Welcome to JOYFUL REFLECTIONS. Also welcome to MARCH!!!! My header picture this month is a photo I took of the pretty Crocus blooms in our yard... The Crocuses and Daffodils are the first signs of spring here in Tennessee. I am definitely ready for SPRING...

Friday, August 30, 2013

It's a BLUEBIRD kind of Day!

FOUR Eastern Bluebirds at the feeders
Welcome to my "Bluebird Kitchen"..  I do feed lots of other birds --but right now,  there are many, many  Bluebirds around.   So today will be a "Bluebird Post"...

All of the photos were taken on August 24, 2013.  Be sure to enlarge them for larger photos.   Bluebirds love Mealworms (feeder to the right) --but they also love the Peanut Suet in the background,  and the plate feeder (which has a combination of Fruits and Nuts)..  Do I spoil them????? YES --I do --and I love it!




The Bluebirds never touched the suet UNTIL I changed to the Peanut Butter kind..  (Can't say that I blame them --since I also love peanut butter... ha)




I have to fill the Mealworm feeder everyday for them.... That male Bluebird looks pretty healthy,  doesn't he?




The Juvenile Bluebirds love the mealworms also... (I remember not long ago when Daddy was having to feed these little guys... No more--they are on their own now!)




The Baby Bluebirds loved to spread out and take a nap on the plate feeder... Crazy birdies!!!!!  (It was a HOT afternoon ---so I think this is another way to cool off and scratch their tummies!)




He looked at me and said:  "What are you looking at, Lady?  Can't I eat in peace?"  ha




"Yum ---give me some more of this delicious Peanut Suet!"




Baby Blue is sitting IN the mealworm plate....  Isn't he cute?




I
I almost got the bird on the right in flight---I never seem to catch them in flight --but I'll keep trying...  Bluebirds are such wonderful little birds.  I feel blessed to have them at my feeders.




"Okay, Lady,  if you want my picture,  I'll turn and show you how pretty I am."




Finally,  I love this photo of one of the Juvenile Bluebirds at the Mealworm feeder...




OOPS---where did he come from ???  He's not a Bluebird..   He is a baby CARDINAL.  Isn't he adorable?   I love his top-notch.  He told me that he wanted in this blog also!!!!!! ha

Besides the baby Bluebirds,  we have quite a few Juvenile Cardinals at the feeders also...  I'll publish another blog soon showing more of our Backyard Birds at our feeders.

My Facebook Friends know that,  with the help of a cousin,  I've gotten new information about my Ballard side of the family (my mother's father's family).  Another cousin has the Ballard Family BIBLE---so I am getting new information from him..  For a Genealogist,  this is EXCITING news... For that reason,  I am taking next week off from Blogging JUST so I can spend alot of time on my Family History.

Hope all of your have a great LABOR DAY celebration---and I'll see you on Monday,  September 9th

Hugs,

Wednesday, August 28, 2013

Dad Adams turns 101 on August 29

Can you believe it?  It's been a year (tomorrow) when we celebrated my father-in-law's, Dad Adams (John Emery Adams),  100th birthday with family and friends...  NOW---he's going to be 101 tomorrow (August 29).... 




Here's what he looked like in 1938.   Dad has always been health-conscious --so I guess that is why he has lived for so many years.  He was from that 'older' generation --who worked hard all of his life and was very Patriotic.  God Bless John Adams.  He's an inspiration to all.




Then,  he met the 'love of his life' (Kay Cassiday) when he was working with the CCC in Indiana.  They were married in 1940---and were inseparable until Kay's death on May 6, 2011.   If you do the math,  you'll note that they were married for 71 years.

In this photo,  Kay and John (who was called Emery then) are with their oldest child,  'my' George!!!!!  This photo was taken in 1943.




Here is a picture of Dad and Mom which I love.




Dad was active (VERY active) for many years... Here he is on his tractor --when he was in his late 90's!!!!!




Here's  two people very much in love---after many years together!!!




These days,  George and I visit Dad about every other week.. One thing he still loves at age 101 is to have lunch out and then go for a nice long ride in the country!!!!!




Last year,  we celebrated Dad's 100th birthday  with a party at his church in Hendersonville,  Tennessee.  From left to right:  Row 1--Me,  Dad,  Bonnie (Ken's wife);  Row 2--Son George,  Daughter Janet (with whom Dad lives now), and brother, Ken, who lives in Indiana.   (There was another child,  Jimmy,  who died in 1970.)




Finally,  let's all wish JOHN EMERY ADAMS a very Happy 101st Birthday tomorrow.

Now---pop over to my Photo Blog (click  HERE) to see a photo of a precious little bird.

Hugs,

Monday, August 26, 2013

More Daylilies in our Yard---Part III

Buttered Popcorn Daylily
This is my 3rd and last post showing you our beautiful Daylilies in our yard...  If you missed either of the other posts,  click HERE  and/or HERE.   We have had a total of 42 Daylily plants bloom this summer.  Today I'm showing you some of our newer Daylilies ---in the newer Daylily flower bed.   As these plants mature,  they will give lots and lots of blooms like many of our other Daylilies do.   But--considering that these are new plants,  we were pleased with the blooms we got this year...  Hope you enjoy them also!

Grab a cup of coffee or tea and just sit back and relax while looking at the photos.. Be sure to click on them for enlargements.


Chicago Apache Daylily






Cameron Quantz Daylily




Persian Market Daylily




Lemon Vista Daylily




Warrior Prince Daylily




Seminole Wind Daylily




Palace Purple Daylily




Pandora's Box Daylily




Judith Daylily




Lavender Vista Daylily




Perfect Peach Glory Daylily




Orange Velvet Daylily




Pretty Woman Daylily




Starstruck Daylily
Well---that's IT.  Hope you enjoyed seeing our collection.  Daylilies are easy to grow and take very little care.  AND--they are so pretty...  The good news for us is that most of our Daylilies are RE-BLOOMERS ---so they will bloom again this Fall...

Thanks for your comments on my Friday post... I was pleased that so many of you saw the crazy tree formation ----and used your imagination (like I did) to determine what it was!!!!!  Loved it!  Thanks!

Have a great day... My good news is that I have just come upon an old family Bible with lots of information on my Great Grandfather Ballard... Now I need to find some time to do more research... Anyone who does Genealogy will know how exciting this is!!!!

Hugs,