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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Saturday, June 30, 2018

Heat Wave................

It has been over 90 for several days. Today's heat index over 100, getting hotter.......my poor garden is suffering. I put sprinklers on this morning but had to go out and hand water again. My skin burned just being out there for a few minutes. I had to move my baskets of flowers on the deck so that they are in the shade. They look very sorry for themselves.
Meanwhile a few new blooms............
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There are lots of buds on Daylilies but only a couple have blooms open. I don't blame them.
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These guys never have big blooms, I don't know why. Maybe they take a few years to mature? The foliage is always pretty though.
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I saw that the Hydrangea has buds. I was a little concerned in the Spring as it looked like dead sticks. They are OK though. I have some "wild hydrangea" that Jo gave me years ago, they're white and they come back every year. Those have spread too. I didn't check the other one, I couldn't wait to get back inside.
The roses in my "rose garden" are doing very well and is covered in blooms.
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I don't know when I will get out there to weed again at this rate. The heat is supposed to last all next week. So I hope that this next week we can go out for a couple of adventures. I certainly don't want to do housework. I haven't heard from Edna for awhile, she has been busy. A friend is in town from Texas so I hope to see her before she goes back. Next week could be busy. Another friend who used to live here before moving to N Carolina is back in Michigan to live. That will also be a goal to meet up with her. Hopefully more adventures to look forwards to.
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The back garden yesterday had several new things blooming, I just didn't want to get out there today.
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I planted this guy and it seems much happier than it was in the pot and I hope that comes back next year.
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My wild old fashioned farm rose. Smells delightful.
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My girl is still around although looking worse for wear, she used to be an angel with copper wings.
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I still have work to do out there. I did get all the weeds pulled on the patio so that at least is looking OK for now. I was going to pull them all up and put down wood chips but saved the money. For now. Gerry has taken the old door out and put in a new window. I don't like that it's small but needs must. Better than none and I will try to get my birds to come here when the snow falls.
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I will do a blog on the change when we are done with the inside. For now just a couple of pictures
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Thats it for today. Stay cool..............

Sunday, June 24, 2018

Garden after Rain......................

I love it when it rains, everything is so pretty and wet. So no gardening today, instead we went for a walk. I did go take some pictures this morning though.
MY stone garden looked nice after the rain.
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See the Petoskey stones?
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The Old Farm Rose has bloomed better this year, it has already had several flowers and more buds coming. This is the most fragrant ever.
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Somehow and I have no idea how I am getting Holly bushes growing. There are several out back. No idea where this came from. I do have Holly that I bought but they are very different from these.
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My Milk Weed is doing great, still no Butterfly though. In fact on our walk in the fields, only 2 Monarchs and a White one. None yesterday.
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We saw White Yarrow flowers today, usually come in Yellow and this Pink. Thing is it spreads so much so I have to pull a lot of it out. Maybe I should put in in a pot
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I have no idea what these are called but they are in bloom now and these too spread so much but are much easier to pull and control.
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I can't remember what these are called either, another spreader that I have to control but so pretty,
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This is Bud's new tree/shrub.I want one but I do not have anywhere to put one.
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We did not swap the Iris this weekend, too wet and too busy but they will go where these Yellow daisies are and this is another one I had to weed out. They get tall and fall over so are a bit untidy.
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I think stuff is really taking off this year. I have no room for new things. When I get extra I dump it under the pines to do as it wants. I am glad I talked to the man over the ally, I may be able to get some Hosta, he advised me to cut down some tree branches to get more light. He is right and I know Gerry will love doing that.
My Peace Rose is hanging on............so pretty.
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This is my tree stump. I want to make a Fairy House out of it. I need a roof (Gerry) and will get some windows and a door to make it look like a house. Good idea? I thought so. Meanwhile the Fungi seem to like it and that will help with the illusion.
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The Ivy is growing well and trying to escape.
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So that's it for today. If it gets sunny tomorrow I think some of the Day lilies will be out. Think I will get out to see Alex tomorrow

Friday, June 15, 2018

I can't help posting Garden Pictures....................

Every day there is something new, the light? more blooms?. It is a record of my garden set down for me for a year.
A cool place to sit, especially for the Moggies.....
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Shrubs in bloom, this one really filled out, I had cut it back thinking it was not in good health but it is.
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The Sage is looking nice
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I love close ups.........
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...and look what was hiding among them......YES. I wanted to be able to get some in my garden and now I have. I wonder if it will spread.
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Then there was a visitor.........Boots.
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This is Bird House Row.........
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Some gardens are shaded so much that it took me years to get this Ivy to fill in. I like Ivy. Reminds me of home. Nothing else would grow under that Burning Bush and I have Ivy in the shade gardens at the back.
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This took awhile to find its place in my garden. It kept falling off the table so I put some rocks in the watering can and now it's happy in a sunny spot on the deck.
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Look at the size of those leaves on the Hosta.
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So going back out front. The side actually the daisies I bought and planted out there are doing well.
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This little area under the Pines is doing well, I think the Azalea likes it there.
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The new Day Lillies are opening.
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These "Pinks" I dug up many years ago by the railway tracks back in my working day. They are still doing well after several moves.
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Just got to show this again, because I can haha
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I love my garden and some day when I have paid off my credit card once more I will try to get the Blogs printed out again. Meanwhile I will keep posting.