Cinco de Mayo

The fifth of May already. These are the few flowers I have in bloom today. Haven't gotten to the weeds yet. I hate to pull out green and growing things after such a long white winter.

May

Birds have five basic needs: food,water,shelter from hot or cold weather,nesting sites, and protection from predators. Supply these and you will have many more birds around your home to entertain you and control pests.Be sure feeders and bird houses are located where they cannot be reached by cats.

Lobelia is a great annual for hanging baskets or container gardens with stems that trail about 8 inches. The Cascade variety is especially bright in colors of pink,white,lilac,maroon,violet and blue. Most flowers have a white eye.

Pinch back annuals when 4 -6 inches high to promote bushy growth. Some that require pinching are zinnias,petunias,and salvia.

Plant ground cover under shade trees that don't allow enough sunlight to sustain grass. Perwinkle and English ivy are two ground cover plants that grow well in shade.

It's frog season. The practical reason for preserving frog and toad habitat is that the animals eat lots of insects and mosquitoes. At night, toads are out there devouring those nasty slugs that are eating your plants. Frogs and toads need clean water and cover. Install a pond or even a little water garden, and you'll be amazed how quickly frogs will find it. Along the edges of your yard, keep some native grasses. Set the mower at a higher level, and don't spray for dandelions every couple weeks

Grandkids with their trees

This is Owen with the tree I planted for him when he was born. It's a white Magnolia and it is five years old just like he is. The blossoms are just starting. It was a bright sunny day today so a good day for getting a picture.
This is Hali with the pink Magnolia I got for her when she was born. Both Hali and the Magnolia are almost three years old.

We had fun outside today playing LaCrosse and Golf. It was too windy for flying kites.

Kids have left to go fishing with their Dad now and it's suddenly quiet.

May Day

O Mary! we crown thee with blossoms today,
Queen of the Angels,
Queen of the May,
O Mary! we crown thee with blossoms today,
Queen of the Angels, Queen of the May.


Lovely Lady dressed in blue -------
Teach me how to pray!
God was just your little boy,
Tell me what to say!

Did you lift Him up, sometimes,
Gently on your knee?
Did you sing to Him the way
Mother does to me?
Did you hold His hand at night?
Did you ever try
Telling stories of the world?
O! And did He cry?

Do you really think He cares
If I tell Him things -------
Little things that happen?
And Do the Angels' wings
Make a noise?
And can He hear Me if I speak low?
Does He understand me now?
Tell me -------for you know.

Lovely Lady dressed in blue -------
Teach me how to pray!
God was just your little boy,
And you know the way.

Mary Dixon Thayer who wrote more than one poem for Our Lady, is the author.
This prayer-poem was popularized in the 1950s by Archbishop Fulton Sheen.

Breezes

There are a lot of things wrong with the hood I live in but one thing that's right about it, are the soft breezes that come off the Fox River in the Spring and Summer. The breezes make up for a lot. Of course the other reason I would hate to leave here is the sound of the trains at night. I love that sound, works better than a sleeping pill. Another great thing is that children still play kick ball in the street. People still grill out with charcoal and sit on their stoop in the evening and greet the people walking by. Sometimes this seems like the best place on earth.

Did a walk around

The yard today. There is a darker Crocus in bloom now too and the Daffodils and tulips are budding nicely. My peach tree that I thought was dead has buds on it but time will tell if it will be okay after the hungry rabbits ate most of the trunk. Rhubarb not quite ready to pick and no dandelions for salad or wine yet. No buds on the apple trees or the grapes or the dogwoods yet.
I picked up all the garbage the blew into my yard over the weekend. I'm deciding if I want to rake the yard or not. I hate to lose the dead leaves but I can always put them in the compost bin for later. I'm going to get a bigger pool this year and a swing set or a climbing structure might be better. They are climbing the big Maple tree as I used to do at my friends hous when I was a kid. We ordered a tree to plant for Arbor Day this month. It's a white pine...another lunch for the rabbits next year I guess. Walter is doing pretty good. Some of his trunk is falling off. But strong otherwise and still putting out little branches.
Kids not here Sunday so the Easter egg hunt this year with be on Thursday or Monday. I think Monday is better, a little extra action after the big event.

First Flower of Spring Woo Hoo!!

This year the light lavender crocus has won!