Here are the three crosses on Keslinger Road that mark the spot where Andrew and Jarrett went to heaven.
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Sunday, July 10, 2011 - As we were driving back from Rosita's on Keslinger, I kept looking back to see if anyone was behind us so I could take a picture of the boys' crosses.

No one was. So I did.

They've done extensive pruning of the trees along that fence where the crosses are secured. Now, you can really see very well.

God bless whoever had the idea to put them inside the fence so I didn't have to go out there and weed whack the grass every week.

Plus, it looks to me like someone painted Jarrett's name darker? If so, that's sweet. ......now, I seriously have to go outside and swim -- well, it's actually doggie paddling. later, djb

Looking down the hill yesterday with Andrew's tree in the foreground and Jarrett's tree further down -- and way further down is their grave.


And here's what Andrew and Jarrett's grave looked like yesterday - the Stella d'oro daylilies are in full bloom. Just gorgeous!!
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Monday, June 27, 2011 - When I stopped by the boys' grave yesterday, I could NOT believe how great the Stella d'oros look. They've finally come into their own. WOW!

I just realized that I should also put a picture of their evergreen trees on here. Okay, let me go do that......done.

Jarrett's tree is growing like a weed. I took a couple of pictures looking up the hill at both of them. WOW! It's a good thing
Fred recommended moving them sooner rather than later or we'd surely be in big trouble.

Or someone would have had a nice Christmas tree last year. gotta go...bye for now. djb

Here's the Peace Rose that's on the lower right side next to Jarrett's tree (below). It totally surprised me by its bloomage and also the fact that none of the deer have eaten it yet. WOW!


Here's Jarrett's white pine tree that he got in third grade. It has really taken off. And, you can almost see the Peace Rose on the right side.
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Monday, June 20, 2011 - It's almost summer! As I write this, we're having a large group of thunderstorms moving through the area. At this moment, it's dark as night but very quiet except for the distant sounds of thunder rumbling...

Yikes! That could be the "calm before the storm." It's so weird to have it so dark in the morning. Usually, I'm trying to keep the sun out of my eyes when I'm sitting here. That's funny.

Better go put in a picture of the Peace Rose. bye, djb

Here's the pool this morning at 7:36 a.m. Don't have to put any water in it today, Mother Nature is helping fill it up.
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Thursday, June 9, 2011 - Yesterday - early afternoon while the temperature was 92 degrees - I painstakingly vacuumed the pool, scrubbed it with the scrubby brush and skimmed out all of the leaves and little weasels. It was perfectly gorgeous & clear.

When Bob got home from work, he had to go in the pool to take a dip because by then, I think the temperature was around 94 degrees. At 9:30 last night, it was still 85.

Now, it's around 65 degrees. That'll be the high for today. We're in for a lot of stormy weather. Isn't there a song about that? haha see ya later, djb

This is a picture of the rain coming down in buckets yesterday! The cover is still on the pool. It is supposed to be coming off today around noon.
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Monday, May 30, 3011 - Memorial Day. We had a horrible thunderstorm yesterday....no, make that two intense systems that went through here in the late morning and again in the early afternoon dropping a total of 3.12 inches in Elburn.

I had planned to go into the cemetery to put some red, white and blue decorations on the boys' grave but had to wait until 4:30 before I could safely drive on the roads. Everything was flooded!!

I put two patriotic pinwheels in front of their evergreen trees. They already had the portable bleachers set up near the road by their trees. The pinwheels are cute and there's a lot of wind.

This morning, at 9 a.m., they were having the Memorial Day observance at Blackberry Cemetery as they have for many years. Bruce Conley always played Taps. I'm sure they'll play the tape of his rendition. He was the BEST.

They take such great care of our cemetery. It looks so perfect and beautiful. It's a very lovely, final resting place. God bless them all. djb

Here's a picture of Annie Oaktree. It's not the one I really want to put in here but at least you can see how TALL she is.
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Saturday, May 28, 2011 - You can find anything you want on the internet. Amazing, isn't it. When I looked for beneficial fungus for oak trees, this is what I found at treehelp.com:

Mycorrhizal Fungi -Mycorrhizal fungi is a relatively new soil treatment for trees. Co-existing with trees and plants in nature for hundreds of millions of years, these beneficial fungi provide a "safety net" for the tree in times of stress. By colonizing the roots and extending themselves further into the soil, the fungi enable the tree to take in more nutrients and moisture. The result is a healthier, more robust tree better capable of withstanding the many stressful conditions that exist in an urban environment.

The term 'mycorrhizae' describes a symbiotic relationship between beneficial fungi and plants. Mycorrhizal fungi live in and around the roots of most plants. In exchange for sugars and simple carbohydrates, the mycorrhizal fungi absorb and pass on minerals and moisture required for the plant's growth.

In nature, mycorrhizal fungi are found on about 99% of plant species, but in urban environments, the poor, compacted soils often lack this essential fungi.

from: www.treehelp.com

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The other day, I dug 40 six-inch deep holes around the drip line of Annie Oaktree so I could put the mycorrhizal fungi in and cover it up and soak the earth around it.

I did the first watering and Mother Nature did the next one. Hopefully, the fungi is going to fix everything. But on Monday, I have to dig more holes in the ground to put in the fertilizer that is specific to oak trees.

It's going to be 90 degrees on Monday (the REAL Memorial Day). That should be a fun job. see ya later. djb

Andrew's white pine tree. He brought it home from school when he was in third grade. And look at it now!
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Friday, May 6, 2011 - One of the main reasons that I wanted to have professional tree trimmers take care of the pruning job this spring was to clear the branches around Andrew's white pine tree so it can grow unimpeded.

A few years ago, I managed to chop off a few branches here and there on that offending maple but I don't have a tall enough ladder to reach the higher branches. Probably a good thing.

I love trees. And I love flowers. I'm beginning to like grass a little bit. But I HATE quack-grass. And for some reason, it likes to grow near the road in the front yard. yuk!!!

The only way to get rid of it is to kill it with noxious chemicals, wait a while and then plant some grass. Actually not a bad idea. haha Now, it's really time to skedaddle. later, djb

P.S. Word to the Wise: NEVER, EVER, EVER plant zoysia grass. It turns brown in the winter and looks ugly, uglier, ugliest!!!! (although it is soft underfoot....)