I was standing in front of one of the French doors leading out to my balcony for this photo of my kitchen.
I leaned out of my bedroom window for this shot of my backyard. You can see the brick pillars holding up my balcony and one of the Adirondack chairs I set in to cool off while and after mowing. I honestly have mowed more this year already than I did all summer last year. I mowed my front and my back yesterday starting at 6pm and finishing at 7:30. It was worthwhile since today it rained again around lunch time.
This male deer with tiny fuzzy beginning antlers waited for me to go inside to grab my Nikon and hadn't moved an inch when I returned to the balcony to photograph him. The two little wrens on the post were determined to get their picture taken too. The wild buttercups come back every year in this location and they complete this nature photo of the day.
My lady's mantle is the perfect perennial plant for capturing dewdrops and rain drops. It is grown primarily for its leaves but the chartreuse flowers are pretty nice too, especially in mixed arrangements.
That's about it for a Friday post. Click any photo to enlarge. xo
14 comments:
What a lovely post. You spoil us, Rosemary.
Love the pictures. Your cottage looks SO cozy. I especially love the picture of the deer and fellow wrens. A few years ago, I had a tall fence built around my property. Before that, I had many, many deer visitors. Families of them - does, bucks, fawns. They feasted on my garden. My back hill was a haven for them. There are bushes so they could hide and feel safe, lots of grass and other vegetation, lots of old growth oaks that provided shade in the summer time, and a creek with running water. Now I can enjoy my roses, the hedges don't get nibbled on, but I have to say I do miss the deer, and I wonder where the mamas go to have their babies. I actually worry about them, and feel guilty for locking them out. I'm contemplating turning my front yard into a deer habitat, with a fountain, and an all-you-can-eat salad bar, so that they will again have a safe place to enjoy, and I will be able to enjoy them.
And thanks for the Nasturtium info, Rosemary!
You have a beautiful home and setting, Rosemary. There's something magical about living so close to nature. Love your photographs!
You have such a lovely place. Looks idyllic to me.
I always look forward to your posts! I love all the shades of spring green in the above posts. I have a question - what is the plant that borders your lawn in the back? Thanks!
Debbie -- The plant that borders my lawn is really a giant non-blooming weed. It looks like mugwort but never flowers. I identified it once but can't find the name now. It's some sort of ragweed but it never gets a flower. It gets very tall and woody. I have tried everything (but no chemicals) to get rid of it. It's impossible so I am forced to embrace it. Sadly, the deer don't eat it. In the early spring I cut down the dead wood stickling out of the ground and wait for the new spring growth to emerge. I mowed the field in the very early spring with my mulching mower and chopped down everything very tight to the ground. You can still see some golden colored dead weeds in the distance where I stopped mowing.
This weed came out of nowhere and it is slowly taking over as the predominant roadside weed in New Jersey. It actually looks nice the way I am managing it on my property but I still don't like it. That's the story.
xo, Rosemary
From Lisa: "I'm contemplating turning my front yard into a deer habitat, with a fountain, and an all-you-can-eat salad bar, so that they will again have a safe place to enjoy, and I will be able to enjoy them."
Do it, Lisa. You won't be sorry. I have a lovely meadow across the street where the deer graze. It's a sight I never tire of. All my flower plantings are in pots on a wrap-around deck. They get the yard, I have the deck, and we live in harmony.
Debbie -- That weed that looks like a hedge around my lawn is MUGWORT. I found a link with pictures. https://njaes.rutgers.edu/weeds/weed.php?mugwort
Beware. Pull it up if you ever see it.
xo, Rosemary
Lisa -- That sounds like an interesting idea and Gail agrees. The nasturtium seeds I planted that are already sprouting were saved from the plant last year. I just got through planting a packet of seeds I bought last year. I plan to diligently harvest the seeds so I will never have to buy them again. Your property sounds absolutely lovely. xo, Rosemary
Gail, northern California -- Gail, Your comment for Lisa is the best of both worlds!!! I love container gardening too on my balcony. Glad you liked my pictures.
xo, Rosemary
Pam -- I share my property with birds and animals. I have learned to plant what they don't like to eat. I can't wait until I have more blooming flowers for the butterflies and hummingbirds.
xo, Rosemary
mahaska -- Thank you! I like taking care of the great outdoors too.
xo, Rosemary
Thank you for your responses! I will keep an eye out for mugwort; your solution for it works beautifully.
I had wondered if it is goutweed - my nemesis for many years. It seems that goutweed will always be with me, so I am going to try to follow your example and be more zen about it. Maybe I'll find ways to work with it. Thanks again.
Photos of your cottage are always my favorite. I for one would just like to step through the doorway into the kitchen and sit down for a good chat with you. I would be happy to bring the scones and hot chocolate.
LOVE the last photo, I could almost lick the dew of that leaf right through my computer screen.
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