Armed and dangerous

It seems that scientist have determined that Parrots and Falcons are close cousins. Some people may find that hard to believe. They haven't seen Tootsie here tear into a piece of sausage or terrorize the cats.

The before picture

A Success Story

Several years ago I worked as a volunteer community organizer in the neighborhood I live in. I created and developed a community organizing tool call "Beautiful Neighborhoods Initiative. It was a gardening approach to community developement. We passed out fall mums and then fall bulbs. I got over 50% participation. My goal was 25% and I had skeptics tell me I couldn't reach my goal.
Out of this program, a group of Mexican immigrants decided to clean up an abandoned lot on their block to make it a pocketpark. If I can find a before picture I will post it. It was a lot that was a dumping ground for trash and tires. Sometimes the city would mow it but most years it was head high with weeds. It was an eyesore and made the whole block look bad.

Here is what it looks like now, 8 years later these folks have maintained it and now are using it as a park, I drove by last night and took this picture.

Hostas

I knew about hostas before I met my wife but I didn't appreciate them. I had always viewed shade as a nusance to be tolerated so I could have fine trees. My wife introduced me to the concept of shade gardens. Here are several of our deep shade hostas. The folage is lovely, but what I had never realised is how lovely the blooms are.

Flag day

This used to be a neighborhood with drive by shootings but it is much more peaceful these days.

Today we had a drive by flagging.

When we went out this morning to breakfast there was a flag in our front yard. There were flags up and down the street one in each yard.

Today is flag day.

My neighbor Ed who lives down the street had placed a flag on every lawn on the block. I think that is nice of him. I'm going to have to think of something to do for him.

The Rose

I bought my first house here in Kansas City in 1989 and lived in it until My wife and I got together 6 years ago

The only yard it has is a 15ft X 33ft strip across the front. I bought this rose at the local hardware store for three bucks. It was the first perennial for that yard it is still there today I have bought more expensive roses but none that have given me the enjoyment this one has. I gave cuttings off of it to my wife when we were dating. I still give her cuttings, this one is setting beside her bed right now.

I have passed cuttings out to many neighbors over the years. I've given lessons to young boys on dealing with women. "Here take this to your mother, women love it when you give them flowers". I've got on the good side of God by giving them to gods supervisors. In this case the old Polish women in the neighborhood. I've always enjoyed old women, who aren't afraid to tell even God how to behave. In the case of one or two I know , God would be well advised to listen.

Jack

Buddha

I'm uncertain why we went hunting a Buddha for our garden. Part of the reason may have been the Catholic nature of our neighborhood. There are statues of the Virgin Mary in front yards all over the neighborhood. Also, when I first moved in I built a pagoda over the entry to the front of the house for my wife's birthday. A neighbor remarked how Japanese it made the house look.

Or maybe, it was the neighbor across the street who brought home a gargoyle/grotesque. It sat on the front porch surrounded by Virgin Marys in the front yards of the houses on both sides. He is sitting on the porch, staring out, with a lonely look on his face and his little anatomically correct penis aroused and erect.

So I think we settled on a Buddha as a peaceful alternative.