For the second year in a row, yarrow has self-seeded in the corral and I’m happy with that. There are, I don’t know, maybe 20 different plants? Yarrow is wonderful. It’s sturdy and the blossoms last for a long time. This all began years ago when I planted yarrow in the big garden bed. It didn’t last long there for some reason. A few years later, I noticed a plant here and there on the property. And now, there is this wonderful cluster of blooms just beyond the entrance to the corral.
I think there are some unwritten rules about flowers – at least on my property. The first is that the moment peonies start to bloom, rain will fall. And it won’t be a soft rain, it will be the kind of rain that pummels the blooms to the ground. The second is this: as soon as the Catalpa trees are covered in blooms, a strong, all-day-long wind will come that sends hundreds of blossoms to the ground. Which is what happened yesterday.
Can I just say how sick I am of wind? It seems like every time we get a day of rain, a day of heavy winds will follow. Like friggin’ clockwork. We are so over them. Yesterday, both Don and I were left feeling edgy and unsettled by the winds, which were relentless.
Thank goodness, today is calm. Because we have to mow and that was impossible yesterday.
Those of you who follow me on Instagram will have seen this, but I know some of you aren’t on IG. A longtime reader of the blog, Grace, messaged me the other day to ask if she could post a drawing of Scout. Grace is a wonderful artist and the drawing was inspired by a picture I took of Scout galloping down the little hill outside the corral. She loved to do that and at the end of the gallop she would jump up and over the threshold of the kitchen door – just like a show horse. I can’t tell you how much we loved seeing her do that, especially as she got older and had trouble walking. Somehow, in that moment, she was young again.
I was so moved by the drawing. Grace perfectly captures an older, yet still feisty, Scout.
Isn’t it beautiful? Grace is on Instagram as @alightinglightly and I encourage you to look at her other creations. She is an animal lover like so many of us and her drawings are exquisite.
(That darned watermark! I hope it doesn’t look like I was the artist! It just happens automatically with my photo editing software.)
Thank you, dear Grace. Don and I just love this. That’s our girl!
Happy Saturday.
That drawing is fabulous!
It truly is!
Thank-you♡
What a wonderful painting, Grace has managed to capture Scout’s movement and joy! Growing up we had a dog that my dad named Mack the Knife after his favourite Bobby Darin song. I’ve no idea where he got him from, he just cycled home from work one day with a bedraggled dog under his arm and that was it. He always went by his full title! At my Dad’s funeral, we played Mack the Knife (much to the amusement of the Vicar), it’s Father’s Day tomorrow, he’ll be in my thoughts.
Happy Saturday
Love that name for a dog!
Thanks Dee Dee,all the best today.
Grace is a gifted animal artist. I know from experience how very difficult it is to get the soul and essence of a specific animal. Yes, it may look like a dog or cat, even a very good one. But how many times does one do it to get the real soul and personality of the specific animal.
Well, I say kudos! Without knowing Scout, I can certainly tell that Grace’s rendition has loads of personality and indeed, soul. Bravo — what a remarkable and special gift.
As for wind and rain — ENOUGH!!!
She truly captured our Scout. Thanks, Jeanie!
Thanks so much Jeanie!
Claudia, rest assured that we have the same unwritten rules about flowers : in may, the roses “Blanc double de Coubert” (very fragrant and pure white) are systematically ruined by the rain and the same for the chinese peonies as soon as they bloom. You would think they attract the bad weather !
Congratulations to Grace for her drawing of your dog : it is very living and well done. I like her style. She is very talented.
Have a good rest of the day.
It does seem like they attract bad weather, Helene!
Thank you! I know that Grace will appreciate your congratulations – from one artist to another.
Thank-you Helene♡
The picture of Scout is lovely! Grace captured those kind eyes perfectly.
She did indeed!
Thank-you Tana♡
Claudia, I bet whenever you and Don look at the beautiful drawing of Scout, your hearts are captured all over again by your special girl. What a special gift (as in both a present from Grace, and Grace’s talent).
We loved it – especially since it captures our girl when she was elderly. It means a great deal to us.
She captures all our hearts I think:)
Thank-you Wendy
I feel exactly the same about the wind, Claudia. I’m in Northwest Jersey and we have strong winds way too much. It beats up my plants way too early. Some nights I wear ear plugs to get to sleep.
The drawing of Scout is lovely. Treasured memory.
I have to do the same thing! Ear plugs to shut out the sound.
Thank-you Judy!
Spring…can”t wait for it to come and then spend time wishing it would behave itself! After much rain and wind, we got heat just in time to fry or fade the flowers. My late-blooming peony is in the shade, fortunately. At least the roses are very happy!
Loved Scout’s portrait on instagram. Will certainly check out her other art.
She is a gifted artist, Roxie. Thanks!
Thank-you Roxie!
It is beautiful and she is smiling
She is. When we rescued her, the rescue group had named her Smiley.
Awww,no wonder♡
xo
She has the most amazing smile!
Thank-you Suezk
you have used the perfect word for that picture of Scout by your artist friend Grace.
it is exquisite!
and there is an ethereally beautiful ghostlike quality… that beautiful little face running toward home! and the hint of the smile there. yes. EXQUISITE! its beauty brings tears to my eyes. xoxo
I like to think she still runs down that little hill, Tammy.
xo
Yes, I often wonder about the mystery of it all♡
We feel with Claudia don’t we,
Thank-you tammy♡
yes we do, all of us who have known that special heart of a beloved dog. xo
♡
Claudia, That is a beautiful picture of Scout. I liked how you described it. Grace is a very talented artist. Blessings to you and Don, xoxo, Susie
Thank you, Susie. We’re so grateful to Grace!
Thank-you Susie!
It makes me so happy that you are enjoying this and truly with both of your love flowing through Scout’s spirit ! Your sharing of that Claudia and giving me the joy in my part of the process does make it a shared creation!
Thank-you everyone for all the support and kind words as well!
You captured Scout perfectly. I can’t tell you how many times we’ve looked at it! And we love that it’s Scout when we was older. Thank you dear Grace!
♡♡♡♡♡
You are more than welcome ♡♡♡♡♡
xo