One Big Tree

New blog home

2011-03-05T09:36:00.000-08:00

We've moved! Please join us at: www.starrhillfarm.com

2011-02-25T10:19:00.000-08:00

We were enoying a perfectly nice early spring... see the lovely green shoots of the irises and daffs?

And then this:

Bleh.

Saturday cat blogging

2011-02-19T21:00:00.001-08:00

Here's a couple of pics of our friend Wes' cats. This lovely full figured lady is Miss Lola, aka Chubina. She is one of the most personable cats I have ever known.

And this is Nancy. She is Tuck's sister and my goodness she looks just like him - she's just calico where he was black. Girl is half wild too, tho Tuck was about as domesticated as it gets.

A crocus started blooming out front today and a single daffodil has opened (very early for it), looks like spring is starting.

Lazy Sunday

2011-02-06T17:58:00.000-08:00

It's a grey day in the PNW, starting with this grey lady who showed up yesterday. She came wandering down the driveway and was very hungry. She's currently living in the back bedroom until we can find her a home or her owner (tho I suspect she was dumped). She's a tiny little thing, and sweet as can be.

Iris reticulata 'Katerine Hodgkin' is opening. Unfortunately slugs got to the blooms before they could even finish opening. Argh.

Beach pebbles and the grey day itself.

Fresh pics

2011-02-02T17:24:00.001-08:00

I feel sorry for you folks on the other side of the Rockies getting hammered with winter, but sure glad I'm not there. We had a lovely day here. Started off cold but warmed by lunchtime to the upper 40's with lots of sunshine. Daniel and I took off early and went for a much needed walk after we got home. The bearded irises are showing signs of new growth:

Noticed a little reticulata iris getting ready to bloom. This is my favorite - 'Katherine Hodgkin'

Found a hellebore blooming along the drive:

Here's our destination - a nearby road with a mountain view. We both felt so much better after this nice ramble brought us this panorama: [click to embiggen!]

I've been trying forever to get a shot of Junebug's amazing tail - today I got three. It is like a huge feather boa that follows him around. It's fabulous. Check it:

Kittenpants!

This last shot was taken on the porch. I've been trying to get him to go out for short periods and get used to what the outside is like so he is comfortable come spring when we are all outside as much as possible.

2011-01-31T11:17:00.000-08:00

A spate of nice weather has allowed us to be outside this weekend. Always welcome this time of year. Nothing new in the garden to share, so here's some pics of cats. This is 3 quarters of the Russian Mob, the nickname for our friends Kevin & Adam's cats. This is Nickolai, Nimon and Boris. Ivan was on the other couch.

We had a great time hanging out, playing games and eating dinner. Here's the wall of art out in the shop where the dart board is.

The sun is finally up enough to create some sunsets for us again. The trees sure are getting tall around us.

Cat blogging...

2011-01-23T11:37:00.000-08:00

I've been working outside but nothing worth photographing for the blog, so here's a few cat pics.

Miss Gracie in all her woolley splendor.

Mr. Junebug, whose own coat is filling out beautifully.

Here's a closer shot of that xmas cactus in the background. It is a light red over a pale yellow giving an apricot effect. Love it.

2011-01-09T15:31:00.000-08:00

Not much doin' here for the new year. Lots of cold weather. We had several days below freezing and you can see where the shadow of the house falls in the frost pattern in the back yard. After several nights it got so thick it looked like snow.

It was especially pretty on the sempervivums.

And the heuchera...

Daniel and I are eating primal for awhile to shed some pounds. Made a primal pizza last night - the crust is made from almond flour. Needs more experimenting.

And finally the official portrait of Her Royal Highness Princess Gracie Von Grumpus. I can't believe I got such a good shot. Click for larger.

Happy Boxing Day!

2010-12-27T08:31:00.001-08:00

I got nothin' for xmas pics. Not much to see this year. We did without a tree because of Mr. Kittenpants. Had a great holiday tho. here's what I do have - a whole lot of layin' around...

After being told 25 times to stop biting this or that he finally went to sleep on the desk.

Another fabulous Thanksgiving

2010-11-26T10:22:00.001-08:00

I love hosting Thanksgiving and having friends over. Look at the beautiful centerpiece Daniel put together.

And here's the apple pie I made.

And a really bad shot of dinner (what can I say - food was ready!).

We had:

roasted turkey breast & thighs
roasted pork loin with huckleberry and pepper glaze
green bean casserole (all from scratch)
classic white bread stuffing
sweet potato souffle
mashed potatoes and gravy
butter flake rolls and potato rolls
pumpkin pie (2)
apple pie
pecan pie
plenty of great wine

About one third of that got eaten - yay leftovers!

Guests were:

Joey and Wes
Terry
Dixie
Kristen (a friend of Joey's from class, and nw our friend too)

We had a fabulous time hanging out and eating with everyone. Hope your turkey day was as good.

Whole lotta sleepin' goin' on..

2010-11-23T19:40:00.001-08:00

Nothing but sleepin' going on around here.

Look how woolly Miss Gracie is! I am always amazed

Mr. Petey has been sick for aweek now. Poor baby...

Here's why everyone is so tie-tie. Yep, snow arrived. We had not even had a hard frost yet when this showed up Monday.

Dropped about 4 inches on us and then cleared off and got really cold. Should leave on Turkey Day with rain again with temps back up in the forties. Forecast say this is going to be the coldest, snowiest winter since 1955. All that La Nina's fault, hanging out in the south pacific and messing up my season.

A few fall pics...

2010-11-18T17:06:00.000-08:00

I'm slowly getting new beds together in the courtyard. The two here are now joined by a third. Another long one to go on the far side and they're done.

A shot form last year of Miss Gracie (aka The Grumpus). We are constantly amazed at the variety of colors in her coat.

Junebug is at his sweetest when he's asleep. He is growing so fast and is nothing but trouble. Good thing he is so cute.

A few recent pics...

2010-11-05T19:26:00.000-07:00

Rainy days

2010-10-24T08:29:00.001-07:00

A tryptich of cats...

Trouble

2010-10-12T06:42:00.001-07:00

Kittehs and Sunsets!

2010-10-04T08:27:00.001-07:00

We had a gorgeous day yesterday and Daniel and I spent a good portion of it outdoors getting things done in the garden. This whole weekend has been a nice change of pace from the gray drizzle we had been having. Miss Gracie even posed for me. Look how perfectly camoflaged she is:

Also, catnapping:

Had another incredible sunset last night too:

Today I am making jelly.

Keep your fork...

2010-10-02T18:12:00.000-07:00

There's huckleberry pie.

And apple crisp with an almond and oatmeal topping

There's also Chewie in a box.

But that is to be expected, as she is a cat.

Early autumn

2010-09-27T11:01:00.000-07:00

I hate winter, but I love fall. Yesterday Daniel and I went out to the woods and collected chanterelles. Combined with what he had from his walk the day before we now have about 5 pounds. What to do? Well, we deep fried some and used some more in a delicious cream sauce that we served over sauteed chicken breasts and spaghetti squash. Dee-lish.

Cyclamen are blooming again. They like the cool wet weather.

I am slowly getting a new bed in the courtyard. Weather is not cooperating. Digging is done tho so now just hauling rocks and bringing in amending soil to finish it off. Then I can plant it.

Here's Junebug looking radiant in the late afternoon sunshine.

Saturday night Kevin & Adam brought their new kittens over for a play date with Junebug. A great time was had by all... except Mr. Pansy, who did not appreciate the attention of three kitens.

That's Boris next to Junebug and Vlad on the right. They are soo cute.

A September Cider Pressing

2010-09-20T09:09:00.001-07:00

Yesterday Daniel and I were invited to a friends house in Union for a potluck and get-together, which also involved a visit to their neighbors house for a cider pressing party and bluegrass jamboree. We had a great time, picked some apples to bring home, and got to see alot of great art, eat some amazingly good food, and hear some fun music. Wish I'd had my camera with me. here's some kitten pics instead:

Surprise!

2010-09-17T19:06:00.000-07:00

I was surprised to see my last remaining surprise lily blooming today. What an aptly named plant... well, the name I grew up with anyway.

And here's pics of the new baby. His eye is all better but now he has a cold.

Say hi to Junebug!

2010-09-12T16:38:00.001-07:00

We picked up Junebug yesterday and he is getting used to the place and all the new cats and smells and sounds. He came with an injured eye, hence the weird eyes in the second pic. They said he hit it on the bars of his cage while playing with his little friends. Should heal up in a few days.

So far Mr. Petey is interested in him and not concerned, tho not overly friendly either. The girls just hiss and spit and walk away. He is very energetic and is going to be a beautigul kitty as he grows up. His tail is extra long (and check out the four rings at the end!) and he's long-legged too. Couldn't be sweeter.

News for early September

2010-09-06T16:31:00.000-07:00

I'm finishing the last of the digging of irises for my eBay sales. Really pleased with them this year, but next year will sell earlier and be done by the end of August. Fans just aren't looking good right now. I'd prefer to send them to customers looking their best.

Remember those huckleberry flowers I posted last spring? here they are again:

And here is what the bees made of them for me:

A huge bumper crop this year. More than I can even get to or use if I could. I turned that bowl, along with some frozen blackberries from earlier in the summer into this:

We'll be sharing it with friends after dinner tonight. The recipe is from Cuisine At Home, called a Black & Blue pie. Theirs calls for blueberries but I sub huckleberries. Same family. I am considering trying my hand at jelly. never done it before, but a good time to try as there is just so much fruit available.

Here's three shots of last nights sunset. Couldn't pick one I liked best so saved all of them. We have the best sunsets in Washington.

Not alot of cat action going on recently, tho I got two good shots of Miss Gracie this week. She is as gorgeous as ever.

Andf that DVD in the background? 'A Single Man' - fantastic. The directorial debut of fashion designer Tom Ford and what a beautiful piece of work it is. Every shot is a work of art. See it.

New kitten pics soon as I am getting a new one for my birthday. He is tiger-striped and marmalade in color. Had gone to look for another tuxedo baby but liked the personality on this one so much went with him. We'll call him Junebug (Junior, JuJuBee, Bugsy, etc.). I even get to pick him up on my birthday! Yay!

Randomness...

2010-08-26T18:50:00.000-07:00

Just some random photos. First are the chickens at Fertile Ground, a local B&B guest house in Olympia. Daniel and I walk over here on our break s from work and get some 'chicken therapy'. Really helps destress from the job. We are just enamored with these hens. They are so funny and have such personalities.

This is Eleanor - she thinks she is a free range bird and gets out of the pen alot, much to the bemusment of the pedestrians passing by.

Joey got a new afghan for his back seat and I just love it. I love this photo too, with the window reflections overlaid on it.

I usually finish off with a pic of one of our pretty kitties, but today I have something ugly to share. This came in on an iris from a friend (Thanks, Wy!). Found it in the rhizome when I went to plant it. It's an iris borer - first one I have ever seen, and hopefully the last. I am so thankful they cannot survive here.

Summertime party

2010-08-21T10:19:00.000-07:00

Thursday evening we were invited to Joey's place for a cocktail party. The theme was 'retro summer' and it was a great excuse to drag out all the vintage barware. Joey put out a great spread, with a sangria punch and the makings for martinis and other delicious drinks. Daniel and I had a great time. Good food and fun people always do have that result.

Joey had the deck all dressed out in his collection of geraniums, artfully arranged in groupings here and there. He is the master at arrangements. Here's a few shots.

And just for good measure, here's a shot of Chewie.

Vintage recipe books

2010-08-16T19:31:00.000-07:00

So, we ended up recently with two recipe note books in front of us. One I had had for years, from a thrift store, and the other came from a dear friend's mother's collection of recipe booklets. Here's the weird part. One was made in Japan the other in Hong Kong, but one of them obviously had the other's photo available when setting up their photo shoot. as everything is recreated, if less than perfectly. Check it:

Neat, eh?

Lilies!! ...etc.

2010-08-08T08:56:00.001-07:00

Tiger lilies are blooming along with some other summer lilies. These classics are my favorites.

Not sure what the big cream ones are... VERY fragrant tho and taller than Daniel.

Love the little fuchsia flowers on this shrub. Hope it can get size on this year without being knocked back to the ground next winter.

Thought I had lost this yarrow but it came back this year. Love the color.

It drizzled all day yesterday and the cats stayed in.

It's been a year and a day...

2010-07-28T18:43:00.000-07:00

.

(photo by Joey Walker)

I miss you boo-boo.

More daylilies...

2010-07-23T17:45:00.001-07:00

Goodbye Mr. Tumac

2010-07-18T09:00:00.001-07:00

After much agonizing and weeks of discussion Daniel and I decided that it would be best for all concerned if puppeh-lou was not part of our lives. We just do not have enough time to give him the attention and training that a puppy requires. We were all miserable, especially puppeh, and it isn't fair to him or us to continue the way is has been going.

Yesterday I took Tumac to the Shelton Adopt-A-Pet no-kill shelter and left him in the caring hands of the wonderful volunteers there. Everyone exclaimed over how handsome he was and said they didn't think they would have any trouble at all placing him with a family that will love him and give him the attention he deserves. They have a beautiful facility where he can be around people all day long and play with other dogs to, until someone takes him to his forever home.

Goodbye Mr. Tumac. Thank you for teaching us we are not dog people and that we should stick to cats. It is valuable lesson.

Daylilies!!!

2010-07-12T09:49:00.000-07:00

The dayliies really enjoyed the delayed summer and are looking fantastic this year. here's a few that are blooming now.

DId some weeding and finally caught some shots of the cats outside with me. They are enjoying the nice weather and are out quite a bit now. Gracie caught two mice yesterday and ate them both.

Productive weekend

2010-07-06T07:05:00.000-07:00

We finally got started on the new fence around the courtyard. Daniel put in the new posts and I took down the old ones. Of course a deer was right in the middle of it when we got up this morning. Will add the new fencing tonight and then work on gates.

Here's some JI's, LA's and an English iris that are blooming right now.

Floral Fireworks

2010-07-04T09:01:00.000-07:00

There's plenty of bright bursts of color in the garden today.

June's floral parade

2010-06-27T14:16:00.000-07:00

A few photos of flowers around the garden in late June. I couldn't decide which of these shots of the black lace elderberry to use so I added both. Isn't it gorgeous?!

These lupines got a lot of attention during open garden. They really put on a show this year.

It is always fun to see the native plants blooming. This bright orange lonicera adds a touch of color to the evergreens along the driveway.

A bed sown with a 'northwest wildflower mix' brough us sweet william, which then became the only one to reseed and cross tha past two years until we have this beautiful display. They get no water and have poor soil and could care less

Here are two of my favorite lilies. I've had both of them forever and they are just vigorous and floriferous and always perform well.

Verbascum in a beautiful dusty salmon tone.

The cats are spending more time outside, as long as the doggie isn't around. And yet I still only get pics of them laying about.

There are still all kinds of iris going here, so watch for a post of them soon.

The Irises of Grace Sturtevant

2010-06-20T16:33:00.001-07:00

Grace Sturtevant was known as the First Lady of Irises due to her early involvement with the AIS and her amazing record of hybridizing. What a legacy she ahs left us. Sadly, of over 200 introductions only a few dozen of her varieties are still with us. I think they are some of the loveliest ever created.

The irises of Dr. Kleinsorge

2010-06-13T08:32:00.000-07:00

.

Here's all but three of the Kleinsorge varieties that bloomed this year. Grand Canyon, Daybreak and Cascade Splendor all managed to elude the camera.

Everything but irises...

2010-05-31T20:04:00.001-07:00

So busy with the irises and garden visitors I've had little time to do anything else. Here's some recent pics. Tumac is slowly getting better. I cannot wait until he is an old experienced dog tho, as this puppy thing is so tiresome.

Daniel set these stairs into the terrace above the driveway and miss Gracie thinks they are the best. She can often be found sitting on them observing her domain.

Nothing but wind and rain lately. Tho today finally had some sun breaks.

We've been working along the drive and this little sparrow is nesting in the area. Here she is keeping a close eye on us as her fledgling is hopping about in th underbrush trying to hide. It's been learning to fly the past several days and it is fun to see them about.

The woodpecker showed up at the burn pit and proceeded to take one of the stumps apart. It had been infested with ants before we burned it so I assume he was making a quick lunch of them.

Iris pics yet to come!

Lights! Camera! Action!

2010-05-15T09:09:00.000-07:00

Peak bloom is expected over the next two weekends. Stop by and see the show!

Mother's Day Weekend

2010-05-09T11:50:00.000-07:00

Daniel and I had Friday off so we took the opportunity to clean up the northeast corner of the house. This area had long been a dumping spot for bric-a-brac from the garden and hence overgrown with weeds and blackberries. We hauled everything out we wanted to keep and then cleared the sod off. The area against the house became a staging area for the garbage and recycling. Long overdue. The area near the corner of the house became an extension of the shade bed. A rhodie and several small hostas went in there.

The irises area really getting started now, with two or three new varieties a day opening. Still looks sparse across the garden but more color is showing all the time. Here's a few favorites.

The little hyacinth's, sometimes called mountain bells, managed to escape the attentions of the deer (who have been rather scarce since puppy moved in) and are looking lovely in a little pastel clump.

And check out these amazing 'flora plena' welsh poppy seedlings that came up in one of the beds. I love that bright orange-yellow! They look spectacular next to a Japanese maple seedling, also in shades of orange. You can see some of its leaves at the left edge of the photo if you embiggen it.

And finally Mr. Pansy sleeping with his head on his foot. So cute.

A weekend's worth...

2010-05-02T17:20:00.000-07:00

A new project has come together finally, and more irises are in the ground. Long term plans for this bed include an espaliered apple tree in the center and two columner apples at each end of the compost bins. Also planted with rosemary and a red yucca, then filled with irises. A start, as it will evolve over the years.

Here's a couple of pics of Miss Gracie and Mr. Pansy enjoying the sunshine we've had lately.

Tumac is a bad puppy, and big as a house.

Last nights sunset.

More to come!

Irises and other things...

2010-04-23T11:50:00.001-07:00

Last weekend Daniel and I had a few berry and nut bushes we needed to get in the ground so we cleared out a corner spot in his veggie garden. The old cedar stumps are too set in to do remove so this is an excellent spot for bush produce to be. This is what we started with:

And here's the after shot. There's two filberts and a gooseberry in here, along with two types of huckleberries. We'll bring in a few more huckleberries in fall to fill it in more. Native blackberries are winding all over the ground as well. Once we get some wood chip mulch in there and let it sit for a year or two it should be lovely.

A few days after clearing it I caught the local woodpecker visiting the stumps to prospect for bugs. S/he has been very active lately all around our clearing and carrying on loudly in the woods. love having them around.

Here's a pretty omphaloides:

And one of my favorites. We've always called it the 'mouse butt plant' as the little blooms look like the back end of a mouse sticking out from under the leaves.

Here's some irises that are blooming now.

Lots of stalks rising all over the garden. Looks to be a good bloom season if the weather stays pleasant.

Blue Secret

2010-04-20T17:40:00.000-07:00

Look at all the colors going on in this bloom!

It's Iris Time!!

2010-04-16T17:08:00.001-07:00

More spring blooms...

2010-04-13T20:54:00.000-07:00

Weekend projects

2010-04-12T08:00:00.000-07:00

Daniel and I schlepped rocks yesterday and managed to finish off the last few feet of the rock wall around our circular bed in the drive. I'll have to lift the plants in the fall and raise the soil level. It has settled quite a bit since last fall. The mimosa may be dead and in need of replacing. I won't know for sure until late May.

A few more irises are blooming now, including this cute little yellow amoena.

We also found our native yellow violets blooming along the driveway. They are so cute. I hope they continue to spread about.

My second weekend project was weeding and very little got done. The pressure is now on to get the iris beds cleaned up.

Spring fling!

2010-04-03T18:26:00.000-07:00

So many new fresh spring pics - and a puppy!

Isn't he a handsome boy? And look how great this hellebore look in front of this old rootwad.

A new daffodil - barriensis (I think). Love it!

The iris lutescens are so pretty. A rich little carpet to get the season underway. Stalks are rising everywhere.

More spring pics...

2010-03-29T15:23:00.000-07:00

Check out this great sedum album 'bella di'inverno' (if I remember right...). Isn't is colorful?! By id sumemr it will be solid green again, but the spring colors are so festive.

Equally pretty is this pink pulmonaria. Great foliage and the slugs and deer both leave it be.

Pale blue grape hyacinths - a favorite.

And check out these crazy fritillarias. So fun! Moles supposedly hate them and sure enough, there's been no moles in this bed for the past three years. Plus they must love our climate and soil as they are multiplying like crazy.

And here's what I did with that bed with the giant boulder. Rock on the top and planted around it. Will see how it goes. Shallow rooted stuff and 10-15" of dirt below most of them.

Fresh pics...

2010-03-26T20:10:00.000-07:00

I was expanding a bed in back and found this boulder in the way. Far too big to move so I'll try busting the top off tomorrow, and if that can't be done we'll just leave the area as part of the open pathway.

Daffodil 'Jetfire' and a pulmonaria below.

It's a spring thing

2010-03-18T07:39:00.001-07:00

Finally getting some nice weather again so gardening can proceed. Here's a new bed I made next to the driveway. Small, but I managed to squeeze 13 iris varieties in there with multiple rhizomes of each. Should look fabulous in 2012.

The camera didn't pick it up, but this hellebore has a lovely blue-toned glaucous sheen to it that moves it much more purple than the brown it appears here. Still... gorgeous flower, eh?

And the ribes is in full bloom and the hummers are here and buzzing all over it.

New Spring pics

2010-03-10T18:22:00.000-08:00

The potted Princess.

New garden beds.

Another stump pile from construction removed to the bones.

So there's a puppy...

2010-02-07T20:39:00.000-08:00

... and the cats are not happy.

Sping's a'comin

2010-01-30T11:24:00.001-08:00

First iris of the year has opened - about a month early.

I love this black hellebore. It's in a very sheltered spot near the house so is a week or so ahead of the rest in the garden. But they are close!

I cheated with the daffs - they are from the grocery store. The ones in the garden are heading upward tho.

And look how bright this cyclamen is! Wow, does it put out the color.

Looks like we're in for an early spring, as is typical with an el Nino winter. I'm not complaining, even tho the weeds are getting a head start too.

More xmas...

2010-01-04T13:37:00.001-08:00

I know xmas is over but there's still a few pics I wanted to share. First, here's a better shot of the tree. Those posted before were just too blurry to see clearly.

Daniels parents leave their plants with us every winter as they snow bird it to warmer climes so we always get to enjoy their xmas cactus blooming. It has been going non-stop for two months now.

And last are the button trees Daniel and I made using the buttons he inherited from his granmother after she passed away several years ago. A much better use than having them stashed away in a box somewhere. Joey did the first one for us (center) and we did the rest. The black velvet one with the mother of pear buttons still needs to be completed, but that can wait until next year.

So easy to do. We used old fabric we'd been carting around for years, cut it to fit the styrofoam cones we picked up at thrift stores and then used a spray adhesive to make it stick well all over. The seams are finished with a fabric glue. Then we added buttons (after a good washing and scrubbing - they were dirty!) using straight pins. Some are plain silver pins with a small glass bead added first, others have the large headed pins in gold, silver, pearl or other metallic colors. I think they turned out fabulously. Can't wait to do more next year - we've plenty of buttons left!

That's it for xmas this year. Promise.

Happy New Year!

2010-01-01T18:52:00.000-08:00

Goodbye and good riddance to 2009. May the new year and the new decade bring better days for us all. Omens bode auspicious with the pleasant holiday season distraction of cat sitting for friends while they vacation in Europe. The outdoor kitty is Nancy, sister to our late Tuck, and very much like him. They had the same white markings but she is calico where he was black. She is sweet as can be.

The indoor kitty is an orphan we are calling Lola. She is just the most affectionate girl, and very talkative. Beautiful smoky gray coat with flashing green eyes, shes very roly-poly too. I am totally in love with her.

While I am sorry to see my caretaking coming to an end this weekend I'll be happy to have have my friends back safe and sound from their journey.

Toast the new decade with Cheers!

Bah Humbug!

2009-12-24T15:19:00.001-08:00

Xmas is here!

2009-12-23T17:28:00.000-08:00

Happy Xmas everyone!

Daniel brought home an excellent tree this year. We alternate each year between a live tree and our vintage 60's silver aluminum tree (and yes, we have the revolving color wheel too). This year as we are Poor (yes, poor dahlinks!) so we went the free route and took advantage of the natural bounty of the PNW. I don't know enough about camera settings to know how to time the photo for best results so here's shots with the flash and without.

Isn't is fabulous? It looks so much better in real life. More xmas pics to come...

(Hi Joey and Wes!)

Rainy November

2009-11-21T10:55:00.001-08:00

We've nothing but rain for two weeks. It's getting old, but that's the PNW for ya. Beats snow. Here's a shot of that bed I've been working on in the back yard. Both side beds are now complete and planted (mostly). Still need to dig the center circle bed and get it ready to plant. We'll get an apple tree in spring to be the centerpiece. I wanted something we could prune to fill the space we wanted and that gives us the bonus of fruit and multi-season interest.

Speaking of apples, here's a crisp I made last weekend. Granny smiths and no sweetening but the topping. Delish!

Happy Halloween!

2009-11-01T09:23:00.000-08:00

Huzzah! Another Halloween has come and gone without a spook to be seen. We had a great night of food, friends and fire. Spent the afternoon gathering wood for a bonfire and Joey & Wes, Terry, Julie and Jonathan joined us just around dark and we got it blazing away. A delicious feast of roasted sausages, baked beans, and various snackages followed, all washed down with wine or whiskey. Merriment ensued. And I made pie!

Had not done small hand pies before and learned a few things (like don't forget the steam vents). But they were delicious!

I caught Peter creeping along the tightrope that is the window edge of the car.

Chewie, of course, is her same silly self.

Hope your All Hallow's Eve was just as fun as ours.

Trip to Ill.

2009-10-27T10:36:00.001-07:00

Daniel and I went to Illinois for a long weekend to attend my grandmother's 90th birthday celebration. We had a good time, but are so glad to be back. Here's the view across the fields at my sister's house. This is what I think of when I picture Illinois.

Speaking of Beth and Rae's place, here's a shot of it. It was built in 1905 and has all the original woodwork intact, 12 foot ceilings, and is just a fantastic place. I always enjoy being there.

Here's two of their four pets, Hank (a giant schnauzer) and Chloe, who was very sweet.

The house used to have several beautiful old barns, built int he early part of the century and painted that classic red, but they were all in bad repair and the main barn had been damaged in a tornado so was removed. A shame, as they had so much character. The foundation stones from the main barn remain and would be an excellent backbone for a flower garden if arranged properly. Wish I had them here!

A rose and iris garden behind the sumemr kittchen perhaps? Yes, there really is an old summer kitchen! I think it would make a great winery for the grapes that should be arbored along the south side of the property. (Isn't imagineering fun?)

While there we visited a winery in Grafton along the Mississippi river. Got to spend the day with so many family and friends that I rarely see. It was one of the highlights of the trip. here's the sun going down over the mighty river.

The fall foliage was just spectacular everywhere we went. An exceptional show this year. Unfortunately I did not get an pics when we visited Washington Park in Spfringfield. Check Daniel's blog for more of all these places.
http://skookum-ouzel.blogspot.com/

It was really great to see the extended family. I don't get back often and when I do it is rarely with so many others there. We're a pretty widespread group. Especially good to see Grandma and my niece and nephew (Hi Emily! Be sure and write me!). A fun trip al around, but so glad to be home.

Autumnal rainbow

2009-10-18T17:43:00.001-07:00

Color in the garden today...

On the edge of autumn

2009-09-13T16:26:00.001-07:00

I love autumn in the northwest. It wasn't a particularly welcome season in other parts of the US I have lived in, but here it is. The long , dry summer is ending and the rains come back. Everything is so fresh and green again for a burst before winter's dark chill sets in. Fall is the season for planting irises and refreshing flowerbeds. And cooking. Fall is for cooking.

Here's a pizza I started making after reading a recipe
Cuisine at Home had in a recent issue. Store bought pizza dough (so much easier and more reliable than home made, tho you know I love scratch), topped with leftover roasted chicken chunks, sauteed mushrooms, onions, and garlic, artichoke hearts, a sprinkle of pine nuts, with grated mozzarella, a light sprinkle of feta and some fresh grated parm to finish it off. Perfection.

With my neck healed up I am finally able to get some projects seen to. First on the list was one I showed a few posts ago - the flowerbeds to the right of the front entrance. This area has been waiting for a long time, and for good reason. It is so difficult to dig in! The construction compaction still makes it a miserable, slow, back-breaking job. But at last - it's done. In a few years the lilacs and hibiscus will fill in and break up that long blank wall. Irises at the edge of the long bed will highlight my collection of Gibson plicatas, while the triangle has a color coordinated set of historics in browns, golds, reds and dark purples. You saw before, here's during and after.

And finally, last night's sunset. Embiggen it - its worth it.

~sunflowers~

2009-09-05T10:22:00.000-07:00

Surprise!

2009-09-04T18:04:00.000-07:00

I am so happy to see the surprise lilies blooming. They always remind me of my grandma. I had thought the two survivors of the move were wasting away but they put up good strong stems this fall.

Th deer have left gaura alone... it's looking fantastic!

Here's something you won't see often - an unattractive picture of the place. But it shows what changes I am working on to fill in, break up and cover unsightly necessities across the front of the house. Consider this a before picture.

Of course Chewie is rolling in the dirt.

Some of the semps are really looking good right now. (enlarge this one - the details are great)

Summer's back

2009-08-24T15:46:00.000-07:00

After a really nice break for some rain and temps in the 60's for a week we are back to sunny days and temps in the 70's. very pleasant, and good timing too as I am finally able to get back to digging new flowerbeds! Huzzah! This weekend I'm working on this triangle shaped bed below. Have been trying to get to it since spring, but only now am able. Next I'll expand the bed behind it (to the left in the pic) to put some shrubs up against the house and break up the expanse.

I've really been enjoying this lovely Gaura 'Whirling Butterflies'. It is just a mass of little white flowers touched pale pink. Lives up to its name very well. It seems to like the poor soil and dry conditions so I plan to get plenty more of it. The deer love it, but if there's enough around they can't get it all.

I got some fresh peaches from the Fruit Truck and made a couple of pies for a potluck at work tomorrow. We already ate the peach crisp I made for Daniel and I last night. Dee-lish!

And last is a sunset from the other night. We've had some good ones lately.

Brunch is served

2009-08-10T09:12:00.000-07:00

Liz and Ethan joined us for brunch yesterday. On the menu: Golden onion and prosciutto strata, caramelized green beans and mimosas.

Tuck: 2001-2009

2009-08-08T09:29:00.000-07:00

In spring of 2001 we were living in the Garrison St. house but looking for a place to buy. I was also looking for a tuxedo kitten, as it had been years since I'd had a cat and I am fond of that color pattern. We had Chewie but wanted another. Around then our friend Wes met a neighbor who was taking a momma cat and her three kittens to the pound - he intercepted. One of those kitten eventually came to us and was named Tuck.

He was barely 7 weeks old when he came to live with us. Such a tiny little ball of fluff. he immediately fixated on Chewie and followed her everywhere - much to her annoyance. Over the years she got over it and they could often be found curling up together napping. Tuck loved to be in the garden following me around, and he loved to find a box to stuff himself into. He eventually grew into a very large tomcat, topping out at 17 pounds, with the most beautiful long coat, golden eyes and he had amazing whiskers. Everyone commented on them.

On Tuesday July 28th we had a major heatwave moving thru and the temps hit 102 degrees that day, and 90 inside the house. The cats were just melted puddles of fur splashed about the floor. Finally the sun started to set and the temp started to drop. We let the cats out to cool off and get some relief. I tried calling them back in before bedtime but only Chewie answered. Not unusual considering how late they had gotten out. One or another had spent the night out before so I didn't think anything of it.

The next morning only Peter was waiting at the door to get on. I called and called for Tuck and Gracie but they did not answer. I was a bit worried as Booboo (Tuck's main nickname) was always ready for his food bowl after a night out. I had to get to work so I couldn't spend much time looking. Gracie showed up around noon that day but still no Boo. The heat was stifling again and it wasn't until late that evening that I could make the rounds to see if he was stuck in a tree somewhere - it had happened before, but no luck.

We did all the usual things in putting up fliers, letting the neighbors know to keep an eye out and checking with all the local rescue societies and vet offices. Thru this we learned several local pets had gone missing, the deer herds were thinned out, and the coyotes had not been seen in the area so we suspect a cougar is around. There's been no sign of Tuck since.

I'm just heartbroken over the loss of my baby. He usually curled up next to me at night and always woke me up in the morning.

Tuck, you were the best kitty I ever had. I'll always miss you.

Barooooo!

2009-07-30T20:10:00.001-07:00

My Booboo is missing. :cry:

Last night's sunset...

2009-07-26T16:25:00.001-07:00

.

And today's peach pie.

So I got some gorgeous peaches from the Fruit Truck that sells at Steamboat Island road, across from the school. They go to the east side of the mountains, load up and come back and sell the produce. Great stuff. Tried the trick of dropping the peaches into boiling water for one minute and then wiping off the peels. A bit messy but very effective. Not sure if it is an improvement on peeling by hand or not. Also used Martha's suggestion of freezing your lattice work crust before setting it in place. Makes it much easier to handle and it thaws quickly for sealing into the edge. I put it together on a piece of waxed paper then slide it onto a cookie sheet to go in the freezer. 20 minutes and it's ready to go on the pie. So much easier than trying to pick it up loose.

Lovin' the summer time

2009-07-25T12:46:00.000-07:00

We're expecting a heat wave for the next week. Thankfully we have the pool to stay cool. Fresh fruit is everywhere. I've been picking the little native blackberries lately and grabbed some blueberries from the farmers market to make this Black & Blue pie. Its bubbled over and looks messy but man was it delicious!

I've some peaches waiting to be made into a pie as well. Yum!

Mr. Petey like to pose for the camera.

A low key Fourth

2009-07-05T09:22:00.001-07:00

Daniel and I spent a gloomy day at the beach. The sun never did burn thru the marine layer. We finally got a glimpse of it as we left there and headed inland to a friends place for an evening bonfire. A pleasant day all around.

Cats stayed home. Here's a pic of Miss Gracie drowning in her own floof.

On today's agenda we have laundry and digging irises for the HIPS Sale and for my eBay sales.

Japanese iris

2009-06-29T16:39:00.000-07:00

We only have a few JI's here, and were getting some pretty blooms for a change. These are all rescues from a ditch downtown. Most are still there blooming. I can't give them as much water as they would like so they aren't as big and showy as they could be.

F@#%$*G Cats!

2009-06-20T16:41:00.000-07:00

So I've had these birdhouses on top of my potting bench for years and have never managed to put them out int he garden for the birdies to use, they were just kinda being decorative. This spring a pair of swallows decided to move into one of them. I was thrilled as they were eating all the wasps that usually nest all around the patio area. Sweet! I don't use the potting bench much so I stacked alot of junk and stuff on the main surface hoping to keep the cats off it.

Yesterday I went out to find the birdhouse pulled down, broken, and the nest ripped to shreds. One of the frikkin-frakken cats decided to get up there and cause havoc. Argh!! Then I clean that up and turn around and see my little iris seedling have all be uprooted by someone using the bed as a litterbox. Double Argh!! Some cat is very lucky I did not catch them in the act or they would be housebound for a few days. We have such bad cats. I am sure it was either Gracie or Peter doing both. They are permanently punished.

Strawberries...

2009-06-13T16:34:00.000-07:00

YUM!!

Winding down

2009-06-09T20:04:00.000-07:00

Iris season is winding down now. Still alot of blooms, and the Japanese are just starting, but the bulk have passed. It's been pretty overwhelming and I'm a bit burnt out on pics. I took thousands and have kept 615 so far. Here's a few highlights.

Beotie. The color is not showing correctly in the photos. It is a gray-lavender-blue. Very smoky and subdued, but rich. Had seen it before but three stalks in bloom was just gorgeous. This one will get a more prominent position.

Loving Bronze Bell. Great shade of brown.

Cahokia has thrilled me for two years in a row. What a great iris! The color and form are really something. It blooms later too and extends the blue tone for the season, as my others are generally early.

On another note, I've managed to keep the deer of the rosa glauca and it is finally getting to put out a mass of blooms for us.

The peonies are really looking good this year. Finally filled in. On another note... Mr. Petey likes his sunbeam.

More to come...

Irises in the Garden

2009-06-06T15:10:00.000-07:00

The Cathedral

2009-05-28T09:54:00.000-07:00

Each evening the sunshines thru sideways and lights up the flowers with a golden glow, turning the garden into a carnival of color to rival any cathedral's windows.

Lions at the Gate...

2009-05-24T08:30:00.001-07:00

... and at the door. Guarding the family from any rodents or small birds that may wander by. Lol.

The shade border is really filling in beautifully. The Soloman's Seal is just amazing - such structure! The mock orange is about to bloom for the first time. Fantastic fragrance.

I love taking pics of the irises just before the sun sets, when the soft golden light comes in from the side and lights them all up like stained glass windows. Here's a few from last night. Click the photos to see the larger versions.

More irises...

2009-05-23T09:23:00.000-07:00

Here's a few shots I thought were pretty good. I just love seeing all the new varieties open for the first time.

2009-05-16T16:24:00.000-07:00

Another week, another slew of irises. This charming little yellow IB (intermediate bearded) opened a few days ago. Was supposed to be Prairie Gold but isn't. Nice tho.

The PCIs (Pacific Coast Iris) are opening now. Had three today. This dark purple beauty might be Night Editor but I can't find a pic to compare. Whatever it is it is covered in blooms. Stunning.

The next came from my Great Aunt Glady's place in Morrisonville, IL. It might be I. kochii but my IK has never bloomed so I can't compare them. Argh.

Last for irises is Chanted. A wonderful little pink with a blue beard. The camera just won't capture the smokiness, making it too pink.

The pansy with the Mexican feather grass in the pot grouping beside the front door is just amazing. We have enjoyed it so much, along with all the succulents planted in the terracotta and 'tufa pots.

And what would spring be without bleeding hearts? Sad, I tell you, just sad. I adore bleeding hearts. Actually, anything in the dicentra family or its relatives is loved here. Corydalis? Love it. Climbing bleeding heart? Love it. Love'em all.

More to come...

May pics

2009-05-10T11:24:00.001-07:00

Way over due for a few new photos. Here's some irises:

Ritz - One of my favorite SDBs.

Pilgrim's Choice - The color is ethereal and impossible to capture with a camera. You have to see it in person. here's a close-up.

I. taochia - The slugs keep getting the flowers before I can get a shot of them. The color is amazing. So rich and metallic.

The annual open garden weekend is coming up: May 23-24, 10am - 5pm. Other times by appointment. Drop me a line - mikes.garden (at) gmail.com. I made this double sided sign to sit by the road at the end of the driveway, as the place is a little hard to find. I thought it turned out pretty good, even if the lettering is sloppy. I'll get the stand finished the next rainy day.

Miles came for a visit last weekend and helped me out in the garden. We got so much done! (And thank you so much, Miles.) He took the following three pics while here. I thought they were excellent. Especially the sky. The blue flowers are brunnera 'Langtrees'. Excellent shade plant. Very tough as well as beautiful.

Fresh spring pics...

2009-05-02T12:35:00.000-07:00

Lilac - 'R& B Mills'

Blooms for late April

2009-04-25T08:04:00.001-07:00

The first bearded irises opened last monday. This little variety of i. lutescens popped open and surprised me. It hadn't even been showing color the day before. I've been spreading them out the past few years along the edge of the driveway, with the intention of eventually having a large sweep of color. They are spreading nicely. The tip of the bloom is only 5 inches off the ground.

The Fritillaria imperialis bloomed this week. What a neat plant! I was not expecting them, as I had thought I'd planted alliums. These were a nice surprise tho. They are the brightest thing in the garden this week.

And here's a shot of another frittilaria - this one is the checkered lily.

I see a few more SDB's getting ready to bloom. Iris season is under way!

Sunshine and blooms

2009-04-14T19:12:00.000-07:00

The pulminaria's are so bright right now. The slugs and deer ignore them so they are always putting on a good show.

Tuck catches some Z's in the late afternoon. Ahn.

Spring has sprung

2009-04-06T11:40:00.000-07:00

Warm sunny days - finally! It was up to 70 yesterday and we were out all day in it. So nice, and I got loads of stuff done. Here's the south side of the driveway as you get to the curve. This had been full of weedy fir trees and blackberries, but our wonderful neighbors, the Pearson's, have been working to clear it out for us. We'll be replanting with different trees and shrubs once it is finished. Right now I am working on removing the weeds and making beds out along the drive. I've filled it with irises of two colors, massed, and moved the red hot poker here as well. The hummingbirds that nest in the area will enjoy that.

The cats are enjoying it as well, and all the early daffs are blooming their hearts out.

We had friends over for a bonfire in the evening and watched the sun set. It was a beautiful day. Hope yours was as well.

Keep your fork - there's pie!

2009-03-23T10:49:00.001-07:00

Spring is here and the flowers are really coming on now. Here's a few... and a pie!

I really love the daffs. It's not spring for me until they start opening. I have several that need to be relocated that I plan to move to Daddy's grave site in the woods. The low spring sun comes in under the evergreens there and will be enough to allow them to thrive and spread.

R.I.P. Mac Daddy

2009-03-20T11:34:00.000-07:00

On Wednesday, March 17, a bright and sunshiny bit of love left this world, for on that day I buried a very dear friend. With heavy heart, and tear streaked face, I dug a hole, lovingly laid his linen-wrapped body in it, and began to shovel dirt back over it. When I was done, I built a cairn of stones over his grave, spending the waning hours of the winter evening gathering stones in my grief. I cried, sobbed, and snuffled the whole time.

(Mac Daddy on Julie's front porch)

Mac Daddy wasn't necessarily my cat, but I was definitely his human, but we loved each other unabashedly, and neither of us made any bones about it. Belonging to one of my very best friends, Julie, I've known Mac Daddy since he was just a young adolescent. He loved to share his joy and love with others, and always took nurse duties with new kittens, taking very good care of them. And nobody, of course, could occupy a lap quite like ol' Daddy.

Having reached the grand age of 12 sometime over the past year or so (you know how it goes with cats... you just don't always know), Julie and I had both noticed he was getting to be an old cat. He spent a lot of this winter indoors, but then heck, who didn't? Having heard that he had been spending the last few days under the bed, I wasn't surprised. I wanted to do the same. I thought little of the fact that he hadn't come out to visit me the week before.

But I was shocked when he made his slow, stiff-legged way down the hall into the living room wednesday afternoon. Poor Daddy! He had lost weight, couldn't move very well, was so fatigued he took mulitple rests to get across the room, and was literally gasping for breath! He went to the water bowl, but just couldn't manage a drink, laying back down without going to the food bowl. My Daddy wasn't well!

Julie called the vet, and we took him right in. He was made comfortable until the vet could get to him a short time later. Not long after that, the vet euthanized him, a mercifully peaceful end to what had become a very uncomfortable existence.

Examing Mac Daddy, the vet had aspirated a lot of fluid from one lung, which was completely full, and had collapsed. It filled back up immediately, leading the vet to a diagnosis of FIP - Feline Infectious Peritonitis.

I'm thankful that Daddy didn't suffer for very long at all. Of his last three days, while it's apparent he knew something was wrong and had been hiding under the bed - as cats are wont to do - I don't think any but the last day were acutely uncomfortable. His mates Sam and Boogie were at his side continuously with love and concern and companionship, and humans who loved him were at his side right up to the end. A life lived like Mac Daddy's is well lived.

All this heartbreak brings me to the secondary reason for this post. The pet cemetery. Creatures who bring such joy and love into our lives such as a cat like Mac Daddy deserve something more than disposal at the vet office, or a hole in the the ground out along the back fence. When I arrived home Wednesday afternoon, I broke the news to Mike (who also loved Mac Daddy very much) and asked him to consider where we might begin to create our own memorial garden for beloved pets.

We wanted somewhere where there was space to accommodate all of our pets over the years, someplace peaceful, beautiful, and fairly easy to reach. It needs to be permanent - there will be no moving this particular garden element in 10 years because it's in the way of another project.

We chose a patch of forested area between the mushroom garden and the display beds. It has a moderate slope, lots of ferns and violets, and is along the primary pathway into that section of woods. Additionally, it's behind the large stump pile in front of which Mike planted a shrub border, so it will be secluded. I like to think that a cat-spirit might enjoy climbing the stumps to watch out over the area or bask in the sun.

(Mac Daddy's final resting place)

I don't exactly know how the pet cemetery - I need to come up with a name for it, as I don't exactly like that term - will evolve over the next few years. I am imagining a series of stone cairns ringed by moss, ferns, and violets, as well as rhododendrons and hostas. I would like to include a bench for sitting and visiting, and occasional grieving. Mike wants to cast a 'tufa cat statuette for Mac's memorial. We'll use cedar boughs to create a decorative fence along the edges. Beyond that, I'm sure whimsy will take over and guide our efforts.

I miss Mac Daddy very much, and I'm tearing up just writing this post. How will I handle it when one of my own cats dies? [Sigh]... love can be tough.

Where is spring again??

2009-03-15T08:22:00.001-07:00

This is what the dawn brought. Bleh.

Rainy days...

2009-03-14T16:30:00.000-07:00

Time for a nap.

February flowers

2009-02-19T18:23:00.001-08:00

I've waited years to see one of these little i. danfordiae blooming in the garden. They rotted in previous attempts, but the well drained soil here seems to have done the trick. Such a cute little iris.

Grecian windflowers. Not sure of the proper name. A reliable late winter bloomer in our climate, it disappears by early to mid summer.

First iris of 2009

2009-02-16T17:49:00.001-08:00

This cute little reticulata opened today. Such a nice bright bit of color. I've seen yellow buds coming out on a couple of i. danfordiae as well.

Miss Gracie has become so hairy she is drowning in her own fluff. Poor baby girl.

End of January...

2009-01-24T14:49:00.001-08:00

... and winter is still here, but signs of spring are everywhere. The cyclamen are blooming and there are bulbs nosing out of the ground all over the place. Some of the very early shrubs are showing signs of new buds as well.

We're heading to Kevin & Adam's place tonight for dinner so I baked a cherry pie. This is the first time in years I have managed to get the lattice work to come out perfect. Isn't it beautiful?!

Deathstorm 2008

2008-12-21T11:31:00.000-08:00

Well, the projected storm dumped its snow but the wind never materialized as they thought it would. We have about 8 inches on the ground now. It remains to be seen what todays expected ice storm will bring - if it shows up.

A break in the weather this morning and temps near 32 degrees sent us out to make snowmen. Aren't they cute?

Snow day! again...

2008-12-19T08:57:00.000-08:00

So we've been having snow for days now, and alot more is predicted to fall this weekend. Here's some pics I took this morning. It is lovely, if inconvenient.

Little birds are all over the verbena stalks eeating seeds and probably scattering even more that I'll be pulling all spring as they sprout.

A woodpecker stopped by and made a racket for long enough for a few pics. This one turned out best. His red head was flashing in the morning sun. They are so shy, and we hear them often but rarely get to see them.

We put up the aluminum xmas tree last weekend. Even without all the lights working it is pretty.

And what is a blog post without some baked goods? Spent all last weekend baking for the family. Here's a shot of some cscones. I forgot to take pics of the rest of the goodies.

Happy holidays to all!

December blooms

2008-12-07T09:11:00.000-08:00

Okay, really not the best photos I've ever taken but they are just to show how weird our weather is this year. these are blooming today. A lovely orange rose I rescued from Jim Allen's garden after he passed away (the camera just won't get the color and depth right - it is stunning), a golden geum looking fabulous with feverfew blooms, and a pink scizostylus (which normally blooms late but never until November here, which means we usually don't even get to see it before frost takes it down). This warm dry fall is extending into our winter.

Ugh, I ate too moishe...

2008-11-28T09:30:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving

The Guest list:

Daniel and I
Miles
Terry
Joey and Wes

The menu:

Roast turkey
Roasted garlic mashed potatoes
turkey gravy (from scratch, natch)
Stuffing (as good as grandma's!)
Sweet potato souffle
Green bean casserole
Cranberry compote
Whole wheat rolls
Apple Pie
Pumpkin pie with freshly whipped cream
Many bottles of fabulous French wine

The result:

A great feast with great friends, and a very memorable day. The turkey was late but worth the wait - so moist and juicy. The gravy was a bit thin but so tasty. Joey's souffle was amazing. The pies were perfect and the wine was to die for. I'm thankful to have such good friends. Hope yours was as good!

Beautiful days

2008-11-24T14:34:00.000-08:00

What an unseasonably beautiful November we are having. The last few days have been warm and sunny. We've yet to have a killing frost, tho a few light ones have been thru. I finally (!!!) managed to get my Kleinsorge bed expanded and a new one created next to it. This is going to make a big difference in a few years as the lilacs and the vine maple grow in. And in the meantime all my Kleinsorge irises are in one place together.

Miss Gracie was outside with me all afternoon enjoying the sun. She's brought in a few rodents today (leaving bits of them scattered about the back yard - yuck), but unfortunately no more moles yet. They are tearing up my terraces something awful and making a huge mess and I sure wish she would kill a few more.

Here's Mr. Pansy in his favorite chair again. Paws up!

And finally a raspberry tart I made a few weeks ago. Not the most attractive but it sure was delish.

Friends are coming for Thanksgiving. Hope yours is a happy one!

Parnisp and pansies

2008-10-25T17:39:00.000-07:00

Check out these gorgeous parsnips from Daniels veggie garden. They are roasting as I type... Yum!

And here's a shot of Mr. Pansy. He loves the green chair, and who can blame him? He looks so cute in it - especially in the sunshine.

Mmmm... Cherry Pie

2008-10-18T13:06:00.001-07:00

Finally got something accomplished!

2008-10-12T16:43:00.001-07:00

I have been planning this redesign for two years and finally got it done. The Kleinsorge iris bed needed to be bumped out to make room for a lilac ('Sensation') that will add some much needed vertical interest, as well as shade, to the front of the house. Can't wait to see it filled in. this also makes room to add steps to the end of the porch so we can put rails across the front of it.

I got all the Kleinsorge irises that were in need of dividing split up and moved about to better show them off. I'll add some annuals in the spring to add longer seasonal interest to the bed. I'd intended to add some other plants but had som many irises I didn't have room this year. Once the bed across the path from ths one is done there will be more room for other things.

Awww... apple time

2008-09-22T09:41:00.001-07:00

Oh I just love it when the apples hit the market. Here's an Apple Gallette, a kind of open-faced apple pie. It was delicious!

Fresh pics

2008-09-21T09:29:00.000-07:00

It's been awhile since I downloaded my camera and went thru the pics. Here's some recent shots from around the place. Not much is happening due to lack of funds to adequately deal with the weeds, but we're doing what we can.

Here's a shot of a not-so-lovely but quite delicious Apple Tarte Tartin I made from a Cuisine at Home recipe. It is basically an upside-down cake.

I love kniphofia. this bright yellow-orange one kept the hummingbirds happy for awhile and sure made a bright spot of color in the garden. The deer leave it alone so I'll probably get more of these.

Sempervivum 'Mount Usher. Gorgeous coloration.

A wonderful pelargonium Joey got for me for my birthday - isn't it just stunning? I'm hoping I can keep it alive thru the winter so I can enjoy it for years to come.

Here's Mr. Pansy looking quite adorable, and hiding a heart filled with badness. The little stinker got mad the other morning when he didn't get to go out and peed on my shirt that was laying on the vinyl couch - right in front of me! I think we have solved the mystery of who peed on the bed in the guest room and destroyed the mattress and a pillow. What a bad kitty. It's a good thing he is so cute.

And finally two shots of recent sunsets. We've had some really stunning ones lately. Not sure what is going on to color them up so well. One looks like a forest fire and the other was so neat - the clouds started melting like a watercolor painting, with long trails fo mist falling slowly down just as the sun was going down. Very neat effect. Click on the pics to see larger shots of them.

Until next time, happy gardening!

One Big Tree

New blog home

Saturday cat blogging

Lazy Sunday

Fresh pics

Cat blogging...

Happy Boxing Day!

Another fabulous Thanksgiving

Whole lotta sleepin' goin' on..

A few fall pics...

A few recent pics...

Rainy days

Trouble

Kittehs and Sunsets!

Keep your fork...

Early autumn

A September Cider Pressing

Surprise!

Say hi to Junebug!

News for early September

Randomness...

Summertime party

Vintage recipe books

Lilies!! ...etc.

It's been a year and a day...

More daylilies...

Goodbye Mr. Tumac

Daylilies!!!

Productive weekend

Floral Fireworks

June's floral parade

The Irises of Grace Sturtevant

The irises of Dr. Kleinsorge

Everything but irises...

Lights! Camera! Action!

Mother's Day Weekend

A weekend's worth...

Irises and other things...

Blue Secret

It's Iris Time!!

More spring blooms...

Weekend projects

Spring fling!

More spring pics...

Fresh pics...

It's a spring thing

New Spring pics

So there's a puppy...

Sping's a'comin

More xmas...

Happy New Year!

Bah Humbug!

Xmas is here!

Rainy November

Happy Halloween!

Trip to Ill.

Autumnal rainbow

On the edge of autumn

*~sunflowers~*

Surprise!

Summer's back

Brunch is served

Tuck: 2001-2009

Barooooo!

Last night's sunset...

Lovin' the summer time

A low key Fourth

Japanese iris

F@#%$*G Cats!

Strawberries...

Winding down

Irises in the Garden

The Cathedral

Lions at the Gate...

More irises...

May pics

Fresh spring pics...

Blooms for late April

Sunshine and blooms

Spring has sprung

~sunflowers~