Mosaic Monday

I'm just thrilled with all the color and bloom in our garden so far. Here are just a few of our spring blooming plants in Mosaic.
From the painted fern up in the left hand corner, to the peach colored rose on the right corner...the colors are just beautiful this year.

I'm thrilled with our roses, too. They are blooming like crazy, the bright pink one up above is in bloom for the first time since we planted it last summer.

It's hard not to want to show off the plants in our garden, especially this year. I don't know what the difference has been - but everything looks healthy and robust.

If you'd like to see some more mosaics, check out Little Red House.

Gardening Updates/Grad party report

Our garden is doing well, so far this season. I was please with the way it looked for the graduation party. I didn't get to participate in the Bloomin' Tuesday yesterday - but wanted to update some of the garden pictures anyway.

I love the purple Clematis. The blooms are nearly dinner plate size! It doesn't seem to be showing any sign of problems this year, though it did last year.

This Spirea bush is just beautiful I love the almost lime green foliage against the purple flowers. It is sitting just beside some blue-green lambs ears...and it's a wonderful contrast.

This rose is a single petaled rose bush...but you can see the leaves are being attacked by something. We've tried to see what's after it, but never do.

This bud was asking to be photographed. Isn't it pretty? It's not a true red, it's a little bit orange-red, and when opens, even sports a little yellow. Fantastic.

This is one of many Hardy Geraniums - which are aptly named. They truly are hardy. They keep growing and growing, we keep dividing and dividing... and giving away.

Well, Saturday was the graduation party for our dd. It went off well - in spite of some random rain showers. People came and stayed, talked and laughed...it was fun. Had a couple of "unusual" guest - who were in rare form, but they didn't monopolize the evening, thank goodness. I'll put some pictures on in the next few days.

It's gloomy, rainy and cool today...but there's nothing wrong with that occasionally. The flowers need the rain.

Today is a beautiful day... I've been watching the contractor put up our new shed!! Yippee!! Organization is coming to our house! But while that's been happening - I've really noticed how much the garden is just exploding. It seems something new starts blooming every day. The Pulmonaria look so pretty right now....that won't last, but when it first blooms it looks wonderful.




This one lone orange-yellow tulip bloomed. I don't know where we got it from, or how long it's been in the garden - but it faithfully comes up every year.




My favorite, fairly new addition to the garden..is this raised bed, and especially the fountain. DH got it set up and it bubbles away every day. I love sitting in the 3-season room listening to it.


It's not real loud, in fact, if the wind chimes are blowing and ringing - then you won't hear the fountain. But when you do, it's very soothing.


I have got to get some new batteries for my camera - 'cause there are lots more pictures to be taken. We're getting a handle on the weeds a little at a time. We're trying Preen in the garden beds this year to see if that helps cut down on the fantastic numbers of weeds we get. They about overshadow the plants!!

Have a beautiful, garden bloom-filled day!

A garden update

We've been working our tails off today. It's a beautiful, albeit, very warm day. We're working both in and outside the house. Kaitlyn cleaned out Petey's doghouse and surrounding area. John is weeding, getting rid of tree limbs from the windstorm late last year, mowing, mulching. I've been doing laundry, making a shopping list, dishes, cleaning the fridge, and mulching the front bed.

Then, of course, I had to take a break to go take pics of what's new in the garden. Everything is popping up, little by little...though we are sorely disappointed that a few things are quite dead. We lost a new clematis (One of the 2 Princess Diana we bought last year, 3 rock cress, another clematis we had bought the year before last, and a few other things we bought just last year). Obviously, that doesn't set well. But all that is coming up - looks good so far.

One of a few bright red tulips - but looking pretty washed out. They were early tulips.

This is my white bleeding heart...you can see a little of the old-fashioned pink behind it. They are doing beautifully on the north side of the house.


This is pulmonaria, and it looks great right now. After blooming, I don't like it...it begins to look messy.

These are brand new this year. They were supposed to be red around the base...but as you can see...they're very yellow. That's ok, they're a beautiful yellow!


The purple tulips have been in the garden since we moved here. Originally, they were hiding behind some old evergreen bushes.

There are lots more pictures. But my time has run out for now. Isn't it great seeing some color?
Every day, I take me morning stroll to see what's new. I'll end with the picture of my hard work today. I mulched the raised bed in front of our house. (Believe, my husband has done far more work today, than I, but nothing quite as picturesque at the moment.

Have a warm, wonderful, sunshin-y day!

When is Japanese Beetle Season Over?

By the looks of our garden, I'd say NEVER! What with these beetles?? We've treated, we've picked and drowned, picked and drowned and treated - and still they're out there by the millions (oh, ok - maybe a FEW less). It's exasperating!

Besides these little critters, the garden is beginning to look a little worn for wear. We need to start looking for plants that will be better season extenders. We've tried mums and asters - but like I've said before the little squirrels love them, and they're gone....again.

To make matters worse, both the hubby and I have been fighting the "dreaded gamboo" for the last 2 weeks and haven't felt much like getting out there. We both managed to get allergic rhinitis, followed by bronchitis - with mine bordering on asthma. It sounds like a tuberculosis ward in here, not to mention our son thinks we should quarantine ourselves. Hmmph....we ARE quaranteed - in OUR home. Go get a motel or con someone into letting you stay at there place 'til this is gone! Kind, aren't I?

Talking about squirrels. We've had a "newbie" on the block for the last several weeks. He's a cute little bugger. Curious.We actually caught him several times, standing on his hind legs with his paws on the window, looking in. It looked like he was trying to watch TV or see what I was reading. He wouldn't let us get his picture like that, though. If you can see the feeders behind him, he's been diligently examining them from every perch and angle he can manage to attempt robbery. So far, he's been put off.

Please be praying for a young father named Heath. He has cancer. From the sounds of it, it's very similar to what we watched our sister-in-law go through last year. He's having one complication after another. Heath and his wife Randi have two small boys. They have great faith, and believe God can heal. Be in prayer for him especially at the moment, he's just had a transfusion this morning, they hope to be able to do a simple surgery tomorrow that would help him get rid of over 40 lbs of water - which is making him very uncomfortable.

Well, tomorrow is assessment day. The pile of work needed to show our assessor is stacked and waiting to go. What a lot of work that was! I've got most of the supplies I need for September, and most of my general plans are written out. So, here's to another, and Senior year of high school!



We're still enjoying some pretty colors. Our clematis, unfortunately, have taken a real hit from what looks like black spot. But the cone flowers, black-eyed susans, baby's rose blanket, and the "tall, purple stuff" (can't remember the name) is still looking great. The grasses in the back, and over by our house are beautiful this year.

PS - 17 down

The Artistry of My Creator

The more I visit my garden, and the gardens of others, the more convinced of God's creativity and artistry I become. I love the colors, the combinations, the shapes, the textures. I really can't think of anything about flowers I don't like.

So while visiting my garden in early evening last night while hubby was doing some pinching back and weeding, I got a chance to take some pics of what's blooming now.

The lilies, for one. They are beautiful. This was the first year of bloom for the regular lilies. We've had Stella Dora lilies for several years, but I'm not fond of them - regardless of how well they grow. They seem so stubby to me. Just personal taste. But the regular, gracefully tall lilies are a favorite.

The Rose of Sharon is so pretty. I was afraid we weren't going to get many blooms this year, but I was mistaken.

The Princess Diana Clematis is slowly opening up. The first bloom is fully open now. I am so impressed with this plants growth this year!
And not to be outdone, our Baby Blanket Pink Rose has these near perfect little rose buds - so much of the plant has been attacked by Japanese Beetles and doesn't look as beautiful - but I just couldn't pass up these little open buds.

So many things could dampen my spirits. The economy, the gas, the cost of food, the kids making choices that aren't too great, the kneecap bugging me, I'm easily tempted to complain. Then I take a walk through the garden, and spend some time thinking of all that God has done for me - creating these flowers for example, and suddenly it just doesn't seem worth complaining. God is good. Nothing surprises Him. He knows about each and everything we ALL face - not just me. He's in control.

Thank you for the garden, Lord.

Sauna City

Well, from the coolest temperatures in July I remember, back to July as we usually know it - STEAMY!

With all the wet weather we've had, and 3 and 1/2 weeks of company - the poor yard and gardens look bad. I went out and weeded the raised bed tonight, and the mosquitoes had dinner! They're fierce. Unfortunately, poor hubby is going to get stuck with quite a bit of the weeding for awhile as my knee and I are currently in disagreement with one another. I want to get out there, but there's not much I can do (except take pictures!).

I am SO excited. We planted this wee little Princess Diana Clematis in the spring. It was so small, I figure this year it wouldn't bloom. All my other clematis have come and gone - but Princess Diana just grew and grew leafy green leaves. Well, take a look....it's about to bloom!
It's got at least 8 more little buds on it as well as this perfect little bloom. Yippee!!

The lilies were all just planted last year (except the Stella Dora - which I do not like! They look stubby.), and this year they bloomed like crazy.
The bottom picture shows a red and sort of an orange-yellow lily toward the back, next to some shasta daisies.

My Rose of Sharon has started blooming. Does anyone know if it requires feeding? I fertilized it when I planted it 3 years ago, and have added a little top dressing up until this year. This year I didn't get to it - and I don't know if that's the reason it seems a little sparse on blooms, or if it's the weather.












By the way, as a side note...my daughter has hand picked and drowned 132 Japanese beetles!! And they haven't even begun to slow down!! Where do they come from?????

Tomorrow, I am determined to start scrapping again. I have not had a chance to just scrapbook to my hearts delight in many moons. Enough is enough. If I don't make the time, it just won't happen. My cousin has been giving me all kinds of ideas....and I want to implement them! By the way Carolyn, the card came and it was beautiful. Thank you. How do you cut such perfect circles shapes?

Each time I look at the garden, and see the new blooms, take pictures, scrapbook my garden pictures...I am constantly reminded of the creativity of God. He sure does beautiful artwork, doesn't He?

Been awhile!

Well, after three and one half weeks of company (my parents), I am back to blogging a bit.

The garden has sure had enough moisture this year so far. Last year we were in drought, now this year - it's almost too much.

Right now, the poor garden looks like 'The Garden of Weedin". We're going to have to spend oodles of time pulling weeds. However, I'm thrilled with my lilies, the raspberries are doing great, the hydrangea looks beautiful, and my Rose of Sharon is almost ready to bloom. Yippee.

Here's a couple of pics from a couple of days ago:

Our white lilies, and the new Double Pink Cone Flowers.

The hydrangeas are huge!
One of my favorite lilies, and
finally the Shasta Daisies. And don't forget our favorite garden pest, Petey the Dawg! He has a particular need to taste the frogs. He doesn't like them, mind you...but he's absolutely sure they'll taste better next time! Happy Gardening!

Gardening Help Requested

Ok, what's messing with my roses, and why can't we get rid of these dorky, over-bearing weeds?

It's garden maintenance season. It seems like you close your eyes for a second and some opportunistic critter or weed takes over. Anybody got any ideas on how to stop whatever's putting teensy holes in our rose leaves, or taking huge chomps out of them? It must be two different critters.
Then there's the little wild violets....the violets are gone now, but the plants have covered what was the lawn in the middle of our back garden, and are now busily encroaching garden space. Also, the nasty viny stuff I took a picture of with my husband holding a piece...what is it...and how do you get rid of them and the violets??? Help!!

And while I'm searching for answers and complaining....why did my Jacob's Ladder die? We just planted it in the spring, and it was beautiful, then one day we woke up and went out and it was near dead - and now is completely dead. The roots seemed to turn into root powder!! What gives??

Oh well, part of the gardening experience that always frustrates me. Guess you gotta take the good with the bad!

My parents are still here. We're keeping them busy with non-gardening things (they're not into that). They're hoping the weather won't keep getting hotter - because that's what they're trying to escape from Florida...but it's going to be hot, whether they want it to or not.

I've got a kabillion things to put on Ebay this week. Trying to fit that into an already busy schedule, but can't get rid of the stuff if I don't post it, so need to fit that in, too.

Y'all have a great day!

Rain and Weeds

Have you noticed that when it rains, the weeds opportunistically (is that a word?) grow faster than the flowers? I especially love the endurance and tenacity of those viny things that grow in the midst of all your flowers and you can't find the bottom of it to attempt pulling it from it's imbedded-in-cement roots!!!

We've had plenty of rain of late....so needless to say - we have an entire cosmopolitan area of weeds. I pull them from the raised beds, hubby pulls them from the regular beds. We could use a couple more gardeners at the moment.

Nothing much to show you this week, I've been working on the house for the most part. Parents are coming! In fact, they should be here in the next few hours.

So, I must be off (some would agree to that on a regular basis). I have a few more clothes to get laundered, and a few more dishes to put away. If I don't blog much for the next few weeks - understand I'm keeping my dad busy with Mr. Fix-it Stuff and my mom busy with crafty stuff.

Happy Gardening to the gardeners, happy scrapping to the scrappers, and just plain have a good day to the rest of you!

The heat wave continues!! You walk outside and it almost takes your breath away. They’re even warning people with asthma or other breathing problems (my hubby and I have asthma) to stay in! Yuck.

Well, I didn’t completely. I went and took some pictures.

For whatever reason, the Nelly Moser Clematis absolutely loves this weather. I’ve never seen so much growth as it’s made this year.

We had so many storms during the last part of the week that really blew stuff around. Some of my poor roses lost a lot of petals. Everything still remaining looks like it took a beating. The hardy geranium still hasn’t gotten back upright yet, the Wine and Roses Weigela lost the rest of it’s blooms – but they were fading anyway.

We need a cool down. Low 80’s and lots less humidity would be a real joy.

I know many all around are suffering the early August previews as well. Hang in there….I’m praying for cooler weather. Prayer changes things.

Well, my parents will be flying from Tampa to Detroit on the 12th, and drive from Detroit to our place here in south central Ohio on the 17th. They'll be here until the 4th. I think they were hoping they'd be escaping the Florida heat and humidity!!!

Back to spring (ok, early summer) cleaning tomorrow. Gotta get done!

Til then, happy gardening!