First Roses of Spring

Blooming again this year in the garden we have the hearty miniature yellow rose bush Randy planted for Sarah when we moved into our house four years ago. It's little, but it's strong and diligent... kind of like Sarah herself. It comes back faithfully every year.

Also back from last year is the peach rose that Randy and I don't know what kind it is. I wish we did. Whatever it is, it's beautiful.

I love the intense green of the leaves.

New to the garden this year is a Tropicana rose bush. Randy and I saw them in Connecticut at the Norwich Rose Garden last summer and the summer before.

The plants are growing quickly now that the weather is warmer. Every day there is something new to see and photograph.

An Easter greeting for our friends and family......

(Click here:)

Happy Easter!

Garden Update

Randy is working hard and long to get plants in the ground now that we have nice weather. The garden doesn't look like much yet, but in a few weeks, we'll be hunting for these pictures to see the "before" of the marvelous garden we'll be enjoying.

Randy's Tiller (aka RT)

The back porch is quite busy lately.

Spring is coming to the front yard, too.

A wasp dropped by Belle for a visit,

amazingly here caught in flight.

The back fence extension of the garden.

The side fence where the okra and tomatoes grew last year.

Blackberry bushes are doing well.

Randy can't wait for some blackberry cobbler.

Baby broccoli plant started from seed

Broccoli plant started from a transplant

Zucchini is a pretty green.

At the rate the English peas are growing,

I'd better hurry up and find some recipes.

My favorite part of the garden... the Flower Section. It now has two rose bushes, two cala lily plants, and LOTS of begonias.

This planter contains seeds from Grandma Sluder's petunia plant my brother, Jim, still has. Grandma passed in 1991. Part of her petunia plant is still growing at Jim's in Kansas. He shared some seeds with us to see how they do in Texas.

Family Member Tribute

Randy. Five letters that say so much. My back is sprained, quite painful, and difficult to maneuver. Yesterday Randy went to the grocery store, did the laundry, watched Collin, and did some work from home. Today he took the clothes to the cleaners, picked them up, got a few more things from the grocery store, and helped me lie down as soon as I got home from work in tremendous pain from my back.

I have the best husband ever.

The Garden!

My flower section of the garden. Randy got pink and red begonias for me today. Can't wait to see them planted.

Harvey's peach flower. Beautiful. From the way the the peach trees looked upon planting, I was wondering if they would do anything at all this year. They just looked like sticks in the ground.

Harvey Peach

Lori Peach

Belle Peach

Belle's flowers... :) gorgeous!

The blackberry bush looks like it's going to make it after all. We weren't sure if the snow would get to it or not.

The English peas are growing fast.

Look! It's a broccoli!

Our first bell pepper plant of 2010!

Beautiful cala lilies Randy gave me just for being me! :)

Words from India

Some monkeys enjoying the view of the Taj from the Agra Fort.

In the foothills of the Himalayas.

:) My experiment in teaching the slum kids body parts. It worked! They learned new words and couldn't stop labeling each other.

Jumping into the Ganges a day before my birthday.

Auntie and Uncle put together a family birthday party for Sarah.

She turned 21 on March 15th.

Yep, that's my baby girl!

Third Day of Spring

70 degrees and sunny!!

Only in Texas! Gotta love it!