Today’s tour takes us around a little and also to a nursery. I took the liberty of ordering off the menu from Roosevelt’s in Port Aransas. They have a wine and food pairing. Pay no attention to the price. I got this.
For dessert, we have a deep dish Hot Dutch apple pie with home churned vanilla ice cream.
Our entertainment today is Bon Jovi
Time to get on the bus and let’s get going.
The first stop ismy backyard to take a look at the first crossvine blooms.
Now on to see the beginning of the California Poppies. Three so far.
A close-up of the California poppy
Now to a nursery where we are sure to see some blooms. First a nice porch planter.
Various baskets of blooms against the backdrop of a palm showing the results of the freeze.
More hanging baskets.
Some New Guinea impatins hanging baskets
A giant hanging basket filled with yellow and pink begonias, golden creeping jenny, and ivy.
A hanging basket with fern, pink pokadot, and yellow begonias
A hanger with pink impatins, and purple dragon.
Lovely nasturtiums
Geraniums
Red begonias with a little creeping jenny
Terrific porch planter.
We are now in the greenbelt checking on the bluebonnets. Here’s a close up of a few.
They are not out in force yet. Hard to see the few scattered about a meadow. We’ll have to come back when there are more.
That is the tour today so have some more food and listen to the music. I hopeyou all have a great week.
Fiction Favorites 
Lots of lovely flowers that it is too early for us to plant out in the garden yet. Daffodils, wallflowers and primulas in my garden now.
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That sounds lovely, Janet. 😊
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Lovely images of Spring. In our area, someone must have planted daffodils beside the road, because they are in their glory for all to see. Thank you, John. 🌻🌼🌷
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Daffodils are the best for winter sore eyes. Thaks, Gwen.
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I love the hanging baskets! It’s always such fun to go to the home center and pick out just the right one to grace our entry way.
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These are gigantic too. 😊
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😀
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It’s so wonderful to see these signs of spring. I’ve seen a few bluebonnets and some wild clover. I think everything is slower to bloom this year, but at least one of my azaleas is making a comeback.
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Good news on the azalea, Joan. I agree, things do seem slower.
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Those hanging baskets are fantastic! It’s sad to see the palm. We’ve got freezing temperatures in the forecast for later this week. I hope the flowers and trees that have bloomed don’t suffer the same fate. Thanks for the beautiful tour, John. I got my second jab yesterday and I’m feeling great! 🙂
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Good for you , JIll. Two more weeks and you’ll be as protected as possible right now. I think your flowers will be okay since the temps don’t last too long. Have a great week. 😁
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Great, John. Of course it is hard to move after all that good food – talk about fine dining!!
I was a bit perturbed by the nursery. You guys went through a snow storm and yet you have all these blooms. My still says – “Not yet in season.”
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This is a very interesting nursery too, GP. It is a pop-up and only open on the weekends and only until May 1. The layout you see is in a parking lot of an office building. All the fencing is temporary.
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That is odd. Do you know who owns it?
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No, but here is the web site https://plasticpinkflamingos.com/collections/flash-garden
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Thanks, John!!
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😊
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Spring definitely has sprung. The palm certainly is artistic – but I assume is a goner.
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It might come back but hard to tell. It definitely needs to be cut back. Thanks, Frank.
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Wow, all that food for only $78…the wine must be a great vintage. Enjoyed seeing the floral displays. Our daffodils have just started appearing and should be flowering this week, maybe. The word ‘snow showers’ was mentioned in the forecast. Thanks for the tour and Have a great day!
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Uh-oh. I remember snow showers when I lived in the Midwest. Ysyally meant two to three inches of new snow. Have a great one too. 😁
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Flowers always brighten the view, don’t they? I love that terrific porch planter – so colorful!
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Great pictures, John. I’l have the halibut with the chili pepper threads, please 😉
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Colorful collection there. Still waiting for the weather to allow flowers to live for longer than a few days here. It’s still ping ponging between warm and cold.
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Every year about this time I go through the same internal dialogue: “Those hanging baskets are so pretty!” “Yeh, but hurricane season’s only a few weeks away.” Practicality vs color-hunger: what a battle!
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There is only one way (not) to observe poppies on the rocks. Though it is a subtle and well intended clue.
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Very pretty
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That menu is divine! I love that Bon Jovi video!
As for the tour… absolutely lovely flowers. Is it wrong that I love the pretty blooms in front of the damaged palm?
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Great to see some spring blossom action, John! And I ALWAYS enjoy Bon Jovi:)
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Me too, Becky. Thanks for going along.
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Always enjoy it, John!
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😁
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Those hanging baskets are inspiring! And it was good to see your vine blooming. Love the California Poppies. Roosevelt’s is a special place – thanks for making reservations for us!
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My pleasure, Jo. Thanks for coming along.
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My green thumb is twitching after seeing all these pretty plants, John, lol.
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Mine too, Jacquie. 😁
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Thanks for brightening up my chilly Autumn morning here in Oz, John! Our winter is approaching and these lovely spring images will serve as a happy reminder that spring will follow. I love the menu selection … although my diabetes went into hypo mode just looking at it. 😁
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Always happy to bring a little spring into your heart. 😊
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So much beauty here today, John — thank you! It’s like a breath of Spring seeing all these gorgeous flowers. Of course, it’s far too early to plant anything here yet, but I’m glad I get to enjoy yours vicariously (without having to weed and water, ha!)
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Thank you, Debbie. Yes, you have to wait a little while. Virtual plant growing is a good thing for sure.
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I don’t think we are that far yet, But I need to take a look some time soon.
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Good idea.
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So very pretty, John.
Those bacon wrapped shrimp and scallions hit the spot.
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Glad you liked them. Thaks, Dan
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All beautiful flowers … I want that hanging basket with the ferns! Actually, I want them all … other than my crocuses and Maha’s daffodils, we have nothing blooming yet, not even a dandelion. California poppies in Texas … who knew? The bacon-wrapped shrimp was wonderful, and the wine helped me tolerate the Bon Jovi! Great tour … now I need a nap!
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Thanks, Jill. Yeah the baskets are spectacular. Not going to ask about Bon Jovi.
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🤣
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Oh, that’s Twiggy’s paradise, dear John! What a joy to see poppies so early! 🙂 And a grey palm-tree doesn’t seem old at all. Thank you for this romantic stroll in blossom! 😁😁😁🌸🌺🌷
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Thanks for going along on the romantic stroll, Maria.🌷
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😊😉
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😁
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Lovely flowers. We’re catching up. Bought some more flowers to plant in our front yard to give the neighborhood a little color other than mud brown.
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Mud brown gets old for sure. Thanks, Noelle.
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Aww, it’s so nice to see the gorgeous blooms, John, and you had me at “I got this!” 😀
The food was delicious and loved the video, too! Thank you for a fine time! 🍷
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Thank you, Lauren
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Spring flowers alway feel hopeful. We got the first blush of forsythia around here. Winter will still peek in from time to time, but it feels like a change.
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Won’t be long. 😁
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Oh, lovely!! We’re in the autumn colour splash here. I find it to be very bittersweet.
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Yes, It has to be bittersweet.
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Gorgeous flowers, John! I’m glad to see the bluebonnets poking through. A few more weeks and they’ll be solid fields. Great menu. Glad you picked up the check. 🙂
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Thank you, Jan. 😊
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I did a bit of yard work today. Cannot wait for my blooms. Thank you for sharing the pretty today.
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My pleasure, Audrey.
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All good stuff, John. After listening to the Bon Jovi tune, I’m breaking out an old CD. Jon Bon Jovi is one of the few rockers who are still on wife #1. Besides his music, I like that fact about him.
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It is a rough business and to keep a relationship alive takes a lot of work. Thanks, Pete.
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I wish I had saved room for desert! Delicious:) Great song to pair with spring first blooms. Pretty red poppies:) Another fantastic tour.
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Thank you, Denise. 😊
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The hanging baskets are so ovely. This post makes me think about how much my mom loved flowers. WE are lucky to have flowers blooming all year round here in Spain. You have a knack of picking my favourite musicians and this Bon Jovi song is the tops!! Thanks.
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Thank you, Darlene. I’m glad you liked Bon Jovi and I hope the memory of your mom helps. 🤗
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It does, thanks. xo
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🤗
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back in garden again, or soon 🤓 :)) I also made some tours to the local boutiques 😀and despite of the weather (still cold 😱) – planning my plants for April-may :))
the menu is 👍👍👍
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Planning is important. We are still hunting for the perfect plants for our area. Our baskets have to take strong afternoon sun. Best wishes on your garden. 😁
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Yes, similar hunting here 🙂 only for a shade & cold 🥶😅😂
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Ah yes. I can imagine that. 😁
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This really makes me want to plant flowers, but it’s still a little too early here. I usually get mine out around the last couple weeks in April.
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Yes I can imagine. When I lived in the Midwest we had to wait until after memorial Day to be sure of no frost. 😁
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Ohh…bacon wrapped shrimp, pleeaaasse! Nothing like some Bon Jovi, while checking out the poppies. Great road trip, John.
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Thank you, Mark. I’m glad you liked it.
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HAPPY SPRING!!!
BTW… did you ever get the email I sent you with a short story? It was a challenge thing with a tree with a strange nest.
Love the song!
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I just did a search in all mailboxes and did not find an email with the story. Could you resend to johnhowell(dot)wave(at)gmail(dot)com. Excuse the way I wrote this out but don’t need a bunch of bot e-mails.
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I’ll just put it here.
You can erase the email address… lol
xxxxxxxx
What the…? Who the hell did your hair?
Oh, a friend of mine who moved here from Australia. He’s studying hair styling at “Shafts Moda”. He wants to be the next Vidal Sassoon.
Pffft, whatever! You know, I doubt you’ll get any robins nesting in your hair this year?
True, but Joyce Kilmer made a reservation!
xxxxxxxxxxxxx
I checked my sent email.
Somehow it went to a Keith Channing?
WTF?
Pardon if I have been a bit clumsy with all this.
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Keith Channing is the guy who runs the prompt. I think this is terrific. I loved the idea of a hair school being named with reference to a boot. No wonder the style is a bit over the top. Enjoyed the Joyce Kilmer reference in that these had to be trees talking. (I think) Well done, Risa.
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Finger slipped Resa. Sorry for the i and e exchange.Left and right brain got confused.
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YAY!!!!
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Very pretty. Season of flowers and colour all over the Northern hemisphere. We have a short spring before it turns to a furnace, but it is enough for a splash of colour, even unusual ones like purple apart from the more common reds and yellows and their many shades.
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Always a trat to behold. Thanks, Ankur.
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Good to know spring is more than a rumor.
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Yes we are marching toward Hell’s porch (summer)
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It goes right there, doesn’t it?
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Yup
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Spring gets BBQ’d, again
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I love spring, John. These picture are lovely.
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Thank you, Robbie. I love spring too. 😊
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They’re so cheerful! I love the hanging baskets with mixed flowers and vines. I wish I had success with them myself, alas I have not. I’ll just admire your images. 😀🌼
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We are hoping to get a couple but they have to be able to stand hot sun in the afternoon. If we get them then I will produce a few photos.
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I wish you much success!! I am looking at faux trees for two pots in my backyard. I have no confidence in keeping anything alive in pots on my patio here.
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Well faux trees might do it. 😁
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Flowers, food, and wine…thank you, John!
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Glad you liked, Jennie.
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😀
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😊
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