Monday, April 19, 2010

Good Things About Small Cities


We have half an acre, attached to -- and I guess, under -- our house. It's not a lot of property, but enough for me. Enough to have a few neat natural things, but also have a grocery store within a mile --alright, our grocery store is under renovations for another few months, but within two miles, there are two grocery stores in two different directions.

So for the neat things, here is one of our trees -- the tree and hole was there when we bought the place. I was glad someone moved in, even if there isn't any rent attached. 


(Can you see him in there? I think he's a Common Gartersnake.) We also have blacksnakes and some really fat snakes that I looked up once I think are called legless lizards living around our house -- I need to remember to take pictures of the legless lizards next time I see one -- their very fatness is so cute.

I also have a tangerine tree that I planted the first year we moved in...

I think we should have plenty of tangerines this year as long as I can keep the birds from eating them.

And...

The peach tree I planted only two or three years ago -- Oh, I hope the animals let me have some peaches once they get ripe. (I don't know for sure whether it was the squirrels or birds that ate all my tangerines last year, but I really hope to get some this year.)

Then there are my roses...

  

And the miniatures...


The angriest Daisy you ever saw...



And the one with the secrets...



And my poor sad purple Clover (it was here when I bought the house -- I tried moving it somewhere less trampled, but that part died and I was so happy it came back in the trampled spot I just left it there. Hope it continues to get better).


Lastly, there's my garage sale yard bird that makes me want to go out and buy some PVC pipe (and maybe a torch for heat application to make it bendy???) and try to build my own flock.




See, writing life isn't all misery and annoyance at my lack of discipline or completed projects. I have some beautiful flowers and might have some fruit to eat from my very own tree in a few months. And a wonderful friend in Princess Froglips who taught me the magic of the macro button on my camera that made the flowers come out looking like flowers instead of like fuzzy colored smears.

If you're up for sharing, I'd love to hear your happy things!

3 comments:

  1. My sister sent this:
    http://www.tracysegrets.com/egrets.html

    The look is slightly different from the one I found, but they can be bought! I'll need to take my laptop to my retired neighbor's house and show her. She was all jealous of my find and they don't have a computer over there. :)

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  2. Wow, so many writers I know are also good in the garden. I have a black thumb, and the last time I went outside, I touched something nasty and got a horrible rash.

    My happy things are my pens. I have a huge collection sitting on my desk in my various pen holders. Their colorful sparkliness always makes me smile.

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  3. It only sounds like I have a green thumb because I didn't mention the plant graveyard -- where lie all the plants I bought and forgot to plant and the pots that now double as little plant coffins. --And every time I bring home a new flower my husband asks what it did to deserve to die.

    Given seven years in the same house (with a yard) and given the occasional plant that does better being ignored even a dedicated plantkiller like me can make a garden grow -- or something like that.

    I love pens too. All office supplies really. There's such wonderful potential in each one.

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