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!!

A Tisket, A Tasket. .

So far, the weekend has been a great opportunity to slow our pace a little bit, and catch a needed breath of fresh air!! The weather has been perfect!! The sea of larkspur is in full glory!! We caught sight of a tiny little male ruby throated hummingbird devouring the pollen Friday. .we have seen glimpses of hummers for several weeks now, but hadn't gotten close enough to see them. I have only seen one at a time. .so there may only be one around, and it may be different ones as they fly north! I was able to really see this guy with the binoculars, but just couldn't get close enough to get a photo. .you'll just have to take my word that he was C-U-T-E!! 

The girls are getting big. .and finally don't look so horrid!! Yesterday we let them out of the cage in the morning. .and after seeing that the cats weren't too interested in them anymore. .let them run around all day long!!

They stay busy, busy. .picking through the weeds. .they also enjoy sitting all together as a group in the shade, napping!!

I got most of my containers filled up this past week. .and was glad to have gotten my funnel planters loaded up again!! I chose an asparagus fern and a black eyed susan vine. 

The purple water iris bloomed last week (thanks Becky!) and the water lily has more than one bloom at a time already! The fish are re-trained to come swimmin' at the sound of our voices. .they are fun to watch, especially when they eat!!

And the front succulent garden has filled in well. Everything seems so much larger than life as compared to last year. .so I can't wait to see how much everything grows over the 

summer!

The veggie garden is doing well. .Here is our potato crop. .Yukon gold and Red Norland. 

Behind the potatos, along the fence are 2 Crimson Red rhubarb plants, ready to be made into a pie. .2 red lathum raspberry bushes (one with some berries even) and 2 Navaho thornless blackberry bushes.  The tomatoes are to the right side of the photo. .but aren't large enough to see really well.

The brick planter has garlic (a new crop for us). .and to the right of that are beets, peppers, broccoli; and in front of it are more peppers, basil (self seeded from last year) carrots, and lettuce mixes. I have seeded in melons and cukes, and put some squash seeds and gourd seeds in the greenhouse to sprout.  You can see to the right lower corner, the spiky green grass looking plant. .my old nemesis. .the Johnson grass!! That area still needs some cardboard mulch to go down, and hopefully the melons will crawl out onto the mulched down middle as it smothers the grass (HOPEFULLY) 

In honor of Mother's Day, I wanted to share one of my favorite passages from the Bible. .

Mainly, because this woman they are speaking of in the passage. .

is someone whom I would really like to emulate in my life. .

and strive to become someday!! 

Proverbs 31:10-30

¹⁰ 

Who can find a virtuous and capable wife?

    She is more precious than rubies.

Her husband can trust her,

    and she will greatly enrich his life.

¹² 

She brings him good, not harm,

    all the days of her life.

This weekend the Silver lace vine got a face lift  using jute to tie up the stragglers. The memory garden is across the sidewalk from this vine.

She finds wool and flax

    and busily spins it.

¹⁴ 

She is like a merchant’s ship,

    bringing her food from afar.

¹⁵ 

She gets up before dawn to prepare breakfast for her household

    and plan the day’s work for her servant girls.

She goes to inspect a field and buys it;

    with her earnings she plants a vineyard.

She is energetic and strong,

    a hard worker.

The hollyhocks are just starting, and amazingly. .there are three different colors blooming side by side in the front garden bed. Not too often can I shoot their photo with nice looking leaves too!!

She makes sure her dealings are profitable;

    her lamp burns late into the night.

¹⁹ 

Her hands are busy spinning thread,

    her fingers twisting fiber.

²⁰ 

She extends a helping hand to the poor

    and opens her arms to the needy.

²¹ 

She has no fear of winter for her household,

    for everyone has warm clothes.

She makes her own bedspreads.

    She dresses in fine linen and purple gowns. 

The Mexican hat has self seeded, as has the gray headed coneflowers planted last spring from High Country Gardens. .The buds are formed, and I can hardly WAIT for their colors to pop. .you can bet I'll be posting their pondside display!!

Her husband is well known at the city gates,

    where he sits with the other civic leaders.

She makes belted linen garments

    and sashes to sell to the merchants.

She is clothed with strength and dignity,

    and she laughs without fear of the future.

Such a vivid purple of the larkspur next to the passed along penstemon plant from my friend Pat!

When she speaks, her words are wise,

    and she gives instructions with kindness.

 

She carefully watches everything in her household

    and suffers nothing from laziness.

The zip line got another overhaul last weekend by my dear hubby!!  Now even Cami can climb the ladder to get on if the handles are close!

 Her children stand and bless her.
    Her husband praises her:
 “There are many virtuous and capable women in the world,
    but you surpass them all!”

The red hot pokers bloomed. I was slightly disappointed in the length of their blooms, but they bloomed long enough that the hummer was sighted on them too!

Charm is deceptive, and beauty does not last;
    but a woman who fears the Lord will be greatly praised.
 Reward her for all she has done.
    Let her deeds publicly declare her praise.

HAHAHA! Can you just imagine the gossip?

Happy Mother's Day!!

A little over a week, and I will be the mom of TWO high school kids. .stay tuned!!