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"Possibility and promise greet me each day as I walk out into my garden. My vigor is renewed when I breathe in the earthiness and feel the dirt between my fingers. My garden is a peaceful spot to refresh my soul." Meems






Welcome to my Central Florida Garden Blog where we garden combining Florida natives, Florida-Friendly plants, and tropicals.

Thursday, March 12, 2009

Hiding Place


This morning after our usual garden walk-through and discussions of "what are the white flowers called?" and "what are the purple flowers called?" the little one decided it was time to play our 'new, usual' game of hide and seek in the garden.
It was my turn to hide. My turn consists of ducking behind a shrub, tree, or plant and he counts to whatever he feels like at the moment. Sometimes it's a very high number just so he can leave me waiting longer.

Then he acts like he doesn't know where I am and takes a very long time to find me. As he saunters through the pathway he says outloud, "is Mimi under here? No, she's not under there... let's go see if she's over here"... all the while peeking over at my obvious hiding place where half my body is revealed.

Too much fun with my favorite 3 year old!!!!

Today I had camera in hand already... from our walk through the veggie garden earlier.

Something else was playing hide and seek right under my nose. He acted like he didn't see me either.

Works for me.

49 comments:

  1. Isn't it wonderful to make memories in the garden with our grandchildren?
    I hope that you don't mind that I used one of your pictures and talked of your wonderful garden on my blog today. It's hard not to think of you every time I tackle something new in the yard!

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  2. Sounds like so much fun. Glad y'all are having wonderful garden weather there. Winter decided to return here...I'm hunkered down, waiting for it to leave!

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  3. What a wonderful little buddy - I love it when children change around the rules to extend a game. Thanks for my fix of garden and sunshine.

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  4. That was just too precious! I know I have fun with my little guys also. 2 of them. Last summer the 4 year old was laying on the ground with his cheek on my stairs that are planted in Thyme and he said "Grandma this feels so good" as he rubbed his face back and forth!
    It just doesn't get any better than Grandchildren!

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  5. Awe, that remids me of my now four year old cousin. Sh was three when I moved last summer and the night before we moved we played one of her made up games. I also seem to find those green frogs in my Banana Tree leaves.

    Jake

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  6. What a lovely post Meema....three is a delightful age....full of make believe and magic. Lovely for little chap to have paradise to play in.....

    I adore the last photograph....absolutely stunning......

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  7. Cute little Green Treefrog! I've seen one here in the yard only once, they are common close by. Gray Treefrogs I have had hundreds on the porch and driveway in a single rainy night.

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  8. Meems, how wonderful for both you and the little one to have each other to play with :) They're adorable, aren't they?
    The little frog is almost as cute too :) What a great photo!
    Trying to soak up your warmth through the pics. We're back to frigid here today. Brrr!

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  9. Meems,

    What a sweet game of hide and seek in your beautiful gardens!

    Love the little frog, too! It's good to see one of the "nice" frogs instead of my big, bad bullfrogs! I need to start watching for the tree frogs here in a few weeks.

    Cameron

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  10. That game reminds me of my 3 year old granddaughter, except when we play with her and say...."Now let's see, where is she hiding?", she can't contain her giggles and screams out "I'm right here!" and we all melt down with laughter.
    Cute froggie!

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  11. Meems, such a sweetheart and acting so grown up. They are perfect little mimics aren't they. Your ltlle giy will always remember games with you in the garden.

    I love the gecko(?) in the flower. What a beautiful photo-I'd frame that one!

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  12. What a special time with your little hide and seeker! Loving this weather our way for sure, hope we don't get one of those crazy freezes we are known for before Easter. Did you decide if you would like to try the Pineapple Sage? It's free!!!

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  13. What a delightful post Meems. I so enjoy seeing your little grand. The frog is outstanding too. I have seen many pictures of frogs inside flowers but have never had the priveledge of seeing it in person.

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  14. What fun, Meems! I bet your garden is a beautiful spot to hunt Easter eggs, too.

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  15. What wonderful memories he will have of the two of you in the garden.

    Great picture of the frog in the flower~

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  16. That's a great place to play hide and seek ... I mean the garden, not the flower. Actually, both!

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  17. What a great post, Meems. Your little garden buddy is still young enough to enjoy learning the names of flowers, yet old enough to understand how hide-and-seek works. I bet he loved seeing that frog. We're all frog fanatics at my house.

    (My experience has been that kids get to a point where gardening isn't all that interesting anymore. Maybe your boy will defy the odds. I hope so.)

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  18. what a sweet post meems,
    it is delightful to have a little garden buddy. my little beauty was here today but it was rainy so we stayed inside.
    i love that last photo of the hiding frog, it is spectacular!

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  19. oh btw what are the first flowers?

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  20. Florida Sue,
    I lost you for a while... you created a new blog! Glad you are still around and still working in your new yard.

    mjm,
    Oh the joys of the season.Soon your weather will be more reliable and no more hunkering necessary.

    Barbara,
    Change the rules he does... but he is so patient. He doesn't like to be found quickly and he doesn't like to the finding quickly. He makes me laugh.

    RainGardener,
    What a sweet story. This one loves to walk around touching as well. Just loves all the textures. They are a good lesson in the way we might want to look at things once in a while.

    Jake,
    All little ones are full of wonderment I suppose. They certainly know how to enjoy life every single minute. Thank you for visiting Hoe&Shovel.

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  21. I just dropped by for little warmth and sun, glad to see you.

    Jen

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  22. Very nice capture of the frog. Like the photo of grandson almost out of sight.

    Leedra’s Photos For Fun

    Leedra’s Greeting Cards

    Photography By Leedra

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  23. Cheryl,
    A great age indeed. So ready to help, ready to have fun and yet gaining in independence every day. He does love his mimi's garden... so that alone steals my heart.

    Randy,
    There is no shortage of either of those types around here. This one must be a baby... so small compared to the usual visitors.

    Kerri,
    You are so right. Hiding behind those plants gave me the perfect opportunity to see several things from that perspective I may have missed otherwise. Sending some warmth to you for what it's worth. :-)

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  24. Cameron,
    Thanks.
    I hear the big, bad bullfrogs a couple of doors down near the water. We don't have any here though. Plenty of tree frogs to go around however.

    Connie,
    That's exactly how our granddaughter was when she was 3. She's now 6 and thinks she's all grown up. Must be a girl thing... the giggling at the mention of finding her.

    Beckie,
    His mommy is the consummate game player and she has taught him well how to carry on the tradition. He entertains his Papa and me at the dinner table with... "Let's play animal sounds.. okay, Papa it's your turn" and "Let's play, Who Am I?" and on it goes... He has our total attention. :-) BTW- That's a green frog in the cordyline plant.

    Darla,
    I hope you are all done with winter, too. I guess there is a chance you could get a freak freeze but I surely hope not. I would LOVE a pineapple sage. I'm thinking I'm going to be up your way visiting my youngest son in April. Maybe I could just arrange to meet you???? would that be easier than mailing it? Would you like me to bring you a pink firespike?

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  25. Lisa,
    Thanks for your sweet response to my little one. He is the joy of our lives when he is around! So full of joy himself... it is contagious. We have not shortage of tree frogs in this part of the country. They are often hiding in places that blend better with their own coloring and not as easily seen as today's find.

    Patricia,
    And we will be hunting those eggs here in a few weeks. Funny thing... I continue to find them throughout the year... we use the plastic ones for that reason.

    Robin,
    I certainly hope so. I know I will have great memories of him at this age.

    Robert,
    I agree ... both provide the perfect spot.

    Grace,
    He wanted to keep going back to look at the frog. Then at dinner tonight he kept asking to see the photos of him over and over. I hope he keeps his interest in the garden. We have a 10 yr old grandson who has taken on his own tomato seedling. He hasn't tired of it yet. We'll see how it goes from here. :-)

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  26. Marmee,
    I know you had fun today too, then. ARen't they just so delightful ... and ready to keep us on our toes at all times. The white flowers are sweet alyssum. They only last here until about the end of April... don't think they like our humidity. They are resting at the feet of the blue eyes and draping over the raised bed.

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  27. hi Jen,
    thanks so much -- drop by anytime-- we've got more than our share of warmth and sunshine to spread around.

    Leedra,
    Thanks... I never show his face full on for privacy issues. I liked that I actually captured him as I was squatting down behind the bush and he was pretending not to see me. The frog... well, his hiding place was found.

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  28. Hi Meems- I play this same game with my twin 3 year old neices. I love it more than they do, of course. The frog is absolutely adorable. I hope your grandson liked him too!
    -Heather

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  29. What a cute story, and with a perfect payoff shot at the end. Nicely done!

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  30. Ah .. a frog. I had to enlarge to be able to figure out what it was.
    Your boy is cute and I remember how fun it was to play hide and seek with our children. Those days ...

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  31. What a fun time!We love when our oldest comes to visit with his 2(and not often enough)and seeing the world anew thru their eyes.
    Love the pic of the peeper.

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  32. Such fun Meems! There's nothing like a grandchild to bring out the kid in us!

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  33. Dear meems, What a lovely post. He's adorable and I love the game you two have made together. The memories he will hold forever...and will be there for his first hide and seek games with his own children.

    Love the frog photo! What a good eye you have...critters hardly ever get past you.

    Gail

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  34. OH my. He blends right in. Ick.

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  35. Oh my goodness, Meems, what a great post! I was thoroughly enjoying imagining the two of you playing hide and seek in your garden and then you surprised me with the little frog! So cute!!!! (All three of you!)

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  36. Your garden is definitely a wonderful place for a child to explore and have fun. Did he finally find his Mimi? ;)

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  37. I love that picture of the frog in the flower. Very cool!

    In spite of the recent freezes your garden still looks like paradise.

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  38. Those little tree frogs are the cutest! We find them in plants at work. They are always trying to hide.

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  39. Heather,
    sounds like twice the fun!

    Pam,
    The frog reminds me a little (a very little-that shot was perfect)of that great shot you got last year with the Chameleon on the agave.

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  40. blossom,
    Yes, the little green guy is a frog and not a very big one at that.

    Chris,
    Little ones do open our eyes to a much simpler world... can see better through their eyes!

    Linda,
    I DO need an excuse to run around in the garden once in a while and just play. :-)

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  41. Gail,
    He makes my life so much sweeter. I do hope he remembers. We have spent so many hours together in the garden. The little green frog was nose to nose with me as I hunkered down. I almost DID miss it.

    arissamae,
    I used to think ICK, too. Now I know they won't hurt you. They eat bugs and try to hide to stay out of our way. It's okay, you don't have to like them.

    Kylee,
    It is a good break for me to just play sometimes. Of course I am always pulling a weed or two along the way. LOL

    Racquel,
    Well, there are lots of places to hide from a 3 year old anyway. I distracted him from seeking me out by showing him the frog... which he was fascinated with... he then remembered it was my turn to hide and he hadn't officially found me... so he sent me off again.

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  42. sweet bay,
    believe me... it is NOT paradise... so many bushes barren and longing for some foliage. But we will get there again... it might take a while but we will... thanks for the encouragement.

    Susie,
    They are really good as disguising themselves and blending right in... I think this one was color blind and didn't realize it picked pink to hide in.

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  43. That is the sweetest garden partner. Love the games. Memories for you both.

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  44. Hi Memes, We are home from Arkansas --and had a wonderful time although the weather didn't cooperate this time. I wrote about our Ice Strom in my blog today.

    Sounds like you have had a great week--with Spring in the air everywhere in FL. We came home to find crocus in bloom and a few of our daffodils. Spring is beginning here.

    Sounds like a perfect 'hide-and-go-seek' place for you and the precious 3 yr. old.

    Have a great day.
    Hugs,
    Betsy

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  45. Lola,
    Great memories...especially for me. :-) I know you know what I mean.

    Betsy,
    Glad you made it back... glad you had a great trip minus the ice. We are a long way from ice around here... sweating and in the eighties for days. Not complaining though... it's making all my veggies grow!

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  46. Love the little green treefrog!

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  47. What an amazing shot of the little frog!! I love the green against the pink of the flower.

    Michelle @ Getting Dirty in Texas

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  48. like the picture of the cutting i gave you. your painting buddy.

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  49. Dani,
    I've been noticing them in every nook and cranny this week.

    Michelle,
    Green and pink... what's not to love right?

    HEY! Painting Buddy,
    Missed you this week. That is just ONE of the places I poked that wonderful plant into a container. I have it growing in so many different pots. Thank YOU! I LOVE it.

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Have a blessed day,
Meems


September 2010

Back Garden: October 2010

Louise Philippe: Antique Rose

Tropical Pathway