Take A Walk With Us

10 Minute Break

I heard a knock at the window and thought a bird may have run into it. I went out back to have a look-see. There was no bird down for the count, but it is probably what I heard. The bluebirds and others were feasting on my poke weed like Grandpa at the Church Supper Buffet.

So, I went back in to get my camera and take a real break.

If you're looking for a flower with staying power, may I suggest the Rose of Sharon. It's a shrub so you have to have enough room as they can get quite big. Talk about bang for the buck though, it's been in full bloom with it's big hibiscus flowers since the beginning of August and shows no signs of letting up. Bonus....the hummingbirds love it.

As you can see, it was raining here. It's let up for the moment. Tried to be sunny and then gave up.

Sunset Meadows

I sat in my adirondack and watch the sun go down last night.

Hope you are having a great Monday.

Ciao for now,

My Week In Pictures

Well, Some of It

Pooltime. As often as I could.

We travelled to say goodbye to our cousin-friend Gail. Sister Di had an Almond Joy (which Gail loved) in her honor. I know she's looking down from heaven saying....Almond Joy? Nice choice Di.

Our Rose of Sharon popped. Gorgeous.

So did the Kale. Yum.

The chard still has a ways to go, but it's looking good.

Lucan lounged. What else is new?

Enjoyed a campfire last night.

Woke to fog this morning.......

.....and a message from my egg.

The plan today is to get some stuff done at my desk. Then I'll be helping Gar organize his studio. If all goes well, that will be followed by a friend's birthday party, some pool-time and another campfire.

What's your plan for this Saturday?

If you are participating in the photo challenge, remember to get me your submission for the second theme- vast- tomorrow. The earlier in the day the better, so that I can include it in Monday's photo challenge post which I'll be preparing tomorrow.

Have you linked your shop or blog in the Gotta Have It/Gotta Blog It Link Party yet? What are you waiting for? And for you non-shop owners and non-bloggers, take a look at all the great stuff getting linked up. I'm going to have a hard time picking what to feature onTuessday.

Hope all is well in your corner of the world.

Ciao for now,

Lace and Sunshine

A little lace

It couldn't be more gorgeous out. It's about 84f, a little humidity, but a lovely breeze that is just heavenly moving the air around.  The barn across the street is looking especially wonderful today, surrounded by queen anne's lace in full bloom. 

The field on the other side of the barn has even more queen anne's lace, blooming as far as the eye can see. So pretty swaying in the breeze.

Other etsians (people with shop on etsy :)love queen anne's lace as much as me, like PineandMain, offering these lovely Steubenville Fruit Bowls.





Copyright PineandMain, 2011

And this dreamy photo by Cottagelightstudio.


Copyright Cottaglightstudio, 2011

 Or these lovely note cards by paperinkandearth.



Copyright paperinkandearth, 2011


Look at this fantastic watch, the creation of purplepetalstudio! LOVE this idea.



Copyright purplepetalstudio, 2011



I love the way the same thing can inspire so many different and varied creations.

Sunshine

There's been a lot of sun lately, and I'm loving it after the long winter and the seriously wet spring that wouldn't give way to summer until July. I am loving every minute of it.  I finished the weeding in the east garden and as promised, here's some pictures of the garden complete with mulch. As I mentioned, will still have some trim and siding to finish on that side, so it doesn't have the best back drop. Luckily, the blooming rose of sharon distracts attention for the unfinished stuff.

Before Weeding and Mulch

After Weeding and Mulch

Better? Right? Well, I mean, other than the dead lawn. Every one's lawns are crunchy here at the moment. The trade off for lots and lots of hot sun.

The piece de resistance though........the rose of sharon. Saucer sized hibiscus. So very pretty indeed.  I took the first one in the evening two nights ago.  The second, just a few moments ago in the glorious sunshine.



Copyright Pamela J. Bates, 2011



Our plans for the day include laundry (what a perfect day for line drying!), yard work, and perhaps we'll get those office shelves up. If not, 'tomorrow is another day'.

What are you plans? Is it sunny where you are or are you trying to avoid the raindrops?

Have a great Saturday in your corner of the world.





Monday, Monday

Wouldn't Sunday be so much better if Monday wasn't to follow? Anybody on that bandwagon except me? 

We did enjoy the day, but you just want it to last forever. Watered the gardens and happened to find my rose bush out back blooming again, beneath the poke weed. I think the shade from the poke weed was making it happy this week.

You can see some of the poke weed in the foreground, bottom right. Those green pods will turn into purple berries that the blue birds LOVE come fall.

I weeded for most of the afternoon. Never got beyond the small east flower garden, which wasn't even really looking like a flower garden. The grass next to it is toast from the heat. (Seriously, the earth was like concrete from the heat and lack of rain.) And the only place grass was growing was in the flower garden. Why is that?

Please note: lots of crab grass and weeds in the garden.

Yes, we still have siding to finish on the east side of the house. Eventually, when we get the mudroom built, it will happen. Someday. For now, it's kind of an ugly backdrop for the garden, but there are worse things in life.

Went as far as I could and then, like the lawn, I was toast. It was still hot. But got most of this little flower garden weeded.  Will attack the rest later.

I know it's hard to tell, but there are way less weeds in this garden now. Promise. The wheelbarrow is full. I've only the far end to finish. Then another round of mulch. I'll take a picture after the mulch as I'm sure that will make it look much, much better. Plus, the Rose of Sharon at the end is about to burst into full bloom. That will be a show!

I know you'd never guess (wink, wink), but with the heat we've had, there have been some really wonderful sunsets this week. Last night was no exception.

It started off so soft and pretty.

It quickly went to hot summer sunset.

Always a lovely way to end the day.

From my from my perfectly imperfect weed-ridden garden, dead-grass corner of the world to your corner of the world, have a marvelous Monday.