April 2021

A new tree in the park.  It's been a beautiful spring.

Waiting on our Oceanna girl to come visit, she's on her way and will be here soon.  Mark has cleaned up and re-batteried all the toys we've kept over the years.  This little piano was first Betsy's, then Kyle's, and now Oceanna will get to make it hers too. 

May Report

Remembering Judson every day, but especially on his May 1st birthday.  It was beautiful weather this year and the dogwoods were blooming exactly as I remember them when he was born.

 

The yard is as pretty as I've ever seen it. 

The front door garden, red hibiscus, yellow petunia and portulaca, and crotons for this early spring.

We had a lovely trip to Kentucky Lake, lots of fishing for Mark. 

I had never seen other birds at hummingbird feeders, but the orioles loved these.  We also got to watch a little bluebird pair coming and going, although they didn't seem interested in the sugar water.

Sunset from the boat.

Isaac and Jennifer are out in California where they are enjoying beautiful scenery too.

May Garden

Daffs

 I always call it warp speed this time of year.  Every day it's greener and taller and more beautiful.  

Mark's mowing is always makes it look even better.  This was taken yesterday. 

 And this vase was made this morning.  There's been a daffodil explosion!

Sister Vase

Sweet little bunny vase from PJ.  I'm guessing she found  it when she was with Lori that year they went to the Cincinnati flower show.  I've never been to that one.  Maybe we can all go together some year? 

A Different Kind of Weekend

This weekend is usually busy with Petals & The Farm, but it's turned out to be a little different this year.  First of all, I took off from work Thursday afternoon and Friday.  Just because.  And it's been great.  I love my day job.  It's full of challenges and too many needs with not enough resources to go around yet it's important and it makes me happy to have the honor to be there.

But lately I've been feeling like I need a day or two off here and there.  So. . . I ran away to The Farm on Thursday afternoon and spent some time with Cheryl and Gail and those cute chickens out in the garden.

The theme for Open House at The Farm was Spring Chickens. . .  or it could have been something about rain-soaked gardens, grey skies, and sweater weather. . . It's rained 4.75 inches in the last 48 hours and I don't know if it broke 50 degrees today.  But it was Open House at The Farm and that's still a good day :)

Out and about today,  I spied this red Ford truck.  Mark is dreaming about a red Ford truck.  But I'm voting for a black one.

 

Not a very good picture, but what do you think about this flower sculpture?  It's pretty reasonably priced--not outrageous for Greenview. Of everything there, it caught my eye.  

And this positively made me laugh out loud--at least seven bumper stickers proclaiming various causes with a license plate that reads "NO DRAMA"!

Tomorrow's forecast is a little warmer but still more rain.  Looking forward to it :)

Spring Season

Spring!

First day of spring.  Wish I could say the forsythia are blooming in the back yard, but forced branches from your local florist are a nice substitute. 

 It's a beautiful Sunday morning here at Canada Garden.  The iris and peony show is in full swing.

 

Lots of excitement at Petals & Co in the past few days with prom and Open House at The Farm, so I'm just sitting back and enjoying the show this morning.  I found this quote from Marianne Williams this morning:

Magic is when you ask the universe to serve you.

Miracles are when you ask how you can best serve the universe. 

 I hope there's a show going on in your garden too!

February 29th Garden Tour

 Yesterday's leap year extra day was beautiful, but really windy.  Southern Illinois and Kentucky had bad storms and tornadoes that killed several people and demolished many towns.  I am thankful our loved ones are safe.

The garden is waking up.  It's beautiful, but a really messy beautiful.

 As I've shared with you before, I love that feeling that comes when a flower returns and it's like seeing a really good friend you haven't seen in a long time.    Hello, friend :)

Hens & chicks from mama's garden.  This mild Illinois winter was probably pretty boring for them.   So now we're on to March.  The Farm opens today and I wish I could run away from home (i.e.work) and tour the garden there.  That will have to wait a few days, but soon, I promise.

It's All Right

The first daffodils of the season always make me think of the Beatles' song "Here Comes the Sun".   Was  George Harrison seeing the first daffodil of the season when he wrote that song to "little darling"?

The morning walks of the garden with a cup of coffee are back.  It feels like years :)

And here's a WoNdErFuL version of Here Comes the Sun sung by Nina Simone.  I think it will make you smile.  Good Wednesday.

February Hyacinth

This little pot of hyacinths has been growing and blooming by the back door over the last couple of weeks.  They had been intended for the kitchen window sill, but the scent was so strong  they had to move outside.  Turns out this is a great place for them.  Every time I go in and out, I get to see them up close with just enough of their sweet smell.  Thank you to my mom and sis for bringing the cool plant stand from Michigan :)

 

If you get your hyacinths from the grocery store, take off that cheap plastic cover (the florists call them speed covers) and set them in a flower pot that has been sitting around with nothing to do since fall.  Or stop by your local florist and they'll have a great dressed up bulb garden just waiting for your back porch.

The window sill?  A pot of tulips :)  I'll show those to you next.

Happy Mother's Day

V gave me this japanese maple for mother's day several years ago.  It's gorgeous. The whole garden looks beautiful.   It's so pretty, I don't even care about the weeds.  It's been a nice mother's day.  Mark grilled for us.  I planted a few flowers.  I thought a lot about all those corsages  that went out from Petals & Co and hope that Michelle & Des are recovering from their all-nighter.  I missed having corsages for us--I was so busy making bracelets for the prommers that I forgot all about ours.   Next year. . . when prom is not the same weekend as mother's day!  That will be a mother's day present for all florists everywhere :)

Tuesday Purple

 

MoRe rain today. . . I am thankful for rain.  It was just a few weeks ago that we were wringing our hands because the garden was so dry.  But  I do wish we could ask for a raincheck from Mother Nature :)   Still, it's beautiful--so lush and green with the birds singing and building their nests.

This is my latest attempt to make a collage with photoshop.  Usually they won't upload to blogger, and I have no idea what I did differently.   Have a good Tuesday, watch out for the puddles!

April Peonies

No, these aren't from my garden, they're from the grocery store where I try to stop every Wednesday night after exercising at Body Symmetry with Chad. (I'll have to tell you about Chad sometime--he's helped me lose 15 pounds!)

I'm a sucker for peonies.  At the grocery store, in the back yard, at The Farm, wherever. . . Last fall I dug and divided some peonies that were being shaded out and replanted them in sunny areas.  So glad I took the time and made the effort.   

And these are some that were left on the bench last fall and  forgotten, when I ran out of steam and couldn't dig one more hole.   Maybe, thanks to Chad's help, I'll be able to dig more holes this year :)