elle's Green Earth

Scuppernongs are Almost Ready

2009-09-04T11:16:00.002-04:00

We've enjoyed several already but the main crop will be ready in about a week.

Ant-ic-i-pa-tion

Our puppy follows us around the vine waiting for juicy ones to fall at her feet and then she pounces!

Beneficial Snake in the Grass

2009-07-09T21:59:00.003-04:00

This Hog Nose snake was gliding through the back yard when my husband saw it and went to get a long dowel to direct it away from the house and into the nearby woods which caused the snake to move into its' protective stance - trying to look like a cobra. Good job.

Introducing Sophie

2009-07-05T23:00:00.003-04:00

Hi, I am a female Yorkshire Terrier and I love my new people and they love me. I like to run, play with my toys, cuddle on laps and nap on the sofa. Oh yes...and eat.

One of my favorite things to do is to drag all of my toys out and make a big pile in the living room .

I am learning to go potty outdoors and to sit quietly in my kennel but when I bark my people say I sound like one of my squeak toys. That's not so bad.

Rescue Me

2009-05-26T12:48:00.003-04:00

I am a male fawn less than a week old and I'm on my way to live with some very nice people who are licensed to rescue and/or rehabilitate young ones like me until they can make it on their own.

Beyond the Sea

2009-06-09T22:35:00.004-04:00

The Savannah River, which is the border between Georgia and South Carolina, ends near the beaches of Tybee Island, Georgia.

The massive cargo ships coming and going into the city of Savannah are fun to watch, wondering which seaport in the world they are headed for.

Notice the Bulge in His Belly in the Upper Left

2009-05-15T18:12:00.002-04:00

I felt sorry for whatever the snake had eaten even though I know it's the way of things.
Clicking on the photo will give an excellent point of view.

The Green Earth's Food Chain Is Working Well

2009-05-13T12:30:00.004-04:00

The day after the Grapevine post, on Mother's Day to be exact, we checked the grape arbor and there he or she was. In the scuppernong arbor with a large lump halfway down his body.

The snake moved away from us and curled up in an empty bird nest.

I Heard it Through the Grapevine

2009-05-09T20:50:00.003-04:00

That a snake in the grass had crawled up into this scuppernong arbor to seek refuge from a husband showering it with a hosepipe.

When I braved up to go see and take a picture...it was gone.

Or was it?

Masters Week is Coming

2009-04-05T12:33:00.004-04:00

Blooming azaleas are the groundhog of the Masters Golf Tournament. If they're blooming it means Masters Week is almost here.

If they are blooming, they will come.

In the South, especially around Augusta, Georgia and Aiken, South Carolina, we look to the buds to tell the golf season the way we look to the groundhog to tell the end of Winter.

It's been a mild winter and we've had a lot of rainy Spring days bringing out the best in our Dogwoods and Azaleas.

We get to enjoy this beauty all year round and we are proud that you all get to see it at it's best.

Loaves and Fishes

2009-04-01T14:22:00.001-04:00

Presenting Bailey

2009-03-05T13:26:00.005-05:00

Hi, my name is Bailey and I am a 4 month old mixed breed female puppy.

I am a friendly, cuddly, squishy and sometimes mischievously entertaining ball of fluff.

My people love me very much and I allow them to take care of all my needs.

Sunset on Silver Bluff

2008-12-07T14:39:00.002-05:00

A view that never will be taken for granted.

Sunsets are beautiful.

The stars and the moon light the earth.

Meteors flash their showy colors.

The Desert Blooms

2008-11-24T13:43:00.003-05:00

Even Sin City has green beauty. Not all is concrete and desert although this beautiful flower was blooming right next to the eight and ten lane boulevard known as The Strip in Las Vegas.

Tourism may be down and money may be tighter but the world keeps spinning, for now, and the seasons keep changing and God keeps feeding the birds, counting my hairs and dressing the flowers in greater splendor than a king.

Fire and Rain on My Green Earth

2008-11-04T00:18:00.003-05:00

Autumnal fire meets cool rain and creates a really nice photo op. This season is transitioning right on schedule.

Oops! I Did It Again or All Things In Moderation

2008-09-29T11:43:00.003-04:00

This unfortunate bee went head first into the fermenting scuppernong grape and was unable to retreat or either he passed out from drinking the scuppernong wine. Goes to show that even green, organics should be taken in moderation. Greed hurts everyone.
The other bee seems oblivious to the demise of his buddy and keeps searching for his own tap.

Growing Bronze Scuppernongs on Elle's Green Earth

2008-09-22T00:08:00.003-04:00

These are the best scuppernongs I've eaten in a long time and they are mine and ripe for the picking.
One of the best things about growing fruit is the ability to go out the back door any time of day and have a snack fresh off of the vine.
Doesn't get more green or organic than that.
The benefits keep adding up for us too.
We get more fresh air and exercise and now with the experts saying the sun is our friend again maybe we'll get the Vitamin D they say we need after all.

Curiouser and Curiouser

2008-09-17T22:45:00.002-04:00

Mushrooms are blooming and I'm not sure that's a good thing. I will be doing research to see if our yard is missing certain nutrients or has an imbalance causing the eruption of our Fungal Jungle.

Flowering Crabapple Tree

2008-08-30T21:55:00.003-04:00

They say crabapples make a tangy jelly but I just think they're pretty.

Hummingbird Rescue

2008-08-26T14:49:00.004-04:00

A female hummingbird flew into our garage and couldn't find her way back out so we got the ladder and the net both of which are over ten feet tall because our big Hoover garage is about 16 feet high or higher and over 20x30 so a large area to cover.

She was getting tired hovering and getting no where plus the fear of us humans trying eat her, in her perspective I'm sure.

Finally, she was netted by putting the net opening over her and tightening the rim against the ceiling and sort of gently scooting her out the door.

I couldn't see where or if she landed but she was hauling hummingbird butt that's for sure and certain.

Being able to save her was a great feeling. Birds tend to go high when they feel threatened and the ceiling is several feet higher than the door opening. She needed help and I'm really happy we were able to help her.

On a sad note, our Writing Spider has passed away and with no obvious reason. She is so big and beautiful. We will miss her.

2008-08-24T01:21:00.003-04:00

Howdy Neigh-bor!
These horses are just down the road from the house we're buying. I really think this brown mare liked me. We sort of connected. I want to get a bicycle with a basket and pack a lunch and a camera and visit some more once we are settled in. Maybe before. I know I'll need a break from all the work and this would be a good way to find refreshment.

Writing Spider

2008-08-15T14:44:00.004-04:00

The Black and Yellow Garden Spider according to my Google resources.

Dangerous Beauty: Poisonous Plants

2008-08-08T00:42:00.005-04:00

I was researching about how to make a cutting from the Angel Trumpet tree and discovered that while they are easy to root and grow even from seed they are also extremely poisonous.
The experts say not to handle them very much and to be especially careful of the seed pod.
Some say it can affect a person or animal the way a hallucinogenic drug does.

Awareness is my ounce of prevention. I think I'll research every new plant right away from now on.

Green Changes Anyone Can Do Anytime That Also Save Money

2008-07-14T19:53:00.007-04:00

1. Instead of buying or packing extra full size or trial size products re-use plastic bottles for trips. Use them for shampoo, conditioner and liquid soap. Rinse and repeat.

2. Use low wattage light bulbs. Also called energy efficient bulbs. Their shape is different from the traditional incandescent bulbs so they may not fit every lamp or appliance so using traditional bulbs in a lower wattage would save energy.

3. Air dried laundry, especially sheets, smells fresh, saves energy and money. Indoor air drying works well with the folding dryer contraptions that can be stored when not in use. Even in the wintertime they work well if they stand over a heater vent. This will also put humidity into the air which is usually low in the winter with a heater running.

4. Turn the water flow to low and slow when washing your face , brushing your teeth, hand washing dishes or clothes.

5. Turn the dryer off on the dishwasher and let the dishes air dry.

Make it a game to try and see how many ways there are in your day to day life to save energy and money.
It's been said by frugal authorities to try and see what's the least amount of energy or time needed to get the job done.
Use less:
clothes detergent
hot water
water
heat
paper
gas
Until you find your bottom line as far as clean enough clothes or how much water is really needed to wash that load.

Smokey Mountain Pipevine Swallowtail Butterfly By The Chattooga River

2008-05-26T13:45:00.008-04:00

Butterflies absorb moisture and nutrients from the ground made wet by the Chattooga River near Highlands, North Carolina.

This is a blue Pipevine Swallowtail which is somewhat common in the North Carolina mountains and rarely seen in the coastal areas.

The blue colors range from bright blue to a dusky green/gray blue.

A good example of how the Green Earth nourishes its own by providing what we need.

Love is in the Air on elle's Green Earth

2008-05-10T20:19:00.004-04:00

Love was in the air at the state zoo this week and making pink littles seems to be this avians mindset.

Pink flamingos are pink due to the high content of beta carotene in their diets which include algae and small shrimp.

The parents also share nursing duties because, like pigeons, they both have the ability to produce a milk that is high in fat for their young.

Certain species of flamingos are considered threatened.