Hats

Isabella doesn't like anything on her head and it has been hard to get pictures of her in the adorable hats my friend Deb made.

have to be fast to get a picture

but then again, if the flower comes off

she doesn't care how long the hat stays on

Last of the Roses Before Winter

Wordless Wednesday

Happy Thanksgiving

Before the Freeze

Our Neighbors Have Animals

These are Bella's views out the living room bay window. She sits in the window seat and watches the cars go by while waiting for the big dog & chickens.

their big dog - a great pyrenees

he just finished cleaning out the cat food bowl

Bella loves to see him and starts

hollering big dog, big dog

he is a beautiful dog and so friendly

and loves

cat food!

their chickens

on the front porch

cleaning up

the bird seed

and leaving lots and lots of poop

coming out from under the hydrangea bushes

at least Bella now knows what a real

chicken looks like

own own hens and chicks

appear to love their new home

Mom's pink camellia

loads of blooms this year

impatiens were doing great

until the freeze this past weekend

these were at the corner of our patio

lone iris still blooming

I've seen on many blogs the wonderful chicken houses being built and how many eggs they are getting and it all looks and sounds so wonderful.

But we live in the country more or less and chickens can and do run wild at times. This summer is the first time we had chickens visit our garden and there were only a couple of them. No big deal we thought. Then those 2 decided to bring their friends and this past week we had at least 7 at one time digging and scratching up everything they could. Mom mulched the new hydrangeas one morning and by the time I got home in the afternoon all the mulch was in the driveway where the chickens had moved it. Amazing how well they can clean the ground but so very frustrating also.

So Mom called our neighbors and she said yes her husband had been having trouble keeping them in their pen this summer but they would try fix the problem. Her husband stopped by to talk while we were re-mulching Saturday afternoon and said we could have fresh chicken for supper if they stayed a problem. Alan will be thrilled I'm sure, NOT.

While growing up we city kids would visit our grandparents farm in TN every summer. One of the highlights were picking up eggs from the hen house until we found our first chicken snake. It was at least 6' long and I swear our feet didn't touch the ground all the way back to the front of the house. Pape took a hoe and dragged him out. Us city kids were scared spitless!

Then there was the summer they decided to get the chickens ready to eat. Pape wrung their necks and we yelled and screamed while headless chickens flopped all over the back yard. Then it was time for grandma to do her thing and we didn't even watch that. One of my brothers still does not like to each chicken. haha

Playing in the Leaves

We've just had a gorgeous weekend, yesterday and today is going to be even better. Sunny and in the 70s. After such a hot, hot summer this fall is absolutely perfect. Alan started blowing leaves and Mom was raking them onto her blueberry bushes getting ready for winter so Bella wanted to play.

what have you done to me Momma Sandy?

am I supposed to enjoy this?

I can move around?

I can scatter them?

I can move my body?

Oh boy - so many to eat!

I don't want to get out!!!!!!!!!!!

Fall Color

Yesterday afternoon I walked around the garden and took some pictures of our fall colors. We have had a fantastic fall this year! The month of October was wonderful, temps in the 60s and 70s for the most part with rain here and there.

blue skies looking from the back corner of the garden

maple tree in front yard next to the road

birdfeeders and water moved to the porch

Mom and Bella sit in the window to watch

the birds during the day

back patio we can't keep clean from the leaves falling

lilacs in full fall color

ginko tree is a beautiful shade of gold

barn at the back of the garden

We have had rain since this morning and hopefully it will stay all day. Sure will make pulling weeds a lot easier this weekend. Progress is being slowly made in the clean up but there is still a lot to do. We are trying to move peonies, iris and daylilies that have out grown their spots into the newly cleaned areas. I don't imagine we will have very many more weekends to get this done but then again there is always next year right around the corner.