The Mockingbird Musical Repertoire

The Northern Mockingbird is the state bird of my home state, Texas. I took this photo quite by accident.

Yesterday, while taking a break from my Friday Project Day, I decided to re-arrange my kitchen counter space. With all the windows in the kitchen, I have a full view of my secret garden.

There he was, as I looked out the window....this beautiful bird. The photos were taken through the glass of my kitchen window.








If you are not familiar with the musical talents of this bird, click on the YouTube. They can sing up to 200 songs, including the songs of other birds, insect and amphibian sounds, even the occasional mechanical noise.

The northern mockingbird is also the state bird of Florida, Arkansas, Tennessee and Mississippi.

Just for the fun of it, go back and click on the first photo to open it in a larger format. Take a look at his feet. It reminds me of a first-time snow skier on the slopes, a little unsure of his footing.

Doesn't it make you want to laugh? Or at least, smile...

Meggie Mac

The Beauty of a Single Flower

You may refer to this flower as the Amaryllis. Bulbs in pots, usually sold at the holiday times as "ready to bloom", are actually Hippeastrums. They are native to tropical and sub tropical regions of the Americas from Argentina north to Mexico and the Caribbean.

The spectacular bloom, approximately 8" across, requires very little care in Texas gardens.

Looking at the bloom from the back, it has a trumpet-like shape.

While other flowers are preparing to bloom for the summer, the Amaryllis gives my garden a burst of color in the early Spring.

Meggie Mac

Mystery Pottery Bowl

What I know about this blue and brown pottery bowl is very little. I can say that I didn't pay very much for it and that I enjoy displaying it. The bowl is rather shallow and is larger than a dinner plate...about 14 inches in diameter.

The unusual color combination and technique is what caught my eye. It appears to be a similar style to speckle ware, except for the outside edge. The finish is a very nice smooth glaze.

My guess would be that the first spattered color of blue was applied. Then, the dark brown color was added around the edge, allowing it to run into the first color.

The only marking on the bottom is the number 28.

Show and Tell is always fun for me. Do you have any idea where this bowl might have been made?

Meggie Mac

Too Many Trumpets To Count

The archway into my Secret Garden has exploded with hundreds of orange colored trumpets.

On an earlier post, I asked if you recognized these buds.

The first flowers opened...

And now, they are blooming to their fullest.

Do you have a vine that is a show-off like the trumpet vine?

Meggie Mac

Look What I Found

My lost reading glasses....just not in one piece!

They went missing about two weeks ago while I was riding the lawnmower. Thank goodness for my spare pair.

Do you occasionally misplace, or lose, something you use everyday?

Meggie Mac

La Mariposa Monarca

The Monarch Butterfly winters in Mexico. If you don't know about the incredible migration of this butterfly, I hope you will click here, and learn more about the journey they make each year.

My youngest daughter once traveled to the Monarch Sanctuary in Morelia, Michochan, Mexico. While there observing the migration, hundreds of butterflys landed on her arms and shoulders. Here is a site that shows photos from one of the sanctuaries.

Little did I know, when I first saw a butterfly on Sunday, that it would turn out to be a Monarch. What a rare treat to see on my farm!

It wasn't until I was outside with my camera in hand, that I realized it was a Monarch. In my excitement, I was afraid I would scare her off before I had a chance to get at least one photo.

It was like the butterfly waited for me to take my photographs.















Then she flew off, headed north.....

Meggie Mac

Texas State Flower

Springtime has finally  arrived with the Texas State Flower, the Bluebonnet,  putting on a spectacular show.

The pasture, covered with them, gives the appearance of a soft blue blanket on top of the grass.

Every fence post seems to be a photo opportunity.

My amateur photography doesn't capture the real beauty of standing in a field, surrounded by bluebonnets....

Meggie Mac

Gift from Silesia

This beauty was a birthday gift to me from my youngest daughter many years ago. In searching the Internet, I believe it is called a "Cracker Jar".

The details are exquisite....

Delicate roses in soft colors are painted on a background of dusty rose.

Have you seen this watermark before? It is the only piece, in my collection, to have the words OHME Silesia. If you would like to read more about the Silesia watermark, click here.

The largest part of the Silesia region is located in Poland. Smaller parts are in the Czech Republic and Germany. The factory that made this piece was located in Germany.

Another porcelain piece I have acquired over the years, is this plate.

It appears, in the photo, to be out of focus. In reality, the work is muted soft tones.

Are you familiar with the RS mark? If you are interested in learning about the RS Germany, RS Prussia, and RS Tillowitz porcelain, here is an interesting article.











I started calling some of my posts Show and Tell because I remembered my children doing this for a school project. One day a week, they were to bring something from home to share with their classmates.

I hope you have enjoyed another Show and Tell from my life on the farm in the Blackland Prairie of Texas.

Meggie Mac

Inch Worm...Inch Worm

The tiny worms I found in the greenhouse this morning were not so cute to me!

While they may have been counting flowers, as in the YouTube, they were also eating the first leaves of the newest pepper seedling emerging from their starter pods.

In doing some research on the Internet, I came across this article that has the explanation of how it probably happened. The worms have dined on the tender top two leaves.

The tomato plants fared better because they are a couple weeks older.

There he is hiding on a window!

My conclusion to the infestation may stem from the new grow lights I installed a few weeks ago. Apparently they attract moths at night, which in turn lay eggs. The natural process is for the eggs to hatch into larvae.

Have you ever lost newly sprouted plants this way?

Meggie Mac

Iris pseudacorus...Blooming

Beautiful first bloom of the year for my pseudacorus.

Many years ago, when I was first given the start of this plant, my friend called it by its botanical name. You may know it as "yellow flag". It is listed as an invasive plant, but I have been very careful with it. I use it as a wind break for other flowers.

Wet Back Porch

Our weather is somewhat on the stormy side, with another storm early Tuesday morning. It brought 2 1/2 inches of rain. Needless to say, the new rain barrels are all full.

Yesterday, It was just too muddy to be working in either the vegetable or the flower gardens.

Despite the sign....it is not easy to keep the mud out of the back entrance.

There is a good reason why it is call Blackland...the earth, here, is very black and sticky when it is wet. My shoes had mud stuck to the bottoms and the rug now needs a good washing. That's the bad news.





The good news is this beautiful Blackland Prairie will grow almost anything.....

Meggie Mac

Birthday Wishes Today

To the little blonde haired girl, with the sun in her eyes and sporting the pretend sheriff's badge.








Little did we know, my darling, that the pretend would become a reality!

Happy Birthday to my grown-up daughter.....

Meggie Mac

The Honor System

A bale of hay, two bags of chicken scratch, two bags of laying crumbles and 4 bags of sheep and goat feed.

Now, you may be asking what that has to do with the honor system?

On Saturday, I was running late with errands in town. It became apparent, that I could not get to the Farmer's Co-op before the Noon closing time.

I simply made a phone call...."Hey, Catherine, this is Meggie". You see, in a small town, the shopkeepers and I call each other by our first names.

I gave her a list of what I needed and told her I would pay the next time I came into town.

She, in turn, told me which dock it would be on...and, to look for my receipt secured between the bags of feed.

After loading my order, you can see I wasn't the only one who couldn't get there before closing time. They are on the honor system too!

This is just one of the many things I love about living in the country...

Meggie Mac

Remembering

St Patrick's Day....

Shamrocks and Leprechauns.....



There are 36.9 million US residents who claim Irish Ancestry.

Meggie Mac