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
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Wednesday, August 10, 2016

Winding Down?............

I suppose, I actually hope, I am looking forwards to Fall. I long to get back in the garden. I long for coolness on my skin. Soft breezes, maybe even frosty mornings. My body likes the cool temperatures. I really do not like heat. I don't like the feel of sticky skin, I don't like to sweat. I go outside and my heart gets jumpy, it does not like it. It tells me so, I listen. I sit inside in the air conditioning, cranked to 64 and ceiling fans going. I LOVE the coolness. My husband huddles under a blanket because he is cold. We do this every year. He loves the heat and I love the cold.
Meanwhile, my garden is suffering. I water every day. One of my roses is blooming, I never thought to see it again.My Peace Rose
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Then my mini rose is still blooming, the one Jason gave me
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The Nasturtians are finally doing something. I didn't think they were going to. It has taken ages, maybe they don't like the baskets. One more thing to remember next year. I will put them in a big tub.
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So then we have the birds and the bees and the flowers and the trees. All appreciating the water I provide. They love the dishes I put out and especially the sprinklers. They bathe in the fountains and dishes. The Chickadee love it when the leaves are wet on the apple tree and they feed on the bugs that get stirred up.
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I am loving the light on the flowers, I appreciate this thing called sight because it is getting worse. I have lost sight in the one eye, and the other is getting worse. I enjoy the subtle changes of the season. I appreciate the clouds in the blue blue sky. The colours of the brilliant green against the sky. Soon it will be exotic Autumn colours probably my favourite season. Well maybe Spring is my favourite but I do love the brilliance of the Fall and the cooler weather for sure.
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I was so happy with my Hydrangea, I adore the colours.
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Look at how big my fish has got.
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All three orange ones are bigger every year. The real orange one is the smaller one. The black one, its hard to tell. They have lots of food now with the Iris in the pond. I also give them treats. Maybe that's why they are fat.
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The Mourning Dove joined us, to take some sips from the Pine tree branches. No worry, there are puddles he will enjoy
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The tiny dishes serve the bees and butterfly
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Talking of Butterfly.This white one is the only one I have seen in my garden all year. Yet look at all the variety of flowers we have had all season. It's not right somehow. I do have Fairies though
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She hides in the apple tree.
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Meanwhile we will get in a few more beach days where we will be cool in the water and work on our tan...........but the subtle changes in the leaves tell us it won't be much longer.

Monday, August 8, 2016

A few things today...................

It has been so hot, the gardens are really showing the stress. So am I. The veggie patch has been taken over by the tomatoes. I am keeping everything as watered as I can manage. Its all so straggly though. Its time to weed, to thin out to tie up and all of that but it's too hot.
Here are a few pictures for today of my tomatoes.
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Tristen brought home some green bean seeds from school. I planted them, all two of them. His crop was HUGE, no, there were about 6 beans haha. He would not eat them because they are in their shells. He didn't get it, that the "bean" was the whole thing because it has little beans inside. (eye roll)........The tomatoes though were awesome. If I get enough I will make some salsa. Won't be enough to can unfortunately but this is all a trial for next year. I will know better next year and already have plans.
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There are loads yet to ripen but I am not sure how many I will have all at once.
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How do I know when my egg plant is ready?
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So far, nothing but flowers on the cucumber and zucchini. So next year a different location for those and I will do green beans and peas I think.
Today a visit from a Cardinal. It's been awhile. I have heard them around but they have not been to the feeders.
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Must be a young one. The berries are not ready yet but I think he was snacking. Won't be long and the birds will be back. I do keep plenty of water around my garden the Blue Jays appreciate it.
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Jason's roses are doing well. They have really taken to the spot I chose.
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The yellow one has red ones on it too so they must have put two in that one pot. Great, if they keep on growing. That reminds me, there was another I needed to move but it's been too hot.
The Day lilies are still popping up here and there. I must get more of those next year too. Different colours. I do have some nice ones though.
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Foxglove is still blooming, I do believe small plants have come up. That would be nice. Next year I think I will try some Hollyhocks by the road. In the Fall I will clean that garden out.
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Hydrangea did well. I love the colours on this one.
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I love this colour
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I got the Garlic chives because I love the flowers on them
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The Yellow daisies didn't do as well as I had hoped. Maybe they will pick up if it ever rains
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The Sunflowers are beautiful and I will actually plant some next year
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Well that's it for today. I sure hope we get some rain soon. I need to have a yard sale. I have my back room packed with boxes and keep putting it off. We are seeing a very subtle change in colour in the trees, stress from drought no doubt they will soon be falling and we will go into one of the nicer seasons in Michigan. The hay is cut out in the fields we are winding down. The evenings are drawing in and the mornings are a bit darker. Sigh, soon another summer gone and our adventures will end. Not yet though, not quite yet.