The Queen of Seaford: 2025

Sunday, May 11, 2025

Photo-a-Day Week 19

Welcome back, and Happy Mother's Day! In week 19, we were busy with the Albino Skunk Festival, attending on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. We love hearing live music. Skunk Fest is a family-friendly music festival that we have enjoyed going to since we first moved to South Carolina. Glad the event didn't last through Sunday, as we are in the midst of an atmospheric river of rain. After being short on our rainfall for the calendar year, I think Mother Nature is trying to make up for it this weekend! On to the photos of the day.

Day 125-

When we lived in Germany in the early 1980s, we bought a hutch or "shrunk" in German at a bazaar one Christmas. We had it crated for each move. From Germany to Texas, to Florida, to Germany, to Virginia, and finally to South Carolina. The carvings on this lovely piece of furniture are really amazing. It was made in the late 1880s possibly from the Alsace-Lorraine region. It is a treasure. You can see a the entire piece of furniture at the bottom of this post.

Carving

Day 126-

Some days it seems like the skies are especially blue. There wasn't a cloud in the sky, and the waxing moon was visible during the day.

Blue Skies

Day 127-

The moonlight was pretty bright on this night. The roses seemed to glow in the moonlight. These are Drift roses - Rosa 'Popcorn'.

Roses in Moonlight

Day 128-

The clear skies changed and we had a hailstorm that tattered many of my large leafed plants. This is Weeping Redbud, Cercis canadensis 'Ruby Falls'. New leaves are emerging, and these tattered leaves will fall off in the autumn. The tree is fine.

Broken Hearts

Day 129-

As I mentioned above, we were at Albino Skunk Festival this weekend. I have a photo a day for the rest of this week's photos from Skunk. These metal chairs are so fun to photograph. My friend Vicki told me that the pattern on the middle chair is called 'Pie Crust' and the other two are either 'Cane' or 'Pinhole'. I would love to find some of these and clean them up and paint them a fun color.

Have a Seat

Day 130-

Another favorite spot at Skunk fest is the place I call 'the brick and mortar'. It is a stand-alone plumbed bathroom. I much prefer this to the port-a-potty line-up they provide in various places around the festival. On the door is a brass plaque that says "Le Pissior". There is a sense of humor at Skunk. To further that sense of humor, the planter outside the door is from an old toilet. Great use of an old tank.

Le Pissior with appropriate planter

Day 131-

Finally, one of the vendors had an ice cream churn powered by a John Deere engine. Here it is cranked up and spinning while he adds ice to the churn!

John Deere Ice Cream Churn

As promised above, here is our shrunk, lovely old oak carvings. Loved by us for over 40 years.

Enjoy your Mother's Day. I am watching the rain come down while relaxing after three days of the music festival.

Sunday, May 4, 2025

Photo-a-Day Week 18

Welcome to Week 18 of our Photo a Day challenge. I think the photos have been varied and I look forward to sharing a little more detail about each photo.

Day 118-

I am not sure how many of you are habitual about when laundry is done. I am habitual. Is it because of the nursery rhyme from my childhood? "This is the way we wash our clothes, wash our clothes, wash our clothes, this is the way we wash our clothes on a Monday morning..." Other chores fall to be done whenever. Laundry seems to be cemented in my routine to be done on Monday.

Monday

Day 119-

Monday is also my night to play bridge with the ladies in my neighborhood. We aren't cutthroat about our games, it is mostly for fun. When I moved here there was a woman who liked to play bridge but only a couple others knew how to play. She made up instruction sheets and taught about a dozen of us how to play. After she moved, we "seasoned" players taught other newbies. Our bridge gathering has grown over the years, some nights we have four tables (with four players at each table). There are still times when we get a hand that we aren't sure how to bid. With so many other players, there is always someone at another table you can go to and ask for help. We call that "Phone a Friend". Like I said, it is fun.

Shuffle

Day 120-

We drove to Greenville this past week for a doctor's appointment. The route we take is mostly rural roads. I have looked at this house, or log cabin, always wanting a photo. This week, I was in luck; we were on the lookout for it on our way home, and I was able to take a photo.

A Fine Abode

Day 121-

Another weekly habit is going to the carwash to get the truck washed and vacuumed. The colors and the suds make for interesting images.

Working at the Carwash

Day 122-

While out on the deck, I noticed this tiny Assassin bug on the glass of the sliding door. He was so small it was difficult to get the cell camera to focus on it.

Assassin baby

Day 123-

I have various Peonies in my yard, some blooming earlier than others. I love their fragrance and the blossoms full of petals. It was quite fortuitous that I got this picture when I did. The next day, we had a hailstorm that knocked many of these beauties over.

Peony Time

Day 124-

This is the above-mentioned hailstorm coming to us. There was a lot of thunder and lightening and the wind was quite gusty. I should have gone in sooner, but I was pruning some shrubs and needed to clean up the branches before I went in. Since I was outside I wasn't aware that this storm was carrying the potential of hail.

As The Storm Comes In

This is my deck! We had hail falling for five minutes! Thankfully damage was minimal.

So this ends our weekly roundup on photos, with a couple extras tossed into the mix.

Monday, April 28, 2025

Photo-a-Day Week 17

Boy, Sunday slipped by quickly. I am almost into Monday as I write this. The weekly wrap-ups keep me posting regularly, which is good. So, on with the editorializing of this past week's photos.

Day 111-

We had doctor appointments on Monday, which meant an earlier start to the day than our usual leisurely coffee and then breakfast. The skies were full of wispy clouds, and I wanted to get a photo of them.

Sun Up

Day 112-

Sometimes I am at a loss for what to get a photo of for the day's photo. My husband suggested our cabinet pulls would make an interesting photo. We had these made when we renovated our home in Virginia. Moving to South Carolina, we decided to bring them with us. They are fun.

Cabinet Pulls

Day 113-

Spring is really coming on strong, and many plants are blooming. I couldn't resist getting a backlit image of the Evening Primrose, Oenothera speciosa.

Evening Primrose in Sunlight

Day 114-

Spring wildflowers are coming on strong. This one, Toad Flax, is abundant in the fields and meadows, creating a blue hue. Toad Flax, Linaria canadensis, is native from Canada to Texas and all across the South.

Toad Flax

Day 115-

Dirty windshield, hit the washer button and the spray across the unwiped area leaves an interesting pattern. Black and White makes it stand out.

Windshield Wipers On

Day 116-

We went to an event on Friday evening. It was a Celebration of Life for a friend and neighbor. One of the other attendees was telling me how she likes my photo a day posts. I told her that my goal is to get a photo of something that people will say, "That's a cool photo". She was very generous saying I had accomplished that, and I reminded her is it only April! Hoping you find these photos to your liking. This photo is the garden of the place where the event took place. Once part of the Riegel Mill, home to the superintendent of the mill, now serves as place for gatherings, weddings, showers, High Tea, and for our friends- a Celebration of Life. Read more about the home here- Riegel Hall.

Lights

Day 117-

While in our mechanical room looking for something on the shelves in the back hallway, I noticed the cobwebs on a Victorian house that my girls played with when they were little. Our grandkids are about at an age where they may like to play with it when they come to visit. In the meantime, I think it needs to be dusted! It is a Playmobil dollhouse, quite lovely.

That's a Big Cobweb!

That's a quick wrap-up for last week, come again!!

Sunday, April 20, 2025

Photo-a-Day Week 16

Happy Easter weekend and Happy Passover. Spring is in full swing and my garden is popping with new growth and lots of blooms. Let's jump into the photos from this past week.

Day 104-

I love our views. We have no curtains in our living area and two walls of windows. The views of the lake are wonderful. Sometimes there are birds on the deck, Great Blue Herons on the dock, and sometimes a flock of ducks is passing by; there's always something to see. Where do you enjoy your morning coffee?

Morning Coffee with a View

Day 105-

We had a pine tree hanging over our driveway since Hurricane Helene came through at the end of September. This week, we were able to get someone to come and take it down and remove it. Left on the driveway was this tiny pinecone. We usually only see the mature cones once they fall to the ground.

Tiny Pinecone

Day 106-
Morning light hit the white of these Rain lilies, Zephyranthes atamasca as they were peeking out of the Ostrich ferns, Matteuccia struthiopteris. The white really popped. These ferns really are aggressive in moist areas. I was glad to see the lilies still there.

Rain lilies and Ostrich ferns

Day 107-

The farm up the street just got this cute little donkey. I assume it was brought in to guard the two Brahman cows in this pasture. I was surprised to learn that donkeys are often used to protect animals in the pasture.

Guard Donkey

Day 108-

Continuing down the street where the donkey resides, we come to Cokesbury College. This historic building is often used for events at Christmas as well as for weddings (right Pam?). The building was completed in 1854, establishing a women's college by the Freemasons. The link above gives a bit more information about it. I will add some photos of the interior from an event at Christmas at the bottom of this post.

Cokesbury College

Day 109-
I need to let you all know, this photo was taken by my neighbor, Debi. We were both trying to get a good photo of this Bluebird and its mate. We were at our neighborhood gazebo for Happy Hour and this pair of Bluebirds were all over Debi's golf cart. They kept flying to the tree and back to the cart. Every time I tried to get a photo, they flew off. Debi was able to get this shot and a few others. I appreciate her sharing her photos with me.

Bluebird

Day 110-
I was down on our dock as the sun was setting. I thought the clouds and water were rather picturesque. Most sunset photos are vibrant reds and oranges and purples...this one was shapes and grays.

Sunset

That's a wrap for this week. Below are some interior photos of Cokesbury College from this past Christmas. Debi (the one mentioned above) is playing the harp for an Open House event for the holiday. Enjoy--

Sunday, April 13, 2025

Photo-a-Day Week 15

And just like that (snap) it is Sunday again! Let's take a look at the images from last week's photo-a-day challenge.

Day 97-

My Amaryllis bloom had faded and drooped down. It was time to cut it off and clean up any other dead leaves. As I removed it, I thought it was kind of interesting, time to take a picture!

Amaryllis

Day 98-

Once again we had some rain. Many of the blooms on my Fringe Tree, Chionanthus retusus fell on the driveway. Almost looked like it snowed! A break in the rain means it is time to play.

A Break in the Rain

Day 99-

A few birthdays ago my sister in law gave me these small wooden mannequins and an air plant for each to hold. These mannequins have hats and scarves to wear for change of season. They also have eye stickers, making them look even sillier.

Silliness

Day 100-

I should have taken the feeder down once the top piece broke off but I thought the birds could get the remaining seeds until I could put up another feeder. This silly squirrel got caught inside the cage trying to get to the feeder. It took a few minutes for it to get free. I changed out the feeder as soon as he was gone.

Caught

Day 101-

I have a few Tulip Poplars, Liriodendron tulipifera, in my backyard. They are quite tall, and I don't often know it is blooming until I see some of the flowers on the ground.

Tulip Poplar

Day 102-

Up near the street I have a native Smokebush, Cotinus obovatus, and it is really coming into its own. It has taken a few years to get some growth on it. The fall color is wonderful, salmons and peach and golds- really a nice display! The tiny blooms are worth revisiting as they do get that 'smoke' appearance as the blooms open.

Native Smokebush bloom

Day 103-

Afternoons and mornings the sun makes shadows across the driveway. Our house is situated on the North/South axis, front facing South. Fall and Spring with the low angles of the sun make the shadows longer. Small windows of light caught Fiona as she waited for the disc to be thrown. I thought this photo worked well with the black and white filter.

White Dog and Shadows

Another week done, stay tuned for next week's photos.

Tuesday, April 8, 2025

Do You Fling?

Spring is really moving along. Before you know it it will be time for this year's Garden Fling. I look forward to this every year. We Garden Flingers, my tribe, gather together to tour a new city each year. Fling members of that city host us, sharing incredible gardens- private and public- of their city. Have you been to a Fling? No? If you share garden information or photos on social media, be it Facebook, Blogging, Instagram, YouTube, or even BlueSky, you should look into coming to the Fling. There are still some spots available for our Memphis Fling this year. It will be June 5 - 9, with an extra day on the 10th. All the information you need about a Fling can be found on that website.

Here is my final post from last year's Fling. Remember I shared our visit to Heronswood? Our next stop after Heronswood was Dan Hinkley's home, Windcliff, and his neighbors, the Brindleys.

The buses had to off load us into smaller buses to get up to their properties. While waiting for our turn on the smaller bus, we looked out over the Puget Sound, what a gorgeous view!

Cute General Store at the landing

Lots of kayaks and even a seaplane

Native American influence

Once on the bus and up to the gardens, we could go to either garden as they were next door to each other. I chose to go to the Brindley's garden first. When they planned their garden they had the expertise of their neighbor Dan Hinkley to lend his knowledge.

What an amazing garden!

Persicaria 'Painter's Palette'

Another Persicaria, like shrubs!!

These Persicaria were in the front yard along the house garden. They are so large, they looked like shrubbery.
As I made my way around back, I was presented with an amazing view! Across the Sound, you could see Seattle. Knowing the Puget Sound, I can imagine a whale surfacing, giving a great show. I love the art feature in the garden. The sculpture moved in the breeze and brought whimsy and color into the already colorful garden.

Lobelia tupa, planted in large clumps

A view up to the house

Agapanthus getting ready to open

Large planting of Eryngium- the pollinators love it!

The path leading you towards the water

View from the deck

A garden to embrace

Pretty little fern

Lomatia myricoides

This plant pictured above was so fragrant.

Then I walked through their side garden gate that links the two properties. The front gravel area was full of interesting containers.

We also were entertained by Dan's dog, a rather mischievous pup. Apparently one shoe disappeared as he ran through the acreage of the front yard. Not sure if the shoe was ever found.

Windcliff was in the middle of a bit of a redo. We gardeners know nothing is forever. What's the adage? Man plans and God laughs...the same can be said of gardeners and Mother Nature. Even a work in progress has something to offer. I like the artwork in the garden. If I remember correctly, they used solarization heat to clear the area of vegetation.

Not all the garden was being redone, there was still a lot to take in. Walk with me through Windcliff, Dan Hinckley's garden paradise on the Puget Sound.

A water feature in front of the Sound

Isn't this blue color amazing? Salvia patens

Pitcher plants, Sarracenia ssp.

I could have shared a hundred more photos of these amazing gardens. This is what makes our garden Flings so wonderful, gardens to die for! Gardeners, that are friends as soon as you meet. Don't be on the fence about coming to a Fling...Come! Join us!

Pages