It's been a while since I've done a 12 of 12. Chad, you started a good thing and I wanted to do these last couple with and for you. I also want to thank you for the great journey you've allowed us to share.

We've had some strange weather this year in South Carolina. This summer was exceptionally hot. (In July we had eight straight days when the temperature was above 100 degrees.) Our plants suffered tremendously and became unnaturally dormant. Then, when the temps started to get cooler, the plants decided to start doing what a plant should do, only to get bit by unseasonably early cold. Now, in November, we're back to warmer days with temps in the 70's during the day.

Today I'm assisting my wife who is recuperating from foot and ankle surgery so I wasn't able to get far from the house. These shots were taken this afternoon in our neighborhood.

2:45 pm - I stepped out and saw this contrail. Wonder if it's a mysterious missle like the one that's been in the news in the sky off of Los Angeles?

2:48 pm - Hmmm, not as impressive as it was at first hand this sunny afternoon, but that small white spot centered in the picture is the moon rising in the East.

2:50 pm - This Confederate Rose should be fully opened by the first of next week. I was hoping that it would be open to share with you.

2:53 pm - Our crabapple tree is putting on it's colorful autumn show. We've grown this tree from a little shoot so we're proud of it.


3:10 pm - Looking across the cove to the neighbors. The trees in our area are now putting on their fall display. We are blessed to have such beautiful fall colors

3:12 pm - Same cove, different angle.

3:15 pm - This tree is setting in a yard surrounded with cedars. I thought it to be exceptionally pretty against the dark green background.

3:20 om - Little tea roses in one of our neighbors yard. They are never tended, but don't seem to care. They bloom and bloom and bloom!

3:35 pm - This Knockout Rose is one of many our back hedge. Like the tea roses in our neighbor's yard, these are pretty much un-attended, but they
start blooming in the spring and don't let up until after the first really heavy frost.

3:40 pm - One of our river birch trees. When our granddaughter was five or six years old, she would pull the bark off. She thought that she was helping keep things neat.

3:45 pm - Daddy, what are you doing running around in the yard, and when are you gonna let us out of jail?

3:50 pm - Heading into the house. We had this pergola added last year and I recently quit procrastinating and, to my wife's great pleasure, painted it.
I knew it was going to be a chore; I just didn't know how much of a job that chore would be.

Thanks for looking in on us. We'll see you again next month.

June 12 of 12

OK, this weekend was quite busy for your old correspondents. We had a lot of things we had to accomplish around the house, but we also wanted to share some of what we did with all of you. Saturday night we joined some very dear friends and went into the "big city" of Greenwood. The month of June is when Greenwood celebrates the FESTIVAL OF FLOWERS. We enjoyed walking through town and seeing the topiaries. Then we went to dinner at Polo's and from there went to the community theater to see the "Funniest Man In America." If you haven't been exposed to James Gregory, you are missing a great evening of entertainment.

4:45 pm This is "Flora The Flamingo," the 1st of the topiaries. Y'all watch close, I'm going to be running, we have dinner reservations at 5:30 and then James Gregory at 7:00.

4:49 pm...This is "T-Rex, the Dino Dude"......The Topiary was done by a Magnet Middle School in Greenwood. Those kids are talented. 4:51 pm Lakeview Elementary School and Chick-Fil-A are responsible for this one. If you look closely, it does say "Eat more Chicken." 4:53 pm Meet "Gloria the Swan." She was created by the students at Westview Middle School.

4:59 pm This is "Apple Gem, The Horse". "Apple Gem" was created by Festival of The Flowers Volunteers.

5:03 pm Meet "Ari" the Lion created by the students

at Cambridge Academy.

5:05 pm If you are from Carolina, you gotta be a "Gamecock." This is one

huge "Cocky."

5:07 pm This is "Horton" the baby elephant.

5:09 pm This is "Milak" the moma elephant. "Milak" was created by the students of Greenwood High School.

5:11 pm Quality Motors created this Jeep. After the Festival of Flowers, the Jeep will be displayed at their dealership.

5:13 pm Fuji Film of North America is Headquartered in Greenwood. They sponsored this Topiary named "Panda-monium." Look closely, you can see the many panda's.

5:15 pm Racing to get to our reservation of time. Polo's, a really

great place to dine. The rack of lamb was truly wonderful.

6:55 pm Made it to Greenwood Community Theater (GCT) just in time. James Gregory is billed as "The Funniest Man in America." He well may be. I know we sure enjoyed the evening.

Sorry to be so late in getting this posted, but it really was a hectic weekend, and we wanted to share this special evening with you.

May 2010

I woke up this morning with plans for a pretty full day. I wanted to go fishing in the pond belonging to my daughter and son-in-law. Later, I planned to run into Greenwood and purchase groceries and supplies. Of course, the very first thing in our house is to tend to the babies.

9:15 am - Trying to encourage our new baby, Sissy, a long-haired

weiner, to come down the stairs and go outside.

Today is Sissy's 14 week birthday.

9:18 am - Sissy thinks Pepper, a wire-haired weiner, is her mommy. She pesters poor Pepper beyond belief and Pepper shows tremendous patience.

9:30 am - The entrance arbor to our back yard is covered with Jasmine. The flowers have the most beautiful fragrance.

9:33 am - This magnolia really smells good, too.

10:45 am - Got my trusty golf cart loaded up to go to the pond and try to catch some dinner for tonight.

11:20 am - I spent 12 minutes wearing this fish out, he wore me out, too. Just after I took this picture, I cut the line, did a little fishey CPR, and sent him on his way. We don't eat grass carp.

12:10 pm - I've got enough fish for dinner, time to reward myself with a cold brew.

2:10 pm - Headed to Greenwood and passed this sign leading to "Promised Land." Yep, that's the name of the community!
2:35 pm - Wally World (aka Walmart) the store that has everything from donuts to diapers.

3:40 pm - I ran the aisles as best I could, got a buggy full to load in the truck.

4:05 pm - Charlie B's. Gas and Fried Chicken.

6:37 pm - Fried Crappie (also known as speckled perch,) Hushpuppies, Collard Greens and Cheese Grits. Yum, yum!

Bonus Picture - I just couldn't leave out a picture of Annie, our curious kitty.Thanks for stopping by. Now go check out Chad's site and links to other 12 of 12 sites.
http://chaddarnell.typepad.com/runchadrun2/

We woke up this morning with no real plans for our day; just wanted to share a little bit more of our rural South Carolina area with "Y'all." Here's what we captured for your enjoyment.

7:45 a.m. Pepper met us at the top of the stairs with a bit of apprehension. It was all about our newest addition.

7:48 a.m. This is the new addition that Pepper is concerned about. She's afraid that Sissy may take her place in our hearts.

7:55 a.m. We're waiting for our first Blue Bird babies to appear. Momma and Daddy were very busy building the nest a couple of weeks ago.

7:59 a.m. Augusta National was beautiful during The Masters last week. We're only 45 miles away, and our Azaleas are really pretty, too.

8:40 a.m. There's a tree buried in our neighborhood pond. The turtles get on this one limb that sticks out into the water. South Carolina's version of the "Knock Less" turtle monster.

8:45 a.m. Momma goose is setting her eggs in her nest at the pond's edge.

9:48 a.m. Weather's great and the temperature is in the 70's and 80's. I'm thinking fishing is in order soon.

10:12 a.m. I won't be using this ramp. Too long and too steep for Corky to navigate. I think that the ramp at the State Park will do a lot better.

10:20 a.m. This old barn has always been a favorite of mine. I thought that you may enjoy it, too. Such a neat structure.

10:37 a.m. Right down the road from the old barn is this old burned down home. The bricks appear to have been hand made. I bet there's a story to be told here.

10:43 a.m. These two trees are in the meadow where the burned out home sits. I like the contrast between them and the trees in the background.

11:24 a.m. We've run our errands and are headed home. Here's a view of a slash pine stand that has been properly maintained and undercut. In another couple of years these pines will be ready for harvest.

11:37 a.m. Our Bonus Pic: This picture was taken on the road that leads back in to our house. I willing to bet that the antiques at Magnolia Acres aren't as old as the sign.

That's what we want to share with you this April 12, 2010. Thanks for joining us and we invite you to visit the other entries on Chad's 12 of 12.