A Play on Shadows

I was sitting on the back porch this morning with a cup of tea as the sun was coming up. Of course as soon as its piercing rays emanated through my wind chimes I ran inside and retrieved my camera. (You would have thought I'd been prepared). Anyway, the sun was casting wonderful shadows as it rose and I decided to follow it.

The cats are reflected...

on the back of the chair.

These chimes cast a shadow on the screen.

A hummingbird's wing and gecco.
A shadow within and without...
A rain gauge - ribbet
Leaves are especially inviting to photograph
A scratching cat
And of course a self-portrait of yours truly taking pictures
Check out your shadow today!

Life's Blessings

"Trees are Earth's endless effort to speak to the listening heaven" (Rabindranath Tagore, 1861-1941)

Summer at Sweetbrier

It's midsummer and very hot outside, mostly in the 90's, except when we get an afternoon thunderstorm. Then the outdoors becomes a sauna!

Earlier this month the moon greeted us shortly after dawn

We're in the pink! A picture of Sweetbrier's backyard. We have a total of seven crepe myrtle trees, and you guessed it, they're all pink.
Note the dewdrops on the leaves of this crepe myrtle bloom...
and the dew on the grass.
This photo is a test. Can you find the bird in the tree?
The Victorian Parlor's hubby made this birdhouse for me many years ago. Although badly weathered and no longer occupied, I continue to smile when I see it. I think the vines are holding it together though.
Our resident wild rabbit
A web in a crepe myrtle tree. Spiders are so artistic!
Another view, though blurry
A beautiful pink-striped oakworm moth (anisota senatoria) lights on the front door frame...
Another lovely moth with markings that makes it look like it is carved out of marble. (If anyone can identify it please let me know.)
Our rose bush bloomed again which was a treat...

Best wishes to everyone for a comfortable and pleasant summer!

Life's Blessings

"A harvest of peace grows from seeds of contentment" (Kashmiri)

Truffle Hunting

Sir Winston came to stay with us for the week while his family goes on vacation. He is such a sweet boy and has really mellowed. The only time he becomes excitable is when you take out the camera, so I had to sneak pictures of him.

One of his favorite pastimes is truffle-hunting, although we have no truffles of which I am aware. Here is our royal guest waiting patiently to begin the hunt.First he surveys the grounds

and takes a slow step-by-step approach

Truffle hunting is hard work and breaks are necessary
Back to searching for the elusive truffle

Hmmm.... maybe here
Truffles in the neighbor's yard?
He's sooo close
Perhaps sniffing the air will help
Nope, there have to be truffles here somewhere
A few days later after an exhausted hunt for the rare truffle, we get a visitor on the front porch.
Winston once more goes into hunt-mode moving from the dining room window to the foyer windows - back and forth, faster than the camera can catch him, almost...
Later - exhausted from truffle and rabbit hunting, a poodle dreams

Finally his momma comes to pick him up and he relaxes on her lap. Some things are so much better than finding truffles.

A final good-bye pant to grandma as Winston is buckled into his car seat. He knows full well that the hunt will continue the next time he visits!

Back Yard Potential

Faith Cottage in Beaufort, SC has a very small yard but it has huge potential. This post will focus on the outside as it is now, you might say the "before" pictures.

The yard is small but has great possibilities especially since Hubby is a master gardener.
Faith Cottage is surrounded by a 3-foot high white picket fence and three gates. The front gate casts a shadow on the entry walk.

Calvin and Kasey are free to roam the yard but Lizzie needs to be kept on a leash. She could clear the fence in a flash!

The former resident decided to put down an oyster shell walkway but only got through half of the project. The shells are coming up, I'm told.

Ouch! You definitely can't walk on these in your bare feet.
Kim having a cup of tea on the porch in early morning.
A visitor...

The front corner of the property.

One of the beautiful trees on the property that will need to be checked out by a tree doctor.
Can't live in SC without some sort of palm tree
Another great tree

Love the moss on this tree in the backyard
A view of the yard to the left of the house
Lots of grass for the pups. Kim said it took Hubby only 10 minutes to mow it, which is substantially less time than the 1-2 hour job at the old house. Hmmm, I wonder what Hubby will now do with all his spare time...
A huge bush on the side of the house - not sure what it is
Looking from the backyard to the front with the sun peeking through the moss and the trees.
More moss...
Taken from the backyard
Foundation for a barbecue grill, or something else? It is 6' by 3':)
A side view of the front porch
The backyard - very small but great for storing those things you want out of the way.

The yard on the right side of the house.
The hydrangea with its final blooms
Same side, different view
Lots of bushes!

Lantana abounds in the side yard



I can't wait till next year to see the new gardens that will frame Faith Cottage. I'm sure passers-by will stop and admire the work and creativity of its home owners and I'm sure their gardens will rival others from Beaufort.

BTW, this will be my last post for the Victorian Parlor. I'm sure Kim and company will return soon!