flowers — Page 170

Back and Forth

July 1, 2017 at 8:25 am by Claudia

There’s a hollyhock! This is a different flower than the usual, but it’s the only one I could find at my local nursery, so I bought it. Pretty, isn’t it?

I seem to catapult back and forth between despair at what is happening in this country and excitement at the thought of seeing Don. Back and forth. Back and forth. And in the midst of that, I’m making lists and trying to get it together before I leave on Monday.

It was incredibly humid yesterday with the inevitable thunderstorm coming late in the afternoon. I took refuge inside the house for most of the afternoon and then I drove over to ‘the house’ to meet with my friends one more time and see it again. They have some landscaping ideas that might bring more light to the back yard.

I don’t know for sure, but I think they might make an offer.

And in the strangeness of life, I’ll see them again next week in San Diego as we are all attending the same matinee performance of Don’s show. I don’t see Rick for years and then I see him in NYC at his retirement celebration, then I see him again this week as he looks for a house where I live, and next week I’ll see him in California.

Go figure.

Lots to do. Do you ever have a deadline and you know you have to accomplish a lot and you seem incapable of moving? That’s how I am at the moment.

Ah well.

Happy Saturday.

A Busy Friday

June 30, 2017 at 8:43 am by Claudia

Three days and counting. Today? Recycle. Hold Mail. Hold NY Times. And more. Yesterday, I mowed the front yard and the corral and was pretty darned tuckered out at the end of the process, but I knew it was going to rain at some point today and tomorrow, so I thought I’d get that done.

These might be the last of the roses for a while. I need to add more to the Memorial Garden so there’s something else going on when the roses decide to take a break. The moonflowers have emerged from the ground but it will take a while for them to start climbing.

Much of the milkweed that is growing this year is tucked way back in the borders at the back of the property. I had to contort my body to get this shot of the flowers. They have such a wonderful scent. Have you ever seen millefiori flowers in a glass paperweight? These look exactly like them.

I have a friend who always manages to see a Monarch butterfly on her milkweed. That hasn’t happened to me. Wish it would!

I bought a hollyhock this year because I missed the volunteer that graced us with beautiful flowers for the past two years. So far, every bud has fallen to the ground before it could fully open. I took this photo this morning. Fingers crossed that an entire flower emerges.

I’m looking forward to my trip but so many flowers are about to open around here that I’m sad that I’ll miss out on that daily discovery.

Can I take my garden with me?

My friends saw three houses yesterday, all of which were wrong for them. But now they’re reconsidering the one that is only six minutes away from our cottage. I don’t dare hope!

By the way, we saw a black bear cub run across the road the other day (near to the house they’re considering). And my neighbor has seen one cross his driveway.

Okay. Time to get going.

Happy Friday.

Flowers and Friends

June 29, 2017 at 8:47 am by Claudia

The first of the purple coneflowers has opened. I have so many coneflowers in the garden and I hope a few more open before I leave on Monday. They make me happy.

I made up two batches of deer repellent and sprayed everything in the big garden bed and the bed on the side of the house. They don’t seem to go for bee balm (yet) or catmint. This morning I woke up way too early – at 5 am – and started thinking about all sorts of troubling things including my marauding deer, so I got up and immediately checked out any activity in the gardens. So far, so good. Since it’s going to rain this weekend, I’ll reapply the repellent on Monday morning before I leave.

And that’s all I can do. Not easy for a girl who is a bit of a control freak.

I mowed the back forty yesterday and I think I’ll mow the front lawn today. Noble came by and we talked about a loose schedule for watering the plants. He brought along little Petey, their adorable dog, so I got to dote on him a bit.

Then I had dinner with my friends Rick and Doug. They saw the house yesterday and they love it, but have some reservations about the outside. Putting in a pool might be problematic and the house – being surrounded by trees that go up a sharp slope in the back of the house – might not get enough light, despite it having lots of windows at the back. While we were waiting 30 minutes or so for a table at a local restaurant very near to the house, we went back and walked around on the property. It’s really lovely, but I understand their reservations about it. They haven’t ruled it out, but they’re looking at another property today. I’d sure love to have them close by, but they’ll most likely be in this part of the Hudson Valley anyway and they need to find the right house for them. Maybe only six minutes away from the cottage was too good to be true!

I have to say how lovely it was to spend time with them. Rick and I have known each other for 30 years. I’ve moved a lot in my life and my closest friends live far away from me in Michigan and Chicago and California and Florida (my sister is also my friend.) I have lots of casual friends out here and lots of colleagues, but being able to spend time with a friend like Rick (and Doug, as well) is a gift. I’ve missed that so much.

So we’ll see what happens.

I have to pick some more black raspberries today. Yummy.

Happy Thursday.

Back and Forth

A Busy Friday

Flowers and Friends

Lambs Like to Party

A Note

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