I was born a poor black child.
Just kidding, I stole that line from the movie "The Jerk".
I was the seventh child born to my dear parents. My parents loved me, my six siblings doted on me. Everything was warm, soft and cuddly in my world.
Then, just after my fourth birthday, the warm soft rug was ripped out from under me and I was dumped on my little fanny. I reached my arms up to my family and waited for one of my adoring siblings to help me up, but they had turned their backs on me. They were too busy cuddling and loving on some new baby.
The new kid turned out to be the
real 'baby of the family', and he knew just what he was doing from the very beginning. He conveniently had the umbilical cord wrapped around his neck and was blue and near to death when he was born. He
knew arriving that way would make him more precious to the rest of the family. OK, he was kinda cute.....in a blue sort of way.... I guess. How was I suppose to compete with this?
I was very shy as a child. I was also the biggest tomboy the world has seen, I played football with boys, without a shirt (weather permitting), until Mom came out and made me put one on.
By the time I was in fifth grade I definitely needed to keep my shirt on. However, I was adamant that I would never wear a bra, they were for pansy girly girls. I was a rough, tough manly girl. By the sixth grade I was finally forced to get a bra. I had fought a long hard battle, but my mom and older sisters won out, my first bra was a large B cup, no training bra could contain my hated over-abundance. Of course the little brother had to come along to the store. As I was being ruthlessly strapped into the torture device, he was peeking under the dressing room door. I couldn't even suffer this humiliation without him being cute and adorable.
Truth be told, he was a cute and adorable child, I loved him as much as everyone else. I never resented him at all.......until last night.
He is married to a lovely lady, who I call Supah Sistah. They have four lovely girls. He is a good dad, husband, cook, dresser, wine-maker, designer, brother and son. I have to end the sentence there, but I could go on and on singing his praises. Did I mention he just started a new batch of wine, about 60 bottles? I do enjoy sampling his wine, 2008 was a very good year for wine.
Supah Sistah is an RN, she runs the education department at their local hospital. She sometimes travels for her job, this week she is away at a conference. When she is gone, younger brother takes care of their home and four kids like it is no big deal. Last night he came home from work, fed the kids (and our parents and I) then he proceeded to can twenty quarts of salsa with Mom and I. He is going to can tomato jelly tonight. He has promised me a couple of jars.
If only he wasn't so darn likable. But finally, last night, I found something I do resent, it is his children. They are freaks of nature! They helped us when asked, were cute and entertaining as we ate together, and then, get this, they went off and entertained themselves quietly for the rest of the evening while we worked. What was that about! Where was the whining, the "I'm bored." or "Get me a drink" or "I'm hungry." The fighting? When they needed something they helped themselves, or the older girls helped the younger. My boys are great and I love them dearly, but they behave as wild undiciplined boys are wont to do.
Aren't they adorable?
This time of the year I like to take pictures of how things look and make plans for what I want to do next year. 
Notice the screen of Emerald Green Arborvitae trees behind the garden? Like eyebrows on a face, the garden looked unfinished without them. They will fill in to form a solid screen about twelve to fifteen feet tall.
The silver lace vine did well this year. I think I'll remove the trellis next year and let it grow along the ground. I like how it creeps between the rocks and other flowers.
