I FOUND it...Wanda's backyard ! !

Nooo...this is not Wanda's backyard, just some of the helpers who volunteer to keep it so beautiful and weed free if she will just let them romp and play in her storybook land!

These are a few of her beautiful trees....




Here is a lovely pathway of hers that I photographed yesterday...is that a birdbath down there?

Look how serene and pretty it is here in story land...

Uh oh...it looks as if one of the dwarfs must have dropped an empty wrapper near her pathway...not to worry, she will call on one of her trained bird friends (the very ones who helped Cinderella make her dress for the Ball) to pick it up...

Hopefully, you can see some beautiful flowers blooming down here...

Oh, look, it's a bird feeder down there. Have you guessed yet that I discovered that Wanda's beautiful yard backs right up against Fernbank Museum??? The truth is, as beautiful as it was, it still was no match for what Wanda and Herhusband have created on their lovely land! If you haven't been for a visit, give your eyes a treat and check it out.

This is Michael's reaction after I said I would like him to make our backyard look like Wanda's:

National Forest Facts

About one third of the United States -- 737 million acres -- is forested. About 490 million acres are classified as timberlands -- forests capable of growing commercial wood, and forests cover about 67% as much as they did in 1600, which is about 1/3 the area of the country.

Foresters have done a magnificent job in restoring America’s forests. Our forests now grow nearly four times more wood each year than in 1920.

Most of America's timberland area and volume lies in the eastern states.

Neither Michigan nor the USA are running out of trees or forest. In fact, indicators show just the opposite.

Approximately 59% (289 million acres) of the timberland in the United States is owned by 7 million private owners. Altogether, federal, state, and local governments own 27% (132 million acres) of timberland in the United States. The forest products industry owns about 14% (69 million acres) of commercial timberland in the United States.

More than 270 million acres of federal land are set aside for use as wildlife refuges, parks, and wilderness areas.

The implications of changing ownership patterns are significant. The yearly transition to many new forest owners makes the communication of information difficult. Not to mention the amount of land being subdivided to build homes and loss of productive forest land. Nation wide 32% of owners expect to harvest some trees in the next ten years. They control 63% (256 million acres) of the private forest land.

In 1995, some 1.6 billion seedlings were planted in the U.S. -- more than 5 new trees for every American. The forest industry plants 43% of the trees planted annually in the United States. Private non-industrial owners plant 42% of the trees planted annually in the United States. Government plants 16% of the trees planted annually in the United States.

In 1992, our nation's timberlands a net annual growth of more than 21 billion cubic feet of timber (a cord pile over 200,000 miles long). When compared to an annual timber harvest of 16 billion cubic feet (a cord pile about 150,000 miles long), net growth is surpassing harvest by 33 percent.

There is enough standing timber volume in the USA to build a cord pile that would circle the Earth over 100 times.

One fairy tale joke, one "forest" joke and one tree joke= some smiles for all

Last October my wife bought a magnolia tree from the local nursery, but after only a few weeks the leaves shriveled. It appeared to be on its last legs. My wife took some leaf samples and marched into the nursery to demand an explanation.
"I know exactly what's wrong with your magnolia," said the manager.
"Good," said my wife. "What's it suffering from?"
"Autumn," he replied.
***

Forest Gump and St. Peter
When Forest Gump died, he stood in front of St. Peter at the Pearly Gates. St. Peter said, "Welcome, Forest. We've heard a lot about you." He continued, "Unfortunately, it's getting pretty crowded up here and we find that we now have to give people an entrance examination before we let them in."
"Okay," said Forest. "I hope it's not too hard. I've already been through a test. My momma used to say, 'Life is like a final exam. It's hard.' "
"Yes, Forest, I know. But this test is only three questions. Here they are."
1) Which two days of the week begin with the letter 'T'?"
2) How many seconds are in a year?
3) What is God's first name?
"Well, sir," said Forest, "The first one is easy. Which two days of the week begin with the letter 'T'? Today and Tomorrow."
St. Peter looked surprised and said, "Well, that wasn't the answer I was looking for, but you have a point. I give you credit for that answer."
"The next question," said Forest, "How many seconds are in a year? Twelve."
"Twelve?" said St. Peter, surprised and confused.
"Yes, sir. January 2nd, February 2nd, March 2nd …"
St. Peter interrupted him. "I see what you mean. I'll have to give you credit for that one, too."
"And the last question," said Forest, "What is God's first name? It's Andy."
"Andy?" said St. Peter, in shock. "How did you come up with 'Andy'?"
"I learned it in church. We used to sing about it." Forest broke into song, "Andy walks with me, Andy talks with me, Andy tells me I am His own."
St. Peter opened the gate to heaven and said, "Run, Forest, Run!"

***

A little girl asked her father, "Daddy? Do all Fairy Tales begin with 'Once Upon A Time'?"

He replied, "No, there is a whole series of Fairy Tales that begin with 'If elected I promise'."

***Thank You, Lord for the wonderful blessing of good people, like Wanda, who share beautiful things around them, with us.