The Gulf Coast is on my Mind.....

Two years ago I flew into Gulfport, MS for work.

I had just enough time before my flight home for a little exploring.

Under these great old Live Oaks once stood beautiful homes. Row after row of historic homes destroyed by Katrina.

I haven't been there again since the fall of '06. Maybe you have.

However, the area is currently in my prayers.

Two years and counting....

Two years ago this we closed on the house and began working Labor Day weekend.

Take a look at Day One Pics... Nasty!!!

Last year, Labor Day weekend we moved into the house.

This weekend marks our first year living in this ol' bungalow.

Here is a view of the original Kudzu Jungle.

I sold the furniture at a yard sale and the deck was torn down before it fell down.

The kudzu is covering half the crape myrtle and over half of the back yard.

In that pot on the table was something very gross. I am not sure what it was....

Sunday Walk: Newnan

Well.....It wasn't exactly Sunday when I took this walk around the historic Newnan town square.
It was Thursday of last week. A day the interstate home was too crowded, I decided to take the two lane home from Atlanta.


The city of Newnan has done a wonderful job keeping the historic buildings intact, re-used and preserved. Much different than the tear it down town we live in.

Andrew Carnegie built over 2500 libraries. Find out more here.




Wedding cake swags on buildings... So Robert Adam.

Delightful pressed tin.




This one was nice until they replaced the old windows with nasty metal windows with those press on mullions. I hate press on mullions!



At least the old wavy glass wooden windows are still in the courthouse.


Clock tower atop the courthouse. In the center of town square




Ohhhh Look... Egg and Dart details.





More on the houses of Newnan in another post.

Cleome's from Seed.

I have been growing Cleomes from seed for years. Mostly because it is a great background plant, it is airy, drought tolerant and EASY to grow from seed. Once you successfully grow one plant you will have enough seed to share with the whole neighborhood next year.



The seed pods look like little beans. They pop open in your hand.



Allowing you to easily collect seeds for next year.



They will re-seed themselves and you have to look carefully when weeding your flower beds for cleome seedlings. These seedlings will need separating and moving around because they will be thick. The plants to be a little fussy when you move them, so move them when the plants are young, just a couple of inches high. (You will have enough seedlings that it will be ok if some don't make it.)

State Capitol

I had to look up to see if it was the State Capitol or Capital. I thought it is was the "o" version and the "a" version was the city, but I wasn't 100% sure and I didn't want to look dumb. ( I didn't have to tell you that I looked it up, but I figure I am not the only one who hasn't used this bit of knowledge in 20 something years and someone else may need a little refresher.)



This is the Capitol building in Atlanta, complete with the gold dome. Made from gold found in the Dahlonega area. "Gold in them thar hills." is said to originate from the first U.S. gold rush in Georgia not from the later gold rush in California.






It was built over an old a rail road site that was destroyed by fire. You know the one, the fire from US history and a movie. (This is just an old picture of mid 1800's Atlanta that I found on line somewhere. Sorry I don't have the link.)



I use to pass this bridge going to work sometimes. The office where I had a meeting on Monday was next door. The bridge goes no where on both sides. It must have some sort of historic significance for it to be still standing.




These shots are from another building near the capitol. So very Deco. I am sure that is Georgia marble.




Ya know.......Georgia marble would make good counter tops.

Between the Down Pours........

I spied this little guy hanging out on a Coleus leaf.

A tiny fellow. His body is smaller than a Begonia flower.

Then he spied me.

I think he thinks the lens of my camera is an eye. Which it is. Sorta, Kinda.

It just is not an eye of something that is gonna eat him for dinner, or lunch, or even breakfast.

But it did scare the poop out of him, anyway.

Look at the expression on his face. ( I wish the shot were a little better in focus. I laughed once I down loaded the pics and realized what was going on.)

Then he ran to the Margarita Sweet Potato Vine. He fit in well. The Sweet potato vine has gone crazy at the front of our house.

I thought I would include a shot from February of his mom or dad sunning on the deck.

And Finally....... the crazy sweet potato vine at the front of the house. (I am ready to give it a trim. )

It has gone wild. (I only planted 3 of them.)

My view from last week.

When I had a chance to actually look out the window instead of measuring 5 floors worth of windows. Most of which were 103 inches x 48 inches. (Just in case you needed to know the window measurements for the hotel.)

Fay blew Down our Corn.

About half of it was ready to pick.

We had about 5 inches of rain from Fay and a good bit of wind.
The rain was needed, but the wind picked up a pecan from a pecan tree and popped one of the old wavy glass windows and gave it a crack all the way across. Sad. I love the wavy glass.

Hopefully things will dry out for those in Florida soon, and I really am thankful that a cracked window was the only damage.

The week passed on by...

and I did not get a chance to post the first time.



I was working in the city. When I wasn't working, I was stuck in traffic or sleeping.
But not sleeping in traffic, because that would be bad.



This picture is from a California back road somewhere between LA and Yosemite.

Marigold Garden

I grew these Marigolds from seed.
And every time I see a Marigold I think of a book that I had as a child.

Marigold Garden is a collection of short poems with wonderful illustrations. I never really knew why it was called Marigold garden. The book is not about marigolds.

You too can have a marigold garden for just cents.

Step one... Dead head a marigold. Any marigold. It helps the plant to bloom. You are helping..... Not stealing dead flowers.....just helping the plant to bloom.

Step two... Gather the seeds.

Step three...wait til next spring and plant in your yard. Or, start the seeds indoors.

I use to gather marigold seeds with my grandfather (my dad's dad).

Floor plans and a Tree.

I've been working on a floor plan for an in-law suite addition for a house built in the 20's. I have a floor plan for our house I should post sometime. One day I will. The measurements the contractor gave me did not add up, so I finally went my self to measure wearing flip flops in the mud. Most of the time it cost less for me to measure one time than for me to try to figure out the contractor's measurements. Honestly...they never add up. (18" does make a difference on a floor plan. )

Yesterday, a house 2 doors down, was having a huge oak tree trimmed. The climbing of the tree with all the ropes looked kinda fun....

(none of my pictures came out very well in this morning sun.)

The dude is over 2 stories high at this point.

Have a great weekend.

Again.....

There it is again. On the hall closet. More pepto pink. I don't know why I would think it would have been a different color.

Was there a sale on pepto pink once, or was it really THAT popular a color?

Take a look at this trim... I mean really..... How weird it that? The same color(s). I bet the chips would match.

(the door picture is from the archives- last June)

Kudzu Jungle in pics...

I know I have typed of the Kudzu Jungle many times. But...... I couldn't find where I showed it to you.

This picture is from last year. After one year of treatments. Pulling, chopping, and poisioning the vine.

The following pictures are from earlier this summer.

In the center of the trees is Chris's spring burn pile.

To the left is the Possum Tree.




So folks..........there it is.......The Kudzu Jungle.