A Lovely Surprise!

After too many days away from the garden, I finally got a chance to roam and visit old friends last night. And, found a new friend, too.


Jane (Small but Charming) and I collaborated last spring and decided that ranunculus will grow in zone 7, so we each ordered an assortment. I planted three dozen bulbs in April or early May, and early on it looked very promising. In the last few weeks, tho, the greenery has started to fall down and dry back. Finally, I only had about three that still looked green and perky. Perky, indeed!

The strategy now is to keep watering, feed them this fall, and mulch well in hope of keeping them warm enough thru the winter. It may be that they were planted too late in the year to come to full bloom this first year and with a little extra TLC will do better next year ... and bloom earlier in the spring, before the heat moves in.

I also got rain lilies [Zephyranthes 'sunrise mix'] and pineapple lily [Ecomis 'Katie'] from the same source. The latter now has lovely scapes, but no sign at all of flower spikes. I think the rain lily may have bloomed a few weeks ago. I had a mystery flower in the general area where I put the rain lilies [note to self: mark new plantings!] Anyone know for sure?


Perhaps my biggest garden failing is that I hate to actually cut the flowers. I love seeing them "out there", but as a result don't get to enjoy them inside. New leaf turned over!


Hope you are enjoying the Fourth!

The Fourth of Freedom

It's way too easy to push back in the recliner, read a little, watch the tennis tournament and drink a bit of wine this weekend and forget what it's all about.

Unless you actually know someone in the military, we take them too much for granted. And even then, it's too easy to mistake a year in Afghanistan as... say a "few weeks out of town". Don't live near Fayetteville, North Carolina? easy to forget the thousands deployed from there who have left behind wives, children and small businesses that are struggling without the income from the normal population.

As a rule we are pretty uninvolved in the lives of those military men and women who are working in so many places around the world to protect the freedoms we celebrate tomorrow.

In two weeks Mitchell and I will help to celebrate the marriage of Megan and Andy. Three weeks later he will leave for three months in Qutar. He's an Air Force pilot and, altho they have spent a lot of time separated already, she will soon need to learn the new role of military wife in a city she has only visited.

Today, Allison will start the day with only 300 or so wake ups left before her Neil comes home from Afghanistan. If you don't have any friends in the military, you might want to check out her blog - 400 Wake-ups. She talks frankly about what it's like to be left behind and how the day-to-day craziness in Washington affects real, live, flesh and blood soldiers and their families. She's also all about fun, so it's a good read.

The main thing is that we all need to stop every day and remember there are real people all over the world to whom we owe our thanks and our concern. We need to pay more attention to military families and to the soldiers, sailors, airmen and marines who are recovering from their wounds and trying to put their lives (and bodies) back together.

It's too easy to remember for one day each summer as we picnic, listen to the band and shoot off a bottle rocket or two.

We need to do it every day. well ... not the bottle rocket thing!

Flowers in the House!

Two lovely warm - not hot! - days in the yard. Mostly sitting and enjoying [yes, with a bit of wine!] but time to cut a few poseys for the house.

Hydrangeas, of course. Some of everything in bloom: 'Bailmer', 'Taube', 'Glowing Embers', and 'Nigra'. Only 'Lady in Red' has not yet started blooming. I think she needs more water.



And then a handful of everything: shasta daisies, 'Bailmer' hydrangea, gerbera daisy, monarda 'Raspberry Wine', cat mint, pink yarrow, lavender, and heliotrope.


And, one more hydrangea for the kitchen.

What more could a girl ask? Can't wait to see what everyone else has! If you're not a "regular" to Monday Flowers in the House, follow me over there and see who's playing this week!

Mr. Mouse is Not my Friend...

A big graphics project at work. Lots of work on my plant database [someday I will write about that.] A bit of blogging. Way too much solitaire... = repetitive stress injury! And a lovely wrist brace. And limited mobility. And all the Aleve I need.

So, for a couple of weeks it will be only a picture here and there and as many words as I can type left-handed.

All is well. I can still read.