Monday, April 25, 2011

Meanwhile back in DixxeLand...

Spring Catch UP--
Our Spring is marching headlong towards summer...the humidity has been up the last few days and we had to use the AC a few times already but this moment the doors and windows are open and the curtains are moving as if they were stirred by an ocean breeze.. whats been going on here in DixxeLand?--[my blog].

I had some work to finish up and did that--yippee the fat quarters are going to Denver to the National Quilt Festival...and most of my family will be there--I could have gone but it's a fast and furious pace they keep and I prefer life in the slow lane these days so...I'M DOG SITTING INSTEAD - Wednesday - Sunday so that means [hopefully] another waterfall Hike!! YEAH--I'd much rather be holding court for one in the mountains than fighting crowds in the rat race in Denver--so with that said...

This morning I was watching a race of a different kind...I was the only observer at the Marion Dupont Thoroughbred training center here in my hometown.  One of the first jobs I had after my stint as a soda jerk at the Dairy Queen was "exercise girl" and this is what I did....it was my dream--to be a jockey...OF Course who knew I'd grow into a chubby middle aged woman by the time I was 28? lol BUT I did this for several yrs in my late teens and early 20's...and now in my late 50's it seems like eons ago...but I do recall how wonderful it was to ride these young and sometimes crazy horses!

 



This is the  training track...they went twice around...and before they started they walked them through the starting gate to get the youngsters used to being in close quarters and let me tell you its quite scary to be on a horse that looses it in the start gate....these are young horses and this is probably their first year of training...I no longer support the idea that's its OK to make horses race for money.....but I enjoyed watching this easy workout they had

 BUT....that was NOT my reason for being at the track today this was--


TONS of FREE MANURE for my garden and yard--we have very sandy soil due to our geographical closness to the OCEAN [it used to be here--so what can you expect]? So today I got a load of manure for that bare spot under the [dang] Magnolia tree!!  Meanwhile...


We are eating lettuce and green onions from the garden already...and my tomatoes in pots are blooming--everything I planted is up and growing--Just hope we continue to have rain moving through now and then.













I have other things in pots too like arugula--have to keep that covered as best I can from the varmints!  The
Great Crested Flycatcher
serenades me while I weed the garden


and of course the Girls are always keeping an eye on me...




Annie on the left in the wildflowers and Flossie stayed in the yard and took a good roll in the grass....she is having a bad hair day...AND You know WHO is always around too but this time he was NOT on my feeders for a change--but posed on a fence post to plan an attack later after Ive gone inside~



Saturday I went over to Goodale State Park (my local park) to check on one of my favorite plants...the North American Pitcher Plant...you have seen my photos of them before I'm sure..but this time of the year they are really showing off---








WOW---I love these plants and they eat bugs...WISH I had some in my yard!  Hope your Spring activites rejuvenate the nature nut in you! Possibly I'll see some young waterfowl when I check out Oak Grove Lake up in Greenville later this week ---OH I HOPE SO--!


                                                 
PEACE

7 comments:

  1. HI Sondra...I'm right there with ya...no rat race whirl wind go around for me either!!

    You make me laugh so much ..some of your descriptive words of your post crack me up!!lol

    A pile of manure...oooh when I had the big gardens that was just like gold to me..great stuff lol.
    Garden is looking some good...nothing like fresh veggies!!
    The Flower on the Pitcher Plant is just fabulous ...I have seen Pitcher plant growing here, but never knew they had a blossom like that ...beautiful photos!!
    I glad somebody is keeping an eye on you.lol
    The dogs are precious!!

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  2. This is a beautiful post to show glimpses of your Life.
    I can't stand the rat race any more either.
    Give me a house in the woods, miles from anything and I am happy (ok, I DO need Internet, if possible ;))
    Love your garden and that you already have fresh salad.
    I am so tired of tomatoes with no taste :(
    That Pitcher plant sure is gorgeous - and useful :D
    I loved the description of you and being a jockey - grin :D
    I would have never made one either :D
    My doggies have just been at the beach and in the water, so they are not too envious of the green and grass :)

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  3. Great post Sondra.
    Your salad stuff is a bit further ahead than mine lol
    I've never seen Pitcher Plant blooms before; they're beautiful. I'd love some in my garden.

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  4. Beautiful pictures, especially the last one. And I love the one of the plotting squirrel...

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  5. First of all, AC?!! I am cranking my heat right now! Second- I too am against horse racing but I still like to see the horses when I drive by our local racetrack.. Those flowers are gorgeous, as are the dogs, and wow that is a beautiful flycatcher!!

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  6. It's scary when I look around the church and realize I am one of the older ones!!!! How did that happen? I'm only 57 for Pete sake. Even the people I think are older are younger than me. Sigh.

    My but you are SO much ahead of us. I planted a few peas, lettuce and Swiss Chard the other day ... way to soon for here but they are cold crops so why not try? If they grow I'm that much farther ahead and if they die ... well, there are a lot of seeds in the packages and how much food can one person and small dog eat???? Mingus loves, loves, loves peas in their pod.

    That bug catcher is a beeeaut!

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  7. I love seeing where you live,those wildflowers are so beautiful.The dogs look quite happy,your garden looks yummy!phyllis

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