Dogwood Days...It's Hot Hot Hot

Boy!  Nothing like a milestone to get that hit counter binging away!  At 8 this morning before I wrote that entry, it was at 4944.  At 11:30 Cat said it was at 4960.  And an hour later, who else but my friend Robin would be the one... 1 x 5000!  Woooohoooo! Robin, you rock!

So now that the excitement has settled down, and there are no longer any trees going past my window, time for the Dogwood report, with photos of course.

I must have inherited my Dad's car genes because the first thing I wanted to do was stroll through the streets lined with vintage cars.  And there were some real beauties.  Dad always told me there are two types of restoration buffs: purists and butchers.  Dad was a bit of both, but leaned on the purist side.  Anywho, there was much to see...

I think Kermit wants out!  Doesn't it look like he's saying "Help!"  Wonder where Ms. Piggy is?

 

It was the back seat Coca Cola Bear that made me stop.  But then I got to looking at the upholstery, especially the door panels.  Very, very nice workmanship.

Cool garden stakes.

The sticks were beautiful, but what most impressed me was the faces this guy carves out of knotty wood.

The sun popped in and out all morning, but by the time I got down there, ol sol was out to stay, and it was warm.  Whew, it was warm.  I was dressed in layers with Levi's and peeled off most of the layers immediately.  The Festival was packed, and I got to chat with many people I haven't seen in a while.  Saw my former supervisor, Linda, from my days working at the county auto license department.  She was diagnosed with colon cancer after I left twelve years ago, and she's doing great.  Retired, loving it, and healthy, as she should be.  That's good news.

So, I've been telling you about the tulip 'Shirley' and now it's time to let the photos do the talking.

Day 1, immediately after opening.  Shirley starts out a creamy yellow.  Look closely and you will see an ever so slight tinge of purple on the very tip of the petal.  In the left background is a Ballade, still closed.

Day 4.  Shirley is now white, and the purple is more prominient.  But the show is just getting started.  And Ballade is now open as well.  The tulip behind Ballade is Rembrandt, which you'll see in a bit.

Day 6.  Not much change yet, but she's just getting started.  Over the next week you will not believe your eyes.  This tulip is a show stopper. 

And this beauty is Rembrandt.  It didn't come up last year, and I'd forgotten about it.  So it was a lovely surprise when I saw it the other day.  Beautiful, no?

Well, that's all for now.  It's been a very busy day and I need to recharge.  Thank you to everyone who stopped by today.

Tomorrow's my birthday.  :)

 

~~'Tis the set of the sails and not the gales which decides the way to go. ~
Ella Wheeler Wilcox~~