Trials and Tribulations on the Path to Gaining Patience...

This is a photo from June 1, 2010 of our natural privacy fenceline filled with yellow honeysuckle, red honeysuckle and red trumpet vine.




This is a photo of our fence line as of today...a sad, sad story...so if your day is not going as you'd wished...I'll understand if you choose to turn away to happier blog posts.

Mr. B and I were sitting in our backyard one week ago...enjoying the shade of our Mama Crepe Myrtle, chatting and savoring the peace of our little piece of paradise...then in the vacant lot next to our property there appeared a RED PICK UP TRUCK. Mr. B went to check on their doings...ahhh this person had bought the lot and was going to clear it for the new home he's building. How nice a new neighbor!

The very next day the clearing began...he asked if we minded his clearing "some" of the trees at the back of our shared fence line as he would be putting up a "privacy" fence. We understood and to be honest most the trees in the fence line are Hackberry Trees...not exactly everyones choice but God gave them to us and we enjoyed the morning shade they provided on the east side of our property. I did ask that the vines on the fence at the front of our property remain untouched as they afforded our family a natural privacy fence for our backyard. Our new neighbor said he would respect my wishes as he wanted to be a good neighbor and he too wanted privacy for his home.

As the day progressed the chain saws moved towards the front of the shared fence line, our "Money Pit" pool was filled with wood debris and then I saw his teenage neice cutting into my Yellow Honeysuckle, Red Honeysuckle and Trumpet Vine! I calmly walked over to him and again explained my desire to have these plants remain as they were and that they had been seedlings planted by me over 6 years ago. He again said yes he was just trimming them on "HIS" side of the fence. I showed him how much damage had been inflicted on the vines and he smiled and said he would not damage them further.

Three days later we awoke to once full fence line that contained chopped tree limbs, sparse vines with dying plants...I was angry, I was sad and I mourned their demise.

Today my once lush fence line is depicted in the third and fourth post photos....so sad...so much work and tender loving care for naught. Every plant for over 100 feet of fence line was killed. We spent almost 10 hours cutting everything down to the ground and hauling off all of the debris.

I realize I am as a work in progress...patience, kindness and forgiveness! So our once tranquil 1/2 acre tranquil garden paradise is now decimated...in the BIG PICTURE of life I know this is oh so trivial...it will pass...a family will have a new home...and things will work out as God intended...but I am so sad...so very sad.

The new neighbor now does not look us in the eye...Mr. B says that he surely knows he did wrong...we could pursue this situation legally but to be honest we don't have that kind of money. I've been told that our neighbors are furious because they enjoyed looking at the flower filled fence line and over the years they've watched as I work 6 to 7 hours a day on the gardens. I've been asked what I'm going to do. My response...I will continue to be the best neighbor I can be and I will wait...wait to decide what or even if I will plant anything along this sad, sad fence line again.

So I ask...if you can offer me a kind word of encouragement please do...I find myself in a place I've never been before and try as I might...I can't find my way back to my tranquil life...

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY!

I've written about my Mr. B before...as you know he is my dream come true. Now as a Father he is without fault and tops my list of Fantastic Fathers! So how did he come to earn these accolades from me...his adoring wife?

Twenty years ago, he fell in love with me and my two Profoundly Deaf children. He taught himself Sign Language...a priceless gift to all three of us. He always took the time no matter what else was happening to sit and discuss whatever was important to them. He helped them accomplish their dreams and he loved them enough to punish them when necessary without hitting or name calling. He would explain his displeasure, define their punishment, sit with me as they endured their "grounding" and after their time was up...he would take the time to discuss their infraction and their feelings about their punishment. Then he would tell them he loved them and the infraction was never brought up again. No embarrassing trips down "Memory Lane". The kids always knew he meant business...and they never repeated a transgression...now that's love.

Fifteen years ago, our baby girl Miss M was born...while coming out of the anesthetic he whispered in my ear..."Thank you for the greatest present of my life." Mr. B had never held a baby before...and we both worked so I had no idea about what to expect. I should have known...we shared all of the childcare for our three kids...I had nights and he had days. He took Miss M everywhere with him from the tender age of 4 weeks and still today they are best buds!

To have a Father who loves unconditionally, respects them as the individuals they are and holds each child accountable for their actions is a rare gift that truly defines "Fatherhood"!

We now have three grand babies and I watch him hold them tenderly in his arms, talk (in Sign and speech) with them and yes hold them accountable for their actions. So the gift is growing...it will be passed on...he will always be remembered for his strength, his kindness, his patience, his humor, his devotion, his love and for this I am grateful, I am blessed and I love this man of mine...the Father of my children!

Today's Surprise from the Gardens!

Hello! I hope everyone is well! We're doing great! Busy with the gardens, opening the pool (we won't go there...$$$...our harsh Winter was not good to our pool or our wallets) but we persevere and just plain ole enjoy Summer.

Today I spied a new flower to the gardens! Now this plant was originally gifted to me from another Interpreter for the Deaf...a lovely woman who is a gardener extraordinaire! By that I mean she knows the common names of every plant as well as the botanical names! I was so impressed! We've lost touch over the years but when I see the babies of the Momma plants she gave to me...my memories of her are oh so sweet!

So back to the nature of this post...this plant is a perennial...it normally blooms in the Fall...it is easily transplanted...I pinch it back all Summer so it is THICK and filled with blooms in the Fall. When the blooms dry on the stem usually after the first Winter freeze, I pick them and scatter them everywhere! There are probably hundreds of seeds per bloom. These plants aren't picky...full sun, shade, water or not...and my oh my are they pretty!

Well...this plant presented it's first bloom EARLY! Very early indeed! So my question...Does anyone know it's name? I've searched the Internet to no avail. It's not a life or death situation...I can survive not knowing it's name...but I did so want to pass it on to y'all because in the Fall it fills your gardens with tons of periwinkle blue flowers on top of thickly leaved plants! If you know it's name feel free to educate me and hopefully anyone else who is interested in acquiring one!

See y'all soon! Be safe, have fun and may God bless you all!

I Simply Must Apologize!

I've been remiss in my dedication to blogging and for that I must apologize. It's not that I care any less. It's not that my life has suddenly become an ongoing adventure. I've not dedicated myself to anything other than...the pure enjoyment of my favorite time of year. SUMMER!

I awaken early, to hear roosters crowing (not mine...but a neighbor's), I listen to the birds singing their morning songs, watch as the bees begin their busy day and all the different butterflies start flitting from flower to flower. I watch the sun come up everyday...I want to feel the warmth it sheds upon my gardens. I water my potted plants and yes sneak in a sprinkle of water to the flower gardens and trees. I walk around to check the bird baths...then I sit...I drink it all in like it is a fine wine and I savor each and every moment. ...all gifts from Mother Nature and I am grateful.

I do work in the yards and gardens but only until 11 a.m. I don't enjoy the super hot days but I end my morning gardening tasks with dirty feet and hands to match. I wash off with the garden hose...and I walk through the grass to dry off my toes! I take one last look around knowing that I'll return in the evening.

When evening approaches I once again listen to the birds singing a different selection of songs. The bees are no where to be seen. The bird baths are filled again, feeding stations checked, spent blooms are removed, flowers that have gone to seed are sown throughout the flower beds. I love to turn on a sprinkler and watch the sprays of water tumble about the grass and then I sit and listen. The cicadas begin their beautiful haunting melody. The crickets join in. The trees rustle in the wind and I am at peace as darkness descends upon my world.

So, I beg your forgiveness, I honor those of you who find the time to blog everyday and are dedicated to this beautiful venture into a world as it should be...and I'll post periodically...but for now I am emotionally, physically and intellectually pulled to my gardens.

Bear with me and know that sometimes in the wee hours of the night I do open the gates to your blogs...I visit...your posts make me laugh, cry and think...but most of all I enjoy each of every one of you and your multi faceted talents!

Till I post again...

What a Week This has Been!

This week has been well...to put it mildly it's been harrowing at times!

First part of the week...my oldest daughter called on Video Phone to tell us the police were in her backyard hunting for a rattlesnake! WHAT? She lives in a beautiful new house in Kyle, Texas. Wonderful neighbors! So earlier she had my 3 grand kids in their backyard playing while she watered her gardens. Yes, she is a gardener now also! Well, while watering one of her rose bushes she thought she saw a snake intertwined amongst it's thorny branches. She peered closer...she saw the head...then the rattle! She dropped the hose, rounded up the kids and headed inside the house to tell my son-in-law! They went next door to warn their neighbor...he called the police. The police showed up within minutes and shot the snake. It was about 18 inches long...a baby rattler? How do I know...my daughter called on the video phone and showed me the DEAD snake!

Now here is the clincher! My daughter, son-in-law and oldest granddaughter are Deaf! They are extremely intelligent and very visual...meaning their peripheral vision is acute! If my daughter had not seen the rattler...well let's not go there. Now the grand kids have all been taught since they were babies, "Do not touch snakes...get Daddy or Mommy!" They are very quick to obey this rule and now they are aware of exactly what a "Rattler" looks like and there was a discussion about not touching it even though it was DEAD! Sorry rattler enthusiasts but my babies are ever so much more important to me!

Then tonight we were seeing the beginnings of a thunderstorm approaching our area, DFW...I got a text from my daughter asking for assistance with weather...now remember they live in Kyle, Texas...between Austin and San Marcos! Okay, we pull up weather.com on the laptop. We are chatting (American Sign Language) in real time on the video phone....my daughter signs that the winds there got really bad, trees bending, light poles swaying, lightning, power outages, cable off...OK Mr. B pulls up the radar for her area on our laptop. We are able to hold the laptop in front of the video phone and she can see the severe storms approaching them. We chat on the video phone for about 15 minutes till the worst is past...talking to the grand kids explaining the safety issues of being in the central bathroom...OK they accept this information...then the worst is over...my daughter checks out the front window...it was raining some lightning...but her cable is back on and her babies are safe!

The video phone is a powerful tool for the Deaf! It allows us to communicate with everyone in the world at real time...there is an interpreter service available for all if they are calling someone who does not have a video phone and as proven with these two events...our FAMILY stays in touch with a phone call!

Thank God for his blessings and all my babies are safe! Now I'm off to REST! If you want more information about video phones you can go here!

Oh So Sweet Butterfly!

This sweet tiny butterfly was resting on a Lantana leaf and kept moving it's wings ever so slowly in a back and forth motion. Could it have been fluffing it's new wings?

Don't you just love all of Mother Nature's gifts?