The Perfect Garden?

Is there such a thing as the perfect garden? If you ask me the answer is NO!

Each winter I move plants, pull out plants, and plan to buy plants all in an effort create the perfect garden for the next year. I never seem tobe satisfied with the garden that I have.

Any gardener that you speak with will tell you that the garden they have has taken years of trials and errors and is always a work in progress. In my book "Diary of A Wannabe Gardener" Samantha learns there is no such thing as the perfect garden, but all gardens are beautiful and individual.

Below is what some famous people have had to say about gardening and gardeners:

DOROTHY FRANCES GURNEY:
The kiss of the sun for pardon,
The song of the birds for mirth,
One is nearer God's heart in a garden
Than anywhere else on earth. "Garden Thoughts"

ELIZABETH MURRAY:
Gardening is the art that uses flowers and plants as paint, and the soil and sky as canvas.

LEWIS GANNIT:
Gardening is a kind of disease. It infects you, you cannot escape it. When you go visiting, your eyes rove about the garden; you interrupt the serious cocktail drinking because of an irresistible impulse to get up and pull a weed.

THOMAS MOORE:
The many great gardens of the world, of literature and poetry, of painting and music, of religion and architecture, all make the point as clear as possible: The soul cannot thrive in the absence of a garden. If you don't want paradise, you are not human; and if you are not human, you don't have a soul.
God almighty first planted a garden: and, indeed, it is the purest of human pleasure.

Francis Bacon
The best place to seek God is in a garden. You can dig for him there.
George Bernard Shaw

Foxglove and Knockout Roses

Up early this a.m. trying to get active before the snakes on this cool morning. I purchased two purple foxgloves last night and found, hopefully a suitable home for them. Moisture is the big issue in the hot summer

I've tried without success to start these plants by seed indoors and outdoors. I finally said the heck with it and purchased some. Hope to have them around in my garden for a while since they are suppose to self seed. I have hummingbirds that visit regularly. I think they are going to enjoy this plant. I know the bumble bees will.


I think I have all the colors of the Knock Out Rose that is available. I added the double pink this morning and the yellow one which is super fragrant, last week. These Knock Outs have become the work horses of my garden.

As I say each year, I am running out of space for more plants. But I am going on a major purchasing run on May 6th to my favorite nursery. I will get some red coreopsis and hopefully a pink Angel Trumpet. I say major because the Angel Trumpets and coreopsis cost alot.

As always, keep an eye out for photos of my garden.

Oprah and Aunt Catherine Carr-Esters

“I’m sorry this book portraying her falsely was ever written and that I participated by answering questions…Kitty Kelley misquoted me when she said I told her who your father was…’How could I know?’” direct quote from Ms. Esters.

I visited Oprah's cousin Ms. Esters on the smae day Kitty Kelly biographer had stopped by for an interview. Ms. Ester encouraged me to write and publish my first book and I was developing an idea on a book signing at our local library (Attala County Library) in the following month. I asked my friend what did the writer want.

"She wanted some dirt on Oprah, but she didn't get any from me. I told her Oprah has done many good things like the Oprah Winfrey Boys and Girls Club she built here. She wanted some dirt, but she didn't get it from me."

Ms. Esters an author herself, knows the ins and outs of writing. One slip of the tongue and things can go wrong. Her own book "Jay Bird Creek" is a memoir of growing up in the birthplace of Oprah. It recounts the difficulties of growing up in Mississippi during the time of Jim Crow. But anyone who has met and spoke to Ms Esters knows she is a proud woman and family pride runs even deeper.

If asked about any hard times in life she would admit to such but you will always hear a ring of 'dignity' and 'we held our heads high' type of attitude. I'm sure while discussing life she would never admit to abject poverty and starvation, even if it was true.

Kitty Kelly must have realized the type of woman she was interviewing, an older proud black woman of the South. There are alot of denials when it comes to life in the south; past, present, and future.

A photo of Oprah hugging the neck of her older cousin is proudly displayed in Ms. Esters home. There are beautiful full genetic smiles.

Fame and celebrity biographies are meant to tear families apart, but I hope these family members can weather the storm.

After reading an early draft of Jay Bird Creek and My Recollections, Oprah Winfrey wrote to her cousin Katharine Carr Esters and said, "Now I know where our strength comes from This is indeed a story of remarkable strength, not to mention stubbornness, imagination, courage, and just plain hard work -- all of them essential traits for a poor black girl trying to survive the Depression in Jim Crow Mississippi. In the end, Esters did much more than survive: She used her own struggle as a model to help others fighting to preserve their dignity and place in the world. This is a story of one woman's political awakening. After learning the principles of organizing in the midst of the Civil Rights struggle in Milwaukee, she retuned to Mississippi, where she has served on the state's Mental Health Board of Directors, on its Probation and Parole Board, and on its Governor's Advisory Council. In one way or another, Katharine Carr Esters has spent all of her 82 years struggling, working, fighting to give people -- black people, most obviously, but all people, especially women and the poor -- a full stake in life. This has been a life that has mattered."

White Supremist Murdered in Jackson, MS

In our little capital in our little part of the world a life was taken. I'm sure their are those that would say he was a man of hate and racism and made a bed he is now lying in. But this would be an faulty conclusion.

If there is one thing I am repetitive about is the fact--none of us get what we deserve when it comes to judgement of our lives. Jesus died so that we would not get what we deserve but allowed us to have the gift of mercy and repentence.

God in His wisdom is the only true person to decide who lives and who dies.

Now, the news will focus on what impact the murder willhave on race relations. Their first assumption is obvious--someone probably killed him for his beliefs. We know that humans have a gang mentality for revenge and this murder could spark retaliations if it is a black person who kulled the supremist. At the time of my posting, I do not know the race of the murderer.

I am trying to coordinate a speaking engagement targeted at local pastors and the important role they play in their communities. In Jesus' ministry he said "Follow Me" and his disciples went with him learning by example with on the job training. Today's pastors need to do this and tell their congregation "Follow Me" and actually go out into their community serving others, living eating among others, being concerned and a part of what their community is doing instead of sitting passively in the church waiting for people to come. And once those people do come, they offer them a lifetime on a pew. This is why communities, schools, cities, states, and our nation is falling apart. There is no "Follow Me" going on.

Martin Luther King was the last great ministry. His ministry was in motion with many people following and receiving on the job training. The followers did what the leader did.

Look at any church or congregation and the sheep mimic the shepherd. If the pastor shouts and dances, the congregation shouts and dances. If the pastor is well read and enjoys studying the Bible, the congregation follows etc.

With masses of people in the church, the local pastor is very influential. If he does not care about the community, then the ears that he reaches each Sunday do not care about the community.

It is time to care. It is time to say "Follow Me."

Will The World End In 2012 Book Review

With so much attention and concern today focusing on the Mayan prediction of the world ending December 21, 2012, author Raymond C. Hudley, PH.D., pens a timely book separating facts from myths without bias.

The author immediately declares his Christian standing, but true to academic research, does not allow his religion to interfere in presenting the 10 most prominent assertions that the world will end in 2012.

In an easy to read and understand presentation, Hundley presents data from leading professionals for and against the 2012 doomsday prediction. He tackles individually, chapter by chapter, the mechanics of each prediction given. He adeptly presents details that are able to maintain the interest of school age children and adults alike. Data supporting and rejecting the predictions is given without manipulating the reader in one direction or the other.

True to the nature and purpose of every Christian, Hundley ends his book with an evangelistic appeal for those having anxiety over the ending of the world to come to Salvation through Jesus Christ. He advocates freedom from fear as having peace in the knowledge one's eternal life.

I would encourage those interested or curious about any of the numerous 2012 predictions to purchase this book to declutter some of the prediction's confusion.

Thanks to Thomas Nelson Publishing for supplying the book. Great read.

Garden Beginnings April 2010

Today was another beautiful day. It started off a little chilly but warmed up nicely. I turned over a bed of less than rich soil and planted hundreds of marigold seeds. I also planted some more seeds which I cannot recall at this moment but they will be dainty and blue. I started some Salvias in a pot for transplant later. Pulling weeds is a daily chore so is sitting outside in the swing with hubby after a long day of work. Many of the roses have started to bloom. I will add pictures as I take them of my garden. For the moment it is lush and green.

Each year I am invaded by caterpillers. The up side is that later I have a garden filled with beautiful butterflies that the little ones love to chase. My neice says she is afraid of the hairy worms.

I hate when I buy a plant labeled as one thing and turns out to be another. This Clematis is supposed to be pink but is definitly purple.

This is what is left of a evergreen bush once the deer finished. I decided to keep the wooden skeleton and decorate it with butterflies and dragonflies. It's yard art.


Lady Banks Rose intertwined in a Red Crepe Myrtle

Chinese Butterfly Rose up close and full of bumble bees


This is a wide angle view of my Chinese Butterfly Rose which blooms the earliest of all of my roses.

American Idol Dreads

Crystal Bowersox can sing and she rocks her dreads to boot.

American Idol Season 9 contestant Chrystal Bowersox has her own style which she does not seem to want to alter. Her voice is soulful. She is the type of person you would expect to see wearing dreads.

In a previous post, I wondered aloud was it cool for ther ethnicities to wear dreads other than African Americans. People have strong feelings against people who are not black wearing the hairstyle. I on the other hand think hair is a personal choice that cannot be dictated.

I find her dreads as interesting as she is. I do not believe the ordinary or run-of-the-mill type person can or would even choose to wear dreads. Crystal is my pick to win for this season.

Good luck Crystal.


Bowersox was born in Elliston, Ohio. She is a single mother and has a son. She also has a fraternal twin brother. During her days as a struggling musician, she played as a busker at several train stations.


Bowersox auditioned for American Idol in Chicago, Illinois. She sang "Piece of My Heart". Ellen DeGeneres commented that she had "raw natural talent" and Simon Cowell continues to compliment her voice every week.

On March 2, Bowersox was hospitalized because of an unconfirmed illness, forcing a last minute switch in scheduling to give her extra time to recuperate. The men competed that day instead of the women. She sang the next day and impressed all of the judges. The illness was later reported as a problem with diabetes.

The following week, her strong performance prompted Simon Cowell to state, "Right now, you are the one everyone has to beat".

Her performances are usually accompanied by her guitar except for her rendition of "Midnight Train to Georgia" in which she played the piano.