HAPPINESS, SADNESS, AND BEAUTY THIS SPRING

SO MUCH HARD WORK WENT INTO EARNING THIS!

On February 27 our daughter graduated Summa Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Science Nursing degree.  So winter ended on a very happy note.  We are very proud of her.

HAPPINESS!

I can hardly believe that we are already well into May.  This week has been wonderful.  Our son was here to visit for a few days. The time went by too quickly.  He was stopping by on his way out of the USA.  For the next four years or so he will be stationed overseas.  He had a busy few days here participating in a weight lifting competition, eating "authentic tacos" every time he had a chance after the competition, going to a winery with our daughter and her husband and their friends, and going to a St. Louis Cardinals baseball game.


I BELIEVE THAT THIS WEIGHT WAS 225 LBS.  HE WEIGHS BETWEEN 120 AND 140 LBS.



IN THE NEXT PHOTO THE WEIGHTS WERE UP OVER HIS HEAD, BUT THE PHOTO DIDN'T TURN OUT

HE PLACED SECOND PLACE IN THE SENIOR DIVISION WEIGHT CLASS

He said that where he will be stationed he won't be able to get any authentic tacos, so he wanted to eat plenty of them before he left.  I don't know how "authentic" the Bulgogi (Korean barbecue) taco from the St. Louis Seoul Taco restaurant was, but it was delicious, and I am sure that type of taco won't be available where he will be going.



AT A MEXICAN RESTAURANT.  OUR SON HAD FISH TACOS THERE.

It felt like he had just arrived home and then it was already time for him to leave.  Once again it was time for good-byes.  Hugging--at the door, then on the front porch, and watching him drive away, and then that "Please, let him be safe" feeling.  This was the first time that my eyes didn't get chapped from crying when he left.  Those good-byes never do seem to get any easier.


THE ROSES BLOOMED MAY 7. 2015

Just two days ago, the Knock Out roses started blooming.  So many roses magically opened overnight and there are many more buds still to open.  They may not have the beautiful rose scent that some roses do, but what a delight it is when they break out into bloom each spring. 

 This year the Red Knock Out roses are absolute velvety perfection. 

The clematis blooms are huge this year and gorgeous.  It must have been more than 15 years ago that I planted it.  For about 13 of those years it would only get two or three blooms on it and then it would just be an ugly-ish leafy vine, until it would "accidently" get weed whacked.  For the last couple of years I have been putting my potted mandevilla vine in front of it.  That probably kept its roots cool enough for it to thrive.  I gave it a dose of rose fertilizer when I fed the roses in early April, so that may account for all of the huge blossoms it is getting this year.

My chives were green all winter.  During the coldest times they were frozen, but still green.  I moved their pot up close to the house for winter.  They were the first plants blooming this year.  I didn't know that chive blossoms got this large. They look so pretty and fluffy, but as pretty as they are, they smell like chives.

AMERICANA PINK GERANIUMS. WILL THEY BE A SURVIVOR IN MY GARDEN THIS SEASON?

Geraniums usually are not flowers that I have very good luck with, but I couldn't resist these luscious, lovely pink beauties.  Hopefully, they will still have leaves and flowers on them by the end of June, or maybe even all summer. They are called Americana Pink.     

I just love this time of year.  Ah, Spring!

Here's a little bouquet of roses to wish everyone a happy Mother's Day!


HAVE A WONDERFUL MOTHER'S DAY!