garden — Page 228

Can I Blame my Rambling on my Allergies?

June 5, 2012 at 8:33 am by Claudia

This about sums up my sentiments today. We’re supposed to have rain off and on for the next four days. And the last several days have been rainy. I have to remind myself there was a time not so long ago that I was worried about a drought and our well.

Right now, it’s sunny. Fingers crossed, I’m hoping it lasts a while.

In the midst of yesterday’s gloom, I ran outside to take this photo:

I love this time of the year, when both rose bushes planted at the front of the house are blooming. And if you start at the left, you can see the spirea has just started to bloom and the hydrangea heads are getting bigger. Right behind that hydrangea is the New Dawn rose, tucked away in another bed. Oh, and the clematis keeps on blooming over there on the right. The rose bush in front of the porch is called Lady Elsie May and it keeps blooming throughout the summer. It’s really grown and is taking over a bit. I know there are many who would keep these bushes trimmed a bit more than I do, but I really like that sort of riotous, slightly overgrown cottage garden look.

The spirea with its delicate pink blossoms.

And Miss New Dawn, be still my heart.

I’m feeling a bit better and thank you for your concern. My allergies seem to be especially bad this year and they are not helped by the rain (molds and mildew) or the grass (grass pollen) or the trees (tree pollen) or all the other pollen that is wafting around in the air around here. I’ve really been suffering. I know many of you suffer from allergies as well. I always find it ironic that the very things in the great outdoors that fill my heart with joy also set off my allergies. Sort of a cosmic joke, don’t you think?

The rain has overwhelmed the peonies. We wait and wait for peonies to finally bloom, knowing their time is short, and somehow, every year, it rains like the dickens and, boom, their blooms are dragging on the ground. (That sentence was a bit too long and overly full of commas.) I salvaged a few peonies yesterday and they are now sitting in a vase on the coffee table.

The Catalpa tree is just starting to bloom, but so far only at the very top of the tree. Normally, I wouldn’t even be aware of it yet, but the rain has driven some blossoms down to the ground. (Wait until you see it in bloom – gorgeous!) Here’s a blossom. Isn’t it beautiful? Those delicate lines of purple, the shot of yellow – and the scent is heavenly. Whenever I see a blossom on the ground, I pick it up and inhale its aroma.

Today I have to send out the garlands some of you bought on Etsy. I apologize for the delay but I just didn’t have the energy to crochet over the weekend.

And I have to find a job.

My nephew, Meredith’s son David, graduates from high school this week. It seems like just yesterday he was a toddler, visiting us in San Diego. Now, he’s a strapping, handsome young man who swims competitively and will be attending Ohio State in the fall. He’s also very, very funny. And you know I like funny. Congratulations, David! Love you.

And congratulations to Meredith for getting him through high school. It wasn’t easy.

Thanks to Jen from Muddy Boot Dreams. Yesterday, she linked to a recipe from Smitten Kitchen for Rhubarb Snacking Cake. I love rhubarb so I made it. So yummy! And a big thumbs up from Don.

Okay, I’ve rambled on enough. Blame it on my allergies.

Happy Tuesday.

How Do I Love Thee, New Dawn Rose?

June 2, 2012 at 9:18 am by Claudia

Oh New Dawn climbing rose, I love thee.

Was there ever a flower with such a delicate touch of pink?

It rained very hard here last night and I’m afraid to go out and see the current condition of those beautiful flowers. I can see from the window that the peonies are drooping down to the ground. Hey, rain: I like you and I know we need you, but for the love of all that’s pretty, don’t rain so hard that you ruin my flowers. A gentle rain will do nicely, thank you.

I mowed the back forty and the front lawn yesterday with our push mower. I’m wiped out and my allergies are screaming. (I’m allergic to grass.) But the lawn looks good. Because we live in the country, we don’t have a pristine lawn. It’s a mix of grass, some weeds and some moss. It doesn’t bother me because I’m not one to do all the sorts of stuff you have to do to have a picture-perfect lawn. I also don’t use chemicals on my garden or my lawn. I’d rather it be natural. However, because it is such a mix of green things, it can look ragged pretty fast. Don always looks at me like I’m crazy when I announce it’s time to mow again. But don’t you love that freshly mown look? I do.

It’s my work out. And, since I hate exercising, this seems to be my ‘natural’ form of keeping fit.

Let’s have another look at New Dawn:

Exquisite.

New Dawn, you’re giving my peonies a run for their money. Someday I hope to have you climbing all over the porch rail and up a trellis. I can sit on the glider and drink in your scent. We will take pictures of each other sitting on the glider, reading a good book, surrounded by New Dawn roses. Sigh.

Happy Saturday.

Mockingbird Hill Cottage (Frugal) Porch Tour

June 1, 2012 at 9:15 am by Claudia

First off, let me just say that if you’re expecting a designery porch with all white furniture and fluffy down cushions, you won’t find it here. Not that I don’t love that look. I do. But practicality and frugality win out here at the cottage. We get a lot of wind and rain that blows directly across the porch. Practicality. Nothing on the porch cost more than $25.00. Frugality.

Our porch wraps itself around two sides of the house. You can see the picket fence gate that I added to the entrance. It keeps the dogs from straying off the porch and it looks pretty. Note Scout barking behind the front door. I was taking photos. She wanted me to start making dinner so that she could scarf up whatever crumbs fell to the floor. The nerve of me.

More of the porch as it wraps around the front of the house. That’s the den behind that window.

You see this bench as you step onto the porch. I found that sign at an antique store about 5 years ago. I keep tools and other necessary things in wooden boxes under the bench. My mom gave me the smaller of the two pots.

This bench is to the left of the entrance. You’ll see lots of impatiens in pots around the porch. They work well there and require very little care. And they keep blooming into the fall.

This is where we hang out. That very chippy glider came to the cottage all the way from San Diego. Don found it for $25.00. The cushions were all bought over the years for a pittance. My favorite is the large one that is covered in very faded barkcloth. I found it when I was living in Boston many years ago.

All of the teak furniture you see on the porch? Two benches, a picnic table and 3 picnic table benches? We bought it all from our neighbors for $25.00.

The porch floor is bluestone. When Don and I first saw this house and walked onto the porch, I stood there and swooned. I do believe that clinched the sale for me.

My favorite step ladder. It came in these colors. Obviously, I had to have it.

I have two of these hanging plants –Scaevola Whirlwind Blue. I’d love more because this porch has 5 perfect openings in which to hang plants. But they aren’t cheap. So two it is. I love hanging plants, don’t you?

The picnic table with my wrought iron thingy (my official name for it) filled with a pot of impatiens and sweet potato vine.

I spend a lot of time on the porch. Mockingbird Hill Cottage is small and having another room at this time of year is such a gift. Yesterday my allergies were making me sluggish and tired. I took a little nap on the glider. Heaven.

I hope you enjoyed my tour. If you were here in person, we’d have some lemonade and a nice chat.

Happy 66th wedding anniversary to my parents, Gordon and Shirley. I love you.

Happy Friday.

Can I Blame my Rambling on my Allergies?

How Do I Love Thee, New Dawn Rose?

Mockingbird Hill Cottage (Frugal) Porch Tour

Lambs Like to Party

A Note

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