Around the Block

There are three different routes I can take when Baxter and I take a morning walk. Last week I showed you what there was to see going South from our home. Yesterday morning we took the walk down towards Lake Jennie Jewel and instead turned North. For a few houses we walk on Summerlin, then turn East onto Pershing, making a circle back towards our home. The houses on Pershing are a bit of a mixed bag, some nice, some not so much. For a good while there is just the wall that runs around Southern Oaks which is nice because there is not much for Baxter to sniff or pee on. You would think of the hundred or so times I've made this walk I wouldn't find anything new to photograph, but you'd be wrong. Every time something new catches my fancy.

For as long as we've lived here the Sims have lived down the street on the lake. Walter Sims, according to the fascinating obituary link, was born the son of a sharecropper. A former State Representative, his wife Gail is left to care for a pretty big house and property. For many of those years Mr. Sims had a grape arbor which I photographed and had Mr. Roger print. As he aged, he could no longer bother with the grapes, thus it was dismantled, however, I had photographic evidence of its' former glory. One of the joys of my current gig is making people happy for one reason or another. Taking the 11x14 print down to her house, you would have thought I'd given her a million dollars she was so thrilled. She couldn't wait to show it to the children--probably adults my age. :)

Another thing I've always liked about their property is this wonderfully colorful boathouse that pairs pretty nicely with their bright yellow house.

I should ask her if that color was her idea or Walters. As well, I need a reminder what kind of bird houses those are on both the side and back--I'm thinking some kind of owl, or maybe I remember him telling me a wood duck?  Obviously, home made.

As we traveled down Pershing, this street sign gave me a notion. Is Bliss a Dead End street? Why no, it's an Avenue:

And then there are the banana trees. You've probably seen this before, if so, sorry, if not, you might be intrigued by this big pod thing which hangs from a bunch of bananas.

Pretty neat huh? About a foot, well, I'm not so good at estimating distances, but anyway, a bit above it are the bananas.

Just before we cross Pershing leading back to our street, this odd flower comes into sight:

Since having my camera obsession, I've discovered just how varied and beautiful the flower world is. Sure, I liked flowers before, however, I never had the time or money in the past to have many flowers in my life. Now, I have both the time and money, as well as the inclination. As such, I was a planting fool yesterday with more to come once I finish this! More on that later...

Remember the golden rain tree we've been watching. Here's the aftermath of all those beautiful blooms:

Previously Jonathan commented on the big mess the trees make and he's got a point!

One of our neighbors, who happens to be our insurance agent, has loads of gigantic pines on his property which backs up to Lake Gem Mary. Good grief the crows were out yesterday morning!

They were having a heyday, flying out of the trees in a group and back again.

By then it was just a few houses until ours. Don't say I didn't warn you about re-showing those dahlias!

In person they are absolutely gorgeous! I'm trying to learn a bit about garden design. Losing the tree seemed at the time pretty terrible, however, it's opened up a whole new world to me. Before it was ferns and spider plants. Now, I'm trying all sorts of flowers, with mixed results. Of course I'm still dealing with a large area where the tree stump was ground--a mixed bag as far as soil quality is concerned. That said, I'm thinking by next year it will be the best compost anyone could hope for. We shall see won't we?

During my visit with Lois I mentioned that I'd received a jury summons which coincided with the annual Darden fair. I'd been thinking I could set up on Wednesday evening, leave the other ladies to manage sales (thinking positive!), and hope for the best. She suggested I send in the card explaining why it would be a hardship so I figured what could it hurt. Naturally, while at the post office the other day I had to buy some of the Gregory Peck stamps.

I really don't mind serving, however, if I can get out of it for this date, I'll be thrilled.

Sitting at Lois's kitchen table I couldn't keep my eyes off a triangular vase filled with, what turns out to be, tarragon. "Take it home with you," she said. Never one to turn down an offer like that, I did bring it home and puzzled how I could make it shine in a photograph.

I keep meaning to look up a recipe for tarragon vinegar which I'm supposing goes something like this:

• Tear off leaves
• Place in bottle 
• Cover with white vinegar
• Close and let sit for a bit

Tarragon is one of those herbs that I've not had much experience using. Aside from the vinegar recipe, I'll have to check the link I've included for more recipes. 

Finally, I was beginning to think I was the only one who felt this way about Steve Jobs. A thought running through my mind these last two weeks is that the Occupy protesters are most likely using Apple products to advance their cause.  Hmmm.....