Morning stroll

Went outside this morning with my camera and coffee. Not sure why I do that. I never get to really sit and enjoy the peace and serenity of my surroundings. Here's why, I put out birdseed so I can enjoy watching all the birds flitting about and here's what I get. Yeah, there is no enjoying watching the birds cuz these blasted chipmunks hoard all the seeds. They load their little mouths up with seed and run off digging holes and planting them in the garden you have worked so hard to make perfect. They think they are storing them for later consumption but I get wads of sunflowers growing in way to many places that I don't want them. Then there are busy bees, and the chirp of the nestling baby robins. How can I just sit by when so much is happening. Plus I have to constantly get up to chase away the blasted chipmunks. My coffee is getting cold. I guess I could just concede and just let them take all the seeds which is what they do eventually anyway. I know, you see that that feeder is on the ground but I have others that are not and they still get to them. Then the squirrels have destroyed the two bird feeders that I had hanging. Odd though for some reason they are not bothering the feeders that are lower and on the ground. Guess the chipmunks are scarring them away. HA! I did try to get a picture of a hummer but he perched to far away.
However this cardinal was hamming it up for me. Here are a few other garden pic's I took. The red bud was looking very colorful but I missed it's peak by a day or two. the veggie garden such as it is. I still have one and a half beds to till and plant. Then mulch with the bags of leaves. Dave's grape vine arbor which he just put in last year. Well, the grapes he has been trying to grow for a few years with cuttings he gets from the guys at the club. Finally he got enough of them to take and decided he needed to put up an arbor to sit under and enjoy the yard and the shade. :) AND finally,
Emptying the trailer full of mulch. But I need yet another load to finish. I am hoping I have enough to put it on really thick so I don't have to do it next year.
Actually, I very often enjoy the peace of sitting in the garden with my morning coffee or tea. I just have to exercise discipline and not get up to tend things that are fine just the way they are. Remember you can enlarge pictures by clicking on them.

God's Peace to all! :)

Sackets Harbor

My sister Carol (on the left) has been wanting to go to lunch at Tin Pan Galley in Sackets Harbor. She loves the Onion Soup there. I didn't have it but tasted hers and it was delicious. I had half of a pulled pork sandwich topped with buttermilk coleslaw. I thought it was pretty good. I also had half of another dish with a portabella mushroom sandwich topped with red peppers and an artichoke spread on it. I liked the pulled pork more. Next time I'll have to get the onion soup. We planned the trip a few times but had to cancel and finally the third time around we made it. Unfortunately the weather was not cooperative but we didn't want to cancel yet again so we made the close to 3 hour trip. It was really a good time. The drive was a lot of fun. We talked and laughed non-stop, stopped at Dunkin Donuts for tea and coffee and then enjoyed home made blueberry scones and whole wheat muffins. Upon arrival, we walked through the gardens yes, in the rain, had lunch at Tin Pan Galley and checked out a few shops. This is an annual event for Carol but the first time for others. We also celebrated Linda's birthday. here are a few pics. The Birthday girl is the strange one doing that funky stuff with her hands and has all the gift bags in front of her.

There were several statues, sculptures and a couple of fountains. I don't know what plant this is being trained on this fence, perhaps a climbing Hydrangea? And what type of pruning/training is this? I think there is a name for it. Can anyone identify the vine that they have growing in many locations.



This if the vine I was asking about. And a close up below.


I don't know who this guy is but he is very intense looking and...scary! Be sure to click on the picture to enlarge.

Let's see I think the desserts were Macadamia Mocha something or other and Coconut cream pie. I believe everyone liked the Coconut Cream pie the best. It was not my favorite because coconut tends to get inbetween my teeth and I don't like that but the flavor was really good. The Macadamia Mocha thing was a chocolate mousse kind of thing. The chocolate mousse part was yummy but I didn't care for the Macadamia part :-)).