Stumbled Upon This Today

Letting your light shine. By French Toast Girl. Very inspiring. Made me smile. I need to remember it. Go check it out.

The Scourge of the Earth (and My Yard)

The scourge of the Earth (and my yard), originally uploaded by msbellee.

They are absolutely the terror of my yard and one of the main reasons why I want to move back to the mountains: FIRE ANTS! These gruesome little critters have changed the way I garden and how I approach life in Charlotte. Not only can you not get rid of them, you don't really know where they are hiding. They pop up in the most innocent of places, such as under Kevin's pool. OMG, I almost had a heart attack when I discovered this sight under his kiddie pool. "Get out of the pool right now!!!"

Oh, how I wish there was a way to rid my yard of them. I can't go digging in the dirt as I once loved to do in fear that they will rear their ugly little heads and sting and bite me until I can't stand it anymore. If you have ever been bitten/stung by one you know what I mean. Blisters that itch beyond belief. It lights you on fire.

We have lived in this house for about 10 years. The reason I chose it was due to its proximity to my workplace which was less than 2 miles down the road in the opposite direction of Charlotte traffic; and because it sat at the end of a cul-de-sac surrounded by woods. The housing development was fairly new, only 2 years old. We were told upon purchasing the house that no one would be allowed to build in the woods at the end of the cul-de-sac because it was a flood plain, so I felt safe. Not for long.

I worked in the yard and made it very attractive and inviting. I planted perennials, annuals, vines, ground covers, shrubs, bushes, flowering trees and blueberries. I loved getting out in the yard and adding to it here and there with a new color or shape. I even had a raised bed garden one year in which I grew vegetables including green beans, zucchini, yellow crookneck squash, eggplant, green peppers, corn, peas, watermelon and lettuce. I was pleased at how successful my little raised garden held up in the Charlotte heat and humidity. I loved transforming the clay soil into a rich mixture that would succeed in sustaining what I wanted to grow. I was also happy to have pots of flowers strewn about to add interest, especially by the back patio. I also had mint, chocolate mint, and various other herbs in pots as well as a beautiful pot of tommy-toes (tiny cherry tomatoes that are sweet like sugar candy). And, at that time we did not have fire ants...yet. All that changed.

In 1999 we were notified that the development was going to be extended and enlarged through the end of our cul-de-sac and houses were to be added on each side of us. We would no longer be at the end of the street nor would we be surrounded by my most precious woods. Goodbye deer, goodbye foxes, goodbye possums and raccoons, peep frogs and critters of all kinds. And hello fire ants!

They bulldozed the woods down to nothing, raped it in fact, and left no tree standing. Clear-cut the entire woods. I swear I heard the trees cry that day. There were oaks, maples and pines, dogwoods and redbuds, sweetgums, hickory and numerous others, as well as endless wild honeysuckle! Oh, how sweetly the woods smelled in the springtime. And then it was gone. Taken away by the greedy developers who only wanted to put up houses and pocket the money, destroying our mother earth who had left a little bit of her soul in this place. I cried for and with the trees that day and for months afterwards.

We had seven rose bushes along the driveway. Now there is one. They tore up the driveway and extended our yard to the new street. I had perennials along the street that got plowed under because of the destruction. I had three peonies. I saved one and put it in a pot. I had black-eyed susans and echinacea, pincushion flowers by the dozen, bulbs of all kinds, and hostas. All gone except for the ones I saved and moved, and the majority of them have died due to the heat and me not wasting our precious water to keep them alive in pots. Therefore if they survive they do so because they are very hardy and tolerant of drought. And even then some die due to being plowed up by the fire ants themselves.

I can now stand at the corner of the front of my house and spit on to the side of our neighbors' house. Through the walls you can hear them talking at times and most certainly you can hear their stereo. It's like living in an apartment almost. It's really sad. And in between us and them there are fire ants. They live along the new sidewalk, at our mailbox, beside the driveway, at the base of my blueberries, along the fence, under the boulder, and we can't get rid of them.

The only good thing to come from the deforestation of my neighborhood was my boulder and rocks. The huge rocks the construction workers found were going to be broken up into gravel. I convinced them to give them to me, including my wonderful boulder. I have many a big rock in the yard now as a result of sweet-talking the bulldozer operators. But the worst thing to happen as a result of the deforestation was the invasion of the fire ants.

I'm not exactly sure why, but since that happened the fire ants have gotten 1000 times worse. Every time I go outside I watch where I step. I often worry about Barney, my dog, getting bit by them, and poor Kevin cannot go outside barefoot. Every child should be able to go outside barefoot in their own yard for crying out loud! We have treated these monsters with various things to no avail, including gasoline and fire! Nada. They only move from that place to somewhere else. They are even under our foundation. I wish to the heavens above that these creatures did not exist on the planet. There is no good reason for them IMO. Only harm and anxiety comes from them.

If someone knows of a way to be rid of these devils, please do let me know. I would love to get back diggin' in the dirt once again.

Swiped Sweets

Shhhh, don't tell Kevin! Mommy swiped a couple of 'em!

I am a chocoholic you know. :)

On the Right Path

On the Right Path, originally uploaded by Lou's Canon.

I found a very touching photo on Flickr tonight. So moving for me that I cried when I heard what it was saying to me. I'm still crying as I write this.

This is a picture with many hidden meanings. It could be saying 'run along and get your drink out of the car', or it could be saying 'wait for me'. But what it signifies for me is...letting go.

I never thought I would have kids. Then I had Kevin and my whole world changed. He's growing up so fast, getting so tall, has his first loose tooth, and will be going to kindergarten this fall. Time is flying by faster and faster with every day. There will come a time very soon when I will have to let him go, and it will come quicker than I think. I only hope I will have done right by him when that time comes.

Thank you, Lou's Canon, for touching me with your photograph. Nothing has moved me quite like this in a very long time.

Fun With Squishies and a Tennessee Wedding

We had a very interesting day today. It began when Kevin woke up and realized it was raining. The first thing he said was, "My day is ruined." He said it so glumly and pitifully. I almost laughed hearing that phrase come out of his 5 year old mouth. But I asked him why (even though I already knew why. He had gotten a new toy while in Tennessee over Easter weekend and wanted to play with it outside. His new Spiderman mask came complete with a web squirter glove which has a built-in contratption that shoots this sillly string stuff and I won't let him use it inside. I told him yesterday that if it warmed up he could do it outside. So that's why his day was ruined. He couldn't go outside with his web squirter toy). He told me to guess. I guessed right. He said it again. "My day is ruined." I told him that we needed the rain and that it was a good thing. I tried to help him understand that the plants and animals relied on the rain for their health and well-being. I told him that the rain was a good thing for the grass and trees, flowers and birds. Everything needed the rain. He just said, "I guess so." I told him that he would live without using it today and that we would find something else fun to do. And we did...

...FUN WITH SQUISHIES

My mom had gotten some little, inexpensive toys from Big Lots to go in Kevin's Easter basket. Kevin and I were with her when she snuck them into the shopping cart so I wasn't exactly sure what all she'd gotten. These little guys were among them. Don't know exactly what they are called, but we now call them 'squishies'. They are a lot of fun. You can pull 'em, push 'em, squeeze 'em, stretch 'em, squish 'em, and shape 'em. They're cute. They're a lot of fun...and just a little weird!

These little squishies have a rubber-like outer skin and on the inside there is a fine powdery substance that is not unlike Moonsand in the way it packs together and holds a shape. The rubbery outer skin stretches like a rubber band and the face gets all distorted, which Kevin thought was funny. They made faces at him on top of being all smiles to begin with.

So there we were, playing away with the squishy buddies when Kevin handed me one and said, "look, mommy, he's bleeding." I thought, "huh?" I took the little orange guy and checked him over. Upon inspection with my strongest readers I finally noticed that he had somehow been punctured and the inner powdery stuff was coming out. Each time he got squished he made a little puff of powder all over your fingers. I thought "this can't be good. What is the stuff inside there anyway? Is it toxic?" I thought perhaps this little guy should be 'retired.'

I proceeded to show Kevin the little hole in the orange dude and explained that I wasn't sure what the white stuff was or if it was harmful. I let him hold it and squish it to prove to him that it was indeed punctured and he saw the powder come out for himself. Then I said, "I think we better let this guy go in the trash, sweet pea. He's not gonna make it." Well, I shouldn't have put it like that. BIG mistake.

I gave the orange guy back to Kevin and told him to go put it in the trash since it was torn up. He did. Then he came back with tears in his eyes! I said, "You still have these other guys. They're still your friends and can play with you." His lip started quivering and the tears welled up in his eyes and he started crying. Oh, I felt sooooo bad. I made him throw one of his squishies away! Now his other friends were lonely. I tried to console him and reitterated that the stuff inside might be toxic. "Kevin, he's torn up. He can't be fixed. I don't know how to fix it." He just boo-hoo'd. "Kevin, don't cry." After a few minutes of holding him while he cried, then watching his lip quiver as he tried to catch his breath between sobs, I gave in. "Tell ya' what, go get him and we'll see what we can do." Now I had to perform a miracle...surgery for the orange dude so Kevin could keep him with all his other squishy friends! You don't turn your back on your friends!

I racked my brain as to how I could salvage this little squishy guy so he could still be Kevin's friend. Glue? No. Tape? Nah. That wouldn't withstand squishing which is how he became wounded in the first place! Aha! Saran wrap! I wrapped the little guy up in a clear stretchy bandage like a walking cast for the little guy, and twisted each end together like a twist tie. I then tied a knot with the saran wrap ends and cut the loose ends off. Voila! Kevin had his buddy back! I showed him to Kevin and actually got a smile! It had worked! Orange squishy was wounded but in Kevin's hand and with the other squishies in no time!

I did have to explain that he would never be the same again and that on the inside of the saran wrap the powder might still come out. As long as the saran wrap wasn't punctured he could still play with it. He said, "Okay, mommy. I love you." He gave me a big hug. I almost cried.

So we went back to playing with our squishies. The wounded orange guy got lots of hugs from the other squishies. Kevin made up dialogue between them all as he played with them on the windowsill looking out at the rain and fog. He even made them an M&M picnic and gave each their own M&M (which he then proceeded to eat!).

We had fun with the squishies. I'll never forget it.

***

An Easter Weekend Wedding

Over the Easter weekend we traveled to Pigeon Forge, TN, where my only nephew, Andy, married a beautiful and very funny girl, April. Fun was had by all!

Andy and April chose a beautiful wedding chapel in which to get married. It sat atop a ridge with a wonderful view of the Smokey Mountains. Breathtaking. They performed a ceremony called the "sand ceremony" where the two sands unite as one. It was unique and moving. What a memory they made for each other and all their friends and family.

My family stayed in a 3 level cabin on another ridge above the chapel. We had 11 people in it without running over each other! It came complete with a game room, outdoor hot tub and indoor jacuzzi tub. The view was awesome but the temperature was COLD. AS. CRAP. No one used the hot tub! I really wished it had been warmer for April's sake. She had a strapless gown in which I know she was freezing her tail off.

Congratulations to the happy couple! I hope you have a lifetime full of happiness, dreams, and laughter.

Here is a slideshow of some of the pictures I took at the adventure:

Colors of My Yard

light and dark pink azaleas, originally uploaded by msbellee.

The azaleas beneath our kitchen window have popped and are in full bloom. They are so gorgeous. Nothing catches the eye like azaleas in springtime. I'm partial to pinks and purples and these azaleas make me smile when I look out the window and see their beauty. Spring is a wonderful time of year.

I don't have many nice plants in my yard anymore since the fire ants took over, but what remains is pretty darn hardy. If I can't kill it, it can survive anything. We've been in a drought for a several years now. I don't care what anybody says. There are cracks in my lawn at least 1/2 inch wide and grass doesn't like to grow. Got lots of clover and dandelions. At least they're pretty.

We go without rain for weeks sometimes and not much can survive that and the Charlotte heat and humidity. I won't use the hose to water either...not worth the high water bill we end up with. If it won't grow by itself, I ain't growin' it. If it does grow in my yard, then it's either native or I just got lucky.

I tried to plant things where they were supposed to go and pick perennials and annuals that belonged in my own zone. The people who lived in this house before us put the azaleas right up next to the street in full sun and had planted things that didn't belong in this zone. The azaleas didn't like where they were, so I moved them to part shade on the north side of the house. They're so much happier now and thriving despite my lack of pruning after the blooming season.

Here are some of what still survives despite my neglect.

My last surviving phlox. It's been in a pot for about 6 years.

Varigated vinca. Good to brighten up shady spots.

I was at my mother's this past week and spring was out all over up there, too. However, since they are a different zone (zone 6 I believe) they are a little behind us. It was like reliving it all over again.

One of mom's 40+ year old forsythia bushes.

She has the prettiest tiny little purple weeds too.

I have no idea what the flowers in the last photo are. They are weeds apparently. Whatever they are the bees just love them and they are everywhere in her yard. When I was a kid I used to pick these little tiny purple flowers and bite the very ends off them. It's very sweet. I can see why the bees like them. If they're not toxic I bet they would be great in a salad. So colorful and plentiful and sweet!

Also growing wild in my mom's yard are strawberries, but anymore they are too small and bitter to do anything with. When I was growing up we used to pick wild strawberries growing in the yard and in the field above her house. We got buckets of them. The largest ones were maybe the size of a quarter and were sweet and juicy. Most were smaller, maybe the size of a nickel or dime. They were so good. Now you can't hardly find those kind of strawberries growing wild anymore. I miss those days.

Here is what grows in my yard but it's not even as big as a pea and it's hard and bitter.

Here in Charlotte I also have blueberry bushes that produce some fruit, but not much. The bushes have been in the ground for about 10 years and the birds always get the fruit. That's fine with me. At least somebody gets to enjoy it. Very tasty little blueberries grow on them, but I wish they did better here. The mountains is where they do best. These, too, are surrounded by fire ants so I don't usually go near them anymore.

***

I miss the mountains. Only been gone one day and I miss it already. I miss it a lot. Always do.

I took a picture of the rain coming from over the next hill.

Kevin and I played outside while we were there despite the rain. He wanted to play hide and seek ( he always hides in the same places!). I snapped this picture.

It started sprinkling rain but we were prepared.

The next day the mowers came to mow Granny's yard. It's always an exciting time when that happens. Both my boys sit on the back of the couch in front of the picture window to see what's going on outside.

Funny, I used to sit there and do the same thing when I was a kid. It's just a good place to be in Granny's house.

Until next time....