April Showers--May Flowers

I don't have any time to write with the schedule we are keeping right now. .

But everything has been so beautiful with the 7 inches of rain we have had in the last month--

That I just had to snap a few pictures tonight to look back on later!!

Above is a view of the front side of my memory garden.

Jupiter's beard (pink), Cardonna salvia (dark purple) and Napeta's low catmint (lavender) The porcupine grass in the background is already nice and tall!!

The chives and culinary sage are in full bloom too! Other herbs growing nicely are the tarragon, oregano, lavender, bronzeleaf fennel, basil, lemon balm and dill!

AWWW tomatoes!! In a quick lookover, I found a handful on several different plants. These happen to be Lemon Boy. 

The last wall of water that hasn't collapsed due to leaks. Amazingly--it also sports THE tallest tomato plant now!! That extra heat has made the difference I think!! I will take the wall down as soon as I have a minute! 

Amethyst Falls Wisteria--planted 4 years ago--one of the plants I bought after my dad died. It is 1/2 way up the trellis this year. 

I can't wait till these gorgeous droopy blooms are hanging from the top of the support!! I just love them!! 

Raspberries anyone?? My new little $7 plants are going to net almost that much in fruit this year! It was a no-name variety I picked up at Walmart because I love raspberries. .and the plants looked so great!! Now--to get them--before the winged creatures do! 

Looks like we will have a blackberry crop too!! 

Here's my bush--I need to make a stronger support and stake it up a bit I think---but the plant is loaded with buds! 

The rhubarb makes such a pretty plant! I think I can harvest some stalks soon. .Might make a batch of rhubarb punch! Yum! 

Here's the back side of the memory garden (You can see the same grass in the background) There is a small sea of miniature hollyhocks. The picture doesn't do the blooms justice! There is also not much ground exposed now--many of the plantings have finally spread and grown together! That will certainly help the weed population!!  

I love larkspur! And there is a great stand of it in different shades of purple, pink and white. I haven't seen any hummingbirds in it yet--but maybe one will happen by! 

Common milkweed--it's a host plant for monarchs! This variety was started by seed given to me by a friend. .The plants spread by runners--thus it is EVERYWHERE! And usually, I don't see it bloom so nicely! I leave most of it--but it sure has taken over a patch!! 

The red hot pokers are getting ready to bloom. The foliage is nice--but the flowers, so far, have not impressed me--These are the best ones yet--but they haven't generally bloomed for very long at all--so I will be anxious to see how long it blooms this summer! If they don't last more than a few days--I'm not a fan! 

Little close up of the larkspur!

Larkspur in the back and a red salvia in the front. It has been a good plant--hardy--long bloom time. 

3 knock out roses in bloom--they were memorials for two of my grandparents who died within a month of each other. They make a bold statement when you drive in! You can see some of the pond plants in the background--it's looking good this year too!

Honeysuckle bush!

The thick scent was heavy in the air tonight as Cami and I played baseball nearby! 

Probably one of my favorite seasonal scents! 

A closeup of the hundreds of blooms! 

A front porch garden that is finally looking like something! For years it has been bare bones--too hot with a south wind. I have come up with (by trial and error--mostly error) things that will grow there! And this spring it is in full bloom--looking lovely!!

I continue puttering around the yard a few minutes here and there-I feel like the gardens that I have labored over for 18 years--are starting to look like they have looked in my head for years!! And I am so thankful for that!!

Hopefully soon I can update on the people that live around here. .

But not tonight!! 

Have a blessed weekend!!

New Blooms on the Block

April showers bring May flowers you know!!

And we have really enjoyed the April showers that are happening nearly weekly!!

Soft colors inferno strip from High Country Gardens is going to town!!

Except that. .

I can count on one hand, how many times I have taken shelter from tornado warnings in my LIFE. .

And twice, during the month of April. .I found myself in a basement with people who were not part of my family. You may remember the episode I talked about at the beginning of the month, when my gardening buddy, Gardener on Sherlock came for a visit and we ended up sharing quality time in the basement with Grant and his video game.

The short pink flowers to the left are Fragrant Persion Stonecress, the taller lavender plants are Napeta (walker's low catnip) dark purple-Cardonna salvia, bright pink blooms are Jupiter's Beard.

Last night. .

At the high school awards banquet. .we joined all of the people in the cafeteria in proceeding to an underground weight room to hang out while we waited for the dangerous weather to pass. .concerned about the coaches, bus drivers, and our kids that had been 1 1/2 hours away at a track meet. .who were hiding out in a church basement!!

Kansas weather. .one just NEVER knows!!

And praise to God, who kept us from danger both times.

Elfin pink penstemon in the inferno garden. .while it is touted to attract hummers. .and I actually saw a hummer over the weekend in the yard. .I haven't seen a hummer on this plant!!

We had a pretty laid back weekend. Tristan got his foot surgically fixed on Friday. .And it went better than expected. After the podiatrist got into his foot, he decided that no canals through the bone needed to be drilled. .and no cartilage grafting either. Just cleaning out bone fragments,and shaving off a bony overgrowth was enough to fix the problem, he thinks. No weight bearing for him until he is seen this week.

He used some camo duct tape to "trick-out" his crutches. .and he has been SUCKING up the attention from any female in the school willing to give it to him!! We are hoping that he can be at least partially weight bearing by Friday, as the one act play that he has the male lead in for forensics, will be performing at state on Friday!!

The only thing that would make this set up a little better, would be solid sides. .so we couldn't hear him!! His mouth moves NON-STOP!

We are still loving the chickens. .One died last week for an unknown reason. .it was the largest plain white one. The others are at a horrifically U-G-L-Y stage of their lives. .and I keep thinking that I need to get some photos. A chicken raising friend looked at them over the weekend and said they looked perfectly normal to him. .I was starting to worry about their big patches of bare skin and hideous appearance!

Here is our home as you drive into the driveway. .the knockout roses are truly a knock-out this year!! Too bad they don't do vases!!

The peach irises are in their glory now. .They, fortunately, do tolerate vases well. .and make a great team with the white peonies and purple larkspur!

The unmarked hot pink peony just has a couple blooms this year. .but we are enjoying them. Cami helped me make a couple floral arrangements Friday. .she got to run the snippers. .and I am lucky to still have all my fingers!

This mini rose bush was given to me by my MIL several years ago after the passing of my first grandma. It is a reliable little pop of color!

Bridal pink rose bush only looks nice this time of the year. .the blooms usually do well in vases. .but I haven't actually gotten any into the vases! Soon the heat and insects will not do nice things to any blooms left. .and the slated high for Saturday is 1-0-2!! WHAT??

This tropicana rose bush is a bright spot out of my kitchen window. It is planted all by itself in a bed that I finally covered up with fabric and mulch to get rid of the bermuda grass. .The bed is in a great spot on the east side of the house. .and has morning sun with afternoon shade. .I haven't decided what to put in the spot yet. .but will be working on that in a year or two. So tropi stays there for now, but will likely move in the future.

This. .has been incredible!!

It was one of the bulbs that I ordered last fall from Brecks. I have never tried allium before. .and this year I planted 2 kinds. .I am so sorry I never grew them before!! This particular variety is Beau Monde (I think. .I'll correct it later if I find an error).

You can see. .

It is HUGE!!

It has been blooming for nearly 2 weeks now. .and has been absolutely covered in butterflies and moths.

Speaking of butterflies. .I have never, EVER seen the winged creatures in the numbers that are in my yard already this spring. All types. .monarchs, red admirals, moths of all types, a number of dragonflies, and I even think I saw a black swallowtail yesterday. .though I never got close enough to ID it. Cami tries to catch them, but is rarely successful. I had to ask her not to chase them through the inferno garden, as she was tromping down the plants, and they weren't recovering!

The sea of larkspur has started. My original clump of butterfly milkweed is among the sea. It will probably be in bloom by next week. It is a pretty striking, the vibrant orange with the hues of blue. A few other milkweed that I started from seed should also be big enough to bloom sometime this summer.

We are at the point of spring, when I have to take an extra moment to inhale deeply as I walk into the backdoor, or around the west yard, as the fragrant honeysuckle are in bloom. The hummingbird I have caught fleeting glances at, goes from the white to the orange and back again. I am hoping that I will have enough other food in bloom to entice him to stick around when the honeysuckle gives it up.

I was happy to find that Devin had taken initiative to fill up the pitcher pump water feature while Missy and I were antiquing a couple weeks ago. .I have really enjoyed listening to his small trickle while mulching and weeding!

Rocky Mountain Penstemon and Cardonna Salvia



Speaking of mulching. .I finished (mostly) mulching in the new memory garden, in which the inferno garden is the main highlight right now. As I dream about what it will look like as it matures, I can hardly wait to see it.

The Amethyst Falls Wisteria vine is blooming. .It should bloom for several months. .I hope so. I haven't really noticed a scent, and the buds seem smallish. .but I see great potential. .and the winged creatures are enjoying it too.

Every day brings new promises of what's to come. .buds on the cosmos, and some coneflowers. .as well as the buds on this Red Hot Poker. I chose it from HCG last year for the foliage, and the promise that hummers liked its blooms. .I'm looking forward to seeing this in it's full glory!

The schedules are beyond hectic now. .

with Jeremy and I having to divide forces to watch kids or take them places. .

so every ounce of serenity and quiet beauty that the gardens and their inhabitants have to offer. .

are a great source energy and refreshment.

 And. .even though this last month of school and everything it brings is just starting. .

I already feel like. . .

THIS!!!

Happy Monday. .

The FIRST day of May!!

Ecclesiastes 2:24-25

There is nothing better for a person than that he should eat and drink and find enjoyment in his toil. This also, I saw, is from the hand of God, for apart from him who can eat or who can have enjoyment?

Today. .

water iris shared with me last spring by my aunt and uncle..blooming TODAY.

Today. .

I am thankful. .

Just because!

Is this a picture of peace?
The yellow roses still wet with the moisture we were blessed with last evening.

My body is healthy. .

My home was kept safe. .

My family is well.

These new lives were discovered yesterday evening. .and were a thrill for everyone at our house

And despite the losses we have experienced. .

new life abounds. .

when we choose to look.

Delicious Lily of the Valley blooms shared by my friend GonSS

Psalm 63:5-7 encourages me today. .

5 You satisfy me more than the richest feast. I will praise you with songs of joy. 

 6 I lie awake thinking of you, meditating on you through the night. 

7 Because you are my helper, I sing for joy in the shadow of your wings.

Food for the soul. .and the body!
Purple basil and the volunteer purple petunia

Sometimes joy is a choice. .

And sometimes being joyful isn't easy. .

. .But it IS possible. .

Soft colors inferno strip is starting to sizzle

You just have to look for joy in the RIGHT places. .

and TRUE joy will never come until you look. .

UP!!

For the things of this world are not certain. .

closer up of Salvia-Cardonna and Jupiter's Beard

People disappoint. .

Jobs may come and go. .

Homes standing at the present, may disappear into the clouds in a breath. .

Health fails. .

Earthly wealth is ALWAYS self-limited. .

Drumstick allium. .a new flower for me. .Lovin' it.

But the joy of the Lord. .

Lasts forever!!

Romans 15:13

I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.

God bless and keep you my friends. .

And have a blessed. .

And JOYFUL day!