Faith, Folklore, and Friends

Echinacea and Black-eyed Susans go so well together.  They are supposed to be easy to grow, but so far, it hasn't been easy for me. We plant them almost every year, but they never come back like they are supposed to.   In the picture above, you can see my one pitiful echinacea plant and one Black-eyed Susans plant.  They would not have been there except for the kindness of my friend, Steph, who shared her abundance. I'm pretty sure that next year will be the one where we have a beautiful border of these late summer bloomers.  I'm collecting the seed as they mature, and have a new place ready to plant them.  Maybe they will like it.  We will keep trying until we get it right.  In the meantime, we will just enjoy them in other places, like this roadside in Wayne County, Tennessee.

We try to plant something new every year.  In January, while we were looking through the  Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds catalog , we found these Chinese 5 Color Peppers. The catalog describes them like this: Screaming hot little peppers turn a rainbow of vibrant colors; from purple, cream, yellow, orange to red as they ripen. Need I say ornamental? The plants are great for containers inside. Just pick a few any time to liven up your salsa. We ordered the seed and planted them inside in early March.  All the seeds germinated, apparently, and we had enough plants to make a border around the flower bed in the front yard. They are so pretty.  Sometimes, visitors think the little purple peppers are flowers until they look closely.  Can you see the more mature ones at the bottom that are changing color?  The plants are about eighteen inches high, and this one has fallen over on the walk. I am not brave enough to taste them.  Hub c...

Today is the first day of classes for the fall semester at the University of North Alabama. This is the Floyd Science building that will soon be replaced by the new science building under construction on Pine Street. I have spent many days of my life in the room on the top floor right. This may be the last semester we are here.  Plans are that the new science building will be ready by the beginning of the spring semester in January, or soon thereafter. It has been a long time coming, and I guess we can wait a little longer. 

Today is a very special day for birthdays.     Google Images. Kyra Sedgwick, who will be remembered for The Closer .  I miss that show. Who can remember Adam Arkin from Northern Exposure , with his nasty cap and long hair? Christian Slater Matthew Perry Number 42. Tipper Gore.  Wonder if she and her former husband celebrated with the Clintons when they were in office?  I met her many years ago when she was campaigning for Al Gore when he was running for senate. Gene Roddenberry, creator of Star Trek . Coco Chanel Malcolm Forbes The poet Ogden Nash.   I think that I shall never see a billboard lovely as a tree. Perhaps, unless the billboards fall, I'll never see a tree at all.  Orville Wright  Willie Shoemaker The cutest and best person born on this day is my little sister, Robbie June.  Happy Birthday!

Meriwether Lewis Historic Site is located just off the Natchez Trace Parkway at Milepost 385.9.  There is no fee to enjoy the park. Meriwether Lewis Historic Site was added to the Natchez Trace Parkway in August, 1961.  From 1925 to 1961, it was known as the Meriwether Lewis National Monument. Lewis was buried on private property within sight of the place he died.  When the government decided to erect a monument to Lewis, the owner of the property sold it to them with the stipulation that it would be a cemetery for others as well.  Several bodies were buried there in the late 1840s and 1850s. When the burial ground became a National Monument in 1925, workers improving the area found the limestone markers identifying the graves were eroded and damaged, making them unreadable.  They were replaced with the small, square markers shown here. Parts of the original Natchez Trace are shown to the right of the f...

Then y ou will call,  and the  Lord  will answer;      you will cry for help, and he will  say: Here am I. ~Isaiah 58:9

The Franklin County Watermelon Festival, Russellville, Alabama, Friday, August 15. Watermelon royalty. Lots of watermelon to enjoy. Best steak sandwich ever. Estimation of the crowd: between four and five hundred thousand. Just guessing. Rewind. Kerry Gilbert, KGB.  Ask him about the hat. Wayne Walker, KGB. Mitchell Curtis, KGB Cains Trio. The watermelon festival continues today with a car show this morning, arts and crafts, and watermelon contests. There is music throughout the day, including Sammy Kershaw tonight at eight.