April 15th

Today is Good Friday.

As a kid, I always thought this

was an odd way of referring to

the day Christ died, as being good.

All the other days in Holy Week 

begin with the word Holy.

Why not Friday?

I really don't understand why

it's called that, 

when for Christians,

it is the saddest day.

It seems counterintuitive.

But, upon looking it up,

there seems to be several

plausible reasons for using "Good".

The earliest known recorded use is from around 1290,

where it was referred to as "Guode Friday",

as the word actually meant Holy back then.

In another writing from the German

1600 texts, it is called Gute Friday.

Their reasoning was that it was

good for mankind that Christ died

for our sins.

In that reference,

it makes sense.

So, happy (Holy) Good Friday.

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Spring is busting out all over!

The broccoli is ready to cut.

The purple Bell Peppers are 

doing nicely.

This bush has been producing 

for 2 years now.

The tomatoes are blooming with a 

bunch of flowers,

so we hope to harvest them in a few weeks.

The potatoes haven't fared as well

because of the intense rains.

The ground has been getting too 

saturated and some of them have rotted.

It's early in the season,

so we can replant soon.

**************************

The flowers are really showing off

their finery.

This iris is in my sister's garden.

The delicate petals have

yellow markings that serve as

"runways" to help bees pollenate them.

This beauty is in my friend's garden.

You can clearly see its' "signals".

That is the actual term for the

"runways" as we call them.

These are in our garden.

All of these are Louisiana Iris.

They are surprisingly easy to grow

because they thrive in our 

sometimes unwelcome climate.

My "Peppermint Candy" Amaryllis.

These are a deep red with

velvety looking petals.

Geranium and pink begonias.

Both of these plants are super easy to 

propagate by cuttings.

Just place the cutting in water and 

change the water every other day or 

so until you see roots forming.

Then plant them!

Cyclamen (white flowers)

 and Dracaena (tall leaves).

These are perennial plants that do

well indoors as well as outdoors.

They need frequent watering

during our hot summers.

The Dracaena or Mother-in-law's tongue

is actually a succulent.

It is also really hardy and withstands

our crazy weather.

Marigolds.

I love these little guys!

They assist in the veggie garden by 

repelling insects and I harvest their

blooms for my marigold mint tea.

These are the delicate flowers of a Sedum

we have growing in a little pot.

Some Sedums have white blooms.

Milkweed.

We love to attract bees, birds and caterpillars

to our little gardens.

Milkweed is the primary food for

Monarch Butterflies.

The first Gardenia bloom.

I love the smell!!

Another tiny rose bloom.

*************************

Ethel,

giving me the stinkeye.

Seems I interrupted her

in the pursuit of a hapless lizard.

No,

she didn't get him,

he escaped.

Lucy and Hazel

following me while

I roam the veggie gardens.

Nugget

impersonating a pointer.

She saw movement in the grass,

(I think it was that lizard Ethel

was chasing).

Minew.

She's stoned.

She just ate a ton of Catnip

and is sleeping it off.

If you look at the base of the Catnip,

you can see where she was 

chewing on it.

You can also see that Catnip and Mint

are closely related.

They have similar tastes, but Catnip

is less "minty".

Yes, it an edible herb that

adds a great taste to tea!

*******************************

🐔

The girls wanted me

to remind everyone

who does all the work

when it comes to eggs.

Happy Easter!!

💚

Thanks again to all who read

my little garden posts.

Just after I completed this post

we had a couple of

visitors,,

I was able to get pretty close.

The chickens didn't seem

to mind the yard invasion,

but Minew was not pleased.

She was hissing and scrambled 

outta there pretty quick.

The one in back looked a bit

larger than the one in front.

Maybe Mom and Baby?