Cherish is my favorite word, and I cherish the ability of turning the routine into a beautiful moment.
Nature creates in me, a spiritual and meditative time to bring peace, harmony and balance, into an otherwise ordinary day~
Mary Howell Cromer







Sunday, January 29, 2012

A Little Part of My World...Tingsgrove~

A little part of where I live, is a two acre plot in the middle of the woods in Oldham County, Kentucky.  We built our home on this land 30 years ago and it is what we fondly call Tingsgrove~

One of my dear blogging friends asked me about the name...Tingsgrove.



Many years ago we acquired the second acre that joins our property. One day a feral cat that we had been feeding, went missing. I went looking for Tom and got into a mess of "Mother Poison Ivy Vines"...meaning the absolute mother vines to some huge strands of Poison Ivy that seemed to cover the entire acre. I was standing in the midst of this mess, searching for Tom and even though we have a 3 story home, I could not see it from all of the overgrowth on this wild acre. Once I finally made my way back home...without old Tom, I made a decision. I was going to clear the acre of the bad stuff and just keep all the good things in nature on it. It took me 5 years, every day that was clear, when I was not working at my position, I would walk across the little bridge, with a hatchet, a hand saw, garden gloves and my old tree loppers. After claiming the area once again to be free of all living Poison Ivy, Oak, Sumac and wild Round Leaf Briars. my husby decided that the acre needed a name.


When I was an infant, I did not grow as quickly as my twin sister. My father nicknamed me little Ting, for little thing;~) It stuck. My husband decided to name the acreage Tingsgrove. In fact when he traveled, he used to send me mail addressed to Tingsgrove, KY and as long as the correct zip code was included they always arrived...kind of fun~





A creek runs between the two acres and then runs the full length behind and beyond it's boundaries.  There have only been one, or two summers where dry weather completely dried up the drinking holes for the wildlife that come~

Some of Meaka's best friends are the White tailed Deer.  They have some kind of know to one another that she will not harm them, or even run them off~

Thomas... my oldest grandson will turn 9 in April.  When he was only 2, he wanted this pair of rain boots.  His little brother Braden used them after Thomas had outgrown them.  I just could not bring myself to pitch them so I turned them into plant holders in one of the shade gardens~

You know those large bright coloured spheres/globes that many place in their gardens...well, I could never find a copper coloured one, which is what I wanted.  When I saw this clay designed one, I really liked it and so it sits near our entry gate.  The French basket awaits spring posies.  The red metal basket has dried autumn twigs and branches from a few years ago...I like the way they look now~



Spencer Ivy was one of 3 kittens that all fit in the palm of my hand when I rescued them from a promise to be drowned... I do not know if the person would have truly gone through with her promise, but I could not have gone to bed thinking she would.  I raised them and kept the velvety black one as my own 14 years ago now~

I absolutely adore windchimes!  My friend Linda works with a glass making company and she gifted these to me...and I treasure them~

My gardens could not be complete without some kind of bird adornments...right!



Survhee Pipka is only 8 months old and she is something else.  She makes us laugh every day with her antics.  She has a really funny way of sitting and I shall share that in an upcoming series.  Her name arrives from Survivor.  She was thrown from a moving car, had her inside thigh torn open, got a bot fly larvae in her neck which had to be cut out. Had a severe infection, had her needed surgery at five months, developed another infection and then there were the continuous ear infections, double pneumonia...let me just say...she has cost us a bunch, but worth every penny~

More windchimes and yard art.  The little birdhouse has hung in the same protected spot for years and though many birds visit it, none have ever built a nest inside~

What secrets are these two rabbits sharing... for they have been on the grove for at least 2 decades and if they could talk, they would certainly have many stories~

I purchased this angel in 1993 after my sweet momma passed away.  She had 2 angels visit her room 2 months before she died.  I never had thought too much about the importance of angels in our lives until then.  The concrete angel at the entrance way, is a constant reminder~

We cannot stop the passing of time, but we can make every hour, every day count for something~

An empty birdfeeder you may say, but hmmmm, it had been filled the day before and well, the Gray Squirrels and Raccoons emptied it onto the ground.  
Thank you for visiting a little part of my world~
 
Please visit other Mosaic Monday entries with Mary
at
Little Red House 


http://dearlittleredhouse.blogspot.com/

10 comments:

  1. Great little stories and accomanying pictures Mary. It's so nice to hear such intimate details about your home and family and hear the pride in your voice. By the way where does "Tingsgrove" come from? If I missed the explanation along the way please forgive me.

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  2. thanks for the walk-around. i love your babbling creek. and your beautiful pets. :)

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  3. A brilliant prose, and the photography, especially the picture of your friendly dog. Superb.

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  4. what a lovely place you have made for yourself Mary. I too love wind-chimes, my deep-toned bamboo one just gave up the ghost and the wildly expensive, perfectly tuned metal one with the most delightful sound, was so loud at our little house that I gave it to my daughter to hang on the porch at her back door. Now when the wind blows the gentle bell tones waft up to me in perfect harmony with nature.
    I love all the garden accumulate of many years of joy but especially your three animal friends. Some animals just cost us heaps, as did my beloved Millie with three snake bites but we love them all the more.
    I too have a stone angel sitting in my garden as well as the real ones around me wherever I go.

    I well know what it costs in effort to reclaim an acre of ground and make it your own, but what a wonderful feeling when you achieve it!

    Keep well dear friend.

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  5. Wonderful post, Mary! And I love the story of Tingsgrove, KY. You have a lovely place, I enjoyed the tour. And I really love your Meaka. Beautiful photos, have a great week!

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  6. Love all your garden art. Sounds like you have a beautiful garden. I hope you have a great week:)

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  7. A beautiful story to share the name of this place, and all that makes it beautiful, and home.

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  8. I love the story about your wild acre of land and love the name - Tingsgrove! Great photos. I hope you have a great week. Pamela

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  9. Mary, this is such a delightful post about your part of the world, made so much better by your hand. Did you get poison ivy while you were doing all that? I also love the photos of your cats and dog.

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  10. I always look forward to your photos! You pay attention to detail! ♥ Happy Monday! ♥

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