This yellow Canna Lily is so bright and pretty it reminds me of sunshine.
We have the yellow ones with a lot of orange in them that everyone has but this one is a bit different and I really like it a lot.
Flowers have a way of brightening your day.
Life is good
Verbena is one of those old fashion flowers that still stands the test of time.
It comes back year after year sometimes prettier than the year before. I cut mine back a little bit in the early spring but I do not cut it back a lot.
The color purple is so soothing and very relaxing. A sense of calmness and peace washes over you and it makes you feel so free. I love this color.
Life is good!
April Showers
April is one of my favorite months it is when the temperatures get warmer and everything comes back to life again.
This month has showered our family with a lot of great news.
First -our granddaughter Preslie will be a freshman in High School next school year and she made the Varsity High School cheerleader squad. She has been doing competition cheer for a few years now and happens to be quite good at cheer. She was our first grandchild and is very special to us. We are so proud of her and everything she has accomplished in her life.
Second – our youngest daughter Jeanelle who is 30 years old and her husband David bought a house on 4 acres about 12 minutes from us. They will be signing papers this coming Friday. They have kept this a secret from the four children so Friday will be full of surprises for everyone. Children need wide open spaces to explore and trees to climb. This house even has a pond that currently has a lot of turtles in it. The children will love having a barn filled with animals that will include baby dairy goats that are getting picked up next week. They will get to milk goats, raise animals and learn the responsibility that comes along with it. They already garden with their mom but now but they will be able to do it on a much larger scale. This is their dream home and they have waited a long time to find the perfect home for their family. We are so happy for them all.
Third – our son in law David just got a promotion at work he is now a senior inspector. He does not like to brag about things but we are very proud of him.
Fourth – our youngest son Jeremy who is 25 1/2- years old is a United States Marine he just found out he will be promoted to Seargent on May 1st. He has been a Marine for 5 1/2- years. When your son grows up and wants to become a Marine it is one of those Ahh Haa moments parents have to go through but we are very proud of him and all his accomplishments.
Fifth -Daisy had her 4th birthday and she has been asked to be a large dog model for a local dog clothing company. She will be doing pictures for that very soon and I will gladly post the pictures. She makes me smile every day I am so glad she is a part of our lives even though she is a bed hog. We are very proud of Daisy.
I only share the news that people shared with us directly.
This month has proved to me what April showers are all about.
Jeanelle, David, Andrew, Karina, Sophia, Adrian, Jeremy, Preslie, and Daisy thank you all so much for being a part of our lives. We love you all very much.
Liebster Award
I have been nominated for the Liebster award by Roda at Growing Self Blog. Check out her blog she has so much going on with her blog, the farm, gardening, and renovations it will make your head spin.
Since Roda nominated me I chose to answer her questions. I am super busy right now trying to help our daughter and her husband get ready for a move to a new house on 4 acres so I will not be nominating anyone at this time.
I feel like I am sort of cheating because my other blog that is still active had too many followers for this challenge.
GrowingSelf – Roda’s Questions to nominees:
- Why did you start blogging? I started blogging several blogs ago for my photography business then it became more than just a photography blog it became personal.
- Who is your role model? My role model would be my dad he saw the good in everyone and never seemed to judge people too much. I really miss him.
- Use one word to describe yourself? Compassionate
- Do you have a pet? If so, what is your favorite thing about your special friend? We have many pets but one of my favorite pets would be Daisy our 4-year-old boxer dog. I love her personality, her hyperactivity for life and most of all she just makes me smile. I think she really understands me.
- What is your favorite color? Blue has always been my favorite color. It does not matter the shade or the tone if leans towards blue I love it. Right now I am hung up on aqua and gray together.
- Where on Earth is your most memorable travel destination? I loved going to Arizona and seeing the Grand Canyon it was breathtaking and I could have stared at it for hours. I bought a 28mm lens just to shoot the Grand Canyon.
- What is your favorite book? I really do not have a favorite book.
- Are you a city mouse or a country mouse? I am a country mouse I love everything about country living the peace and quiet, wildlife and nature and most of all the cows I truly love cows.
- What is your favorite vegetable? My favorite vegetable has changed over the years I guess right now it would be grilled asparagus.
- What is your Superpower? This is a funny question because I have a tee shirt that says “I stop time what is your superpower” so I guess my super power would be photography.
- What do you love most about YOU? My determination to succeed at whatever I chose to do.
Earth
This week’s Daily Post photo challenge is Earth.
When I think of our earth I think of all the beautiful things we get to look at.
Tiny hummingbirds hovering over the flowers for nectar, star jasmine and its smells that delight us all. The Louisiana iris and all the other flowers that are blooming this time of year. Then there are the new sunrises I get to see and enjoy each and every day.
Yesterday our youngest daughter and I took her 4 children to do pictures at the beach.
I can not tell you how disgusted I was with the littering people had left from the weekend before. Seriously everyone needs to pick up their own garbage. I grabbed a plastic bag and picked up all the cans and bottles it would hold in the area we were taking pictures.
If we all do part not to pollute, contaminate or destroy our earth it will be here for all the future generations to see and enjoy.
Happy 4th- Birthday Daisy Dog
On April 22, my Daisy girl turns four years old.
It seems like yesterday I had this wild puppy who was so hyperactive you could not wear her out.
She turned into this beautiful boxer who loves to go places in the truck and pose for pictures. Every day she has to play fetch it is her game of choice and she loves to cool off in her pool when she gets too hot.
She is very good with our grandchildren and loves it when they give her some of their food or play with her.
Daisy did not like the dark sunglasses but I managed to get a few pics before she tried to get them off.
The sun visor she did not mind and I figured she would hate it.
She even winks sometimes during our sessions but when she gets bored she just closes her eyes to ignore me.
Here are a few of my favorite pictures.
Surprise
This week’s Daily Post Photo challenge is the word Surprise.
When I saw this hawk in the tree I tried to get as close as I could to get a good picture. He was in a tala tree on the fence line in the backyard.
It was not until I looked at the pictures that I noticed he was staring down at my bird feeders in the backyard stalking the birds I had just fed.
It is time to change up my routine again so he is not watching me and the birds.
Mulberry thieves
The cedar waxwings are back and they are stealing our mulberries right off the trees.
They have a mask on like a bandit in disguise they are thieves I tell you.
Their diet is 70% fruit so this is why they are happy to see our mulberry trees.
This is the second year in a row that they have come in large groups and eat all day long for a few weeks until they strip the mulberry trees dry of all the fruit. We do not mind sharing the mulberries with the birds we just wish they would not eat them all.
We do not mind sharing the mulberries with the birds we just wish they would not eat them all.
Daisy is mad because she likes to eat the ones off the ground and as you can see they are eating those too.
They are some sleek looking birds that is for sure.
Silvery wandering jew
Silvery wandering jew is by far one of my favorite plants.
You can have it in a hanging basket or a container and let it cascade over the side and crawl to the ground. It can be planted directly in the ground and it spreads really fast.
The leaves shimmer in a silvery purple stripe on the front and solid purple on the back and many times there will be leaves turned both directions which only adds to the beauty of this plant.
I planted some in the ground last year in a few different spots in the backyard and we had one freeze so it froze but I noticed it is already coming back.
To make a new plant you can pinch off a piece and stick it in a pot or the ground and it takes off no roots are needed. I really love that. I find it prefers morning sun, evening sun or partial shade rather than full sun.
I went to the local nursery and bought two hanging baskets of it this past week for $9.00 each. This plant is a big bang for your buck.
It actually looks quite beautiful mixed in a container with something taller and some flowers.
Towards the end of March, I decided to fix a tall container of begonias and silvery wandering jew for the front and it turned out quite well.
Sonya Lira Photography 