May in Alabama

One year when I spent a couple of weeks in Texas, I came home to find all my plants dead and the grass copper-colored. That was in August.

This year I came home to a beautiful yard with plants I didn't even remember I had. This is an amaryllis taken from my grandmother's yard years ago. It hasn't bloomed in a long time, probably protesting being dug up and moved from state to state.



Strawberries in the back door pot, trying to hide them from the birds.


Marigolds and rosemary.
The mystery plant - maybe lavender?
I love smelling freshly-cut grass. This little tree has gotten too big for the yard boys to mow down this year. There's a double fence in the back, and my neighbor keeps it clean in between, but I told him I enjoyed the look of those vines hanging over the fence, so he left me some this year. Before Darby can come inside, she has to pick up all her toys and bring them in. You can see the rebellious look in her eyes here, as she had to go all the way to the fence to bring in her duck.

It's so peachful watering the plants in the evening just before dark, taking my time and just enjoying how clean and fresh everything looks afterward. The gardenias surprised me, as usual, with their blooms this morning. Their leaves are so pretty, a bloom is just a bonus.


Even Darby got hosed down, much to her disgust. To cheer her up, I put her Sheepie in a tree to make her go crazy trying to get it.

I took Mama to Prattville to a pain clinic to get a steroid shot this morning. We'll know in a day or so if it helps her any. She happened to get a nurse (Gail) who asked her a lot of questions, and Mama never minds talking. Gail was awed that Mama used a computer and still sewed and just took a halfway-across-the-country trip in a car. When the doctor came in, she said accusingly, "I looked up those pills you gave me on the internet, and some people said it sent them to la-la land." I told the nurse that she had her pictures on Facebook, and later on I could hear Gail telling people, "And she's even on Facebook!" Maybe I should sign her up.

A few more pictures from the trip:

One more reason to love Lubbock. The new Barnes and Noble.

I would need this.


I think I mentioned the wind in West Texas one or 20 times. I was really hoping to get to see some good stuff. It's hard to portray wind blowing by just a picture of a trees, but how about when it blows the stripes off the flag? This is the same flag last September when I was there.


Darby had a hard time keeping her ears out of her eyes.

We went by to visit with Doris and her unclothed (this time) Chihuahuas. They came out to the car to greet Mama and get some cuddling. I can't explain that corner. Not my work.

Mama was fascinated by the huge windmills and took a lot of pictures of them. The ones that scare me. This was also taken last year. Her pictures are probably better, but I don't have them on my computer.She says she doesn't want to go back any time soon, but she's glad she made the trip.

I wish I had some sewing progress to record, but I'm just doing a little cross-stitch and feather stitching around a baby blanket. I have a lot of work to do on feather stitching before I show a picture.

End of rambling.