Cool pictures Helen!
I guess I'm weird too cause I would love to see the tadpole being lunch for the snake..haha It kinda looks like he's rubbing himself on the log to get the tadpole down.

Nice blue bottles in the garden. I like how you make use of objects in your garden. A neighbor had their metal gazebo blow over and offered it to us...we'll find good uses for it: supports for the overabundance of tomato plants, short fence to keep our old doggie out of the pepper garden, etc. I read about your frisky dog and am glad ours isnt so 'energetic'. Our only problem with her is she Loves to eat tomatoes and peppers. She is a golden retreiver but is good about obeying even a short fence.

What kind of beans are you growing? This is the first year I'm growing beans or peas. We had fresh peas for dinner tonight. The beans are blooming (Provider and Royal Burgundy)...both bush beans. I hope that means they dont need something to climb....maybe I'm wrong???

Thanks again for all your pictures and stories...always love them :)

I used to be a flower gardener but certain people on this forum are converting me to vegetables. Ceresone and Sweet William made me plant tomatoes and Glenda made me plant beans. They are Trail of Tears - seeds that Glenda sent me. I am now a tomato nut and neglect my flowers. Are you speaking of this innocent animal? He is muddy and banned from the house for a while. He has had two baths in a week and got muddy again.

Oh, how adorable! I bet its hard to stay made at that sweet little face.

I'm glad you're enjoying the veggie gardening. I found myself negelecting the flowers a bit this year too. Still dont have the new iris in the ground and zinnias may not get planted at all...seems a bit late. Also about 90 winter sown containers need to be planted.
Hope to get the tomatoes and peppers finally in the ground this weekend. Tilled again last night. Seems we had more rain over a longer period this year.

I've heard about the Trail of Tears beans. Maybe from you. Are they heirloom beans that actually came from the tribes on the trail? I had a grandmother (great great?) that walked the trail. That would be pretty cool to grow some. Maybe next year. My mother is in her 70's and it would touch her to see them.

Helen, if you mean the arch in the foreground, yes! If you mean the cattle panel, it works too. Helen, didn't tell you she sent me some seeds first! I planted just a few on the garden fence (about the height of a cattle panel) and loved them so the next year, I grew them on the tall field corn. I left some to dry and shelled them for seeds. I still have some left, Nancy. If you want some let me know your address.
It probably isn't too late even for this year.

According to this article they were actually carried on the Trail.

I used them as green beans. I need to cook some dried and see how they taste.

Helen, that dog is a cutie! BTW, I have a nice little stand of 4 o'clocks now. I am pleased about that.

Very good picture of the frog-eating snake. I remember the one we saw leaving the hen house with several lumps showing the eggs it had eaten. We were surprised he could go out the wiring on the window, but he did.

Here is a link that might be useful: Cherokee Trail of Tears

I can't say you're weird for taking a picture of the snake Helen. We have a praying mantis in a jar with baby bugs to eat sitting on the kitchen counter.
That's the most huggable dog I've ever seen. I'm so glad you put up with him.

Aww, he's so cute. I think you're telling tales on him. He can't be bad with a face like that. ;D

I like the snake pic too and I love your clems. I've fallen in love with them this year and planted several in different colors.