Hello Friends

It's been way too long since I've posted in this little blog.  I do appreciate all that come here.  Inspiration has been lacking but still I enjoy posting the joyous things that happen in our lives.  

 The America rose really bloomed beautifully into June.  

These same America roses change from a coral shade to a lovely pink.

The red knockout roses performed beautifully as well.  They provided many bouquets around our home the whole month.

Our hydrangeas don't typically bloom that well, but this year they have!  The pink ones mean they are growing in alkaline soil.

 The more purple are growing in acidic soil.  Sometimes you see both on one plant.  They are a favorite of mine and I enjoy bringing them indoors as well.  I learned a new trick this year that makes them last quite a while indoors.  Take your cuttings early in the morning and place in water immediately.  When indoors make a fresh cut and put alum on the cut edge.  Then place them in your container.  I've had some of them to last over 3 weeks on our tables.

This method works well for Lace Cap hydrangeas as well.

My gardens are now suffering from lack of attention and severe heat.  I am very thankful for the rain we received over the last couple of days.  We always have hot and humid summers, but this one has been quite oppressive to this old lady gardener!  (Grayden wanted me to edit that, but he lives in a dream world with me)!

We have had so many bunnies in our yard this year.  They have enjoyed eating rudbeckia, purple coneflowers, larkspur and even hostas!  I'm so happy they like what I plant.  I was recently reading an article about eating more plants, so maybe we'll try those in our next salad.  Only kidding friends!  Stay cool and hydrated.

Goodbye August!

August will soon be out the door and September will be upon us.  Cooler temperatures and cozy days will be welcome.  I do pray that Ida will do little damage to you and yours.  This summer has brought so much rain to certain parts of the country and left others so dry.  I really don't recall such a wet August for us.  The grass needs mowing weekly and honestly could use it more often.

As we were going through some items to give to Amvets, we came across a puzzle we had never worked.  Samuel told us he had worked it while we were in South America last year.  It seemed like a good time to put it on the Florida room table for us to work.  We both admit a black and white puzzle is difficult, but we finished the challenge and have now gotten out another one of the Portland Head Lighthouse.  It's fun to work puzzles of places we have visited.  Years ago we visited with our grandson the Old Man of the Mountain in New Hampshire as well as the Portland Head Lighthouse.

 

It's interesting that the Old Man of the Mountain is no longer viewable as he fell in 2003!  On one of our visits back to New England he had fallen the evening before we arrived.  We're so glad we were able to visit and take our grandson there all those years ago.  The cliff edges formed a profile of an old man on Cannon Mountain in the White Mountains in Franconia, New Hampster--Alex, our middle grand, always referred to New Hampshire as New Hampster.  Alex just began his freshman year of college and I'm sure would be thrilled at my mention of this family tidbit.  We've been known to have long memories of such things!

The roses have been giving me a blossom or two.  I do love bringing flowers inside to enjoy.  With the cooler temperatures coming we hopefully will have many more.

"the real evidence of growing older is that things level off in importance...Days are no longer jagged peaks to climb; time is a meadow, and we move over it with level steps." 

Gladys Taber

Happy May

The month of May just sounds so happy, don't you think?  Although I do believe April was more like May in my part of the world.  Even though the gardener has to have restraint, sitting on the patio with Grayden is a lovely way to view our garden and relax.
  

The trailing vinca that Grayden planted is thriving.  We've had wonderful rain and warm days to encourage all of our plants to do well.

We found a new outdoor rug for our patio.  The old one had seen better days.  It's so nice to have a defined spot on our concrete patio.  As you can see the new rug is smaller than the old one, but the quality of this one is much better and hopefully will last longer.

Caution photo ahead is of a snake!  

If you're frightened scroll on down.  As I was hobbling along and looking down, I came upon a black snake sunning himself in the grass.  I'm not a big fan, but I do know they have their place in our world.  Considering all the moles and voles we've had in the past he or she can have all he or she wishes.

I can't leave you with that creature.  Our roses are really doing well this year.  They are blooming about 3 weeks early, but we are enjoying them so much.  The Climbing Pinkie has just been the prettiest ever!

"Won't you come into my garden?  I would like my roses to see you. "

Richard B. Sheridan

The Climbing Pinkie is not a full petaled rose, but I love her delicate bloom.  We don't have a lot of sun in our yard that is required of roses.  But I do have a couple spots here and there where I can grow them.

Even the knockout red roses are doing well.

Thank you for coming into my garden today.  How is your garden growing these days? ♥