Views of My Backyard GARDEN Accents

I wanted to take you around and show you a few accents I have in my backyard garden, which is my main garden that not many people ever see. Wouldn't it be nice if we all could flip our homes around so our neighbors could see our back gardens all the time ?

Here is a shot I took , before I decided not to wait for my husband to move the really heavy statues and fountain ( that never stopped bubbling )....so I took it upon myself, and my meager but adequate muscles to move a bunch of my statues around,

Like this...

I took Mrs. Top of bubbling fountain down , and carried her with the help of a dolly cart , to the back of the yard where I had my most favorite statue, my cupids. To do this , I had to semi-slide the 100+ lbs. plus basin out, and to the ground...and then cart it off. When My husband saw I did this , he did not think it was romantic as I did when he did it for me.

He considered it one of my dumb-impatient actions I do in my garden.

He was correct, but it is done. Look where I put my favorite statue...

I put it right directly in the shade garden, and I can see it from my picture window much better.

We had a good rain last night, and it is always nice to go out in your garden after a rain...and see the droplets still on your flowers and foliage. Just planted these caladiums in  my shade garden a few days ago.

Can you tell I just love this statue ? I told my little boy , when he is kicking balls, fighting bad guys..whatever in the back yard...he better NOT get near this statue or else ! I will bet that that went in one ear and out the other without any memory remaining, he gets that from his Dad.

 This was my make-shift birdbath for my poor birds , while the fountain was still bubbling. They did not like it very much. The roses growing beside it are some of the very few I have left in my garden, after having about 20 + bushes. Black spot destroyed my roses in this hot and humid climate.

 Here is a make-shift bird feeder my husband made me and he plopped a plastic container in the bottom and filled it up, nothing for days...even the squirrels didn't touch it. Then all of the sudden, two days ago...

the little guys found it ! I am worthless at taking pictures of birds, but here is one little guy. They all come here very regularly.

Plus, guess who else,

Yes, our squirrels, I told my husband they would. I went for a walk this morning, came back almost an hour later...and this fellow was lounging in the plastic container of food...sort of laying down...claiming it as his new pad I guess.

Look at the very back of this picture and you can see the large basin, my bottom of my bubbling fountain...that' s as far as I got it with the dolly cart.

Here is a statue/urn I moved to the top of our small deck and it's base from the shade garden.

 I like it here so far, but knowing me ...it may get moved . I use a wire hanging basket window box, sans the moss insert...to store my garden gloves.

Has a bit of an artistic look to it...if you squint your eyes. Speaking of that, No..the cute little hand-painted wooden paintings I have to the sides of the porch were not done by my son when he was in kindergarten.

I painted those one early evening, down in the dirt of my garden...to put them in some iron chairs as seat covers. I did use them for awhile, but it was very uncomfortable to sit in ( duh ), and so they have been relegated to the garage for years. I painted them about 6+ years ago. The top iron piece is from our first bed we bought about 20 years ago, and the two iron brackets are from an antique store. 
Remember to squint your eyes when you look at my paintings.

This is probably my favorite element on my back porch, my Art Deco mirror that reflects my yard.

Then I have some hand-painted windows and stained glass windows on one brick wall.

Here is Maxine demonstrating how to stand by the window-wall.

My screen door, every porch must have a screen door. Maxine has autographed it with deep scratches at the far right side. We considered a doggie-door, to let her come in and out...but then a grown man could also fit there as she is a big lab.
So,
No doggie-door.

My heart in my garden, pretend you do not see the weeds around it. I did just weed after this shot, and soon it will be surrounded by blue plumbago and salvia.

 Our gigantic river birch tree, stands approx. 40-50 feet tall, and is very happy when I water my garden to get the extra water. It is a messy tree, limbs breaking all the time, and little pods all over the place, but I do love it. We have another river birch to the back of the garden, not quite so big.

A window planter off the back deck, can you see the chameleon to the right ?

Now you can.

I see this entry is getting too long, so I will stop now...more later,
Bless you,
Gina

" How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God ! How great is the sum of them ! If I should  count them, they would be more in number than the sand ;
When I am awake, I am still with You. " Psalm 139:17-18 

For Anyone Whose Mother is Still On This EARTH...REMEMBER , Sunday is Mother's Day

I wanted to take a moment , to remind anyone who is fortunate enough to have their mother still alive on this earth...that this Sunday the 9th , is Mother's Day.

I am not so fortunate, as my mother died unexpectedly, tragically...a little over 2 years ago, from a heart attack.

She had turned 65 a month and a half before she died.

She died 3 weeks before her first grandchild's... my oldest daughter's , wedding. She had been working on a large flower bed that afternoon, back and forth, out to buy more flowers. She had been very productive that day. It was a happy, but hot and humid day. She was busy preparing for a large bridesmaid's luncheon she was hosting in two weeks time , at her house.  She did finish the large garden bed , and filling many planters around her home, but she did not live past 5 o'clock that afternoon.

She died 9 months before she would have celebrated her 50th wedding anniversary ,

she had married at  the young age of15 to her high school sweetheart, my dad.

She had just retired a year ago to be able to do more volunteer work, and spend more time with my dad, as they had both held down jobs their entire marriage.

So you see, when ever I walk around ...in stores, at nurseries with flowers and plants everywhere, holiday times at malls...

I see many women my age, and younger and older...walking around chatting and having a good time with their moms.

A meal out, a simple time together.

It makes me sad and envious , and I wonder if the daughter realizes how very lucky and blessed she is to have her mother beside her. 

I often just stare at them both for awhile...remembering. 
Wishing that was me and my mom.

Cherish your mom , stop and please remember her on Sunday...buy a card, send flowers...and most definitely call her.

I will never have that opportunity again, to even see my mom smile or hear her laugh.

Please take the time.

 My mom and me in NYC , March 2008

I wrote this, even though it is very personal...with the hope if it helps even one person remember to contact their mother on Sunday...just one..it would be worth it.

Many blessings and especially to your mothers,

Gina

" Love is patient and kind..." I Corinthians 13:4

Historic CHARLESTON, South Carolina Gardens & More

Here is another entry with more sights of gardens, and other random sights we saw in Charleston last Tuesday . My daughter went with me, and we had a good time....when she wasn't whining about life ( can't imagine where she gets that from ).

Here she is , my youngest beloved daughter,

I always tell her, Chin Up ! You are young and beautiful and you have a heart of gold...she'll realize how great life was in time. The good and the bad , we have to take it as it comes, and God balances it out somehow.

Ok, here we go:

Beautiful large leaded glass half-moon window above a doorway .

I have no idea what kind of car this is, we saw it...walked up to take a quick picture and it had such a looooonnnggg name on it, without pencil and paper , we did not have a chance of remembering it. I'll bet some car buff knows what this is ?

Always beautiful elaborate wrought iron gates in drives here.

Another antique fountain I want at my house.

Great colors , all the way to the inside exterior areas.

A backyard glimpse of an unusual modern sculpture, they had about three modern sculptures , but it was difficult to get these shots.

 Not my cup of tea, but I'm sure some people like this...plus , beauty is in the eye of the beholder right  ? ,( or whoever paid for this ).

Cha-ching , I'll wager.

 Here's a fun shot of me wistfully hoping I could either have this garden, be inside these gates...or both. I have to tear myself off of these bars every time I come by this house.

Every single time.

My dream garden.

Street view, lovely live oaks line many streets here.

I remember this shot, because my daughter and I were walking on the other side of the street, and I saw this on the opposite side, I told her to stay there...and I walked quickly across, went right into the drive...and scared a repairman coming from the house.

He jumped, and I got three shots of this side area.

I believe my daughter thought he was cute.

This is how I envision all my little boxwoods turning out that I have.

 Great gnome doorknocker on door here.

Little scary one here, but cool.

  One of the many spoiled rotten dogs that live on the Battery, does this dog know where he lives !! ?

 We had many opportunities , with many dogs to spread a little love around...even dogs who live in downtown historic Charleston need love right ?

Lucky, lucky dogs. My daughter loving them up.

But we are equal opportunity pet-lovers, as shown below...

Spoiled rotten cat in downtown Charleston , lounging  on the sidewalk.

Isn't she cute ?

Make sure you go on a carriage tour when you come here.

We met the most delightful woman who lives here, we had passed her going down the sidewalk, this is directly on the Battery...house in the double-digit millions , and I was taking a picture of this garden..and she stands there and looks at me. I turn , see she is going into this house, and we chat about Charleston. She has only lived there about 7 years, and was renovating...just so nice.

I believe her name was Marilyn, my daughter said she thought her name was Caroline...which leads me to believe it was Carolyn.
So much for eye-witness accounts.

I got a close-up shot of my identical statue of cherubs here , as the front gate was open that day.

I hope to go back sometime later this month , as gardens are getting into high gear as we speak there.

My last shot will be our treat on the way home, homemade chocolate praline and something called chocolate bark.

You get these at the Charleston Candy Kitchen by the market.

 Chocolate is guaranteed to stop residual whining , about Mom taking too many pictures, even by 21 year olds.

Works every time.

Have a great day,

Gina