Peonies and puzzled

Peonies are blooming and this year for some reason there are many more blooms.  Usually there are ants all over them.  Not so this season - so far anyway.   Don't know the reason but it sure makes it nicer to bring them into the house without them crawling out of the flower heads all over for sure.

I see these in the morning from the den window

 Pink azalea peeking in corner

I thinned them out last year from this space.   There were twice as many.

I was taking a picture of my azalea in vase when two hams jumped in,  made the arrangement much prettier I think.

Here is a puzzle I have been working on for three days off and on.  Finally finished it.   If I keep coming back to it, it's easier to spot the solids with a rested eye.   I bought this puzzle at Christmas time and wanted to frame to hang in the living room.   Two little ones decided to help me and well you know what happened next.   It all went back into the box and now it's finally finished for this year.

Hometown Holiday it's called,  500 pieces.  I will go for a 1,000 next time since this one is easier than I thought.

It's 12 by 36 inches

 Will have to show the finished picture next post.

still blooming

Blooms will be fading very soon and gotta enjoy this beauty while I can.   It's huge and so pretty to see first thing in the morning from our porch.

The backside doesn't get as much light

Pretty view from the back yard 

On the back side is this color

this color towards sun in front.    I guess it could be two azaleas planted at the same time together.  It's so large and hard to tell really.  All the same large flower though.

some other colors in the back yard

a bright pink one in between the whites

I like this azalea as each blooming stem looks like a bouquet

This is a fringe tree or "granddaddys beard" as mama called it.   It scents the whole yard with a sweet fragrance in the evening.  
The trees over head need to be removed as this beauty is leaning for sun and it's starting to look poorly.   Hard to establish this tree,  well it has been for me anyway.  So I would like to keep it living.

nasturtiums

science museum

Another visit to the science museum of va.   The exhibit consisted of plastic throw aways and how it lands on our soil from the water ways etc..  Art was constructed from tossed plastic.

looks like part of a giant whale skeleton

Look close

You see it's discarded waste of plastic bottles constructed that way

Pictures are fuzzy with my cell phone camera and not being still in the process of shooting the picture.   This anemone is mostly plastic water bottles..... Everything in picture is made from discarded plastic

Ocean waves from plastic bottles etc...

closer up you can see it better.

I liked it better when we used to take a thermos and collapsible cups.   I remember seeing smokers extinguish cigarettes in portable ashtrays also.  My dad - I never saw him throw his in the sand.   He was picky about picking up trash and cleaning up after ourselves.   Yep even on the beach.    I guess manners and respect for others have fallen by the wayside?   Too bad.

Oh yes,  Elvis sighting

He was here at the Science museum in this spot where the picture was taken.

soup saturday

Rainy and looks like it's called for all the week ahead.   I hope the snakes won't be looking for higher ground around my house.  Heard to many snake bites happening within the last few days and all copperheads.
Today it's homemade potato soup I made with celery and the green on the tops I chop and put in there also, lots of flavor there.   Ham bits left from Easter ham last Sunday.   Half and half milk, about 3 pounds potatoes, 4 cubes boullion, and butter.  I usually put in onion but didn't have but the red onion and I don't like the way it looks in soup when it's cooked so I left out.

Served a sandwich along with it... Mesquite baked slice chicken by boars head and imported Swiss cheese with lettuce , mayo and pickle with lots of pepper as you can see.

A few azaleas pictures of the giant azalea that must have been here when the house was young, and it was built in 1969.

view from porch sliding door

this the back of it and it has plenty of blooms but not as much sun hits them as it does the front.

peony blooming on the fence along with some petunias I placed in the pot.   The lilac behind the fence has finished it's blooming for this year.

my window upstairs with nasturtiums

 thats about it for now.   now to check the creek to see how high it's risen.
Happy Saturday --- betsy

Easter

Spent Easter with mom at my sisters home.   Beautiful day and pretty azaleas blooming in her yard.   

Mom had a wonderful time and ate a great meal with us.

pulling into drive we are greeted by some fire red azaleas

Fountain was running with the sound of water trickling

Pretty white azaleas in front yard 

Inside on the table in the kitchen were these beautiful Dianthus that Amy and Jeremy brought her mom.

Amy has it under control helping prepare the meal

My macaroni and cheese made with extra sharp chedder cheese

yummm

mom enjoying her meal outside

In the distance from the patio are more blooming azaleas 

Quite a few crepe myrtles planted and trimmed

Like this little guy here

Mom ,  Donna and Amy

Me taking a picture of Jeremy taking a picture

Mom with a goody Easter bag of puzzle and books, and candy

Fun was had by all

Before we came to my sister's home,  I dropped by my grand childrens home to drop off some Easter goodies and they had just gotten back from church and dressed so pretty in their Easter dresses.

Genevieve with her smile

Adalyn

pretty little shiny shoes with the floral dress she picked out herself.