thankful for a creative God

spring rules in my mind as the time when i get all misty-eyed about how awesome and creative our God is. everywhere i go i'm reminded at His extravagant love for us, just be looking around to all the newness that is spring. baby animals, the greening of the trees, the little shoots of green awakening through the soil after a wintertime slumber. it's just such a spectacular display!

i love that God doesn't let us get all worn out and bored during what can oftentimes in the southeast be a very long, muggy, sauna-like existence. unlike the past two summers which were more like arizona than tennessee, we have been blessed with copious amounts of rain and fairly cool (for tennessee in the summer, mind you) temperatures. it's actually been possible to get out and enjoy the summer without spontaneously combusting!

this summer, i actually still have flowers blooming, and not hanging baskets of parched, emaciated vines, listlessly draped over the side of the pot. instead, i have some green, some coral and some purple (interspaced between the aforementioned vines. . .i'm not perfect) blossoms. it's really quite amazing (considering my rather black thumbs).

i was rather surprised to see this phoenix rising from the ashes of two blisteringly dry summers. i thought it was forever gone. granted it's a dwarf of its former size, but i was glad to see her back. honestly, i said, out loud to her. . . "what are you doing here and why are you so pretty so early??" so glad you're back.i have no idea what these flowers are called, but they are the cutest thing in the world, and burst forth into pretty much my favorite color. they look like little balloons before they open. filled with their little own private greenhouse air. . . they're so cute. and they're blooming all summer. what a flippin' bonus!!

i know monkey grass is not the most clever of landscaping materials, but i absolutely LOVE it in the late summer when they show their stuff!! (perhaps i'm biased, the color is right up my alley) what a treat when the sun comes up and casts its pretty yellow rays on these little gems. if they were bells, there would be a sweet tinkling all around my house!

and what i know about roses can be summed up in one word: nothing. but i did plant a new bush this year (name escapes me) and i'm so glad i did. what a fun little party on my front walkway.

i hate to leave out my garden. it's been the source of much joy and frustration this summer. the squash and zucchini were lame performers this year. . . coupled by the fact that my three garden ummm "helpers" harvested themselves before i could get to them. grrrrr. (that would be the frustration) who know dachshunds liked to garden, or eat raw squash?

the cucumbers were a bumper crop this year (egads, it's not like you can make cucumber bread for cryin out loud!!) and this would be fine, but many of them were bitter.

the tomatoes have been spectacular this year (albeit a bit late) and again, the ones nearer the ground have been decimated by. . . yep. . . dumb, ann, dumber. get a life, dogs!! tomatoes??

i really am thankful for the reminder that God is good. just look at the variety of His creativity! all the different flowers, vegetables (weeds), people, animals. . . all that in seven (well, really six) days?? He IS good!!

timber!!

we escaped some serious damage when our formerly healthy ginormous pine tree decided it was time to just let go. and it did. 

and it managed to miss our newly constructed fire pit. and the camp chair, and all of the chairs that the kids left around the pit.

it missed the trampoline, and the trees in our neighbor's yard. 

it did take out both of our fences, but nothing else was touched. not the three weiner dogs. not the dog next door.

but i shuddered to think about the larger branches impaling themselves in the ground. that must have been some thud!

and i was astounded at the lack of roots for a 50 ft. tree. crazy.

well, at least we'll have plenty of wood for the fire pit!

finally, some sun!

in a brief pocket of sunshine yesterday, the ellusive tulip has finally decided that it's time to venture out. we've been waiting for you! of course, he said he was waiting for the other flowers to wither away so more attention would be focused on him. typical.

and my all time favorite tree in the world... the red bud. more blossoms now and i positively LOVE the gorgeous purple against the chartreuse green of spring. or against the brilliant blue sky. oh, what a great tree, even if it does have a pretty silly name.

and finally, the bleeding heart. why is this little delicate gem out so early? don't you know it could still frost?? why forgoodnesssakes, it snowed in ARKANSAS of all places just the other day!! be carefull, little guys. it's not yet easter. after that, i think you'll be in the clear.

i love how springtime is busting out all over, and i don't have to walk but five steps from my door to drink it all in.

now if only we could do something about that fence.

singing-o-the-green!!

for the first time in days, we have a gorgeously cerulian sky with springtime busting out all over. this is the time of year i simply marvel at all the eye-candy the Lord has given us. and photographs don't nearly capture what He splashed across my morning canvas.

but can i just say that morning dew + morning sunshine + new springness = flat-out spectacularness??

okay, i'm just sayin'!

the dew on the rosebush was so pretty the way the sun was making it sparkle like spring jewelry. ahhhh pretty soon there will be magenta blossoms. can't wait!

it's hard to believe that in just a short time, these stumpy little flower casings will grow into beautiful dogwood blossoms. really. this ugly little knot will soon explode into a real live flower!! who knew!!

welcome, columbine! pretty soon you'll be big and strong!

waaaaay down in there is the reluctant tulip blossom. oh where, oh where are you?? there is a PARTY going on out here, and you're missing it!

hey chickadees!! i know you're in there!! welcome back!! can't wait till the kids can come out and play!

and what would a day frolicking in the springtime morning look like without a little weiner dog munching on some grass??

not like spring at all, says bailey!!

bailey also thought the pictures all looked better on the computer than on blogger. not sure if clicking on them will help. but oh well!

y'all have a great, splendid tuesday. and hope you're wearin' green, or ye'll get yerself pinched!