Crape Mytle Tree



Crape Mytle Tree 06/21/2011



06/21/20011



 It is belived that Marco Polo discoverd the Crape Myrtle tree in the Orient and brought it back to Europe.   The Grape Mytle is more of a southern tree or bush.  Some Crape Myrtles were planted around the Governor's garden in Williams burg, Virgina and they are still there.  They have a very long life and grow to be about 30 feet tall and about 10 to 15 feet across.  The Crape Myrtle is not a very fast growing tree.  A lot of people commit Crape murder, the way they prune the tree.  You can shape it up but do not cut the limbs all the way back to the trunk, this is called Crape murder by the Master Gardeners.  I only cut off what I do not want to grow.  I decided how high I wanted my lowest limb to be from the ground, I cut off any growth below that.  I never let my tree produce seeds and I am rewarded with another blooming.  My Crape Myrtle bloomed 3 times last year.  I found out they would bloom more that once accidentally.  My girls gave me 5 Crape Myrtle trees when I lived in Marion, La.  I planted them in flowers beds, and did not want them to drop the seeds so sprouts would come up, to me this does not look neat, and it can crowd the other plants.  So when their blooms began to fall, I cut the blooms off.  Low and behold they re bloomed, another plus.  So instead of just one blooming a year I have two or three.   Color last a lot longer.    



Close up of my Crape Myrle bloom

I bought this tree in July,2007.  Charlotte, my daughter and I went on a trip to Charleston, South Carolina.  I always have to go to the nurseries in Shreveport, La. before I go home.  We went to my favorite place and bought several small plants and this tree, we had a hard time getting it in the car. I planted my small plants first.. I remove the dirt from the hole and mix coffee grounds and compost to it, then plant my flowers.  However I have a lot of left over soil to carry  to another bed.  By the time I got around to planting this tree, which was about 5 ft tall, my back was hurting so bad I could not lift the tree.  I have told you in earlier posts how I moved next door to Carrel Sheffield in October of 2006 and we became friends.  So to my friend Mr. Sheffield I went and ask if he would help me.  He smiled and planted my Crape Myrtle.  This was the first plant Carrel planted, but not the last.  He asked didn't I have a wheel barrow, yes, but did not think about it.  I always do things the hard way.  I don't know how many buckets of dirt I carried that day, but my back did.  Hope you have enjoyed this page about the Crape Myrtle, and you will not commit Crape murder.  Try cutting your blooms off and see if you will have an extended blooming time with your Crape Myrtle.  My Crape Myrtle tree has just began to bloom the second time this year, it bloomed three times last year.

Just beginning to re bloom 07/29/2011

Bees love Crape Myrtles  08/03/2011

Hope you will continue to watch my garden grow and grow one of your own.  Happy gardening to you from me.  Juanita

First born Grandson Jonathan

Jonathan,Ken, Tafta, Ben Joe and Debbie

Jonathan was the oldest child of my daughter and her husband Ken.  The baby boy loved us.  Jonathan never had his feet on the floor for very long around our house.  A very sweet baby always had a smile.  I never turned down the chance to baby sit.  In fact we had planned to go to a movie one Friday night since we now had children old enough to stay by themselves, but Ken called wanting me to keep Jonathan and I said come on.  Frank asked why, I said babies grow to fast to miss a moment with them.  Ken always bought me some candy for Valentines ( they had a hard time right at first so I think he bought the day after to save money I thought that was smart).  When Jonathan was seven months old Debbie and Ken came over ( climbed in the window and just walked in the den)the day after Valentines.  The first thing I noticed was no baby boy.  I opened the front door and there he sat in the dark, just about to pucker up to cry with a box of candy just about as big as he was.  But when he saw his Grandmother he gave me a big wet eyed smile.  Of course  I got him and gave him a big hug.  I have never forgotten that night, hope I never will.  Jonathan was hard to train.  Debbie now had two in diapers.  I was keeping them one day and he wet his pants and I told him I would cut it off if he did not stop.  I did not crack a smile he looked at me so funny.  Jonathan did not wet his pants any more that day at my house.  That night he told his Daddy I can't wet my pants any more.  Ken thought that was great until Johnathan told him " Grandma said she would cut it off if I wet my pants."  Ken called me and ask if I told his little boy that.  Sure did lets see how it works.  As far as I know it did.  Jonathan is grown now , he made his brags about getting a perfect wife.  She would stay home , keep the house spotless and have his supper on the table when he got home and cook his breakfast before he left.  He married a pretty red head Stacy Newman.  



Stacy and Jonathan

One day Stacy and Jonathan were visiting with my Son Frank, I am sure Stacy knew what Jonathan expected from his wife.  I know this was the goal she told Frank that day that she would be the best in the family.  Stacy girl you have arrived you are the best one.  Stacy and Jonathan have made a great couple.  They have a nice home and four beautiful children, two boys and two girls.  Jonathan is a fine young man, I think, a lot like his uncle Frank, my son.  He takes an active part in his town and in his church.  A fine Daddy, Husband, Son and Grandson.  Love you Jonathan and hope you have a great birthday. 


 Hope you have enjoyed this birthday blog page and will continue to watch my garden grow and grow one of your own.   Happy gardening to you from me.  Juanita

Lenora Evans The Woman

Lenora and Max ( Lenora's first grandchild)




 

Lenora is a woman to be greatly admired.  I really did not appreciate Lenora's independents when she was home with her Dad and I.  The girl had a mind of her own, knew what she wanted.  I could buy fabric or shoes for Charlotte and Debbie, not Lenora.  When she was old enough to drive I sent her, to buy her own.   Now that independents is good and it has helped her to make the choices she has had to make.  Lenora married Steve Evans the summer she graduated from high school.  Gave birth to her first child Samantha in March of 1979.   Lenora always loved children.  She was like a little Mother to all the little ones at home. 



Samantha and Jen

Lenora went to college in Monroe and became a Medical Technician and worked for a time at St Francis hospital.  Gave birth to two girls and 3 boys.   Lenora, like me pushed her children to get a good education.  Samantha is a  Midwife in Austin Tex.  But college is not for all people.  Her boys are not that interested, they may be one day.  Lenora and Steve divorced  when David, her youngest was very young, and not yet in school. Mostly, Lenora raised her children by herself.  Oh daddy gave " When he could," but he mostly couldn't.  Lenora decided to go back to school and become a nurse.  But now she is working back in a Lab in Monroe,La.  Lenora is the kind to have lots of projects going at one time, so do I.  Lenora bought the house and 7 acres next door to where her Daddy and I raised our children.  We had lots of creatures around the place and all my children loved that.  Lenora has cats, dogs and chickens, and thinking about a goat.  She sells her eggs, gets lots of them.  When ever her children needed anything if Lenora could possibly get it she did.  Lenora I can not find the words to tell you how much I admire you.  You have done a great job with your children.  Enjoy that grandchild all you can.  I love you dearly.  Happy Birthday.  Hope you will continue to watch my garden grow, and grow one of your own.  Happy garden to you from me. Juanita.

 


David



Steven







  




 



Jeremy and Max



Happy Birthday

Happy Birthday Tafta

Debbie and Tafta

Tafta was born July 22,1978.  Debbie my daughter and her husband Ken Evans had a boy and they were delighted to have a little girl.  I kept her when she was 3 weeks old while Debbie and Ken went up to the Church. I had to call Debbie because Tafta was hungry and would not take the bottle.  Debbie had her babies on the breast.  That was the only time I ever kept her that she cried, from then on she cried when Debbie took her home.  When Tafta was 5 months old Debbie and I met at Sears and had Tafta's pictures made, she would not go back to her mother from me.  The lady ask whose baby was Tafta and I told her mine but I let Debbie raise her.  I had to take Tafta home with me and Debbie had to come and get her.   Now Tafta's oldest little girl cries for her Grandmother, turn about is fair play. 



Tafta first dress I made her.

Debbie wanted Tafta to have a red velvet dress for Christmas and of course she wanted me to make it.  I made her first Easter dress also.  I have always loved  gingham check so I  bought pink, yellow and blue.  A little cap pattern  came in the Patten and I made that also.  I like eyelet embroidery  lace  with gingham check, so I trimmed the dress and hat with eyelet lace.  Debbie and Ken went to a Billy Graham conference  and I stayed with the 4 children.  I took my sewing machine with me and while I was there I made Tafta 5 new dresses.  I remember one was green with large white,red and yellow  rick rack.  I bought ribbon for her hair to match her dresses.  I was not a camera freak back then so I have no pictures.  I can see her in my minds eye in the green dress.  Tafta is all grown up now, she worked all through high school baby sitting, house sitting and working in a Dentist office.  Tafta got enough scholarships to pay most of her cost of school.  With a little help from her Mom and Dad she bought herself a car.  Tafta worked hard and became a teacher, teaching 4 year old.  Tafta met a wonderful young man named Matt Rogers married and they now have 2 beautiful daughters, Audry and Ava.  Yes Great grandmother has made Audry some dresses and now Ava can wear them.  Happy Birthday Tafta Lynn Evans Rogers.  Hope you will continue to watch my garden grow and you will grow one of your own.  Happy gardening to you from me Juanita.   



Tafta and Audrey




Matt, Tafta, Ava and Audrey Rogers

 

Happy Birthday Tafta

  

Happy Birthday Tara

Today is Tara Nicole's Birthday.  It is hard to believe that Tara is now a Mother.  That little girl that called me on the phone and would say Come get me Grandma.  Of course Grandma would go get her.  She loved to spend the night with me.  I had to stop on the way home and buy her chocolate milk and I let her pick out the cookies she wanted.  Supper was whatever she wanted and we did whatever she wanted to do.  That is what Grandmothers do.  Mothers make them eat right, but Grandmothers do not have to worry about stuff like that.  When I moved from Ashdown,  Ar. to Dermont I really missed that little family.

They moved in with me a while in Dermont and I was really on top the world.  We would rent scary movies, Tara and I loved them.  I do not watch them by myself, but she was so much fun to be with.  I do miss those days.   Tara and her little family live so far away now,in Fl.  They were here at Christmas hope they come back again this year.  Tara knows I love to play Skipbo, I taught her  and her brothers how to play.  One day Tara called me and said I could download the game from The Game House, I did.  Thank you Tara.  Hope you have a great birthday today.   Hope you enjoy watching my garden grow and you will plant one of your own.  Happy garden to you from me Juanita.

July 11, 1957 a Little Girl was Born

                     A Daughter is a daughter all her life a Son is a Son until he takes a wife

Deborah Lynn Murphy

On July 10,1957 I put corn in the freezer and canned string beans all day.  I was standing on a porch looking for Charlotte, my first child.  I saw she had the water on getting wet and muddy.  I leaned over holding on to a porch post.  The post came loose and I fell about 4 feet, landed, thank God, on my hands and knees.  That night after midnight Debbie made her entry into the world.  Charlotte, her older sister, was so happy to have a baby sister.  Charlotte watched after her baby sister.  She would lay down on the quilt by her and watch her sleep.  Debbie liked her bed at night.  No matter where we were we had to be home by 8:00, Debbie's bed time.  When I was in the hospital giving birth to Lenora, Ada my sister- in- law kept Debbie.  They got no sleep.  The next morning they went to our house and got her bed.  Debbie was not real happy over Lenora.  I had weaned Debbie and had her eating good.  I caught her stealing Lenora's bottle.  I did not try to wean Debbie again until I weaned Lenora.  Debbie never took care of the younger kids.  I was so surprised when she had her children, to see she was such a great Mother.  One Sunday Debbie came home from Church and told me "Mother I have met the man I am going to marry."  Really does he know it not yet but he will.  He sure found out.   They were married on Dec 26, 2 years later. 


Lenora, Debbie and Charlotte



                                                                   They had 4 very well behaved children.  Debbie has 3 boys and one girl.  After Debbie's children went to school  Debbie went back to collage and finish her degree in teaching. She taught many year  at St Mary's.  Ken , her husband is a Baptist  Preacher he took another Church and moved close to Lake  Providence.  She continued to teach.  They now live in a little community name Grace and she teaching in Clombia,La.  She has gotten teacher of the year for her district.  Debbie now has 12 grandren and they have Mammy and Pappy camp each summer for a week.  They have all the grand childern that are potty trained.  I think this year she has 10 of them and her church has Bible School this week.  Don't know what day I will get your gift to you Debbie but I will.  Carrel pick it out Happy birthday.  Hope you will continue to watch my garden grow and will grow one of your own.  Happy Gardening from me to you.  Juanita                                                                                                                                                                             



Debbie, Ken and Grandchilden