Unusual Cleome flower in purple
Flower Berms Project Status: Completed… finally
Truckload of topsoil has been shoveled.
Mountain of mulch (that still didn’t go far enough) has been spread.
New berm created (to replace lost grass)
Walkway extended (for better footpath)
Perennials divided and relocated. (for low budget goal)
(billions) of weeds pulled
Watering system in place. (sort of)
Chicken wire installed (not soon enough for some plants)
Two (4′ x 8′) Square Foot Raised bed created (one for herbs and veggies and one as a cutting garden)
Leftover pieces of sod from daughter used to patch lawn.
Wheelbarrow and shovels returned to their place in the shed.
Knee pads and work gloves stowed.
Time required for project: grossly underestimated.
Mildred Daylily
One of my first blog followers soon became a dear friend.
We have shared our hearts, prayed for and encouraged one another though we have never met in person.
Last summer I mentioned that I really liked a photo she posted of a Mildred daylily that bears her name.Continue Reading
Passion Flower
such intricate beauty
Lavender Lemonade
Re-purposed Curtains for the Patio
Create an inviting ambiance for dining and entertaining with an easy up-cycling DIY. Re-purposed Curtains for the Patio look lovely and romantic.Blue Salvia
While on bended knee placing pieces of sod in the bare spots in the lawn, I came face-to-flower with the blooms of the blue salvia growing in the front yard.
No matter that my hands were muddy and my pant legs wet, I headed inside for my camera.
These photos remind me of plants growing in an aquarium
or on the ocean floor.
or on the ocean floor.
The photos were taken early morning
with the eastern sun behind me.
Looking at this one, I think I might see a tiny Gnome pop up any moment in a forest of purple!
~*~
I Come To The Garden Alone
~*~
I Come To The Garden Alone
I come to the garden alone
While the dew is still on the roses
And the voice I hear falling on my ear
The son of God discloses. 
While the dew is still on the roses
And the voice I hear falling on my ear
The son of God discloses.
And He walks with me and He talks with me
And He tells me I am His own
And the joy we share as we tarry there
None other has ever known.
He speaks and the sound of His voice
Is so sweet that the birds hush their singing
And the melody that He gave to me
Within my heart is ringing.
And He walks with me and He talks with me
And He tells me I am His own
And the joy we share as we tarry there
None other has ever known.
I’d stay in the garden with Him
‘Tho the night around me be falling
But He bids me go; through the voice of woe
His voice to me is calling
And He walks with me and He talks with me
And He tells me I am His own
And the joy we share as we tarry there~*~Searching for the name of the author of this hymn, I was surprised to learn he was born and lived close to where we live and is buried in the same cemetery as my husbands parents. Charles Austin Miles was born in Lakehurst, New Jersey which is also the location of the Hindenburg Disaster
~*~Charles Austin Miles
Lyrics and Composer
Born: January 7, 1868, Lakehurst, New Jersey.
Died: March 10, 1946, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Buried: Hillcrest Memorial Park, Sewell, New Jersey.
Miles attended the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy and the University of Pennsylvania. In 1892, he abandoned his career as a pharmacist and wrote his first Gospel song, “List ’Tis Jesus’ Voice” which was published by the
Hall-Mack Company. He served as editor and manager at the Hall-Mack publishers for 37 years. In his own words:
It is as a writer of gospel songs I am proud to be known, for in that way I may be of the most use to my Master, whom I serve willingly although not as efficiently as is my desire.
Source: Bible Study Charts.com
May Flowers
outside
inside
Raindrops on Redbuds
Considering yesterday hit 85 degrees it is a little crazy remembering how chilly it was last week!
The temps are really bouncing around ~ heading to the mid 60’s for a high by Friday.
It was pretty dreary most of Saturday. Drizzly and cool.
But wet ground makes digging in Marl, the soil in our area, much easier than when it is dry and rock hard. So John used the time to shovel out some patchy lawn to make way for a new berm where
summer drought makes growing grass a problem.
The temps are really bouncing around ~ heading to the mid 60’s for a high by Friday.
It was pretty dreary most of Saturday. Drizzly and cool.
But wet ground makes digging in Marl, the soil in our area, much easier than when it is dry and rock hard. So John used the time to shovel out some patchy lawn to make way for a new berm where
summer drought makes growing grass a problem.
I played in the drizzle with my camera capturing rain droplets on our Eastern Redbud tree.
.
Last summers drought took its toll on trees and brushes. Drive through the neighborhood and you will see many that did not survive. There is only so much water that we were willing to pour on the lawn but I did try to keep a slow drip on the trees and bushes.
It was a chore moving the hose from plant to plant day after day but a necessary one.
I had to cut a lot of dead branches from the Redbuds this spring. One looks good. One looks pretty bad but showing life at the tips of the branches.
A cropped version of the above shot.
The blossoms remind me of tiny butterflies.
Christ the Lord is ris’n today, Alleluia!
~*~
Sweet Fragrance
Little hyacinth blooms were popping up in the garden.
I move this cupful about the house with me to so I can continually sniff their perfume.
Joining Mary @Little Red House for Mosaic Monday
Hydrangea Blossoms
I finally got out to cut the remainder of the blossoms from the hydrangea bushes. It has been cold and we have had a few frosts so I didn’t want to wait any longer.
The bushes didn’t do as well as they usually do, probably because of the very hot and dry summer we had.
Though fewer, the flowers are still beautiful.
 |
| As they dry their vibrant colors will soften to gentle heather tones. |
Monarch Butterflies
Our grandson, Jared, was walking our dog around the house and came running in to tell me about all of the monarch butterflies on my ‘pink flowers’. He was right! I had never seen so many monarch butterflies at one time. They were flitting all over the yard at each grouping of Sedum.Mosaic Monday ~ Sunflowers…
A Parched Land
Though we water the flower beds almost daily through this summers heat and drought, my once healthy and vibrant clematis finally succumbed to these unhappy conditions. How sad we were to see it brown out and shrivel remembering the many years we enjoyed its gorgeous blooms.
I didn’t get a photo in its dead, twig stage but here are a few from this past spring as it flowered all the way to the second story of the house.
It was sad to pull off all of the dead leaves and cut the vines back to the ground. Well, we thought, we did enjoy it for a long time.
then…
look what I noticed…
I am hoping some of our other trees and plants will recover as nicely.
For those of us who’d rather not send a small fortune to the township for water usage, this is how our gardens look.
This one saddens me the most. This Japanese Maple was planted when it was just a few feet tall. About the same height as Abbey at the time. So, it became known as Abbey’s tree. The first few seasons it was nibbled ruthlessly by our resident groundhog. (a wire enclosure helped keep nasty rodent at bay) It spent this summer with the hose on slow-drip trying to keep it alive. It is not looking good right now. I am so hoping we haven’t lost it completely.
Even the Eastern Redbud is filled with dried and browned seed pods that should be nice and green.
This Saturday we received rain for the first time in ages.
Not nearly enough.
Not nearly enough.
There we are… South Jersey… in the red… excessively dry.
Gardening hasn’t been much fun this year but the heart of the gardener is always looking forward!
Joining Susan @A Southern Daydreamer for Outdoor Wednesday!
My Dear Mother Poem
Softly muted pink and lavender flowers and a poem of love to Mother. This was a gift from my mom to her mother. Vintage and Framed, My Dear Mother Print and Poem have the name, M. Black and is embellished with muted shades of daisy-like flowers, circa 1945.