tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32800870Sun, 03 May 2026 07:50:02 +0000beekeepingbutterflieshelleborescamelliascrocusbeesdragonfliesdaffodilbirdsbutterflyclematisgardenirispeascatsgardeningDuke GardensSwallowtailanemonebee swarmchickendragonflybottle wallcold framesflowerscarrotshairstreakpondprimroseseedssnowbottle treecyclamenazaleabelizedamselfliesnative wild flowerspuppets. Paperhandrain chainssnow droptrout lilybananacaterpillarsdamselflyearly springgoatsmantispansiesrain barrelssasanquaspiderwortweedsGrumpySpring Beautyblue bottlescolumbinedaffodilsdogshomemade parademilkweedmushroomphloxshrubsspidertomatoesEastern Pine ElfinEastern Tiger SwallowtailKaleMallardMonarchcereuscheckerspotcicadaconeflowercontestdaphneday lilydotelfinfritillaryfroggarlicharvesterhawkhoneyicejaponicamagnoliamuscariplantingroseskippersnakesnow flakesquashswiss chardyard artAzure BluetBamboo grassBluetick CoonhoundCommon BaskettailCut-leaf ToothwortFalcate OrangetipMabry MillPapilio polyxenesSatyrSpiketailSpringtime DarnerToad LilyUmber ShadowdragonViceroyacornsairlie gardensastersbeaver queenbee vacuumbeetsbenchbleeding heartbleeding heartsbluebluetbottle chapelbutterflies. hairstreakbutterfly. skipper. hairstreakcatkinschicken coopscompostcrashcrescentdaisydarnerdonkeyeggemperorsherpshollyhockhousehyacinthjewelwinglatticelilymaple flowersmeadowhawkmorning gloryoccupyodonatesorchidspeacockspeonypeppersphotographypinkplantpollenpossumqueenradishrainredbudrobberfliessparkleberryspreadwingspring bulbssquirrelsstained glasssulphursunflowerstreefrogturtleswaterlilieswildflowerwitch hazelzucchiniAdirondackAmerican LadyAmerican ToadArugulaAtlanticAurora DamselBaccharisBlack SwallowtailBlue CorporalBlue dasherBrown ElfinBullfrogCSACalifornia TortoiseshellCarolina AnoleCheckered SkipperCherryCitrine ForktailDancerDandelionDelphiniumDiminutive ClubtailDuckDurhamDutchman's BreechesEarth DayEastern NewtEastern RingtailEat More KaleElfin SkimmerFarmers marketGMOsGiant Water BugGreen DarnerHayhursts ScallopwingHenryHenry's ElfinIce SpidersJC RaulstonJonquillaKivaLittle BannerLittle GlassywingLittle YellowLorquin's AdmiralLost dogLumber iverMay AppleMeadow BeautyMegMonarch migrationMonsantoMourning CloakNorth CarolinaNorthern pearly-eyeObamaOcconeecheeOhio Erie CanalOrange CountyOrnate PennantPainted BuckeyePennantPlanthopperPoppyPurple FinchQuestion MarkRattlebushRubyspotSandhillSeaside DragonletSely's SundragonSkimmerSkinkSleepy OrangeSneezeweedSouthern SpreadwingSpring AzureStream CruiserSwamp DarnerSwift SetwingTradescantiaWhite MilkweedWidow SkimmerYellow Flaganiantennaappalachian brownapple blossumarandiiartazurebanksbantamsbaptisiabaxterbeetlesbenchesberriesbird bathbistroblackberriesbloodrootbridgesbrown snakebullbutterfly macrobutterfly. flowercagecantaloupecatuschairchanterellechickensclothes linecloverclubtailcob cottagecohoshcomfreyconcrete counter topscopperheadcopperscorncosmoscucumberscurlingde-icerdeck projectsdog cookiesdoggy rampdogwoodedibleeggplantfallfalse nettlefamefarm tourfaslcatefava beansferal beehiveflamingofleabaneflickerflycatcherfolk artfoxtailfrog concertfrostfrozenfunny videogazing ballgingergivinggordoniagourdsgreeninggreenshalloweenharbingerhollyhockshoneysucklehoop houseshosehost plantshostasice plantinsectjacanajunipherkitekittenskittieslady buglady's-slipperslambsquarterlandfill rescuelawnlawn mowerleaf-footed bugleavesletter boxlettucelive oaklocust borerlupinemacromanuremariposametalmarkmidistreakmintmistletoemolemorelmulchmustardnasturtiumnuthatchesoconee bellsoil spillold deckorangeorange tabbyorangetiporganicoutsidepaperbushpawpawpeacepeachespearlpeeperpennantspersimmonpickle peoplepiepinksterplantsplay houseplotplumpomegranatepondhawkpoplarporchpotatoespotoopotspuffbirdraperareringletroostersrootssaddlebacksalamanderssalivasalviasanddragonssapsconesscreenedseedlingssinensisskipper. hairstreaksnaketailsnapdragonsnowdriftsparrowsspicebushspinachspottedspring ephemeralspritesproutssun yard artsunflowertabletickseed sunflowertin mantire planters.top bar hivetrash pick up. clematistreestrilliumtrogontucantulipstuxedouncannyvarroa treatmentvegetablesvenus flytrapviolaswaspswaterlilywildflowerswingstemwinterwintersweetwood sorrelwood stovewoodpeckerswoodswork shopyellowhttp://rlephoto.blogspot.com/noreply@blogger.com (Randy Emmitt)Blogger428125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32800870.post-901434016075259476Mon, 18 Jan 2016 01:27:00 +00002016-01-17T20:42:36.183-05:00helleboresIt's been nice weather up until the next three days here in North Carolina where it will be in the teens or low 20s. I walked around and photographed what is blooming. The hellebores are just getting started here. Looking forward to more to open soon.   Swirling Skirts!  This one is so round!  Above and below are the same flower.  Merlin http://rlephoto.blogspot.com/2016/01/hellebore-season-is-underway.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Randy Emmitt)38tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32800870.post-4889711063741017271Mon, 04 Jan 2016 01:08:00 +00002016-01-03T20:12:33.737-05:00camelliascrocusdaphnehelleboresWe took a 2 week travel trip over Christmas and New Years, when we returned the garden surprised us with so much blooming. It had been very warm for December and the area also had record rain falls. I managed to get these photos of most of what was blooming. more hellebores will be opening soon. It is going down to 19 degrees tomorrow night, the open camellia blooms will brown out for sure. Onehttp://rlephoto.blogspot.com/2016/01/2016-is-looking-good-so-far-in-our.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Randy Emmitt)13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32800870.post-4485782887191195150Sun, 28 Jun 2015 00:48:00 +00002015-06-27T21:28:32.741-04:00butterfliesconeflowerDuke GardensVisited Duke Gardens today, looked really nice as always. This post will share some of the scenes and plantings in the gardens. Always look forward to visiting the gardens, looks like there is a lot more ginger lilies planted than ever before hope to catch them in bloom in late summer.  Coneflowers were in peak bloom, a real delight. Same no big butterflies visiting them though. &nbsphttp://rlephoto.blogspot.com/2015/06/sara-p-duke-gardens-in-late-june.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Randy Emmitt)15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32800870.post-4443670111979637795Sun, 15 Mar 2015 03:10:00 +00002015-03-14T23:12:59.387-04:00cyclamengardenhelleborestrilliumWe went to the open house at Plant Delights Nursery yesterday, the focus was on hellebores. It was at least 10 years since I visited there, back then I didn't know what a hellebore was. I do recall spending $125 and getting a box and a half of plants, this time $125 bought a half box of plants. Just about everything they sell is rare and unusual, so one would expect to pay more. Some http://rlephoto.blogspot.com/2015/03/we-went-to-open-house-at-plant-delights.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Randy Emmitt)9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32800870.post-4325162043566169398Fri, 25 Jul 2014 02:17:00 +00002014-07-26T12:41:15.153-04:00chickenchickens I wanted to share with everyone some of our chickens. We currently have 19 chickens, 17 hens and 2 roosters. The youngest rooster is looking for a new home? Above is our "runt" Cream Legbar at 20 weeks old, she is a bit smaller than her sister below. These beautiful birds lay blue or green eggs. Not confirmed their eggs yet. We also have 2 Easter Eggers that lay blue or green eggs, so hard tohttp://rlephoto.blogspot.com/2014/07/chicken-yard-update.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Randy Emmitt)8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32800870.post-6139975435648248566Thu, 17 Apr 2014 02:33:00 +00002014-04-16T22:33:10.901-04:00azaleagarden Last Saturday we did the Cape Fear Garden Club Azalea Garden Tour, well 10 of the 13 gardens. The gardens were amazing and so was the other area gardens. My favorite was garden number 1, it utilized a small space and made for a beautiful garden that was done by the owners themselves. Here is an hardy orchid from garden #1. I think this was the neighbors gate at garden #1, the yards linked http://rlephoto.blogspot.com/2014/04/cape-fear-garden-club-azalea-garden.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Randy Emmitt)10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32800870.post-7847842518078304142Sun, 13 Apr 2014 15:15:00 +00002014-04-13T11:15:10.133-04:00Hey everyone! I was about knocked down by the aroma from this 10 ft shrub in a garden in Wilmington yesterday, anyone know what it might be? The tiny blooms seemed more white to me than this photo shows. Upcoming post on the Cape Fear Garden Club Azalea Garden Tour we did yesterday. Taxes need finished/extended and fenced mended before I have time to edit some photos. http://rlephoto.blogspot.com/2014/04/strongly-scented-shrub-needs-id.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Randy Emmitt)5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32800870.post-160077715954853756Mon, 07 Apr 2014 21:25:00 +00002014-04-07T17:25:54.698-04:00anemonebleeding heartcamelliasdaffodilhelleborespansiesphloxprimrosesnow flakeFolks, its likely the best time of the year for flowers in our garden. We are finally getting it to what we want. OK yeah right. Part of the joy of gardening in experimentation and exploration. Anyway there is a lot of photos to share, let me begin..   Creeping phlox.   Creeping phlox and primrose together.  Creeping phlox.  Woodland phlox. Muscari with an honey http://rlephoto.blogspot.com/2014/04/garden-walk-april-06-lots-blooming.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Randy Emmitt)10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32800870.post-4894774975510241117Sun, 06 Apr 2014 03:25:00 +00002014-04-05T23:25:18.459-04:00bantamschickenYes a friend of Meg's raises bantams and she had some chicks she wanted to get rid of. We picked up a little golden hen, a feisty litte white cockeral and a nearly grown all black frizzle. I'll have photos of them on another post. The frizzle was getting beat up and she needs to recover for better photos. Anyway her are some of the bantams that might be the parents of our bantam chicks. http://rlephoto.blogspot.com/2014/04/picked-up-3-bantams-chicks-today.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Randy Emmitt)2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32800870.post-6523336875302604521Mon, 31 Mar 2014 00:02:00 +00002014-03-30T20:02:19.985-04:00chickenThe beginning of March I picked up 6 new chicks for expanding our chicken flock. I bought 2 Cream Legbars, 2 Red Stars and 2 Black Stars. Below is what they now look like at 4 weeks of age.  Cream Legbar, note the crest.  Red Star  Black Star, note the legs are blackish. Cream Legbar, these are supposed to lay blue green eggs.http://rlephoto.blogspot.com/2014/03/our-pullets.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Randy Emmitt)7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32800870.post-1949122953002279184Sat, 29 Mar 2014 23:06:00 +00002014-03-29T19:06:50.699-04:00primroseFolks, Camellia Forest Nursery in Chapel Hill, NC is having open house this weekend. I read about it last night on one of their Facebook posts. They mentioned a sale on Clifford Parks heat tolerant primroses. I've purchased these in the past and they do survive our hot dry summers. Camellia Forest will be open Sunday afternoon if you would want to get some of these beautiful plants. So I http://rlephoto.blogspot.com/2014/03/parks-primroses-this-weekend.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Randy Emmitt)2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32800870.post-6972552296045159838Mon, 17 Mar 2014 00:35:00 +00002014-03-16T20:35:13.140-04:00Folks, We might get our third ice storm of March, usually we have a nice March. Some of the hellebores got crunched by fallen maple branches, but no plants were destroyed. We did loose two hellebore plants over the winter, Corsican Hellebore(ouch) and a small very dark red plant in the front garden. We did not buy any new hellebores this year, I dug up and potted 36 baby hellebores for Meg's http://rlephoto.blogspot.com/2014/03/hellebores-blooming-in-garden-big-post.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Randy Emmitt)17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32800870.post-6932902574157531307Tue, 11 Mar 2014 02:41:00 +00002014-03-10T22:42:55.844-04:00chickenpeacocksMarch already? Where does time go? And day light savings time just started. Today I got home and found Meg lounging in the back yard. She tells me there is a peacock in the other side of the yard. I went around the corner to find this guy in the chicken coop. This fan on this peacock is 8-9 foot wide, can you believe that? A little background on peacocks around here. For the past 5-6 years theyhttp://rlephoto.blogspot.com/2014/03/march-already-where-does-time-go-and.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Randy Emmitt)13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32800870.post-4150915342321203428Sun, 02 Feb 2014 01:38:00 +00002014-02-01T20:38:00.244-05:00chickeneggpeasHey everyone we planted Sugar Snap peas today! Here in central North Carolina it gets very hot by May and unless you plant your peas early the heat slows them down and wilts them. So we plant them early. Meg planted these thick as she always does.  This way makes a great crop so you can loose a few to birds or slugs, you still get a good crop. We used 1/2 pound peas for 4 10 foot rows. BTW http://rlephoto.blogspot.com/2014/02/peas-planted-early-but-at-best-time.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Randy Emmitt)9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32800870.post-6286645373334969494Wed, 29 Jan 2014 15:55:00 +00002014-01-29T10:55:45.510-05:00camelliashelleboresirissnow dropspicebushwintersweetwitch hazelVisited the JC Raulston Arboretum on January 16th, it was in the 20s if I recall it was cold. We had a few days before a 9 degree night, which did little damage. Here are some of the flowers I found. The only blooming camellia was this Camellia X vernalis 'Ginryu'. Small blooms around 1 1/2 inch, might have helped it from freezing having small blooms. The arboretum only has a few camellia http://rlephoto.blogspot.com/2014/01/jc-raulston-arboretum-winter-flowers.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Randy Emmitt)6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32800870.post-9111664371302506649Sat, 25 Jan 2014 15:30:00 +00002014-01-25T11:17:45.756-05:00baxterdogsHey everyone back again, not been doing much blogging. I need to get inspired again, with spring somewhere near by (OK dreaming of it on a 20 degree day) I'm looking forward to our hellebore garden blooming. Currently we have 3 plants blooming see my facebook page  with the photos. The last three photos were taken last week, the other last season. I'm always looking for new and old gardeninghttp://rlephoto.blogspot.com/2014/01/hey-everyone-back-again-not-been-doing.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Randy Emmitt)4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32800870.post-2888439361176162123Thu, 03 Oct 2013 02:22:00 +00002013-10-02T22:22:46.457-04:00dogsgardeningHey folks, Hope some of you are still here it has been over 6 months since my last posting. I have missed many of your blog posts and hope to be here more often. In mid July the new chickens started laying eggs. We usually get 3-5 eggs a day with our 5 new hens and a year old hen. Been enjoying the eggs very much. I learned the best way to make hard boiled eggs. Steam them for 15 minutes and http://rlephoto.blogspot.com/2013/10/the-new-dog-baxter.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Randy Emmitt)13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32800870.post-1030441309222039342Mon, 11 Mar 2013 00:30:00 +00002013-03-10T20:30:20.227-04:00chickenHey everyone! Wanted to talk about chickens. Let me inform you if you ever decide to get chickens do not get 'straight run' chicks, unless you intend on eating the roosters. Straight run means about half of them might be roosters. Each rooster needs at least 10 hens to keep him happy and not damage the hens by mating too often. Say you get 5 chicks 'straight run'  this means 2-3 could be http://rlephoto.blogspot.com/2013/03/baby-chicks.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Randy Emmitt)33tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32800870.post-2022084508352064379Thu, 28 Feb 2013 02:43:00 +00002013-02-27T21:55:35.536-05:00cyclamenhelleboresprimrosewitch hazelHey everyone we are now 4 years into this blog! Hope you have enjoyed it. I still have visitors that were commenting in my very early posts, I'm glad to still have you visiting!! Anyway as you know we visited the Pine Knot Frams Hellebore Festival last Saturday. We picked up some new plants for the garden! In case you want to get some of these Pine Knot Farms Hellebore Festival is still going onhttp://rlephoto.blogspot.com/2013/02/new-hellebores-plants-for-garden.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Randy Emmitt)15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32800870.post-1958262784606687944Mon, 11 Feb 2013 02:41:00 +00002013-02-10T21:41:41.733-05:00helleboresJC RaulstonLast year we visited the arboretum a little earlier in the season, saw nothing this exciting! So the winter garden is at peak and wow! Here are some of the photos I took and many we want in our garden.  A large pink single from Ashwood Gardens.  A species hellebore Helleborus torquatus. We need this is our garden!  Another species hellebore Helleborus odorus. New to me, tallhttp://rlephoto.blogspot.com/2013/02/jc-raulston-arboretums-hellebores.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Randy Emmitt)18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32800870.post-8384812181680625114Sat, 02 Feb 2013 15:09:00 +00002013-02-02T10:09:58.941-05:00cyclamenhelleboresFolks, Back to cold weather again this morning the thermometer said 21 degrees at 8am this morning. The pond and bird feeders are covered in ice. My mission today once it warms up more is to build a bird cage for 5 Ringed-neck Doves. Meg's daughter is leaving them in the care of Meg's school for a while. She has had them in her screened porch, I heard last night she has been finding eggs. http://rlephoto.blogspot.com/2013/02/first-of-february-hellebores.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Randy Emmitt)21tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32800870.post-444392175562534775Sat, 19 Jan 2013 17:34:00 +00002013-01-19T12:34:55.060-05:00helleboresFolks, Sorry I have not posted in over a month. It has been very busy here leaving me no time for myself. And I joined Facebook which has taken away my blogging time. Facebook brought me a contact who was looking for me to use 2 images in an upcoming book so that was a win win. So our hellebores are blooming and winter arrived yesterday. The 1 1/2 inches of snow we got is mostly gone, the back http://rlephoto.blogspot.com/2013/01/hellebores-out.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Randy Emmitt)9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32800870.post-8194853946511290870Thu, 20 Dec 2012 00:20:00 +00002012-12-19T19:20:42.404-05:00chickenMany of you might recall we inherited chickens on Thanksgiving. Today I found our first eggs in the nest box! I'm sure Penguin the black chicken laid one of them this morning. The other not sure if it was Penguin or Light bulb. Oh and our hellebores you saw the H. niger blooming already. Four others have buds on them already!http://rlephoto.blogspot.com/2012/12/first-eggs.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Randy Emmitt)16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32800870.post-1992575482470289864Sat, 15 Dec 2012 15:30:00 +00002012-12-15T10:30:36.978-05:00catsLast night after eating his dinner Manny was drinking from the kitchen sink. I can't recall seeing him since then until this morning. He usually scratches on the window glass to be let in several times in the middle of the night. Meg is away for her daughter's graduation in Wilmington. Anyway a friend was here this morning hunting deer. He called me on his way out that a white cat was dead on http://rlephoto.blogspot.com/2012/12/mannys-gone.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Randy Emmitt)17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32800870.post-7259271534713577797Sat, 08 Dec 2012 14:16:00 +00002012-12-08T10:00:43.638-05:00catshelleboresFolks, The other night Manny got into the kitchen sink and was just sitting there. Meg proceeded to turn on the faucet and Manny took to drinking out of the faucet. I took these videos for your enjoyment with my new smart phone. Also our niger hellebore is starting to bloom just in time for Christmas! http://rlephoto.blogspot.com/2012/12/manny-is-smart-kitty.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Randy Emmitt)11