Beauty and the Beast

 Several years ago, my dad and I got a little, tiny clipping from a beautiful camellia bush from my grandparents' old homeplace.  It was a bush that my dad had planted in front of the house when he was a young fella.

I like to root clippings from other people's flowers.  My MaMa Kimball taught me how to do it, and I've been very successful.  I've rooted azaleas, hydrangeas, roses, and yes, now, even a camellia.

The problem with the camellia was that for years, all it was was a healthy, green bush.  It was growing, but never had any blooms.  But this year, I'VE GOT A BLOOM.  Only one, but still.  I was so excited.  So excited, in fact, that I felt it was blogworthy!

For Christmas, Jeff bought me a pretty bird feeder that holds sunflower seeds.  I have loved watching all the different birds that come by my feeder.  What I have not enjoyed, however, is this pest!

We have tried the stuff that you put on the pole that makes it slippery, but the squirrels around here are too smart for that.  They seem to be able to jump 10 feet and hang upside down from the feeder.  They've gotten harder and harder to scare off, too.  Anyone have any suggestions how to keep these pesky varmints off my bird feeder?  I wouldn't mind so much if they just stopped by and got a snack and moved on.  But they sit there are pig out and scare the birds away.

I would like to blog more often, but so far this morning, my experience has caused me to tear a couple of handfuls of my hair out.  Any tips?

Till next time, blogging peeps, have a lovely weekend.  Hope the sun's shining in your neck of the woods, 'cause it sure ain't in mine!