Grapes are proliferating well (May 31, 2026)

The grapes are thick this year.

Zinnia Flower and Canna Lily

Zinnia and Canna Flowers coloring the backyard pond and garden area.

Begonia in a Hanging Basket

This Begonia sits west-facing. It is shaded thru early morning and then sits in full sun until dusk. The Begonia is a plant that needs to be deadheaded regularly and responds well to it. I also tear off any leaves that begin to brown or show any sign of damage or a lack of vibrancy.

Cattails are Producing Tails

These Cats are producing tails.

Flowering Rosemary Plant

The Rosemary is producing fragrant flowers. They make a nice garnish and are not as strong tasting as the rosemary leaf.

Garden Art Skull | The Skull Reverts to a Beautiful Rusty Patina

The metal skull we purchased at Otherworld Gifts in Mentone, Alabama, has developed a beautiful rusty patina as it reverts back to its natural state.

All In One Day | Water Lily Bud. Water Lily Opening. Water Lily in Full Bloom.

Water Lilies in action. All in one day a water lily bud appears, then a water lily blooms then another buds and begins to bloom.

Baby Mockingbirds in The Nest

The little mockingbirds resting safely hidden in a spruce.

Onion Plant is Bolting | Seed Production (Onion)

My onion plant is bolting. A process to produce future seed to dry for future onion plantings.

Our Grapevine is Showing Promise on This Beautiful Mother's Day Morning

The grapevine looks like it will produce many grapes this year. I usually have problems with spots on the leaves and grapes that die off leaving me with poor results. I have been more diligent in watering this season so maybe that has helped.

Blackberries Begin to Appear

The blackberries are growing. It wont be long until they begin to ripen. The good thing about Navaho Blackberries is they are thornless ...and they do not require a trellis.

Yes, the proper spelling is Navaho, not Navajo.

Potted Chipmunk | Baby Chipmunk Visits Our Planter

This is a younger chipmunk that is now showing up in our pond area. We now have 2 of them zipping around.

Male Cardinal Standing Watch

A male Cardinal is standing watch as a Female Lays eggs in another area of our yard.The male cardinal is the cardinal with the brighter red coloring. Male cardinals are bright red when eating a healthy diet. The bright red is meant to attract females. It is believed by many that the bright red coloring of the male is also to distract predators away from the female who is feeding and caring for the young. Although birders say the coloring is not meant to distract predators but it is a result of sexual selection rather than a distraction tactic.

Pictures of a Southern Mockingbird (Northern Mockingbird) Nest Hidden in a Dwarf Alberta Spruce

Picture of a Southern Mockingbird (Northern Mockingbird) Nest Hidden in a Dwarf Alberta Spruce

Our potted Alberta Spruce (Dwarf) incorporates a dual purpose. I planted it to use as an ourdoor Christmas tree i can decorate each year. But the Alberta Spruce a is perfect nesting condition for the Northern Mockingbird as well. In this case you can see the nest filled with Mockingbird eggs. This spruce is a perfect habitat for the Mockingbird nest due to its dense foliage.

Photo of Lobelia erinus (trailing-lobelia)

Lobelia erinus

The Lobelia is coming along nicely in the different containers. This plant comes in various vibrant, almost neon colors. Lobelia does well in hanging baskets and and different containers. It will begin to trail over the sides of most containers as it matures. It loves full sun in well drained soils. Give it a try to colorize your own garden areas.

Vinca Always Does Well In My Garden Area

Vinca always does well in my garden area. This is the first time I have used it as a hanging pot.

Metal Skull Art and Metal Hummingbird from Otherworld gifts in Mentone, Alabama

Metal Skull Art and Metal Hummingbird from Otherworld gifts in Mentone, Alabama Located at Moon Lake Campus

We took a short trip from Huntsville to the very eclectic gift shop known as Other World Gifts in Mentone, Alabama. We discovered this little shop in an almost hidden spot, located at Moon Lake Campus (The Shops at Moon Lake Village). It is a well-maintained old school owned by the City of Mentone. This is a very interesting shop with a huge mix of a variety of items. We understand the shop is a favorite stop for many because of the sweet "Soap Lady" that has stocked the shop with a huge mix of wonderful soaps. Her husband also creates a plethora of 3D created items ...amazing items I might add. However, we discovered the above pictured metal art items that are perfect for our backyard deck and pond area. The skull is keeping a watchful eye or two on our private garden. We were tipped off to the place by a group of people visiting from England while we were eating at a wondeful restaurant just down the road known as the Wild Flower Cafe. Take a trip to this beautiful area!

Goldfish Swimming Around Pond Cattails

Goldfish Swimming Amongst Cattails

The Mum Returns

The Mum Returns | Will Mums Return Each Year?

Will Mums Return Each Year? I live in North Alabama (Huntsville) and we had some harder freezes this past winter. Apparently the freezes did not negatively impact the return of the mum plant. Our Mum sits under a grape vine I have grown on a 4'x4' wood post that I placed as a 4'x4' shape of a "T" and the Mum is in a large pot. For our location in the yard, this means it is partially shaded in the mornings, although many articles I have read recommend placement in full sun. Huntsville is located in Zone 8a (temperatures ranging from 10-15 Degrees Farenheit). After reading on the Mum, I have found that they must have stolons to return each year. Stolons are defined as Garden Mums which have runners that are near the surface of the ground and put out new roots and shoots, while Florist Mums tend to have very few of these runners or none at all. I do not recall the Mums I purchased from my local garden store identifying if they were garden or florist mums. I guess you can assume if you purchase them in a garden store that they are the Garden Mum variety. As you can tell, I am far from being a Botanist. I hope this post helps you in your Mum growing endeavors.

Hummingbird feeder that works best to attract the hummingbirds to our yard

This type feeder seems to work best for attracting hummingbirds. This one was purchased at Walmart. This feeder features a glass-bodied container which seems to last longer than plastic and I have been able to wash it in my dishwasher without any issue. It comes complete with a small hook that easily fits on a hanging chain. When you purchase this hummingbird feeder, the hook is hidden/located recessed under one of the screw-off red caps.

Note: Do not overtighten the caps to the glass body as i have found that over time the red plastic caps can become slightly more fragile from the sun and have cracked in the past. When i just lightly tighten them on after refilling with nectar, they have lasted for years without issue.

This is NOT a paid promotion. We are simply sharing what works well for us. Happy Hummingbirding!

Image of a bowl of strawberries collected at the end of April in Huntsville, Alabama

Image of a bowl of strawberries collected at the end of April in Huntsville, Alabama.

The Bluebird of Happiness | Image of a beautiful morning bluebird visit

I love the beautiful bluebirds that visit the backyard. This male bluebird is standing watch over the female building the nest at this time.

Image of Our Chipmunk Cracking Open Sunflower Seeds

Chipmunk Cracking Open Sunflower Seeds

The chipmunk loves sunflower seeds. He zips under the fence to visit the ground under the bird feeder and gathers several seeds in his mouth then zips back to the limestone rock and opens them to eat the seed. You can see the seed shells piling up on the rock. So cute to see Chip Munkerson in action. Sometimes I place a few walnuts on the rock as an extra little gift/treat for him.

Note: I keep calling the chipmunk 'him' but i'm not sure if it is a he or she.

First Iris of 2026 Blooms

This is our first Iris of the 2026 season in our backyard.

A Domesticated Parakeet Shows Up In Our Backyard

This parakeet appeared in the backyard. It must have escaped or was let loose on purpose by someone.