This post is about the blog and the new friends I have met on this blog. You all know Nina. In fact, Anonymous and I had lunch with Nina a few months back. It was a delightful afternoon, but one in which BOTH Anonymous and Nina got away without me snapping a picture of them. I think they were both a bit shy at the time. We've now known each other for over six months. Six months is a long time in blogdom and we have shared and talked about many things. I am very happy Nina and Gene have allowed me to share some pictures. Aren't they a lovely couple? There are standing in front of Gene's garage and Nina's BEAUTIFUL irises. Mr. Fix-it and Gene would have many things to talk about since they both love automobiles-GMC to be exact.I was honored that Nina not only invited me to her and her husband's (Gene) lovely home, but also that she showed me her beautiful garden. Lots of plants. I could not believe all of the birds, bees and butterflies either. They were all quite busy pollinating all of the flowers.
Nina and Gene recently installed a storm shelter in their backyard. This is an especially important safety feature that is becoming more and more common since Tennessee is experiencing more and more tornadoes. Sarah of "The Adventures of the Childers Family" recently posted about some damage caused by a few F1 tornadoes here in our neck of Tennessee. It was a lot of damage.
Storm shelters would work well for people like me and Anonymous, who do not have basements. One of our nice neighbors invited us down to his house in case of an emergency, but by the time we got there it might be too late! It was the thought that counted I guess. Skeeter and Lola, do you have a basement? I know my family in Maine doesn't need one since tornadoes are unheard of up there.
I liked this storm shelter and how it fit right into Nina and Gene's backyard. I did open it up and check it out. Pretty cool. If anyone is interested in this type of storm shelter, email me at ramseytina5@gmail.com and I will put you in touch with Nina.
Nina and Gene have a large and fairly shady yard; which was quite pleasant. One area of the yard I really liked besides the beautiful irises near where I photographed Gene and Nina, was the spring near the front of their property. It reminded me of a grotto and was so peaceful and cooling. The tons of cannas also helped to make it nice. What do you think?
Inside this little pump house is a natural spring with crystal clear water bubbling out of it and meandering under the bridge and toward the road and a little creek. It was so pretty and calming to me. It is an absolutely unique and beautiful feature of the garden.
Thanks Nina and Gene for a pleasant afternoon and I hope you all never have to use that storm shelter!
in the garden....
Tina,
ReplyDeleteSweet sweet post! What lovely people!
The spring in the front yard with a pump and pump house is too cute. We would love a gurgling spring and I imagine the water plantings I would have, sigh.
No way could we dig a storm cellar without a great deal of blasting, that is why we don't have basements!
I didn't know we were having more tornadoes, I just assumed we were getting more coverage from the stations because they have all this new fangled equipment to play with!
It's a burden being this cynical about mainstream news media but I own that I am!
gail
Hi Tina --I loved the post and what a lovely couple. The yard is just gorgeous --I love the spring in the front --beautiful! It does look very calm and relaxing. The storm shelter is a nice addition --I've talked about them but as with a fence hubby usually doesn't move on some things:) Hi Nina --good to see you(in a picture) --have a great weekend and I LOVE YOUR YARD!!!!
ReplyDeleteThat is a neat idea to put the bridge over your spring Nina! It looks great. Do you all get your water from that spring?
ReplyDeleteOh my goodness what a sweet looking couple and I wish I looked that pretty 20 years ago and Nina is older than me!!!! Who could guess her age from her looks!!! I am in awe. It must be the great life of gardening and RVing as those 2 types of people always seen like such nice people and put em together, well, what more can I say?
ReplyDeleteThose Irises sure look lush. Besides her apparent green thumb I wonder if Dr. McEwen had a hand in them. Sorry to keep bring him up but can't see an iris without thinking of him.
Hope everyone's day is as happy as this great post just made me!
What a more together looking pair!
ReplyDeleteI agree with you mom, those irises look wonderful. Can't let Nikki see the pump house because she'll want one! For that matter I won't let hubby see it!
Well, Hello there Nina! I like the way Gene is looking at you and not the camera! Dont y'all just love putting faces to names...
ReplyDeleteI too think of a Grotto with the pump house Tina! I can envision tiny elves riding on swan shaped boats from within!
Who built that bridge and can you build me a larger version of it for our creek? I want a bridge really badly but that is a project we have not tackled as of yet, but there is always tomorrow, right?!
Off to play with more pine straw... Have a good day all...
Hello Everyone, another busy day in the yard!
ReplyDeleteGail, we were very lucky that the shelter installers only ran into a few rocks. We may find ourselves using it tonight!
Yes anonymous I got caught this time, didn't I.
Dave, We are on city water so don't use the spring for anything. I researched a bog garden several years ago, but decided it was too much trouble. Thought about a small pond with pond plants, but decided that would require too much maintenance.
Jean, thanks for the nice things you said. It was a bad hair day, tho. We aren't doing any rv'ing this summer, too scared to get to far from home, because of my Dad. We will probably just camp for a few days at a state park close by. Who knows some of my iris's could be some of Dr McEwen's. They have been very pretty this year, although the wind kinda knocked them over!
Skeeter, the little bridge is the one I was gonna use in another place, but decided it would work better at the spring.
Dawn, hope your daughter's recital went well.
I have tried to send this two times already today, so hopefully it will go through this time!!
Everyone have a great day tomorrow!
I forgot to say Nina, but I like your crane. Tina also has one and I enjoy it when I am at her place.
ReplyDeleteMy mother and I both really like them. We are lucky to have many here but since I am not right on the water I do not see them very often. So the other people get to enjoy them. My parents lived right on a river so they got them all the time. They love it at low tide as they can get lottsa clams, ect.
What a wonderful couple! Isn't it great to be able to meet friends this way? The way Gene looks in that picture reminds me of how Cheesehead looks in pictures. I don't think I have many non-wedding pictures that he's looking at the camera.
ReplyDeleteHi Everyone! Great day and tomorrow will be a busy one. Such a nice day --kiddos and I spent a good deal of time outside. They rode bikes, scooters, walked, tossed around the football until they had it land in some poison ivy --I had to salvage it:) Hubby had fun at the fishing tournament didn't win but actually he did -as my mom says he had an entire day to himself and doing something he liked:) The roses still smell like cake to Sidekick and the girl model -they have such a sweet scent. Nina --I planted some seeds you gave me a while back and they're growing so nicely in a flower box on my shed. I wish I could remember which ones they were, lol. I'll have to send pictures when they bloom. Right now they are about 3-4 inches high and just green but I know they are pink something? I have to get the kiddos washed and into bed --church in the morning and then we will meet my mom for lunch. Have a great night --and a lovely Mother's Day.
ReplyDeleteGail, I am cynical about the media too. Hate to admit it but will.
ReplyDeleteAnonymous, Good thing you have a little cubby in your house. You haven't had to use it lately have you? I really thought Dan would win a big prize but good that he had a full day. He works hard and it was an excellent day.
Hi Dave, Nina has some pickerel? in the water. It is nice.
Mom, I am so happy you are happy. When you come down we'll all get together. You already love my garden club and I know the same with the blog, but you need to meet them now. Isn't it nice to see faces on here? We need to see yours and anonymous's, Dawn's. We've seen Lola, Cinj, me, Gail, and Nina. Dave and Frances maybe will show themselves on their blogs-though Frances has already-but just a few more pics and we will have a quorum. All seen. Nice to know who we are talking to right? Thanks Nina for being a great sport!
Dawn, Why would Nikki want a pumphouse? Isn't Nina's cool? You could make a duck house by your pond.
Skeeter, I must say your Skeeter and my Orkin do look alot alike! No wonder you got a start. Six years is along time but the pain of losing a loved one never goes away. Glad you can remember him. You all, Skeeter posted on the pet people blog about her baby. You should go see him and read her lovely words. Glad you got the pine needles spread! Now relax!
Nina, Thanks so much for having me and I loved the garden. We'll see you and Gene this week! You two are a great pair.
Mom, Her whole area around the spring was so lovely.
Cinj, You should show us Cheesehead sometime. You talk of him often so it would be nice! My husband has been on here before. He is a sweetie but gets a bit distressed at the amount of time I spend blogging. Doesn't mind I collect plants, just blogging is his big thing. It is so nice to meet lots of friends and friends we can actually meet in person too! Someday perhaps we'll meet? You'll sell that house and get rich? No, maybe just sell it is important now.
Anonymous, You are ahead of me on seed planting! I am just now starting. Good for you. I know you are enjoying them.
ttyl Gotta go watch Survivor as I recorded it the other night. So glad my friends and sister did not talk too much about it as last week I almost had the great surprise told to me before I watched it. lol It is a nice thing to talk about though and I just stopped reading. Do you all know the finale is tomorrow night???? Can't believe it already.
Tina, Loved the post. What a lovely couple & their garden is to die for. Can't believe a spring right in their front yard--what a gorgeous plus. They do live in Tn. don't they? I can't believe how much I've learned on the blog. Keep learning too. I am so glad I started to read it out of curiosity.
ReplyDeleteDawn, I hope your girls recital went marvelous. I'm sure it did. Hope you & your family had a lovely day.
I hope all of you had a lovely day & wish all the mothers a "HAPPY MOTHERS DAY" tomorrow.
I finally got the swing area of my little shed cleaned out today & organized. I knew it would be a hard job when I started but now I'm hurting so bad--wonder if it was worth it. Yep!!! At least now I can go sit in the swing & smell the Jasmine, which is still in full bloom. After it finishes I will have to prune it back quite a bit. Still have so much to do, wonder if I will ever get caught up. One day.
To all a truly blessed night & a great day tomorrow.
Tina, I told you my Skeeter and your Orkin looked a like! He was a special cat and could never be replaced not even by my two monsters! I love them too but they are not nearly as good as Skeeter but I think I will keep them though. LOL...
ReplyDeleteLola, my Confederate Jasmine started to open up today! I can already smell it and the honeysuckle is still blooming as well so the air is filled with wonderful scents now... I hope the Jasmine keeps blooming for two weeks as my parents will be here then and they too can enjoy it as we sit at the patio! They were lucky enough to be here one other time during its bloom time...
I only got about half the pine straw spread Tina. The garden is finally completed! Yipee, so now I move on to the islands for weed control then fresh pine straw. Need to get it out of the bed of the truck so the Saint can get some top soil to fill in holes from rotting tree stumps of long ago...
Saint mowed the yard and the new grass is growing nicely but too young to mow just yet. He had to push the small mower around the seeded areas so as to no harm the grass.
I am slowing down now, the humidity is in the air and it was brutal out there today! Most of the hard stuff is behind me now so I am going to take things at a slower pace as the arms need to heal a bit….
Well, the bed is calling my name... Night all....
Hi Guys,
ReplyDeleteTook a walk in the woods today. Tina, I have a post but I have no idea how to schedule it, keeps giving me tomorrows plans. I still have afew more pics to add to it but you can plan the day, any day is fine with me.
I forgot to say... the shelter would be the ultimate fort for my kids! lol. Is it food ready?
Nikkis recital was wonderful! It was organized and went on a timely schedule. We sat in the very front and got a close-up of all the routines. Nikki worried that she bobbled, or lost step. No one noticed, although when she asked if we saw it, we made fun of her being "miss perfect".
Jack of all trades was umpire today at the elem. school age. Yes, we have baseball no matter what! Sunday is another day hopefully spent in the yard! Nite all.
Hi Lola, Skeeter and Dawn,
ReplyDeleteI did not think Survivor could get any better-but it has!!!! How dumb can Eric be???? Even Mr. Fix-it loved it. He watched with me right after he watched the Lost episode I recorded.
Lola, Nina and Gene live south of Clarksville. A not too long trip from my house across the Cumberland river on the ferry. Nice area. They are definitely in TN. I think I may have forgotten to thank you for the electronic Mother's Day card. Thanks so much! It was thoughtful of you and Happy Mother's Day wishes come back to you.
Skeeter, I thought you got all the pine straw down-sorry. You go girl! It will be done soon enough. That humidity is creeping up. I know Lola has had it in Florida. Not bad here though. I saw some Confederate Jasmine for sale at one of the stores the other day. I love it but it did not last for me. Enjoy it!
Dawn, Hope you do get to the yard and Mom still wants to know where you got that delicious pizza. We had some last night too. With all your talk and Skeeter's, it seemed a perfect time.
Let me know when your post is done and I will schedule it, or you can schedule it. To schedule you have to type in the date. I think next Wednesday would be a good day for you to post. So the 14th at about 6:00 am. Once the date is correctly input, you hit publish. Blogger will not publish until that date and time. Such a great feature and long overdue! I lost mucho sleep getting up early to publish. No more now though. I still try to get up early, but don't have to rush.
Good night all. I'll sleep with a big smile as I laughed too hard tonight at that dumb Eric! Dumbest Survivor ever and yes, he surely replaced James on that count.
Great post! I wanted to let everyone know, specially if you live in Tennessee, there is a petition you can sign and they are tring to get the state to pay 75% of storm shelters, the link is:http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/tnstormshelter/.
ReplyDeleteYou do not have to donate for your signature to go thru.
Sarah, That is really good to know. I will check it out.
ReplyDelete