A Garden Party

Second time I've decided to post bunches of photos, and say very little... (hard for me to do) with the intent of sending this off to the Fishtail Cottage for a Garden Party tour. You can go see what I mean by clicking on Garden Party.



Not a whole lot of progress in my garden since last week's party. Truthfully I'm so busy with my work at Goat Hill Fair, ( <- click to see what work I do) that the house & garden take a back seat until after the show is over. There has been the mundane, not -so- pretty-to- photograph upkeep of a lawn, pulling of weeds, and pruning of overgrown branches.  All much needed tasks, but bo-ring!


Here's some pretty instead ~

this variegated Calla lily is from the garden of  Hubby's deceased Aunt

more vintage signs in the garden

pulling out winter crop and starting seeds

Penny the hen from next door

combo of rose, mock orange, and fremontodendron

star magnolia - long since leafed out...

Look at the same star magnolia image from above ^ done in Waterlogue app.... I love it!

That's all I've got for now. Back to Goat Hill work... anyone want to come along on a tour of that fun place? Maybe I'll post about Goat Hill after the May show...


Happy Mother's Day to the women that make life one beautiful garden....

May Queen

Can there possibly be a better way to celebrate all things flower & garden, and SPRING, than MAY 1st??  It is May Day!

A virtual bouquet to family and friends....  not hung on your doorknob - with a knock-knock to offer you sweet spring salutations... yet, with sunshine thoughts anyway ~

My garden has come alive! The veggies are beginning to shoot skyward. It has taken quite some time for them.. after first planting - some seeds, other starter plants - the Cali weather has been on a roller coaster ride and I do believe the plants stayed in hibernation for awhile, peeking out and then deciding to stay-put for a short time more.

You'll notice that many of my images are Instagram, or shot from my iPhone. Seems such a handy tool when I'm out gardening. It slips quite easily into the pocket of my apron!

I do have a "big-girl" camera.. and she WOWs me every time with the close-up shots I get of individual blossoms. It's just heavy, awkward and potentially dangerous ( to her ) while handling with clay dirt all across my hands!



The magnificent walnut that graces our backyard does not leaf out until late May. So she still looks like this ~

One of the veggies that was plenty happy with the fickle weather - actually preferring some cool, dampness - is the artichoke. We've already sampled some of our homegrown for dinner!  * a little side note: the artichoke capitol of the world is not far from where I live - Castroville,CA. The beachy area near Watsonville and Santa Cruz. Marilyn Monroe was once crowned the May Queen ARTICHOKE Queen!

one from my garden

I have loads of roses I tend...I adore... these grow over an arch intermingled with jasmine. The scent at this time of year as I wander through the gateway to the far back.. is breathtakingly sweet!

Still following me?... step along my gravel footpath... (this is a vintage sign from England - scored at an estate sale many years ago)

Purple lilac... whereas the first image I shared (above) was my white lilac - the white beauty new to me this year as a gift from a set of friends at Goat Hill Fair, to honor the passing of my Mom. Bittersweet but perfect memory as I garden!

I have so many images of my home and garden - my place of quiet content - my refuge...
This post is quite lengthy, so I hope any who follow are still reading ~




A couple of artsy images to shake things up!! hhhaaa

Veggies, again....

How can one resist swiss chard? My gawd the vibrancy...

Now - LETT UCE entertain you!! hha  A little piece of humor & light ... a vintage sink for a plant vessel ~

Yellow is a favorite of mine ~

... and in the front yard too ~

Lady Banks  ^ comes to visit each spring, knocks my socks off and then heads off to parts unknown until the following spring. Me thinks she needs to visit more frequently!! Don't you feel the same about these wonderous plants?




I am linking to a Garden Party and I hope that's where you've been to find my slice of abundant life... go read here { click - Fishtail Cottage }. I'm heading over there to go on some garden tours, myself... can never get too many ideas for the garden! Especially on May Day!

How Does The Garden Grow?

With verdant twining leaves that spread at alarming rate - the pole bean seeds that barely hit soil a month ago - are producing long, narrow beans that the bird loves, as do we humans!

{the ever producing plums get in on the shot too}

A metal piece found long ago has been repurposed into a HUGE tomato cage {unsure of it's original use - someone once thought a pot-rack for the kitchen}

Moving to the floral department ~

Shasta Daisy heads fill an entire patch of garden space... tilting their faces to the sun.

Roses are still vibrant and abundant, yet I presume they are feeling somewhat wilty after that full week of scorching sun. Time for them to be fed again, so I might keep them happy through the fall!

Seems the summer-loving Hollyhock maintains her dignity and stands tall and stately through all kinds of weather ~

Happy mop-head Hydrangeas are blissfully blooming, but they too looked weary last week during the heatwave ~

Now, back to vegetable subjects again....

Not for lack of trying, but I've been unable to master the establishment of beets in our vegetable beds. Still I purchase them with fervor and we savor our salads with some goat cheese sprinkled atop ~

Getting a run for my money with shoots, tendrils, climbers and runners of all kinds. The wisteria runners climb to amazing heights and have a mind all their own. They are crazy-smart plants that can reach their way to anything brave enough to be within a 3 foot radius.

green beans climb their tee-pee

Many laborious hours ahead of me... with PLEASURE. Especially since much of the month of May, and June were spent away from home {what with that anniversay and such... wink-wink!}

The Seduction of Spring

That ole' crusty winter has been whisked away. Spring sent the winds to push it out of our lives for the next half-year or more. Remnants of rain - droplets of winter tears - periodically sprinkle newly planted seeds.

Mesmerized and enchanted by Springs flirtatious ways... that I am! Walking takes on entirely familiar, yet fresh & new emotions..   How delightful the mimosa perfume punctuating the air!
Kaleidoscopic color feeding my eyes.  So enticing the soft pink fruit tree petals cascading from the boughs... only to land in diminishing puddles and float in circles for a time.

Spring - deserving of an award for starlet of seasons. You make me smile - take my breath away at the beauty of nature - I sit in wonder of it all!

Joys are abundant in my garden, at my home during this early springtime in California! Lucky me!



*** Linked to: see more home joys at Romantic Home..

Easter & Lisa Kudrow Lyrics

The laughing-est family evening ever for Easter.

We drove to see my brothers and parents. One of my nieces in particular was the creator of some jolly time! My SIL is learning to play the guitar and she strummed for us first.. then the niece took over the guitar and added singing to the mix. Put her on stage and she can be a giggling, entertaining, raucous-laughing show!

Spring was present! Loved my SIL's flowers. My brother's pride-and-joy garden...

gift to the fam

With my "memory-garden" in mind, I thought to dig-up and divide iris from my yard. These particular bearded iris are from the garden of my Aunt Lorraine who passed years ago. Each spring I'm reminded of her when these beauties bloom. So, everyone was given a bag with a couple of rhizomes to place our Aunt's diligent work in each of their gardens... thus extending the spaces that memories will be evoked!


No egg hunt,  but I had dyed some at home just to place out for me to admire their color!

Lisa Kudrow will never know how many giddy-goat moments she inspired! "Smelly Cat" while not a traditional Easter hymn was the perfect touch to our Easter!

LAUGHTER!!!  good for the soul....