Yes, Another Gladiola

I promise I'm almost done showing them. There are just two left that haven't bloomed.

Thumbs Down To Walmart Bulbs

I should have known not to buy plants from Walmart.  We bought bulbs/tubers of bleeding hearts, lily of the valley, begonias, and caladiums. The caladiums finally came up, but  it probably will be too cold for them in a month or so.  See how tiny they are? The bleeding hearts and lilies never grew, and each bag had less than advertised. Only two out of the six begonias emerged.

Yellow Glads

Carol's Other Rose

 Grandma G, Carol, and Debbie came out today for lunch and birthday cake. Carol brought us some grape vines (originally from Ken's grandpa) and rose clippings to plant in the front yard. We'd like to start a vineyard in the back yard.  Aren't the  rose blooms pretty?  They smell heavenly.  She said it grows quickly into a tall bush, then spreads.

We didn't have any birthday candles, so the Christmas Miracle Hippo had to be lit long enough to sing to Grandma.

Link Up and Go Now!!

 I have to type quickly, because this picture grosses me out.  I took the dog out tonight, and saw these horrid, slimy yucks making out on the house.  They leave iridescent trails all over the walls. Even worse, each one is longer than my hand. After knocking them off, I stepped off the deck to the grass and almost stepped on 2 more. Barefoot.

Larkspur

 Seeds from Mother. It seemed to take a long time for them to grow.  They're all purple(-aren't yours mixed colors, Mom?)

I Refuse To Believe It

But Is It Better Than A Short Roughly?

Humoring someone with spellings? Wit? Miniscule word overruns?

Toady Couple

Can you spot them both?  They come out whenever Ken waters the garden.

Glads 3 and 4

The red one snapped in the wind.

Wild Flowers

Bee Balm at the end of the driveway

We spent $7 on a Bee Balm plant from Lowe's in April, and then babied it through the late snow storms. We tied it up when it became tipsy, and eagerly waited for it to bloom. It's Ken's favorite flower.  Well, it turns out that our yard is full of them. Why did I not notice them last year?

Glad #2

Unkown Pod Landed In Our Back Yard

Gladiola

Feels Like Texas

It is so muggy outside.  It's been incredibly warm for days.  As long as it cools down at night, the house stays comfortable. Unfortunately,  that hasn't been happening. Tomorrow's high is supposed to be 95.  I've spent a good part of today in the basement because it feels almost chilly.  If I wasn't such a chicken I'd probably sleep down there.

Nasturtiums by lamp-post

Tioga Downs

We went to a flea market Tioga Downs racetrack. We were too early to see the horses race, but we had fun watching them trot around the track. Since we're all of legal age now, we plan on going back next to the casino there next month.

Twirly Garlic

It's been so hot here. The garden is beginning to suffer. We haven't had rain, other than one little sprinkle, in over a month. The tomatoes we got from the cranky Amish lady (not the elderly couple) are a lot smaller than the others. I think they're inbred or something.

.... I don't know if all garlic grows like this:

May Night Salvia

The yard is full of honeybees, bumble bees, and some type of dwarf yellow jacket.  I had a comical, but painful, run in with the wasps a few days ago. I was hosing down some rugs when several swarmed my legs. I think they wanted the water. I ran like a maniac around the house to the front door while one sat on my shoulder.  Luckily, I was only bit twice, but it felt like a knife slashing me.

         Anyway, I always think of Mrs Knight when I look at this salvia. Wasn't her first name May?

Baby In The Back Yard

 This is probably the first rain shower this little fawn has seen.  He popped out of the trees, then jumped and ran all over the yard.  Then he saw his mother on the edge of the woods, and he froze like a statue for a few minutes, at least. See how still he is? He finally takes a step when he sees his mom step back into the trees.

After his mom disappeared, he ran happily a bit longer, then he began to look nervous. This video shows him running into the trees, looking for his mom. 

Hollyhocks and Electrical Pole

I'm amazed that it was able to grow and bloom in our sad, rocky dirt.

For weeks, a tiny brown bird has been sitting on this wire and singing her heart out. It wasn't until a few days ago that I realized that she had a nest inside the pole. See that circular opening up above? Think how tiny her babies are to fit in there.

Day at Corning Glass

It's been hot here for a few days. It's even more unbearable without AC (air conditioning, not Anderson Cooper, though he is adorable).

So, yesterday we got up early and drove to Corning to spend the day looking at glass in the cool museum. I think my overall favorite is the ancient Islamic glass. 

My Favorites:

Islamic

Islamic

Russian Nesting Cake Plates

Cracker Jar

???????

Steuben Glass

Steuben Glass

I want this hanging in my living room

 Ken's Favorites:

Cologne Bottle

Glass Window Blinds. Very Few Remain

Glass Hood Ornament

Jellyfish Paperweights

Even though it was 20% off, he wouldn't buy it...but if we ever have several thousand dollars to spare, we're getting the vase and the paperweights...

...Maybe this $20,000 "Megaworld", too

Walt's Favorites:

 

Evil Rabbit

Can you believe these are all glass? There from the late 1800s. On loan from Cornell.

Fulgurites, natural glass formed when lightning strikes sand.

Smallpox

HIV

 His taste is definitely different than mine and his dad's.

Our favorite moment was when a stereotypical "redneck" looking woman was talking loudly to her daughters, obviously so everyone could hear. She said "Know how sometimes when we watch Antique Roadshow and they have a really ugly lamp that's worth $400,000? Well, here it is!" Then she points to this: