So Many Leaves

This is a photo of the end of my late afternoon walk on Saturday (yesterday). I had a wonderful time crunching through the leaves. When we get some wind they will blow away. I woke up early this morning and the extra hour of sleep was nice. The sun was already up and that was nice. So far, so good with Daylight Savings Time. Have a great Sunday and you might want to rethink raking the leaves.

https://www.pbs.org/newshour/science/to-rake-or-not-to-rake-expert-tips-for-eco-friendly-autumnal-lawn-care

I absolutely love seeing the sun shining through my geranium leaves in the morning. All of my indoor plants are thriving because I brought them in early. They actually didn't love being out on my balcony all summer. It was just too hot out there so next year I am going to relocate them to the front where they will just get the late afternoon sun. xo

Welcome May (and the Sun)

Maybe I can put my geraniums out this week and turn off my heat. Sorry I have been absent but have been working on a listing and helping client get ready. All of my neighbors (except one) have already cut their grass twice and I haven't even started thinking about mine. Today the sun out after days and days of rain and it's glorious.

      

Happy May Day! This is my view on Monday morning outside my living room window looking out across the street to my neighbors barn/garage. xo

Beautiful Pots of Geraniums

I adore red geraniums in clay pots and these are simply breathtaking. The stone wall leading up to the house is wonderful too. Love❤️♡❤️

Photo found here.

Limelight Hydrangea + Dahlia, Day 4

When you read the label on a limelight hydrangea as seen in the right background, please believe it when it says the mature size can be up to 8' x 8'. All the rain we have had this season made mine get that large and I don't think there's any stopping it from getting even taller. Last year, I pruned it from the bottom to encourage height. I want it to become more of a tree so the deer can't reach it. They have begun to nibble recently so it needs to get even taller. They munched a little on the Lacecap too. I am especially pleased with my grocery store geraniums in the planter against the window wall. They are blooming their hearts out.❤️

Here we go with day 4 of my dahlia that is supposed to get to be 4 feet tall but I think it's a little taller. I think it will open up a little more around the center before it is fully "in bloom" and I can stop boring you with its beauty. When I look at the plant from inside the house through my living room window, it looks jet black with a yellow dot in the middle. As you get closer you see the deep red tones.♡🤎♡ I am so behind in my mowing and seriously must get out there this week.😩 

xo

Geraniums in Old Clay Pots

I took my geraniums outside today and worked on them after a long winter in the basement. I trimmed all the dead wood, watered them, and they enjoyed a nice day in the sun. I put plastic over them for the night just in case it gets too nippy tonight. Photo found on Google Images.

Yesterday Morning's Photos

I never tire of photographing lady's mantle in the early morning with the dew collecting on all the fringed leaves.

A portrait mode photo of the African Daisies that aren't awake yet.

The brilliance of this scarlet geranium that is next to my front door is amazing. I have overwintered this plant for years and years and years. It was a rescue plant from a friend who was going to throw it out. Free plants are my favorite.

Container Gardening at My Cottage

I bought some plants on Sunday at the local farm market that sells farm fresh food items too. I pick up groceries there every week. I grabbed these African Daisies thinking they were Gerbera Daisies. After I planted them in three containers (only two shown here) I read the tag and learned they are called GAZANIA, Strawberry Shortcake Mix. They are perennials down south in zones 9-11 but I will enjoy and love them as annuals.

Here, I am looking down on the third container. So far, the blooms are closing up late in the day. I don't know if this will continue when the weather gets really hot. They are supposed to spread and bloom continually from spring until frost. Doesn't that sound wonderful? They are supposed to be great in rock gardens and border fronts and make a great ground cover. I probably shouldn't have planted them in containers but I can thin them as they get crowed and replant elsewhere. I guess it pays to read before planting. Anyway, I love them up high where I can see them from inside the house.

My potted geraniums survived the winter indoors and look nice flanking my front door.

The third white concrete urn near the rooster is planted with basil, curly parsley, and broad leaf parsley. It is close to the front door and near the kitchen for clipping while cooking. There is another large basket-weave terra cotta planter to the left filled with the same herb plants.

My peonies are tall and filled with buds that get larger every day. They are swaying to and fro in the fierce winds we are having today. That's about it for today. See you another day. xo

Red Geranium Thru A Window

I took this geranium photo this afternoon after I worked in my front yard for hours tidying up the weeds and dead grass and leaves along my brick wall. The violets have just started and I wanted to give them room to spread. It was a good way to work off the sourdough pancakes I made this morning. I have gone back to the early 1970s with my cooking from scratch. I prepared my first batch of sourdough starter on Monday and prepared my overnight sponge for the pancakes last night They were delicious and I can heat up the extras in my toaster. 

This as the sky at 7am on Monday morning. My mother always called it a buttermilk sky. I posted it on Instagram and a couple of people said Cogey Carmichael had a song by that name that was popular in the late 1930s and 1940s. We always had buttermilk in my house when I was growing up and I always thought this sky got its name from the way buttermilk dries on the inside of the glass when you don't rinse it out right away.

I took this photo on Monday with the geranium inside my living room and me outside on the balcony with a reflection of the buttermilk sky in the background.

I hope you are all doing well with staying inside during this time of quarantine. So far, I know only one person who had Covid-19 and she has recovered, but it did linger for quite a long time. I am thankful we are going into warmer weather rather than winter. We are all learning new things. One neighbor who has mastered grocery delivery says she will never go grocery shopping again in person after this is over; she loves online ordering and having them delivered to her door. Another neighbor (across the street from me) has been doing it for 10 years and she's teaching all of us her techniques. Neighbors helping neighbors is a good thing. xo

Geraniums 1888

GERANIUMS

Childe Hassam

1888

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