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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Friday, July 12, 2013

A day in July.........

Today's garden. I just love the Day lilies and how they just brighten things up so much. I must get more. I need more orange ones.
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I got a few new ones last year and its good to see how they have improved.

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These ones are just beautiful
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This is a lovely bright yellow, the others are more buttery yellow
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and here are a few more colourful things
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Mrs Cardinal came for a visit, Mr was after her though and with Tristen outside they didn't stay around long. She got her tummy full though.
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This one, I call a painted daisy, I expected to really spread but it has not

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This guy was hungry enough to stick around even though Tristen was on the deck with me.

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My wild flowers, this is the Milk Weed. I grow it for the butterflies, but the bees love it too
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A great little worker
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Just a day in the life of my garden........more tomorrow maybe. The bee balm is coming out and the butterfly weed is brilliant. Waiting to get some good shots of bees bugs and butterfly soon.






Saturday, July 6, 2013

Beginning of July.....

Its the beginning of July. My pictures on my computers is all messed up and I lost all my stuff. I got a lot of it back so I guess that's OK. Just wasted a lot of time that's all. I have been busy outside but its so hot I didnt get a lot accomplished. Anyway here are a few pictures.

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first off another weed that I have let grow. Its on the edge of the garden so its not going to get in the way. The reason I don't usually let them grow is because they get so tall. They dont seem to grow in a good place. This time it chose the right spot
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This is doing well too. I have two and both are doing quite well. This one seems to be doing the best. I think the other is getting too much sun at the moment
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The daisies are also growing too tall and I bought something to restrain them. They fall over on top of all the other flowers so a few props are in order.
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This is a wild rose given to me by a friend. He said it would spread and he aint kiddin....well its still spindly because it does not get enough sun. This year though it had some nice blooms so as always, it can stay
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The Hosta is blooming and I love the flowers. I know some people don't like them, I wonder why because the flowers are so pretty.
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The Blue Jay family are still around even after the loss of their babies (wipes a tear away) they were so sweet and almost ready to fly. Anyway, they come to the feeder and still look at me as if I should not be there. They come and eat anyway.
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What I don't understand is this. The Blue Jay is a fierce bird and yet......when it goes to the feeder and a sweet little Mourning Dove is there. Its afraid. He went down once and the Dove pecked him and he flew away, so they are actually bullies and do not stand up to a sweet little dove.

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This thing grows like a weed, it spreads all over the place yet its sold as a garden plant. Its pretty but I have to keep it under control. I forget the name but I know everyone else will remember........

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Thats it for today. Hope things pick up soon. Not a lot happening in my garden at the moment.

Saturday, June 29, 2013

End of June..................

It has been a cooler June than normal and we have had some rain. My garden is lush and things are growing well. Normally my Roses are not blooming but this year are doing well at the moment. I had two that died because of the harsh winter. One is coming back from its root so there is hope that it will have time to recover.
I take pictures practically every day. Here are some recent ones.

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There are some bright colours but they all seem to bloom at a different time. Maybe my memory plays tricks on me but I recall my Dad's garden was always in bloom.

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Everything was bright today after the rain. I love to capture flowers with raindrops on them. Then enlarge the picture to focus on the water drop. I found Boots the cat sleeping in the garden chair.

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The front porch has bowls of flowers on them. Geraniums. I have put the ones out that wintered over in the house. They are doing OK and are about to bloom
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I dont know the name of the yellow flowers??? but they spread like crazy. They don't like the heat too much, and prefer the shade. The sedum had lovely flowers and I like it because it spreads. I like anything that spreads.
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My Clematis is not doing so good. I have 3. Last year one did well, it had quite a few flowers. This year its not grown well at all. The newer one has grown up the trellis but no flowers. The last one has one flower. Maybe a little rain will help,
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My roses are blooming. One is Peace. the pale pink is a knockout rose.
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You know how I feel about weeds.....if they are pretty then they can live. If they grow in the right spot anyway. This very tall white daisy thing is in a good spot so it can stay and live its life. The other one is in a bad spot, it grew where I have mulch, so it cant stay there. I will wait till its done flowering and then pull it. Its sort of pretty

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I love the colours of these, purple flowers, the bee is having a good time. The second picture is one of my new Hosta in boom.



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A few garden beds out front.

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Here are the two little trucks again this year with ivy and beach stones. I have managed to keep Tristen away for now. He has plenty of stuff outside to play with.

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Before I went out to take the pictures, I saw this baby Robin sitting out on the path watching two Mourning Doves kissing
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The knockout rose may recover. I have some better pictures in my camera but this is it for now

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Sharing this with Little Red House For Mosaic Monday.....also sharing with Macro Monday
I heart Macro

Monday, June 24, 2013

Tristen in the garden..........

It was so hot and muggy today and Tristen wanted to play outside. Yeuk!!!!. Well outside he went.
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It was not very long before he went to his room and came down in his swim suit. What could I say. He already turned the sprinkler on and was having a great time.
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Nothing like a boy and a hose,
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He enjoyed most of the day outside, playing with his trucks. He came in and got dressed, in a new set of clothes. Then decided to go out again. We eventually got through 3 sets of clothes and some PJ's before bed time.

Meanwhile......in the rest of the garden......a few more things opened today.
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The daisies are about to open, the smaller daisies are already open. This was by the pond
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The garden by the deck where I have the bird feeders.
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The path from the deck to garage/shed, Tristen has a "car park" up the back by the garage, he is unpacking his stuff back there.......getting out his bikes and fire engine
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Everything is filling out and lush. A few close ups of the flowers today
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The Lavender is beautiful
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This is Sage, isn't she lovely with silver leaves and beautiful smell?
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Carnation....smells heady and sweet
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Some more flowers from today
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My Clematis is spindly still. I have three of them. All at least a couple to three years. They are not at all sturdy and I wonder how long before they get strong. One has a bloom.

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Another Iris is blooming, its not as full as the others. I hope it will be soon. It's beautiful and a pale colour rather than the vivid purple of the others.

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The yellow daisies are blooming. The flowers are lovely but they are so spindly and a pest but I have to keep some I will try pinching them down next year and keeping them small. Maybe I can train them to not get as tall.

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This flower comes on the ground cover, its rather like Queens Ann's lace

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Oh I could go on and on but will stop at that for now.
I will share this with The Dedicated House linky Adorned from Above
Also sharing on Our World Tuesday with thanks to those who host the parties.