Shotsy, the Downy Woodpecker, is enjoying the buffet of sunflower seeds in Sunflowerland.
Photography by Curtis and Norma Beaird
Dakota Black, the Fish Crow, posed for a photograph in Sunflowerland.
Copyright 2017, Curtis and Norma Beaird. All rights reserved.
A sunflower in our garden that has grown from all volunteer bird seed. Thank you, Lord!
Photography by Curtis Beaird
Poem by Norma Beaird
Sunflowers are God's way of putting sunshine in a garden.
You can't help but notice a big, beautiful yellow sunflower!
It screams out for attention.
It brings your heart joy.
You can't be around sunflowers and feel depressed.
A dose of sunflowers yields a big 'ole dose of happiness.
If there was ever a flower that encouraged joy, it would be a sunflower.
Copyright 2017, Curtis and Norma Beaird. All rights reserved.
The amazing Cardinal Climber vine will attract hummingbirds and butterflies to your yard. In this picture, you can see the pollen on the lovely bright red flower.
Photography by Curtis Beaird
Story and Poem by Norma Beaird
We planted the Cardinal Climber seeds in mid May. It takes approximately 90+ days for the flower to bloom. It does take a while, but it's well worth it. We actually over-planted the seeds so that we would have an explosion of red blooms. We also planted late because we were attempting to time it just right for Ruby-throated Hummingbird migration. During this time of year, birds are flying south to their winter location.
A Cloudless Sulphur butterflylands on the Cardinal Climber.
Butterflies love the Cardinal Climber!
We see these little yellow treasures flying all over the yard and all over the Cardinal Climber.
Every day, we walk outside to see more blooms!
Cardinal Climbers are native to North America, Asia, South Africa and the West Indies. They are members of the Morning Glory family. The South is the perfect place for planting Cardinal Climbers. Cardinal Climber plants need full sun to reach their full potential. They prefer rich, well drained soils, and they need to be watered frequently during dry periods.
And, the moment finally arrived.
There she was....
a beautiful and young Ruby-throated Hummingbird female. She is friendly and excited to see the abundance of Cardinal Climber blooms. She has been a regular visitor for several days!
We love to have fun and experiment with our photography. In this picture, we had sprayed the Cardinal Climbers with a fine mist of water. We were very careful to use a fine mist. This created little water droplets that add a unique dimension to the picture.
The Ruby-throated Hummingbirds,
migration fills the skies,
with yellow Cloudless Sulphurs,
and the many butterflies.
They fly south for the winter,
'cause the chill is coming soon,
We hope they stop and visit us,
They know that we have room.
For in the yard, we're ready,
with the Cardinal Climber vine,
our flying friends are welcome,
to come visit us sometime.
Copyright 2015, Curtis and Norma Beaird. All rights reserved.
Sunflower field next to an old wooden cabin in Montgomery County, Georgia
Photography by Curtis and Norma Beaird
Poem by Norma Beaird
To behold a sunflower is to LOVE a sunflower!
This beautiful flower is a ray of sunshine on a cloudy day.
It's a gentle reminder of the blessings of the Lord and how we can find happiness in the simple things of life......lovely moments in nature remind us that He is near.
When life shows up with circumstances that don't agree with our well-crafted agendas, a sunflower is a sign of hope, that even after a storm, the sun will shine again.
A sunflower is like melted butter on bread that has been toasted in a cast iron skillet. Their brightly hued petals tastes good to the soul on a planet filled with bitterness and tears.
Sunflowers like bees and bees like sunflowers! A bumble bee buzzes around a sunflower while this burst of yellow gold just stands there and screams
"I'm Happy and I'm Contagious"!
More Montgomery County sunflowers!
A sunflower reminds us of the innocence of a child, the sweetness of honey and the fragrance of orange groves. They invigorate us like raindrops through a cool mountain breeze while we sip on a hot cup of coffee! Sunflowers bring us comfort and peace.
Sunflowers are like happy people.....they smile at everyone they meet and give us another reason to have faith in God's glorious creation, which includes us. We were created in the image of God. Sunflowers are generous.....because they give so much more than they receive.
Sunflowers are like bananas because they are good for you. Sunflowers are nourishment for nature and food for the spirit. Just beholding one of these grand designs of creation will bring showers of optimism and tranquility in the desert of fear and anxiety.
Sunflowers pollinate the world with joy!
Sunflower fields should be a requirement on every highway and street.
Sunflower field in Montgomery County!
Sunflowers are a sign that God will take care of us.
They produce food for the birds and their seeds produce a starburst of promise.....a promise that as a seed is planted in the ground, the rain will fall and the sun will shine and the flowers will bloom again.
Another day, another sunflower....
in Montgomery County from volunteer Black Oil Sunflower Seed!
Copyright 2015, Curtis and Norma Beaird. All rights reserved.
The Magnolia - State Flower of Louisiana and Mississippi
Photography by Curtis and Norma Beaird
Spring and Summer brings a beautiful array of color all across the Southeast. Gardens, backyards and parks will bloom, becoming showcases of fragrant flowers, wildflowers and trees. We are sharing three of the most popular flowers across the Southern United States - the Magnolia, Azalea and the Iris.
The Azalea - State Wildflower of Georgia
The Iris - State Flower of Tennessee
Copyright 2015, Curtis and Norma Beaird. All rights reserved.
The first day of Spring is Friday, March 20, 2015.
Photography by Curtis Beaird
The bees are buzzing all around!
Copyright 2015, Curtis and Norma Beaird. All rights reserved.
Cardinal Climber Bloom
Photography and Article by Curtis Beaird
More than parts of a plant, roots, leaf, stem and flower. Beyond its Xylem and Phloem. Even more than the ingredients of sunlight and water, soil and its nutrients, potassium and nitrogen, with a pinch of calcium thrown in for good measure, the Cardinal Climber is home to life.
With the passing of spring and the fading light of summer’s end, comes the onset of fall. Somewhere in the plant's version of genetics, there is communication. The Cardinal Climber knows. It knows it has reached that time.
Its vines are gnarled and tangled within support branches old and brittle. Leaves once available to sunlight and moisture have curled and frayed. Each, in turn, giving up their part in feeding the Cardinal Climber. The ground that the plant would, if it could call home, is dry and dusty. It’s time.
Time for what? Time to do the only thing that life knows to do, bloom. In spite of it all, even in the face of season's end, our Cardinal Climber remains true to its nature and its Creator. It puts on one more bloom. Regardless of the coming circumstance, regardless of the current circumstance, it gives life one more chance to offer up its best. Our Cardinal Climber blooms.
To read Part One, click on the following link: "What a Cardinal Climber Taught Me"
Copyright 2014, Curtis and Norma Beaird. All rights reserved.
The Cardinal Climber
Photography and Article by Curtis Beaird
Determination is worth the effort.
Cardinal Climbers require some, but not much. Soil, but not the best. Water, in okay amounts. Cardinal Climbers manage; no, they actually use the the full light of the sun and the heat of the day to produce their beauty and best. Things don’t always have to be right for a Cardinal Climber. They are determined to grow.
Take only what you need.
Climbers need water; but, a little goes a long way. They clearly decided long ago, somewhere between the ice age and our back yard, that they can and will make up the difference between what it has, what it needs and its intent on life and growth. It understands how much is enough.
Too much of a good thing can cause problems.
The Climber knows water is critical to life; but, too much can bring blight. It’s glad for an easy does it approach to this wet necessity. It uses what it has and seems glad for what it got. The little blooms are beautiful.
Use what you have. Work with what you’ve got.
Our Cardinal Climber accepted the aid of a scraggly bush. The gnarly limbs were way short of the full length that the Climber could and would grow. Once it reached the highest point, the Cardinal Climber used the circumstance to produce a cascading flow of popping red blooms.
Reach.
Always grow toward the light. The Cardinal Climber, as its name implies, is happiest climbing. Climbing is its native joy. Once it reaches the top of its support, a trellis or a tree, it will reach a little further, striving for the light.
Share.
The Cardinal Climber’s bright red blooms brings beauty to the world and offers sustenance to butterflies and hummingbirds. The Cardinal Climber avoids greed, participates freely in the lives of its neighbors, and celebrates the rain when it comes. The Cardinal Climber is generous.
Sustain Yourself. Plan on Surviving.
Cardinal Climbers plan ahead. Spring brings roots and delicate stems and then vines reaching for the sky. Summer brings a burst of bright red blooms. While small in size, they are a delight when at their full number. The approaching Autumn brings the seed, a tough, dark shell holding next year’s life. About three times the size of the period at the end of this sentence, the Cardinal Climber seed puts enough of itself into this rough husk to make it through the winter and be ready for Spring’s first rains.
Even a Cardinal Climber can be our teacher.
To read Part Two, click on the following link: "Bloom"
Copyright 2014, Curtis and Norma Beaird. All rights reserved.
Waxing Gibbous Moon at 99% of full
May 13, 2014
Article and Photography by Norma Beaird
According to Farmer's Alamanac:
Full Flower Moon – May In most areas, flowers are abundant everywhere during this time. Thus, the name of this Moon. Other names include the Full Corn Planting Moon, or the Milk Moon.
The above moon was photographed on May 13th. We had hoped for a clear night on May 14th; however, when we looked at the NEXRAD radar, this was the picture:
Therefore, we didn't capture the moon at 100% of full, but we were rather happy with the beautiful moon on May 13th. Therefore, we named it the "Almost" Full Moon. Since the month of May is the Flower Moon, we are sharing some lovely purple wildflowers that we photographed on the side of a rural Georgia highway!
Copyright 2014, Curtis and Norma Beaird. All rights reserved.
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