Thursday Vase

This little bunch has both white and purple butterfly bush blooms, dark purple sedum, and some foliage from the ninebark shrubs. I love how it goes with the gray vase that Lee Ann brought me from the Ozarks.

Scampering Across the Rudbeckia

I set these up so that she would be chasing him this year. Is it leap year? Don't know. Doesn't matter. Lori gave this little couple to me--they make me smile and think of her.

Sunday Morning Glory

Beets in a Florascape Bag

These are for Anna, because she loves beets. I hope she likes these!

Calling All Chocolates

Melt in Your Mouth Mints took the blue ribbon in this Illinois State Fair's contest. They sound wonderful. Definitely one to try this fall, when I've got the two or three hours to make them. http://www.sj-r.com/sections/food/stories/94008.asp

August Iris

Sounds like an oxymoron. . . or a miracle. Actually I like the idea of a miracle better. The guy who put so much work into hybridizing an iris that reblooms probably thinks of it as a miracle too. Who would have ever thought this would be possible? That was a big dream. Now where's that Schreiner's catalog??

Zinnias and Juliets

. . .in Bybee pottery, of course.

Pink!

Mirror Mobile

This is one of my favorite garden accents that PJ gave to me. She had one in her dogwood too. It's a sweet little mobile, made with beads and mirrored circles. The first night it was in the yard, we had a thunderstorm. Mark came in saying there was something really weird going on in the dogwood tree--all these flashes of light were coming from it. You hardly notice it at all when you're out in the yard, but from a distance, this simple little mobile is constantly shooting off light. Okay, sis--everybody's going to want one. Where did you get it?

Saturday Vase

The guy at Gardening While Intoxicated http://martagon.blogspot.com was talking about cutting his plants back to get more blooms. So I am going to whack back all the phlox and make up a bunch of vases. The blooms are still pretty, but the foliage on the plants is not so great. It might be too late, but maybe I'll get another bloom. If not, okay--we'll just have a house full of phlox for the weekend; and if it works, it would be great to have phlox in September.

Thursday Foliage

I love this big salvia that came from Park Seed. And this is the first year that I've had iresine--both of these are on next year's list.

More From The Farm

It's always fun to go to the Farm. She expands the gardens every year. Love these double rubeckias. I planted some seeds this year, got one little lone plant to survive and have battled the rabbits all summer to keep it alive. Fortunately The Farm doesn't seem to have trouble with rabbits. This is the place to go for dried flowers or to just get away to a country garden for an afternoon.

Now That's a Compost Pile

Kiss Me Over the Garden Gate

I swear this looks like a weed that I keep pulling up. Maybe I should try it though, just to see if it would hold up in a vase.

In Balance

Two buckets of flowers hanging from an old pulley.

The Farm

V & I went to The Farm on Saturday.

Mama's August Pond

Isn't this wonderful? Wow! Love the tidal wave petunias spilling over the tub. Love the umbrella. And that Joe Pye is monstrous! Wish I were there this morning. I think I'll call her right now.

Inside Third Street Stuff

This was a fun place to visit. Lori bought me an iced mocha and I took as many pictures as I could. Can't wait to go back.

Third Street Stuff

I don't know if that's the right name, but I'm so glad Lori convinced us to stop by this little place. These are shots of the storefront. And wait til you see the inside!

Zoe & Lucas

How cute! Wonder what they're thinking?

Hydrangea Standard

I bought this on sale at the Apple Barn last year and it has just exploded lately. Just beautiful. It reminds me that I need to go back to the AB and see what Gayle has on sale this year.

Two Zinna Pitchers

Tuesday Vase

Best Picture Ever

Todd sent this to us from his fishing trip with Judson. It must have been a great day.

JD & Rachel's Vegetable Garden

They have the sweetest little garden. Tomatoes, basil, peppers, even corn!

Colin Folk Art

I was telling Lori about Colin Folk Art Gallery in Salisbury. These pieces are in Eva's garden, which was on the garden tour.

Window Garden

Mama sent these from one of her garden tours. Unless it was PJ? Sometimes I am sure of something--and then as soon as I write it down, or say it out loud, there's this uncertainty that immediately jumps out and says, "Are you sure? That might not be right". So anyway, mama or PJ sent these window shots. I have a couple of old windows that would look great hanging on the shed.

Home Again Home Again. . .

Jiggity jig. After a too-long day at Small World when the boys were little, we would do our "home again home again" ritual as we drove into the driveway. Wish I knew then what I know now--that any extra hour spent at work when they were little was an hour I would miss when they grew up and moved to Lexington. Anyway, that "home again home again" phrase always goes through my mind when we get home after being away for any length of time. It was great to be in Lexington with people we love over the last few days. This is a shot of the waterlily just outside of Todd and Lori's back door.