My newest rug is coming right along. I hope to have it finished before Sunday so I can deliver it to young woman at church. It is called "Bad Hair Day!!""

Some more pictures from around the place. We have 3 commode planters made from old unworkable toilets. I started with a pink one and used to have it down by our road next to the mailbox but when I got the other 2, I moved all 3 to the front of the house. I usually plant some green plants and some rock rose but last year I planted this ground cover and a type of succulent and they lived through the winter so I'm leaving them as-is this year. The ground cover has fallen to the ground and is beginning to cover the whole area that we always had trouble growing grass or anything...so am very happy with the looks of it.

Here is a closeup with my rose bush I've managed to grow. I have a terrible time growing roses for some reason.

I am showing a few photos taken earlier this spring. This is my lilac bush. I have 4 and this is the first year two have bloomed and man do they smell wonderful.

So love bird watching. I have a bird feed I use in winter right outside my studio window. Just love the colorful birds that tend to visit.

Two years ago we started noticing scarlet tangers flitting around our place in the spring and summer. We had never had them before. I got this shot of one this summer. There is a shadow on his head but they are bright orangey red. This one is a male. The females are more brown and almost look like a brown thrush.

Several years ago, we found 2 dogs someone had thrown out on our road. We drove past them 5 times and on the 5th time, we stopped and rescued them. The little male was very broke down with a broken back. They were starved and stunk. We had to put the little male down but kept the female. We bathed her and fed her and after a couple of weeks we took her to the vets. We named her Gracie as it was only by the Grace of God we stopped to rescue her. She weighted about 3 pounds when we found her. Now she weighs in between 10 and 11 pounds. She is the sweetest dog we have ever had. Only problem with her is she wants to be the only "kid" around and though she will tolerate other pets and would never bite anyone or anything, she just gets so jealous if others live in her house with her.

Sun is finally out today. Not a very busy day. Hubby is spraying the fruit trees and looks like we will have a large bounty of fruit this year. Asparagus is winding down and really have so much lettuce we can't eat it all...so our friends will have treats this week.

Our hawk babies have hatched. They have really grown since this photo was taken. They will be leaving the next soon.

Our iris are almost finished their blooming. These are the photos of the 2 beds when they were at their peak of blooming. We have every color under the sun. A friend of mine has an iris farm and she has given me some as well as we have bought many. I just love them.

We have had lots and lots of rain...over 6inches in 3 days. River is up but we are safe. We live about 60miles northeast of where a tornado went through and killed 2 people. A young couple leaving their new born baby alive. So sad but rain is always needed for gardens to grow. Just wish the tornados wouldn't go along with them.

I thought I would share a new rug finish I completed about a month ago. I found this pattern in Primitive Quilts and Crafts Magazine and just loved it.

Our veggie garden is really growing. We put up landscape timbers a few years ago to keep the rains from washing it away. This year we added the big barrel pots for our tomatoes and peppers. We grew some last year in pots and they did so well that we set this up permanent. I also have a new smaller herb bed besides my mint and lettuce bed.

Have had a great Mother's day mainly just lazing around. We went to church this morning but they are not having evening services. Middle son sent me a text from Korea and youngest son posted to my facebook page to wish me Happy Mother's day. Oldest son is in Romania so probably won't hear from him.

Went to my friend's birthday party yesterday. We had lost power due to storms and so had to get ready in the dark. The power was restored when we got home. But they really surprised her. I hooked her a rug for her present. It is a Southwest Indian pot design with a kokopeli in the center. She loved it.

Starting over

I took a much needed break from the computer and blogging and took down my old blogs. I thought with time being short, I only needed one blog instead of the 3 I was doing. I will combine my love of traditional rug hooking, quilting, cross stitch, embroidery and any other craft that catches my eye. I will blog some about our lovely place in the Ouachita Mountains and our family and friends....both human and animal. Hope you enjoy what you read.
((Hugs)) ---Barb


Now for a view of our place.