It is amazing that it has been almost a month since I have wrote. WOW. I, myself, am glad Christmas is over. I took down my "fake" tree tonight, still have the lights up (because they make the yard to pretty at this somewhat bare time of year) and am glad it is done. A New Year's resolution is to walk my 30 acre pasture (with camera in my hand of course) every day. I saw this today...
I acquired a couple of new mares this week... and while on my way to pick them up, I saw this site... pretty common, but not by my camera. *grin* Mississippi Road is what I call it.

We had snow. My girls' first. I grew up in Oklahoma and love the Deep South because of the lack of it. Whoop de do. But made some nice photos. The Equines were not real happy either.

I hope all enjoyed a Merry Christmas. I look forward to the next year. My garden was just taking shape the end of this last season... It will be FABULOUS this next year. Happy New Year to All!!

Rambling Around My Garden

I picked up a bunch of rose bushes from Wal-Mart after the season

was over. They "really" seem to like it here and are blooming

prolifically. Especially this one, which I planted over the grave of my beloved

MinPin, Brandi Twinkle Toes, who passed away in September.

My husband teases me by saying they must really like

"dead dog".

He is so mean.

A garden is a lovesome thing, God wot!

Rose plot,

Fringed pool,

Ferned grot ---

The veriest school

Of peace; and yet the fool

Contends that God is not ---

Not God! in gardens! when the eve is cool?

Nay, but I have a sign;

'Tis very sure God walks in mine.

Thomas Edward Brown

My goldfish deck is pictured above. Showing its age a bit,

but loved and used everyday, just as it has been the past 12 years.

Above is the tomato bush. My husband tells me they need to be
"beaten" to produce tomatos. He decided it needed transplanting
the first of the summer after I had it growing fine for a month.
Durn near killed it then.
Then the hornworms ate it down to nothing... twice.
It has really taken off the past couple of weeks.
We got down to 34 last night... and it looks bright and perky this
morning with lots of blooms and several tomatos.
Perhaps a heavy freeze will hold off until we get to eat a few.

My beautiful little Saffron Finches... warm and toasty under their
heat lamp.

My Princess of Wales grasskeet. Quite photogenic!

My nasty lettuce from a previous post... looking oh so awesome!
And Brusty Roosty sneaking into the shot.

More lettuce with the bright little pansies getting into full bloom.

To bad the "bunny" doesn't like the lettuce either!

Yes! ShadowySteeds Has Horses!

Yesterday, I was asked about my blog name... ShadowySteeds. Yes, I have horses. And I they are as important as my garden! Above is my Paint stallion, Smooth Rebel Cause. I decided to post a few photos of my equines that were taken in a "garden" setting... as I, as an equine photographer, think they should be!

As you will note, the azaleas offer so many photo opportunities. Above is my Egyptian Arabian mare, Fi Zilylah. 18 years young this coming Feb.

The old mare Serr Beth, another Egyptian Arabian. She has since passed at the age of 28. But I love this photo and have an oil pastel I did hanging on my wall in her memory.

Azaleas again (I just love them for photo shoots). And a Straight Egyptian Arabian stallion I used to own. Fi Zilylah, above, is his daughter....

My oldest daughter some years back on her first pony, Fancy

Just a pretty shot of a Half Arab mare I have now. She is for sale!

My first Paint mare. She still graces my pastures and has had many fine foals

Old Dahriefa, Al Khamsa Arabian mare, with my pines behind her. Sadly, they are all gone due to Katrina. And so is Dahriefa...

Just wanted to share.

A Few "Feathered" Flowers

A most important part of my garden is my birds. We have large parrots to small finches. I really haven't bred anything to actually sell... I just like taking care of them, having them here to enjoy and watching the babies grow. Above is Rio, a Quaker that is no longer with us. I hand raised him some years ago. About two years ago, he got loose from his cage and I found that he was perfectly content to follow me around the farm and never stray far. He had the cats petrified of him... as he was quick to bite (any thing or any body!!) so they never bothered him. Sadly we lost him the beginning of the summer due to an illness.

This is a pair of Fischer Lovebirds. They are not the friendliest of birds as far as being companions for people, but they did raise some babies for me. They would just as soon be left alone but most certainly have stunning coloring. Pretty to look at, but Boy! They let you know when you have upset them!

The beautiful little Canaries. I have one that lives in my bedroom sitting window and he wakes me every morning about 6:30am with his sweet song!

Above are the sweet, sweet little Star finches. Native to Australia, they do really well here. Another of my favorite of the smaller birds as they make such cute chirping sounds. And I love their pretty yellow bodies and bright red faces.

I must say the above two photos are of my favorite feathered flowers here. They are also native to Australia... the lovely little Bourke Parakeet. They are not as noisy as the Parakeet we are used to here, but at daybreak and dusk, they come to life. Their chirps and tweets are the kindest little noises I have heard. I cannot imagine living somewhere, and have these gorgeous gifts living out in the wild. Mine are very people oriented, and will come up and whisper away to a listening ear.

Only a few of our feathered Jewels! They certainly add to a garden. Have a great Wednesday!

Melancholy Sunday

I am sad for some reason. Don't know why. I haven't felt like writing or posting photos, tho' many have been taken. Tonight, I sat outside and enjoyed the weather. Hurricane Ida is coming in. I love the storms until I have to clean up the aftermath. I think that most people don't know what really happened with Katrina. New Orleans just got drowned. After the fact. When you live in a soup bowl, you are going to get water. Figure it out. And plan ahead.

Mississippi got swiped over. A paw that flattened everything on the Coast. We lost 80% of our trees. God insured that none hit our home. Safe and sound. But it was worse than an Oklahoma tornado, which I have lived through several. Tornados come unexpectedly. You have no time to prepare. Hurricanes give plenty of notice. There is no reason to not be ready!

Wishing all who may be in Ida's path a safe passing.

Our Newest Garden Addition

A little over a month ago, my husband got the fiberglass goldfish pond we had been given a few years back installed. It was a magnet for several different dragonfly varities and I was able to get a few to sit still long enough to photo.


This was the pond after we first installed it. This past week I have been planting snapdragons, pansies and a few strawberry plants along with the rose bushes that seem to love the location. I enjoy the fact that gardens are always evolving. Ever changing. It is amazing how our piece of land has changed over the past 16 years.

A Big Thanks!

To all who commented on my lettuce issue! I have decided to go ahead and let them cycle. It will be a learning experience to watch them go through their life cycle. At least now I know what "bolt" means!

More Lettuce, With a Cat...

Love the butterflies.... can't do without them. Love the bees too.




Can't overlook the Brusty Roosty's that keep the eggs going! I love my Banties.




My pretty Romaine that tastes so nasty!!




I have enough cats. I need more lettuce.


More lettuce

My Garden Ghosts

A friend asked me some time ago,
do you ever see Spirits flying to and fro'?

Perhaps in your garden where so many souls,
could have walked and played their restless roles?

I told my friend if there be such Ghosts you can rest assured,
I don't want to be seeing their images, old, new or "highly" referred!

Because only Angels come from God Above!
And his Angels, if I see, I love!

Only Angels can live in my Garden you see.
With the Butterflies, flowers, herbs and bees.

Robin L. Weeks

This is my daughter, who is my "Angel"... one of two!!

Growing Lettuce

Working on the winter garden. My lettuce looks so happy!! But tastes so bad!! What am I doing wrong?

We have Butter, Romaine, and Red Loose Leaf....

For all of you accomplished lettuce gardeners out there... my lettuce looks really "pretty"... and it has been in the ground less than a month (two weeks at the most)... why does it taste bitter? How do you "harvest" lettuce? I need guidance!

I don't grow veggies except for 'maters. I prefer Herbs and Flowers.

Oh well, the flowers are planted that will winter here and bloom. They have been planted to take the place of the plants that will die after we get a good freeze. But I surely was looking forward to my own tasty lettuce for the next little while!!



Having fun with the blog. Looking and learning. Thanks to all have visited and wrote! It is greatly appreciated. Probably will post more photos later as I live with my camera, in my garden, and can't help but post my precious photos! Warmest to All, RLw aka The Flying Orchid

Chinese The Guinea Pig

We had to bury the Guinea Pig we have had for two years. My youngster was was not worried at all. This was HER pet.... but I was the only one who loved the creature.

NO MORE PETS FOR MY KIDS.

'Course we already have a farm full!

Rest in peace little guy. I will miss you greeting me at the bird room door every morning...

Polly The Congo African Grey

She doesn't much like to be handled, but boy can she talk! I have come running to the house from the barn numerous times because she imitates the sound of my girls screaming... perfectly!

A First Glimpse of My Home

I am trying to figure this out!! I can't decide if I want to put photo descriptions above or below! Will do below for this one...

This is my parrot room. I have several Congo Arfrican Greys and one Amazon. John, who is the main Grey... sounds just like my camera... which no longer works now. Well, works, but is crippled... *sigh* Jiggers is the "Guard Dog" below. He is very ferocious if he has companions. Otherwise, he just barks real tough!

My Bird Room. They do not all fly around together, so I suppose we cannot call it an aviary. I have several pair of exotic finches and they reminded me of little orchids flitting around... hence the name of my aviary and my blog!


Our back porch.... Polly the Parrot lives in that cage. She sounds like anyone who has ever come through here. Down to the clucklin like a chicken and screamin' like the girls!

No.. she doesn't cuss. Yet.

Tator the Gator. Couldn't think of a better name at the time, and my two youngsters were staring at me. Of course, they think everything needs a name! We have had a trying day here... but the photo shoot was enjoyable and reminded me of how lucky I am to have this piece of property as my Home!

In the Deep South, Wiggins, Mississippi, we have an evening where all the businesses gather 'round and give candy to all the children. It is a picture taking extravaganda.

The photo above is not even of a guy or children in costume... but it is my favorite and I love it!!

They gave out little fireman's hats along with candy at the Wiggins Fire Department...

Here in the Great State of Mississippi, our inmates have to work for a living. I thought this was too cute, because you see "real" inmates walking beside a "sherif's" truck, picking up trash. Every day, in real life. No free rides here.

Grumpy to sad.... yikes!

No words to write here. Happiness.

No words, too cute.

My little princess, Susannah. Age 6.

My eldest... Serena, age 11.

Not having much fun!!

We passed this little youngster numerous times. Couldn't decide which photo I liked best.

Cute little guy... looked bored with the whole thing.

The above was indeed the coolest of the costumes!!

This lady looked to be having a great time.. and I want her sweater!!