This and That

Mr. T and I celebrated our 32nd anniversary last week...woo-hoo! It's certainly been a great ride and a wonderful adventure. Who would have thought when we exchanged our vows in Jackson, MS, 32 years ago that we would be toasting this particular celebration with our Buds at Cardinal Stadium? Of course, who would have thought that we would have celebrated six anniversaries in MO??? Ain't life amazing?

Here's a photo of the beautiful roses that he gave me (right)...they looked so fabulous on the dining room table, which is decorated in red, white, and blue (for Memorial Day through Labor Day). The only sad note is that roses like these have been so over-developed for their beauty that they have lost all their scent. Never fear...we have some gorgeous red Chrysler Imperials blooming on the back fence...and they smell wonderful!!

Speaking of Cardinal Stadium...

I missed going to Stitch 'n Pitch this year, as the organizers moved the date to the same week that we already had tickets. So, I kinda created my very own SNP by taking some knitting with me the other night...and whipping out the stix for a little KIP (knitting in public). Of course, I always try to work on something "light" (read that: simple) when I'm trying to balance yarn and needles in a small, confined space...I certainly don't need to have to read a pattern or count rows and/or stitches! I had a pair of house-slippers in patriotic colors going for Mom for Memorial Day (photo, left), and since this is what I learned to knit on, I figured I could do this in my sleep...no pattern notes needed! Although it was windy and a storm threatened, the rain held off until the second out of the ninth inning...and the Cards won 5-4...just for us, I'm sure.

Speaking of things in bloom...

Looks like almost all of the irises have finished blooming...with the notable exception of this so-purple-it's-almost-black one that is new to the front yard this year. As a matter of fact, I had my doubts about this one ever blooming, since I made the mistake of leaving a whole box of 7 iris roots (purchased at Sam's last Fall) in the garage over the Winter. Oops. They looked pitiful when I found them in April...all shriveled up...but, what the heck...I stuck 'em in the ground with my fingers crossed. And, wonder of all wonders, all of them sent up green leaves...and one of them even bloomed. Of course, I had to take a picture to share (left).

As the iris finish their show, the roses start to take center stage...as evidenced by this photo of our Hot Cocoa rose in the bed off the deck. These roses are an unusual color...a deep, warm cinnamon-y red-orange...with a light citrus-y fragrance. The recent rains...and hailstorms...have done damage to the fragile petals of some of the other rose bushes, but Hot Cocoa (right) has held up really well. We have 5 new bushes to get into the ground...if it ever stops storming long enough on the weekends. Up next...the daylilies are ready to strut their stuff!


Of course, we aren't the only ones who enjoy the great outdoors, are we? Mr. Gus (photo left) has several "special" places in the yard, but this is one of his favorites...just off the deck in a protected area next to the house. Ahhhhhh...!