Baby Lizard

Check out this little guy. I don't much like most reptiles but we have a lot of these lizards around in the summer and for some reason I like them. This is definitely a baby. He's small, only about two inches long in his body, and he stayed in one place long enough for me to run in for the camera and come back out. Usually the adults move so fast you would never have time to snap three pictures. Also, he's bright green whereas the adults usually change colors to fit in more with their surroundings. I think he's cute!

Welcome Home

Mark wanted to buy this sign when he spotted it at a shop during our beach vacation this past March. I think he immediately envisioned putting it by the front door to both welcome guests and remind himself about being a light for Christ. He bought some clear coat paint to seal it with before getting it hung. We both really like how it looks against the brick and just what it says. We would like for our home to be a place of light. You can barely make out along the bottom that it says, "We'll leave the light on for you."
Matthew 5:14,16 (KJV) “Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid... Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.”

Front Yard Landscaping Project

Wow - what a boring name for a post! But the pictures below do show my front yard landscaping project. I would say it's about 1/3 to 1/2 done but it takes money for these projects so I had to stop at some point this year. Plus, it was getting WAY too hot outside by late May when I put most of these plants in the ground.

The first picture shows the front yard from our front steps and off to the left you can barely make out the weeping willow which for me will be the focal point some day. I may add a pond by it but that will definitely be for another year.

The weeping willow was mistreated from the start because I didn't immediately realize I needed to water it every day and it got terribly hot the day after it was put in the ground. I have watered it faithfully since that first week but it definitely sustained some damage with top branches dying. I need to do a pruning job. Thankfully there has been a lot of new life branching out from the bottom so I think it will be okay. This weeping willow was planted in memory of my brother Rocky on the first anniversary of his death (5/20).

Other plants I put in are hostas, two colors of carpet roses, one lorapetalum (small burgundy/brown plant behind and to the left of the weeping willow which will grow to be about 4-5 ft by 4-5 ft). I transplanted monkey grass (liriope) and Variegated Solomon's Seal from other places in my yard. I plan to put in more shade loving plants under the trees behind the weeping willow and towards the road - hostas, azaleas, hydranges, etc, and also transplant more monkey grass to fill in along the driveway.

Mark pulled in from work while I was taking the pictures. You can't make him out very well but I assure you he is handsome! :-)

Here are some pictures of the salmon colored carpet roses. There are three of them in a grouping. On the other side of the weeping willow I planted three red carpet roses. They are beautiful and an easy care variety so hopefully will not give me too many problems. They have bloomed off and on for two months so far and will hopefully continue at least into September. We shall see!



Another angle - by the way, all the rocks you see in the landscaping are from our property. We believe they were found back in the woods behind us by previous owners before it was cleared to make way for a development that is now there. It's definitely been a blessing to have all these rocks without paying for them!

Rooting Jar

I purchased this jeweled jar at a gardening symposium this past March. It is meant for rooting cuttings from other plants. I really just bought it because the jeweled wire holding the jar was so pretty but I have successfully rooted the plants you see inside. Now I need to pot them. I thought it would make a nice gift to pass along to a friend since it would have come directly from my own plant. I do know that not everyone likes the responsibility of live plants in their house so I'll have to make sure not to "burden" the wrong person with it. :-)

The Gate

Matthew 7:14 - Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.

This verse came to my mind after I had taken the above picture. It struck me that although the way is narrow that leads to life, it is also towards the light. The path to take will never be into darkness but will be into the light, even if just the small light of a firefly is all we have to go by.