Glitter Kings and Straw Flowers

Top 'O the mornin' to ya!
I see I've had a bushel of visitors - well over 600. Lightens my heart, it does!
Hope y'all have been well since last we visited.

It has been a busy lil' time in my tiny corner of the world.
The weather has been odd so far this year. Like it has in so many other places. I wonder how much longer we (humans) can screw things up before Mother (Nature) steps in and puts a stop to it. That time is coming...and you know how Mother gets when things aren't right. I think it's time we all step back and acknowledge that we are what's causing the problems.
Ok, no soap boxes today...Just something to think about while we continue on our journey.

Speaking of journeys...in no particular order...

On the 10th, we celebrated my grand daughter's 5th birthday. She had a Michael Jackson themed party. Lots of fun and LOTS OF GLITTER! My wife made some amazing gifts for the adults to take home. They were made from tuna cans, cloths pins, baby food jars, markers and of course, glitter. We did cupcakes instead of a cake. I made some and my daughter made some. There were balloons and ribbons and about 20 people. At least ten of whom were under the age of 9. It was a really nice party. Everyone, kids and adults, were in a good mood. My wife made MJ gloves for the kids to were. Latex gloves with GLITTER - in case you missed it, there was glitter from hell to breakfast. This was supposed to be an outside party but of course it rained. So I had kids and adults, flinging glitter everywhere. There was glitter on the back porch. There was glitter on the front porch, down the stairs and into the driveway. My house sparkled. It was like being in a bad version of 'Twilight'. HA! We played (the kids) pin the glove on MJ. And limbo. And....
All in all it was a pretty good day!

Shaylor in her MJ outfit...

the start of the glitter invasion (look by her feet)

blowing out candles - she was embarrassed because

everyone was singing 'happy birthday' to her

blowing out her second set of candles

my daughter made red cupcakes. i made

the white ones and my daughter decorated

both sets

The straw bale garden is doing great. It's been a month this weekend that they were planted. Lots of green everywhere. I think I am going to have to cut some of the surrounding trees back a little. They are blocking the sun from the back part of the bales. The beans seem to really like the bales. They have really taken off. The Butcher corn and the pumpkins are doing very well. The smaller bale with the tomatoes doesn't seem to be as forth coming. They are doing well, they're just not at the same level as the others. I think that may have to do with the amount of sun that the trees are blocking. 

The flower circle is doing really well. Things have started coming up and it is beginning to fill in. I've gotten some fairly large growth at the back of the ring. I believe these are my sunflowers coming up. There are many other plants (and weeds) popping up all around the ring as well. 

My fruit trees seem to like their place on the slope of my front yard. It will be nice to be able to go and grab some fresh fruit when they get that far. 

I finally got my bulbs in the ground. They have been added to the rose area. I have added various Caladiums and some lilies. I noticed some growth a couple days ago. I can't wait to see them. 

as of this morning

(l) broom corn, sunflowers, butcher corn

(r) various beans, butcher corn and PUMPKINS!

small bale

tomatoes, eggplant, black bell peppers, dragon cayenne,

watermelon and various greens

flower circle

filling out but still looking a little ruff

you can see the big plants right behind the bird bath

they are about thigh high at the moment

one of my roses

you can see it in the photo above

right in the middle

these are the newest addition

I have a visitor to my flower circle as well as my straw bales. The little bugger has been digging holes in both. I came home to find him sitting in my flower circle. He didn't move, even when I was less than 3 feet from him. I have seen him several times since then. All through out my yard. My neighbor told me that she has seen him out by the bales on several occasions. I will have to look at putting up some kind of fence so that he doesn't eat my pumpkins. 

my lil' hole digging culprit

I have actually managed to get some work done on "the Forrest King". He is coming along nicely. I have given him a tail and have created, cut and sewn his hair. I hope to have him completed soon. He is the second in the Forrest line. I did five pulls from Forrest's mold. One of which is a test piece for paint. So there will only be 4 of them. The remaining two have the bodies made but the hair that I want is proving much harder to get than anticipated. Anyway, I am concentrating on King right now. 

tail pinned in place

the tape and paper pattern for the hair

his curly white hair

working on a crown

leaning towards something organic

Well, I do believe that is all for this post. I am off to do the fun things of the day...laundry, bathing the dogs and various other fun filled chores.

I hope your upcoming week is filled with family, friends and all the joy you can stand!

Until next time...

Be Good, Be Safe, Be Happy!

TTFN

p.s. ~ Only 165 days til Halloween! OMG, so many things to do!!  :)