Lovely Summer

Wow, it's been quite a month, I apologize for my absence here on the blog but things have been busy!
There is so much going on in the garden these days, planting, weeding, watering, as well as keeping the more invasive plants in check to allow room for others to grow. As always, keeping up with things out there is a challenge, but my garden loving husband and I do enjoy these summer days in the garden.


I took these pictures two or three weeks ago because June is my absolute favorite time in the flower garden. The perennials are beginning to bloom but are still young and fresh. If only I could figure out how to prolong this stage a little longer!

The luna moth above was discovered on our back porch one morning a couple of weeks ago, I'm always in total awe when I encounter one of these beautiful moths.

The pink flowers you see here are polygonum bistorta superbum. (knotweed)  I love this plant for it's cheerful beauty, versatility and hardiness. It is a June bloomer here in Maine, though there are a few still blooming now in July. It seems to thrive in this spot at the edge of the woods, receiving both sun and shade and in moist soil. In fact, it seems to thrive in any situation it finds itself in here at our place, a real survivor!

Here you see the flowers in early stages to full size.

June was also graduation month for a very special girl in my life, youngest daughter, Lydia.  Such a happy day for all. You can see it on her face, I wonder if you can pick her out of the crowd? (lower right!) 
A small gathering of family and friends followed with games, late dinner, ice cream sundaes, a campfire and fireworks!

Loving life on the deck this summer, morning tea, a cold beer at the end of the day, can't beat it. Talk soon!

May Garden

It's May again, garden time. Feels so good to be spending more time outdoors ... raking, digging, hoeing, planting. There are already small lettuces and radishes growing and the peas and spinach are up as well. Today I planted bush beans and pole beans. I hope they grow quickly!
A late afternoon stroll around the garden with my camera found long shadows and golden light, beautiful May!

spring is here!

I've been looking back over some of my older blog entries, to about a year back when the crocuses in my garden bloomed so prettily and I posted a picture of them. Time sure does fly, because now they are blooming again, in fact, I think that maybe they have already run their course and now the lilacs and daffodils are stepping up.

I love springtime, possibly more than any other season, though I can find reasons to love each and every one if I think about it. But spring is the best. New growth, being out in the warm sun after so many weeks inside, new plans in the garden, hard work to wake up muscles that have been resting all winter. Not to mention lengthening days with early sunrises and late sunsets.

 

 I'm working outside this week as much as I can, cleaning up the garden and yard ... planting seeds ... walking around with so many plans and projects in my head.

Another thing I'd like to share this week is new music, and very nice music too! Somewhere in my travels online I discovered The Paper Kites. I haven't heard a single song by them that I don't love.    Listen here and here ... happy spring!

                                                        

Lettuce and Roses

I know I'm a bit of a dork when it comes to certain things, well, probably most things, but it seems that I'm in a state of constant amazement when it comes to the beauty I see outdoors in the garden. Today it's the beauty of a simple head of lettuce and a perfect rose, can you see what I mean?

We have this tree...

There are fruit trees blooming in the garden right now. Below is the pink blossom of the peach tree, so very small and delicate.

The two pear trees we have are young but the crop is looking hopeful this year, more blossoms than ever before.Wait a minute, I didn't notice that little bug in the picture until just now...

The plum tree looks lovely, but not as lovely as the plums that will come later with any luck.

But...my favorite tree of all is the old crab apple. It's been growing on this farm since long before I came here, probably the turn of the last century or even before.

The first spring we spent here, more than twenty years ago now, we were all amazed when this gnarled giant burst into blossom. Some years it only blooms partially.

Not this year though...

This year it has gone all out, the entire tree from top to bottom is covered in fragrant blossom.
The sun actually came out briefly to help celebrate it's blooming day!

To look up at it is an amazing sight and almost beyond words...wish I could really show you how big this old tree is.

You gorgeous, old thing!

Today we planted tomatoes, three long rows, one more row to go- but that's another story. I haven't had much time for sketching or painting lately, I'm missing it but there will be time later when the garden is all planted.  Oh! If you look back to the picture of the pear blossoms (and the bug) you can see the giant crab apple looming in the background! Hope you are having a lovely spring!

Rainy Day Excursion

I wasn't disappointed when Saturday turned out to be a little too wet for gardening, I usually like rainy days anyway. Those rainy, spring days give you a chance to catch up on the things you may have been putting off in the mad rush to get the garden planted...or provide the perfect opportunity to have a cup of tea and spend a little time with the book you've been reading. 
In our case, Dave and I decided to take a drive in the direction of Waldoboro, where we had a quick lunch at Maine's famous Moody's Diner, and afterwards stopped by at Moose Crossing to pick up tomato seedlings. 
We grow a lot of tomatoes most years, all shapes, sizes and colors. This year we came home with nine flats and four singles. That's 58 little tomato plants in all. To some that may seem like a lot of tomatoes, but to others it's barely enough! A certain sister of mine probably plants triple that amount and uses them in various forms all year round. 
Ah well, I guess I'm going to be busy enough when the sun finally comes out again!

If you have too much sunshine in your life and enjoy those rainy days on occasion, check out this site for the soothing sounds of rain:      http://www.rainymood.com/

Gray skies over Moody's Diner today...

...but warm and cozy inside

My favorite telephone booth...

Beef and Barley Soup

Our waitress told us that there was fresh rhubarb pie on the menu today, we didn't indulge this time but Moody's does make a great pie. Now on to Moose Crossing for plants...

Hello little tomato plants!

Wish I could take all of these home with me...

{ This Moment }

{this moment} -  "A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember." --        Soule Mama

Planting Day

We gardeners had a small window of opportunity the other day, the spring rains we've been experiencing were replaced by two glorious, sunny days. Perfect weather for getting out into the garden to turn the soil and plant our early vegetables. 

We have had some problems in recent years with deer, rabbits and groundhogs, it seems they love home-grown vegies as much as we do. As much as I love seeing our native wildlife, I do not love it when my long anticipated string beans and lettuces disappear before I even get a taste! This year a section of the garden will be surrounded by a wire fence. Hope it works!

This is my husband hard at work, the tiller has been with us for over twenty five years and is still going strong.

The compost is a little unfinished but I still managed to find enough for our spring planting.

Planting the peas.

A row of peas planted on each side of the fence, waiting for tomorrow's rain.

Things are starting to take shape: lettuce, peas, spinach, radishes and Swiss Chard are in the ground.

Edging the garden in preparation for the wire fence.

The wire fence will be set into this trench and buried by next weekend...poor Peter Rabbit will have to go elsewhere for his supper.

Buds on the pear tree.

Pears for our heirs...we have yet to get a huge crop of pears, but we are hopeful that it may be soon, maybe this year?

The shadows are getting long now, time to pack up the garden tools and go in to make dinner.