2013 Garden

This years garden was almost non-existent. We have the garden project which has been slow going and is just going to take more time than originally planned. I did pick up a fig tree this year and I was rewarded with a handful of fresh figs!

I threw a couple of 2012 zinnia seeds in the ground later in the spring and have been rewarded with a few blooms this fall.  

In the 2013 Parks Seed catalogue, one plant caught my attention. It was a grass called Bunny Tails. Now I am not a crazy gardener. There was no way I was going to plant an unknown grass in my perennial bed and have it become an invasive species. So it was planted in a pot. It is a very common looking grass and at first I wasn't sure it wasn't a "weed". And my cat loved to chew on its leaves. It was mowed down most of the summer. Which when I think about it, is he does have an affinity for baby bunnies (sadly) so eating a planted named Bunny Tails seemed appropriate. It just started producing these super soft and fluffy seed heads. 

 

My holly hocks are in there second wind. New fall blooms!

The ever present Garden project. Hey, it takes me five years to finish a quilt. I hope this doesn't follow suit. 

Lime light hydrangeas planted Dec 2012. Purchased these beauties for $2 each.

Before I know it the frost will be here again. This summer seemed to fly by faster than any other summer in recent memory. Next week I plan on slowing down and enjoy an extended weekend away with my husband to celebrate 7 years of marriage! Can't wait!

September

My real job has been keeping me busy. But some days I can use my lunch break to see some great local events as I travel around a seven county area. The other week I caught a local dahlia show. 

It was held in a public library and was quite the pick me up to walk into a room lined with these beautiful plants. Last year I had over 30 planted. With the ongoing garden project this year, I planted 7 and they haven't been doing great. Bugs are eating them up and I typically do not care to spray. My biggest reason is to protect the bumble bees that visit. One of my favorite things to do on a summers evening is to walk my garden and see a few bees taking up residency in the petals for the night. They will burrow in between the ruffly petals to make a bed. Can you imagine waking up in between the petals of these beautiful flowers in the morning light? Amazing, I bet. 

This flower was my favorite of the show. It didn't win a big award, but to me it was perfect. 

I'm lucky most days that I don't run into traffic while driving. Wildlife is probably a more common road hazard. However, last week I had to yield to a gander of geese that were protecting their spot of the road. 

 And tonight I enjoyed a lovely 65 degree evening. This is a view from my side porch about 20 min after sunset. Perfect night to eat a dinner of a rosemary artichoke polenta goat cheese tart and a wilted spinach salad. Mmmm. 

Next time, sewing projects!