It's a Great Day in May!

Today I'm blessed with another beautiful day and the mosquitoes are not bad at all. Maybe all that spraying the city's been doing helped or maybe the breeze we've been having blows them away, but I'm thankful about having a little reprieve - for now! I visited my friend at Bank's Lake again, and, as usual, we sat outside on the bench, just talking and watching nature. I did see another alligator (with the binoculars) but it wasn't close enough for a good shot with my little camera. She told me that earlier this morning a big 8 footer was laying on the boardwalk and I could have got a really good picture. Maybe I'll try going there earlier in the mornings and see. Here are some pictures that I thought turned out really well, considering I don't have a fancy camera:
This picture to the left, is me looking down from the landing of the boardwalk, onto a protruding patch of land with cypress roots growing up from under it and the reflection of the opposite trees in the water. I thought it looked kind of interesting. Afterwards, Gizzy and I stopped at Roquemore Memorial Park. We saw a few new memorials that were added recently. Gizzy had to run straight to his favorite "Rocky's Bridge" memorial. Then, we strolled around while I took some scenic pictures.
This memorial is one of my favorites. It commemorates the departing of a beloved daughter. It's a lovely statute of a girl reading, surrounded by beautiful roses. The roses' first bloom is almost over, but they bloom continually all year through autumn. They have a lovely, fruity fragrance.
Here's a close-up of one of the remaining big blossoms:



















Lastly, Gizzy tried out the swings to see if they're still Gizzy-proof and that's the resulting short movie clip of him swinging:


(just click on the right-arrow to view - it's very short!)

Here are some stills for those of you with a slow internet connection and no patience - you know who you are ;-)




Maaaaam, I'm ready to go now.....












And this, ladies and gents, is what happens when a woman has no grandkids. Have a nice May!

Dragonflies are my friends

Not only do I love bees, but I have always enjoyed watching the dragonflies. I recently became even more enchanted with them when I learned that they also eat mosquitoes, which makes them my allies.

I was at Bank's Lake again today and managed to snap a photo of one that actually flew closer as if to pose for me:


















While Gizzy and I were walking around, I noticed how pretty the clouds looked (I love big, puffy, cumulus clouds) and decided to take a few pictures of the sky as well:


















One of these days, I'll get a better zoom lens, but for now, you'll just have to double click on the pictures to make them bigger, but take a look at all the rows of water lilies floating amongst those cypress trees in the water. I just love them!
















We didn't stay long because it was windy and Gizzy was antsy, but I enjoyed the little outing and I'm thankful for having this lake so close by. Tomorrow, my friend is working at the Outpost again, so I may go and visit with her for a while. Who knows? Maybe I'll spot another alligator.
These two fishermen headed in also as we walked to the car to leave:

Just can't get enough of all that Green stuff!

(Remember to double click on the pictures to make them big)












Today, I'm going to talk about my surroundings. This post is primarily for my family and friends' benefit who live far away. Yes, I have a tiny apartment and yes, it's not particularly in the most prestigious and modern of neighborhoods, but you know what? I've been there, done that and I'm here to tell you that a fancy big house and an ocean view does not necessarily for happiness make.
















I live here amongst all this greenery (and yes, the mosquitoes too) but I just love looking out my windows and doors and see green all around me. It gives me the impression as if I were on a perpetual camping trip. Isn't that funny? Looking at all this green is medicinal to my eyes and it soothes my soul.
















Fuer meine Familie in Deutschland: Ich hoffe dass Euch diese Bilder gefallen. Die habe ich von meiner Wohnung heraus geknipst um Euch zu zeigen, wie schoen gruen hier alles ist. (Bitte auf die Bilder zweimal druecken damit sie gross werden)
















I feel lucky to have all these trees around me because some of the apartments have little or no shade. I'm also happy for the birds that chirp and sing continuously - it sounds like a tropical rain forest here. It is a perfect place for my cat, Middi, who practically lives on the window sills because bird watching is her specialty.
















Middi is also an accomplished lizard observer:

Earth Day 2009

In honor of Earth Day today, I took a few photos and a nice little video clip from my walk around Lake Irma with Gizzy this morning.




I hope you can hear the birds singing. I love listening to all those different sounds. When I close my eyes, I can imagine being in a tropical rain forest somewhere. I just don't understand why there are so many mosquitoes with all those birds around. Don't birds eat mosquitoes? I know dragonflies do. Maybe I need to start raising them.



(Click arrow ABOVE to view video)

I set my alarm and we headed out early, since I learned that all the mosquitoes in Georgia are now after ME! Apparently it must be open season for DORIS! No matter what I do, they attack me. I sprayed repellent everywhere (or so I thought) but must've missed a spot between my fingers. Well, guess where I got stung? Also, they sting right through my clothes. I give up! For me, resistance is futile. I need a beekeeper's outfit! Or do like I do every summer - go out very early in the morning and then stay inside for the rest of the day! (poor Gizzy)

Here's a picture of Gizzy and I that a friend took when she came walking up with her two dogs.



















On the way back home, we saw this log cabin that someone's building around the corner from where I live (they've been working on it for a while)


















Lastly, please click below to see how Valdosta, Georgia, celebrated Earth Day:

Valdosta Daily Times

Mary, Mary, Quite Contrary...

Well, my name's not Mary and I really don't have a garden per se, but I do have some potted plants and some that I was able to plant around and outside of my apartment building.

I have this big Aloe Vera plant in a pot, that really needs to be placed in the ground, but I will need to hire some muscles because it's very heavy. Unfortunately, a lot of the outside leaves got frost bitten this winter and can be discarded. I use the Aloe Plant's leaves all the time to soothe my rash that I get on my forearms when I crochet or knit too long. It really works well for me.

To my surprise, it blooms yellow, not red, like I'm used to seeing, but that was in Laguna Beach California. I learned everything so different here.
























Around the corner, at the side of the building, I have planted some rose bushes that are blooming now.
















I have one yellow rose bush


















two red heirloom rose bushes




















and two pink heirloom rose bushes.




They are of the smaller variety and smell very, very sweet. Right now I'm enjoying the colors, but later in the summer, I will probably make some more potpourri.

Finally, I want to show you a beautiful, large Amaryllis flower. My neighbor has this plant in a pot on the porch, but they grow in the ground, plentiful like daffodils and tulips in the spring. This one is quite large. I would guess about 10" to 12" in diameter:


My neighbor holding the two big blossoms together so that I can fit them in one frame. Aren't they huge?

No More Homeless Animals Day Celebration!

On Saturday, April 11th, 2009 was our town's 3rd Annual "No More Homeless Animals Day" that we celebrated at Roquemore Park with live music, a bake sale, pony rides, reading of poetry and the handing out of various awards, one of which was given to Chestnut Village, the apartment complex where I live, for helping to raise funds to get our stray and feral cat population spayed and neutered. Here's the certificate:
















After a few initial threatening rain clouds, it turned out to be a beautiful, sunny day and everyone had a fine time. It was a small crowd (about 30 people, not counting the musicians) but we're hoping the event will continue to grow with every coming year.



Here is the awards ceremony in recognition of folks in the community (public and private) who have helped in an effort to control animal population in our city.



















I enjoyed the music, especially the song about "Homeless Jimmy who lives on the street" (even though it made me cry) and I'll never forget the "My little Artichoke heart" song that still dances in my head.



















We had some poetry readings (this one is about the Rainbow Bridge)

















I also read my own poem that I wrote about the disappearing honeybees called "Falling"

I am a Western Honey Bee,
I work both day and night,
collecting honey from a tree
and plants to save my hive.

Sometimes my fellow worker bees
get lost, I don't know why.
When I return to my colony
they are nowhere in sight.

What is this thing called CCD?
What is a bee to do,
but keep on working busily
making honey for me and you.

I heard it in the willow wind,
it whispers to us all:
"we've been around for millions of years,
don't let the last bee fall!"

We had a bake sale and I brought my crocheted and knitted items that I was offering for donations. I raised about $35 and all together, we made over $150 during those four hours in the park on Saturday. My neighbor's daughter brought her two horses to provide "pony" rides for a donation and even some adults got in on the fun:





ABOVE is a little movie clip on how to get on a horse once you had a hip replacement (I had two of them)

















I really enjoyed this event, especially because now we can have our homeless cats spayed and neutered. We're implementing the TNR program and have already established a couple of feeding stations - away from the apartments - so that we can set our traps next month when the mobile Vet comes to our town.

I also won a prize for getting the answer correct for this question: "How many marine animals lose their lives every year due to plastic?" (the answer is: 30,000)

I won this cute little kitty air freshener - a toy dipped in soy wax with cinnamon scent. Not only does it look adorable sitting there, but it also makes my apartment smell very nice. When the scent starts to fade away, all you need to do is to blow some hot air from a hair dryer on it to reactivate the scent.


















All in all it was a very successful fundraiser and I'm glad to have been a part of it. I believe everyone had a very nice time. I hope that next year, this "No More Homeless Animals" Day Celebration will draw an even bigger crowd!

















Some came just to eat...


















and to look good!