Spring Tour Part 2

Are you ready for another Spring Tour? If so, come on, let's go!

A tulip in my yard.

Random picture of the day! I've been driving the backroads and taking different routes recently in hopes of seeing something different to photograph and to break up the monotany of travelling the same road time and time again, when out of the blue there was a buffalo standing near the road!

Back home with more tulip pictures.

The white iris have been blooming in my yard this week. The purple iris should start within the next week or so.

Another random shot from my travels. I pass this old house in town occasionally and this week the redbuds were blooming in the yard. Noone has lived in the house in years, but the yard was mowed and I thought it ironic that the phone company had thrown a new directory on the front porch. Have you ever wondered why the buds on a redbud tree are purple or is it just me?

More iris from my yard.

The dogwood trees have started to bloom this week as well.

A rainbow from last week.

We were on our way to town last weekend and my sweet husband has learned to be on the look out for cool photographic opportunities. I have been taking my camera when we travel about since its spring and you never know when there might be a neat picture. So we were just "tootling" about as he calls it, when all of a sudden he puts on the breaks, shifts into R and says "Get your camera out." Can you see all the turtles on the log in this swampy little pond?

A few miles later, crossing into Wood County we come across this hill full of daffodils. Sweet husband pulls over and lets me grab a quick picture. We bought a new(er) truck last month and it sure has made "tootling" about much easier and more enjoyable. We had been driving an extended cab, long bed truck everywhere and now have a much shorter single cab truck that is so much easier to stop or turn around to get a cool photo and it gets much better gas mileage to boot. I wish this was in front of my house!

We are mapping us out a route to go west a few miles and see some bluebonnets in the coming weeks. I've always wanted to go to the hill country in the spring time, but getting away for a few days, just isn't a possibility, as we don't have anyone to rely on to take care of our animals. The Texas Highways magazine had an article on wildflower trails and previewed the Ennis area. We can easily make Ennis and back in a days time. There are suppose to be over 40 miles around Ennis to see bluebonnets and wildflowers. So I'm getting excited and checking their website to see when the best time to go will be. I'll be letting you know all about it and will share photos when we get back!

 



Ice cream time!

With the temperatures on the rise, Farmall Man claimed that it was time to buy ice cream at the grocery store! Of course two little girls remember how good the cold stuff tastes and just as soon as he set the new carton on the counter, they were lined up and waiting for their chance to get a bite!

Hope you all have a great Friday and a wonderful weekend!

Happy Spring!

Happy Spring!!!

What a beautiful weekend we have had to celebrate the changing of the seasons. I have spent lots of time outdoors this weekend and have enjoyed soaking up some sun and getting my hands and feet dirty planting flowers! I'll try to share more pictures of my plantings sometime this week. Hope you all have a wonderful week and take some time to get outside and enjoy Spring!

Super Moon

Its a full Super Moon Saturday night!

I got my camera, tripod, and Iphone photo tutorial app out and captured the supermoon rising through the trees tonight. I desire to learn how to shoot in manual mode all the time and with my dandy little app telling me how to set the camera, all these photos were successfully taken on manual! I tested a few of the automatic options and the difference was unbelievable.

So did you see the supermoon Saturday night?

Iris

Hip hip hooray…the irises started blooming today!!!

Less than 96 hours till spring begins!!! I think the weatherman said something like 6:21pm Sunday.

Gotta love this time of year!!!

Happiness Is...

I was thinking about happiness this afternoon as we were working on our evening chores. Everyone has a different view of happiness.

The Farmall Man came in and told me to come look at the brief rainbow outside. I grabbed my camera and captured a shot before it faded away. Rainbows, spring flowers and blooming trees make me happy.

It was time to go feed the barnyard and I carried my Canon with me while we fed and let the dogs run. To the horses getting plenty of hay or grazing on fresh springs of grass is happiness. To Fido, chewing on a bone brings him happiness. To Trixie, getting to run free in the field is bliss.

Chasing down sunsets on the lake brings me happiness in the afternoons. Farmall Man's uncle, who loves photography, shared with me this great spot to stop and take sunset pics. If I go the "back way" home, I cross the lake and have enjoyed stopping and taking a few pictures. I just wish there was a sandy beach where I could sit me a chair and really enjoy the sounds of the water, sand between my toes and the beauty of the water and sky.

It seems to me as if happiness comes from the little things in life...not a brand of clothes or the car you drive. Money can't buy happiness. I've known lots of financial secure people who are the unhappiest people you will ever deal with.   

Its my family, four-legegd family, surroundings and nature that makes me happy.

So what is your idea of happiness?

Flip Flop Farmgirl Photo Challenge

Wow! My photo was chosen FAVORITE in the photo challenge! Thank you Kelsey!

Kelsey at the Flip-Flop Farmgirl is starting a photo challenge and the theme this week is "Little Beauty". I   often take macro photos to display the details of a flower and liked the idea of Kelsey's challenge. For this assignment you were to take a picture of something little and then step back and show how small it really is.

This is a picture of a peach tree bloom.

The bloom is so tiny when you look at the bigger picture.

Spring Foward

Hip hip hooray! I love it when daylight savings time begins…and wish we would never have to switch the clocks back.

I love being able to spend more time outside when I get off work. It seems as if all winter we've been finishing up our evening chores with a flash light…but not tonight!

I started breaking up a garden spot Saturday and can't wait to start planting. The daffodils are winding down their show, but I noticed the iris are shooting up their flags, so they won't be long! Before long the yard will be a riot of color and just a week till spring officially begins!

Spring…it's my favorite time of year! What's your favorite season?

Bradford Pear Blooms

After a pleasant, spring like week, Old Man Winter let us know that he isn't quite ready to pack his bags and leave for another year. A cold front brought temperatures to freezing again this weekend. Its been a rather chilly weekend and we had to break out the jackets once again. With last weeks warm spell, the Bradford Pear Trees have blossomed with their elegant beauty. On our weekly trip to buy groceries for us and all the four legged critters, I captured a few pictures of them.

Hope you all have a wonderful week! Its only 2 weeks till Spring officially begins and time changes next weekend!!! I can't wait to have more day light time after I get off from work!

Spring Garden Tour

Grab your boots...Come on...Let's go for a walk around the yard! The sun is out and the flowers are starting to bloom. During the cold, dreary days of winter, it seemed as if these days would n-e-v-e-r get here. While I know it is early and we could still have several more cold snaps, I am very thankful for some color in the yard and the warmer temperatures we have been blessed with over the past few days.

A few sprigs of muscari...not sure how they got to the middle of the yard...but I'll let 'em stay there since they are pretty right now!

I ♥ Daffodils! The golden blooms cheer me up and make me smile.

More blooms are opening each day.

 A few wild violets...not sure where these came from either! I have many plants that have been divided and shared with me and I think the violets hitch hiked in when no one was looking!The hens and chicks are trying to hatch out in the wheelbarrow.

Only in Texas will you see cactus and daffodils together! Ok, well maybe not the only state, but its an unlikely combination.

 You gotta love daffies...

The larkspur is starting to shoot up. Larkspur is one of my all time favorite flowers to grow and to use as a cut flower at the flower shop. I always joke that when I die, my family has to check with the flower shop and make sure they can get larkspur and sunflowers before they plan the time for my funeral and schedule according to flower availability!

And this is Trixie being bashful. She was saying "No Mama, please don't take my picture, I hate it when you have that camera out!"

The tulips are getting ready to blooms as well. Can't wait to see their colorful little blooms as well.

I'm not sure what these pink flowers are. I got them last year at the garden center. There wasn't a name tag, but I like 'em and they have been very hardy. They survived the heat last summer and cold this winter plus they are blooming early, so they are a keeper.

Well thanks for coming over and taking a walk in the garden with me. I've done all the talking now, so tell me is anything blooming in your part of the country?

Busy Day!

As I mentioned yesterday, I had the day off from my "regular" job. The weather cooperated and I was able to spend some time outside mowing and cleaning up the yard, feeding horses and dogs, and was able to get some things made and listed on my etsy store. I hope to have a spring garden tour post up by tomorrow!

 I have several different type of crosses listed in my GypsyFarmGirl store. The one above is made out of barbed wire and accented with beads. For someone wanting a more safari themed cross, I have the leopard and zebra print frames with wooden cross and rhinestone or marble accents.

I also added this set of beaded, festive serving spoons to the store inventory today. How cool are these? These look great at a party and make your dishes look so much more fun! I have seen these in several bridal registries for outrageous prices and decided to make my own beaded spoons. The first time I used beaded serving pieces at a family get together, they were all the talk and rage and of course everyone wanted to try my dish because they wanted to use my pretty spoons! 

                                      

Its been a busy day and I've still gotta clean the kitchen after making Rosemary Flat Breads from the Pioneer Woman and need to fold some clothes before I head back to work tomorrow. Until next time...Get ready for a garden tour! Spring, she is a coming soon!