We have had our first week of vacation this week. We have found in the past, that it takes a whole week just to adjust to being on vacation before we really start feeling like we are on vacation. make sense? Well, it works for us and we have two more weeks to go. Trying really hard not to to fill it up with too much outside stuff but it always creeps in. the only 'honey do list' item that has gotten done is the cleaning out of the garage. The rest of the week has been movies, readng books, small road trips to nowhere in particular, tennis lessons, guitar lessons, and going to Lake michigan to see the sun set.


~Don't say you don't have enough time. You have exactly the same number of hours per day that were given to Helen Keller, Pasteur, Michaelangelo, Mother Teresa, Leonardo da Vinci, Thomas Jefferson, and Albert Einstein.
--H. Jackson Brown




* A few lilies that hide in the back garden where I cannot see them from my window. I cut those flowers and bring them in to enjoy.

Summer Solstice Celebration

"Traditionally, Summer Solstice is celebrated at noon when the sun stands directly overhead and the full force of solar energy can be felt and drawn upon in ritual. One stands beneath the sun, for a while, absorbing the light and heat, and establishing a connection which can be drawn upon in rites later that night.

This is a time of purifying, of cutting through obstacles and drawing on the dynamic power of the God principle to manifest your own power. Lift up your hearts in celebration of the fertility and wonder of life and remember to give thanks for that which has been manifested for you since the last Sabbat.

Many traditions throughout time have celebrated the Solstices, from the times of the ancient and the indigenous people to present day. Bonfires are set on hilltops. People dance around the fires. In many places, after the fire has died away and only the hot coals are remaining, children will be lifted across the coals to be blessed and cleansed by the smoke.

The Summer Solstice is a time to be happy. It is a time to remove unwanted things from your life. It is a time to dance and sing and spread joy and be filled with love."

An Entourage of Photos

*Grecian Foxglove, Woolly Foxglove (Digitalis lanata)*



*Backyard garden from the north & Tigger*




*Catawbiense Rhododendron* north side


*Tucked back there to the right is the on going treehouse project. (4th yr)*




*Jacks among the Hosts*

*The backyard Garden started two years ago* I love the early morning light.








*Buliding an inventory of plants to sell*





*Micro Lily*




* Hosta Nursery*




*Ferns*




*Freckled Lily's*



* woodchips on the ledge garden project*




*Sun and Substance*



*Hosta Flower yet to bloom*




*Variegated Hosta*




*Sunning the wing buddies*



* TIgger and the roses*



*Lily*




*Pink Astillbe*




* Spirea my mother-in-law gave me*


*Some shade loving, fall blooming, variegated bush*



* Soon to be Hosta Flower*



* Bear's Breeches*



* Sweet and lucky was I to get this photo
*


* Goatsbeard*

This was the very first plant that I purchased when I started the gardens 11 years ago. Last year I divided it for the first time. Now I have two.

"We come from people who brought us up to believe that life is a struggle, and if you should feel really happy, be patient: this too will pass."

My (renamed) Blog is more than just about my gardening hobby. This venue of expression includes my everyday life with my husband, children, friends and those who share my other interests. Sometimes it's just to vent about what bugs the crap out of me or questions I might have about life. I enjoy the variety. So I hope I didn't bring some of you here to my blog under the pretense that the whole premise of it was for gardening only. To maintain several blogs to cover all my interests would consume me. Living life and my personal time is too precious.

My ankle is healing well. Never fast enough when there is so much nagging at me to get accomplished. This, of my own making of course. So be it.
Now, while I am hung up waiting for the second load of woodships to come along, I have turned my attentions to jewelry display tactics and ideas for my booth for the Art Beat this fall. I'm really not jumping the gun here. I just need to get all my ducks in a row so I can concentrate on putting out the product.


What a nice weekend we had. The warm wind continuiosly blowing, making the wind feel so soft against your skin. I just wanted to lie around in a hammock and day dream. But, Instead we went out to see the Prairie Home Companion. Tom and I were the oldest ones there!I swear! Great lines, great jokes, amazing stars and of course, great quotes. A must see!



Lola Johnson: What if you die some day?
Garrison Keillor: I will die.
Lola Johnson: Don't you want people to remember you?
Garrison Keillor: I don't want them to be told to remember me.

Organic Strawberry picking!!!

What a beautiful day for strawberry picking. These beauties will be cleaned and frozen whole for future smoothies.


The woodchips are done thanks to my husband and two daughters. The wagon that came with our tractor sure made the job go by quickly. We will have to order another truck load though. It's always nice to have extra woodchips lying around when you need them. I have two more gardens to fill yet along with some bush and tree lines I'd lke to pretty up with some fresh dressing.



*White Tea Floribunda rose bush*



*Spiderwort, Bluejacket, Snotweed (Tradescantia ohiensis)*




*Mock Orange 'Natchez' (Philadelphus )*

I'm out of bed now!! YAHO! ooooh, nice nail polish......

Well, I was on a serious roll with the yarden this past Sunday. I mowed the lawn, trimmed bushes and weed-whacked all the trees. The day was too good to pass up. I didn't even break out into a sweat! Mother nature would bring on a breeze just when I started to get warm. Perfect day to get a the 'detailed' work done that I've been wanting to do. Waiting since May 25th for the woodchips to be delivered; I had a feeling that this week they would show up so, I wanted to get as much work done in the yard in order to focus on the chips for the week ahead. This week would have been the perfect temperature to chuck woodchips if I hadn't severely sprang my ankle in the mist of my fury on that Sunday. The two foot ledge I stepped off of had let me down hard. I thought I had broken my foot for sure. Cried like a baby. Off to the hospital, x-rays, air cast and pain pills. Home in bed for the last four days keeping my foot above my heart on a stack of five pillows all day and all night with ice to keep the swelling down. Of course the very next day the 16 cubic yards of woodchips showed up. Not at all surprising eh? Unable to spread them this week, I hope to be out there in a lounge chair giving direction to my wonderful family this weekend on the placement of the chips. Any opportunity to drive the tractor around the yard with the trailer and girls are there. Lucky me.



*Evening Primrose (Oenothera)*

My daughter was sweet enough to go out and take this photo for me. This is the next flower that is blooming out in the yarden. It's amazing really, how much has happened in the yarden in the past four days. The Iris' are done now sadly. The astillbes are getting ready and so are the spireas. Next will be my Rhododendron Catawbiense.

A Hummingbird Cha-Cha

I am participating in the Art Beat program this year. It's an outdoor event in the begining of fall located in the downtown area. There the local artists can display their art and sell it. I hope to have my own litttle booth to display handmade wire jewelry and hummingbird feeders.
Strange combo but I love working with wire so it works.
I must get out of the basement and get outside! Have a great day!

They were down, Now they are up!

Now that's what I call a bouquet of flowers! It seems to me that this is the variety that tends to fall no matter if there is rain or not. The color and height is so striking in a sea of green in the garden. I just wish they could stay out there. I think that maybe a bracket of sorts will have to be made for next year...


These are the Jack's that I 'saved' from one of many Notre Dame expansions. Hepatica was another one that was saved from the same wooded area. But now there is a four lane highway running through these woods. There are a few sections of the woods left on each side of the highway.

I think the remaining jacks are calling me.......

One Jack was planted four years ago. This second one is a bonus. PLuse there are several babies.