards of 13 inches--over last year's rainfall totals. The area where I live however, was not even an inch above last year. That isn't good, since last year was desert-like. 

Still, I can't complain too much. This Spring, while not swimming weather, has been gorgeous. It started out rather cool, but the days of late have been nothing short of perfect. The garden is growing; flowers are blooming; I've renewed an interest in the color of my thumb--I'm hoping for bright green to match the woods during a heavy downpour.

Gardening in Arkansas is not without its challenges, even in the best of times. The biggest challenge this year is what to do about the Mock Orange. 

We have two of them, purchased and planted at the same time. Only one has ever bloomed. It is pictured above. It filled the front yard and porch with a fragrance that is so sweet it should be bottled. The other bush, which is not pictured has been relegated to nothing but a bunch of sticks. So far, it is still alive.It never has bloomed. This year, it was infested with tiny worms that ate all the leaves. Hungry buggers; had I not intervened they would have completely defoliated it. I refuse to spray poison, so I squirted them with the heavy stream of the hose. That worked for a while, but they they must have run back the moment my back was turned. The next day, the leaves and branches were loaded again. I sprayed them with the hose again. Only this time, I did a very heavy pruning as well. I hope the plant lives. Burning is my plan for the pests. I suspect they are sawfly larvae, although I'm not exactly sure. All I know is, they are the enemy.

It really is Spring in the Ozarks

Despite the variant temperatures that during at least one day this month, it required the air conditioner in the afternoon and heat at night. The calendar really does have it right; it is Springtime. 

This is the best time of year normally--my absolute favorite--even if this year it has been less than ideal. I'm trying hard to enjoy it anyway.

One day it was so warm that hubby and I just had to take a ride to the lake. I don't know how it is for anyone else, but I know there are just days when my psyche needs to see, hear, and smell the water.

We had a picnic lunch at a favorite spot and happened across this duck who must have had the same idea. He had just resurfaced, after a deep dive where he undoubtedly found something good to eat. 

On another day when a cold snap retreated just long enough to take a slow, leisurely walk in the backyard, I was captivated by this old, gnarly cedar tree, a real thing of beauty. 

I couldn't help but wonder what kind of critter installed that rock at the base of the tree. It was obviously being used as a front door to the entrance to someone's den.

One of the most lovely sights to behold, at least in my opinion, is that of the bluebird keeping watch as the female sits on her nest inside one of our many bluebird boxes. 

I love everything about these birds. 

I recall seeing them when I was very young, growing up in a Chicago neighborhood, but they had long since disappeared. It wasn't until visiting Arkansas on vacation that I was re-acquainted with them. Now that we live here, I'm so happy to share space with a bunch of blues. I find that absolutely thrilling.

Of course the hummingbirds are back. We have been waiting, with the feeders in place for almost a month. This year they came back April 13. 

My husband saw them first. I didn't see my first until a couple days later. At first there were only one or two, but they are coming back in some numbers now. By later this summer, there will be the usual feeding frenzy going on. 

Springtime is the time for one of my favorite Holidays--Earth Day. That was yesterday when this picture was taken, of our Earth Day crabapple tree.

I always like to commemorate Earth Day with some kind of tree planting. Even though this one is teensy, I have high hopes that one day it will fill the front yard with fragrant pink flowers. 

Spring really has come to the Ozarks, even if the signs can be rather illusive.