Zinnias

August 24, 2013 - Seeds are planted!

 

September 26, 2013 - Seedlings (and a few weeds)!

 

The promise of harvest

 

Buds!

 

In just one month - nature is awesome!

Aunt Anita's 100th Birthday

 

 Aunt Anita celebrated her 100th birthday today, but she let us know that she won't be 100 until tomorrow, September 23, 2013. So her nephew, Milton said, "Let's celebrate Anita's 99 years and 364 days birthday today!" So that's what we did. But, of course, her cake had 100 on it.

 

My sister in law, Ann Marie, children Alyssa and Aaron, and my sister Judy

admiring the large goblets filled with banana pudding and the 100th birthday cake.

 



 

   My family made the effort to help her celebrate. Attending were my mother, Mathilde, whose brother Rupert was married to Anita. So my three brothers and their wives, my sister and I had our own little family reunion while we dined Salisbury steak with carmelized onions and mushrooms, mashed potatoes, cooked carrots, rolls, and iced tea. Dessert was banana pudding.
Front row:  Mary Eilers (Johnny's wife), me, Mathilde Lindig, Aunt Anita Rode, Johnny Lindig, and Judy Eilers
Back row:  Paul and Jody Lindig, Ann Marie, Aaron, Alyssa (behind Anita) and Michael Lindig

 

Anita was quite the quilter, crochet-er, and artifact collector. The hanging dress was her baptismal gown. Uncle Rupert and Aunt Anita grew cotton for as long as I can remember, so the vase holds a cotton boll bouquet. Uncle Rupert was a quite talented woodworker.

 

 

This is a dress that Anita wore when she was three.

She's wearing it in the picture with her older brother.



These were two of my favorite quilts that were on display. The one below is the quilt top that Anita and Rupert gave to Tom and me for our wedding in 1977. I put in a layer of batting and a backing on it in the 1980's and my family has used it for many a picnic and every time we went to the Zilker Hillside Theater. It has served us well and is now in need of a little repair.



American Beautyberry Bush

 

 spectacular color!

Black Swallowtail

As I pulled in the driveway after work today, a black swallowtail butterfly was sippin' pollen from the Plumbago bushes out front. I didn't have my camera, but I just had to write about it after all the caterpillars I blogged about back in the spring. I hope they lay some more eggs and continue the miraculous life cycle of caterpillars, cocoons, butterflies, etc. What a wondrous thing to observe!
http://joansjoys.blogspot.com/2013/03/oh-caterpillar.html
http://joansjoys.blogspot.com/2013/04/chrysalis.html
http://joansjoys.blogspot.com/2013/04/saturday-sunday.html

Just because...

 

beautiful beginning ~ ending beautifully

See beginning  http://joansjoys.blogspot.com/2013/07/my-pride-and-joy.html



Southern Summer Super Veggie

 

 

In the heat of the summer.
In central Texas.
OKRA will never let you down!
It only takes a few plants
to keep you cooking all summer long.


Survival of the Hottest

One of the last lovely blossoms!
 

These beautiful sunflowers have enhanced my summer.

 It's been such a joy to step out into the garden...

 

It's clean-up time

 

Seeds for the birds