The geranium that I overwinter every year had me thinking it wouldn’t bloom this summer, but it fooled me again. It’s a small plant, certainly not lush in its growth, but we have a deal now. I take her inside every November and she lives on the floor in the living room. And then I take her outside in the spring.
I mowed the back forty yesterday. Today it’s raining. It started raining overnight. We need it. I am shocked by how low the rivers are. I think we’re due for more rain and storms tomorrow, as well.
And I don’t have to water the gardens! Maybe a few of the porch plants, but that’s it.
I hope you’re not tiring of coneflower photos, because I love taking photos of them. Each one is different. I never tire of capturing their beauty.
This hydrangea – one of the Endless Summer hydrangeas – is blooming. It’s in the Memorial Garden. I got it several years ago through a blog opportunity and I love it, but it remains petite. I don’t know why. My other hydrangeas – the Annabelle and Limelight – are tall and cover quite an expanse of real estate. This one? Nope. I don’t think I have the original tag and I’m now wondering if it’s supposed to be this small. It sure is pretty.
The liatris is just starting to flower.
These books are new to the cottage. I ordered The Pottery Gardener and Jacob’s Room is Full of Books from Book Depository in England. And I found Tovah Martin’s latest book, The Garden in Every Sense and Season, at our local bookstore the other day when Don was taking pictures right outside the front door.
The Pottery Gardener is Arthur Parkinson. He created a garden at Emma Bridgewater’s factory and it has become quite famous. I follow him on Instagram. I think – as best I can tell from his latest IG posts – that he has just left that position. He’s young and loves chickens and ducks and flowers.
Jacob’s Room is Full of Books is by Susan Hill. It’s about reading and favorite books and I love books about books.
Tovah Martin lives in Connecticut. She’s a longtime writer about gardens and flowers and houseplants and I love anything she writes.
I’m also rereading A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles. I’ve been thinking of it a lot lately. In fact, just the other day it came up in a conversation with Don and I went on and on about its virtues, its beauty, and how much I loved it. So I’m reading it again for the sheer pleasure of it.
The plant in the photo was in Don’s apartment in the city. Now it lives on the coffee table in the den.
Happy Sunday.
Your plants are looking wonderful and oh the beautiful flowers you grow. I love cone flowers and could look at them all day. We had hail last night up to softball size and I’m dreading going out to inspect our cars. It was a bit scary for about 7 minutes with the pounding (Annie was under the bed). Now it’s a beautiful morning. Guess I’ll go look at the cars and see if I need to call the insurance company. Enjoy your Sunday!
I hope all is well with your cars! Hail is scary!
So fun to have new books in the house. Happy reading!
I looked at AccuWeather last night and it says I’m facing 12 weeks of rainless weather, almost exclusively in the 80s with maybe a couple of days in October getting down into the high 70s. Boy do I hope they’re wrong. 80s might sound good to some people but it’s too darn hot for me. I wilt.
I have to tell you, after the weather we’ve had (90s and 100s) and the humidity levels, we were thrilled when it dropped back down to the 80s. It’s all relative, I guess. It’s been a very stressful summer here in terms of weather.
Yes, I do have to put it in perspective. And I didn’t like our 111 degrees a few weeks ago. Most of this week, we’ll hover around 100; it’s 90 right now at 6pm but it’s a much more dry heat which makes SUCH a huge diff. I saw on CBS Sunday Morning, which I’d recorded from earlier today, that you’ll be deluged with rain this week (“a lot of it”) as you mentioned but it’ll give you a break from yard work and you deserve it because you’ve tackled that mowing and watering for weeks and weeks now, so just sit back and relax a little…and read those good new books!
We are being deluged as I write this! I think it’s going to rain and storm through Wednesday.
Have you read Former People: The Final Days of the Russian Aristocracy by Douglas Smith? Happily I’d read it before A Gentleman in Moscow as it adds to the experience.
No, I haven’t. I’ve read a lot about the revolution, the Bolsheviks, and the Romanovs, especially when I was working on Anastasia. I’ll look for it. Thanks Margaret.
gorgeous pictures!
I wish you could send us your rain. we’re desperate.
they have started voluntary rationing of water. and the temps are still triple digit.
every summer here I think I “have” to move! I just can’t stand it again!
but my only family is my brother and he’s HERE. and I love him and enjoy his company too much to move!
so… quit your complaining Tammy! at least you have air conditioning!
(thank you little voice.) LOL! see ya! xoxo
We’ve had a very, very dry summer. It’s just this week that we’ve had anything other than the occasional sprinkle. Our water table is low. I think the lack of rain is a problem in several places in the country. Since we have a river across the street from us and another one just down the street, I see how low the water levels are every day. It’s rather shocking.
yes. and the people in our state STILL insist that it’s all a hoax!
tell me. literally HOW DUMB do you have to BE???
we’ve always had horribly hot summers and we’ve always been in droughts. but the REST of the country hasn’t! and now it IS. that tells me they need to wake up and at least be mindful of what’s being said ab out global warming! well. good grief! I’m sorry for the rant here!!! :)
Unbelievable that anyone could seriously believe it is a hoax.
No need to apologize!
Hi,Claudia! Love all the photos of your garden and will never tire of seeing coneflowers and book s . When I finished reading A Gentleman in Moscow I vowed to reread it. Let us know how you feel the second time around. xo
I will. It is definitely one of my favorite books ever!
Having just returned from England, I’m rereading all the Jane Austen’s. It was especially nice to read Persuasion with a fresh memory of Bath. Have a great weekend of reading and photography!
I love Jane Austen. I’ve reread her books more than a few times!
Day three of light rain here. I think it’s finally supposed to stop tomorrow.
I have three of those Endless Summer Hydrangeas and all three have remained small, so I guess that’s just how they’re supposed to be.
I love Tovah Martin’s books. I put this newest one on my Amazon wish list. Haven’t read A Gentleman in Moscow yet, but it’s been on my library books reading list reading list for a long time. So many books, so little time! I’m almost done with Susan Branch’s, A Fine Romance. That will complete the trilogy and then I’m on to other reads.
Oh, that’s good to know. I won’t stress so much about why it’s not getting much bigger!
I loved A Fine Romance – it’s my favorite of the three.
I have two endless summer hydrangeas. One got morning sun, and would often wilt, but it grew quite large, to the point that it outgrew it’s spot. The other one got the same amount of sunlight, but was much smaller. I transplanted them both. Now, they both get filtered morning sun, and are much smaller…go figure. My limelight’s are doing fine no matter where they are planted.
Hydrangeas seem to be a little temperamental, but so worth the extra effort. Have fun reading! ;)
My limelight and annabelle are not at all temperamental. But this little hydrangea gets hot afternoon sun, so I have to water it every day or it wilts.
those books sound interesting (i love seeing people’s stacks of books to be read). happy reading!
i have “a gentleman in moscow” from when amor towles gave a talk here earlier this year, but haven’t read it yet. need to rectify that soon!
no worries … the photos you post and those flowers are all lovely so you can’t overdo it. and i like the pot that don’s plant is in (mccoy?) … beautiful color. thanks for sharing!
less than three weeks ago, lots of homes around here were damaged by flash floods (we had something like seven inches of rain in three hours). three days ago three small towns each between 30 and 45 minutes away were devastated by more than two dozen tornadoes. and now the trees are good and green, but unless people water daily, everything else is getting crackly-dry and brown again. weird weather. hope everyone gets what they need.
my sister and i are making a very quick trip up to minneapolis tomorrow and plan to spend a couple hours at a lake. much better than work (though i am grateful to have a job)! hope it’s a good day for you and don, too.
kathy in iowa
Yes, the pot is McCoy.
I’m sorry to hear of all the weather-related damage in Iowa. Such extremes!
Have fun at the lake, Kathy!
I was thinking today, when it was around 81*, how cool it was. It truly is all relative. We have been in the upper 80’s and 90’s for so many weeks, today felt quite cool. We ended up getting about 1.25 inches of rain since Friday. But, we had some clouds, and that helped cool things down a bit, and with the rain, my potted plants even looked good all day long with no extra watering!! (it’s the little things)
Hope you had a good Sunday. I finished 2 books since Thursday evening, and am about 2/3 done with a 3rd. Keeping my mind busy, I just can’t read fast enough!!!!! I think I liked Rules of Civility a little bit more than A Gentleman in Moscow, but did love them both.
We have so much rain falling right now! And we have three more days of it. As I watch my hydrangeas drooping, and miss sitting in the Secret Garden, I have to remind myself that we NEED the rain.
Never too many pictures of flowers!…or books…lol…Getting plenty of much needed rain here too…my plants look very happy!
Mine too – except for the drooping hydrangeas!
We’ve not had any rain in ages which is very contrary to our reputation. Loved seeing your garden flowers; I think they appreciate the rain!
I’m sure they’re loving it!
Hi Claudia, I believe I have that same Doll House in a box at home, send me (I REFUSE TO SAY
“Shoot me an email” any way,do that, which I won’t say. and if I’m right, I will give you any pieces
you need. Don’t even say You might want to put it together sometime. I want to put it together Right Now! But It IS Never NEVER< Going to happen.I would be more than happy to help you get yours going. I do hope that you will let me.! Cheers, Judy A.
I’ll write you, but these kits have all the parts on sheets of wood and it would be hard to identify them and for you to push each part out of the wood. I think it would be better if I just bought an entire kit, so I can see what’s there. If you’re interested in selling it, I’d be happy to buy it, Judy.
We can talk about it when your ready.
OXO Judy A
Oh, I’m ready. You can email me at the address at the top of the blog on the sidebar at the right. It’s the envelope symbol.