Chinese Parasol Tree July 30-31, 2013

ABC Wednesday
C is for Chinese Parasol Tree

Chinese Parasol Tree, Firmiana Simplex, is a fast growing tree native to China.

There the wood is used to make musical instruments

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The blooms are really huge clusters of tiny flowers.

Because of its rapid growth and prolific seed production,

Chinese Parasol Tree is considered aggressive and invasive in some areas.

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In the Autumn, the leaves turn a beautiful yellow before they fall off.

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Have a wonderful day!

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Swallowtail Butterfly July 28, 2013

Swallowtail Butterfly on Buddleia, Butterfly Bush

Canon PowerShot G9, July 25, 2013, 9:41 am

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Have a beautiful day!.

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To start your week right on Monday, visit Monday Mellow Yellows:  Click Here!

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Butterfly Bush July 27, 2013

I went outside to prune off the spent flowers from the Butterfly Bush.

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And ran back inside to get my camera!

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We have not seen many butterflies this year.
So it was thrilling to see a half dozen Swallowtails all at once.

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Easy to see why Buddleia is called Butterfly Bush!

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Have a wonderful week-end!

For more beautiful flower photos, visit Today's Flowers:  Click Here!

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

Salad Day and Sky Watch Friday July 26, 2013

Every Friday is Sky Watch Friday.
And the fourth Friday of each month is Salad Day at Veg Plotting.

Growing your own salads

Basic salad ingredients are very easy to grow, and they don't need a lot of space.

It is not even necessary to dig or till the ground.

Just get some large containers (even a window box will do),

a bag or two of good quality potting mix, and a few packets of seed.

Follow the planting instructions on the seed packets.

Water well, and remember to water twice a week unless it rains.

You can be enjoying your own home-grown salads in just a few weeks!

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Today I have everything I need for a salad except lettuce!

But I'll be able to grow lettuce again when our weather cools off in September.

This is the last of the Spring Onions and Baby Carrots.

The Sweet 100 (red) and Sun Sugar (yellow) Tomatoes are fruiting very well.

The Jalapeño Peppers are called 'Fooled You'

You expect them to be hot, but they are really mild!

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Now for Sky Watch Friday

We've had over 4 inches (10 cm) of rain this week,

but now the skies are clear and the butterflies are swarming around the Butterfly Bush.

Happy Friday!

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For more Salad Days, visit Veg Plotting:  Click Here  for a quick look at Hydroponics.

To check the weather around the world, visit Sky Watch Friday:  Click Here!

B is for BeautyBerry July 24, 2013

This post is for:
ABC Wednesday, Wildflower Wednesday, and Outdoor Wednesday

ABC Wednesday:
B is for Beautyberry

Beautyberry, Callicarpa, is native to North America, Central America, Asia, and Australia.

A medium-sized shrub, it will grow in sun or shade if there is adequate moisture.

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Wildflower Wednesday:

American Beautyberry, Callicarpa americana, is native to the southeastern United States.

Blooming in mid-summer, the delicate pink blooms attract small bees and flies.

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Clusters of purple berries form in the Autumn.

They provide winter food for birds and small mammals.
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Outdoor Wednesday:

July is unusual this year in that we have plenty of rain.

As a bonus, rain clouds give us interesting sunsets.
Those streaks of light shining upward from the sun are called Crepuscular Rays.

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Have a wonderful Wednesday!

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For more 'B' photos, visit ABC Wednesday:  Click Here!

For more wildflowers, visit Gail at Clay and Limestone:  Click Here!

For more outdoor photos, visit Outdoor Wednesday:  Click Here!

Saturday's Sunset July 21, 2013

SOOC, Sunset, Saturday, July 20, 2013, Prentiss county, Mississippi, USA

The Heavens declare the glory of the Lord!

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Wasp on Butterflyweed July 20, 2013

Unidentified wasp on Butterflyweed.
Wasps are generally considered to be beneficial insects, as they prey on insect pests.
Some wasps are also attracted to the nectar in flowers.

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Butterfly Weed, Asclepias tuberosa.

If you are a regular reader of my blog, you may be tired of seeing Butterflyweed.

But it was in bloom when I bought it 3 months ago, and it has bloomed steadily ever since.

A wonderful addition to the garden!

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Have a Great Week-end!

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To see more flowers, visit Today's Flowers:  Click here!

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

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A is for Amory July 17, 2013

This post is for:
ABC Wednesday, Outdoor Wednesday, and Water World Wednesday
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A is for Amory, Mississippi, USA.

Located in northeast Mississippi, Amory's population was 7,316 at the 2010 census.

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Covered sidewalks along Main Street make shopping easy, rain or shine.

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There are always flags along Main Street in celebration of various holidays.

This month's flags are for Independence Day.

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Bill's Hamburgers are famous throughout the area.

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Get your lunch 'to-go, carry-out' and enjoy it at McAlpine Lake.

This small lake near downtown Amory is very peaceful and relaxing to visit.

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The highlight of the community's activities is the annual Railroad Festival at Frisco Park.

Have a Wonderful Wednesday!

For more 'A' themed photos, visit ABC Wednesday: Click Here!
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For more outdoor photos, visit Outdoor Wednesday:  Click Here!

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For more photos featuring water, visit Water World Wednesday:  Click Here!

Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day July 15, 2013

Tiger Lily

Butterflyweed



Oxalis



Phlox

Please visit Carol at May Dreams Gardens for more GBBD posts. Click Here!

Sky Watch Friday July 12, 2013

For more sky photos, visit Sky Watch Friday: http://skyley.blogspot.com

Have a wonderful week-end!

Zinnia July 9-10, 2013

ABC Wednesday
Z is for Zinnia

The Zinnia's native habitat ranges from the southwestern United States into South America.

Easily grown from seed, their bright colors make them garden favorites around the world.

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Outdoor Wednesday

Traffic Island, The Mall at Barnes Crossing, Tupelo, Mississippi, July 5, 2013

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Have a beautiful Wednesday!

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For more 'Z' photos, visit ABC Wednesday:  Click Here!

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

 

White Althea July 7-8, 2013

Rose of Sharon, Althea, Hibiscus syriacus

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Have a wonderful week!

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For more shadowy photos, visit Shadow Shot Sunday 2:  Click Here!

For more macro photos, visit Macro Monday 2:  Click Here!

Beautyberry July 6, 2013

Pollinating the Beautyberry, Callicarpa americana

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Beautyberry blooms at the base of its leaves,

and is an important source of nectar for bees and butterflies.

Birds eat the clusters of purple berries that follow after the bloom.

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Have a wonderful week-end!

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For more Today's Flowers: Click Here!

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Independence Day July 4, 2013

Amory, Mississippi, USA

Amid the festivities, take time to remember.

Happy Independence Day!
USA

Today I'm joining in with Thursday Thoughts:  Click Here!

Yellow Tomatoes July 2, 2013

ABC Wednesday
Y is for Yellow Tomatoes

Yellow tomatoes have less acid than the red ones, making digestion easier.

This is Sun Sugar, a small, sweet cherry-type tomato.

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Aren't they pretty in a salad?

The red tomato, Sweet 100, is very popular with gardeners in our area.

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In case you are interested in what else I have in my vegetable garden:

Kentucky Wonder Pole Beans, Improved Taylor Bush Beans (with red on pods),

Sweet Cayenne Peppers, Mild Jalapeño Peppers (dark green),

and White Onions harvested today, July 2, 2013.

And now for Outdoor Wednesday:

Blanket Flower

I got this started from a packet of Mixed Wildflower Seeds several years ago.

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Have a beautiful day!

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Rockabilly Highway July 1, 2013

Artist Brian Tull created this huge mural in downtown Selmer, Tennessee, USA

in celebration of Rockabilly Music and west Tennessee's musical heritage.

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Rockabilly is one of the earliest styles of Rock and Roll music dating from the early 1950s

It combines features of Rock and Roll, Blue Grass,
Rhythem and Blues, and Country music.

On March 26, 2008 the Tennessee Legislature passed a bill naming

Highway 45 South from Jackson, TN, to the Tennessee/Mississippi state line

The Rockabilly Highway.

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The model for the mural is the Nashville-based Rockabilly group

Phil Hummer and The White Falcons.

Some of the earliest musicians recording Rockabilly music were:

Carl Perkins, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Elvis Presley

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Each summer (it was June 8th this year) there is a Rockabilly Highway Revival Festival:

Antique Car Show, Food, Fun, and Music, Music, Music!

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Have a wonderful week!

For more Monday Murals:   Click Here!

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For more photos featuring Red, visit Ruby Tuesday 2:  Click Here!

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