Fly under

27 Aug

Look very closely for the yellow dot in the center of the photo.

Alas, good news, bad news.  By August coneflowers have passed their prime for the glory of their stately blooms.  However, it is primetime for viewing gold finches feeding on the seed!  Finches are delightful to watch, sometimes feeding upside down.

Fly under

What’s better than watching gold finches feed on coneflowers?  Being stretched out on the zero gravity chaise and see a pair fly UNDER the arbor.  One was behind and to the right like they were jet planes at an air show.  True story 🙂

Catnip

22 Aug

Catnip before the first cutting

The small lavender catnip blooms are a big attraction for bees.  As I understand from a friend, it also attracts cats to the garden.  I have seen one stray cat so far.  My office assistants (Shelby and Eve) are offered the dried catnip.

Cat nip gift bags

I decided to prepare gift bags to share my first harvest with friends with cats.

Cat nip infusion jar

This infusion jar idea came from my friend Julie.  The purpose is to refresh cat toys (often prepared with catnip scent).  The toys gradually lose their scent and cats lose interest.  The infusion jar works!  Happy office assistants 🙂

Breezeway +++

14 Aug

Thanks to Mr. Elfcroft, the latest home improvement is an arbor attached to a lawn and garden center right off the dining room.

Lawn and garden center

Lawn and garden center

This structure measuring 9′ X 16′ has a low profile garage door shown here, which created the opportunity to have a functional loft (attic space).  Three windows and a full glass door let in plenty of light.

Breezeway arbor

The breezeway arbor is the bridge between the “lawn and garden center” and the French doors to the dining room.  The ferns still look great despite the unseasonably dry season.

The mystery gate featured in an earlier post was a necessary addition to get the not so little tractor in its new parking spot.

The whole process of designing and building reminded me of the playhouse Pap-pa Hall made for Susan, Pam and I almost 50 years ago.  It was 8′ X 8′, had a real door, crank out windows, linoleum floor, and asphalt shingles.  We had a play kitchen set with a table and chairs.  Another “blast from the past” that comes to my mind is Claire’s first house.  Her dad built it for her in 1997.  Styled after their “main” house, it has 2 floors and electricity.  What lucky girls we are!

Claire's first house

Beads

15 Jul

From The History of Beads, Concise Edition by Lois Sherr Dubin, 1987 & 1995, Introduction, page 7:  “They (beads) are kaleidoscopic, combined and recombined in an astonishing wide range of materials; they express social circumstances, political history, and religious beliefs.”  Alas, being a typical westerner, like she says, I confine myself to draping them around my neck.

Thanks to my dear friend Pimla15, three of my bead necklaces are now repaired.

Necklaces better than new

Double thanks again to Pimla15, she made two amazing necklaces from beads that I had neither the time or inspiration to make.

New from Pimla

For baby

25 Jun

Baby Blanket

This blanket is knitted with technique new to me, two strands simultaneously.  Yes, the tie for this blanket is the result of my first attempt knitting the blanket.  My salvaged “do over” is just the right dimension to make a tie.

Screen

25 Jun

Front porch

The screen is new.  Why didn’t we do this years ago?  (The foundation plantings were over grown.)  Could we say “tricked out”  with ceiling fan, new rocking chairs plus table, “candle”labra, wind chime and the porch swing Pap-pa Hall made over 25 years ago.  It is delightful to watch Shelby relate to all the sights and sounds of the outdoors.  He stays on high alert.

Exit left

Next project

What could this be?  The new gate is part of the plan.

Summer Solstice

20 Jun

Yellow Asiatic Lilly

New to me this year from Breck's

Orange Asiatic Lilly

Nothing says summer like the sunny, warm colors of these lilies.  Enjoy!

Asiatic lilies are great for cutting.  They will easily last a week with buds opening as full blooms drop petals.

For my office

I ordered these bulbs from www.brecks.com.  They are very hardy and last for years.

Style for Herb Garden

14 Jun

I found these charming porcelain tags to label herbs at Talbot Street Art Fair last weekend.  This was the 54th year for the street fair on Indianapolis’ near north side.

Herb tags

These were among a beautiful selection made and sold by Kate Lally Ceramics of Dayton, Ohio.

http//www.katelally.com  A future post will feature these tags in my herb garden which is under redevelopment.

For the senses

7 Jun

Herbs for the kitchen garden.

One of my fondest memories is exploring the kitchen gardens in Colonial Williamsburg in my elementary school days.  They appeal to all of our senses with color, aromas, taste, sound and touch.  The field trip was probably my first time to see herb plants that had familiar names and flavors.

http://www.history.org/history/teaching/enewsletter/volume5/june07/gardening.cfm

This reference says that kitchen gardens were not the norm of colonial times due to labor requirements, watering needs and a likely aversion to vegetables.  Regardless, the gardens featured in restoration projects are charming and delightful.

Oregano

Lemon balm

Chocolate mint

Hooray for hostas

31 May

The weather this spring has been great for hostas.  (Too much rain for peony blooms to peak.)

Antioch hosta

Golden Tiara Hostas with Autumn Joy Sedum

Westside Story

New start for Hyacinth Hosta

Westside story is the bed on the westside of the house with “Royal Standard”, “Guacamole” and “Elegans”.  Last fall I divided three Hyacinth hostas into 18 gallon size new starts.  We also have what I refer to as the hospital bed for varieties I tried to introduce and later struggled.  Those varieties include “SunPower”, “Rainforest Sunrise”, “Remember Me”, “Fireworks” and “Golden Edge”.  “Fire and Ice” is on the casualty list after three attempts in various beds.

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