This Week at Iten's Acres Last Anniversary Portfolio August 1, 2015

One more.  Hope you're not flowered out by now.  This portfolio will contain the wild flowers blooming at The Acres this anniversary morning.  Wild things!

This Week at Iten's Acres Portfolio Four Anniversary Edition August 1, 2015

Portfolio Four will just be the "stuff" that's been coming up already.  Most of these you've probably seen already in previous editions of Iten's Acres this year.  Enjoy at second look as they continue to bloom this anniversary day August 1.

This Week at Iten's Acres Portfolio Three Anniversary Edition August 1, 2015

Portfolio three will be the annuals that I have planted around The Acres.  Poor things only get to live here for one year.  Unless, of course, they seed themselves like the morning glories and cosmos do almost every time.

This Week at Iten's Acres: Portfolio Two Anniversary Edition August 1, 2015

Portfolio Two will be all the day lilies that are still blooming:

This Week at Iten's Acres: Portfolio One Anniversary Celebration August 1, 2015

To commemorate the beginning of my second decade at The Acres, I will post a series of photographs of what was blooming this morning--August 1, 2015.  First, the new things that just started blooming this week--mostly hibiscus and rose of Sharon, but some other things as well.  Enjoy the first "portfolio."

Today at Iten's Acres: An Anniversary August 1, 2015

If I am not mistaken--I suppose I could do the research and be sure (Nah!), today marks the end of my first decade at The Acres. Anyway, it's been awhile. Moved in on August 1st one day in the ancient past. Some things remain the same. The Ancient Maple, The Sentinel, Hester, the giant evergreen, the Old Apple, and the Old Dogwood are still adding their beauty to each day. The Ancient Maple lost a little of its magnificence to Hurricane Ike, and The Sentinel loses a branch or two every year, but they are still wonders of the Iten World. The Bog is still here as well; and the Pond. Though, I have gone from wondering what to do with The Bog to rejoicing in its almost year long beauty From the huge pussy willow at its edge to the blooms of fall--cardinals, mallow, hibiscus, milkweed, verain, Queen of the prairie, lobelia, obedient plants--it is gorgeous. (I'm not sure if my neighbors would agree, but . . .) And, of course, I've been driving the little red wagon all these years. How it has survived the Backroads of Morrow County I do not know--but it has. A miracle machine. And, ah, the miles we have spent cruising The Backroads.
Many things have been added naturally. Lots of flower beds and flower areas of all kinds in all kind of environs punctuate--and spotlight--The Acres loveliness. I love its wildness. I must admit, however, that I have begun to redo--raise--some of the beds in the last couple of years. A little less wildness, though trust me, there is still acres of it everywhere--and always will be. I'm certain, in fact, that I will never live long enough--on earth--to redo and raise all the beds I want to, but the anticipation and the manual labor are a joy. And once I'm Home, I won't care what Rehoboam does to the place smile emoticon. It is just as much fun to move things as to plant new ones. And cheaper. smile emoticon
The biggest change to The Acres since my arrival is the clearing of the back three or so acres. Completely overgrown when I arrived, it now hosts Iten's Park--green throne and all: Meadow, a flower bed, an orchard, a rock garden (pile), and several plots of just plain wildness intersected by my walking paths. I could--I do--just spend hours out there walking, sitting, planting, moving, feeding the swallows, caught up at times in pathitis--a myriad of creative ways of doing nothing but basking in the breezes and the beauty. Such a strenuous life I live. Sigh.
The cave as dilapidated as it is feels like home--well, it is home. I love it. For five wondrous years I got to share its wonders with Mom. (Too bad Pop didn't get to see The Acres. He would have loved them too.) Lord willing, I will get to spend a few more years here even though my three score and ten are about used up. Always count on grace. Homesteader loves it here as well--as long as the slave responds to her every command--uh, wish, I meant to say.
"Time like an ever rolling stream calls all her sons away" . . . Until the stream calls, I will enjoy each day at The Acres--thank you, Lord for such a wondrous gift to an old man. Amazingly you give such gifts to your children simply because You want to--we are the apple of Your eye. Yes, thank you for the beauty, the sense of Your presence as I stroll among your beautiful works, the surprises my Gardening Angles give to me each year, and the joy of sharing it with Mom. It was, no doubt, a gift to her as well. This is the day the Lord has made; I will rejoice and be glad in it.

I could handle another ten years I imagine.