When I went out to cut some sage for our turkey dinner, this is what I saw.  Remember I told you that there was a praying mantis egg case in the sage?  Well, apparently it hatched out today, because there are lots of baby praying mantids.

 

LOVE IT!!!  Thought you would too. 

 

HAPPY MAY!!!

 

My beautiful arugula is going to seed.  I guess it's the first sowing of seeds.  I've got two crops going at once.  

 

It is so thick I can hardly pick it without pulling out whole plants.  

 

We couldn't eat this much arugula in a year!! Love it!!!

 

HAPPY GARDENING!!!

 

Look how beautiful the Sage is right now.  This bloom period lasts almost a month.  

 

You know that the leaves are edible, and used a lot in cooking.  Well, the flowers are edible too, and are delicious sprinkled on top of all kinds of salads.  We put some on potato salad, and they were beautiful and tasty.

 

Ya gotta love Sage.  We do!!!

 

HAPPY SPRING!!!

 

This birdhouse is at least 8 feet off the ground, but Gizmo heard some activity in there.  So he climbed the tree, looked inside, then came down.  Momma bird was squawking at him the entire time.  What a racket.  

 

What a character!!!

 

HAPPY SPRING!!!

 

The Mountain Laurel is starting to bloom.  This one is on the Creekside Trail, but they are all over the place.  

 

Next time you drive to Blairsville, take Mocassin Church Road, and you will see hundreds of them in glorious bloom.

 

HAPPY MAY!!!

 

Look up!!!  The Black Locust trees are blooming.  You can smell them before you see them.  Of course I can spot them at 50 yards going 45 miles an hour.  It's just my thing.  ;)

 

There are lots of them in the neighborhood.  Most people see them as weed trees, but I love them, especially this month.

 

HAPPY MAY!!!

 

Just across the street from that Tulip Poplar is this huge wild rose bush.  We smelled it before we saw it.  It smells like cloves.

 

So when you are out for a walk, or driving by, look for them;  they are blooming all over the neighborhood.  Fabulous!!!

 

HAPPY SPRING!!!

 

Usually the flowers are up too high to get a good picture, but these are low enough for me to get a close up.

 

I just love it when the Tulip Poplars bloom.  Look for orange and green flowers all over the trees.  There are lots in our neighborhood.

 

HAPPY SPRING!!!

 

I am so glad that our neighbors on Five Forks Drive planted these Korean Dogwoods.  

 

They are just below the third switchback, and close enough to the road to see them every time we drive by.

 

And aren't they gorgeous right now?  

 

HAPPY SPRING!!!

 

This is how we plant tomatoes. 

 

Jon digs a deep hole and adds a handful of gravel.  Then I put in a 2 liter jug (upside down, with the top off, and the bottom cut out.)  I add a little more gravel to the jug, then put in the tomato plant right next to the upside down jug.  This is how we deep water our tomatoes.  See how the water goes directly to the roots, and doesn't get on the leaves?  

 

I learned this method from Alma and Jim when they lived in Swansboro.  Hmmm, about 1980.  Been doing it this way ever since.  

 

Looks funny, but works great!!!

 

HAPPY GARDENING!!!