garden — Page 215

Blooming and Barking

June 19, 2013 at 10:41 am by Claudia

I have two posts up today. Scroll down for my book review of the mystery Restrike or click here.

Since it’s garden time here at the cottage, you know I have to share some pretty pictures with you.

newdawn

Was there ever anything prettier? This particular bloom is on the smaller New Dawn rosebush I bought at the end of the season last year. It’s nestled between boxwoods in the bed that is in front of the house.

ladyelsiemaypeeking2

Those buds that were poking their way through the openings on the porch railing have started to bloom.

newdawnclimbing

The climbing New Dawn rose.

hangingplant1

My hanging plant.

hangingplant2

Gosh darn it, I planted a bunch of seeds 3 weeks ago and …. nothing. What the heck? I think I will have to go out and buy some more. I was so proud of myself for planting them earlier this year. Ah, well.

Lastly, the girl barking.

scoutbarking

Looking very much like her wolf relatives.

I have a phone conference later this afternoon with the director I met with in NYC on Monday, though I’d rather be outside. It’s gloriously sunny out there.

Happy Wednesday.

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Roses in Training

June 16, 2013 at 9:43 am by Claudia

rosyporch

All roses report for duty!

New Dawn rose: Thank you for finally blooming. You are a climber and I was tired of your long limbs falling into the garden instead of growing upward. I think we’ve finally come to an agreement. With the addition of some fabric strips, I have tied your lovely branches to the downspout and to the porch railings.

I must mention here, New Dawn, that I did not appreciate your thorns and their intrusion into my skin.

newdawn

But, once again, your beauty has saved you. I would be tougher on a wild rose. But your pale pink perfection gives me pause. Just try to be less painful in the future.

trainingroses

You’re looking good. I like the way your tendrils are oh-so-gracefully trailing downward. You might want to clean that railing, however.

pinkrosethrurailing

I’m impressed with the way you are peeking through the railing just behind the rusty glider. I can catch your scent on the breeze. Well done.

And now for Lady Elsie May.

rosesthrurailings

Lady Elsie May: After several years of growth and expansion, you have managed to do what I wanted you to do. But you’ve done it naturally. Big points for artfully poking your way through the porch railing. I like the contrast between your green leaves and rosebuds with the porch railing and rusty glider. Excellent work.

rosesthroughrailings2

Yes, well done, indeed. You’ve earned a commendation.

And now for you, little bumblebee that I spent long periods of time trying to capture with my camera. You could have stayed still a bit longer than you did. The constant flitting between flowers is enough to drive a girl crazy. But then again, who stands in one place for half an hour, camera in hand, trying to capture your elusive beauty? (I suspect there are a lot of us.)

bumblebee

bumblebeespirea

bumblebee3

You are invaluable, bumble bee. You pollinate. Your presence in the spirea, catmint and anything else that is blooming is appreciated. And you don’t get angry with me and attack me, though you could – unlike your friend the New Dawn rose.

Happy Father’s Day to my dad, who is just 3 months short of his 90th birthday. And Happy Father’s Day to the father of Winston, Scout and Riley, my sweet husband.

Happy Sunday.

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Memo to Rain: Please Leave

June 13, 2013 at 8:38 am by Claudia

thurs-sky

I’m leading with this shot of the beautiful, fluffy cloud-filled sky I took yesterday because today we are getting heavy rain.

Again.

All day.

All night.

thurs-creek

(the creek across the street from our cottage)

I’m sick of it. Our overloaded creeks and rivers are sick of it. My peonies, who have been rudely snipped, taken from their home and brought inside because of the rain are sick of it. My catalpa that keeps losing flowers because of the heavy downpours is sick of it. Scout, who has to have her paws wiped every time she comes in from the rain, is sick of it. And mostly, the ceiling in our bedroom, where there is a leak, is sick of it.

Okay. I got that out. Now if I can just scream a few times, I’ll feel better. But Don’s still sleeping, so that’s a no-no.

We mowed yesterday in anticipation of the coming rain.

thurs-agirl&herdad

Here’s Scout greeting her dad after watching him mow through the openings in the porch railing.

Most of the time she likes the porch. But when she is there alone and we are on the other side of the railing doing something or other, well, that’s another story. She barks.

thurs-bark

Outraged barks. I mean, why would we even consider doing something without including her?

thurs-cutie

She’s thinking: maybe I should use my abundant charm…

daylily

My first batch of daylilies has opened. This particular plant always blooms first. Lots of blooms for a day or two, then nothing else the rest of the summer.

Thurs-daylilies

Our little kissing boy and girl seem to be hiding behind the plants, hoping they can’t be seen.

Thurs-rose

thurs-newdawnbud

Is that a New Dawn rose bud I see? Only one of the buds has opened and I decided not to include it in a post. Why? Because it opened during another in a series of torrential downpours. It wasn’t as pretty as it was meant to be.

Rain, rain, go away. Don’t come again another day.

So, it’s dark and gloomy and here we be. I suppose I can get through two acts of Much Ado today. Might as well take advantage of being stuck inside.

What’s the weather like where you live? And if it’s sunny and beautiful, please be kind.

Happy Thursday.

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Blooming and Barking

Roses in Training

Memo to Rain: Please Leave

Lambs Like to Party

A Note

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