Saturday, May 30, 2009

Up, Up, and Away








Driving home from the store last night, after a bunch of after-school errands, we were all tired and cranky. Suddenly! A hot air balloon appeared on the horizon! Then another, and another, and another, and on and on. Six hot air balloons instantly cheered us and the rest of the evening was magic.

Sunday, May 24, 2009

Garden Bouquet



For some reason, I don't often cut flowers from the yard to bring inside. Now that my porch is a fancy mansion (translation: clean), I thought it would be nice to add some flowers.

I'm having a lazy Sunday so far. I just want to lay around reading and writing, but the garden is waiting for water and weeding, the girls are waiting for pancakes. There's a beach to conquer and groceries to procure.




Peace.

Saturday, May 23, 2009

Deep Thought

Is it time to cancel my subscription to the local newspaper?


Tuesday, May 19, 2009

Garden News

I can't believe it's been a week since I posted. I guess the more I work in the garden, the less I work in here.

Last night there was a danger of frost, which indeed came to pass. I had to blanket and bucket my newly planted crops. It looks like a strange gathering.




I'm glad I don't have to tuck them all in every night, but the reward for enduring the cold night was a glorious Spring day today. I spent the whole day out in it.


Here are some other garden treasures from this week.


lovely pink flowers say hello.


baby pears on the new bartlett.


blueberry blossoms!






Peace.

Tuesday, May 12, 2009

Lilacs








Once again I was pleasantly surprised that my point-and-shoot camera was able to get the shot that I saw. You should click on it to see the enlarged version, for the full effect.

I thought of calling this one "Lost Innocence," or something equally cliched. The innocence lost was mine, and yet I somehow have it to lose over and over again. It does make me worry what sort of role model I am for my girls.




Peace.

Guy Smiley



Sunday, May 10, 2009

Happy Mother's Day

exploring the brook


taking the scenic route






Peace.

Thursday, May 7, 2009

The First Garden Disaster of the Season*

It is hard for me to believe that scotch broom is an invasive plant in the west. My broom bush is struggling to survive. It had belonged to a friend, and since it wasn't doing very well in her less sunny yard, she gave it to me in hopes it would do better. It has flowered beautifully in the Spring.


This picture is from last May.


But it has also tipped further and further over each Winter when it is pummeled and buried by snow.


This picture is from March, this year.


Last week, we decided to transplant it to a safer spot, protected by the dogwood tree, and near the tall fence (so I could tie it for support, if necessary).




Now, I know that brooms don't like to be transplanted, and we made this one's change even more challenging by moving it just before it is about to bloom. I figured it didn't have much chance where it was, and I wanted to get the new pear tree in that spot, so I took the chance. I also had two caring women here to help and do the heavy lifting, and we all felt pretty good about the move.

It has been cool, cloudy, and raining in the days since we transplanted the broom, which I thought would gently ease the transition. Then, this morning when I went out to take the girls to school, I saw it nearly tipped over in the soggy, soft soil. I gasped and shouted in shock. I couldn't tend to it right then because I had to rush the girls to school. When I came back, I didn't take a picture, I just grabbed the first thing long enough that I found--a scarf--and tied the larger branch up to the fence. Later, I found two straps so I could secure both branches. I'm not sure what else I can do.





I want it to live.


*Reading through some of my old posts, I realize this is actually the second garden disaster this season--the first one was when the squirrels ate my tulips before they bloomed.

Tuesday, May 5, 2009

opportunity

i'm almost ready to open the door.



The feeling I get working in the garden, watching and helping it come to life, is similar to the feeling of new love. It gives me a glow, a thrill.

Meanwhile, there is a whole world waiting indoors, wanting my attention.

Saturday, May 2, 2009

new life

robin's egg blue



new pear tree & new places for blueberry and peach

Friday, May 1, 2009

Nest and Flight

a robin waits



the 6yo's nest



the 8yo takes flight



the entry path is added to the main garden



the geometry of the back garden



the new magnolia is gently asking the new peach tree to move over