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Welcome to JOYFUL REFLECTIONS. Also welcome to OCTOBER. My header photo this month shows a gorgeous picture showing beautiful Autumn Colors God's Blessings to YOU for an awesome month.

Saturday, April 4, 2009

Spring ---or Winter????


We showed you our Daffodils... SO now, we'll show you some other flowers in our yard right now... Spring is a wonderful time because the yard evolves... First are our Crocuses, Hyacinths, Tulips and Daffodils. SOON we'll have our Lilies and Daylilies, Irises and Roses. And besides our flowers, we now have our Red Bud and Cherry trees trying to bloom. (The Bradford Pear blooms are gone now.) Then we'll have our Dogwood, Azaleas and Rhododendrons blooming... OH--how I love Spring!


BUT--in some ways, we are still 'in' winter... In fact, it's supposed to get cold again here early next week... (Please say a prayer that it doesn't get cold enough to damage our roses and other flowers.) The picture above shows both spring and winter... I like that picture though since you can see our great American flag and one of our Red Buds... BUT--you can also see all of our big shade trees with NO leaves yet... Still looks like winter, doesn't it????? More pictures are below.







Here are our Red Dynasty Tulips. Aren't they gorgeous?









This beautiful orange Tulip is named Orange Emperor.







This gorgeous Tulip is named Mardi Gras.







Don't you just love those cute little (they really are small) Grape Hyacinths??







We have three small round flowerbeds in our front yard. We call this one the lamppost flowerbed. Last year, besides our Daffodils, we had lots of gorgeous Pansies still blooming. But--this year we lost most of our Pansies due to a cold, harsh winter. The good news is that the Lilies are growing and will bloom soon.









Here is another of our round flowerbeds. This one is under our Pink Dogwood.







Our groundcover ---throughout our yard (Periwinkle) just gets prettier and prettier. I love all of those gorgeous blue flowers.









We have a ditch in our front yard with a drainage pipe under our driveway. George has always had trouble mowing around the pipe on both sides of the driveway---so this year, Dad Adams gave us some of his Semps (Chicks and Hens). George has planted them around the edge of the yard near the ditch and drainage pipe. They look so pretty there.







Here's one more look at our "John Adams" Daffodils. Wish you could see them. They are so pretty right now!!!! Hope you had a good day yesterday. We made our scheduled trip to Hendersonville to check on Mom and Dad Adams. Again, we found them doing very very well. They had been to the doctor for their physical this past week---and everything came back GREAT. They never cease to amaze me.
Hugs,

Friday, April 3, 2009

Guess Who I Am????????


Look at the picture above---and see if you recognize this bird.....???? He came to my feeders yesterday. At first, I thought he was a chipmunk!!!! ha









Okay---here he is a little closer... He's the color of the Carolina Wren---but much larger. And look at that long tail.... I was curious --but couldn't figure it out YET. Do you know now?????







Now--you can see his face. That long beak made me think I knew... Do you know now???? He loved that suet---but these birds are ground-eaters and don't usually come to the feeders. AND---he's smaller than what I thought he should be.... Hmmmmmmm....







Now you can see his 'underside'...... The picture makes him look bigger than he really is... That's a small suet feeder---so you can get an idea of his size. This bird was about the size of a Cardinal. (Sorry for the picture quality. I was using my small camera --looking through the blinds, the window and the screen... SO--they came out better than I thought they would.)







He moved from the suet to the sunflower seed feeder... He didn't seem to like that as well. He loved that suet!!!! You know now what he is, don't you????? He's a Juvenile Brown Thrasher. I watched him when he left the feeder. He went to our neighbor's yard where there is a thick bush (apparently where he lives)... Later I saw two young ones---but I never did see Mom and Dad Thrasher. I'm sure Mom and Dad would tell their baby that he is a ground-eater---and should not go to the feeders!!!! I loved seeing him there though!!!! Do you ever have Thrashers at your feeders?







Besides the Thrasher, we are having many other birds at our feeders and in our yard. Mr and Mrs. House Finch were enjoying breakfast at the new feeder outside of our Computer Room window. Again--this one was taken through the window and screen. We had very few House Finches when our trillion Pine Siskins were here. I am so glad to see them now!!!







I took this picture of the male House Finch yesterday --after the Brown Thrasher left. (Have I mentioned how nice it is NOT to have so many Pine Siskins???? ha ha)







This female Goldfinch was also enjoying the new feeder in front. I am enjoying watching the birds eat at this feeder --when I am on the computer. We've had some gorgeous yellow male Goldfinch--but so far, we can't manage to get a picture of any of them. At the new feeder, we've seen both Goldfinch, House Finches, Tufted Titmice and Chickadees.







I'm going to make a 'birder' out of my husband yet!!!!! HE spotted this Eastern Towhee in a tree in our front yard. Luckily, he had his camera that day. We've seen them several times lately---but they don't come to the feeders.







Finally, here's another photo of one of our favorite birds, the male Cardinal. I can't wait 'til the Cardinals have babies.. Last year, Daddy brought the babies to the feeders and taught them how to eat. I remember seeing those precious babies, just shaking all over---as they learned to eat, and to be out here in the big ole' cruel world. Have a nice day and take time to enjoy the birds!!!


Hugs,