Early July Huge Oak Tree Down

 On July 11, the doorbell rang...

It was one of the back door neighbors.

Well, our vast property of 2.167 acres or 0.88 hectare, borders five different neighbors and additional neighbors across the street.

It was a livid neighbor... he demanded to speak to my husband.

'I'm sorry, my husband went to heaven on April 30...' I said.

He calmed a bit down and continued to tell me that a huge oak tree had fallen down and had taken one of his big trees down and it fell on our fence...

Next day I took my iPhone and went to our wood garden to assess the situation.

That is captured in above video...

We had been having so much rain all spring and summer, that the tree guy could not start due to the soil being too muddy for the use of his Bobcat.

I'd searched for someone that also would clear the underbrush.

My Pieter did that himself on

And the center bridge had to be taken up as it got destroyed by severe weather on February 12, 2024.

Center bridge destroyed by flood water... this needs to be taken up.

Center bridge and wild underbrush...

View towards street and 1st bridge

Center bridge to the right and sadly our pussy willow also got whacked down...

More underbrush...

Underbrush

View of 3rd bridge and more underbrush...

3rd bridge

View from 3rd bridge

On September 3, when I went to Atlanta to see my nephrologist at Emory, Mitchell from One Moore Tree Service tackled the job as it finally had dried out enough...

My first time via Angi and this person deserved his 5 stars!

Mitchell very well took over my Pieter's care for the underbrush...

Related links:

My Pieter went to Heaven on April 30

Bridge and Underbrush Clearing | previous post with Pieter clearing underbrush in January of 2022...

Severe Weather with Bridge Destruction | previous post from February 12, 2024

Severe Weather with Bridge Destruction

 Just like to show you some images from early spring, or almost spring.

Sunday March 17, back from singing in the chancel choir.

Wearing my silk clover leaf Escada shirt with jacket.

Pieter wearing his cotton Irish cloverleaf sweater that we found in Dublin, Ireland. I've one as well.

My 94–year old caretaker is frail as he lost quite some weight by doing it all!

On February 12, my Mom's heavenly Birthday, we had severe weather and Pieter had to run both wet vacs to suck the water off the tiles in our Rose Suite.

The builder left tree trunks under the foundation and in 30+ year the wood has deteriorated and water manages to seep in...

Those wet vacs we have for sucking up the water are rather heavy when full. Pieter had to carry those full buckets out the door for letting it run downhill—away from the home.

It was so exhausting for my frail Pieter and I of course was not in the position to help him...

On March 9, we again had severe weather and while I was lay reader at Church, Pieter had to stay home for running the two wet vacs again.

We also found our bridge totally whacked out.

So much hard work by Pieter, destroyed by nature—the force of water is incredible!

The pussy willow got crushed by it, so we lost that too. 

{Pussy Willow from Cuttings} ←click link

Another view and the pussy willow is seen knocked down

So sad seeing all the hours of hard work being destroyed...

On March 22, Pieter hung this new copper hummingbird feeder next to our kitchen bay window where we enjoy watching them drink.

Caring for all of our garden critters, furry ones and feathered ones...

Related link:
Our Bridges a Constant Battle with Mother Nature | previous post by me

SPRING in Our Garden Continued

Some more Spring Garden images taken by husband Pieter to show me how it looks outside...

On March 3, Our Prunus triloba or Flowering Almond

Our still young Spiraea Cantoniensis or double Bridal Wreath Spirea.

See my header photo—that is one in full bloom!

Our Mazus Reptans alba is a loyal creeper that we have for decades now.

It lovely grows between the Dichondra repens or kidney weed that I love.

White azaleas near gazebo with Wood Trail visible on the left.

Better view of Spiraea Cantoniensis or double Bridal Wreath Spirea

On March 7, again our now fuller blossoms of Prunus triloba or Flowering Almond

Now looking towards our gazebo and behind it at the top, you also see the wood trail

Rose Arbor is visible in center and part of gazebo

MY FAVORITE!

On March 9, Prunus triloba or Flowering Almond

Our Gelsemium sempervirens or Carolina Jessamine

Our flower bulbs Hyacinthoides Hispanica Excelsior — Spanish Blue Bell or Wood Hyacinth putting on its yearly show.

White and pink azaleas near gazebo on March 9

Pink azaleas on March 9

Bouquet of fresh flowers from dear friends on March 13

Detail of flower bouquet...

Related links:

{Our New Spiraea Cantoniensis (dbl Bridal Wreath Spirea)} | previous post by me

{Hyacinthoides Hispanica Excelsior – Spanish Blue Bell or Wood Hyacinth} | previous post by me

SPRING in Our Garden — Post Accident

 This year's beautiful spring happens without me being IN it...

Can't walk, cannot go outside so Pieter captured it for me on my iPhone.

Hard to imagine what a driver without LOOKING can cause to another human being's life!

Our entire household is affected.

An elderly husband becomes the care taker...

Our kitties are unsettled...

Needing assistance with laundry and making the bed and on and on.

A very painful and also costly thing.

Needing a private driver to go to places where I used to drive.

On and on.

For missing the spring flowers, dear friend sent these on February 23, for enjoying indoors...

From my bed, I could see through the balcony door our Red bud Cercis Canadensis blooming on February 25.

Sending Pieter with my iPhone to capture them for me...

BUT my Pieter does NOT see the pink flowers due to being color blind!

This photo shows the wood trail below, that Pieter did newly built while I was in Limburg, The Netherlands one final time...

In front of our garage is this stunning Azalea pot plant, also on February 25.

Heavenly Azaleas...

Those stamens are so pretty!

Also on February 25th a sweet bouquet delivered by some kids from our Church and one street down from us.

You also see our pansies in our fiberglass window boxes happily blooming and more pot plants on the patio that bloom.

At least for me SOME spring flowers that I can enjoy without being outdoors...

My ugly rash and itch has subsided, a nasty side affect from the Medrol Dosepak, to reduce the swelling.

The swelling has gone down and cuts are healing with scabs formed.

My left leg hurts most around knee and ankle, where it is so severely cut and bruised aside from the Proxima fibula being fractured.

My calf is extremely tender and painful to the touch—hard to get any decent sleep with it and my right leg with the knee fracture and knee immobilizer.

BUT my nasty night sweats are also gone it seems—making progress!

Short legged and chunky Speckie girl on February 27, 2022...

Yesterday, our youngest senior kitty of 13, Speckie came home from the Animal Clinic after 3 nights, where Pieter brought her on Friday morning.

She was very sick.

Turned out after some blood work that her kidneys are not shutting down but in bad shape — just like mine. She also had a bacterial infection and got antibiotics and fluids.

Let's hope her Chronic Kidney Disease does not progress too fast...

Thanks for all your comments and prayers.

YES we have had SNOW here in the Heart of Georgia!

Just want to share with you two memories of a WHITE world here in the Heart of Georgia.

It does happen once in a while...

 

This was on January 7 in 1988 and I was home by myself and captured this sight.Pieter had left on January 5 for Michigan and got stuck in Chicago on January 7 as they could not fly in to Atlanta as the airport was iced over...On January 8, Pieter called me from Atlanta around noon where he finally had landed.Now the painstakingly slow journey home via Interstate 75 as it took him 4 hours!Here in the South they have NO equipment for clearing snow...

Closed Caption (CC) available in Dutch—remember we always did create videos for Mom & Dad in The Netherlands!But if you watch on YouTube you will find Clickable points below video with English information and also links to matching blogposts with more insight info.
Thanks for watching! Hoping you all stay warm and cozy through winter.
Related links:{Our Home in the SNOW  --  January 2002} | previous post by me with photos{Our Felines - Sweet Spooky I...} | previous post by me{Daylily Hemerocallis WHITE TUXEDO + SAD Feline & Canine Love Story} | previous post by me{Our Clematis lanuginosa 'Candida'} | previous post by me where the wrens were feasting off its seedpods{Phlox Subulata - Creeping Phlox} | previous post by me showing the blooming Phlox along pondActing like a CAT for Retrieving Pieter's Glasses | previous post by me—where Spooky climbed in the video... that pile!{Our Damage from Tornado spin off of Hurricane Earl, 2003} | previous post by me showing the Phlox that we planted next to bridgeLET IT SNOW! – THE GREAT SNOWFALL OF 1973 | post written by a Dubliner

Our Autumn Garden Blooms & HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

 The 2022 Autumn has been very brief...

On October 9, our Hydrangea paniculata, Limelight still blooming like it would not end!

More in detail with perfect sunlight.

This was already blooming on September 8—the longest lasting blooms we've ever seen!

Check post below about 'Our Garden Blooms in Summer

On October 21, Pieter did bring in a giant red Hibiscus bloom.

Placed it in our Repoussé Silver Rose vase...

Showing here its proportion a little better...

On October 30 when we left for North Carolina and Tennessee it was very dark and drizzling so I could not capture our Sugar Maple.

Photo got taken on November 4, day after our return and as you see—most leaves are already down and not even turned completely golden yet.

Pieter's open hand gives you a good idea about the size of yet another red Hibiscus bloom on November 7.

Love this red Hibiscus with its very special center.

A detail of its fabulous center—too bad our hummingbirds are already gone to the Caribbean.

Not the best photo taken on November 13—that late into the season.

But what I wanted to show here is that these petunias, the Blanket® Double Chardonnay in our Fiberglass Window Boxes remained like miniature plants...

Very disappointing!

Blanket® Double Chardonnay Petunia Plant ←click link

GrowJoy claims that one plant grows to mature size of 10–inches tall x 24–inches wide or 

25 cm x 60 cm.

Our plants sure did NOT do that, they remained very miniature as you can see by my hand as comparison.

In post below you can see them also

On November 19, our Hydrangea paniculata Limelight had turned pinkish from some near frost nights...

There were more buds but they did not turn out the way the first two did!

On our patio the summer blooming azalea still performs well as a pot plant!

Another great performer on the patio as a pot plant is the Rosemary—they bloom year round!

On Sunday, November 20 I captured our regal Camellia Japonica Debutante.

You can clearly see the now raised wooden walkway that Pieter finished in June while I was in Europe solo...

Holding one regal Camellia Japonica Debutante in my hand...

Mariette's Back to Basics wishes you and your loved ones a very HAPPY THANKSGIVING

And all those that reside outside of the USA, THANKS for your VISITS over the years!

Black Friday is always on with FREE SHIPPING at Spectrenoir on line ←click link.

Related link:

{Our Fiberglass Window Boxes & Double Cascade Pink Petunias} | previous post by me

Our Garden Blooms in Summer | previous post by me

{Camellia Debutante & Chocolate} | previous post by me

{Let It Be A Happy New Year} | previous post by me

{Our Camellia Japonica Debutante} | previous post by me

Espresso with French Macarons | previous post by me

Our Camellia Japonica Debutante in Winter | previous post by me

Pieter Captured our Estate + Progress for me to View While in Limburg | previous post with Petunias