Win a Texas/California Shower Curtain

Izola has shower curtains with both Texas and California maps on them...as well as a lot of other maps, and other artsy and quirky things.  And there seems to be a lot of giveaways going on for them, so I thought I'd hunt some down for ya'll (we're pretty happy with our shower curtains, but if we weren't, these would be pretty cool to have).  Here's the California one:

Here's the blogs I know of giving these away, and when they end. 

Hope's Cafe (9/24)

Familylicious Reviews (9/29)

Heavenly Savings (10/6)

And So Ends the Backyard Experiment...or maybe not! (An Aloha Friday/2 Question/Foliage Follow-up)

Today I'm combining Aloha Friday with Two Questions Thursday and Foliage Follow-up.  Aloha Friday is where I ask a question for you to answer in the comments and 2 Question Thursday is the same except with 2 questions (you'll find the questions towards the bottom of this post).  Foliage Friday is where you show off your garden foliage.  This is my first time participating, and the only thing I'm showing off is that most of this "foliage" is now GONE.

Remember this flower from Garden Bloom Day yesterday?

Well, it's "foliage" isn't so cute.

 A big scratchy tangle of brambles is what that is!

And it's taken over my back yard!

That and these tall WHO KNOWS WHAT things you see there.  

Here's a better picture from earlier this year,
when they were starting to bloom...

They look about the same before, during, and after blooming,
actually.  They're taller than me! 

Here's an up close picture...the blooms has faded.

Now you're probably asking, how did I let things go so much
that I have 7 foot tall weeds.  Well, I was curious...
what would I find if I left my back yard un-mowed 

this summer?  I called it my Backyard Experiment.

And it started out beautifully! Through May, June and July I
discovered one gorgeous wildflower after another.
Then August hit, the wildflowers dried up, and my
backyard became unbearable.

Half of it is still as you see above, but here's the other half now:

 I mowed it all, except for two tall wild grasses which had these whispy
ends, sort of like a pampas only not so large.

Looks kinda plain but better than the jungle that was there.
As the weather cools hopefully I'll be more motivated
to add some more flowers and foliage.

___________UPDATE___________

BUT WAIT!
THE WILDFLOWER DISCOVERIES AREN'T OVER!

After posting this late last night, I spend a quiet morning inside and
this afternoon looked out my window to find THIS...

 A sea of whispy pink beauties covering the unmowed half of my backyard!
THESE WERE NOT THERE YESTERDAY!!!

 Wow...what an amazing surprise!  It nearly took my breath away when I saw them.
  And just when I was complaining that all the wildflowers were gone!
I think I'm gonna have to do some "strategic" mowing
when I get to that, cause I don't want to loose those!

(OK, I know this was supposed to be FOLIAGE follow-up,
but I couldn't not share those with you!)
 ______________________



OK, and now for my Aloha Friday question:

See all those weeds and wildflowers up there?  What are they?
If anyone knows I would love it if you would tell me!
These grow wild in central Texas.  Thanks!

No clue?  Here's a second question:

What's the longest you've ever let your lawn go un-mowed
and what did you discover?

 _______________

UPDATES ON FIRST QUESTION:
Thanks to the blogger from Rock Rose for helping me identify the pink flowers...
Garardia, Agalinis purpurea.

---

Shared on Throwback Thursday

Garden Bloom Day - My Backyard Experiment

Well, August took it's tole on my garden. Not much blooming, and not much could have pulled me out there to plant anything else. Here's one of the survivors...

That one I actually planted.

This next one is a weed. 

No, not a wildflower...a weed

As some of you may remember, this summer I did 

an experiment in my yard, called "don't mow and see what grows."

(OK, I mowed the front yard, but not the back). 

  Through May, June and July I discovered one beautiful wildflower after another.

And then August hit. The only thing blooming in my yard, other than 

the flowers above and my basil bush, were these...

 Ah, doesn't it look pretty and daisy-like?

UNTIL you see what it grows on

...this bramble of a bush that was taking over my yard!

It was time to mow!

I've only gotten half the yard done.  

I'll show the comparison pictures tomorrow for Foliage Follow-up Day.

(Update:  Click on Foliage Follow-up link above
to see more blooms that weren't there when I posted this.) 

Garden Bloom Day

A Prayer on 9/11

I would like to repost something that an online friend shared with me after the tragedy of September 11, 2001.  This was not a forward (although, with her permission I forwarded it to many), but a story she told about her own young son and his response to the events. 

Jonah's Prayer 

_________ 

Trying to explain today's tragedies to my 6 year old son, I said, "Jonah, we need to pray to Jesus, because bad people have crashed airplanes into big buildings, and lots of people have had one of their family members die today."


Jonah said, "O.k. Mommy" and he folded his hands, then on his own initiative, he began to pray outloud. He prayed a prayer that both surprised me and humbled me.

Jonah said, "Dear Jesus, show those bad men your goodness. Blast the devil from their hearts Jesus, and blast it full of your goodness."

I was shocked. I had not asked Jonah to pray for the "bad men", in fact, it had not even crossed my mind to pray for the terrorists behind these awful events.

Just a few weeks ago in Children's Church, Jonah's memory verse had been "Love your enemy". Jonah had been very impressed by this particular verse, because he talked about it with me and his Daddy, and his prayer today proved that he took that verse to heart.

Today God used my son to show me that we are truly to be "as little children", and to put our trust in Him, our Father. In such a fearful time, He is the only one we can turn to who can bring comfort and healing to our hearts, and to the hearts of those grieving.

Only God can bring change to a heart, and God desires that we pray FOR ALL who have been effected by todays tragedies, the innocent hearts, as well as the guilty hearts.

___________

This was the summer that...

School has started, and  summer is over...but what a fun one!

This was the summer that...
We had vbs in Egypt (living history style)
My oldest lost his two front teeth.
My middle child learned to ride on two wheels.
My youngest learned to say a gazzilion new words, and rejected his high chair.
I started a garden.
Our backyard got overgrown (in spite of the garden).
We got our first kiddy pool.
Our youngest discovered SPRINKLERS!


I'd love if you would tell me about your summer!   In the comments, please share your own...

This was the summer that....

(This post has been shared on Throwback Thursday)

Sky Watch Friday - Competing Skies

The sky had so many personalities the other night...

To the east the sky was a frothy pink confection that 

looked like it should have winged unicorns flying through it.

And to the west...

The sky like kindling ablaze against the black shadows of leaves and houses.

So much beauty!

See other beautiful skies at...
Sky Watch Friday
(The featured photo is of grackles this week...
I'll have my own to share next week.) 

Sky Watch Friday

Sky Watch Friday

Wordless