Ferns

I don't remember the ferns lasting this long into July.  They look great.  Late spring really makes a difference, huh?

Our next door neighbors Jim and Megan are having some work done on their retaining wall. Only the top stones are being replaced.

January 23: 1 Year Anniversary for The Backyard - Joe's Almanac

The top photo appeared in the first posting of this blog one year ago today. The bottom photo was taken today, January 23, 2012. Quite a difference in the amount of snowfall, huh?

January 23: 1 Year Anniversary for The Backyard - Joe's Almanac

This is the one year anniversary of this blog! I can't believe how quickly time has gone by. The top photo was taken January 23, 2011. The bottom photo was taken today, January 23, 2012. Quite a difference in the amount of snow we have. No snowmound so far this year!

The Garden In Winter - The Lion

First shot of this view with actual snow on the ground since last season but still no snowmound.

Caught in the Act!

Grasshoppers

Gorgeous fall day today. Saw quite a few grasshoppers.

Groggy Froggy - Squire House Part 3

While clomping around the grounds at Squire House Gardens on Saturday, Noel and I found this little guy on a lily pad in the lily pond. He looked quite content if but a little tired.

MN State Fair 2011

Dale and I went to the State Fair last night. Outside the Agriculture/Horticulture building I saw these hostas with unusually large leaves.

Deb's Other Grasshopper

Another grasshopper hanging out at Deb's house.

Deb's Grasshopper

Deb and I were both out in our respective yards this afternoon. As I was planting some ornamental kale that Dale and I had picked up earlier at Bachman's, I heard a scream. "Deb?", I said as I jogged over to her side of the yard. She was laughing by the time I got there and said, "Oh, sweetie, it was only a grasshopper." She had been weeding and it had jumped out and startled her. Of course I had to get a photo and I think it turned out rather well if I do say so myself. (P.S. Don't fret over the peeling paint on Deb's basement window as the painters are coming tomorrow. I actually think it adds some rustic charm to the photo.)

Even MORE Grasshopper

I photoshopped one of the grasshopper pictures I took yesterday to make it look like an oil painting. I think it turned out pretty well.

More Photos of the Grasshopper

Grasshopper

Found this little guy on the spigot as I went to turn on the hose to water the flowers. He barely moved as I turned on the water and, as you can see from the photo, he let me get pretty close to take his picture. He jumped onto the side of the house as I turned the water off.

Found this little guy on the spigot as I went to turn on the hose to water the flowers. He barely moved as I turned on the water and, as you can see from the photo, he let me get pretty close to take his picture. He jumped onto the side of the house as I turned the water off.

Visiting Brenda and Irv in Colorado

Dale and I are visiting Brenda and Irv in Colorado. I love this bird that is in one of their planters. Cardinals have always been my favorite.

Summer Rain

Okay, I'm not quite sure what is going on in these pictures. Today was a perfect summer rain. When I woke up this morning it was thundering in the distance. This went on for about an hour at least and the storm never sounded like it was getting any closer. Eventually it rained and it was that wonderful kind of rain where it just falls steadily for hours. I sat on the porch and listened to it. I got back in bed to read and listened to it. I even went upstairs and laid down on Sophie's old cushion and listened to it fall on the roof. It was glorious. It let up somewhat around two p.m. but has never gone below being anything less than a heavy spinkle which is what it's doing right now. Anyway, back to the photographs. I'm not sure what is going on with all the "bubbles". It was dark enough that the flash went off so maybe it's light reflecting off the raindrops. I'm also not sure why they are more bright in one picture and not the other. Who knows, maybe they're garden rain fairies...

Beautiful Day

Beauti-

ful, gor-

geous, sunny day today. Every-

one's happy!

Waiting for a Sunny Day

Cold and nasty today. I'll bet the garden fairies were not pleased. I sure wasn't.

Sunday, January 23, 2011

Sunrise 7:43 a.m.

Sunset 5:08 p.m.

Snowfall this season: 55.4"

Hi: 13 Low: -8

December 2010 was the snowiest December EVER in Minneapolis!

Above photo taken at 12:36 p.m on Sun. Jan. 23, 2011. Photo at right taken on Dec. 14, 2010.