Photo-a-Day Week 45

Sunday is almost over, time to get my post written! I spent a good deal of time outside today, working in the garden, spreading some wildflower seeds to new locations. Removed a good amount of blackberry brambles, though there's a lot more to get rid of. Not sure where the rest of the day went, but here we are, after 10:00 PM, and I am just starting the week's post. Let's get right to it.

Day 307-

Liebling is nine years old and starting to get gray around her muzzle. Her eyes are so expressive. There are times I forget how old she is, if the toys come out of the closet, she is jumping and barking- ready to go out and play.

Sad Eyes

Day 308-

A quick snack of some leftover snacks from bridge. Yogurt-covered pretzels and spicy Sriracha mixed nuts. I made my own mixed nuts with cashews, pecans, almonds, and peanuts. It is a quick and easy recipe. Spicy Sriracha Mixed Nuts a hit in our house! 

Spicy and Sweet

Day 309-

Coming back from the doctor's appointment, over hill and dale, we came upon a logistics company, Amplify, a Landstar agent's yard. Charlie worked with Ranger Landstar in Florida for a year in a program Army calls "Training with Industry". Some families have a yellow punchbuggy call out while on a trip, we call out Landstar trucks and trailers. To see a whole yard of trailers was kind of fun. 

Landstar

Day 310-

While waiting for the moon to rise on the night of the Super moon,  I was able to enjoy the sunset. The best place to view sunsets and moonrises is down on the dock. Our house faces south, and the lake is to the north. East and west views are hidden by the woods. To get clear views, the dock on the lake provides long views. 

Sunset on the Lake

Day 311-

Goldenrod blooms have faded into puffy seedheads. I love how the sunlight dances and sparkles on the seeds. Of course, no photo in my garden is complete without a strand of dog hair. Today I scattered some of these seeds in our drain field. Solidago sp.

Goldenrod seedhead

Day 312-

The low angles of the sun make for wonderful photo opportunities. The dogwood along the driveway is in its full fall colors, and the light behind it is something to behold. 

Dogwood with Sun

Day 313-

This photo was from a series of a number of photos, trying to get the best angle to show off the tiny mushrooms. I have the "not chosen" ones included with the one I think was the best.  A small, tight pinecone with several small mushrooms popping up at each crease caught my eye. I was next to the pollinator garden, hanging a bird feeder in place of the hummingbird feeder (long taken down) when I noticed the pinecone and all its adornments. Do you like the one chosen or those I discarded?

Pinecone with mushrooms

Some not in focus

Again, not the best

Different view, still not my favorite

This brings us to the end of another week of the photo a day. Hope you are still enjoying the variety of photos. We are getting close to the end of the year!  

©Copyright 2025 Janet. All rights reserved. Content created by Janet for The Queen of Seaford. words and photos by Janet, The Queen of Seaford.

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--

©Copyright 2025 Janet. All rights reserved. Content created by Janet for The Queen of Seaford. words and photos by Janet, The Queen of Seaford.

Why Here and Not There? Why There and Not Here?

Last night was a Blue Moon.  I am sure many of you were able to get fantastic photos of the moon as it rose in the sky.  We saw it on our way home from dinner, but because of our location, it wasn't until it was higher in the sky that we were able to see it from our property.    A grainy but interesting photo of said Blue Moon. I do like the jet trails in the sky.  

That photo was taken at the top of the driveway, some of the neighbors had a much better view of the rising moon.  Their views over the lake face east....ours is north.  I am glad I don't have the rising sun shining in my bedroom windows.  

At the top of our yard, by the street is pretty untamed.  I find interesting plant material up there.  The newest find is a Liatris, probably possibly  Liatris graminifolia  or perhaps something else.  My books say the Liatris in SC are difficult to distinguish.  I thought it might be a Carphephorus bellidifolius, but don't think so.   There are two plants at the edge of the woods.  I haven't seen this anywhere else in my woods, yard, garden, or along the street as I walk the dogs.  Hope it reseeds and there are more next summer!

Everywhere in the woods, I find this little Euphorbia.  This one was previously IDed for me by Daricia.  E. corollata or E. pubentissima.  Either way, it is cute scattered among the other wild things.  

Curiously, I have two Helianthus sp. in the woods outside my dining room window.   I see it blooming along the roadways all through the area, except in our neighborhood.  These two are the only ones I have seen.  Curious.  I love the bright yellow in the woods, the color just pops.  

When I take the dogs for a walk I keep my eyes open for something other than chinese lespedesa or blackberry brambles....the two most commonly growing things on vacant lots.  

Both last year and this year I have seen this plant in the photo below, in ONE location.  To me it looks like Mountain Mint, Pycnanthemum pycnanthemoides.   This is as close as I got to it,  about 6- 8 feet away.  Perhaps in the later fall, if there is still some vegetation left, I might venture in to see if I can find a squared stem or leaf arrangement.  Currently I am in my fifth consecutive day since May without a bug bite needing 'After Bite' or Cortisone Cream or Benedryl Cream.  I would like to make at least make it a week!!  I have had more bug bites this year, mostly chiggers, though some might be spider bites.  

Funny this is nowhere else in the wooden lots along our street.  Believe me, I am always on the lookout!!  

The Passiflora incarnata mentioned in past posts, growing near my tiny Sassafras tree is another mystery.  For those who know this vine, it has amazing underground rhizomes  that travel great distances.  There should be a lot of these vines in my location, if there is one, there must be a lot.  I have many other vines that fill the woods, surely there must be some other Passion vines.  Haven't seen any, zero, nada.  Maybe this one is the pioneer seedling, dropped by a bird, left to germinate and grow in my yard along the driveway.  Again, very interesting. 

  Finally, I leave you with a picture of the sunset last night.  If we go down to the water, out on the dock, we get beautiful evening skies.  I suppose it all comes down to location, location, location....and we sure love ours!!  Happy Labor Day weekend to all!

©Copyright 2012 Janet. All rights reserved. Content created by Janet for The Queen of Seaford. words and photos by Janet,The Queen of Seaford.

Great Nights and Lovely Mornings

We have been having some gorgeous sunsets. There are some great angles of the sun as the vernal equinox gets closer, bringing spring.  

The phase of the moon gives that Cheshire Cat look in the tree.  I am glad we didn't have too much cloud cover, hiding the moon.



Clear nights are leading to foggy mornings.  We didn't really have rain, it was just heavy dew.   Some mornings we can't see the water.   The water droplets hang like little jewels on the spiderwebs.

There is something magical about the foggy mornings.  Love how the Edgeworthia's fragrance it still on the breezes.  All the buds are open now...

This morning is looked as if the garden fairies had had a party.  These little webs were everywhere.

 See how they are all over the floor of the woods?  

Guess we have a lot of spiders in this part of our woods.  It was funny that other spots in the area were less web filled, ours must be a great place to find dinner.   Later I went across the street to check the blooms in the drain-field.  I noticed some movement as  I walked around.  Looking down, expecting a little lizard/anole, I was surprised to see this guy..hiding in his den.

We are getting closer and closer to spring.  I enjoy finding new blooms open each day.  

A new Narcissus in my drain-field, Narcissus 'Grand Soleil d'Or', a Paperwhite.  Think next year it will bloom earlier.  It is a sweet little bloom.  I think I should have planted this one closer to the walkways or street.  It is up in the field.  Didn't think about the blooms being so tiny.  

 The Quince has opened.  What a great delicate salmon colored bloom.  The daffodils behind it are open as well.

One of the daffodils I brought with me from Virginia is N. 'Cum Laude' a lovely peach ruffled corona.

I have two different varieties of Hyacinths.  'Jan Bos' bloomed earlier and now 'Pink Pearl' is blooming.

The Pulmonaria longifolia 'Diana Clare' is opening more and more every day. Love how the blooms are different colors as they mature.

 How are things coming along in your garden?



©Copyright 2012 Janet. All rights reserved. Content created by Janet for The Queen of Seaford. words and photos by Janet,The Queen of Seaford.

Long Angles and Foggy Mornings

This time of year the long angles of the sun make for some wonderful light shows.  The other night taking the dogs for their evening walk I saw this gorgeous sight.  Love how the setting sun broke through the pines, illuminating various parts of the forest. 

 Turning around and heading to the house, the sun is shining along different parts of the woods.  Can you tell I live in a pine forest? 

With the mild temperatures we have been having we have had some interesting fog.  This morning, while letting the dogs out, this blanket of fog rolled in and out in the course of about a half hour.  We have fog like this in the fall-- always magical.

Fog is so interesting, but hard to really capture in a photo. 

We spread 4 cubic yards of hardwood mulch so far, the hill killed us.  Today I did some trimming/pruning and spread the pine straw in the garden along the driveway.   While in the woods I found a fun little mushroom, think it is a Turkey tail mushroom. Trametes versicolor   After reading through the Mushroom Expert, I am not sure.  Will have to go and do a closer investigation.

Whatever it is, it is pretty. 

So, like I said, mulch was spread on some of the gardens....we will probably have two more loads (2 cubic yards each) to finish around the house.  The shed sits on the front part of the grassy area of our yard. We mulched from the driveway to and around the shed

                                                     .

 I put layers of newspaper under the mulch to take care of the grass.  There are bulbs planted on either side of the door.  Along the window side is a Yuletide Camellia, two red Rhododendrons 'Besse Howells', and a Tea Olive on the back corner.

You can see how much this part of the yard slopes. The shrubs will help hide the space as they grown.  On the backside of the shed I planted three Spirea vanhouttei that will have plenty of room to grow to their full potential.   

As you can see, the house sits on the hillside. I am standing next to the lower corner of the shed, turned facing the house.  The side garden is now mulched and next we have the other side of the house and the front garden to do....think that will be a lot less mountain climbing!

  

 Hope the nice weather holds out, we have a few more work days!

©Copyright 2012 Janet. All rights reserved. Content created by Janet for The Queen of Seaford. words and photos by Janet,The Queen of Seaford.