After The Rain

The rain we have been having the last four
days has been so wonderful for the gardens
and flowers.
Flowers are dropping a little with petals full of rain
drops but it only adds to their beauty.
After the Rain.......



































Happy Gardening Everyone!

Now in Bloom

April Showers

It has been raining here in the hills for the last three
days and the air is damp and cool.
I want to be in the flower beds but it is not looking good
until Thursday so my flowers will have to wait.
I love to take pictures of flowers with rain drops on them
so these are some from my files.

"The roofs are shining from the rain,
The sparrows twitter as they fly,
And with a windy April grace
The little clouds go by.
Yet the back yards are bare and brown
With only one unchanging tree--
I could not be so sure of Spring
Save that it sings in me."

- Sara Teasdale, April

Storm Clouds Rolling In

Wednesday evening after a beautiful day in the upper
sixties, we had a storm roll in with high winds.
So soon after our previous Ice storm it brought down
those additional trees and limbs that were damaged by
the weight of the ice.
Without electricity and phones once again I started watching
the wind blow in the storm clouds and rain. It was fascinating
watching the different cloud shapes and colors.
Some looked menacing and others like dirty cotton candy,
but all were beautiful in their own way.





Dirty brown clouds started coming in towards my home.
They looked very intimidating and foreboding.





On the other side of the hill dark skies foretold what was
in store for us, but at the same time the sun was shining
under the clouds and lighting the tops of the bare tree tops
giving a sense of hope amid the storm.





After the dirty brown clouds rolled through there came
clouds of cotton candy or cotton ball shaped clouds.

And at last they past over and blue skies lay behind
them.

Note: After posting this article I noticed it was Friday the 13th.
I am not superstitious and the storm clouds posting is not in
anyway whatsoever to do with the day or date. ; )

The Oak Leaves Last Forever

The Oak tree's are the last to lose their leaves each Autumn.
They have almost all fallen down now after last weeks rain.
But there are always a few leaves that seem to refuse to let

go and hang on even in the Winter winds and snows.

I love the giant oak trees that are in the yard but the leaves are
so tough. This year we had very few acorns on our trees so
hopefully the Hickory trees have enough nuts for the squirrels
to last them through the Winter.
I try to get the leaves cleaned up as best as I can by mowing
them and mulching them up, because it takes for ever for them to
break down on their own. Here upon the hill if there are any
left piled up they will find themselves over the Winter
right up on my front porch and in the fountain pond. It is just the
way the wind blows in the Winter out of the north into the
back yard.

They were laying very thick in the yard after the rain so
when the sun come out the other day out I headed to mow
them up.
Will naturally the lawn mower had to pick this day to blow
up. But I guess we should have been glad it did wait until
the end of the season to decide not to run.
So had to rack them into the woods as bad as I hated to
because they were forecasting rains and even a possible snow
flurry coming in starting today and throughout the weekend
so they had to go before the wet weather came in.
I ended up with some major piles racked into the woods, which
will means.....
I will be cleaning them up out of the front yard all winter.
Oh well, at least this will be the last major clean up of the yard
this Fall.
Got the rest of the flowers to the basement to over-winter.
Planted a hundred tulip bulbs and twenty-five lilies for next
Spring.

I am already counting down until next Spring arrives.

The Old Oak

A giant oak stands tall against the sky,
A majesty of strength with leaves that cling
And rustle in the breeze. A watchful eye
May spot a nest where blue jays sing.
This tree has lived a thousand years or more
And gently touched with shade each thoughtful face.
Its branches, gnarled with age, uplifted- soar:
On earth, the shadows from a scarf of lace,
Perhaps, a tempest marred this modest oak
By carving furrows deep within its thigh.
Ho w often did this giant laugh and joke?
Did sufferings bring forth a trembling sigh?
Proud landmark on the hill, for man you hold
A multitude of secrets left untold.

~ Edith Karelis ~

In The Eye Of The Beholder

Tropical storm Fay has dealt Florida and it's surrounding
states a blow causing tornadoes and flooding throughout
the area. Fellow bloggers at Blotanical have posted stories
and pictures of the destruction to their homes, gardens,
and yards.
A fellow blogger from " A Yard In Fort Pierce "
had pictures and gave updates of his area.

Fay's rains have finally came into Ohio and surrounding
states and what was a terrible for the southern states has
turned out to be a blessing for drought stricken states from
Tennessee and up into Ohio.
We started receiving rain in the Hocking Hills area last
night and had rain all night and all today.
By the time it got here to Ohio it had tamed considerably
had turned into just a nice, steady, gentle rain that is soaking
into the ground.It will not get our water levels up to normal
but will sure help in the water deficit.
I can almost hear the brown grass starting to grow again.
We can forgo the watering of plants and flowers for a
few days now.
Of course, I had to get out in the rain and snap a few
pictures of the rain upon the flowers.
















I would also like to take this opportunity to invite bloggers
who have a love of gardening to join us at Blotanical.
It is a site loaded with a large group of knowledgeable
Gardeners. Join fellow gardeners from all over the United
States, Europe, Asia, South America, Africa,Canada and
the United Kingdom.

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