First Mater

Yesterday evening 26-April, I found a tomato on one of my hanging plants.
A good start for the new year.

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Back Yard

Last year, in the fall, I rubbed all the seed pods off the dried stalks.
This year everything came in twice as full.
The corn flowers have spread very well.
All that has fallen off are the caladiums, which cannot get enough sunlight.

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This Winter Has Been Too Cold

Just two weeks ago we were covered up with snow.  Not very deep but because of the cold it stuck for a couple of days.  This is the crepe myrtle in front of the house, ready for spring pruning.

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For My Relaxation

I hope this lasts through August.

The grass isn't doing so hot, but the Black Eyed Susans and the Dahlias and are doing just fine.

For My Burgers

Growing tomatoes and peppers in inverted pots. Tonight I'm going to pick a couple.

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On the side of the driveway.

These blooms never last long, except this year with the rain we've have many for more than a week.

Front Yard Roses

This bush always does well at the start of the season. Then the crepe myrtle tree fills out and the cow lillies grow tall and shade denudes the bush.

This time of the year is lots of work in the yard.

Irises

This time of year is great, don't swap spit with swine, keep the weeds down, and enjoy.

A Tree Grows in Georgia

This tree was a gift from the Lewis family.

Offered as a tribute to my brother Bruce.

More than a year old now, it is healthy and growing.

A Nice Walk

Down a road called Pleasant Street. Really. Because of the parking restrictions we had to park the car 3 times in one afternoon. The last stop did not have a time limit and the long walk down this Nantucket street was and unexpected trip through a gardener's competition.

Cherry Tomatoes

About a month ago I bought a kit for growing vegetables inverted. Then went down to Barnes Hardware and bought a tomato plant. Should have read the label a little bit better because the little fruit only gets to be about an inch in diameter.

It's just as well, the main idea was to be fun for the three children next door. Today they were each able to pick a tomato, only one of which was ripe. Their mom said it was good.

Hydrangia In The Front Yard

This was planted as a seedling three years ago. A gift from my bride's sister. The drought last year did it no , but nature has overcome, these are the first flowers that we had on the new bush.

Native to Japan cultivated varieties of H. macrophylla normally produce round heads of pink flowers, but may be blue, like this one is becoming, if there are certain chemicals in the earth, such as alum or iron.

The name hydrangia comes from the Greek for ‘water vessel’, for the cup-like seed capsules. (Genus Hydrangea, family Hydrangeaceae)

In the Front Yard

Not bad for the middle of May. This bush is always strong in the spring and weakens as the crepe myrtle tree fills out above it.

A Tree Grows In Brooklyn

This tree grows in my back yard. A gift from Nikki and Steve as an honor to Bruce. When the gift arrived we were in a drought, there was some apprehension on my part whether or not this would survive. Spring brings new life and these friends intention has been successful, this Golden Maple's life does remind me of my brother.

Thank you Steve and Nikki.

The title is same of a famous book McCort ripped off for Angela's Ashes.

Wisteria

Or more accurately Wisteria sinensis is a climbing vine native to China. This time of year you can see the vines blooming all over Georgia. The flowers can be white, violet, or blue as shown above. The vines grow in a counter-clockwise pattern clinging to tree trunks, limbs, fences and dilapidated buildings.

The plants can live to be over a hundred years old.

The plants contain the toxin glycoside, ingestion can cause nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.

An invasive species but it sure look nice for a couple of weeks.

This picture was taken in Hartwell Georgia this past weekend, the vines have enveloped a deserted farmhouse.

Cigarette Smokers

I grew up in a family of cigarette smokers, both parents, two grandparents and two brothers. Tried them a couple of times but they never took. Have always enjoyed the smell of cigarette smoke, with exception to the stale smell in a room used by smokers.

What the government does to cigarette manufacturers is total bullshit, where else in the world would a government make a corporation (person) advertise against itself? What the government does to smokers is even more oppressive, by applying sin taxes, pet projects funded by thieving elected officials.

There is one habit of smokers that drives me nuts. They think the world is their ashtray. For the last five years I've been pitching in as an adopt-a-mile volunteer. At any corner, before a driveway, or store, on the driver's side, the curb is littered with cigarette butts.

I support your right to smoke but quit throwing your garbage on our street.

Begonias and Impatiens

This rose bush never does bloom very well, but these little suckers sure have resisted this summer's drought very well. If you keep pinching off the buds the Impatiens will come back next year.

Back Yard

This is the first year in a few that my Black Eyed Susan beds came out without laying over before they bloomed. Kept the dog out of there.