Home Sweet Home

Our backyard is small but private. We both love to garden so we have lots of flowers.

The ponds are surrounded with ornamental grasses, hand-picked stones and flowering ground coverings. The bird food court is near the ponds. We can watch the birds and listen to the waterfalls while sitting on the back patio - where we spend a good deal of time.

Bill built Das Bloomin Haus a couple of years ago. It doubles as a potting shed and a playhouse for the grandkids. The stained glass window is the top half of an old front door that we saw for sale down the road several years ago. They wanted $100 for it. Bill offered them $20 and asked them to deliver it.

This structure is Das Kookin Haus home of the Benford - Bill's famous grill. Usually the smoker is behind the haus, but Bill smoked a turkey and a chicken for company earlier in the week and, if I'm lucky, he will make some of his delicious baby back ribs this weekend.

One of our humming-birds has taken up residence on the weather-vane atop Das Kookin Haus. From this vantage point he can survey his territory and chase off any interlopers that dare to invade.

I was shooting a series of pictures when he decided to do what looks like either an advanced yoga position or something from The Exorcist. Show off!

His feathers are still ruffled from standing on his head but he's keeping a sharp eye out for other hummers who might dare to think they can get a drink at the feeders.

Each time he runs off another bird he returns to his perch. This time he's headed north.

And this time he seems to be contradict-ing the weathervane - you go your way and I'll go mine.

This shot reminds me of the illustration of Snoopy looking up and kicking his feet with glee.

Thank goodness for digital cameras because I took pictures in the yard all morning - and didn't run out of film.

Our roses were beautiful earlier in the summer, took a short rest and are now starting to come back. This one reminds me of the wonderful Peace Roses my mother grew when I was a child.

I think the Pansies are my favorite because they are beautiful all summer and some of them come back year after year. I've even had them blooming in the snow.



We have several different colors of Vining Petunias. These are in a hanging basket on the patio.

We planted a couple of different kinds of Daisy-like plants by the ponds. Hopefully, they will come back next year.

The colors look nice by the red rocks around the ponds. We are trying to plant more perennials and fewer annuals - or do I have them backwards?

This is a volunteer. We have lots of volunteers in the yard - flowers that grow spontaneous-ly. Maybe a bird dropped the seeds - or maybe at one time we had some growing in one of the flower pots. We don't know - we just enjoy.