rustynailgarden

Friday, March 14, 2014

ORDERING TREES

I want to start gardening so badly that I have to do something to kick start the season. I want to feel like I'm getting back into the gardening groove.

Dennis is starting some seeds indoors, under the grow lights, and planning his raised bed garden. My thing is trees. I put together an order of a few seedling trees from the Peoria County Soil & Water Conservation. I have been buying from them for years. Our beautiful Norway Spruce are 6 ft. tall now. The Red Twig Dogwood really took off the first year. I am very happy with everything I have purchased from them.

I want some Red Bud trees to stick along the edge of the timber for color. They sell 10 inch trees for $2.00 each. I can always find room for a couple more, and I need something red. I picked out a 12" Red Maple for $2.00.

The form is complete, the check is made out and ready to mail. On April 11th I can pick up my trees at Exposition Gardens in Peoria.

I feel much better.

Sunday, March 9, 2014

MISSING BIRD FEEDER

The snow is melting, and the past few nights have been rather pleasant. People are not held hostage in their homes any longer because of wicked weather. The car windows are not as frosty as they were. The grass and is visible in some areas of the yard where the wind has blown the snow away.

One more thing. The raccoons are very active at night. About ten o'clock at night I can hear them ravaging the bird feeders outside my window. They squeak and chatter and try to climb the Shepard hooks. Seeds fall to the ground. The dogs bark and we all run to the window and tap the glass to shoo the racoons away. They look at me through the glass, annoyed. Then turn and follow their worn path back to the timber.

Every morning I refill the feeders. Today one was missing. It was not on the hook, or on the ground, or over there, or under that. It was gone. Those blasted raccoons ran off with the entire bird feeder.

If you see a raccoon dragging a wooden box, it could be my bird feeder.

Saturday, February 22, 2014

SUZY BOGGUSS

I have know Suzy Bogguss since the late 1970's and I recently had the opportunity to attend her latest cd opening party in Nashville. Here are a few pictures from the event.

Is this her body guard?

Sharing stories.

Suzy opened the gift I made for this occasion. Her album is titled Lucky, so I framed a few good luck charms for her.

Why did my eyes close at the exact moment of the flash?

Uh, I don't know if Dennis should be getting lucky tonight............

What is this weird eye trick Mary?

I can't talk with caramels in my mouth.

So I will use hand signals.

This room is the VIP room with leather couches, complimentary wine and beer of all kinds, yummy hot finger foods, and a small stage for intimate affairs. It was good to catch up, tell stores, and hear her beautiful voice. We even got to step into the dressing room where Suzy was still joking with friends, band members, and Suzy's sister was there.

At 8:00 pm Suzy performed for the public at the venue called "3rd and Lindsley" with her band and several female guest singer/songwriters.

Matraca Berg and Gretchen Peters

See you Someday Soon, Suzy.

Friday, February 21, 2014

SNOW PLOWING

The road ends here. As you can see, the township plowed my road again this week. I commend them on keeping this narrow, dead end road clear this winter.

There is no room to turn the monster plow around, so Terry has to back the truck down the road. Often, at 3:00 am or so, I hear the beep, beep, beep of the snowplow as it backs down the hill. The yellow caution lights flashing through my curtains. Sometimes, if I am awake when Terry comes by, I turn on the porch light to signal a big THANK YOU.

The sun rising in the east.

The long hill Terry backs down.

A glimpse of the back yard, and lots of dog prints.

Th front yard, which is the bird feeding station.

The Tally Ho Tahoe has not moved in a month.

As Johnny Cash said, "the piles got higher" or was it "the ring of fire", or was it hire the elderly, or did he hear the snow plow a comin' round the bend, near the prison. Or all of the above?

Or....

,,,,was it "Lex-us entertain you".

Or maybe it was "Daddy sang base while Momma sang with Ben-Hur"

You know I could do this for hours don't you?

Zip it.

Friday, January 24, 2014

OUR WILD CATS

When I bought Rustynail Garden, in 2005, there was one wild kitty living here. A female. She had several litters of kittens before I could trap her and have her, and her offspring, altered. Momma and two of her kitties still live here, but two of the three are wild.

Scaredy Cat has become a very friendly fellow. His brother Doobie is quite the opposite. All the cats come home to eat morning and night, but only Scaredy Cat craves attention and a good scratch. The other two keep their distance.....until recently.

I was not going to leave them outside during these recent blizzards. When very hungry, the cats will come up to the spot I set the food. I get one chance to grab, and I better not miss. I managed to grab Momma. At the next meal I grabbed Doobie. I put all three in the heated garage with food, water, litter, and some pillows.

Doobie was frantic. He yowled, dug at the door, and hissed. Momma hid. They had not been confined inside with three dogs before this. Jazz is harmless inside her kennel, but she does bark to greet everyone.

Scaredy did not mind the nice warm garage at all. After a day inside at 60 degrees, with the wind howling outside at zero degrees, they all seemed much happier. I took pictures as I talked to them. Doobie acts like an old farm cat (he is the grey cat). I am shocked at the difference in him.

Here is Doobie first inside, hiding under the work bench in the litter box, wide eyed.

Then I set the food on the work bench and he came out of hiding.

Then he posed for this picture; but those wide eyes are a sign he is on alert.

Full tummy, soft blanket, nice warm shelter. He is beginning to like this!

Animals just seem to know when your are helping them.

Scaredy Cat. Relaxed, purring, happy eyes.

Please turn the light off, we are trying to take a cat nap.

Goodnight.

Monday, January 6, 2014

ABOMINABLE OR ADORABLE?

Would you let this man in your house to get warm? Neither would our dogs!

Jessie and Jamie bounced off the couch when this man walked in the door. Jazz knew who it was so she just wagged her tail in excitement. I did too - knew who it was I mean. I did not wag my tail.

It is so flipping, dipping cold that we have to bundle up so no skin is exposed. Central Illinois is closed. Almost every office, school, business, non-business, and monkey business is closed. Kroger is open. So is Walgreens. The high temperature as I write this is -9.