Glutton for Punishment

Is is just my imagination or does this 'hog' have a guilty look? I remember a summer when one of his relatives visited my garden in another area of this state and proceeded to make tomato salad every single evening from my garden without asking. She lived under my neighbors porch and was raising an extensive family. My dog treed her for almost 12 hours one day.

This groundhog above looks even healthier. I have lots of clover and other nibbles throughout the lawn and I respectfully ask that you ignore all the expensive delectables in my flower beds! I am willing to live and let live...and that includes the horticultural exotics that I have planted.

Today I Planted

Click photo for a larger view

This past Sunday I took hubby to the airport very early in the morning. My return trip took me by one of my very favorite plant places. I spent $160.00 in very little time and only the size of my car kept me in my place. This place is expensive, has 1,000's of different plants, and everything you get is very healthy and guaranteed for one year. They even have Sunday muffin/tea sessions with a plant expert if you have the time. I took my treasures home and placed them throughout the yard for Monday.

I planted the following on this very nice spring Monday:

2 Clematis John Paul beneath the sun trellises
6 Liatris Spicata Kobold around the circle of the ugly oil tank cap in the middle of the yard
2 Perovskia Little Spire in the same circle of the tank for accent
1 Salvia marcus near my blue-eyed grass
1 Salvia Marcus Nemrosa also near that
1 hybrid tea rose-Sweet Surrender in the same bed ---I am a glutton for punishment. What can I say?
1 paeonia Krekler's Red under my newly planted pink dogwood

and put aside the the newly purchased bird feeder for another day.

Before planting the Peony, I cut the four lovely blossoms and brought them inside along with four of the shasta daisies that had yet to be eaten by the rabbit and put them in a bouquet on my dining table. The bouquet was missing something...it needed a center with a little height. I have a small hedge of wild raspberries creeping into the lawn and a cutting from that seemed to add just the element needed. What do you think? It is not Ikebana, but reflects my casual style.

Trellis and Suns

The above trellis (actually two) were purchased recently to add to the vine hardscape next to the pathway to my front door. I currently have one clematis which blooms in the spring that is growing on a more traditional looking trellis in the center of this side bed. The flower is not the exact color I thought it was going to be, but the plant is so healthy, it will remain. I added two other trellis structures, one on each side with the sun symbol as shown above for balance and to add two later summer blooming clematis that are paler whitish pink in color so that I have vines blooming through a longer time period. They are called John Paul II. This sun in the trellis continues a 'sun-theme' that I accidentally began a few years ago with the sculpture below that is beside my front door.


I also have two large suns hanging above the garage doors. These I have to remove rust from and repaint in a darker wine red next week. Just one more of the many projects I have been meaning to work on. Below is the full bed now in full bloom.
This whole landscaping process is going very very very slowly as I do not wish to be buying expensive salad for the rabbits and deer. Rabbits already are eating 10% of the shasta daisies!!

Life in the Jungle

There seems to be basically two types of people. Those that feel most comfortable living in or very near the city. The sound of an ambulance and police sirens, barking dogs, people chatter and bus groans are comforting and familiar. These sounds become the lullaby that puts one to sleep.

The second group of individuals needs the sound of the wind in the trees, the final call of a bird and/or the lap of a wave upon the shore to help them unwind and drift off in the evening.

Interestingly enough, I think I like both worlds, and while I favor the latter, I can adjust to the sounds of civilization growing as I drift off to sleep.

Two nights ago, there was a twist on the evening lullaby in the woods. The rains had deposited almost three inches by the time sunset (which we could not see) arrived. The gusting winds broke new growth from the tops of the trees and flung it across the lawns. Leaves danced crazily above our heads. The monotony of the falling rain and gusting wind finally put my husband and I to sleep---almost. Just as we lost consciousness the violent and gutteral sound of an angry animal drifted up to the bedroom window. There was calling like a rusty hinge on a door and deep growls that could only come from a mountain lion. This went on for several minutes and hubby got the spotlight and directed it to the ravine. Someone was clearly not going to sleep until he/she got their way.

The spring shrubbery was full and green and we could not even catch a glimpse of a yellow eye. Finally we went back to bed and the animal sounds subsided.

In the crisp sunny post storm morning as we ate breakfast we talked about the noise. We concluded that we had been listening to a territorial dispute between two male racoons. Nasty it was and somewhat frightening. But I guess I can get used to that as I have gotten adjusted to everything else...except a baby's cry.

Nature's Bouquet

These beautiful branches fell to the roadside during the recent heavy rains and winds. The water crept above the dock and kissed the bottom of the boat. Rains and wind continued for over 48 hours, but left behind this lovely bouquet for my dining room table. Tulip tree flowers are not something I would normally be able to 'pick.' I feel very lucky to have such a lovely bouquet before my company arrives tomorrow.

Bye Baby Bunting

Here is an Indigo Bunting(?) that has been visiting. There are two males that stop by the bird feeder. I am hoping to see at least one female soon. How lovely would it be if they nest nearby each year!
Just as I head downstairs to replace the flash card in the camera, one of the males flings himself at the window near the dining room table! I hope he is alright! These filmed windows are tragedies in the woods.

The Beginning

For some odd reason, I think the deep red of the pot offsets nicely with the purples.

And thus begins my citrus grove in the mid-Atlantic.

Monday, Monday

Right on time! It is blooming my very first Monday of freedom!!