Monday, May 22, 2017

In bloom again, good things are going to happen, and smiles

The planted Easter lilies are blooming right now.  They came from my church a couple of years ago and neighbor Rhonda planted them in our building's communal flower bed at the condos.  They looked so beautiful yesterday morning covered in raindrops.  And my car managed to photo bomb once again!

Remember the garden flag I spotted in Brasstown, North Carolina?  I posted about it here.  It was a delightful surprise to get some happy mail last week from friend and blog friend Leonora, saying she "couldn't resist."  So nice!  I love to read Lee's blog, "A Journal of Days" - lately she's been writing about her late father's experiences in World War II - an amazing journey of discovery.  Thanks again, Lee!

I couldn't think what to do with the white corsage I was given on Mother's Day to honor my late mother, so I put it in the fridge, on top of the coffee canister.  It made me smile every time I opened the door.

Friday, May 12, 2017

Orphan, julep time, Flower Moon and commute

A late afternoon view of my front porch at the condos last Saturday.  I got several plants potted for the front and back porch and mixed them in with those I nurtured through the winter.  The yellow/green pot on the right was given to me by my neighbor, who spotted someone about to throw it away.  "Lynn might want that!"  And of course, I gladly took that pretty orphan in.  

Also on Saturday - I did something that had been on my to do list:  I polished my silver julep cup, just in time for the Kentucky Derby viewing.  I didn't make a mint julep to go in it, just opting for some pretty flowers instead.  You can click on the red link to see the julep recipe if you're interested in making one.  I do love them.

This grainy photo is a tribute to the Flower Moon from Wednesday.  It was totally full on Wednesday night, but was beautiful that morning, too.  I wasn't expecting it on my early drive to work and gasped the first time I saw it in the dark at 6am.  (I was stopped at a 4-minute red light here.)  I looked up its name when I got to work.  From the Farmer's Almanac:  "We use Full Moon names that were used during Native American and Colonial times to help track the seasons. Depending on the tribe, May’s Full Moon was called the Full Flower Moon as well as Mother’s Moon, Milk Moon, and Corn Planting Moon. The May Moon marked a time of increasing fertility, with temperatures warm enough for safely bearing young, a near end to late frosts, and plants in bloom."

 And this thing has quite a presence!  The photo, snapped during a stop on my afternoon commute, shows just a bit of the Mercedes Benz Stadium that the Atlanta Falcons will play in, beginning in the fall.  I'll probably never see the inside of it, since I'm not much of a fan of professional football, but my rambling afternoon commute home has taken me by here a few times and it's been fun watching it get nearer and nearer to completion.

Just when I had really gotten accustomed to this "new normal" of commuting through Atlanta, on my journey home to the suburbs, they have completed the repair of I-85 and it will be open on Monday.  I am so grateful they used that bonus money incentive and got it done so quickly.

Have a lovely weekend, my friends!

Friday, May 5, 2017

Batteries recharged, legacy, and Good Things Happened

I wanted to "recharge my batteries" last weekend, and did:

Two mallard ducks hung out in this section of the Hiwassee River all weekend.  There they go, on Saturday morning, sailing down the river.  (You can't really see them - they are blending in with the current up ahead.)  They would fly back and settle in on the rocks and then sail down the river again.

My sister's late mother-in-law, Grace, loved this place and left her mark on it.  I snapped a photo from my car window of the iris, blooming by the driveway, on my way out on Sunday.  It's a lovely legacy.

This shop in nearby Brasstown, North Carolina, was closed on Sunday (I pressed my nose against the windows and dreamed of going inside.)  I loved this banner out front, incorporated into a cacophony of rosemary and flowers.