I know they're weeds

They're just plain old common wild sunflowers. They smell bad and they're a nuisance to the farmer, but they're green and growing and blooming in my yard. How much happier plant could I ask for? All this joy with absolutely no input from me.

Tuliphouse decked out for the Fourth.

More roses

These are wild pink roses that periodicly threaten to take over the entire front of my house. When I moved in, they ran along nearly the whole front, rarely bloomed and were generally just a breeding ground for rabbits. I've hacked them back, again and again and again. Last night I went out and worked at pruning them again. After 20 minutes or more you couldn't tell that I'd done a thing, but I had a bushel basket full of clippings. Except for the brief three days in June that they bloom, I wish they'd just go away.

Pansies

It's been cold and rainy here for what seems like months. It's probably only been a week. It's been depressing but the up-side is that the pansies have been loving it. Usually by this time we've had hot weather that has burnt the pansies to a crisp before they really got a chance to bloom. This year, they've been adding lots of cheer to my garden.

I've been remiss.

Here it is, flower time and I have practically nothing posted. Shame on me. And if anyone actually reads this blog, sorry. I'll try to do better.

These gorgeous yellow roses aren't actually in my garden. The grow beside the sidewalk next door and I get to walk or drive past them every single day. Ain't I lucky? :)

Bedazzled

Dazzling was the only word I could think of when I walked around the corner of my house and saw and smelled the spirea in the sunshine this morning. A photo cannot capture the way the breeze was gently tossing the branches and wafting the aroma thru the air. Nor can the camera capture the buzz of the insects that were getting as much enjoyment out of the blooms as I was.

Iris

This is the beginning of a tale of a friendship garden. I'll tell you more as the summer goes along. My friendship garden is a flower bed filled with things from gardeing friends and family.

This iris rhizome was sent to me by a dear on-line friend from the other side of the country. She was thinning out some irises in her yard and she sent me something like three roots. And they have had a rough start in my garden. The first year, the cat dug them up. The next year, the dogs covered them too deeply with dirt when they were digging out a rabbit nest. But slowly, they've perservered and multiplied. In spite of being in a spot that gets beaten by the sun and whipped mercilessly by the wind, these iris are spectacular this year.

Memorial Day

There's one flower that's just perfect for posting today. Here's what we around here all call, "memorial day poppies". I didn't tahe this photo this morning, it's from several days ago. This is the first poppy that bloomed. It was so big and lush and I got so excited because I haven't had decent poppies in several years.

White tulip

A very cool spring has been great for the tulips. They lasted much longer than most years. Alas, on Tuesday it hit 90º with a strong wind, so what tulips I had left blooming were finished after that. I realized I've been spending lots of time outside enjoying and haven't posted many pics, so I'll try to catch up this week.

A spring favorite

Here is one of my favorite pictures I've taken so far this spring. I think grape hyacinths are such cheerful flowers. The best part is that they are totally care free. I plunked these little bitty bulbs in the ground about 6 years ago and every year they just put on this fabulous display. In the immediate background you can see the peony stalks shooting up and further back, the pink tulips, and then just miles of prairie.

Happy Happy

Aren't they just gorgeous?

My Favorite Time of Year

Tulip Time

Ahhhhhh! Tulips!

Or Maybe Not Spring

Yesterday morning I got up to tulips just ready to bloom. This morning, I get up to THIS WHITE MESS!

The plum tree was just about ready to burst into bloom when it got coated with white crap last night. Notice the green of the leaves beneath the mounds of snow.

Luckily by noon it was all thawed off and the tulips joyously burst into bloom, welcoming the sunshine however brief it may be.

This afternoon the garden was dry enough I was able to plant some snow peas, radishes, lettuce and beets.

Then I sat and soaked up the sunshine like an old Hereford cow.

Spring!

Snow drifts are thawed off. The daffs are blooming, the tulips are budding, the birds are eating the dog food. Mud puddles are drying up. Yes, spring is here!

April Fools!!

How did that old margarine commercial go? You can't fool mother nature.

Maybe we can't fool her, but she can sure fool us.

Three days ago we had a lovely spring day, the grass was greening up, the hyacinths were poking some leaves up out of the soil. Chives were greening up even faster than the grass. And then the forecasted blizzard arrived. We didn't get a lot of snow, not like some places, but here's my front step.

And here is the arbor where on Saturday I had big geraniums sunning themselves.

Still Winter :(

I want it to be spring!! Now!! I'm not a patient person, this weather is driving me nuts. Here are a couple pictures of the kind of crap we've had lately.

Good grief, some years I've been out planting onions and radishes by now. In fact, I distinctly remember 14 years ago, I had onions and some other cool season things planted out alreay. February had been super nice, I had some of my garden beds dug and had put some seeds in the ground. (Call it that pregnant woman nesting instinct.) Then there came a lot of back to back spring snow storms and the birth of a squalling baby boy. April came, things thawed out and I had a garden up and growing! That ain't happening this year!

This is as close as I am to anything resembling gardening this year!

Nicotiana plants, started way too early, but aren't they a gorgeous sight!!!

A happy little broccoli plant.

Just transplanted into bigger pots, various seedlings under the gro-light.

Happy Valentine's Day

Or if you're not a fan of cupcakes, help yourself to a cookie.

Soon, very very soon, I will actually have a garden related post. I promise!

Trash Picker

Last week you met Our Lady of Perpetual Stench. This week let me introduce you to the Trash Picker, aka Flash the Wonder Dog. The mutt is at this moment whining and pouting because he cannot go outside because it's trash day. He and the garbage man have a running fued. When left to his own devices, Flash will tour the town and see what's in everyone's trash. And my trash man is more patient than I am and has been known to pick up behind Flash. I am not so easy going. I was not happy the week before last when Flash brought home someone else's bag of trash and "inspected" it-- all over my front lawn. So, they stay in on trash morning. And oh the whining and crying that is going on this morning! Last time I tried to tie them up, Lady chewed thru the rope and came to find me on the other end of town.

Another Sweater Post

Seems like I told somebody somewhere that I'd post some more pictures of knitting porjects. I don't remember who that was. So, the rest of you will have to bear with me. This sweater was knitted specifically to be a spring/fall sweater, only I didn't get it done until winter was upon me, so I have not had a chance to wear it with the skirt that it goes with. And even when the weather does warm up a bit and I can wear sweater and skirt together, I can't find shoes to go with the skirt. And then I can't wear the whole outfit and be seen in public with any of my children because they will roll their eyes and say "you're not wearing that???" "Yes, I am wearing that." "You just live to embarass us, don't you?" "Yes, I do."

For those of you who care about such things, the sweater is made of Cream n Sugar cotton yarn. It makes a nice soft sweater, but I don't recommend using this yarn for sweaters because I don't like the way it is wearing. The skirt is cotton sateen. I was too lazy to sew it myself so I had mom sew it for me. Thanks mom.

Our Lady of Perpetual Stench

I was sitting here at the computer and suddenly thought the end of the world as we know it had come. The supply of available oxygen had finally run out. The vapors swirling around me would surely end all life.

And then I realized.......those "vapors" were emitted by That Dog. Actually, being emitted at fairly regular intervals.

I ask myself, how can something smell that bad and still be alive? What do they put in dog food that creates that kind of stench? What does she eat outdoors (because she is an outdoor dog) that makes such a gaseous cloud?

And all the while she has this expression on
her face that is just the picture of innocence.

Ha! If I knew how to edit and add to photos,
I'd add a big green gas cloud above her. And
notice too that she seems completely content
to lay on my dirty laundry. Just drapes herself
right over it so she doesn't have to lay on that
hideous cold carpet!