Trick or Treat?

BY SKEETER

Well Folks, it was once again time for the Humane Society of Clarksville, Tennessee's annual Fundraiser. "Wags to Witches Fur Ball Bash" is their largest fundraiser of the year. The goal is to get a facility for Low Cost Spay and Neuter up and running. They are well on the way with building and other supplies needed to complete this goal. Such Benefits get them one step closer to fulfilling their Dream! Click HERE to learn more about my hometown's Humane Society...

 

The theme of this years Fur Ball was "Carnival Creeps" I spent several days running from one Goodwill store to the next looking for items that would assist me in creating a Lion Tamers outfit. I came home with a suit jacket, blouse, slacks and an Elvis type gold costume all for a few dollars. I tore out the sleeves of the jacket, cut out a low neck on the blouse (The girls come out at Halloween hee hee), rip the gold sparkles off the Elvis costume and got to sewing. A few feathers on a small headband hat and a crop complete with fun feathers. I came up with the perfect, for me and most importantly, a comfortable Lion Tamer's Costume... 

 The Saint, my Scrooge, wore a cute Tee-Shirt. I must admit, he did try for a costume but it backfired on him. I think he learned his lesson to not order a costume from the internet... The event did not bring out as many fun Costumed Folks as in the past events. But with the Gov't Shutdown, Furloughs, other events going on at the same time, etc. to be expected I reckon. They did have success at raising almost $14,000.00 towards the opening of the Clinic! So not to bad. We had a great time eating, drinking, dancing and visiting with old friends and making new ones until the wee hours of the morning.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

One of the big draws (money makers) to the Fur Ball is the Pet Photo Contest. Our Cheetah won 2011 and Sheba won 2012 so their Reign as Queen's are over.  Although, we voted on the two beautiful fur babies you see above which won the titles of King and Queen! Mr.Wags; King Richie the recently rescued Dachshund and Miss Wags; Queen Shadow, also a rescue, both belong to some dear friends of ours. We are so happy these two babies will be donning the cover of the next benefit. Being the yearly Calendar. These two are the lucky ones that have their Fur-ever home. Unfortunately, not all cats and dogs are as lucky, Sigh...

The party is over and back to our GEROGIA GARDENS where work continues. We live in the country so we can burn from October-May each year. We had a large pile of debris collected from fallen limbs, pruned trees, etc to make the first of many fires to come until May. Our woods are full of "stuff" that needs to be picked up. That will come once the temps fall a bit more so we know there are no snakes to accidently grab. Yikes! 

While clearing debris off the ground, which has sat for some time, I found two small turtles. Not sure if they are related but the same size. We have never found any this size before have seen plenty smaller and larger ones each year. I failed to snap a photo of the one as I was so upset when I found it that I quickly put it in a safe place to continue resting. 

The second one I came across was awake and wanted to pose for the camera so I rushed into the house and grabbed it. The Saint had formed a bond with the little guy by the time I returned with the camera. 

Aren't they just the cutest things? After snapping a few pix, I put this one near the other turtle and we left them alone. A nice Treat to find!

I also spotted another Treat near where I found the turtles. An egg of some type. As soon as I picked it up I knew it was a dead egg as it was too light with no yolk inside. Strange thing though, I did not see a hole in the egg. I sat it aside and kept raking debris to toss into the fire. My brain never shuts off so the wheels were turning in my head. Too round for a Snake Egg, not round enough for a Turtle Egg plus large for any turtle that would be in our yard. I was thinking, I knew that egg but no way it could be one of those eggs. 

Once the fire was roaring and I had no need to add more debris, I picked up the egg for a closer examination. Yep, I know that egg! It is a Fake Egg that I put into my Fake Bird Nest's in hanging plants on the front porch to deter Finches from nesting in them! Click HERE to see that if you like. I had noticed last year that a few eggs were missing. I was thinking that a Crow was going to have a belly ache. So the question, how did a fake egg get from the front porch all the way to the back of the yard and so far away from the porch? Not a Treat but a Trick, ha...

Back to a wonderful Treat of my beloved Banana Tree!

A day later, Jack Frost dropped by and played a bad Trick on me! We normally do not see frost until after Thanksgiving but this year is different. Oh well, she will only return stronger next year!

My Cheetah kitty

Happy Halloween

Be Safe and have fun playing TRICK OR TREAT, In the Garden...

Words and Photos Property of In the Garden Blog Team, In the Garden

Nashville Public Television’s “Volunteer Gardener” Program Seeks Photos of Gardeners for a TV Promo Spot

NPT will be producing a on-air television promotion campaign for their weekly TV program series Volunteer Gardener; which will comprise of the “Garden Song,” and for the video portion lots of still photo portraits of Tennessee gardeners in their gardens. 

You can send your photos (attached JPG files) to Brian O’Neill at boneill@wnpt.org

By sending in your photo, and if it is used, you are granting Nashville Public Television permission to use your photo on air in a television promo for Volunteer Gardener.  In the subject window write : GARDEN PHOTO.

The above information is from Brian at the Volunteer Gardener on Nashville's Public Television.

I thought I'd pass along this information to all you photographers out there. I know there are lots of you! This at first glance seems an easy thing to do but really, when it comes down to photographs we mainly photograph our garden flowers don't we? Well, if you happen to have some good photographs of folks in their gardens or any garden, and the picture is big enough to be reproduced nicely, you might be interested in being on television-if your photo is selected. The above photograph is one Brian sent me as an example for what he is looking for. The promo will utilize a LOT of these stills so I believe he is looking for a lot of these types of photographs-- send yours in but be sure to follow the guidelines.

in the garden....

Words and Photos Property of In the Garden Blog Team, In the Garden

October Blooms

                                                          BY SKEETER

Yellow Knockout Rose



Ever think you don't have much going on in the garden then after a little stroll, realize you have plenty going on? Just because you do not see vibrant colors in thick masses, does not mean much in my GEORGIA GARDENS. After a little stroll with Camera in hand, I spotted many things in bloom.

Zinna

First time I have had luck with them in my garden. 

Marigold

Again, another annual that I don't seem to have much luck growing. But this year, these gold ones took off.

Cosmos

Self-seeder but only a couple plants verses the masses I would prefer.

Yellow 4 O'clock

More Self-Seeders that I enjoy especially the sweet scent of these small beauties.

Susan

These beauties pop up all over my garden in many different styles.

Bright Pink Penta's

An annual that had a slow start in my garden this year with too much rain fall this summer. Once the rains stopped, they took off.

Lantana

A new Lantana I planted this Summer. Hopefully, it will become a large Bush for me some day.

Mandeville

I enjoy Tropical Plants in my garden until late Fall.

Geranium

This Pink Geranium gave me a good show this summer.

Angel Trumpet

I snapped this pic a day before our first visit of Jack Frost. Angel did not fair too well after that visit. Sigh...

Red Penta's

I love the continued blooms of Penta's and so do the Deer! This time of year, I let the wildlife enjoy the garden as I feel for them with winter approaching.

Red Sage

Autumn Sage putting off a Glow with bright Red Blooms. Tiny but the bees love it.

Perwinkle

All Perwinkle in the garden were volunteer but one this year. I love the way they reseed year after year for me.  

Cardinal Vine

Honeysuckle

Lily

  The Lily I showed you last week continues to bloom. I do believe this is the last bloom of the year for her though.

Pink 4 O'clock

Self seeders Rock!

Pink Penta's

I like Pink and Purple together.

Dragon Begonia

 This Dragon Begonia keeps on giving and giving to me! I picked up this beauty over a year ago and over wintered it inside last winter. She came back like gangbusters and was so tall this summer that it fell over from being Top Heavy. I lost half of the plant but once clipped, I set her back into her spot and just look at her shine! I love this plant and plan to over winter her again this winter. 

Purple Salvia/Sage

Purple and White calls in the Bees.

 The Bees are really enjoying these blooms!

Ruellia (Wild Petunia)

The Ruellia has done well this summer and I have taken some shoots and transplanted them in other gardens.

 I just love the constant blooms of Ruellia..

Lantana
This Lantana has finally become a Bush for me! I am happy as I have been waiting for several years now.

Mexican Heather

Heather returns for me each year but slow to start then takes off with Summer in the air.

Cleome
The Cleome did not do so well for me this Summer. Too much Rainfall kept it yellowing but this one tells a different story. I have sprouts coming up now but doubt they will see full maturity as our days are now cooler.

Black Perwinkle

 I almost lost this beauty due to excessive rain fall. That has not been an issue the past month plus! So she sprang back to life. This is the one and only Perwinkle I planted this year. I hope to get some seeds to toss about for another year of joy from this one.

 

Black and Blue Salvia
The Bees are enjoying this one right now as it is a late bloomer for me.

Hydrangea

Love that true Blue color of this repeat beauty. 

Abelia

A pleasant scent comes from this little bush. The Dainty Blooms seem to never stop! 

Wild flower

Several Bees were hunkered down on this pretty wild flower that decided to pop up in my garden.

 

Snowball Bush

 The Snowball bush has decided to be a Repeat bloomer for me this fall. The blooms are not as large as they are in the Spring but pretty just the same.

 I love repeat bloomers.

And I love Volunteers plants as well. Such as this Pink Perwinkle that popped up inside the Wishing Well. I did not plant it there but sometimes, Self-Seeders spread their seeds in the most perfect spot! Ha, I don't have masses of blooming plants but with a little stroll, I found many OCTOBER BLOOMS, In the Garden...

One of These Sheffield Mums is Not Quite Like the Other

Hi you all! I am currently out of town but on my way out I was able to really enjoy my 'Sheffield Pink' mums. What a joy they are! During sunny days the large bouquet is literally covered in bees, butterflies, and other insects such as flies and who knows what else. These are wonderful perennials in my garden.


But I noticed something funny about my clump of Sheffields. This yellow Sheffield is not a normal Sheffield Pink. At first I thought perhaps it was another flower that had gotten mixed in with the Sheffield Pinks. When I traced the stem it was not separate at all! In fact, the same stem had regular Sheffield pink mums on it as well. How weird is that?

It is not that I don't like the new yellow 'Sheffield's mums but find it really strange that the flowers changed from the above to....

this really pretty yellow. Not only are these flowers very yellow but they have more petals are are a little bit smaller in size. Has anyone experienced this before? I had meant to snip off the yellow flowers and stick them in the some soil so that I could grow a whole new plant of yellow Sheffields, but I did not have a chance. Maybe I'll ask Farmer Fix-it and see if he'll help me out.

Speaking of Sheffies, look at the view my gray cat named Cloud recently had while Deacon was outside with me. I am not sure what was so interesting to Deacon, the big black lab, but he seemed pretty intent while Cloud simply watched from his regal position safely on the other side of the Sheffields.....

in the garden....

Words and Photos Property of In the Garden Blog Team, In the Garden