Wednesday, May 8, 2013

Flowers, A Giveaway, Etc.


Yesterday was another beautiful spring day with the bluest sky and fluffy white clouds overhead.  The air was perfumed with the scent of lilacs.


Our lilacs aren't blooming as well as usual this year, but they survived the drought so I'm happy with what I have. 


I got a few flowers planted and spray painted some old pots that were looking a bit tired, kind of like me without my makeup lately.  The paint really made them look better, if only makeup would work such wonders!  I've been dealing with vertigo lately and bending over aggravates the situation, so I'm slow getting some things done.  Looking up doesn't help either, but I just had to stop a few times and admire the clouds and watch the jets streaking overhead.  I wonder where this one is headed?


You just knew I'd have to zoom in, didn't you?  I love to see the different airliners. 


Our little dwarf apple trees we planted last year are blooming.  We kept them watered all through the drought, so they are doing fine.  I think I counted all of 12-14 blooms on this little tree.  Hubby says we should have planted semi-dwarf trees.  To tell the truth, I don't want too many apples.  We used to have a lot of apple trees and I made apple pies and froze them and canned apple pie filling.  I don't want to do that again.  


I still always plant the tried and true geraniums every year.  I also bought flowers such as African Daisies, Petunias, the Supertunias, Marigolds and others.  I plant a lot of the Sweet Potato vine, it looks so good trailing out of a pot and is very hardy.  I'm needing a few more flowers to fill all the newly spruced up pots, so I'll be shopping again.  What is your favorite flower to grow in pots?  


My 500th post is fast approaching.  Most of you have long reached that number, but I don't post every day so it's taken me a while to  reach it.  It's still hard to believe that I've done that many.  

The blogging community is a terrific group of people and I've enjoyed getting to know you through your posts and wonderful photos.  So, to celebrate the big 500 and to show my appreciation for your support of my little blog, I am doing a giveaway and the drawing will be next week.

I picked up a couple of things while we were in Branson over the weekend, there will be a gift card and some other goodies.  I won't have any strict rules other than you must be a follower....I think that is only fair....and tell me in a comment that you would like to be in the drawingI will post photos of the giveaway items and announce the time of the drawing next week!  You can let me know anytime between now and the cutoff date I'll announce next week if you would like to enter! 

Until next time...

37 comments:

  1. Love this time of year when all the fresh new flowers are planted and lilacs have such a wonderful aroma...enjoy them while they are blooming, they don't stick around too long. Throw me in your pot for the drawing...!! And don't forget about my giveaway which ends on the 10th.

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  2. O.K. seriously??? I have been following you all this time, and I never signed on as a follower! But it is done now and this was a good reminder. YES, I love giveaways, they are sooo exciting!!! And since we have never had a vacation in 43 years, I would love something from Branson. Your lilac blooms are beautiful! Sadly, ours are not doing well after the last two storms. I LOVE the last picture, so beautiful and your jet close up is really good, they are hard to snap.

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  3. I love your flower photos.The plane was nice also. So sorry you are having vertigo...my husband went through a bit of the two years ago. It can be scary. Please take care of yourself. xoxo,Susie

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  4. Spectacular photos, Cheryl! Beyond gorgeous!

    I didn't realize there was more to Branson than country music, so I am SO glad you told me that! :)

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  5. 500 is definitely something to celebrate....Love your photos!

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  6. Morning Cheryl, wow, great for you to reach 500 followers.....I would love to be included in your wonderful giveaway.....very thoughtful......such beautiful pictures of the flowers, loved them, so pretty.....Blessings Francine.

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  7. bob and i spent some time in the swing yesterday with our heads tilted back looking up at sky just like this. we said isn't the sky BLUE today, so very blue... we live 6 miles from the airport so we had white trails to. your zoom looks like a ghost plane. sorry the vertigo is still hanging on

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  8. everything is blooming so beautifully! and i would LOVE to be in your drawing...wow, a goodie box from branson! haven't been there in years. when we lived outside of springfield, we spent lots of time down there, especially at silver dollar city in the summer!

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  9. i would love to enter your giveaway because i'm very happy you're my blogging 'neighbor'. :) congrats on almost 500!

    i love the lilacs. just love 'em... geraniums remind me of my mother. well, lilacs do, too. so thanks for that today...

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  10. I'd love to enter! Congrats on the blogging feat...I'm not sure where I am, I guess I need to look! Your lilacs are just gorgeous.

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  11. Congrats on almost 500! I just popped 100 I think. I am pretty sure I am a follower.. :) And heck yeah I want to enter. So sweet of you to do a giveaway.. :)Cheryl your flower photos, the colors are awesome! My favorite flower to plant, petunies!! I bought some Wave petunias last night in jeff at Lowes. I did buy some yellow Gerbera daisies for our new sittin' spot. What the heck are you zoomin' with woman???? I am going to be planting today.. :)

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  12. The flowers are gorgeous. My mom is such a huge Lilac fan that I always think of her when I see them.

    That's a quality zoom you've got going on w/that jet!

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  13. GERANIUMS are my go to flower here. LOVELY photos of all yours. Like the lilacs. And that plane. What a shot. CONGRATS on reaching 500. Toss my hat in the ring for your drawing.

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  14. Hard to believe that snow was such a visitor, a while ago.... With all this simply beeeeeeeautiful Spring beauty around.

    Congratulations on coming up on a Blog Happening. Lots of congratulations, but no entering, for me. As I have said before, I never gave a give away and don't enter...

    Hugs...

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  15. Congrats to you on your 500 th post! It's an achievement for sure. Please toss my name into the cap. Yes, I follow.

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  16. Some of the most beautiful flowers I've seen this spring! The plane is really cool!
    Love to be entered in the giveaway. :)
    hugs,
    Marie

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  17. Oh, Cheryl I get your post through the email and read them faithfully..and I can't believe I wasn't a follower before...however..I sure am now! smile...

    Love your lilacs and apple blossoms! I couldn't believe they were in bloom already! I can't believe the difference between Iowa and Missouri! We're just starting to turn green...

    Blessings, Gert

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  18. I love those lilacs and wish I had planted some. Your shots are lovely but I was really impressed with your zoom on the plane. I think I saw someone waving in the window.
    Congrats on the magic 500. Love the idea of the give away but will have to pass. I have so much stuff now and no room to put it. Curse of a tiny house.

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  19. I love lilacs and blue skies and fluffy white clouds! I'll be buying geraniums, potato vine, petunias etc. but not for a few weeks yet. But, I am looking forward to it. Count me in for your 500th post draw Cheryl. Time flies when we're having fun blogging! Hugs, Pam

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  20. Love, love the lilacs...both the sight and the smell! They aren't blooming here yet.
    Congrats on your upcoming 500th post. Please enter me in the giveaway.

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  21. What beautiful flowers. Such a pretty post! I do want to be in the giveaway!

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  22. Congrats on the 500th posting. I'd love to be entered in your giveaway, I follow you in Feedly. I can't wait until my lilacs are blooming.

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  23. Hi Cheryl, Your pictures are awesome. I love the jet flying across the sky and you do wonder where they are headed. I wonder every time I see a C130 fly over the house. I would love to enter your giveaway. We would go to Branson every year or maybe twice a year before my hubby got sick. We loved the shows, Silver Dollar City, Dixie Stampede, the ducks, and the Branson Belle just to name a few. Visit the antique shops and of course Dick's 5 and dime. Have a wonderful day. Hugs and Prayers your Missouri Friend.

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  24. As always your photos are so pretty, but that first one just conjures up all kinds of lovely summer thoughts in my mind.
    So sorry to hear that vertigo is causing problems for you. Hope it goes away soon.
    Congratulations on your upcoming 500th post. That is a milestone for sure. I think I've been blogging since 2008 and haven't even reached 400 yet. I'd be happy to have my name thrown in the hat.

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  25. AH! I am looking forward to lilac and apple blossoms! LOVE your photos.

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  26. Oh, I love. love. love those lilac blooms! I can almost smell them from here... ;) I am so impressed that you will be on your 500th post. Congratulations! I'm a happy follower... and plan to keep on following... Have a wonderful week, Cheryl. blessings ~ tanna

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  27. Gorgeous flowers! Lilacs are SO gorgeous. They are one of my favorites for sure.

    I'm already a follower, and of course would love to be in your drawing. :) What a great way to celebrate 500 posts. So glad you went to Branson. I always love going there.

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  28. Beautiful flowers...I need to get out and get some to plant when Lorelei comes. She likes to help!

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  29. Wow! Your flowers and apple tree are gorgeous! I'm impressed that you do any of this while having vertigo! I have it occasionally and it's awful!

    You are sweet to do a give away for your 500th post! I did nothing...yikes! I'm sure I'm a follower as I get your posts (I think). But don't enter me...I love to hear about other people winning and I've won something twice so someone else needs to have that opportunity!

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  30. Wow almost 500-I'm just close to 300.
    I'm loving all your beautiful flowers, and a little jealous too.
    It will be a month before I can have many flowers.
    I would love to be in your drawing!
    I use to shop in Branson myself eons ago.

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  31. How fun to have a give away. I loved the pictures of this one. You have a great camera; these photos are awesome. The flowers are so beautiful. I haven't even started to do the flower plantings yet. I love marigolds because they are usually so hardy.
    I have a lilac bush that is doing really well this year. There is a miracle story behind that one.
    I haven't even looked to see how many posts I have done; but I know it's not 500. Congratulations on that one. I always enjoy your posts and also you sweet comments on my blog.
    Blessings and have a wonderful Mother's Day.

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  32. Your blog is always a wonderful read and I love the photos. A giveaway would be so much fun and I would love to be included - thank you! I think I'm already a follower, but if not - I will be in a moment. ;-)

    Blessings,
    Dianne
    www.sweetjourneyhome.com

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  33. I really enjoyed viewing the pictures of your beautiful flowers. We live in a house that was built in the '30's and there was a lilac bush and over the years it was gorgeous and then it died. I hated to see it gone because it was outside the bedroom window and it smelled so good. I love this time of year--we had supper tonight on the screen porch surrounded by flowers and the songs of the birds. Thanks for your visit to my blog and I would love to be included in your drawing.
    Love,
    Marie

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  34. Some fantastic pictures. Love the 5th and last one.

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  35. Congratulations to you on your 500th post. I don't think I have 500 posts yet. I don't post every day either.

    All your flowers are absolutely beautiful and I really love the zoom in of that airplane. You must have a really great camera to have the picture come out that nice.

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  36. wow, the flowers are gorgeous!

    terrific shots!! and congrats on the 500 posts! awesome!

    big hugs~

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  37. what a beautiful entry, so colorful and happy!!

    congrats on 500, that's a lot of wonderful entries!!

    happy mothers day, i hope it was awesome!!

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