This blog is about my garden and the outdoors. I am new to photography but I am trying to show some of the pretty things that grow here in Michigan. I love the wild things who visit me and I dont mind if they eat a bit here and there. I like it more if they let me take their picture. As time goes on I think I will try to show you around the beautiful area that I live in as well as my garden. I try to use my own pictures as much as possible but will also use pictures from the web. If I inadvertently use your photo or work without permission please email me and I will remove it or give credit if you prefer. I will give credit when I know who the owner is. I would ask that anyone using my pictures do the same.
... I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.......Psalm23:6
If you do not have a blog and wish to comment (I love comments) you can join google and comment via that, It's free

Saturday, May 28, 2016

After the rain.................

On our way home from Leland yesterday it started to rain. We had a nice downpour and today is cloudy and humid. It hasn't rained yet but is supposed to. The kids are playing in the sprinkler so no doubt the back grass (I cant honestly call it a lawn) will be a mud puddle. Still they have to play somewhere. Sigh.............I was so over all that, you know kids disrupting my quiet retirement life. Well I must accept things as they are and do my best to muddle through Boo Hoo.
 photo 103_4327_zpsyhqilnxb.jpg
That and the tent unused in the back shade garden. May as well take it down but Gerry says no they will play with it at some point. Well............anyway.
So after the nice rain we had I went to check the garden. At least it got me out of working today after hauling rocks from the beach yesterday. Everything just bursts after a rain. Something they get that they don't get from a hose. Everything is an inch taller and the buds are bursting. The bushes like my Azaelias are full of flower where just yesterday there were only buds. By tomorrow the Poppies will be blooming as well as my Iris it looks like.
 photo 103_4316_zpsp6ebec9i.jpg
 photo 103_4297_zpsmrzuwiec.jpg
 photo 103_4294_zpsepk7go9l.jpg
The Pink Azaelia was in poor shape I thought but has really come on nice. I have another under the Pines that should bloom tomorrow. The Snowball shrub needs cutting but will wait now until done blooming. I would like to find some shoots from that to plant somewhere else.
 photo 103_4298_zpsxkloqonu.jpg
The new Foxglove is blooming nice, I have another that has not come to that point yet. If I remember right it may be yellow or pale pink. The Geraniums are nice too.
 photo 103_4315_zpspefqogff.jpg
 photo 103_4293g_zpsmse6murj.jpg
Rain is natures nourishment. It shows. This Hydrangea was on the edge of dying, the flowers had withered but have revived. These flowers put in this year are ahead of the ones already growing. The other two Hydrangeas are way behind at this point. I hope the rain will work it's magic.
 photo 103_4313_zpsimlj2qry.jpg
 photo 103_4311_zpsobb9gepz.jpg
 photo 103_4312_zpsctoizcqv.jpg
 photo 103_4314h_zpstajyawvk.jpg
The Ferns are out and I have thinned them out, I will have to keep that up so they don't spread again.
 photo 103_4318_zpsuswycjyi.jpg
This Hosta has doubled in size since I moved it. It is beautiful now.
 photo 103_4319_zps7zld7jbq.jpg
The pond fills up with rain water and thats better than having to fill from the hose and add the decloride stuff to it. Goldfish don't seem to mind the chemicals but chorine kills them. So far so good they are on their 4th year in the pond. I wonder if Mr Toad is still around.
It's still looking like we may get more rain later and that would be good. Then it can stop for awhile.

Tuesday, May 24, 2016

Tne Front Is Done..............for now...............

Finally, this weekend I finished doing the front gardens. Each one had to be dug, weeded and shaped. It was a lot of work. I extended the fence bit by bit along the whole side by the road. Gerry took out the shrubs by the porch and we now have a rather large tract there that will be seeded in grass. I will put a few small shrubs by the side but that is all. I will just post pictures without comment.
 photo 103_4179_zpsfd60ncls.jpg

 photo 103_4145_zpsafel9gyz.jpg

 photo 103_4124_zpsajpmnmew.jpg

 photo 103_4123_zpsf7f8o9vf.jpg

 photo 103_4110_zpssegzbb2m.jpg

 photo 103_4109_zps8wj1lgte.jpg

 photo 103_4112_zpsgaw47kze.jpg

 photo 103_4141_zpsktlyaogi.jpg

 photo 103_4140_zps1beiqsgi.jpg

 photo 103_4154_zpsbip1v4du.jpg

Thats a brief look for now, when all the flowers come out and fill in then I will show another set.





Working on the back gardens ............................

I finished the front, all the heavy work that is. I have more to do naturally but it can wait. I planted some strawberries today. Lets see how that goes. At the moment the ones I put in before have spread into the grass so do not get a chance to bear fruit. So, now we will try again and see if these take.
 photo 103_4204_zpssldzbrk2.jpg
So moving on for now.My garden in the back, as in the front, is divided into smaller gardens. The very back is my shade garden. It is mainly Hostas. There were lilly of the valley growing in there. I had to dig those all out . It is looking pretty good now it's all cleaned up. Next I will have to pull out all the little tree saplings spread all over the wood chips. That will be a pain in the butt for sure. litteraly.
 photo 103_4189k_zpsjbo1djoe.jpg
The rest of the shade area needs next to no maintenance as its mainly ivy or other shade plants that spread. The Hosta are all in planters no weeding required, just as well as the wood chips harbor all those Maple things.
 photo 103_4192_zpsionrgqcd.jpg
The Hosta in the big tub really needs seperating soon. I say that every year. There are Poodle paths all around my garden, little secret trails just for them.
 photo 103_4191_zps0f5wdrjj.jpg
The dead tree in the very back, I have plans for that. I want to paint a fairy house on it somehow.
 photo 103_4190_zpsbwem8js3.jpg
The Begonias I put in hanging baskets and planters just for a little colour.
 photo 103_4187h_zps5w29ejsb.jpg
My little ladder has a box on top and I put some Begonia's in that.
 photo 103_4198h_zpsd4ldjuju.jpg
The thing is, the Hosta in planters come up and out long before that in the ground do.
 photo 103_4193_zpsqwob53ru.jpg
I have much to do. This area though is good for now. Except pulling those seedlings out. If I could get more mulch I would just cover them up. Cant do that this year. Tomorrow I will start on the side garden while it is in the shade.



Sunday, May 15, 2016

Snow in May.....................

It snowed this morning again. I think this is it though. Looking at the weather for the week it will be up to 70 by the end of the week. I am going to plant my stuff and to heck with it. First I need to finish the front gardens. The blossoms are coming out on the apple tree.
 photo 103_3977h_zpsw3joctuu.jpg
The blossom is still looking good.
 photo 103_3974a_zpsm5enkgvz.jpg
 photo 103_3974g_zpsgtrupabl.jpg
I put the rose in the ground and moved the wheel barrow. Then planted daisies and the things that were just sitting there. I think what I must do is clean out each garden one by one and put back what I want to keep and get rid of what I don't. It's time for a good clean out. The walkway looks nice now. I had to take in the ferns and geraniums but they go back out tomorrow and will have to fend for themselves.
 photo daisy_zpsvqurdzf2.jpg
Just as everything has started to bloom, along comes some snow. Sigh.
 photo 103_3978a_zpsab59f384.jpg
Out back, little red came by. He/she is so dang cute. I am sure Bud will not like him being around. They say the small red squirrels are more destructive than the regulars.
 photo 103_3989h_zpslgqukeuw.jpg
But look how cute he is
 photo 103_3985h_zpshfxi9ybm.jpg
 photo 103_3984j_zpsegrtnmjz.jpg
The Starlings were not liking the snow.
 photo 103_4007h_zpscto3sb1p.jpg
 photo 103_4008h_zpsag0dqpsb.jpg
He is saying "what the fu**"
 photo 103_4006j_zpsiomijeyf.jpg
These are the tulips the squirrels were kind enough to transplant from Bud's into my garden.
 photo tulip_zpsyngd4yvh.jpg
Next year I may move some into the garden itself. I will leave the best for Bud to enjoy from his kitchen window though.

Thursday, May 12, 2016

He says snow, I say noooooooooooooo.....................

I have bought my plants and have them sitting under some old windows. I am hoping I can get Gerry to make me some boxes and fit the windows on top so I can have some beds for seeds next year. All is ready to plant but, the weather is not cooperating. He is telling me that it may snow at the weekend. I can't believe this. I normally have my plants in by now. Maybe I can at least plant some seeds.
The Apple tree is beginning to blossom.
 photo 103_4247k_zpskbkbfapp.jpg
I must cover everything tomorrow. What a pain that is. I think I will put bags over everything rather than move it. I just can't be bothered. I wore myself out lugging all the woods chips. I cant cover the cherry tree though.
The Quince is blooming, I plant Quince because it reminds me of my fathers garden. He had Quince growing over his shed in the back garden. So every Spring I imagine that.
 photo quince_zpsblwnjzrb.jpg
These Tulips are on the side of my house looking into Buds garden. They are Buds tulips so I dare not move them haha. The Squirrels transplanted them into my garden. I would like to move some into mine, well technically they are in mine but I didn't buy them.
 photo tulip_zpsyngd4yvh.jpg
That part of the garden is also full of Forgetmenots.
 photo forget_zpsyvjcpkba.jpg
Those I can transplant into my garden, at least some of them. They are sort of wandering around my lawn anyway. Those and Violets and Dandelions, all will go at the first cut and usually after they are done blooming.
I bought some succulents again this year. They seem to do well and if I am lucky they spread. I have bought them in stone containers and put those in the rock gardens. These are in ordinary containers. If they do well I will plant them.
 photo suc_zpspu3h1pba.jpg
I have this Hydrangea to plant in the side by the road where I have put the fence.
 photo 103_4224_zpsatrozldm.jpg
 photo 103_4223_zpskdw4ew3m.jpg
I think it will do well there. Tomorrow is supposed to be cooler than today. Today was wet and humid. I hope tomorrow I can get some things done. I bought some purple daisies today and another painted daisy that I will plant with the rose bush.
 photo daisy_zpsvqurdzf2.jpg
 photo 103_4229h_zpsgaxud6ha.jpg
Another big job will be dividing my Hosta
 photo 103_4259h_zps10ddrhvf.jpg
I have a bunch to plant and will be dividing the others that are crowding their pots. This one in the old box is a mini Hosta, but the big ones are also very crowded So you see I do not have time for it to snow now. Way too much to do and I really want to put my garden in.