Forever Weekend Farm: February 2011

Monday, February 28, 2011

February's Rose Garden

This keeping up with the blog takes time. I have a million stories-non as interesting or exciting as the flotilla's, but I want no one to forget us at FWF. This will be a shortie as it is the last day of February and I want to celebrate something tonight,
( LAST DAY OF FEB)
so I need to hit Walmart after work for provisions.

I planted a rose garden! It is a mini rose garden. When I first met Megs she arrived at the farm with a tiny tea rose bush--a table decoration from Katie's wedding, I believe. I planted it out front with many other small flowers over the last few years and it is the only plant that has not only survived, but flourished in the the full direct sun and heat-other than the palms and cacti. Its flowers have been the subject of many of my watercolors. I decided to give it some company. I now have dotted both mulched slopes along side of the stone steps with the romantic colors of love.
I also decided to seed the front lawn inside the picket fence. After spending the weekend raking out the weeds, softening the soil, scattering the seed and spending hours holding a hose, I awoke Monday morning to check out my hard work and was greeted by a very large Dove Picnic. This weekend I decided to splurge and buy Bermuda/golf course seed and try again. This seed is very expensive, but I was told it is covered in a fertilizer and two coats of a material that holds moisture, so the birds won't even recognize the tiny white specks as seeds.
I was pretty proud of myself--worked hard again, but out smarted those dang dove.
Saturday night was APPY /Oh Hell card game night and Keara, Courtney and I decided to concoct the best appetizers we could drum up while playing cards. We had a great time--Will and Keara spent the night. We had beautiful weather and great fun! Time to add some pictures--more stories later.

I hope this gives you an idea of how beautiful these slopes will look in a couple of months. I have tea roses cascading down the slopes on each side of the steps.

"Dingo does not like the screen porch"
Unfortunately for Dingo, Dad came home first. When I came home, I thought a rabid raccoon decided to break in after the fish food on the porch. But when I walked into the kitchen, I found a guilty Dingo dog cowering on the tile wearing nothing but a necklace of screen (designed and wrapped around her neck by Joe). He had gone on to band practice leaving a note,
"Dingo's a Bad Dog".

I out smarted the birds, but not the ants. Dad pointed out this industrious little colony gathering up my Bermuda seed for later summer feasts.

Dingo--still guilty about her anxiety attack to get back in the porch. Mom removed the necklace.

Will tore a leg ligament playing basketball. He is very good on crutches-never spilled a drop of rum!

This does not do the injury justice--He had just soaked it in ice water-
Propped up on a table it looked as if it needed a toe tag.

I could get some grief on this picture of Lotte'. Yes, we were watching her. No, it was not loaded. This was a rusty BB gun (Dad used it for killing pond snakes but left it the rain too many times- does Dad throw anything away?) Lotte' had no idea what it was-she decided to drag it behind her like an old wagon wheel.

Lotte' playing hide and seek with Keara. If you don't find Lotte' in about 60 seconds, she can't stand the suspense and jumps out declaring, "I found you!"

Getting ready for the appy feast!

Wish you could see all the good choices we had!

Time for Elmo!

Courtney at almost 3 months!

We leave the lights on for you--
Please come home-we miss you!

Rose on the Picket fence

Meghan's rose

Monday, February 7, 2011

Super bowl Weekend

Our weekend started with Dad and I deciding to have Cobia by Candle Light on the new screened porch. We arrived home to a huge heavy box delivered from CA from Jerren and Pat. Inside, all the makings for a romantic getaway for Dad and me. Where? Caribbean Court in Vero Bch which is only a half hour away form us. The box had beach bucket, fishing lure, Dove chocolates, chocolate covered nuts, special coffee and pictures of this beautiful French Country bed and breakfast that we knew nothing about- even has a French chef and the most beautiful grounds full of tropical flowers. Dad and I were very touched so we decided to make a short video thanking Jer & Pat. Well, we went to a lot of work setting up props, giving a tour of the new screen porch, dancing to a CD (they also sent) and smooching to seal the deal,--after 4 attempts to adjust the lighting and get it right - it was too big to send by phone! We had fun anyway!
Saturday we spent the day planting flowers and trimming more frozen palm frondage--Dad headed to his hunting lease to check on some cypress logs for the stairway and an outside bar he wants to build. We got wonderful e-mails from Sue Dunker and Roger telling us of the safe arrival of the flotilla in Cancun. Their nice notes always start out...we know you probably already know, but just wanted to pass the news---the flotilla arrived safely.
Jimmy, Courtney, and Dad and I have a good laugh over that--Hell No-if it wasn't for the other 2 boats families, we would not know if Conor and Megs made it. Gosh, we appreciate that Angie and Ted stay in touch.
And then Low and Behold Saturday am my phone dinged that a message arrived--it was from Megs-yeah!!!! She wrote a nice long note-- So they are with the other two boats and also arrived safely (just kidding Megs and Con-we know you don't want to waste beer money on internet or phone :)

Charlotte at 21 months, talks in full sentences and amazes us with her vocabulary! She can tell you where her new baby brother/sister is growing--"In Mommy's belly!" And depending on how you ask, she wants a brother and a sister. Saturday night, Jimmy, Courtney, and Charlotte came down for Grouper and a card game-called appropriately--Hell NO! Courtney beat us all soundly--maybe because she was not drinking an alcoholic beverage, or maybe she is just very good at the game--(Should I report that Jimmy & Joe took turns coming in last?)Sunday was Super bowl Party at Mundo's. He cooked up quite a feast! It was all homemade authentic Mexican food and so very good! Pictures will tell more--Keara, now 2 months pregnant wanted to play Pat's game for guessing the sex of her baby. Courtney said she wanted to play too!--Which was how she told Keara and Will that she was also pregnant! Keara was so happy to have pregnancy company---So we hid the knife under a chair cushion and had them pick between the two chairs. The old wives tell says Courtney is having a BOY and Keara is having a GIRL!

As you can probably tell-we love the porch screened. The only problem is that for years now the screech owl family has been feeding on the tree frogs that cling to the sliding glass doors at night. In the morning Dad and I sit to have our coffee and dad has to pick out little forehead feathers from the owls banging into the new invisible screen at night. So now Dad has set up an array of flashlights at night to warn them of the new barrier.
So far it is working!