Lovely little bloomers . . .

A few photos of the hosta blooms, taken before the wicked heat took hold.

I'm hoping some late blooming buds will still burst forth in defiance.

Enjoy,

Lori Ann

Change is inevitable in a garden

"No two gardens are the same.

No two days are the same in one garden."

Hugh Johnson

A "New" Garden is Unfolding . . .

Soooooo - my last post here was in August of 2015.

Much has changed in life, work AND the garden.

Here's a quick catch up:

December 2015 - I broke my leg while trimming a branch off a tree.

2016 - I spent most of the year healing from 2 surgeries.

(Not too much gardening that year, tho I planted a few tomatoes on a walker!)

2017 - A big year of health challenges for my husband and now
96 year old mother.  

2018 - The beginning of re-working a sorely neglected garden while

still attending to other's health needs.

2019 - the "new" garden is coming along . . . 

She is not like the garden before her, she is maturing, becoming more

peaceful and softer.

(Just as I hope for myself.)

This blog began in 2011. Prior to that (2009) we'd built a lovely "kitchen garden" 
in our backyard. The blog came about as a way to document the garden and 
experiment with recipes using our home grown bounty. (read here).

It was a wonderful time of hard work and tasty dishes!

Across the back of our yard are 8 bald cypress trees. We love them for the 

privacy they afford, but they have grown by leaps and bounds.

The shade they cast over the garden was making it difficult for our

vegetables to remain happy.

In 2017 we made the decision to let the kitchen garden return to the earth.

A crew dismantled the raised beds, took down the fence, re-located gravel and stones
from the path, then leveled the dirt and planted see for grass.

Today, no one would know she was ever there, but I know.
I feel a peace in that area of the yard and am thankful for the bounty she
gave us.

To be continued . . .

(Follow along to see how the "new" garden is shaping up and see where the Basil is now!)

Barefoot and happy as always,

Lori Ann

YUM!

Hello there . . .

Last year I began purchasing micro greens at the local farm markets.

What tasty little morsels they are, little bits so fresh and teeny

they just make you, and your taste buds smile!

I decided to try my hand at growing my own.

After many a web search, I settled on:

Sprout People

(Check out their great website!)

https://sproutpeople.org

Talk about immediate gratification!

Microgreens take only 10-14 days to reach beautiful, yummy maturity.

You can top sandwiches, salads, wraps or any dish with these healthy and fun

GREENS!

In the back ~ "Salad Greens", in the front ~ "Mustard greens" ~ Spicy!

Easily grown in a flower pot right outside the kitchen door!

My favorite lunch:

Trader Joe's Sprouted Rye ~ Toasted

Topped with homemade Hummus, Fresh tomato slice (from the garden of course)

Micro Greens & avocado!

Life is good in a garden . . . 

Lori Ann

sad . . .

Sometimes mother nature is not at her best.

She can give more to some and none to others.

She does not base her giving on merit, but doles out sun, rain

and pestilence willy nilly!

Yet . . . where would we be without her?

We have our bad days too!

More days than not, this is the view out our window

This year due to her "giving" us an overabundance of rain, we've lost

most all the tyme in the stone paths!

Tyme doesn't like it's feet wet, much less totally soaking for days (weeks) on end.

Note these photos of our paths a couple years ago and this week.

For now we will dig out the roots, add more pea gravel and 

re-plant in the spring.

Today . . .

Before

Today . . .

Before

Such is life in a garden . . . 

Lori Ann

Rainy days . . .

"God made rainy days so gardeners could get 

the housework done."

Author unknown

* * *

Ok . . .  so enough already :-)

We've had enough rainy days to clean every inch of our home ~ twice!

Our forecast is rain till Monday, 2 days of sun, then rain again.

The humidity has been very high, temps in the 80's and next week 90's.

The garden is beginning to look (and feel) like a tropical jungle!

Sigh . . .  the challenges of gardening

I still love it so!

The perfect arrangement!

The perfect arrangement ~ looks like dinner to me!

The asparagus is slowing a bit . . .  

but still giving just enough for a lovely dinner!

Happy Day,

Lori Ann

Mother's Gardens . . .

June 3rd. was my mother's 92nd. birthday!

We spent the day with her having lunch , a yummy desert and enjoying her pretty flowers.

Once a gardener . . .  always a gardener!

If at first you don't succeed . . . .

Each year begins with good intentions of keeping up this garden blog.

Last year , I fear I never got past the "intention" part.

So as they say . . . try, try, again!

My favorite time in the garden is spring with its promise of what's to come.

Sweet daffodils arrive first.

They soon hand the baton to the pink dogwood and red bud trees who pass to the 

Siberian Iris and the early blooming clematis.

May brings a lovely spring harvest ~ spinach, herbs, asparagus, kale and

strawberries are being savored as they too will wane as other

vegetables take their place.

Enjoy a bit of spring in our garden!

Lori Ann

Let's try this again!

My apologies for not keeping up with my garden site last year.

4 posts does not a nice blog make!

It's a new year, SPRING is close at hand, and my fingers are itching

to feel the earth.

I'll do better this year, really I will, because I believe in tomorrow!

As pretty as this looks . . . . 

I prefer this . . .  and the promise it holds!

May your day be sunny,

Lori Ann

Yesterday's project . . .

Hello all!

So far my attempts to be a better garden blogger have not been up to par.

Today it's raining and everything looks amazingly green!

It's been an odd start to the season with cooler than normal 

temperatures and a good amount of rain. 

I'm not complaining mind you! 
Last summer's heat and drought were pretty unbearable. 

I have felt a bit behind & we have a deadline of summer company in mid June.
I would love to be able to sit back and relax by then,

save for a little daily watering and maintenance!

Our mulch was laid last week giving the garden a much needed boost
as well as protecting all the roots and shoots

from the summer heat I'm sure is still to come.

Except for vegetables we don't have much planting to do
as I'm beginning to run out of space.  Did I just say that?  Nahhhh!
I can always do a bit and there is always re-arranging!

But first we are tackling a couple little "hardscape" jobs.

Yesterday we put in landscape timbers around the outside of the kitchen garden.

First thinking we would just kind of pop them around the edge.
Quick and easy - Right?
 Then we decided to put husbands tools to use and do something a little sturdier.
They are all dug in, and connected with brackets.

Even running into then full speed with a mower won't budge them!

Now the strawberries are happy and I have a little added space for planting!

Next up is placing rocks!

More on that next time!

Till then enjoy this photo of my Clematis  . . . she's just starting to blossom!

Happy digging,

Lori Ann

In a garden each day brings something new . . .

I love the rapidly changing sights of spring.

As the daffodils wane, the hosts begin to break the earths surface and a pear tree

glows with fresh blooms.

Oh Miss Spring , each day a different outfit!

Lori Ann

(I posted this on my work blog the other day, but thought I'd repeat it here as well . . .
my little sign of spring to come!)

When I lived in the country there were bluebirds, always and everywhere.

 I loved that first sign of spring when one might come sit on my studio window sill

to reassure me that yes, it's really coming!

How beautiful is it that something so simple can bring a smile and hope?

I have missed my bluebirds.

Living in the suburbs they don't like such close quarters.

Yes, I've seen them on walks to the park, or drives in the country, but

in the 10 years we have lived here never in our backyard.

Until . . . . . Sunday !

Even taken thru the screen this image makes me smile.

A bluebird in the suburbs.

Movin' on up?

Or loss of habitat?

But for today I'll just smile!

May you always have a bluebird on your shoulder,

Lori Ann

2013 hopeful . . .

Hopeful . . . 

Of course this word can mean many things to many people.

For this blog it means that I am "hopeful" that I can be a better garden 

blogger in 2013.

Last year was not the prettiest of garden years . . . 

i spent my days playing defense with a garden hose  . . .  watering relentlessly

just to keep everything alive in the heat.

I am "hopeful" that this new year will bring a lovely garden season,

nice warmth, just the right amount of rain, plenty of sunshine

and no bugs!

But I'll work with whatever we get.

In the mean time . . .  enjoy this photo I took right after Christmas of

the kitchen garden during a pretty snow.

Lori Ann

Fruits of our labor . . .

My Monday morning . . .  A garden is hard work, but the rewards . . . . wow, I am so grateful!    You honestly can't get any better or healthier than this!  This morning was tomatoe sauce day!  I have been flinging bags of tomatoes into the freezer , we were running out of freezer space.  This all actually started with the planting of our garlic last fall!  We grew EVERY element that is in this sauce . . . from the tomatoes, onions & red peppers to the garlic and oregano. I use red peppers in my sauce . . . as they give a depth of flavor and a richness that is amazing!   The house smells so wonderful as the sauce is cooking right now!  This evening?  Eggplant Parmesean..... YEP, we grew the eggplant too!  :-)

Have a happy day!

Lori Ann

Happy 4th. !

 May you Fourth be happy and safe !

Lori Ann

I'm Excited!

Let me introduce you to Judy Condon.

Judy is the author of the

"Simply Country"

book series.

Her books cover real country homes, decor and seasonal decorating.

2 years ago she published her first garden book.

Simply Country Gardens

it was such a hit with readers that her second garden book,

Just Country Gardens 

was released this year!

The reason I am so excited ?

(Aside of course, from being greatly inspired by all of the beautiful gardens).

Our own humble gardens will be in her 2013 garden book!

(Judy hasn't chosen a name yet, but I will definitely keep you up on the title and 

release date once it's announced !)

In the mean time you can order and of Judy's books thru

Marsh Homestead Antiques

Enjoy and tell your friends!

Lori Ann

My thirsty little helper!

Lacy has been "helping" me in the garden.

She works so hard , often checking the perimeter for strangers,

 running along the fence with her dog friends

checking on me now and then and sunning herself on the deck.

She gets very hot and loves to have a nice little drink from the

freshly refilled bird bath!

I guess the birds won't mind!

Tomorrow is the 

"Quailcrest Garden Fair"

in Wooster, Ohio

FUN!!!

http://www.quailcrest.com

Have a sunny day!

Lori Ann

Spring blues . . .

Just a couple photos to share of the earlier "Spring Blues".

I love when all the blues bloom together!

Siberian Iris, Spiderwort, False Indygo and Columbine.

Bird girl looks quite content!

In the "Wild" garden . . . it does need tamed a bit this year!

Cranesbill (2 kinds of hardy geranium) more Siberian as well as 

other Iris and lots of Columbine. 

Enjoy!

Lori Ann

Garlic and gardens going's on!

Hello everyone!

Finally, I am getting in gear with the gardens and the blog.

I've had a bit of a slow start this year, but the kitchen garden is mostly planted and growing nicely!

Clean up and (never ending) weeding commenced, 

along with scrubbing the deck & planting the "pretty" pots.

I so enjoy being out doors, even if it is in the 90's!

We warmed up quickly this year, which means my asparagus has slowed to a halt!

Oh Compost!!

(That's garden cussing in case you didn't know!)

Still hoping for a bit of cooler weather,

it is only May for goodness sake!

Hard Neck Garlic

The photo is of our own freshly dug GARLIC!

This is about half of the first small bed, with another bed to dig soon as well.

All planted in the fall for an early harvest this year, then we plant a second round too!

(Yes, we put garlic in most everything!)

I'll be back soon with more pics and a list of favorite Garden books!

Happy digging!

Lori Ann

To share my favorite quote:

"In the Spring . . . at the end of the day,
you should smell like DIRT "

Margaret Atwood

* * *

A few more for you to ponder:

“Spring shows what God can do with a drab and dirty world.”
― Virgil Kraft

“The deep roots never doubt spring will come.”
― Marty Rubin

Spring is nature's way of saying, "Let's party!"

Robin Williams

Everybody needs beauty as well as bread, places to play in and pray in, where Nature may heal and cheer and give strength to the body and soul alike.

 John Muir

The garden is the interface between the house and the rest of civilization.
nature quote by Geoffrey Charlesworth

Man's heart away from nature becomes hard.
 by Standing Bear

And to end . . . 

Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished.  
 Lao Tzu

Happy digging!

Lori Ann