The Weekend...

The three medium kids have committed themselves to fasting a favorite food and a media for 40 days. They are giving up chocolate, chips, video games and radio...along with this they have something to do everyday at school. Today is to place a painted rock somewhere on campus to remind them that they can overcome giants. Peer Pressure that is... They will be doing things like writing an encouraging note to an administrator, speaking to someone they do not know.....basically letting Christ shine through them. My motto is...."Sprinkle and Shine not Pour and Blind." Pray for my medium kids please.

Middle School and High School can be very challenging.....

Thanks Grandma and Grandaddy..........

the watermelon was

good to the last sip!

We are beginning our fall veggie garden.

Fertilizer Friday and !!

First things first. Thank you Carol at http://maydreamsgardens.blogspot.com for hosting the CobraHead give-a-way. No I did not win. EVERONE who entered won, how cool is that? VERY! Hung it right on my front porch to admire for awhile, after I squealed like a girl when I opened it.. Thanks to Anneliese Valdes who worked with Carol in conjunction with hosting this give-a-way!

Fertilizer Friday is hosted by http://tootsietime.blogspot.com You have to see her Canadian Gardens. She sure works hard for a beautiful yard with such a short spring/summer!

It's standard around here for my husband to go to Lowes and for me to shout, "Bring me a prize!" Yesterday he bought me this combination container. Blue Daze, Dusty Miller, a grass in the middle and the purple flowers. When I was a little girl this is what we called Bachelor Buttons.

I would love to know exactly what they are...anyone, PLEASE?

Red Firespike..

Painted Lady Hibiscus

Jane Cowell Hibiscus

Look how tall the Sun Loving Coleus--Oxblood is!

This is the first year I have had Torenia--Wishbone change colors! I like it in the mix.

White Salvia

UPDATE: For those of you that are interested in this process, I tried to get a photo of how beautiful the Monarch Chrysalis' are. See the necklace and the jewels.

Click on the photo and it will enlarge for more detail. (some people didn't know you could enlarge some of the photos) The first three stages are in the post below.

Last day of the first full week of school!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

And Now We Wait For Butterflies!

I have been watching my Monarch Caterpillars..Here's what I have seen so far. All of these photos were taken in the last 24 hours. PLEASE--click to enlarge these!

From the time a Monarch Butterfly lays an egg on the host plant, Milkweed, it takes 10-14 days before the Caterpillar starts looking for the perfect spot to spin White "Silken Thread."
These Caterpillars crawled all around this Butterfly Cage for hours before finding the perfect spot. Can you see the 'Silken Thread'? (The one Chrysalis you see hanging formed yesterday from the photo I posted)

After spinning the thread into a little pile-it turns around and attaches it's rear to the Silken "Pile". Two by two it's feet detach and swings into the "J" position.

Third Stage- Pupa--Greek word means "doll". Which denotes a sleeping baby wrapped in swaddling clothes. More common term Chrysalis. 12 - 24 hours after the "J" position--changes slightly in color to bluish green and the antennae become limp. The caterpillar becomes limp and straightens. You can see the caterpillar move and expand inside of the skin. His skin splits on the back from the bottom and a shiny green Chrysalis is unveiled. The skin shrivels to the top. You can watch the Chrysalis dance and shake until the skin on top falls off. The black stuff on top is the skin. It was moving in this photo.

The shiny green Chrysalis with yellow bands changes appearance over the first hour or two. Shape will also change slightly. Yellow bands disappear and becomes a soft green color.

The Chrysalis hardens with gold dots and a beautiful golden "necklace" decorate it. The Chrysalis is a little easier to see in the first and second photos. In the next 9 -14 days I will post the next stages!!

Just for fun this morning....anyone remember making these?

Wordless Wednesday.....It's Beginning!

Bloomin' Tuesday and Let the Sunshine IN!

For more Bloomin' Tuesday get on over to http://msgreenthumbjean.blogspot.com/

Purslane also called the Dolly Parton Flower because it blooms from 9 to 5.
Ragin' Cajun Ruellia is very easy to root.

Mezoo 'Trailing Red'

An abundance of Grapefruit...

Part of the full sun garden

Mimosa strigulosa 'Sunshine'--Sensitive Plant

I purchased some of these Zinnias at the beginning of Spring. These I grew this year from seed collected from the original plant.

Moss Rose

Peppermint Verbena

Click to enlarge to see the Cow Ant. Do ya'll have these Ants?

Determined to get more sun so we can be successful Vegetable Gardeners.

Our vegetable garden area is to the right of this photo. That's one side of our home in the back of the photo.

Have a wonderful Tuesday~~~~

The Weekend...

Finally----Sulphur Caterpillars!

and Monarchs!!!!

We have about 10 Monarch Caterpillars so far. We have four in our protective Butterfly Cage..

We have only raised Painted Ladies and that was mail order. So, we are very excited!!

Anyone have a clue as to what this vine might be? They are growing wild everywhere and I think they are interesting looking.

Put one Medium kid on the school bus....her first day in High School...now two more to take to Middle School...I guess my Small Kid has been promoted to a Medium Kid...her first day in Middle School..sigh. Maybe the Medium Kid in High School will be promoted to Big Kid status?