Lemons and Tomatoes...for a Wednesday Garden Update

 

The dream of growing my own citrus fruit... 

It seems I will be getting my wish

 from these unopened blooms, that will grow my first lemons.

 

 

 

In fact, some have already opened.

The name is Meyer Lemon Tree......

 and you may click HERE to read about them.

 

 

 

Just look....tiny lemons have begun to form

Let's do the  math....

I paid $35.00 for the tree. At 50 cents per lemon (store bought)

It will need to produce 70 lemons to pay for the tree. 

With the tree blooming twice a year,

I think it's an achievable goal.

 

My Early Girl Tomatoes

Because they produce fruit in about 50 days,

 I always plant at least 2 or 3 plants.

 

Do you grow Early Girl Tomatoes?

Click HERE

to read about them.

It just may convince you to give them a try.

 

 

If they continue to grow at this pace,

 I will be  enjoying fresh sliced tomatoes in less than a month.

 

Meggie Mac

 

Weather Beaten.....for Friday Fences

 

New wood teams up with a fence post,

 etched by

 Time and the Texas Summers.   

 

 

I'm on the hunt today....

traveling a country back road

through the rolling hills of the prairie.

 

 

 

Destination...

a Family Cemetery.

Meggie Mac

 

Linking with Goshia

Click HERE

to view fences from around the world.

Irish and Green for the Day.....on Friday's Fences

 

The entrance gate of this beautiful green fence,

have the words "Shamrock" and "Lucky" displayed,

 along with an Irish surname.

 

I checked my map...

 and there is a town located in the Texas Panhandle, 

named Shamrock.

We also have a Dublin, located in central Texas.

 

 

My own special Leprechaun....

 

According to Wikipedia, a 2013 census shows

there are 33.3 million Americans who reported Irish Heritage,

 and 3 million who claim Scots-Irish Heritage.

 

It's no wonder there are so many parades and celebrations for this holiday.

 

 

Happy St Patrick's Day....

Meggie Mac

 

Linking today with Goshia

Click HERE

 to view other fences from around the world.

A Vintage Fenton Vase....for Thursday's Show and Tell

 

As with most of my purchases,

 they were simply bought on a whim, because I liked it.

Posting my "Show and Tell" gives me the opportunity to research the collectible.

 

Today's small vase is a good example.

Here is what I have discovered on a purchase made 15 years ago.

 

It is called a "White French Opalescent Coin Dot Top Hat Vase".

It is a long title for a 3 1/2" tall vase.

 

According to Wikipedia

 the Fenton Art Glass Company

 made coin dot during 1947, 1952-54, and 1956-64.

 

 

The dollar value is probably $25.00

 

Even though all these facts are interesting....

Remember,

I bought it because I liked how it looked. 

Meggie Mac

A Gaggle of Mailboxes ....for Monday's Country Back Roads

 

Can three qualify as a gaggle?

Maybe cluster is the more appropriate term.

 

 

This particular backroad is one of my favorite and most traveled.

It leads me to a small town where I do a great deal of my shopping.

As with most of these roads I travel on, not much has changed over the years.

 

Yes... the trees have grown taller,

and some of the older wooden buildings are leaning just a little bit more.

 Come Spring, I can always count on finding the bluebonnets in the same spots.

 

All the rain, in February and March, has made everything green-up quickly.

 Our state flower, The Bluebonnet, is beginning to show along the countryside.

 

 

The temperature has turned crisp this morning....

As I walk around, I can feel the soft rain saturated ground beneath my feet.

 

 

This truly is a beautiful spot to share with you.

Meggie Mac

Photographing in the Rain......for Friday's Fences

 

Drizzling and a little fog....makes for an interesting photo.

It's the first time I've noticed how

 black the cedar fence post become, when it rains. 

 

 

And....the blurred spot over the right fence post,

 was caused by the moisture.

I find it exhilarating to be out on the prairie roads,

 so early in the morning

Meggie Mac

 

Linking with Gosia for

Good Fences

Click HERE

to view other fences from around the world.

Pass Along Plants to Share...for a Wednesday Garden Update

 

The color is almost too beautiful for words.

When I first bought the bungalow,

my neighbor shared these irises from her garden.

 

It was some years ago that I purchased a book called "Passalong Plants"

by Steve Bender and Felder Rushing.

 

My friend's gift of irises, reminded me of the book.

 

 

The pass along term can also be applied to the yellow sedum.

Every place a pinch is dropped, it takes root.

And....if you look closely to the brick,

 tiny Katie Ruellias have sprouted. 

The Ruellia is the plant to the left of the sedum.

Mine bloom purple and pink during the summer months.

 

Since I love the look of a natural (unruly) garden,

I will leave some to grow in the walkways.

The others will be pulled and potted to be given as...

you guessed it...

Pass Along Flowers!

 

 

Another returning flower is the Rudbeckia (upright green foliage).

 As it warms up, they will begin to bloom with flowers you may know

 as Black-Eyed Susans.

 

 

While the temperature is still cool, the sweet alyssum will continue to bloom.

 

 

And now...turning to the vegetables.

It will be a race against the heat, to see if the broccoli has time to mature.

 

 

After so much rain this past week,

 I'm sure the red oak leaf lettuce will soon be ready for the salad bowl.

 

 

Last for this post...

here is a little gadget I purchased to help.

I'm anxious to see how it works with tiny carrot seeds.

 

Have you ever tried a Seed Sower?

Meggie Mac

Vintage Tractor Flying Low....for Monday's Country Back Roads

 

I kid you not.....

it's a tractor perched on two posts.

But, don't let it over-shadow the metal barn in the background.

Click on the photo to appreciate.

 

 

Life on the Prairie

 is full of wonder and surprises.

Meggie Mac

 

Linking today with Tom, The Backroads Traveller

Click HERE

to view other barns from around the world.

 

Historic Church in the Country....for InSPIREd Sunday

 

My plan this morning was to arrive early,

 before the service started.

I wanted to once again capture the sunrise on a steeple.

 

God had other plans.....

The rain started before daylight. 

It is still raining as I photograph.

 

 

The steeple is a formidable sight to see,

 situated in the middle of open ranch and farmland. 

 

 

The history of the church, dedicated in 1879, and the bell can be read HERE .

Quoting from this link, "It has rung joyously at weddings; it has rung somberly, announcing the declaration of wars, deaths, fires and other significant events in the community and the world."

It also was rung on September 11, 2001.

 

 

A Texas Historic Landmark plaque was placed on the church property in 1994.

 

 

It's almost 8:30am and a light rain is still coming down.

Members are beginning to arrive for the Sunday morning service.

 

 

The door is open....

If you hurry, you can still make the service.

Meggie Mac

 

Click HERE

to view other churches,

 synagogues, and other religious buildings

from around the world.

 

 

Sidetracked from the Trail.....for Friday Fences

 

Lean in a bit.....

and just imagine standing here.

There is so much to take in.

  

Interesting bark, a stone fence,

 a pathway that curves to the right,

blue skies peeking through the tree branches, and

the sounds of a woodpecker's constant drilling and drumming.

Ahhhh...

nothing like the great outdoors !

 

Meggie Mac

 

Linking with Gosia

 Click HERE

To view other fences from around the world.

 

Teapot Cottage in Lincolnshire....for Thursday's Show and Tell

 

To explain how I came about purchasing a small replica made by Lilliput Lane,

I must start with a blog named

Parsonage Cottage 

written by my dear friend, Elaine.

 

Elaine is a multi-talented person...

everything from creating art, sewing, gardening,

 and most especially her writing talent.

Her interests, much like mine, are varied.

 

It was in May 2016 she wrote a post about Teapot Hall,

 believed to be built in the 17th Century.

Click HERE

to give Elaine's post a read.

 

 

After reading her post, I decided to order my very own Teapot Cottage.

 

 

The tiny details are so perfect...

right down to a miniature vegetable garden.

 

 

So, thanks to you, dear Elaine,

 I have a tiny Teapot Cottage to remind me of all the wonderful posts

 you have shared over the years,

 about your family,

 and life in Lincolnshire County, England.

Meggie Mac

Roses in February...A Gardening Update

 

I'm going to call this the Heritage Red

Rose, for lack of information on the bush.

It was here when I purchased my 87 year old Bungalow.

 

 

The gardener who planted it, must have known the best spot for survival all these years.

It is on the south side of my Studio, protecting it from the harsh winter winds.

 

2017 will be the beginning of my second full year here at The Bungalow.

The only plants in the back garden were the rose bush, a very old and large pecan tree, and a few scattered crepe myrtles.

Needless to say, it has been slow going with renovation projects going on in the house,

 and at the same time, trying to garden. 

 

Just a reminder to some....

I still have an office in the city, where I travel to for several days a week.

 

 

What's even better than red roses,

are the red of my strawberries.

 

Yes, strawberries in February.

I guess tucking the plants in the greenhouse

has really paid off !

 

 

 

From the very start, I realized there was a water run-off issue....

hence the walkways and retaining walls....

two of them to be exact.

I've laid all the brick and stones myself,

including the retaining walls.

I'm not an expert in laying stone, but I do understand how to reroute water.

 

 

The walkway to The Studio.

 

 

Laugh if you like....

I'm trying to construct raised vegetable boxes,

 without the aid of a carpenter.

The local lumber company makes the first cut for free.

One cedar box is made from (2) 1x8x8's, with two free cuts.

 

 

This one I completed a couple of weeks ago.

 

 

 

Already doing well are my multiplying onions.

 Have you ever planted any?

 

When needed, you pull the entire bunch....

save one onion,

 replant,

and it goes on to make another bunch.

 

Happy Gardening !

Meggie Mac