It took me a while before I realized that these bushes, which bloom at exactly the same time as the wild roses, are not wild roses. It’s easy to look at the mass of white blossoms all over the property and assume they’re all the same thing.
These lovelies are dogwood – silky dogwood – and they grow along the edge of the property right above the Secret Garden. And in the Secret Garden. And also at the back entrance of the property as you walk into the woods from my neighbor’s meadow. They’re what I call ‘frothy.’
I haven’t written about them before and it’s high time I did.
We sat in the Secret Garden this morning, marveling at the natural beauty there. It just is. The only plants that have been brought in are the pots that I plant every year. Everything else is nature’s design. We listened to what I call our morning symphony. Birds singing, the bullfrog croaking, the occasional hum of a bee. Goodness, it’s beautiful there.
But it’s still very hot here. This will be our third day with temperatures in the nineties. There’s a heat advisory today. So we appreciate that time in the garden because all too soon we’ll have to shut everything up and run the a/c. Tomorrow will be a bit better, though it will also bring rain and thunderstorms as this front breaks up
Because of the heat, there’s been constant activity in the birdbath. I’m going to top it off after I finish this post.
Oh, and we had warning chirps again yesterday from the robins. I tried to see if there were any fledglings on the ground, but nothing stood out. Later, Don went outside and heard the same chirping and saw a brown bird fly from the ground in front of the shed onto the low branch of a tree. So mom and dad are still watching out for the babies.
I’m going to paint this morning. I’m not sure what, but I’ll play it by ear. Don’s going to do some recording. He’s writing a new song.
Oh, the catalpas are in bloom. Heaven.
Stay safe.
Happy Monday.
sounds (and looks) wonderful. so happy you have all those things … except for the high heat. keep cool and have fun painting!
kathy in iowa
Thank you, Kathy.
Stay safe.
We have the same weather. I’ll be missing our dogwood at the lake this year and lilac too. They were late but by the time I get there, I suspect they’ll be over. Sigh. Not the spring I expected but it’s the one I have and you do what you must. This week I’m enjoying a series of online art workshops including some watercolor, drawing, lettering, etc. A nice change of pace. I’m glad the babies are still about — keep your heads down! I keep looking for baby robins or jays — they seem to be hanging close, or maybe they just like all the foliage in the yard!
Happy Painting!
Enjoy your workshops, Jeanie! Sounds wonderful.
Stay safe!
Nice title :-)) Your dogwood is lovely. Continue well with all the creativity blooming, too. Such moments.
XO
Thank you, Martha. Did a little mini painting today for the miniature studio.
Stay safe!
Just because I haven’t said it yet, I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE your painting!!!
Thank you so much, Chris!
Stay safe.
I love hearing about your yard/property and having you write of your observations as you tickle your senses with everything in the environment like birds and other beauty. Gosh; it all sounds just lovely. I hope your temps cool down; ours in SoCalif are going up by week’s end. But the closer we get to Fourth of July, ‘June Gloom’ (overcast, fog, cloud cover) burns off and we get hot; of course, ’tis summer. And we STAY hot for months afterward (so I’m trying to enjoy the ‘cool’ we have remaining!).
A jacaranda note; slow to bloom here this year. It’s a drought-resistant tree but we’ve had zero rain (when I’m sure SOME degree of moisture could’ve helped them) and we are now in severe, concerning drought where I live. I go out for ‘spottings’ a couple of times per week. I have my faves, some of which are over 100 years old. I’m sure the hot weekend upcoming will pop ’em out fully. As you’ve noted from when you lived in San Diego, they really are our beautiful trees in SoCalif, all that blue-purple (but also all-too-brief).
It’s cooling down to 85 tomorrow, with storms. Right now, it’s 91 but it ‘feels’ like 97.
You can’t do anything outside. We’re both going a bit nuts.
Thanks, Vicki!
Stay safe.
So very hot here, as well, and no end appears to be in sight. We so need the rain, but not much of that ahead, either. The squirrels & bunnies lie prone in the grass or on shaded cement with all 4 legs stretched out as far as they can stretch. We replenish the 3 birdbaths thru the day. So warm ~ so early.
So glad you are enjoying the morning symphony! Some days we have a lovely evening song, too. Nature is wonderful! Take care.
Yes, I’m constantly refilling the birdbath!
I was outside last night and the birds were singing. It was lovely!
Stay safe, Chris.