My New Wallpaper (on the computer)

Modern art lovers - you have to see this!!

On the First Day of Spring...

Mother Nature gave to me:  a sunshiny forsythia (scraggly, but in full bloom). This one started almost 29 years ago as a very small plant at the corner of the house.

Baby dogwood tree blossoms - I love them when they are green like this!

And some determined tendrils, saying...."AHA! I got you right where I want you!" I spotted this beside the door to my hair salon. The tendrils fascinate me, and had I not had someplace to go when I left there, I might still be photographing them!

I know that we will undoubtedly have some cooler weather again - perhaps even the cold will return with a vengeance. But this weekend, we are awash in sunshine and mid-70's temperatures, and I wish that all of you could be here and experience it (especially friends in the northwest, who are having yet another snowstorm.)

Odds and Ends

What a mess!! I'm glad this will be gone in about two months, but I don't want to be the one who has to scoop the leaves out. It is back-breaking work.

This well-gnawed bone appeared on my deck this morning. I surely would like to know what animal left it there. Maybe my foxes are back...or a raccoon. It is about 4 inches long and a little over an inch in diameter.

It has to be a portion of an animal's femur, don't you think?

The trees are beginning to bud, and I cannot wait to see the light green that comes with the first tiny leaves. It is my favorite color! As you can see from this last photo, the skies here were a gorgeous Carolina blue today. And North Carolina Blue reigns - at least so far - in the ACC Tournament being played in Greensboro this weekend. They defeated Clemson in a game they probably should not have won, but we're glad they did.  They will play the winner of the Duke-Virginia Tech game this afternoon.

It's Not Unusual....

said Tom Jones.....oh, but it IS....for me to have blooming potted plants* in the middle of November. Every time I look out the kitchen windows I am pleased and surprised to see the neon geranium blooms and the royal purple petunias. I have not played with the color on these photos; they really are neon!

And a close-up - so you can see the touch of red-orange in the center of the petals. 

I guess that grass seed we had put down in September took hold fairly well, even though we had no rain for weeks after it was seeded. Mr. kenju had to water it by hand or with the sprinklers; no easy task with the size of our yard. The yard men were here blowing leaves this morning and I thought I'd better take a photo before the rest of the leaves fall, although that doesn't usually happen here until February. Oak leaves are notorious for staying on the branches until the last minute of winter. 

*Who spotted the fairy in one of the photos?  

Odd and Ends from My Trip

Figs are plentiful this year, at least on my friend's fig tree. Most of the time her figs never ripen, but while I was there, her son found 4-5 that were ready to eat. It has been a very long time since I had a fig right off the tree - and it was definitely worth it! What you see in this photo are several unripened figs (but you knew that, didn't you?!)

In another bush nearby, down close to the ground, we found this perfectly formed bird nest. Too bad there were no eggs or babies in it.










We always go to the farmer's market in Charleston; a lovely outdoor area  nestled under Interstate 77. It is home to an indoor market also, where you can find all sorts of goodies and a restaurant to make your mouth water with fresh foods (Soho). Try the chicken provolone sandwich - you'll be very glad you did! I was surprised to see purple peppers along with yellow, green and red ones.





Don't shoot me. I had to show you this tomato porn. All of nature is repetitive, isn't it?
I nearly wet my pants when I saw that one!

I Think that I Shall Never See......Part Two

I Think That I Shall Never See...

This one looks like something at DisneyWorld. See the carvings?





































I love art and creativity, but nature is all I really need. What could be more artistic than the branches and mossy roots of these trees?

                                                          ***

Al of a sudden, the gizmo on blogger that controls alignment won't work. What's up with that? I don't like ragged margins on the right, darn it!

Today is a cool, overcast day - suited to cleaning and laundry. Yes, I know it is Sunday, but women who work have to do those things on the weekend. It must make mr. kenju feel guilty for doing nothing, because he always rants at me when I feel in the mood to clean, like it's a sin or something. Pooh.

This is the sight that greets me when I go to get a haircut. I took the photo standing just outside the doorway of my hair salon.

This croton plant is directly opposite the salon door, and it reminds me of the ones I saw growing in Mexico. They are so colorful; it's a party in a plant!

The newer leaves are usually green and yellow, and after they have been on the plant a while, they turn all shades of red and orange. They make wonderful houseplants, and you'll have color all year long.

I worked with Mel today; we delivered and set-up a Persian wedding for people from Iran. Unfortunately, the staff at the reception site was inexperienced, and the banquet manager was quite possibly doing his first event. That would be a good explanation for his confusion. I have never seen a more FUBAR site preparation in my 28+ years in the business. He spent more time correcting the mistakes of his staff because he didn't spell out what he wanted in the first place. It was a classic case of a man being passive-aggressive, and his staff being inexperienced (or perhaps not caring). The wedding was to start at 5pm, and when we arrived there (about 1pm) the ballroom had not been set up for the reception yet; in fact, it was still set up with the tables from the previous night's event.
After we did all we could in advance of the tables being set-up with linen, we waited. They had to send someone out to buy more table mirrors, after it was discovered at the last minute that they didn't have enough. Folks, I submit that should never happen!

Because there were three different types of centerpieces for the 28 tables, we couldn't just leave them for the staff to put in place. So, we had to wait until all the tables were ready and in position before we could complete our set-up. A classic case of hurry-up-and-wait! One thing made it be not so boring, however, and that was watching the family and guests arrive. What a handsome group of people!! The swarthy, well-dressed men and the women, each one more gorgeous than the last. Many of the women had lustrous black hair flowing down their back, and it seemed that each one was determined to outdo the others in dress and jewelry. I know they must have had a contest to see which one could wear the highest heels! Those shoes made my feet hurt just looking at them!

I am exhausted, but I knew you'd be expecting a post today so I dragged myself out of my recliner and stopped here at the computer before going to bed. Photos of today's wedding will come soon, but I make no promises.....LOL

Nature Bits + A Gift

This sight greeted me on Wednesday when I went out back with the camera. She lay there for 2-3 minutes and then ambled off to her sister, who was grazing nearby.

This morning, as I went out to go to work, the same two deer were grazing about 15 feet from my side garage door. I said good morning and they pretended to graze, but I know they were watching me closely. I hope they will continue that!

I saw this seed cluster on the deck and it made an impression on me. Most of the time we see these seeds lying singly on the ground. I don't remember seeing so many attached like this. I thought you should see it too.

***

You've heard me complain before about the keyboard that came with my computer. Nearly all the letters had some parts worn off and I had made little sticky notes with the letter for that key - lest I make even more typing mistakes than usual.

Imagine my surprise when I went to work today and learned that my employer's computer had been attacked by a "worm" and he had bought a new one. I was the recipient of his old keyboard, flat-screen monitor and scanner/printer - because the printer wouldn't work with Windows 7. Isn't that wonderful? I am already using the new keyboard (it's very uptown now, without the sticky notes) and mr. kenju's computer will soon be graced with the flat monitor. It will be fabulous to be able to get rid of the dinosaur of a monitor he has now, which takes up at least one third of the desk. He hasn't had his own printer before, so he will feel very smug, knowing he doesn't have to walk down the hall to use mine.

I'm not sure what I did to deserve the largess, but I will be eternally grateful. Thanks, Mel. You are one heckuva nice man.

My table on Easter Sunday was simple...

Egg - bunny - egg - bunny - egg.....well....you get the picture.

Mr. Bunny visits Mr. Monkey during Easter week.

My acuba has lots of new growth, and if the temperatures stay at 90*, those leaves will soon be burnt!

The roses are budding out, and the pollen continues to fall and.....













blanket everything. The frogs have mouths full of pollen and....








their footprints make nice shadows in the yellow dust.

Further Evidence...

A close-up of a weeping cherry tree in my daughter's
yard.

Bradford Pear trees outside my local K-Mart. These trees are in bloom all over our area now, along with flowering cherries and plums. Spring has sprung...

A branch of forsythia, reaching skyward. Is there any better harbinger of spring? Cutting a few small branches and bringing them in the house to bloom is a ritual here. Nothing brightens up a winter-weary home better than this!!

One of my three forsythia bushes. They reach peak bloom about 10 days apart, owing to their positions in the yard. This one was pruned severely last summer, so I am surprised that it has so many blooms on it now.

The Arboretum, continued

Please click to enlarge. I put the photos up in small format, since blogger is telling me that I've used 93% of the available allowance for photos.

At the entrance, a lovely small waterfall.










A huge camellia.










Japanese flowering apricot.











Snow drops (?)












A lovely new sculpture. I could sure use that in my garden!









Tulip Magnolia








Just a small patch of the hundreds of daffodils in bloom there.









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I think this is a variety of euphorbia, but Naomi can tell you - she has it in her header photo.











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Hellebores (Lenten roses)











Vinca











Walking stick.








Carolina Jasmine, just beginning to bloom.












Something I didn't know grew here; a giant redwood. Although it is big, it isn't a giant yet!