JBigg: Life in Kentucky

Halloween Tablescape and A Party

It's always fun to decorate for a party and what could be more exciting than a Halloween Party.

Let's go to the party!

It's orange and black overload!

The centerpieces are this cute witches hat, a black and white checked pumpkin and a girlie orange jack-o-lantern with a big bow.

These cuties and sitting on a table runner I made from some Halloween fabric The black and white stripe fabric is my new favorite binding to use.

The place settings were a snap to put together for this special Halloween tablescape. The placemats were part of a fabric panel called "Raven's Claw".

A witches' hat flew over the table and a giant Raven landed close by.

In addition to a Halloween Tablescape, the treats were ready for the guests to fill their plates.

Thanks for stopping by for the Halloween Tablescape and Party - Judy.

Linking to:

Love Your Creativity Link Party @ Life and Linda on Sunday at 2pm

Busy Monday @ A Pinch of Joy on Sundays at 5pm

Mosaic Monday @ Letting Go of the Bay Leaf on Sunday

Celebrate Your Story @ Zucchini Sisters on Monday

All About Home Link Party @ Common Ground on Monday

Beautifully Made @ Across the Blvd. on Tuesday

Keep in Touch @ Let's Add Sprinkles

Centerpiece Wednesdays at Karins Kottage

Vintage Charm Party @ Our Hopeful Home on Wednesday

Share Your Style Link Party @ French Ethereal on Wednesday at 6pm

Charming Gardens & Homes Link Party @ Shiplap and Shells on Wednesdays

Tablescape Thursday @ Between Naps on the Porch

Thursday Favorite Things at Follow the Yellow Brick Home

Thankful Thursday @ It's a Small Town Life

Grace at Home @ Imparting Grace on Thursday

Friday Favorites Link Party @ Penny's Passion on Thursday

Farmhouse Friday @ The Painted Hinge

Home Matters Link Party @ Modern on Monticello on Friday

Pink Saturday @ How Sweet the Sound on Friday

Saturday Sparks Link Party @ Pieced Pastimes on Saturday

Sundays at Home @ My Soulful Home on Saturday

At the Lake - Blue Heron

Today was a beautiful day on Kentucky Lake. Hoping to capture some bird pictures, I took my Canon camera with me plus a zoom lens.

I was lucky enough to get some fairly good pics of the Great Blue Heron. This one was busy looking for fish and let me take several shots.

He stands so silently along the water's edge.

They like to be in shallow water and wait for a fish to swim near.

He soon had enough of me snapping my camera and was ready to take off.

They fly with slow wingbeats.

When the heron is soaring, his head is often hunched back towards his neck.

Although many people don't like them on their docks because of the mess they make, I always enjoy seeing them on the water or in the air.

Hope you enjoyed the Blue Heron on Kentucky Lake - Judy

Linking to:

Our World Tuesday on Monday

Photographing New Zealand @ My Corner of the World on Wednesday

Wild Bird Wednesday @ Paying Ready Attention

Thankful Thursday @ It's a Small Town Life

Wandering Camera @ Ink Torrents Graphics on the last Thursday of the month

Little Things Thursday @ Random-osity

Pink Saturday @ How Sweet the Sound

Saturday's Critters @ Viewing Nature with Eileen on Saturday

Bird DePot @ I'd Rather Be Birding

Mosaic Monday @ Letting Go of the Bay Leaf on Saturday

Nature Notes @ Rambling Woods on Monday pm

Astilbe and The Shade Garden

This week in our shade garden, the white Astilbe is just stunning. This Astilbe is in its fifth season.

Wow, don't you just love this plant? The feathery blooms bring great color and texture to this garden.

Other shade loving plants surround the Astilbe in the garden. You can see several varieties of hosta, winter hardy ferns and autumn ferns

This shade-loving garden has been a work in progress over six years. I just kept expanding it until finally I decided to surround it with garden stones to keep its size in check.

A new Hosta to our garden this spring is named Bedazzled Plantain Lily. The tag says is should get 7" H x 21" W.

Spiderwort was added to the garden last fall and I'm happy that it is blooming. It is known for its long bloom period. Each bloom only lasts one day but each plant produces many blooms. I read that it is invasive but who could refuse a free plant from a friend.

Hardy ferns were added each year except this year. This garden is usually my last one to work in each spring because new hardy ferns pop up and I don't want to destroy them.

Hince, I'm still working in here to get rid of some unwanted guests.

The Autumn Ferns were the first ferns added to our shade garden. They are so beautiful throughout the growing season. They emerge as coppery red in the spring then turn to a bright, glossy, kelly green in summer.

I hope you can image how gorgeous they are when the wind is lightly blowing and their fronds (leaves) are moving. Awwwe!

Here is a short video of my Autumn Ferns. Hope it plays. Let me know!

One new Astilbe was added to the shade garden this spring. It is the Country & Western Astilbe with salmon pink blooms. Next year, it should be much larger.

Heucheras (Cora Bells) are also planted in the shade garden. The one below was planted about five years ago.

A new Heuchera was added this year named Marvelous Marble.

I recently found a video channel that is fabulous. The channel is Garden Answer. Here is the link. She has great videos on gardening. You can also find her on Instagram under Garden Answer.

That's it for our Shade Garden, thanks for stopping by - Judy.

Linking to:

Our World @ Our World Tuesday on Monday

Nature Notes @ Rambling Woods on Monday pm

MET Monday @ Between Naps on the Porch

Wonderful Wednesday @ Oh My Heartsie Girl on Monday

All About Home @ Follow the Yellow Brick Home on Monday

Inspire Me Tuesday @ A Stroll Thru Life

Tuesday Turn About Link Party @ Thistle Key Lane at 5 pm on Tuesday

Wonderful Wednesday @ Ducks in a Row on Tuesday evening

My Corner of the World @ Photographing New Zealand on Wednesday

Share Your Style @ French Ethereal on Wednesday at 6 pm

Thankful Thursday @ It's a Small Town Life

Little Things Thursday @ Random-osity

Friday Photo Journal @ Serendipity is Sweet

Thursday Favorite Things @ Katherine's Corner

Flaunt It Friday @ Chic on a Shoestring

Grace at Home @ The Charm of Home on Thursday

Floral Friday @ Floral Friday Foto

A Morning Cup of Joe @ The Cottage Market on Friday

Farm House Friday @ County Road 407

Friday With Friends @ My Hubbard Home

Saturday Sparks @ Pieced Pastimes on Friday

Pink Saturday @ How Sweet the Sound on Friday

Garden Affair @ Jaipur Garden

Sundays at Home @ My Soulful Home on Saturday

Saturday Spotlight @ Calypso in the Country

Celebrate Your Story @ Celebrate & Decorate on Sunday

Mosaic Monday @ Letting Go of the Bay Leaf on Sunday

Love Your Creativity Link Party @ Life and Linda on Sunday at 2pm

Hearth and Soul Link Party @ April J. Harris on Sunday

Sunday Link Party @ Finding Silver Pennies

Sundays on Silverado @ The House on Silverado

Party in Your PJ's @ The Apple Street Cottage on Sunday

Busy Monday @ A Pinch of Joy on Sundays at 5pm

Knock Out Roses

Our Knock Out Roses are just stunning! Take a look at these beautifies:

Knock outs love the sun and like to get 6 to 8 hours of sunlight a day.

Last Mother's Day, my husband bought me two more Red Double Knock Out Rose bushes. I grouped these two with another one to make a cluster of three red Knock Outs. These three are planted along out front sidewalk.

Knock Outs bloom longer than any other flowering shrub. Plus they bloom more often. They are known for their:

Flower Power!

They are considered low maintenance but there are a few tips to growing them: lots of sun; good drainage; a healthy dose of quality food in the spring; prune any blackening stems; and regular watering.

Take a look at these buds getting ready to open! Knock Outs bring instant success to your garden. They were introduced a generation ago. They are so easy to grow and are disease resistant.

There is a family of Knock Outs and Double Knock Outs in several colors.

Now a Petite Knock Out is available. This one only grows to about 18 inches. Source of image.

Watch for my next post on my new Double Knock Outs just planted in another exciting color! Can you guess what color?

Special Note: I have sprayed my roses with Triple Action spray because you may have noticed some small holes in the leaves of my pics. These holes are caused by the Rose Sawfly Worm. This worm is a tiny green worm that feeds on the underneath side of the leaves.

Thanks for stopping by - Judy.

Linking to:

Our World @ Our World Tuesday on Monday

Nature Notes @ Rambling Woods on Monday pm

MET Monday @ Between Naps on the Porch

Wonderful Wednesday @ Oh My Heartsie Girl on Monday

All About Home @ Follow the Yellow Brick Home on Monday

Inspire Me Tuesday @ A Stroll Thru Life

Tuesday Turn About Link Party @ Thistle Key Lane at 5 pm

Wonderful Wednesday @ Ducks in a Row on Tuesday evening

My Corner of the World @ Photographing New Zealand on Wednesday

Share Your Style @ French Ethereal on Wednesday at 6 pm

Thankful Thursday @ It's a Small Town Life

Little Things Thursday @ Random-osity

Friday Photo Journal @ Serendipity is Sweet

Thursday Favorite Things @ Katherine's Corner

Flaunt It Friday @ Chic on a Shoestring

Grace at Home @ The Charm of Home on Thursday

FLORAL FRIDAY FOTOS on Thursday

A Morning Cup of Joe @ The Cottage Market on Friday

Farm House Friday @ County Road 407

Friday With Friends @ My Hubbard Home

Saturday Sparks @ Pieced Pastimes on Friday

Pink Saturday @ How Sweet the Sound on Friday

Garden Affair @ Jaipur Garden

Sundays at Home @ My Soulful Home on Saturday

Saturday Spotlight @ Calypso in the Country

Celebrate Your Story @ Celebrate & Decorate on Sunday

Mosaic Monday @ Letting Go of the Bay Leaf on Sunday

Love Your Creativity Link Party @ Life and Linda on Sunday at 2pm

Hearth and Soul Link Party @ April J. Harris on Sunday

Sunday Link Party @ Finding Silver Pennies

Sundays on Silverado @ The House on Silverado

Party in Your PJ's @ The Apple Street Cottage on Sunday

Busy Monday @ A Pinch of Joy on Sundays at 5pm

Our Mother's Day Table

Our Mother's Day table is set and ready for family to arrive.

As we honor our Mother's today, so many memories of my sweet Mom come flooding in. In this picture, Mom is about 18 years old.

Mom was dedicated to our family and always put us first. She made many of our outfits and made the ones we are wearing in the pic below. My sister is on left with dark hair like Mom and that's me on the right with blonde hair like our Dad.

Back to our Mother's Day Table

Let's talk about the centerpiece for the table. I just love the ribbons!

I bought the ribbon a year or so ago and thought it would be beautiful in a centerpiece.

The aqua vase is filled with peonies, roses and other pink flowers then the ribbon was tied and added to the arrangement.

Lenox Eternal Gold flatware always makes a statement on a table!

The salad plates are Noritate Azalea and have been handed down through three generations of Mothers in our family. I have many piece of this pattern and today only used the salad plates.

White birds sit on each side of the centerpiece. You could think of these birds as our Mothers and Grandmothers who are no longer with us but always in our hearts.