End of the Month View May 2013

May 31 - June 1, 2013

To put first things first, my garden helper says, "Hi"
Now that the Kerria Japonica has finished its bloom time,
I pruned it back to reclaim this path at the end of the house.

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Trees:

Catalpa trees are native to the southern United States, the Carribean, and East Asia

The name comes from the Catawba tribe of American Indians.

It is a tall tree absolutely covered with showy blooms in mid to late Spring.

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If all goes well, we will have pears this Autumn.

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There are tiny apples beginning to form, too.

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Vegetables:

This is the first time I have grown Kentucky Wonder Pole Beans.

I am pleased at how fast they are climbing the trellis.
(Planted April 15)

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My bush beans got off to a slow start, but are growing well now. 

The friend who gave me the seeds is not sure exactly which bean they are.
There is a row of Clemson Spineless Okra behind them, but still very small.
I set up a soaker hose to water them. So easy. I really like it!

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The Tomatoes are blooming!

I think five plants are enough for the two of us this year:

Red Beefsteak, Jet Star, Super Fantastic, Sun Sugar, and Sweet 100.

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Flowers:

Roses!

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This one is pink in the bud, but blooms out a creamy white.

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My mother called this climbing rose 'Seven Sisters'

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Here is my latest purchase.

Carolina Jessamine vine can grow to 20 feet (about 7 meters).

Now I have the perfect reason to buy that garden arch trellis I've been wanting!

Happy Gardening!

On Saturday, visit Camera Critters to see more animal photos:  Click Here!

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T is for Tickseed Coreopsis May 29, 2013

Outdoor Wednesday and ABC Wednesday
T is for Tickseed

If I were in charge of naming plants,

I would call this pretty wildflower Sun Ray or maybe Sunny Days.

Unfortunately, it was named for the size and shape of its seeds.
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Native to North, Central, and South America, Tickseed's official name is Coreopsis.

The pink flowers in the background are Sweet William Dianthus.

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There are more than 100 named species of Tickseed.

These came from a packet of mixed wildflower seeds so

I do not know exactly which Tickseed they are.

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Hope you are having a bright, sunny day!

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To join in the fun at ABC Wednesday's T is for...  Click Here!

To enjoy outdoor photos, visit Outdoor Wednesday:  Click Here!

Variegated Rose May 25, 2013

I forgot the name of this rose.

Can anyone help me identify it?

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This is Straight Out Of the Camera.

The bright sunlight makes the petals appear to be a lighter color than they really are.

The few petals in the shadow show the true colors.

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Have a wonderful week-end!

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Visit Today's Flowers to see wonderful flower photos:  Click Here!

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Visit Weekly Top Shot to see bloggers' best photos for this week:  Click Here!

Onions May 24, 2013

As a beginning gardener, I have found onions to be one of the easiest vegetables to grow.

They are available as:

Onion seeds (in packets like many other vegetable seeds),

Onion bulbs (very small dried bulbs in mesh bags), or

Onion sets (sprouted onion bulbs sold in bundles).

I like to buy the onion bulbs.

I divided this package of 80 bulbs into 4 groups. One group I gave to a friend.
The other three groups were planted 10 days apart in March.
We like long green onions so I cover the bulbs with about 3 inches (8 cm) of soil.

For larger, round onions, plant them more shallow and farther apart.

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These were planted on March 8.

We pulled the first ones to eat seven weeks later on April 27. 

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If onions are left in the ground long enough, they will bloom and make seed.

I plan to save seed from this one (planted last year) and sow them in the Autumn.
I have not done this before, so we will see how this experiment goes.

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Occassionally there are twins!

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Even if you have to buy all your other salad ingredients as I did this week,

(lettuce, tomatoes, baby carrots, mushrooms, and sweet pickles),

Adding home-grown onions makes it special!
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In case you are wondering about my Black-Seeded Simpson Lettuce:
I am in the southeastern United States  zone 7.

When our temperatures go over 80F (26C), it is good-bye lettuce.

I can sow more seeds when the weather cools in September.

BTW, it is not unusual for our Summer temperatures to be over 100F (38C).

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Happy Gardening!

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If you are interested in growing your own salads,
Visit Veg Plotting for this month's Salad Days: Click Here!

Trumpet Honeysuckle May 22, 2013

Wildflower Wednesday!

Trumpet Honeysuckle, Lonicera sempervirens, is native to the Eastern United States

and as far west as Texas, Oklahoma and Kansas.

Blooming throughout the Summer, it is pollinated by insects and Hummingbirds.

Notice the interesting leaf formation.

Please visit Gail at Clay and Limestone for more wonderful wildflowers: Click Here!

Snails! May 21, 2013

ABC Wednesday and Outdoor Wednesday

S is for the lowly Snail

I spotted this snail on the path near my kitchen door Tuesday morning.

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As I moved around to see his other side, he sensed my presence and drew back into his shell.

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I waited quietly, and a few minutes later he poked his head out.

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And there he goes safely across the path!
Lucky for him he was near the house instead of in my garden.

You would be reading an entirely different blogpost!
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I hope you are having a wonderful day!

For more ABC Wednesday photos: Click Here!

For more Outdoor Wednesday photos:  Click Here!

Raindrops May 19, 2013

Raindrops on Butterflyweed, Asclepias tuberosa, Friday, May 17, 2013

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Other than cropping around all four sides

and adding my name, this is Straight Out Of the Camera.

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Have a beautiful day!
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For more SOOC photos, visit Straight-Out-of-the-Camera Sunday:  Click Here!

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For more Macro photos, visit Marco Monday:  Click Here!

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For more photos with a little or a lot of yellow, visit Monday Mellow Yellows:  Click Here!

Big Jay May 18, 2013

Six Word Saturday:
ROGL - Rolling On the Ground Laughing!

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Big Jay, 5 years old

Have a wonderful week-end!

For more animal photos, visit Camera Critters: Click Here!

To see life described in only six words, visit Six Word Saturday:  Click Here!

Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day May 2013

Mississippi, USA, Zone 7

This non-native wildflower Trifolium repens, White Clover, runs along one side of my driveway.

Native to Europe, North Africa, and West Asia, it now grows in many other parts of the world.

It is a valuable source of pollen and nectar for bees and butterflies,

and is sometimes grown to feed livestock.

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Another non-native wildflower Trifolium incarnatum,

Crimson Clover, is sometimes called Italian Clover.

I got this started from a packet of mixed wildflower seeds a few years ago.

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On a recent trip to the Garden Center,

I could not resist buying this hanging basket of mixed Petunias.

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Another recent purchase is Verbena Canadensis 'Homestead Purple' perennial Verbena.
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I wish I could remember the name of this pretty Clematis.

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Japanese Honeysuckle, Lonicera japonica, can be invasive if not kept trimmed back.

This one grows on an old stump that we mow around to keep it from spreading.

(Well, we will mow as soon as the White Clover has finished blooming!)

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I have a lot of Sweet William, Dianthus barbatus, in shades of red and pink,
but this white with purple streaks is my favorite.

It came from a mixed seed packet labeled 'Butterfly Mix' several years ago.

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And, of course, there are roses!

My favorite is Burr Rose, Rosa roxburghii.

Happy Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day!

To see what is blooming around the world, visit Carol at May Dreams Gardens:  Click Here!

Tupelo Farmers' Market May 13 2013

The Tupelo, Mississippi, Farmers' Market opens this Saturday, May 18, 2013 at 6:00 a.m.

It will continue to open on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays until the end of October.

This huge mural covers the entire side of the building next to the outdoor market space.

It was created last June by 

Tupelo High School art students under the guidance of their teacher Anna Lindsey Garner.

Have a wonderful day!

For more Monday Murals: Click Here!

For more Monday Mellow Yellows: Click Here!

Ladybug on Butterflyweed May 11, 2013

Asclepias tuberosa

At the Lee County, Mississippi, Master Gardener's plant sale last month,

I bought this Butterflyweed hoping to attract more butterflies to my garden.

A lot of insects are buzzing around, but I've seen only a few butterflies.
It is probably because we have had a very cool, almost cold, Spring.

Lady Beetles, Coccinellidae, are usually called Ladybugs in the United States,

and Ladybirds in other parts of the world.

Have a wonderful week-end!

To see flowers from around the world, visit Today's Flowers:   Click Here!

To see more Camera Critters: Click Here!

Rainbow May 9, 2013

 God set a rainbow in the clouds!    Genesis 9:8-17

Monday, May 6, 2013, Amory, Mississippi

Monday was a day of dark clouds and drizzling rain.

Late in the afternoon the sun broke through the clouds to show us this pretty rainbow.

Sir Isaac Newton gave the rainbow's colors the names we still use today:
Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Indigo, and Violet
Would it seem strange if he had decided Red was really Pink, and Violet was Purple?

Have a beautiful day!

To see skies all around the world, visit Sky Watch Friday: Click Here!

To enjoy photos with a little or a lot of orange, visit Orange You Glad It's Friday:  Click Here!

Baby Birds May 7, 2013

When I saw these babies sitting on the edge of their nest over our front porch light,

I knew they were ready to fly.

I had time for only a few photos before they were gone!

Three of them made it safely to the trees on their first try.
This one landed on the porch, then on the ground before it reached the safety of the trees.

I think these are Eastern Phoebes, Sayornis phoebe, but I am not sure.

Have a Wonderful Day!



For more wild bird photos, visit Wild Bird Wednesday:  Click Here!

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Green Market Day for May 2013

Welcome to the Corinth Crossroads! 

Corinth, Mississippi, was founded  in 1853 where two railroads crossed:

The Mobile and Ohio Railroad and The Memphis and Charleston Railroad.
The city was originally named Cross City, but the name was soon changed to Corinth.

The Crossroads Museum contains
American Indian artifacts, railroad history displays, aviation memorabilia,
and relics from the American Civil War.

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This more modern day caboose (built in 1970) is open for tours

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On the first Saturday of each month, April to November,
the Crossroads is transformed into The Green Market
 for local farmers, gardeners, craftsmen, and artisans to sell their wares.
(There is a regular Farmer's Market elsewhere in the city, too).

It was too early in the year for fresh home-grown vegetables,

but there was still plenty of locally produced food for sale.
In a nearby booth, a beekeeper was selling honey.

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The many craft booths added bright colors to the day.
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A local artisan produces lovely pottery!

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Several booths had plants for sale.
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And even if you don't have a green thumb, you can still have flowers!
The artist will add a name or phrase to personalize them.

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I hope you are having a beautiful day!

To see more interesting places, visit Our World Tuesday:  Click here!

If you enjoy red photos, like the Caboose, visit Ruby Tuesday 2:  Click Here!